Feeling the Fear...and Doing it Anyway

A delicious treat at Kim's

I have spent the last week or so marveling at how everything has been manifesting.  I feel as if I've been swept up by this giant wave of beautiful forward motion and I can't even remember standing on the shore.

But along with that, has come some uncomfortable feelings because THINGS ARE HAPPENING.  And they are things I've been wishing and preparing for.

Oh. My. Goodness!

My life is starting to really head in the direction I've been reaching for and it's bringing up the "new job feelings." You know, when you start a new job and you feel all out of whack...not fully grounded because you don't feel all that confident and stable in your new responsibilities yet? That's where I am, partially.  The other part thinks it's pretty neat that magic is happening.

I've been hard at work on a new website and it has been a big learning curve.  I'm pretty happy with the way it's coming along and am hoping to launch it around Valentine's Day...awww.

I've also been trying to experiment with balancing out my quiet time at home i.e. turning off the TV so as not to numb myself down instead of doing healthy things like yoga or meditation. I, of course, still enjoy watching my favorite shows...that won't ever change.

Another thing I realized I needed this week was to up being social with friends, but on a small scale. So I spent this past weekend over at some friend's apartments! I had a wonderful St. Andrews dinner with Sara on Friday and then crashed at her place.  It was like an old-school slumber party.  We stayed up late watching stuff on youtube and then spent the morning watching Dr. Who and an Indiana Jones related documentary on The History Channel (while drinking tea and eating toast).

 A funny sight after lunch at the diner, with Sara

And yesterday I went to Kim's for lunch, cranberry wine, chat and...tango dancing!  Yes!  Kim and I tangoed in our socks all around her living room.  It was a glorious afternoon.

SO yummy

 Kim's Kitty was very frisky

That's what my dreams needed.  A little break and friends to feel nourished by.  All is well and I will keep pressing forward with all the wonderful changes.  Still feeling the fear...but doing it all anyway. And maybe I'll stop for brunch and a dance a little bit more often.

XO

Italian Bread & Cabbage Soup

Dear GOD!  This is one of the tastiest things I've ever made and I have the wonderful Jamie Oliver to thank for it.

I love Jamie Oliver's show "Jamie at Home" which is where I discovered this recipe:

Italian Bread and Cabbage Soup with Sage Butter 

It was part of an episode that addressed winter vegetables! I also, totally covet his outdoor kitchen.


Last time I made this soup, I seriously flubbed the amount of cabbage I cooked and made enough to feed an army. I was eating it practically 3 times a day for two weeks.

(This was also the time I began my love affair with beer...and this dish goes so well with a nice ale. I'm pretty sure I gained about 10 pounds).

I can imagine myself getting the cabbage, rosemary and sage out of my own garden and putting the piping hot dish in the middle of a big beat up wooden kitchen table...ready for everyone to dig in.  It seems meant for a group.  But I'll do my best to polish it off all on my own.  ;)

This time around I made it a much more realistic size...with red cabbage & kale. I really like this recipe because you can follow it loosely and it still comes out unbelievably delicious. An easy, hearty winter meal...comfort food to the max.

And I have to say...even with having a lot of it, I still enjoy the last bowl as much as the first.

XO

Sunshine & Rain

I took this photograph on my first trip to Scotland, back in April 2004.

Our first stop outside of Edinburgh was Blair Castle and the grounds were so lovely!  We even met our first Highland cow...awww.

I was transfixed with everything I saw and couldn't stop clicking away with my camera.  I switched to color film after this and never turned back.

***

This is an 8x10 matted (size includes mat) print of a sundial in the rain, Perthshire, Scotland. Mat color is black.


Scottish Sundial Photo Print - SOLD

XO

Clouds and Rainbows

I was watching Master Class with Maya Angelou on Oprah's new network (OWN) last weekend and became inspired!  This woman is phenomenal indeed. I had my journal next to me throughout the entire program.

She said that she always says "yes" to doing good/interesting things...and then will do the background work required to get the work done...in other words, she takes opportunities and chances. She moves forward.

Inspiring!

I'm hoping that I can be a good example and practice what I preach here (Maya also said that you need to live what you teach to others...something I heartily agree with).

She also said something to the effect of, "we are all human, therefore nothing human is alien to us".

There is dark and light in all of us. We are capable of both so we shouldn't look down on others for their "failings." Including ourselves! It all comes down to choices. We can reach beyond what we think we are capable of.

