In the end, kindness matters.....and a great meal doesn't hurt either

92/100

There is so much noise these days. So much noise. Noise in Washington about who is right and who is wrong. Lots of finger wagging and deflection and anger and blame, from every side. Where is the spirit of democracy and common respect. All I hear is noise.

I hear noise from people who are so incredibly involved in their own world and their own issues that they don't look up. Noise from people who yell at me to move because I am looking too long at an item at a grocery store. Literally. Think on that.

Noise from my kids who are more than stressed with their own pressures and things to complete, who live in a world that is harder on teenagers than maybe any other age group.

Noise from my own brain that is so clogged that the ability to sit down and read a book oftentimes eludes me. The to do list rattling in my brain of all that needs to be done before the holiday.

So.....I stand and I look at my Christmas tree. I look at a tree that needed help from friends and family to put up. It wasn't a calm and quiet experience to purchase, get into the house during a rainstorm, lights strung and ornaments hung. There was bickering and difficulty but in the end, we all put a beautiful tree up together. It certainly isn't the biggest tree nor does it have the most amazing ornaments but it is a tree of love. Kindness helped get it raised.

Every day this month, I have tried to do some acts of kindness.  Whether it to send coffee gift cards to a few people, extend compliments to my loved ones, donate money to a great cause, thank a military service person for their service, leave a positive message for someone to find or go with a friend and enjoy nature for a walk, these are the moments that allow me to look at my Christmas tree a little differently. It helps quiet the noise just a little bit.

"Nothing is black and white, nothing is 'us or them'. But then there are magical, beautiful things in the world. There's incredible acts of kindness and bravery, and in the most unlikely places, and it gives you hope" - Dave Matthews

"I've been searching for ways to heal myself, and I've found that kindness is the best way." - Lady Gaga

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." - Audrey Hepburn

"What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?" - Jean-Jacques Rousseau

"A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees" - Amelia Earhart

Now, put on Brighter Than the Sun by Colbie Caillat and let's get cooking.

My sister in-law gave me this recipe.......and it was so yummy........So good that I keep tasting it in my mouth weeks later. It doesn't take long and was a crowd pleaser.........

Click on the link and enjoy the simple moment it takes to cook this meal.

https://alexandracooks.com/2019/10/30/one-pan-lemon-orzo-chicken-with-artichoke-hearts/

Enjoy and have a happy day, everyone!!!!

91/100 Post.....the countdown begins to Blog's End

There are places that hit you. There are places where you can relax. There are places that have seen you at your best, and truly accept you at your worst. There are places that have seen you enjoying that single moment. There are places that help you breathe a little more deeply. There are places that give you the space you long to feel. There are places that allow your body to move a little more easily and for your mind to be a little more clear.

I look at this picture and it invokes many feelings. I think of the possibilities. Of running into that meadow, sitting in the shade of the tree and staring at the clear blue sky. I think of being in the present, truly in the present. Just letting the sun warm my face. There is no worrying about the past or what the future will bring or what is happening with my loved ones in that moment. Because in the present, I am just being. Without all of the attached emotions.

Sosie started her senior year of high school this week. I think about all that this year entails - the list of "lasts", but also of the beginning that ends with that last, "last". I think about how our family will be forever changed. I think about how her journey is just beginning and that the best is yet to come for her. I think about the fact that it doesn't feel like 31 years ago that I was her age, and starting my college days at Colgate. I think of Team USA and my friends from DC as if it was just yesterday. I think about starting over in Massachusetts as a newly married person and building a community (and family) in Needham that was truly the very, very best. I think about our move to Augusta and the connections we have made and the wonderful life we have built over the past six years, however hard it seems at times. The future is bright but it is important to sit and let the sun warm your face, letting the moment just be.

Put on Like Gold by Vance Joy and let's get cooking.

My family and I had a magical week on the Vineyard in July this year. And for our beach lunches we got fresh fruit and veggies and made salads that we couldn't wait to eat, sitting in the hot sun, in the sand, staring out at the amazing waves. We made these salads every day and even after a month, I am still making them for lunches at home. There was something about this meal that just resonated on many taste buds and levels. Talk about a lasting moment of vacation.

