Saturday, June 22, 2013

This Above All...


Carly's Chicken Bella Gusto (my original recipe)


This above all: to thine own self be true
And it must follow, as the night to day
Thous canst not then be false to any man.

~William Shakespeare, Hamlet

My goodness y'all... Paula Deen has had a bad week! Well, actually the last few years have been rough on the lady from Savannah! First came the news that after having lived a rather butter filled life, butter this, and butter that, she had contracted Type 2 diabetes. As much as I don't care for the lady, I didn't jump for joy to find out that she had been given that diagnosis, but what did bother me, a lot, was the fact that she knew she had diabetes for at least a couple years before disclosing it. Does she have to share the intimate details of her life, just because she is a celebrity chef? No! Certainly not, but what was disturbing to me was the fact that she was give the diagnosis and then continued to come up with new and exciting ways to help others contract the disease. It was irresponsible. If she had come out with the fact that she was in for a culinary lifestyle change, and perhaps incorporated some slimmed down versions of her dangerous recipes into her cooking shows, I would have not only applauded her for her honesty, I would have gained a world of respect for the lady. Instead it was revealed that she had been given a nice fat contract to act as spokesperson for a new insulin drug, and that was the true driving factor surrounding the disclosure.

Damn... that's sad.

Well, everyone lost their collective shit over the incident, and things died down, but now here is that southern belle in yet another pickle. This time over allegations of personally using racial slurs, and turning a blind eye to her brother's behavior of sexual harassment and the using of similar slurs as well, therefore creating a hostile working environment! The whole thing blew up this week, and only got worse when Paula admitted to using the slurs in a certain context several years ago. By yesterday, Friday, the damage had been done. The Food Network has fired her! And oddly enough, I feel kinda bad for her. I usually feel bad for anyone who finds themselves in this kind of circumstance. This was a situation that didn't have to happen, had Deen been a little more mindful of other peoples feelings. You know what I mean?

I think all of us have had a moment when we have thought something less than kind towards someone. I can admit right now that I have thought of the bad neighbor I have as being an idiot. Dumb. Useless. Stupid. Mean. You name it... I have thought it, and sometimes said it, especially to Alan, because you can tell your spouse anything, especially when you just need to express some stress. The simple truth however is that you can't indulge in the depths of negativity too long. You see, along with my father teaching me about politics, he also taught me there was a time and a place for everything, but there was never a time for using hurtful language toward someone. Racial jokes aren't funny. Neither are sizest jokes or gender jokes. Does that mean I have never laughed at a blond joke, no, I would be lying it I said that, but the personal jab is where I begin to tune out the comedy.

Sigh.

I am glad we have moved to a more politically correct world than when I was a child. I am a short lady. I am 4'11 on a good day, so I have been the object of many a short person joke. Frankly... I can take a joke. You kinda have to develop a thick skin or sink into despair from the insensitivity of others. It didn't happen over night, but now no one is better at making fun me than me. I know myself better than anyone in the world, including Alan. I know my strengths. I know that because of my Fibromyalgia I will make a mistake with my speech every single day. I am not exaggerating. EVERY SINGLE DAY. So if I can't laugh at myself... well... life would be intolerable.

Laughing at one's self is a strength. Laughing at other people... not so much. The use of self restraint when someone is getting on your last nerve... a strength. Reducing a fellow human to an ignorant racial slur... not so much. Using the counting to 10 method before reacting when someone is upsetting you is a strength. Not putting any thought into the weight your words carry because you are upset and you want to hurt them back... not so much. When you think about it, being politically correct is more for you than anyone else. It's about who you want to be inside. Sitting here, right now, I wish I had stopped while I was in the middle of my angry rant toward my neighbor, I wish I would have tried to express myself on a less angry level, rather than lobbing the expletive filled verbal salad at his head.

He got on my last nerve and the shit literally hit the fan! Of course on the plus side, he merely tries to annoy me now, rather than completely piss me off, which is a good thing... I think!?

LOL.

Will it ever happen again. I hope not. But you never know. Human here. But being human can't be used as an excuse! And believe me, I am trying really hard to remember that.

