Groovin Artist

Sam Childers, the real-life inspiration for the movie ‘Machine Gun Preacher,’ continues to spread his message of second chances and saving lives - The Boston Globe

2011-09-25T23:23:00.000-05:00

Sam Childers, the real-life inspiration for the movie ‘Machine Gun Preacher,’ continues to spread his message of second chances and saving lives - The Boston Globe

Father's Day 2011

2011-06-19T20:25:00.000-05:00

Today is Father's Day and for those of you lucky enough to have your fathers with you still, you are truly blessed.   A father is a special person, or should be!    Some of us have truly been blessed with very unique and loving fathers, and at the same time I realize that some kids are not that fortunate due to many different situations that occur in life.

My father was taken at the age of 55, very suddenly, and without warning. The day we lost my dad was one of the most traumatic days of my life.   For a few minutes that seemed like an eternity to me I could not grasp the fact my dad was gone.   I refused to believe it, and then the grim reality of it all set in and turned my world upside down.   I was always going somewhere with my dad. When we lived in Houston I would make the weekend trips with him to my grandmother' house about 2-1/2 hours away.    It just didn't seem right that my dad was gone for I had so many plans.   Both my mom and dad have gone on to be with Jesus and I believe with all my heart that they are in Heaven.

Father's day to me is a time to remember the good times we had when growing up because dad died shortly after I had graduated.   Dad was a good dad and I know that he and mom struggled financially, although my mom and dad could make a few dollars go farther than anyone I've ever known.   You might think money is the answer to everybody's problems but when the day is done, you still have your problems.   I know wealthy folks and the fact is they not only worship their money but they are greedy and wouldn't help anyone in need no matter what the circumstances.  There was so much love in our home that I never thought of us as being poor because to me we were as rich as any man who ever walked the face of the earth.

We were taught the Bible and were in Church every time the doors were open.   Back then that was a little irritating but I am so grateful and proud that my parents cared enough about us kids to bring us up properly by taking us to Church and to see that we knew God.

Daddy was a tall man and thin in stature and he had a heart of gold.   I can honestly say that I never heard him say a bad word about anyone.   He was a quiet man, loved hunting and fishing and loved his family.   I know that dad would let my grandfather borrow money from him, even when he only had a few dollars left in his pocket.   Grandpa would never pay him back but I understand that he never complained about it and never asked Grandpa to repay him.   That is love and sacrifice!   I don't ever recall seeing my dad angry at anyone or anything. He was friends with everyone he met.   Skin color made no difference and back in those days that was a beautiful trait for anyone to possess.   We were taught that no matter what your skin color you were still a special child of God.   My dad would have given you the shirt off his back if you were in need of clothes.   He was that generous.

Dad, you are gone from this earth but you will always be remembered because you were my best friend.  You taught me so much and I feel your presence in the soft winds that blow, the flowers that bloom, the loving kindnesses of those around me, and I see your face in your children and grandchildren.   I hope that I can make a difference in this world just as you, my dad, did.

Dad, you are loved so much and you left me with such beautiful and wonderful childhood memories but you left way too soon.   Your love was unconditional and I am so proud to have had you for a dad; noone else could have filled your shoes.   You were special, and thank you for always being there for me.   Peace and love until we meet again!   You are my hero!!!!

Your loving daugher!

2011-03-26T21:49:00.000-05:00

Here is a Video I ran across that I thought was very interesting and references the second amendment. Most of us remember all too well that fateful day in a town in Texas. Sad the way some of the laws in Texas seem to be in place to protect the criminals, and not the taxpaying citizens.

My Slide Show

2011-02-21T22:02:00.000-06:00

This free photo slideshow created with Smilebox

Verbal Abuse

2011-01-01T16:07:00.001-06:00

Christmas is behind us and a new year has begun. I sincerely hope everyone had a very special Christmas. Holidays are a great time to spend with family and friends. The topic I want to spend some time on today is "Verbal Abuse".

