March Winds, April Showers, May Flowers - Think Spring Thyme

March 2014 Winds, April Showers, May Flowers - Think Spring Thyme:
What is better than warm, flaky crescent rolls with any meal? Answer: More of the same. I can't wait to try my latest pinned recipe pictured above - the look of deliciousness.

Cooking and eating changes in the Spring. Meal times become explosions of colors, taste and freshness unheralded due to in the winter. Salads become stars of the meals and multicolored drinks, fruits and vegetables. Less red meat this year, maybe? The television news said that a drought out west is really bad this year and will, no doubt, affect the price of beef. If only the snow could be directed to the dry fields where cattle need to graze...Guess I'm living in a fool's paradise with that way of thinking.

Recently, I prepared homemade egg-roll wrappers from astonishing enough, a recipe, I pinned on pinterest. It featured a Nigerian cooking show. The wrappers turned out light, tender and delicious.
They were easy to make and less complicated than a lot of other recipes. The chopped cabbage, carrot, and seasoned stuffing for the wrappers were superb and tasted delicious. A recent purchased bottle of wok sauce added flavoring that make the dinner taste and smell fantastically oriental. We also made baked skinless/boneless chicken thighs. I love orange chicken sauce, as much as, teriyakie-sesame and couldn't decide which to use. Thus two different batches of chicken stuffed and baked were marinated with one or the other sauce. Leftover cabbage mixture from the egg rolls, became a delicious, zesty, warm side dish to the meal. The entire dinner couldn't have been more delightful to my taste buds. Well, I will celebrate this recipe as very successful. Can't wait to try other recipes. With Spring on the horizon, and Easter not far away, its something to look forward to.

Glorious September 2013

Glorious Sep 2013:  It's hard to believe September 22 is the first day of Fall. I found a new recipe on Pinterest for Italian Cream Puffs with custard filling. I cannot wait to try these delicate but delicious desserts. Cream puffs are made easier than you think. Flour, water, eggs, thats basically it. Its all in how you mix it and beat in the eggs one at a time. I'll post a picture when I make them and will note the postor. Cheddar cheese bisquits and homemade bisquik will also be tried. What join
to cook and bake in the Fall cooler weather. Keep the faith, your friend, Cooky.

Hospitals - Good or Bad Reputations?

Hospitals -  Good or Bad Reputations?   I Recently stayed a few days in our local hospital. I saw hospital personnel working extremely hard to help people like myself. Well, its true, angels do exist, especially angels of mercy. My personal experience was great - almost bordering on luxurious at times.

There are many pro's and con's about how a hospital gets a positive or negative reputation. I won't go into those at this time. However, I feel it's a matter of personal attitude by the patient. As well as, a positive attitude towards the staff that makes for a positive or negative health-care experience. How it works so well is way beyond my scope of understanding - sure has to include good administration and planning. Only positive remarks about its reputation will come out of my mouth. Hopefully, I reciprocated with a like attitude.

This hospital is also a training place for a multitude of staff from A to Z in every department with each having many facets of medical care for patients. I was amazed how the hundreds of synchronized services worked together so very smoothly. Much like a well-oiled machine with all parts depending on one another to work together in coordinating the care given to patients. Round-the-clock care by the hospital's dozens of teams; i.e., including, but not limited to doctors, nurses, admin, aids, permanent/part time workers and contractors such as food service was amazing. All working to help me and others feel better or maybe in a life or death situation.

I am grateful for my family's help, love and support. All I can say about my hospital staff is BRAVO ! I was lucky this time. Thanks, to all for being there for me. Keep the faith. Your friend, Cooky :)

Memorial Day - 30 May 2011

Memorial Day - 30 May 2011:  Hi everyone - thanks for visiting my blog. Most of my family and friends know, that we don't live in southern Virginia, the northern neck, on the eastern shore anymore. Yes, We sold our beautiful waterfront property for a song. Lucky buyers for sure. Hope they are enjoying and appreciating my former property.

At least we didn't lose the place, although the recession and real estate market crash took its toll on us for sure.

