HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WISHING EVERYONE A FUN CHRISTMAS WEEK

If your a cat owner and have poinsettias in the house, make sure to keep them away from your cats, because they're poisonous to them.

Hope everyone had a nice winter solstice!

  

January 2013 is is just around the corner. This means that it's time to look at my new gardening catalogs and start planning for my 2013 vegetable garden.

February will be the month to start seeds indoors.

Even though I'm still enjoying my preserved tomatoes, peach jam, beans, greens and minestrone,  I'M SO MISSING MY VEGGIE GARDEN!!!!!!!

                                     

Stay Happy with Fruits and Veggies

Happiness and mental health appear to rise with the number of fruits and vegetables we eat daily.
It's recommended that we eat at least five daily servings of fruits and veggies for heart health and protection against cancer.
Recent studies also show the benefits of mental well-being, making it all the more worthwhile to fill our plates with fresh fruits and vegetables.

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."

Releasing personal blocks in our lives,  opens up our creative channels.

A Room with hints of summer and sunlight

With the skies being more grey more than clear, It's nice to let the sunlight shine into our house. Adding hints of nature as part of our decor reminds us of the warm and fun days of summer, which will also brighten a dull mood that accompanies cold weather and grey skies.

Totally Wild Photo!

Familiar kitties

I just joined a cool sight pinterest. One of my interests on there are animals.
I came across these two pics which look just like two of my kitties that I lost and adored so much!
Made me think back on very pleasant thoughts and on how much I miss them both.

The Blessing of The Animals

They bring you solice in hard times. They crave your touch and quicken to your smile.
I'm thankful for my animals everyday!

Apple Juice and Tequila Cocktail

These are so nice!!!! Me and hubby are enjoying this cocktail right now!
My husband found the recipe on the web.
45 ml tequila gold
75-90 ml apple juice
10-15 ml lemon juice
5 ml grenadine syrup

Vegetarian Burgers with Avocado Salsa

This burger recipe I found sounds absolutely delicious! I can't wait to make them! Here's the recipe. It's simple, healthy and fast.
Ingredients;
1 medium avocado
1 green onion, chopped
2 Tbsp bottled salsa (I prefer HOT)
1 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp sea salt
1or two packages frozen vegetarian burgers. ( I've been loving Amy's Tex Mex vegetarian burgers lately.)
Whole grain buns
1 large tomato
4 large lettuce leaves ( Romane is tasty )
1 cup of alphalfa sprouts

Prepare vegetarian burgers as it states on the package.
Meanwhile cut avocado in half, lengthwise. remove seed and peel . Place in mixing bowl and mash.
Stir in green onions, salsa, lime juice, cilantro,and salt.
Arrange lettuce leaves and bottom of toasted bun on dinner plates. Top with tomato slices, burgers, avocado mixture, then place the other half of toasted bun on top.
Serve with alphalfa sprouts.

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

A week ago I went on a blog I just enjoy visiting,
blogilates.com.
I found a the healthiest oatmeal cookie recipe.
I myself am not big on baked goods, but my family loves cookies, cakes and other sweets.
Visit blogilates.com and try these tasty cookies. Hubby and kiddies  loved them! The best part about these cookies is they're completely vegan, There is absolutely no fat in these cookies at all, and there are only two ingredients in the recipe!!!! Well maybe three if you want to add raisins or cranberries.

Wishing Everyone a Nice Thanksgiving!

Green Beans with Mushrooms and Onions

Here's a tasty and healthy  green bean dish I plan on making as one of the sides for my large Thanksgiving gathering. 
Ingredients;
Green beans, washed and trimmed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
Steam beans.
Saute mushrooms and onions in olive oil until tender.
Add garlic, cooked green beans and season with salt and pepper. If needed add more olive oil to the pan. Saute a few more minutes. Squeeze lemon juice. Mix and serve.

Neat Pics from my Camera

This is a strange post. In the summer I took 3 photos of the sun in my back yard. All three of the pics had a very unique design around the sun.
I found that rather interesting and i did post it on one of my August posts.
The other day my daughter was in my room with my camera and took 4 pics of herself with my camera in my mirror. To my amazement , the same pattern that was around this sun in the pictures I took back in August, were in front of my daughter.
The pattern is really neat. Here's the sun pics I took in august and the pics my daughter took the other day.
My camera does not have a special effect that does this, nor was my camera on any special effect mode either time.

Mysterious Pumpkin In My Garden

Hubby, my son and me were having a fire in my yard tonight, when my son finds a pumpkin growing in the back of my garden. I never planted it or threw pumpkin seeds in my garden either.  I guess this as another beautiful message from the universe.
Can't wait to eat it tomorrow night!