The picture I'm going to paint is not a pretty one. Verbal abuse is one of the most difficult things one will ever have to deal with. It cuts through your heart, right down to the core and kills your very soul. Anyone who has ever been in a verbally abusive situation can relate to the feelings of helplessness that lies within the heart of one who is being verbally abused. Everything is always "your fault", never the "abuser's fault", that is, according to the abuser's way of looking at it. They will turn everything around that you say, so much so that the entire meaning of what you said has been lost and now the abuser has a new meaning for your spoken words.

One can sit on the sidelines and never know what is taking place behind closed doors in an abusive marriage. Usually, the verbally abused will keep hoping that the situation will change, somehow the abuser will stop the abuse, but it doesn't happen, not in a million years. If you are married to an abuser, chances are you are trapped, unless you make up your mind to get out of the situation. Run, don't walk.

There were probably subtle hints of verbal abuse before the marriage vows, but you're so in love that you tend to overlook the warning signals.   With those subtle hints that you refuse to call abuse, you tend to accept the occasional apologies, the outbursts of anger, the name-calling, the words than can never be forgotten or taken back. You tend to overlook those little warning signs and perhaps chalk it up to stress, undue duress, something going wrong at work, etc.   Strange thing is with my experience, and I'm speaking solely from what I know to be true in a specific situation, is that I can promise you that the abuser will only get worse in their abusive nature with time. Once an abuser, always an abuser. Beware of anyone who displays even a slight hint of verbally abusive traits in a relationship. The verbal abuser will send you into a pit that encompasses your very soul, where it is difficult to find your way to true peace and contentment.

I actually believe that most verbal abusers grew up with verbal abuse in the home, therefore it was instilled in them all thru their childhood, and they grew up believing it is o.k. to talk down to a spouse, call them names, make them feel like nothing.

So that's my take on verbal abuse. May all your days be happy ones!

Thanksgiving Behind Us

2010-12-05T22:10:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since I blogged, basically due to a lack of time and helping out with members of our family. Things have definitely been busy during the past year,   Thanksgiving is behind once again and Christmas is just around the corner. I had a heart procedure done the first of November so for Thanksgiving we didn't go to extremes with our decorating.   We had a nice traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the family home for the holidays. I am grateful that I could prepare dinner with the help of my daughter.

This year I've decided to decorate with the Manger scene, Wise Men and all.   Oh how I love Christmas!   We have done a little more extensive decorating this year than usual. I'm not sure why, but with all the troubles in the U.S. I feel we need to get back to the basics of living and celebrating the birth of Jesus.   After all, that is what Christmas is all about, at least in our family.

Too many times we get caught up in buying presents that we forget the true meaning of Christmas. I was informed this week by an 11-year-old that there is no Santa Claus. I immediately stated this "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, just as long as you believe it in your heart!" I recall Christmases past of decorating a simple cedar tree that we would all go out in the woods and find, chop it down and put it up just in time for Christmas Eve.   We begged Mom to put a tree up earlier than Christmas Eve every year, but no amount of pleading would persuade her to put up a tree until the moment she thought was the proper time to put one up.

Back then, it was simple to decorate a tree. We didn't have much money so we made little rings of construction paper and pasted them together to form a chain of many colors for our tree. We always had icicles and garland to adorn our tree, and sometimes we would have candy canes. I always thought those were the prettiest decorated trees I had ever seen, and still hold those memories dear to my heart. Mom had a single strand of lights that were shaped like candles. The lights gave the appearance of lit candles, forever flickering with hope of Christmas blessings. We kids each received one small gift which was something we really wanted and a bag with fruit, nuts and candy. The candy was "ribbon candy". One year I received a rubber doll for Christmas and still had that doll when I grew up.

I now look at all the many presents that parents present their children with and wonder how a parent ever expects a child to understand the true meaning of Christmas with all those many toys to choose from.  I look beyond the mere opening of presents and think how difficult it might be for children when they grow up and try to be able to afford so many gifts for their own children. I always saw to it that my children had what they needed but never took it to extremes.

I leave you with this thought (not sure who this quote is from):

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass; it is about learning to dance in the rain".

