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Let's put some cheer : )))
This time of the year is for many (even for very healthy people) challenging and depression promoting, so let’s try to put some cheer in our small community by remembering “small things that can make us smile” no matter what ? The sight of our loved ones is an obvious choice, so let's think of the next best thing ; )- what sight, smell, sound or activity lifts your spirit at once ?
For me it is seeing any very tiny bird in my garden (warbler, finch, wren, vireo, hummingbird …) - I just melt instantaneously < 3 ! I LOVE watching their 100% enjoyment of every second of their life, always happy, always chatting, chasing, bathing - no matter what the weather looks like : )).
What is yours ? : )))
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@surftohealth88 this time of year it's all the pretty lights of Christmas, the smell of a tree in the house and people seeming to be happier and getting good wishes from strangers. Smells and likes changes with the seasons!
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2 Reactions@surftohealth88 Christmas carols are REALLY easy to learn to play by ear. "The First Noel" and "Joy to the World" you should be able to figure out in less than half an hour. The key is to find the first note of the song, then listen to whether the music goes up or down and play accordingly. Usually, for a Christmas song, it will go up or down by one note at a time, though occasionally it will skip a couple notes, usually just two ("The first Noel" does this).
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3 Reactions@surftohealth88
Grilled veggies yes. I do a very tasty jalapeño “popper”, along with kabobs, and other stuff. This is NOT, nor will not, put a hamper to my cooking. The only thing that might slow it down is this cold weather here in PA, but not completely or for long, spring will be here soon. LOL
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2 Reactions@surftohealth88 Classical music has an unfortunate tendency to impose perfectionism on kids. In hospital, I had one nurse who had dropped out of a university music performance programme and taken up hospital nursing because she found it less stressful (!!!). My own spouse has had a lifelong struggle with the perfectionism imposed on her by ballet classes and violin lessons when she was young.
It doesn't have to be that way — both dance and classical music can be joyful — but adults insist on crushing that in children with exams, competition, and constant criticism. Ballet is especially evil, because of the body shaming involved for tween and teen girls ("you're too tall to be a chorus dancer, and not good enough to be a prima").
It makes me furious every time I think about it. 😡 I guess I'm lucky that my parents couldn't afford a piano *or* lessons when I was 9 and begging for them; I played cello at school (and later the city youth orchestra) starting at age 10, then mostly taught myself classical guitar starting at age 17. At age 61, I haven't lost an iota of my joy in it (in fact, I think I love it even more). Everyone should have a right to that, if they want it.
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4 Reactions@dpayton I guess I shouldn't mention how excited my daughter and her friends at UNC were when they trounced Duke in Coach K's last game before retirement.
Wait, did I type that out loud?
(All in fun of course; I know he was a great coach. 🙂)
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1 Reaction@northoftheborder
Oh that is MEAN! hahahahahaaaaaaaa
Final 4, was thinking perfect, let's beat UNC and go on to win the national title until THAT happened. Congrats to your daughter and hoping for many, many more great games. With the darker blue on top, of course. hahaha
Thanks for chiming, brother.
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4 Reactions@northoftheborder
Oh ballet school was brutal lol. "Russian method" was applied inclooding occasional smacks on any part that was out of line (after couple of loud corrections were issued) lol. Luckily I was really good so I had a "privilege" of being spared those maneuvers. Verbal abuse was rampant and regarding body shaming nobody could even get into this ballet school if they were not reed-like by nature : / and with correct proportions. My poor sister went for audition and was scared for life since she was point blankly told in front of everybody at age 9 that she has short legs and can not be ballerina : (((, and let me tell you, she has very nice proportions, just not "ideal" for classical ballet ( legs should be preferably longer than torso). I got to the level of being a principal dancer but I have very conflicting feelings about the whole thing since as an empathic person I could not truly enjoy the environment of constant critique and friends crying for various reasons or listening to hurtful things said to them. Everybody was shocked when I left studio but it just run its course , I guess... I left dancing when I was 17 years old.
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3 Reactions@bbqpitmaster On that note, here's my veg souvlaki recipe (which we had for dinner just last night); serves 2–4, depending on how many vegetables you cut up).
Marinade:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Cut up big pieces of any vegetables you want (I use red onion, cremini mushroom caps, red pepper, and zucchini) and put them in a bowl.
Stir all the marinade ingredients together well in a measuring cup, then pour over the vegetables and toss like a salad until everything is well coated.
Let sit for a little while (maybe 30 min, but longer would be OK), then put on thin skewers, alternating vegetables.
Grill, BBQ, roast, or broil until the edges of the peppers start to blacken.
Serve on pita, optionally with good tsatsiki.
For a lacto-ovo version, add big chunks of halloumi to the skewers before cooking. Lemon-garlic potatoes and/or a greek salad make good sides.
Bon appetit!
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4 Reactions@northoftheborder
I do something similar. In a half size aluminum pan.
Cube a couple potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, jalapeño peppers, garlic, whatever you like also. Salt, pepper, salad supreme to your liking. Slice up a stick up butter and place in different areas of your veggies. I put it in my smoker or grill, cook maybe 15 minutes to melt the butter, toss the veggies to mix and continue cooking. Monitor and mix until all is tender… enjoy.
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1 ReactionYou two made me really hungry now , ahahahaa, and I was trying soooo hard not to nibble on anything before dinner time XP ! ha ha BUT - thanks for great recipes *nom nom : )))
I have very similar recipe - I just use fig balsamic vinegar instead of lemon juice : ))
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2 Reactions