This coffee cake is perfect for Christmas morning to snack on while you sip your coffee and open presents. The filling is rich and creamy and the shape of the cake lends itself to festive decorations, such as candied cherries, colored sprinkles, or tinted frosting. The cake can be made […]
Book: THE MERCIES by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Oh, my… this novel — THE MERCIES! The atmospheric setting, the writing, the characterization, the story… I was swept away and transported from the first lovely sentences: Last night Maren dreamt a whale beached itself on the rocks outside her house. She climbed down the cliff to its heaving body […]
Tiramisu Parfaits: Fun, Festive, Flavorful
You love Tiramisu but don’t want a large tray of this tasty Italian dessert? Well, make Tiramisu Parfaits instead and enjoy all the flavors of this well-known dessert. This is also an excellent dessert to serve after dinner when entertaining. ###
For The Joy of Animals: Gardening For Groundhogs
Anyone who has grown a vegetable garden knows it is first and foremost a labor of love. You LOVE watching things grow and reaping your home grown harvest, but it take a tremendous amount of physical LABOR. And, yes, the rewards can be amazing, but they can also be extremely […]
Book Review: THE FOREVER FRIEND by Suzie Ivy
To the delight of fans, Detective Laci Jolett is back in action in Book/novella #3 of Suzie Ivy’s K9 Forever Series — THE FOREVER FRIEND. This time it’s drugs in the local high school that has two students in the hospital and Detective Laci Jolett on the case with her K9 partner […]
Homemade Apple Pie — The Perfect Fall Dessert
The warm smell of baking apples and cinnamon definitely says Fall is here. Apples are in season now, so take advantage of their flavor to make a delicious homemade apple pie. Store-bought pastry can quicken the process but homemade pastry adds great flavor to your pie. The best pie apples […]
For The Joy of Animals: The Antics of Badgers
The wonderful thing about wild animals is they always seem to have a few delightful surprises for us humans. Growing up in the midwest I knew what Badgers looked like thanks to zoos and wildlife shows (and hello, UW mascot!), but I had never actually seen one in the wild. […]
Music: Leonid & Friends Cover “25 or 6 to 4”
A bonus of our current Covid-19 life is having the time to find an awesome cover of an old favorite — Chicago’s 25 or 6 to 4. Especially when you feel like you’re sitting in a jam session with extremely talented musicians having the time of their life playing it. […]
Book Review: CODE NAME HELENE by Ariel Lawhon
CODE NAME HELENE by Ariel Lawhon was the right book at the right time for me – the story of a tough-as-nails woman whose struggles and bravery make our shelter-in-place woes seem trivial. (Yes, the fictional story is – remarkably – based on a real-life character [one of the most […]
Backyard Engineering: Bike Experiments In Speed
Most of us like to try new things, especially if they are relatively safe and easy to do. But, would we be willing to endure hardship in order to explore a new idea? Probably not. Yet, most of us will have a time in our life when we will be […]
Comfort Italian Style — Stuffed Cabbage
As the weather cools, it is nice to be able to serve some comforting food, My Italian version of this dish will definitely comfort you. I like to serve this dish with mashed potatoes and oven-roasted carrots. ###
Words: ” A Bright Future For Man …”
If only there were “Here Thanks To Nature” tags attached to everything everywhere as a reminder that our very lives are utterly and completely dependent on nature — not technology… I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her […]
Rescue Journey of Piglet and Calf Buddies
A ride to an animal sanctuary was all the bonding time needed for this piglet and calf to become bffs. These two are not only adorable and heartwarming, but living proof that animals — regardless of whether they are domesticated pets, livestock or wildlife — have a basic need and […]
The Lost Era Of Electric “Flying Trains”
Over 119 years old and still in operation today, the Wuppertaler Schwebebahn in Germany is the world’s oldest electric elevated railway with hanging cars. Developed as the first to transport people instead of goods, this electric “flying train” is an impressive feat of engineering and magical to watch. At an […]
Book Review: THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE by Charlie Mackesy
I received THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE by Charlie Mackesy as a birthday present earlier this week and likely would never have picked it up on my own. What a little gem I’d have been missing. Especially in the time of Covid-19 and social distancing, I […]
For The Joy of Animals: Seal Holds A Diver’s Hand
It is pure joy to watch the emotionally powerful and extraordinarily moving interactions between diver Ben Burville and his diving buddies. What a wonderful celebration of life and human/animal connection as a wild grey seal holds a diver’s hand! At the same time, it is a sad reminder that these […]
Book Review: WORDS by Jessica McCann
In the introduction to WORDS: Essays on Writing, Reading, and Life, Jessica McCann shares with the reader a core belief that is as intricately a part of her personal journey as it is her writer’s journey and forms the basis of her writer’s perspective from which all else flows: “…this […]
Canceled Vacation Plans? Consider Mindcations Not Just Staycations
The research is clear. Vacations are good for our health — physically, mentally, and emotionally. According to David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, vacations are good for your heart, “we are actually seeing a reduction in the risk for cardiovascular disease the more vacationing a person […]
A Fresh Pear Bread Breakfast Treat
Looking for something sweet for breakfast? Give this easy to make quick Fresh Pear Bread a try. It is filled with fresh pears, walnuts, and lots of flavors. ###
Book Review: FAMILY OF ORIGIN by C.J. Hauser
What first drew me to FAMILY OF ORIGIN by C.J. Hauser? When I saw it at an indie bookstore, the jacket was face-out, displaying the frilly butt of a diving duck. Score. This could be right up my science- and nature-loving alley, I thought. Then I saw the word ‘family’ […]
For The Joy of Animals: Blissfully Splashing Dog
We tend to think — if there are limitations in our lives, then there are limitations in our happiness. But is that true? Or do we just make it so? Maybe finding our bliss, the things that makes us happiest, is far simpler than we imagine… And, maybe, if we […]
A Shortcut Method For Making Eggplant Parmesan
My eggplant preference is the heirloom variety called Rosa Bianca and they are plentiful in my area at this time of year. Rosa Bianca eggplant is an eye-catching variety of eggplant. They’re plump and round, and their violet and white exteriors have an attractive appearance. This mild variety is not […]
Book Review: BOOST YOUR BRAIN by M. Fotuhi & C. B. Antoniades
I often don’t review the nonfiction books I read, but I felt this one was important to share. BOOST YOUR BRAIN is an older book (published 2013) I downloaded on my iPad years ago when it was on sale. It’s one of many parked on my e-reader about brain health […]
Enjoy Better For You Raspberry Poppyseed Muffins
Instead of getting your breakfast at the coffee shop, bake some delicious muffins that are also good for you. The way to accomplish a better muffin is to use some whole grain flour, a healthy fat, buttermilk or yogurt, and less sugar and salt. Add fresh fruit and some nuts […]
For The Joy of Animals: Animal Acts of Compassion
Compassion is not just a human trait. It is a universal “being” trait and animal acts of compassion are all around us if we look. The meaning of “Compassion” comes from Latin root “passio”, which means to suffer, and the Latin prefix “com”, meaning together — to suffer together. Compassion […]