FDA Recalls

2010-08-26T13:25:00.001-05:00

I am amazed and perplexed at what is going on with our government today. We, beyond a shadow of a doubt, have an administration that sits in Washington, jets all over the country, vacations continuously, all on taxpayer dollars and yet the FDA cannot see that our food is free of poisons. What is going on? I get the FDA reports daily, and I can tell you that it is a disgrace to America that we have such insufficiencies in this country, especially in the foods that we consume. Who is overseeing the way our foods are processed and distributed????   Anyone, I need an answer. There are continuous recalls on anything from foods to medicines, medical supplies, toys, etc.   You name it, you'll probably find it included.   Someone needs to be put in charge of overseeing the FDA who will make it a priority to enforce safety rules and regulations!

We have had more than a half-billion eggs recalled because of Salmonella outbreaks in the last few weeks. Did you know that there are low-cost vaccines available that could help prevent the kind of salmonella outbreaks that recently led to this recall.   These vaccines have not been given to nearly half of the nation's hens that lay eggs. Believe it or not, these vaccines are not required in the U.S.   Unbelievable!!!! We're not a third-world country, but it appears we are headed there like a snowball headed for hell.

I understand, according to British officials, that these vaccines are responsible for the country having the safest egg supply in Europe. According to a survey conducted by Europe's food safety agency, only one percent of British flocks had salmonella compared to 60 to 70% of flocks elsewhere in Europe.

To my knowledge there are no plans to push for mandatory vaccination requirements in the U.S. (probably because it might hurt someone's feelings, you know we are such a politically correct country today that we forego necessary precautions in the food industry and elsewhere). The salmonella vaccine prevents chickens from becoming infected with this particular strain of salmonella and, therefore, prevents the eggs from being infected.

I understand that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said last month that it doesn't believe mandatory vaccination is necessary, but it doesn't have a problem with farmers voluntarily vaccinating their "hens". So, for now, the decision to vaccinate is solely left up to the individual farmers....I don't believe most will go to the added expense.

Leave it to the good old government to mess up whatever it takes over. Saw it.....right off.

I leave you with a quote from John F. Kennedy:
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

2010-06-26T18:43:00.000-05:00

Just had to share this pic of my little furry friend. She seemed to find the guitar case a perfect place to rest.

Choices In Life

2010-06-26T18:32:00.001-05:00

Have you ever stopped to think about how the choices we make in our lives can change our lives forever? A friend recently reminded me of that, and up until then, I never really thought too much about it. With just one simple choice you can change the direction that you are going. Isn't that simply amazing! If you have the courage, you can make any one choice and change the course of your life. Some choices that come to mind would be losing weight, going back to school, or starting a new business.....the list is unlimited.

There are other types of choices we may face. We've all had thoughts of giving up on something or someone when we are faced with adversity. Perhaps you've even thought of quitting something that you had started. Somtimes it seems easier to quit than to accept a challenge. When there is a challenge that I face, I say that God is testing my faith. Life does get difficult at times and when it does, it's easy to take the wrong path (make the wrong choices). My philosophy has always been to pursue any dreams that you may have, pursue them with a passion, and to not be afraid of failure. For I would rather try my hand at something and fail than to always wonder what might have happened if I would have had the courage to have tried something. Most of us have a tendency to be afraid to venture out on a limb of uncertainty. Take that leap. I look at it as a leap of faith.

One of our main goals should be to be responsible for our choices. God knows I've had my share of disappointments, wrong decisions, and just plain bad choices. We are all responsible for our actions and we can't blame someone else or something from the past for those actions. For a long time I blamed someone else for a couple bad choices that I had made, in particular, but later came to realize that I was just as much to blame. We can change from bad choices to good choices. Take the time to think things through; never make a quick decision. My grandmother gave me some of the best advice I've ever had....She always said that "if I had any doubts about doing something, then don't do it". I've wished many times that I would have put that advice to good use each time I had decisions or choices to make. Many times it would have changed my life in a positive way instead of a negative way.

Pursue your dreams with a passion, never giving up.

Thought for the Day:
"A bird does not sing because it has an answer,
It sings because it has a song."