Mexican Bean Soup

This soup recipe is from the November issue of better homes and gardens.
I finally made it for lunch today and I must say, It was delicious!
Ingredients;
1 2/3 cups cooked navy beans
1 large onion, chopped
2 chopped celery sticks
2 chopped carrots
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp cumin
Salt
1/4 tsp ceyanne pepper
2 cups water
14 oz of vegetable broth
1 orange
1 cup salsa Verde
Fresh cilantro

In a large saucepan saute onions, celery, carrots and garlic until tender.
Once tender add cumin,  1/3 tsp salt, and ceyanne pepper and saute for another minute. Add water and vegetable broth continue to cook until cook for 30 min.
Add cooked beans and remove from the stove to let cool slightly.
Transfer to blender and slightly puree. Return to pan.
Grate 1 tsp orange rind into pan. Add the juice of one orange and the salsa Verde.
Heat again, then place soup in serving bowls. Add some fresh cilantro to the top of each bowl and serve.

Natural Remedies for Flu Season

Apple Juice;
Fresh, warmed juice can ease a fever
Chamomile;
Soothing, with anti inflammatory and antispasmodic effects.
Garlic;
Can reduce nasal congestion and ease upper respiratory symptoms.
Ginger;
Promotes sweating, ginger preparations are useful for chills, fever and headaches accompanied by the flu.
Honey;
Treats respiratory flu symptoms. Honey eases cough and fever.
Lemon;
Natural properties; rich in vitamins B and C. Lemon helps kill germs and keep viruses from spreading.

Lipcare tips

Since we all know colder weather is drying for the skin and lips, we need to take extra care to keep them soft.
Always use chapped sticks and moisturizing sticks on your lips when outside.
When indoors ointments and salves work best to keep your lips moist.

Lip Scrub

This is any easy all natural lip scrub for fall and winter.
Mix olive oil and sugar together. Softly scrub on lips, then rinse.

Happy Halloween!

Gypsy fire is on the hearth,
Sign of the carnival of mirth;
Through the dun fields and from the glade
Flash merry folk in masquerade,
For this is Hallowe'en!
Unknown author

Halloween Quotes

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam,
may luck be yours on Halloween.
Unknown author

Halloween Quotes

"True love is like ghosts,
which everyone talks about but few have seen.
Unknown Author

Scary kitty Pumpkin

I got this pumpkin to eat. For some reason it was so tough, that I couldn't even cut it with a knife, so I painted it instead. It'll look great near my fireplace.

Nature Gives my Family a Message

This morning as my daughter walked to the driveway to catch the bus, she saw that some fallen leaves had formed a perfect heart.  She grabbed my camera to snap a pic of the heart.
I've found heart shaped objects in nature such as beach pebbles, vegetables and fruits, and roses often.
I feel that when we find heartshaped items in nature, it's a message to let us know that we are loved and looked after by our spirit guides and angels.

Beautiful Autumn Day in my Backyard

Today was a gorgeous day! The weather was mild and the sun was shining, making it the perfect day for garden clean up, harvesting the rest of my carrots and green tomatoes, and planting garlic.
I couldn't help but notice the blazing colors on my trees while working in my garden.
Here's some of the pretty colors splashed on nature's canvas in my yard right now.

Blue Skies

When you face adversity, rather than seeing the world as being against you, live as if it's conspiring to make you better. Each obstacle has a purpose-this one to make you stronger, that one to make you more patient. Thank them for teaching you to be creative and to persist, then keep positive until you can see your way not only through the barriers but to all the possibilitis beyond.

Genesee Brew House

Me and my husband had a lot of fun enjoying the Genesee micro brewery today.!!!!
The weather was
Purrrrfect!!!!!!

Natural Moisurizing Body Scrub

Olive oil is great for your skin.
By ingesting it regularly and using it on the body, your skin will benefit greatly, the results being soft and healthy.
Here's an easy body scrub to try.
Mix 1/2 cup olive oil with 1/2 cup sea salt.
Apply to wet skin, and massage into areas that need extra exfoliation.

HAPPY VEGETARIAN DAY!

I just found out that October 1 is World Vegetarian day. Actually, the whole month of October is Vegetarian month. I am so exciting to hear about this! How awesome!
Here is a link to read more about "World Vegetarian day".
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/celebrate-world-vegetarian-day-october-1.html

Some of my Enhanced Sun Paintings

I just downloaded a neat app on my cell phone.
It's been fun creating different looks to some of my paintings.
This is how they now look.