Where did all the flour go?

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Sense of Touching

…post anything that stimulates or delights your sense of touch.

SixWordSaturday

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Fun fact – the grocery stores may run out of regular plain wheat flour, but around here they don’t run out of gluten free flour!

People may be desperate to bake, but lucky for me, apparently not that desperate.

So, armed with “Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour” and a multitude of other ingredients, I tackled a complicated – but exceptionally delicious – corn muffin recipe this past week.

Since being diagnosed with celiac disease in 2009, my expectations for success in baking have nosedived…using recipes with as few steps as possible. However I made an exception after my daughter introduced these muffins to me several years ago. I was hooked.

They do have a strange expensive ingredient…Crème Fraîche…which can take a bit of searching in the dairy aisle. The container I had bought last month was still sitting in the refrigerator…its expiration date fast approaching.

And it proved to be what moved me to action as the rain poured outside and the light was low.

Having-something-to-use-up is a powerful motivator.

Baking kept my mind off the latest surreal news of the day…with delicious results.

muffins

 

muffin

Lens-Artists Challenge: At Home

Lens-Artists Challenge #94: At Home

Due to the lockdown, we are spending more time at home. But, hopefully this isn’t limiting our interest in photographing. This week, we invite you to share photos taken at home.

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I am still getting used to “home” as it exists today. Although…after 3 years, I should be well on my way.

But when you’ve lived in one house for over 36 years – the greater part of your adult life – I’ve discovered it’s an ongoing adjustment after you pack up and downsize to a condo.

These long stretched out days…sitting at the kitchen table with my humongous mug of coffee every morning…I am comforted to notice bits from my old life still close by…

The vinyl records from way back (and that’s just half of the collection). The lamp that was a wedding present from dear family friends. The 42 year old philodendron – originally a wedding gift from my college roommate…a botany major.

Family pictures. Always family pictures. Oh…and a Lego character saved and resurrected from my son’s collection. Our grandson fell in love with “Astronaut” during his last visit, so we leave it on display for FaceTime. Ready and waiting to see him again.

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Glancing behind me, the door to my “office” is open – my late mother-in-law’s antique chair tucked in the corner.

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At the far end of the table… my mind clearing puzzle remains stretched out waiting to be finished.

partial puzzle

All here at home.

Sunshine’s Macro Monday: Puzzled

Sunshine’s Macro Monday #39

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piece of puzzle

So, here’s the thing…

For the first time in years – many years – I am gravitating towards a (so far) unfinished 750 piece jigsaw puzzle spread out on one end of our dining room table. Almost every day.

As our new viral reality marches on, my mind (or actually my overly active imagination…) flies off in so many different directions that…sometimes…focusing on anything in the here and now becomes practically impossible.

That is…until friends offered us their new…put together and then taken apart…jigsaw puzzle. Which they’ve owned for at least 15 years and never opened until now. Who had time to do puzzles?

They assured us it was clean…

We wiped it down with a sanitizing wipe and let it dry after we finished it.

The sight of all those shapes and colors and patterns that Will Fit Together

I realized it’s something I Can Do. While Staying Home.

Hence the gravitating…all it takes is a glance at the disordered mess of puzzle pieces…spread out on an old tray. Right next to a picture beginning to take shape. It pulls me over. I sit down…just for a minute…I’ll find that corner piece. I think I see it. No. Maybe for the other edge. I’ll try this one.

An hour later…two sides done. I’m exhausted. In a good way.

Interesting fun fact: putting a puzzle together can clear your head.

I highly recommend it.

Where the heck is that squirrel?

SixWordSaturday

Dutch goes the Photo: Animals

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Taco & Lutra on the Lookout
December 2019

L: I told you I saw a squirrel!

T: Nope, it was a cat.

L: Hey, this is my house, I know what I saw.

T: Just because you live here it doesn’t mean you’re smarter.

L: Yeah it does. My humans think I’m really smart.

T: Whatever. I’ll give you this one cuz you’re older.

L: Hey! a few white whiskers don’t mean I can’t see.

T: Maybe. Maybe not.

L: Don’t argue with me or I’ll get my little human to chase you…

T: Like I said…whatever…but it WAS a cat.

Summer times

Inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #93: remember

Remembering past times, especially joys, is a good way to ease tension. This week, I invite you to remember and share.

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I remember…

…when spring signaled it was time to start planning our family vacation. One week away for just my husband and me…then for 3 of us…then 4.

One thing I knew when I became a parent…we would make sure to set aside a family-only “getaway” every year. A time of just plain fun and connection. None of the usual distractions. Or “things to do.”

It did not have to be far or fancy. And it wasn’t…

For 20 years we packed up the car and drove 70 miles to Lake Winnipesaukee in NH. We stayed at a conference center that also catered to families. Where I had worked for two glorious summers as a teenager.

What do I remember about that one family week every summer?…

The days slowed down and opened up with time for everything and anything. I didn’t have to cook. Or clean. Or wash dishes. We all ate from a basic all-you-can-eat buffet at the dining hall.

We didn’t have to go anywhere.

There were no televisions. No phones except a payphone (remember those?).

What we had was a beautiful lake. Canoes. Kayaks. Sand. Baseball field. An “old-time” ice cream store selling locally made ice cream scooped into crunchy cones.

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Acres of woods surrounded us…to hike and collect “natures” – as my kids would call the pine cones, acorns, leaves and assorted scraps of treasures they found. Filling a sand pail…

Then sorted and counted and carefully lined up…for display on the deck railing of our building.

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There was, of course, the small beach where we plunked down our sand chairs, towels, plastic pails and shovels. Dug holes to China and constructed sand castles with moats. Read a paperback book or two. Splashed, jumped and played catch in the water.

One of my favorite activities for evenings or rainy days…playing lots of cards…

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Dad barely makes it down a flight of stairs before the self timer takes the shot (1995)

Was life simpler then? I don’t know.

All I do know for sure…

…it was joy...pure and simple.

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That’s what I remember.

So Many Tops

BeckyB April Square Tops

I am hoping our April theme will keep our heads held high and help fill our lives with social connections and squares filled with joy….The theme is top, and you don’t have to go outside to find topping squares…Create your post with a square photograph

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Nice blouse!

Thanks, but…um…no this isn’t a blouse…

Nice shirt?…

Well, not really…

Then…what?

It’s a TOP.

So how do you adequately explain what isn’t a blouse or a shirt exactly? I never could figure that out.

Perhaps it’s a gender thing. Not something I ever prefer to default to. However…

Defining a top is harder than you think. Especially to a guy whose wardrobe basically consists of: button down shirts that go with a tie, mock turtlenecks and short sleeve T-shirts. Technically, not a top to be found.

Whereas, I have plenty of examples….so fortunately explanations are no longer necessary. 🙂

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Tops Collection

 

The plant came back…

One Word Sunday: Inspiration

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The wooded area in back of my condo is kind of a mess in spots. Partially nature’s way…broken branches…matted leaves…trees felled by disease and high winds.

And partially human caused.

Apparently it has become the final resting place for potted plants which have seen better days. Or plants their owners have given up on. I don’t completely understand that…as I still have a philodendron from 1978.

However…today as I was making my way back from a walk on this bright & beautiful afternoon, I noticed the plant dumping ground had a lone come-back-to-life stem of flowers showing off in the sun.

Very inspiring…

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Plant Pot Survivor

🎶…but the plant came back, they thought it was a goner…but the plant came back🎶