My suggestions for a good book:
"The Unwinable War" by Elan Journo

Debt Solutions

2010-05-23T22:45:00.000-05:00

Today I wanted to give you some suggestions on how to improve your credit score. This information comes solely from my own experience with credit cards and my own debt in general in the past. I have one credit card right now that is active and it is for emergencies but I plan to keep it active by making a small purchase regularly with the card.

We all know that when we apply for credit, especially for a mortgage or the purchase of an auto, that we must have a great credit score to not only qualify for credit but also to qualify for a low or zero (auto loans) interest rate. My best reasons are as follows: One, an "excellent" credit score will get you the best interest rates available. A "good" credit score will most likely leave you with a higher than desirable interest rate. That high interest rate, my friend, is what you want to avoid. You want an "excellent" credit score. Second, by keeping your credit score well above 700 you will most likely always be able to get the credit that you desire with a low interest rate.

If you have credit cards, and hopefully it's only one or two, both with a low balance, my advice is not to close the credit cards once you get them paid very low, and I'm talking like keeping the balance always less than $50 each or zero them out each month. You always want to have one credit card for emergencies. My idea of practicing good habits with credit cards is to have only one, keep it paid low or zero it out every month. For instance, should you owe $100 on a card, pay the $100 on it but make sure you make a small purchase, perhaps dinner out, before the $100 gets posted as paid.    Go out and make a small purchase each month, just to keep your card active.  I have found that if you pay off a card and leave it inactive for awhile, the creditor who issued the card will no doubt close the account due to no activity.   It has happened to me. Having a "zero" balance on your credit card account will not hurt your FICO score, but closing the account can have an adverse affect on your credit score. Remember, I'm speaking from my very own experience, and only from my own experience.

Closing an account can cause you to lose the available credit limit that is associated with your account. Also, your balance-to-limit ratio will increase as a direct result of closing the account since that amount of credit will not show as available to you and can cause a drop in your credit scores.  After paying off some cards, I thought I was doing the right thing by closing those accounts that I had paid off....I could not wait to call and close those accounts....well, .that was not a good decision on my part.   Keep that in mind if you are thinking about applying for a loan in the near future. Remember to keep your cards active, make a small purchase every month or two and pay it regularly and always on time.

Another important factor in keeping your credit score high is to pay those bills by the due date. You can forget about the "grace period". My own personal experience is that it works better for you if you pay by the due date....ALWAYS.   You should never look at the grace from my own personal experience that the most important steps to create good credit scores is to make the payments on time, not within the grace period time. Pay all your regular bills on time and always pay them in full, not just a partial payment.

Apply for those new loans only when absolutely necessary, make your payments on-time and never carry excessive debt.

The following suggestions come from my own personal experience, and there is no better wake-up call than learning from your own experiences and bad choices.

1)  If you have several credit cards, start paying extra on the highest interest card. You will be amazed at how you can lower a balance on a card by taking that one simple step. Once that card is paid, begin paying the amount you were paying toward that card every month on the next highest interest rate card along with the regular payment you are making on that second card. When the second card is paid in full, apply the amount you were paying on that card each month to the next highest interest rate card.   Keep this up until you have all your cards paid in full. Be patient. It takes time, dedication and determination.
2) Call your credit card issuers and see if you can get your interest lowered. If not, perhaps you have one card that has a low interest rate and the issuer will allow you to transfer a high interest balance from another high interest card to the lower interest one.
3) Pay those cards off as soon as you can and shred that plastic. Credit card debt can be a nightmare. We want sweet dreams and not nightmares! Remember to keep one card for emergencies and make a regular purchase on that card and keep it in good standing by paying it in full on the due date.
4) I understand that another way to build up your credit score is to apply for a "secured credit card" by a reputable credit card issuer.  I was told this by a friend who was trying to build up her credit score. I understand that you put your money into a secured credit card as security and then when you charge something on the card, make sure you pay regular payments and pay them on time. I'm told this will increase your credit score.  It sounds like a good idea but I would make sure it is a reputable credit card company. After all, that is your money you are putting into that secured credit card as security that you will make your payments and make them on time.

Here is an example of how long it will take you to pay off a credit card at 17.9 APR with a balance of approx. $3,388.