I imagine things will be difficult for Paula Deen in the next few weeks and months, but hopefully she will take some time to reflect. Perhaps this was a lesson she needed to learn. All the most profound and meaningful lessons seem to hurt us the most. Well, at least that's been my experience. But hey, anything that encourages us to grow as a person can't be all bad. If we remember to forget the blame and accept the lesson. I wish the lady luck. And one day, perhaps not all that long from now, she will be back, a little less butter laden, and a little more mindful.

We'll see.

And now, here's a little dessert. A simple Strawberry/BlackBerry on Buttermilk Biscuit. Type 2 Diabetic friendly of course!



YUM!

Mood: Reflective

~Me :)

Friday, June 21, 2013

Happy Summer 2013!



"Sweet, sweet burn of sun and summer wind, and you my friend, my new fun thing, my summer fling."

~K.D. Lang

It's here! Happy Summer 2013! My rose garden seems to be grinning ear to ear! Bee to bee? Rose to rose? LOL. Oh well, you know what I mean! It's happy... that's all. Just happy!

Summer Begins At 1:04 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time.

Today is also the longest day of the year, which is fine by me, because now the days will begin to get shorter. I can't wait for the those lovely shorter days of autumn. Happiness! But first, Saturday and Sunday will see the arrival of the 2013 Supermoon! It peaks on June 22, and 23rd and will be the biggest and brightest moon of the year! Go read all about it here! Now tell me, will you be joining in the fun of photographing this awesome event? I am going to give it my best shot, how about you?

 

 

 

Mood: Happy :)

~Me :)

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Strawberries+June=Happiness



“I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June.”
― L.M. Montgomery

Alan found these lovelies at Costco yesterday, along with some Honeydew and Watermelon. YUM. It's nearly summer, just a couple more days to go, and my mind is already filled with culinary ideas. Homemade strawberry ice cream. Chilled melon soup. Heirloom tomato pizza. Fresh salad with edible roses, and lavender honey vinaigrette dressing. The possibilities are endless! Of the three months of summer, I like June the best, not only is it my birthday month, but it's not unbearably hot yet, so my creativity is at it's height, which gives me plenty of ideas for the rest of the summer.

I love strawberries, and boy do I have plans for them this year! :)

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

A Nice Place For High Tea



"One of the most productive ways a government can spend money on the people is by building more prisons. That's what makes the US so great. That's what freedom is all about."

Isn't that a pretty building? Odd that it is the main jail, and only jail, in Half Moon Bay, California. Half Moon Bay is one of my favorite places in the Bay Area to visit. As it's name suggests, it is a small coastal town on HWY 1, about 25 miles or so south of San Francisco. I visit Half Moon Bay often, but in October I haunt the place. Especially Pastorino's Farm, where Alan and I always buy our pumpkins for Halloween. Half Moon Bay is pumpkin central for the Bay Area, but they grow some mighty good Brussels Sprouts as well! At certain times of the year, if the tide is high enough, the world famous Maverick's hold their surf contest! There is plenty of things to do there.

Half Moon Bay is one of the great loves of my life, it's artistic, it's serene, it's inviting, it's quirky, it's spooky when the fog rolls in, and apparently it's pleasant even if you wake up and find yourself hooskow! LOL! To me, it looks more like a place you could stop into if you were peckish and wanted a mini muffin, and some sweet tea. But that's a good thing I think, after all, getting arrested makes for a bad day for most, so at least getting arrested in Half Moon Bay doesn't make it a completely wasted experience!

I mean doesn't it kinda look like Sheriff Andy Taylor will just come walking out the door any time? That's a good thing... right? :)

Oh, one more thing, if you like to garden with roses as I do, Half Moon Bay has some pretty great nurseries as well! Oh... and salt water taffy!

Mood: Reflective But Happy

~Me :)

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Strolling Through The Seasons...



"I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep darlings, till the summer comes again."

~Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland And Through The Looking-Glass

Yep. That's a picture of autumn. Why am I posting a photo of an autumn scene, as we sit on the cusp of spring and summer? Well because it will be summer very soon... less that a week... and I am busy finishing the last of the spring cleaning. An activity I should have really began months ago, but instead chose to all but ignore until about a week ago. Now, today, and most of tonight, will be spent packing up stuff, and space bagging other things so that it will finally be done! Why did I procrastinate? Why didn't I just do it back in March? Or April? Or May? Why?

