I Woke up Like This

Well, ok, and had a shower, did my hair and put on some make-up for once. What I mean is, I woke up 57 today.  I went to bed 56 and woke up 57 and, although I hate having my picture taken, there comes a time when you realize this is as good as it gets and, (curse you Sir Isaac) gravity isn't going to reverse, and even though you feel 17 inside, (most days) you better get that picture before another 10, or 20 years passes because you will look back and wish you had a decent picture from when you were "younger". Have I perfected the run on sentence? Yes, I think I have.

 A couple weeks ago Earl actually said, "you know, we're pushing 60", which got him the stink eye and the comment that I am not actually pushing anything, thankyouverymuch. Sixty can take care of itself.

Am I the only one who has a love/hate relationship with Birthdays? On the one hand, cake, presents, special fun. On the other hand, wrinkles, creaky joints and wondering if it's time to touch up your roots.  All kidding aside, I am grateful for another year. I find that as the years pass there are some benefits to getting older. For one, the aging is mostly on the outside. I still really do feel young but with the added bonus of 57 years of wisdom and experience.  I am kinder to myself, I care less about outside opinions and more about who I am inside. I am determined to grow older gracefully and keep learning. I know that, even with 57 years of "wisdom and experience", I have a long way to go and a lot to learn. I also have a lot to give.  So Happy Birthday to me.  It's going to be a wonderful day! My youngest daughter is coming to spend the day with me, Earl is taking me to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants tonight, and this weekend my oldest is flying in for a day and we have a big family cookout planned. I think the older we get the more days we should get to celebrate right?

Got any big plans for the weekend?
 

Summer Entertaining

Well there you go, it's been a couple weeks since I updated and my daughter finally messaged me wanting to know what is going on. Nothing really. Pure laziness and work. Those seem to contradict each other but when you're busy sometimes you lose your mojo for creative pursuits.  It has been a busy time, nothing fun or exciting either, just funerals (Three!) and (extended family) surgeries and the day to day of life.  Sometimes you just need some time to catch up.

One thing I have been doing, is thinking about the upcoming season of entertaining.  We love to entertain in the spring and summer.  The yard and garden are so much bigger than the house and a cookout is fun for everyone.  As much as we love to have people over, we almost have to push ourselves to make the commitment.  Are you like that?  I'm going to tell you a secret, Earl and I are both dyed in the wool introverts. We love people, we love cooking for people a lot! But after a lot of interaction we need time to ourselves to refuel. It's a conundrum for sure, but we really do feel strongly about community, and friendship, and loving people so we try to schedule something on a regular basis that brings friends and people we would like to know better, together.

I wanted to share one of our new favorite recipes. I found it on Pinterest, of course, and it is not only quick and easy, it is easy to throw an extra chicken breast or can of beans in and stretch it for a crowd.  This is a Mediterranean chicken dish that has chicken, cannellini beans, kalamata olives, marinated artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes and basil with fresh mozzarella melted on top. It is fabulous!  Oven to table it takes no more than 1/2 hour and if you wanted to stretch it even more you could put it over pasta. Serve with a salad and you're done.
Here is the link: Mediterranean Chicken.  What is your favorite way to entertain? Indoors or out?

Happy May

My favorite month of the year.  I'm all about the green, and the flowers, the sunny 70 degree temps, and the farmers market opening, planting the garden, and yes, sometimes planting the garden again when that last frost sneaks in and kills the first attempt. This is the big family birthday month, and the month where I start taking my coffee outside in the morning sunshine.

I plan to drink in every moment of sunshine, and blooming trees. We mow the lawn for the first time this weekend, I can't wait for the scent of new cut lawn.  What's your favorite thing about May?