By making the minimum payment each month the time it will take you to pay off the balance is approximately 19 years. You will have paid a total of approximately $7,861.    That is approx. $4,473 in interest alone.   If you pay $122 per month, the approximate time it will take you to pay off the balance is three years. You will have paid a total of $4,404 with $1,116 of that as interest.   This is figured with an interest rate of
17.9% APR. Now that is a rude awakening.

My thought for the day:
"Don't let your worries get the best of you;
remember, Moses started out as a basket case."

Mother's Day

2010-05-08T22:27:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is Mother's Day and here's wishes for a beautiful day. We lost my Mom in October 2008 and I miss her more every day.

I think of Love and I think of my Mom; I think of Compassion and I think of my Mom; I think of Honesty and I think of my Mom; I think of Honour and I think of my Mom; I think of Gracious and I think of my Mom; I think of Forgiveness and I think of my Mom; I think of Giving and I think of my Mom; I think of Humility and I think of my Mom.   My Mom would have given you the shirt off her back, she was so generous and so loving, always helping everyone that she could.

My Mom would raise a garden in the Spring and another in the Fall, always making sure she raised enough vegetables to see that everyone could have vegetables for the winter. She was the most generous woman I have ever known and she always gave, never expecting anything in return. That is true giving that comes only from the heart.  To those of you who are lucky enough to still have your Mom, I ask you to treasure the time you have with her, for when they are gone, you only have them in your memories. Spend as much time with your Mom as you can, call her every day, for you will not regret one minute you spend with her.

I used to come home from work and I would find a pot of beans, cornbread, a dessert, or something sitting by my door that Mom had left there. Mom always looked after us and shared whatever she had with not only us, but my brother and whoever else she could. I remember when she became older and announced one year just before Christmas that we kids were going to have to have Christmas and Thanksgiving at our houses from now on. I was amused in that I never thought I would hear her say that, yet I was sad, for it was a tradition to go to Mom's house for these occasions. I think this was the first time I actually became aware that someday I might not have my Mom with us.

Mom taught us about God and family and how important they were if we were to be happy. She taught us how to dress, tie our shoes, ride a bike, reminded us to say our prayers and keep God by our side. She taught us how to brush our teeth, do our homework and to have respect for others. "Patience is virtue", she would say. Mother kept us near during storms, she gave us hope when things went wrong, always saying, "Things will be allright".   She taught us patience and understanding, hope and love. She taught us to seek out God, not only when things went wrong, but when things were going right.

A Mother knows every emotion....happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, loneliness, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow....and all the while, hoping and praying that you will only know the good feelings in life.

Although I cannot see my Mother, I know she is with us. She is the flowers that bloom in Spring, she's the whisper of the rustling leaves, the gentle breeze that touches my face, she's in the smell of foods I remember, and in the perfume she wore. She's the cool hand on my brow when I'm not feeling well and she's the breath of air on a cold winter's day. I see her in the faces of my children. She's the soft voice speaking to my heart when I'm sad, always saying "things will be allright". She is the sound of rain that lulls me to sleep on stormy nights, and she's in all the colors of the rainbow. My Mother lives in my laughter and in my heart, and she's crystallized in every tear I shed. She's there even when I'm down. When I look for her, I find she's never really left my side and she will always be there to lift me up. She's the map you follow with every step you take in life.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2010-04-20T23:10:00.000-05:00

It only takes a trip out in the country where I was raised to send me down memory lane once again. It's Spring and everything is beautiful. It has rained a lot recently so everything is exceptionally green and inviting. While driving down a narrow country lane I wondered just how many times I had traveled that same road and how many times my parents must have made that same trip, in another day and another time. They are both gone now but their memories linger ever so sweet in my mind.

I remember Christmases past and I can almost smell the cedar trees we put up at Christmas. Mom usually wouldn't put the Christmas tree up until almost Christmas day. We would hound her for days to put the tree up until she would finally give in. We had few decorations but I remember just one string of beautifully lit candles on that tree every year; it was a sight to behold. They had the appearance of burning candles.....how beautiful they were. We sometimes made rope chains for the tree out of many colors of construction paper. Christmas was simple, as was life in general for us back then, but we had love in our home. I think of all the fuss a lot of us make over Christmas today and it makes me sad. I think that thru the hustle and bustle of Christmas we sometimes forget the true meaning of Christmas. We kids each received one simple gift and a bag of fruit, nuts and candy. That is all Mom and Dad could afford but that one gift was worth more to us kids than all the gold in the world.