I am home alone tonight, in fact I will be alone until Alan gets home from work at 6:00 in the morning. What will I be doing all that time? Well, you know... the usual. Mostly cleaning the front closet, arranging Christmas decorations, usually a late autumn/winter activity, and for company I have The Mary Tyler Moore show on the computer. I am on Season 1 Episode 3 as I type this. I love that show! It's one of those shows that I can watch over and over and never tire of it. Especially when I am alone, and I can remember back to watching it as a kid.

Anyway, here are some new photos from the garden. I promise I will be bringing some fresh photos later in the week. No flowers... I promise. :) I hope to make it over to San Francisco later in the week. Wish me luck with that!

Red/Gold Roses
June 15th, 2013





I love the color of those roses. It's a small rose to, perfect for a bud vase. And look at that color, it's a little like having all the seasons in one place, well, except for winter. Of course, it could always rain tonight... nah... it's cool, but not a drop in sight. Sigh.

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Monday, June 17, 2013

My Rose Garden Update June 17th 2013



"I believe in roses. And I believe in putting roses into a vase and sitting the vase on the table. I believe in getting lost and being found, I believe in going barefoot, and in laughter! My religion is to laugh at myself whenever I can! I believe in the sunlight and in grey skies with big, beautiful clouds!"

~C. JoyBell C.

To my delight, my rose garden has burst with color. It's ready to take on summer in a few days, as are the plum tree and the pear tree! The garden is also showing the first of the Heirloom tomatoes! I have something special planned for them!

Stay Tuned!











Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Sunday, June 16, 2013

A Little Light Summer Reading (Rated PG-13) Strong Language



"Winston Smith: Does Big Brother exist?
O'Brien: Of course he exists.
Winston Smith: Does he exist like you or me?
O'Brien: You do no exist."

~George Orwell, 1984

Given recent events I thought it was about time I read 1984. I had a chance to do so, when I was in high school, but didn't. It was in a list of books we could read to complete our literature course, but I didn't choose it because my father had referenced it many times in our political conversations, and I felt I knew the plot. LOL. Silly me. When I was in high school there were computers, of course, I'm not quite that old, but given the brouhaha over the Nixon tapes, and countless references  thereof in TV, movies, and literature, I foolishly thought American's would safe from being spied upon by our own government. I wish I would have thought that one through. Anyway, while it comes as no real surprise that a government program like Prism exists, I don't feel any safer. If this highly successful government program is such a smashing success, why were 26 souls... 20 children... 6 adults killed in Newtown? If our government is doing such a good job keeping us safe, why were two young men, able to carry out an act of terrorism at the Boston Marathon a couple months ago?

I don't buy... "It's for your own good."

9/11 was the worst day for America, since the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

In the days after 9/11 we were told our freedom was attacked. We say Thank You to members of the armed services for "protecting our freedom."

If we continue to compromise what freedom means to us, we will no longer have any freedom to worry about. What happens then? When you close your eyes, and imagine that world, what do you see? Smell? Hear? Where does compromising freedom end? Do you have a specific tipping point? Is there a line that shouldn't be crossed?

Sarah Palin agrees with me... FUCK ME!

"Don't you see the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the language of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible because there will be no words in which to express it."

~George Orwell, 1984

Is the conversation, if there is one, an honest one? Half of congress claims that even they didn't know how far reaching the Patriot Act went. I guess all the wiretapping stuff was in the fine print.We are being told that if we had the Prism project in place prior to 9/11 we might have been able to prevent it. I can't help but wonder about what we found out about 9/11 in the official 9/11 Report. Didn't it say that the system had been blinking red? We also found out that President George W. Bush had neglected to read a file titled... "Bin Laden Determined To Attack." Hmmm... Could his having read THAT REPORT maybe saved us that day?

I read on Salon the other day, that sales of George Orwell's 1984, at Amazon.com, were up by as much as 5,000 Percent. In particular, the Centennial Edition. I bought the 60th Anniversary Edition. Hmmm... up 5,000 percent... not bad for a book written in 1949.

"Then the face of Big Brother faded away again and instead the three slogans of the party stood out in bold capitals:

WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH"

~George Orwell, 1984

Mood: Quiet

~Me