Child of morning

March 30, 2011 / Sheila / Leave a comment

As a child of night people, I grew up believing I was also a night person, and for the first many years of my life, I tended to sleep in (whenever possible) and stay up late (every night). I remember my dad saying once, somewhat wistfully, that he hated to give up the day. He and my mom were able to be productive until midnight, or even later, and were quite happy with that routine.

But for some years now, I have known that my natural rhythm is rooted in the calm of early morning. The stillness of the house at 5:00 am is a gentle usher into activity, the routine beginning of getting out the door. There is no better start to a hectic schedule than drinking my coffee and watching the sun come up. I know those moments are a precursor to the day’s pace, and in 2011, the pace is brisk. But the morning is a time of gathering myself, centering, preparing. I’m not going out to do battle! Let me hasten to say my life is not filled with conflict. It is filled with commitment….commitment to people, work, errands, to dos, information. The barrage of tasks, meetings, technology, obligations, desires…these things take their piece of time and energy.

Early morning is a great time to contemplate the workings of life. I don’t often find answers; mostly I think of new questions as I sit staring at the water and outline of the mountains appearing in the dawn. But even with questions and without answers, the peace of the moment reassures me. And that is the gift of early morning. I recognize that life begins anew each day. Circumstances don’t change overnight. But I can be new, face life with refreshed energy, renewed hope, a desire to try again.

There is a line by L. M. Montgomery in Anne of Green Gables that says, “Tomorrow is fresh with no mistakes in it.” Yes, I have to live with mistakes that follow me from the day before, or the year before. Some mistakes take a while to leave behind. But the morning presents another opportunity. And when I watch the sun come up, feel the hope of the day, I see the colors of potential.

Find your sweet spot regardless of the time of day. I think recognizing your rhythm is a big step toward sanity. If you’ve been living with less of that than you’d like, try getting up early, if that’s not a part of your routine. And if you’re already an early riser, try being still at the beginning of the day. With or without coffee in hand, it’s a great way to launch.

Spots

March 29, 2011 / Sheila / 6 Comments

Ok, please tell me why a freshly pressed light-colored pair of pants is a magnet for spots? I’m not usually messy…I don’t spill a lot, don’t have a hole in my lip. But I know when I left the house this morning I was wearing clean clothes. Now, late in the day, I look down and see I’ve acquired a few things along the way. And it’s not such a big deal to go home and treat a few spots and throw laundry in for a spin. But how long have I had these spots? Were they with me as I went through a day of meetings? You know, I really try to project a professional image. Is there a conspiracy? Must I wear leftovers through my afternoon? And why do I notice at the end of the day? At least if I had noticed the drip when it happened, I could have attempted a fix. Now, at 4:30, there’s no point. My spots have been on display, front and center.

The only thing I can hope is that everyone else was pre-occupied with their own spots.

If all of this sounds silly, just wait until you realize that instead of displaying a confident and polished self, you were wearing your best middle-school look. Really, the only comfort with these little flashes of insecurity…you know, an unzipped fly, or socks that don’t match (I don’t know how that happened) or bad hair days….is the realization that no one escapes. We’re all seventh graders at one time or another, even after we’ve long outgrown the age.

Well, off to buy some stain remover. And tomorrow, I hope to move up a grade or two.

Ginger Peach tea and other finds

March 27, 2011March 27, 2011 / Sheila / 2 Comments

Rosemary

Found some fun new things this week. Mind you, when I say new, I mean new to me…my discoveries may not be cutting edge. But in case I’m not the only one…

Favorite new tea: Republic of Tea Longevity Ginger Peach. This is wonderful as a hot or iced beverage. The flavor is amazing, refreshing, and the tea comes in individual bags with no messy string or paper tag to fuss with.

Google Chrome web browser: thank you Rob! He introduced me to this browser and I like it better than Internet Explorer…seems faster and offers some great new features.

Amazon Windowshop Beta App: A new way to shop Amazon…this is an app from the Google Apps site. Easy to navigate through the page and lots of links to explore…Amazon just gets better and better.

Rosemary scented wash cloths: Place a lightweight wash cloth and a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary in a bowl and cover with water. Microwave one to two minutes until water is very hot. Let the cloth steep in the herb infused water. The longer the cloth steeps in the scented water, the stronger the fragrance will become. I like to reheat the bowl in the microwave just before using so the cloth is a perfect temperature…warm but not too hot. Find the Goldilocks spot for your taste. This is a refreshing way to revive after a busy day or a calming wind-down before bed. Check out the baby department for small perfect sized cloths. This also works well with a few basil leaves or any herb you prefer to substitute for the rosemary.

The best part of these finds is that they add fun, variety and functionality to routine. What’s new with you?

Saturday and the livin’ is easy

March 26, 2011 / Sheila / 4 Comments

It’s been a beautiful Saturday in Ketchikan, Alaska…one of the postcard days that everyone should see here…and so few do! I always feel sorry for the cruise ship tourists who have one day to see the community and have to spend it under umbrellas and rain coats.