Why, I'd give years of my life just to go back in time and relive some of my childhood. We were so poor but we never grasped the meaning of poor 'cause there were always three square meals on the table. Mom raised a garden in the Spring and another in the Fall and we would always can or freeze vegetables to last the entire winter. It was lots of work and, as a child, not something I relished having to do, but we all worked at it and put our hearts and souls into it. I remember my Mom having my brother and I wash a tub of cucumbers for her to can. We scrubbed them and ever so proudly announced that we were through. To our surprise, she put all the cucumbers back in the tub and made us wash them again. Come Sunday, Mom would put lunch on to cook and we'd all go to church. There was never a question as to whether we would go to church or stay home. Staying home when the church doors were open was simply not an option. My Mom and Dad were wonderful, loving and God-fearing people and they loved the Lord.

While driving down that country lane, I recalled how hard times were for Mom and Dad and I remember them talking about how they had to account for every penny that was spent. We kids had two pair of shoes each, one pair for Church and one pair of shoes for whatever else. Can you imagine having only two pairs of shoes today?? Life was simple with lots of hard work but the most important thing that we had money could not buy, and that was the love of two of the most wonderful parents in the world.

On my journey today, I recalled how we kids used to run thru the cornfields and listen to the rustling of the leaves on the cornstalks....and they can be noisy. Once I became lost, or so I thought, while playing in those rows of corn, and when I finally took control of my thoughts I realized that if I just followed the rows of corn I would find my way back home. I remembered too, how my dad used to raise watermelons and how he would cut them for us kids to eat out in the field. If you've never had that opportunity, then you just haven't lived! We kids would play out in that hot sand while the big trucks loaded the watermelons to take to market. I remember the crows were always flying overhead just waiting for a chance to lay claim to one of those watermelons.

Yes, I took a trip down memory lane today and I must admit a little bitty tear let me down.

The trip made me thankful for what I have, for the life I've lived and for the opportunity to once again remember just how wonderful life was way back when!

Helpful Hint:

Just some information concerning scented candles: They contain petroleum, therefore soot. My understanding is that they can cause cancer, including lung cancer.

Be safe and go the safer route:

Use 100% Natural Candles, Soy Candles or Beeswax Candles. The wicks should not be metal. Metal wicks have been banned in the U.S. since 1970.

Quotes That I Love

2010-04-14T15:54:00.000-05:00

Below are some of my favorite Quotes:

"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."...Dwight Eisenhower

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."...Nelson Mandela

"America, Land of the Free, Keep it that way!"....Yours Truly

Ronald Reagan was a great man who did so much for this Country and whom I have great respect for. Some quotes of Ronald Reagan:

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant: It's just that they know so much that isn't so."....Ronald Reagan

"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."....Ronald Reagan

"No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women."....Ronald Reagan

"If we ever forget tht we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."....Ronald Reagan

Let's not forget that we all need to unite and work together to keep this country a free country, for if we lose our freedoms we won't have much else to lose. Remember the brave men and women who have fought and continue to fight to keep our country safe and to retain the freedoms we have always had. I know that sometimes most of us take our freedoms for granted, including me, but we must learn to cherish our freedoms and stand up for what we think is right.

I've never seen so much unrest in America before. We have a government entirely out of control. We need to get back to a government of the people, by the people, and for the people and keep this a nation, under God!!!!
Let's not forget we have a Constitution that has served us well for over 230 years!!
Love and God bless!
Yours Truly

Photographs and Musicians

2010-04-10T20:57:00.000-05:00

Two of my favorite musicians in this pic!

Thought you might enjoy a little history here, so here goes:
Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and, instead of interpreting the law, would begin making law oligarchy, the rule of a few over many. In other words, "a government in which a small group exercises control over many, especially for corrupt and selfish purposes". How then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for over 230 years is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional.