***

It has come to my attention that I need to work a wee bit harder at creating and recognizing that there is sacred space wherever I am in the present. It might make my final time in New York a little easier. After all, I'll be taking me and that space with me wherever I go in the future.

So, I'm working hard at creating goodness where I am and looking forward to saying "yes" first when amazing opportunities come up in the future (and then figuring out "how"). I'm also trying not to be too hard on myself for going off track. I'm marvelously human...I can't help it sometimes.

Some wonderful quotes from Maya Angelou's Master Class:


"Prepare yourself to be a rainbow in someone's clouds..."


"Love liberates...it doesn't bind."


I love the idea of being a rainbow.

XO

P.S. I found a link to the show online!

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/i9bwAfwuYyg/

Seafood Soup Improv

I was reminded, last week, about how important it is to eat fatty fish...like salmon.  Something my diet had been lacking.  So to remedy that, I decided to make some sort of fish soup using easy ingredients.


Fresh Direct is fantastic in that you can buy pre cut this and that (I'm sure this is true for a lot of grocery stores). This time, I took advantage of the package of Soup Greens and Fish Cubes (I love using the fish cubes to make soup).

You still have to do a little bit of chopping, but it's minimal.

Last year I made a different, but still very much improvised, seafood soup

Everything I, basically, needed

Here's what I used:

1 Package Soup Greens (onion, red potato, turnip, parsnip, carrot, celery, parsley...) cut into cubes

1 Package Fish Cubes (in this case it was a mix of salmon and tuna, I think)

2 32 oz. Cartons of organic vegetable stock

Garlic Croutons

A couple handfuls of frozen spinach

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

Chili Powder

Salt

Pepper

1/2 tsp Powdered Kelp *optional*

I cooked the onion in some olive oil until they began to soften (about 5 minutes) and added garlic, salt and chili powder, sauteed for another 2 min.  Then I added the rest of the cubed veggies.

Next I added the stock and brought it all to a boil and then let simmer for about 20 minutes.

Then I added the fish.  Let simmer for another 5 minutes...and added the spinach. Simmer, Simmer Simmer!

In the end, I believe I added some ground lemon peel and the kelp for an added boost of nutrition.

Garnish with the garlic croutons...YUMMY!!!

XO

I'm a Winner!

I've been planning and working on my next trip to Scotland, and one of the elements of this plan is a workshop I'm taking on Iona.  This time, scholarships were available and I applied.

I don't usually expect to win stuff.  For as long as I can remember...winning has been a rare occurrence.  I lost in the housing lottery at FIT two years and had to live off campus as one example.

I did win a giant bunny-rabbit in a church raffle back in High School, but that was because my dearly departed Dad bought most of the tickets (I think he wanted it more than me)!

Skip to the present...and I have been awarded one of the Iona scholarships!!!

I know it's because that God and The Universe help us out when we are headed down the right path, following our dreams instead of simple prizes. Who knows, maybe my Dad bought most of the tickets again...

This is a wonderful piece for the dream puzzle because I am still in the paying down debt and saving money phase of my Creative Dream journey.

So I'm off to Scotland in a little over 2 months. I have my plane ticket and the very appreciated scholarship already in my possession...next up train tickets to Oban etc.  I wonder if it's too soon to start packing?

XO

Mac & Cheese Soup

I love using the ampersand...I really do.

So, Mac & Cheese soup, y'all!

I was inspired when my friend and co-worker Glen brought in some that his wife had made.  I immediately looked up some recipes and then promptly ditched them to do it my way.

Mostly because I couldn't find the cheese soup on Fresh Direct...and because I was a little afraid of the contents.

So...call me "Sandra Lee" this week because this uses all boxed, canned and frozen items...I am still decompressing from the holidays, it seems.

***

I bought 2 boxes of organic mac and cheese and a bag of frozen veggies (broccoli, carrots and cauliflower).

I cooked the pasta until it was al dente...then added the butter and cheese mix and veggies.

THEN, I was going to add a  can of organic cream of mushroom soup but felt it was too little soup and instead opted for the carton of cream of broccoli I had and let it all simmer for about 20-30 minutes (until the veggies were cooked).

In the end, I added a little cayenne and water to thin out the soup until I was happy :)

It was quick, cheap and...

YUM!

XO