But I digress…the past three days here have been amazing. When the sky is clear and blue, the water takes on the same hue and the sun feels HOT. Surprising for springtime in Alaska, but the sun streaming in through my sun room can actually warm the house to a comfortable temperature. And we’re still in March!

The perfect spring weather has been the perfect backdrop to a perfect lazy Saturday. Slept in (7:00 am, thank you!), always a treat to a 5:00 am weekday riser. Had a morning coaching call with my life coach, then a hearty brunch with Rob. We progressed to a few chores around the house, then a workout, grocery stop, and finally, back home to catch up on some online work before ending our day with pizza and a movie. Now, if this is not your idea of perfect, I understand. I’ve had more exciting days for sure. But what is more rewarding, in the big picture, than to realize that the mundane tasks of life can still be fun and that the slow pace of a casual Saturday is just right when you have a loved one to wake with, eat with, run errands with?

We anticipate the big moments in life; special days, exotic vacations, beginnings…relationships, jobs, births, adventures….we mark the calendar with the dates to remember. But we don’t count the most important days of all…the everydays, the working days, the Saturdays that fill the years with the ordinary and the wonderful.

Next Saturday, I’ll have my usual list of things to do. But I’ll take a moment to mark the special day that occurs only 52 times a year. And maybe the sun will be shining again.

Favorite things

March 22, 2011 / Sheila / 3 Comments

These are a few of my favorite things (in random order):

Warm sunshine in my sunroom
Loving words
Rubbermaid tubs (great for boxing and storing)
Macadamia nut cookies (Pepperidge Farm, yum!)
Movies with a message – check out “The Story of Us,” an oldie but a goodie
Odd serendipities – I broke a glass vase yesterday that I couldn’t bring myself to part with, but didn’t really want either – I broke it accidentally; but was actually relieved to be free of it without guilt
Pink tulips
Little Riley’s voice on the phone
Anticipation
Digital books

What are your favorite things?

Response vs reaction

March 21, 2011 / Sheila / 4 Comments

Here’s a fun and intriguing game: think of two words that begin with the same letter, are similar in meaning, yet have subtle differences. There are many word pairs that work for this exercise. The words I’m using here, response and reaction, fit these requirements perfectly.

Imagine any scenario between two people, or groups of people. The scenario has some element of conflict. Maybe conflict is too strong a word…maybe in the scene there is just a difference of opinion. One person or group speaks or acts, and the other responds. What type of interaction do you see? I see a calm and measured exchange, a respectful and healthy exchange.

Change the word describing the scene to “react” and there is a shift in interpretation. Now the second person or group is not so calm. There is a hint of acting out of instinct, of acting from the gut. In fact, you frequently hear the phrase “gut reaction” to describe a swift and automatic volley of speech or action.

In life, there is a time for both response and reaction. If you are having a discussion, you most likely prefer a response to your statement. If you face an emergency, you react, hopefully swiftly, and probably instinctively.

So in conversations at home or at work, in encounters in line at the grocery or a parent-teacher conference, or more importantly, with a spouse or your child, choose carefully. Does the situation require a response? Or do you need to react? Have you mixed the two scenarios? Reacted when you should have responded? Or maybe, responded when you should have reacted? We can usually determine when we over-react. But it can be just as detrimental to under-react. If my house is on fire, I don’t need a garden hose, I need a fire-engine. So either responding or reacting can be appropriate. And either approach can be wrong.

My life coach and I were discussing this recently, and credit goes to her for this word pairing. Challenge yourself to think of other examples. The English language is full of these. Some pairings follow this pattern, and other words begin with the same letter but are opposite in meaning. The helpful part of the game is that when you pair words and consider the differences in meaning, you begin to consider how you display these meanings in your life. It’s an awareness check, and this is a tool.

Extreme Banana Nut Bread

March 20, 2011 / Sheila / 1 Comment

Here’s an old favorite, good any season of the year. And for those pesky bananas that zip right past their 30 second window of ripeness, it’s a great way to use produce and have a taste of comfort food. This is delicious with a cup of morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Extreme Banana Nut Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar (1 cup granulated white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar)
3 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 5 bananas)
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9×5 inch loaf pans. (Or just spray with Pam baking spray). Or, use a muffin pan if you prefer muffins rather than a loaf of bread. Spray muffin cups with Pam, or use cup cake paper liners.

Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in the bananas, eggs, vanilla and nuts until well blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, and stir just until blended. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans, or muffin cups.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven; about 20 minutes for muffins if you choose that option, or until a knife inserted into the crown of the loaf or muffin comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep in the moisture.

