My 101st post

And I'm ready for spring, for planting and raking and being outdoors. I was reading a blog today - a letter a mom wrote to her daughter, and I realized just how much I miss homeschooling - especially in the spring. During our homeschooling days much of spring was focused on the greenhouses. My children learned not only how to grow plants but how to count money, make change, give great customer service, speak to adults, and responsibility. We might not have done a lot of book stuff during that crazy month of April but we made up for it during the winter months.

He is our next generation. How I wish I could homeschool him as well. I think it would be much more fun than it was 20 years ago. I'm older and wiser.

Waiting for the coffee

And you thought it was going to be me. Molly waits every morning for her coffee. She refuses to eat her breakfast until I pour some hot coffee on her kibbles. Then, she'll clean the whole plate. We found out she loved coffee when we caught her helping herself to my cup of jo on the coffee table. Here she is - staring me down. I'm at the breakfast table reading the paper and she is balanced on the back of the chair ----waiting..

Yummy Brownies

Last night at our monthly doula meeting in Syracuse we were treated to some totally delicious and nutritious brownie - gluten free in fact.

Don't let the black beans discourage you ---- one would never guess that is what they were. Like Chinese red bean cakes. Like I had in Chinatown back in 1969.

Black Bean Brownies

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

3 eggs 3 Tbsp canola oil, plus more for brushing

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Coarse salt, a pinch

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup brown sugar,

packed ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly brush an 8" x 8" baking pan with oil.

In food processor, process black beans until smooth. Add the eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, and sugar; process until smooth. Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips and pulse a few times to fully mix. Transfer the batter to the pan and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top of the batter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.

Kindness of Friends

I have a wonderfully kind friend - Kathy aka Mrs. Potter and she just gave me a BAG of yarn she didn't want anymore. What a blessing this has been. I have been lagging in my knitting and crocheting and this is just what I needed to get me going.

When Tyler was here back in January I made him two brimmed hats which he can't go out of the house with out wearing one. Those are my inspiration now and I have lots of yarn to make lots of hats.

Friday is Fish Night

Friday is Fish Night and not the Fried kind either.

After getting some nice talapia at Aldi's and then having recipe come across my email box for fiery fish tacos, plus the avocados that Thu gave us we had a very delicious dinner.

Being a bit of a chicken when it comes to using cayenne and other peppers we cut back to 1 t. each on those and 1/2 t. salt. I would think that there would be a mistake in the original but some people just like it hot.

Ingredients

1 cup corn

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup diced red pepper

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves finely chopped - I used parsley

1 lime, zested and juiced

2 T. sour cream - I used chobani's plain

2T. cayenne pepper

1T. ground black pepper

2T salt

6 - 4oz. tilapia filets

2 T. olive oil

tortillas. warmed

Directions

Preheat grill for hight heat.

Combine vegies and lime in a bowl.

In a medium bowl mix peppers and salt.

Brush filets with olive oil.

Rub with pepper mix and grill for about 3 minutes.

build your taco.

We added guacamole and yum.

Missing Photos and my busy week

It is amazing where missing items show up - even when you don't realize they are missing. Joshua took some film to be developed and found photos from my trip to sea base with the explorer scouts back in 2005 and some cutey pics of Tyler. This must have been the summer of 2010 before they returned to their 'Ole Kentucky Home'. He's sitting on my garden bench.

It was nice to find them cause I'm missing him after my blessed month with him here in NY.

He visited IKEA this past Tuesday with his mama and papa and got to buy a wooden train set - cause he LOVES trains.

As for busy week - I am using my Saturday to chill and get caught up on fun stuff like - paying bills and cleaning the bath room.

Tuesday night I got a doula call - meet us in Oneida. We're on our way to Crouse. So Diane and I ventured to Syracuse hoping for a quick delivery so I could be back to work Wednesday morning. But that was not to be as my mom-to-be was only in early labor and was sent back home to rest. Well, rest she sort of did until Thursday afternoon when she again called saying this was it - meet us at Crouse. There by 4pm and baby at 10pm - Mom was awesome and so was Dad. And I won the prize: The sono tech said boy - I said girl, the midwife said 7 something and I asked how much her sibling weighed and that this child topped that. She was 9 # 3 oz. But the real prize was the privilege of being there to witness a beautiful little girl be greeted by two loving AND EXCITED parents.

This visit to the Florida Keys was THE most memorable and best "vacation" time I ever spent. My only regret is that my husband wasn't there to experience it with me. After our first night on a sailboat with the most spectacular sunset, starry night and lightning storms in the distance to the day I spent walking alone all around Key West I will always remember the week I spent there with Kati.

I was so amazed at the beauty that the ocean held. I was absolutely in awe as we snorkeled amidst the reefs with multitudes of schooling fish swimming amongst me.

I was left thinking that GOD created all of this beauty but very few people ever will get to experience it.

And this is what I dream about. To spend a year sailing where ever my heart leads complete with kitty companion.