We did survive huge financial problems caused by the IRS, Cancer, Loneliness, bills, etc. Finally, we were lucky to sell our place, kiss it goodbye and then, moved back to the old homestead a couple of hours further north in Fredericksburg, Va. It's closer to the kids and grands. It has more shopping, more traffic, more congestion, and more of everything. Thats a good thing.

Hey, we are not complaining. It'ss a good day whenever we wake up in the morning,finding ourselves still alive and relatively healthy. Thank God. We are very grateful and truly Blessed. So God Bless each and everyone of you folks out there.
Hope is the best medicine of all.

Sincerely,
Your Friend,
Cooky :)

Easter March 31, 2013

Easter March 31, 2013:  Easter is not such a good name for this wonderful religious rejuvenation and celebration of Jesus' return from the dead.  Perhaps, the name could be changed to something else.  For instance, carpe deim. Meaning, seize the day, in Greek I think but am not sure.  Perhaps, Easter could be called: Celebration Day or something like that. Of course, what's in a name?
Someone, actually a minister, once said to his Easter Day congregation: "The word Easter supposedly is derived from the word Estess - quite a pagan name, if truth be told. Further, that he could never celebrate such a named holiday."  Later, after preaching a downer sermon,  he left the pulpit early leaving the crowd kind of in a stunned silence.  The crowd was silent as they left the pews and exited the church.  They had not received the uplifting speech they had expected.  Most appeared saddened as they quietly whispered ado to others as they exited the church.
  Give me a break folks ! Easter is not about the name, but about the resurrection of God's only son, and what that event means to all the world.  Just catch a glimpse of the new mini series "The Bible", that airs on Sunday nights through the end of March, if you want a great reminder of who and what Jesus, God and Christianity are all about.
 
 I will never forget that day because, now it always makes me remember the negative association, that minister had in his speech. The earth's passage into the spring season, should and does for me, brings a renewed sense of hope and faith in God's plan for the earth and its people. Shouldn't Easter Holiday be based on love, Christian faith, the resurrection of Jesus and a renewed sense of hope for people of all faiths?  The answer is yes for sure.   Keep the faith      

Spring Baskets - March 2013

Spring Baskets - March 2013:    Check out my holiday basket made with peeps and twinkies on a stick. You just gotta love them, make them, buy them, or whatever turns you on regarding holiday baskets. So easy and so much fun. There's lots of goodies in the stores now that come on sticks. This makes for an enjoyable, larger variety of delightful basket-making candy crafts. tc Keep The Faith :)

Furlough Looming Feb 2013

Furlough Looming Feb 2013 -  So what's up with Congress taking a paid vacation before deciding the fate of the government's furlough? So many people will be adversely affected. There are no part-time jobs to make up the pay difference that workers will lose.

Bears, Bees and Bugs - On my !

Are we thinking that Spring is in the air! Oh, yes we are. Just give cabin fever the boot by starting seeds inside and planning which herbs or lemon grass seeds we need to by. Sounds like a trip to the hardware store will be forthcoming. Definitely, am thinking about food, gardens, good weather, taxes and other such stuff that rattles around in my brain for a few fleeting moments, then disappears to God knows where before the moment of reflection passes as quickly as it came. Thanks, to all the great ideas on pinterest this past winter, everyone should have lots of projects to try out. Am I pushing for winter to go far, far away? Yes, for sure. Even if, there is still lots of unfinished projects laying around wanting attention. The heck with them, I say, "start new ones." Sorry, its true, my brain thinks like that most of the time lately. Gotta get out more, u think? Another thought:

It's almost time for my Morning Glories to take root from the seeds that dropped this winter. They take over my deck and half my yard. Cannot wait for all those fresh garden delights, that neighbors and friends share with us, as their productive gardens yield an abundance of delicious bounty. The feel of sunshine and singing of the birds are most welcomed in our yard. Maybe, I will try to make a new bird feeder? Who knows? Keep the faith all, stay warm and be careful with all this snow and ice on the ground.

Candy Cane Houses

Well, I tried my hand at this craft and any artistic ability I had went south ...lol
My daughter did much better with hers..needless to say, I won't be doing this messy craft

again anytime soon. Had fun though..:)