It is a simple salad. First, we went to Morning Glory, a market in Edgartown. They sold Pam's Pesto there and I gave Pam from Pam's Pesto a huge hug when I met her at the Farmer's Market in West Tisbury a few days later. See, this is truly the best pesto ever.  If you ever have the chance to eat Pam's Pesto - either green or ruby red, PLEASE DO. But in its absence, any kind of pesto will do. The beautiful thing is that you can make this salad your own! Tons of variety. And it invokes a sense of place, the kind of space I described above, whatever that space is for you. Even if it is in your own kitchen.

Beach Salad
Arugula (or any green)
Fresh tomatoes
Ripe sliced peaches or nectarines
Toasted pine nuts
Sliced Mozzarella
Fresh corn off the cob
Drizzles of green and/or red pesto. I do both!
Micro greens of any variety
You can add: roasted red peppers, cucumbers, cauliflower, maybe a splash of red wine vinegar, freshly ground salt and pepper.

Enjoy and have a very happy day, my friends.

The Power of One

I have been thinking and doing a lot of soul searching; pondering my role in my family, the community and on this beautiful Earth.  I am hyper focused on my flaws and mistakes and my challenges in life. I have always been very hard on myself. To a fault. I will say that I have also been doing a lot of thinking about friends and family (and the countless every day folks) who are taking small and large steps to help others and improve our earth. It is making me realize that the power of one is actually very large, even if the steps are small.

I have always believed that it is the little things in life that make a difference. The simple moments that define this blog. I started this blog many years ago with the notion that every day, at least once, you should try to be purely in the moment. At least once, be present in the here and now. Not on your phone. Not distracted by thought. Just present. A deep breath worth of clarity.  It can literally be 10 seconds of your day. But a moment to be here. There are definitely days, weeks and months where that is hard for me. I feel like so often I am on autopilot.

So two things have occurred in the last week. Spontaneously. Kelley and I were at Farmhaus, a local burger place, last Friday night. Neither one of us felt like cooking after watching a soccer game. We stood in line looking at the menu and the woman ahead of me asked what was good at the restaurant. It was her first time eating there and had just gotten off of work as she was wearing a fast food uniform. I explained that I liked a lot of things there but that they were known for their burgers. I told her that my husband liked the Haus Burger (or number 1). She read the menu and said that looked amazing and would order that and then asked what came with the burger. We joked that they needed a meal deal for dinner like she had at her restaurant since the additional money for french fries and a drink seemed like it added a fair amount more to the bill. After some more conversation, I told her that we would like to buy her dinner. She sat with us while her order was being prepared to go and we had a great conversation. We learned a lot about her - she had had two kidney transplants and that night was going to house sit at a friend's. It was such a refreshing moment. To spend time talking and getting to know someone, even briefly, that I might not have had the chance to know otherwise. And simply to do something nice for someone. Something that would change up their day. Even just a little. So often in life I feel powerless and as a natural born fixer, that is a tough feeling to have.

We are preparing our house for Masters and we needed to change out a blanket that had a hole in it. Instead of giving it to Goodwill, I decided today to take a detour on the way to work and give it to someone who might really need it. I went to a spot where many homeless live and I asked a gentleman if he would like it. He said that he would and I laid it on top of him, as he was lying down. I said that my name was Amy and that I hoped it would be helpful for him. He said my name a few times and as I left he called out, Amy! I turned around and said, "yes?". He looked at me and nodded and said, "Amy, thank you".

Both of those experiences were outside my normal comfort zone. I had never paid it forward by paying for someone else's meal and I hadn't ever driven specifically and spontaneously to drop a blanket off. The idea of doing something small to help someone else directly felt right. Just to enhance someone's day in some tiny way was something.  The ability to make someone feel good without wanting anything in return. I love when I see people raising money for a cause. I want to help them achieve their goal. I know many people who have gotten more involved in environmental and political causes of late. Things that are outside their everyday life. People taking the chance to get involved and make a change. Just a note to say that it is recognized and I am grateful for you.

Put on Union by The Black Eyed Peas and let's get cooking. So, I have not admittedly been doing a lot of cooking lately but I am hoping that all changes after Masters week. Today though I would like to repost an oldie but goodie. This was a weekly staple in our house until our daughter admitted she thought she was allergic to peppers (Doh!).  I absolutely love this recipe and it is very quick to make. I make it mild so it is more family friendly.