Went to a baseball game earlier this morning with my musician hubby, spent the afternoon in my yard planting herbs and flowers. Herbs and flowers, what a combination!! We finished the butterfly garden and it is beautiful. Hopefully the butterflies will stop by during their travels. I'm still trying to figure out how to tweak things on here so it looks just right. Thought I would do a little something different today and post some recent photos that I took. Some of my favorite musicians, plus a couple sunrises I captured on our way our of town, and a trip out to the country to cruise thru the forest and enjoy the dogwoods in bloom. What a beautiful site to behold. To quote from the poem "Trees"....I've decided that "poems are indeed made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree".

A beautiful sunrise one morning in March.

Another sunrise on another morning in March.

Three of my favorite musicians!!

Dogwood Trail - absolutely beautiful!

My thought for the day:

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things".

Helpful hint for today:

Pray for our Country and for leadership that will uphold the Constitution!!!!

Spring Has Arrived

2010-04-05T17:55:00.000-05:00

Well, it's April, and I haven't been blogging, which is quite obvious. We've had a lot of things going on. I'm still trying to allot enough time for playing the Piano and to paint more greeting cards, and of course spending quality time with family. I'm also in the process of setting up a site for my greeting cards.

There is just never enough time in a day, and Spring is such a beautiful time of year. I love working in my yard. We had a very cold winter and actually had snow this year which was beautiful. Now it is great to see the flowers in bloom.

I've been reading a great book by Clair Huffaker, "One Time I Saw Morning Come Home". I found it stored away with tons of other old books and it's a beautifully written book.

Here's my music site for the week:
www.myspace.com/ronniecaywood

My Recipe for the week follows, which is a favorite of my family.
Banana Pudding Recipe
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 cups sweet milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. margarine
3 bananas
Nilla Vanilla Wafers
4 to 5 drops yellow food color

Mix dry ingredients. Add milk gradually to dry ingredients. Beat egg yolks with fork and gradually add to this mixture. Cook in double boiler or regular sauce pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick. Add vanilla and butter. Cool. Place layer of vanilla wafers in bottom of dish, add a layer of sliced bananas, then a layer of pudding. Repeat and finish with a layer of vanilla wafers on top.

Thought for the day:
"Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door".

Love and God bless!

Open Letter to President Obama

2010-03-17T14:20:00.000-05:00

Today I'm posting an Open Letter I sent to President Obama. The letter follows:

The President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

March 16, 2010
Dear Mr. President:

I write to you as a deeply concerned American. I love America, what it has always stood for and the promises America has for future generations. I am deeply concerned about the direction that you, Speaker Pelosi and Harry Reid are leading America. So many of us have kept silent because we had hopes that you would keep the promises you made before you became President. The time to keep silent has passed and we must speak up while we still have freedom of speech, for I fear there is a chance we will lose even that.

In the short time that you have been President, so many things of great significance have happened that makes me wonder if you really and truly want America to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. With all due respect, Mr. President, you promised transparency in this administration and to make this a better America. Where are the promises? Speaker Pelosi recently said “Once this bill is passed, we will all know what is in it”. Somehow, that just does not seem constitutional. Mr. President, by your very actions and speech it would appear that your oath to the Constitution is not binding to you. I would hope that you would take a look at this great land that we so dearly love and that has been admired by so many people of other lands for so many years, and perhaps listen to the pleas of our great people who make up this great Nation that we call America. The majority of Americans are against this Healthcare Bill and the Stimulus Bills. I worked many years and sacrificed much for my healthcare benefits retirement package and I don’t want to lose those benefits.

You have been in office well over a year now and I believe it’s a fair statement to say you have caused more unrest in America than all the other U.S. Presidents combined. Your agenda and your policies are destroying the wealth of the hard-working Americans who do not want to see future generations burdened with debt that in no way can be met. We cannot spend our way out of debt. I’ve been there and I assure you it can’t be done. We have to cut the spending and I have a few suggestions below that get America out of debt and allow us to be self-sufficient once again. Our nation is so far in debt and the debt is increasingly held by foreign nations such as China. Here are my suggestions:

1) A Consumption Tax. This tax would take the place of the present Income Tax system we now have in place. It would be a percentage taken out just like the “Sales Tax” we pay at the time of purchase of an item. This would be a fair tax in that everyone who makes a purchase would pay.

