Macarons

 

“It isn’t magic, but who’s never felt better after a cookie?”

~Rosie Pease

  Cookies and Curses

 

I tried a new cookie the other day, the gorgeous French cookie, Macarons. I had seen the cookie in movies, television and in magazines, and I always found them pretty and elegant. I am not sure why I never tried making them when I was baking during Covid-19 and the Trump administration. Shrug. I don't know, maybe that should be something I try. Cookies are a lot easier to make as opposed to cake because dear hubby hates most forms of cake. In fact, he is not really a sweets eater, but he does enjoy a cannoli. So, when I do make these, I am going to go for a filling as close to cannoli as possible. These cookies are great as an afternoon snack, with tea. They are crunchy on the outside, and like a nougat on the inside. I got mine at Costco, the brand is Le Chic, and with a $4 off coupon they are well worth it! The cookie flavors are Raspberry, Pistachio,  Lemon, Vanilla, Salted Caramel and Chocolate. My favorites are the Raspberry and Chocolate, but I wouldn't turn any of then down.

 

Pistashio Macarons

W/Cannoli Cream

 

(Better Homes And Gardens) 

 

  

Bird On A Wire

 

 

 "I would like to paint the way a bird sings."

~Claude Monet

 

 

 

"The early bird gets the worm,

 but the late bird doesn't even get the late worms."

~Charles Schulz

 

Usually I just post one quote, but hey I today I found two that fit perfectly, so why not share both? Cutting to the chase, I need to improve my photography. So, I am going to look into some online courses in digital photography, so I can get more out of my photo jaunts. I hope by the end of the year, I have photographs so good, that I won't have to make any adjustments. I am going to start tonight, by lighting a candle for the first time ever. Yep, my adventure in growth for February, will be facing my fear of fire! I know I can do it, I have faced other fears before, however this will be a big one to conquer, but aren't all fears?

 

 And besides, I promised a mere 12 months of new opportunities to myself, and that seems appropriate so there should be no whining about how hard it will be to do. One should always keep the promises we make to ourselves. They weren't New year's resolutions or anything, more like a continuations of the new experiences I began doing last summer. I think it came on the heals of so much personal loss. It jarred me. Life is beginning to pass me by, so I want to experience new things, and create a lot of new memories because those loses drove home the point, with deep clarity, that life is nothing, if not short.

January... Attended a political meeting, containing real humans.

Done. 

Result... I had a positive experience.

 

Why did I choose the title of a Mel Gibson movie for the title of this post? Well, in the movie, Bird On A Wire, Mel Gibson was in the witness relocation program until he was accidentally outed by a former lover, so he had going on the run from bad guys thrust on him, so he was scared but there was no hiding from it, he had go into the open, and face the bad guys to be truly free. In the end, he faced it, and saw a bright future in front of him. You might not be able to tell, but it was actually a very funny film. Goldie Hawn was in it too. Anyhoo, I kind of feel that way about my fears,"...like a bird on a wire."

 

 

 

 The movie takes its name from the Leonard Cohen song whose lyrics include the words ''like a bird on a wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir, I've tried in my way to be free. ''

 

Via New York Times 

 

Wish me luck! I need to try new things, and be free of what holds me back. If I fail, I will have to find a new fear or experience to do, but I really hope to do this one. I will share the result in tomorrow's post! Hopefully there will photos to accompany the attempt! It will nice to work with low lighting!

 

 

Existence

 

“A seagull flying beautifully is heaven; a seagull hunting an innocent fish is hell!

 Existence is heaven and hell, joy and horror!” 

~Mehmet Murat ildan 

 

Right? A little later today, I will be attending a meeting of the Democratic club of Lodi. Sigh. I want to go, but I am unsure of how diplomatic I can be anymore, and to make it all worse, I have a big opinionated mouth. Can I hold my tongue and how some folks want to dump Joe Biden over the Israel/Hamas war? The economy? His age? Will we have another protest vote over these things? Maybe! And wouldn't that suck? Yes, yes it would. I guess my real concern is the fact that if you put any number of people in the same room, there will be someone who thinks radically different than you do. Which is okay, but I am passionate about my politics, and all I really want is to help defeat Donald Trump. I am not in it to shoot myself in the foot by picking apart our best hope for survival. Joe Biden isn't too old for me. Joe Biden is smart enough for me. Joe Biden is handling the middle east well enough... for now... but I may revisit that subject at a later date. Joe Biden is our best hope for saving democracy, and he has Kamala Harris at his side. If he should pass away in office, I am completely at ease with her becoming president. That's how our government works, and I was proud to vote for a Biden/Harris ticket in 2020 and will happily do so again. So, I have high hopes for my first meeting, I really do, but I am also prepared to run from the crazy!

Go Joe!

What Fog Hides In Itself

 

"If you want to see what hides in itself, don't wait for the fog to disperse! Instead of waiting for something to happen in this short life, do something immediately! Enter the fog,"

 

~Mehmet Murat ildan

 

Almost every day since the beginning of January has been foggy! It's the San Joaquin Delta, so sure it is! And that is good thing, because I haven't had a lot of experience with doing photography in the fog, but what I have done in previous years, I have enjoyed very much. I am hoping to do a lot of new stuff this year, not just with my photography, but with life in general, I am just starting with learning my way through the fog, in an effort to find my way. 

 

~Carly