Click here for Thai Beef with Chiles Over Coconut Rice

Enjoy and have a happy day!

When life gives you lemons.......go to Jamaica? Ya, mon!!!!

When life gives you lemons, go to Jamaica? This has been an eventful fall/winter to say the least and one that has challenged our family in ways I didn't know was possible. But everyone has challenging times and it is during those times that you grow and change the most. Some of you are going through those times right now. Some have in the past and some will in the future. In these times, you learn about your environment, your relationships, who you can and cannot rely on and mostly about your inner strength. What you are capable of handling seems to expand when it is necessary. And then you grow as a person as well. I can say in my 48 years I have not stopped learning from my many mistakes and challenges and I hope that is the case in my future years. That does not mean it is easy and it does not mean that you don't take steps forward and many, many steps backwards in the process but it sure does help you grow. I have said before that Buddhism suggests that struggling is what binds us together as humans. I know that on the surface it may seem like everyone is happy and living the best life but to be a little more real, a little more honest is not a bad thing. It isn't a sign of weakness. It is actually a sign of strength. Reaching out for help is not a bad thing. You may not get the results you strive for but you learn from that too. Life isn't always going to be cherries and that is okay. 

So, we spontaneously went to Jamaica. One week we decided we needed to feel warm sun and see the ocean and we were very fortunate to be able to do so. I felt incredibly lucky and grateful that we were able to do something like this - and thoughtful of those that cannot. It was financially irresponsible of course (not in the budget!) but it did feel good to be together and away, for even a few short days. 

Something did happen this winter though that brought me back 12 years. Yes, 12 years. In a single moment. Many moons ago, I commuted by train for about 10 years. It was a 25-30 minute ride. When you take the train, most people wait in the same spot for the train, sit in the same car and usually the same seat so you get to know people that you are traveling with quite a bit. I have made some of my closest friends to this day on the train. 

One person that I got to know was named Ted Dooley. He worked for the Superintendent of Schools for Boston and lived in Needham, like me. We knew each other over the course of time when I was pregnant and with small kids. His kids were in high school and going to college. I always loved talking to him because he would share life lessons about his family and living with kids at the ages of sex, drugs and rock n roll, whereas I was dealing with small kid issues. We had an easy and great friendship. I learned a lot from him and I respected him in a tremendous way. His wife worked with a friend of mine and there was that common connection as well. 

Ted was an avid runner-never missed a day in the work week and his daughter was an incredibly talented soccer player. She was actively being recruited when I knew him and ended up playing for Columbia. 

Over time, I switched positions and my train schedule changed. I had not seen him in over a year. I found out through that mutual friend that Ted had died suddenly a year prior of a heart attack, the day after finishing a novel. The year he passed was 2006. When I learned of his passing, I was pretty devastated and I wrote a note to his wife (whom I didn’t know). I left it in their mailbox and always wondered if she had received it.

A few weeks ago, in 2019, I received a phone call completely out of the blue from Ted's wife saying that she had in fact received my note and had kept it all these years. She wanted to drop off the book Ted finished right before his death, which she had just gotten published. When she realized I wasn’t in the area, I quickly told her I’d buy it on Amazon and I read it in a day. It is called The Bicycle Kick. It is an easy read and one with a wonderful theme and story. I can't recommend it highly enough. In a bicycle kick, you turn your body upside down to kick the ball. Your life can change in an instant. Just like a bicycle kick. Your life can bring you challenges but you grow and change with those challenges. This book is a great representation of that. 

Time to put on Run Right Back by Moon Taxi and let's get cooking. 

OK - so I am going to input a link here to the best Shrimp Tacos!!! Sooooooooo good. Everyday Dorie is a cookbook that my sister in law told me about and I have really enjoyed reading and trying some of the recipes. This recipe takes a little bit of time so don't make when you need to cook a quick meal. Maybe an hour is needed. My mother in law made them and then I did too. They were a huge hit and I can't wait to make them again. 

Click here for SHRIMP TACOS!!!!

Enjoy and have a happy day, everyone!