2) Farm Subsidies. This could be removed permanently simply because the people that I know who are receiving these farm subsidies in my county and surrounding counties are very wealthy. I believe the farm subsidies were set up to help the poor farmers way back when.

3) Cross State Lines for Insurance. Companies and individuals need the ability to cross state lines to shop for healthcare so that insurance companies can be competitive. This could greatly drive the cost of insurance down.

4) Assistance To Illegals. We should stop assistance to Illegal Immigrants immediately. We do not take care of our own, and until we do, then we should not give assistance to those who are not legal citizens and leave our own stranded.

5) Wasteful Spending of Stimulus Money. We need to put more thought into the ways our taxpayer dollars are being spent.

I do want to say, Mr. President, that I am very pleased and proud that Michelle is bringing attention to the problem of childhood obesity in our country. This is a problem that has been ignored for years and I wish her great success in addressing this program, and she is to be commended for her efforts.

I respect the office of the President of the United States and I sincerely wish you well and hope that you will find it in your heart to listen to what the majority of the American people believe is best for Americans and this great nation that we call America. There is no other land like it. Others have always looked up to us and had great respect and admiration for America, and I hope they will always be able to do just that. To me, the American Flag stands for freedom! Let’s keep this the land of the free and the home of the brave and, through God’s grace, let Freedom ring!

Kindest Regards

2010-02-28T18:21:00.000-06:00

Well, it's Sunday evening and it was a beautiful, sunny day. Will be traveling to Kilgore tomorrow morning so will have to cut this short for today. Played a little on the piano today and just took it easy. I think that's what the Good Book says....the 7th day is for rest. I haven't quite figured out how the lady of the house can do that. Guess, that's why we have diners, fast food joints, eh?

I have a recipe I would like to share with you today. It is delicious, easy to prepare and great to serve to guests. A salad is a great complement. The recipe follows:

Cheese and Rice Tart
1 Cup Mahatma Rice
3 Cups water
1-1/2 Tbs. Olive Oil
2 Eggs (medium or large)
3/4 Cup Whipping Cream
1-1/2 Cups white onions, diced
1 Tsp. salt
1/4 Tsp. coarse ground black pepper
1 Can diced Green Chiles (7-oz)
1 8-Ounce pkg. cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 pie crust (frozen - homemade or Pillsbury)

Bring the 3 cups of water to a boil and add the rice. Stir gently. Cover and cook on low heat for approx. 15 min. or until tender. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 deg.
Heat oil in saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook just until tender, stirring often.
Set aside.

Whisk eggs, cream, salt and black pepper together to blend. Stir in chiles, onion mixture and cheese. Add 2 cups of the cooked rice and stir just until mixed well.

Pour mixture into frozen piecrust and bake until golden brown and set in center, about 45 min.
Oven temperature may vary. I place foil around the edges of the piecrust so it doesn't burn. Let cool for 20 min. Sprinkle with diced tomatoes and chopped green onions, if desired.

Makes 4 slices.

I leave you with this thought:
"Every Saint has a past; Every Sinner has a future".

Love and Peace

2010-02-27T20:59:00.000-06:00

I've been working on creating some videos and burning them to a DVD. Wow....this was a challenge for me since I knew absolutely nothing about that sort of thing....learned a little about it today and actually created my first DVD movie that would, believe it or not, play in a DVD player. Imagine that! Life does get complicated sometimes. More often than not it's because of our own lack of knowledge or inexperience, and especially when it's out of our comfort zone, but I do love a challenge.

Loved the snow we had this past week....something we seldom see in our area. We even built a snowman.

I'll have one of my favorite recipes for you in a day or two that I hope you will enjoy and will try to include a new one once a week.

My helpful hint for today is one that I hope you will find valuable:
"Sprinkling baking soda into dishwater helps to prevent dry, chapped hands."

Thought for the day:
"To accomplish great things, one must not only dream, but also believe in yourself."