Two other tips for free…if you have bananas that are getting too ripe and you don’t have time to make this bread right away, you can freeze the bananas and defrost to use when you’re ready. Throw the bananas into the freezer unpeeled and whole (the skins will turn black when the fruit freezes, but it doesn’t affect the taste). Or, if you have time to prep, you can peel and slice the bananas and freeze using a freezer bag. Use in the bread recipe or use a few slices at a time in fruit smoothies or milk shakes. When you thaw the bananas to use in the bread recipe, the texture will be almost liquid in consistency, but the thawed fruit works perfectly in the bread. To use the slices in smoothies, don’t thaw, just add to the blender with other smoothie ingredients.

Enjoy!

I needed that!

March 18, 2011March 18, 2011 / Sheila / 1 Comment

You know how life works at times…you see something that is exactly what you need to read, or you hear something that is exactly what you need to hear? This is what I read:

Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves – regret for the past and fear of of the future. ~ Fulton Oursler

And this is what I heard:

When it is dark enough, you can see the stars ~ Charles Austin Beard

Have a beautiful weekend!

Shepherd’s Pie

March 17, 2011March 18, 2011 / Sheila / 3 Comments

: Dinner!

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, and all things Irish (yes, my family roots..at least some of them…are Irish…like so many people in the US). This is also a nod to Alex, who loves this dish, Irish music, Irish symbols, and sports a Celtic tattoo.

Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

Potato Topping:
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 – 1/2 cup cream (add as needed)
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Nonstick cooking spray

Filling:
4 slices bacon, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pound ground beef
2 to 3 medium carrots, roughly chopped, (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup frozen peas 3/4 cup frozen corn 2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth (more as needed if filling seems too thick)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Method:
Prepare potatoes. Place the sliced potatoes in a large saucepan cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender, 20 minutes. Drain water, then to potatoes add the sour cream, 1/4 cup cream, (or more as needed to make potatoes creamy), butter, salt and pepper, and beat on low speed with a hand mixer until the potatoes are light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not overmix. Cover and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch round baking dish with nonstick spray.

Prepare filling: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally until browned and almost crisp, about 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate.

Add the oil to the drippings in the skillet and heat to medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the sugar, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Stir in the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat, until the beef begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the carrots, peas, corn, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring, until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the broth. Cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked bacon, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.

Spoon the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread the potato topping evenly over the beef mixture. Bake until the filling is hot, the topping is lightly browned and the edges are bubbly, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with cheese. Return to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and allow dish to rest for 10 minutes.

Serve with fresh warm rolls and butter. Yum!

Springtime

March 16, 2011 / Sheila / 2 Comments

It’s mid-March, and with the time change, the light lingers into the evening. It’s 7:00 pm and I can still look out and see the Tongass Narrows outside my window. Nice to welcome the softer seasons back after a snowier-than-usual stretch.

And with the return of spring months and lengthening days come other signs of rebirth. There are daffodils pushing up through the soil in the flower bed outside my house. The spring clothing catalogs have made their appearance in my mailbox. I’m beginning to think about Easter presents to send my kids. I look at dates to fly down to Arizona to celebrate Riley’s first birthday in late April. And I begin to think of summer plans. All good, all reward for getting through the winter months once more.

I love seasons. I love the change of mood that each season brings. Spring is about awakening. Summer is inherently a more relaxed time. Is that programmed into the American psyche from all the years of the school/summer cycle? First by your own school schedule as a child, then for anyone who has children, by their years in that rhythm. But even beyond the calendar, there is something about the long days that demands a slower pace and a celebration of all things summer: beaches, picnics, road trips, ball games, fireworks, watermelon and burgers.

Fall is the first season of “new year” to me. I always think there should be two re-sets of the year. Also tied to the academic calendar, September (or now August, as classes begin earlier each year) is the beginning of another school year, for so long a way of defining and staging each person: “What grade are you in this year?” And the excitement of fall harvest, Halloween, Thanksgiving…each event is a beloved marker of family and communal sharing that punctuates the months.

The peak of the year for many people, “the holidays,” is both the best and the worst of the annual cycle. I am better than I once was at enjoying the people and not stressing so much about the events. It is a magical time: for children waiting for gifts; for adults, touched by reminders of what is real and good in life. And when the real new year comes, we each have the chance, once more, to reset ourselves by the calendar. To resolve again to be “good,” however we define that for ourselves: diet, money, exercise, goals…it’s going to be different this year!

So, springtime, the second season, is upon us. I look at my spring decor, knicknacks that I am sorting through as I box things in my basement. I have a collection of blown Easter eggs that my kids and I made over the years. I have ceramic bunnies and an egg tree, an assortment of spring wreaths and linens that I’ll pull out for an Easter lunch. The brighter colors and lighter fabrics imitate the outdoors on sunny days, and remind me that many things in life are worth waiting for. Spring is one of them. Then summer. Then fall. Then winter. It’s all good, and fortunately, just as we’re weary of one, the next arrives, in perfect timing. Just as we need the next cycle to begin, it does.