Good Morning, Morning!

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tired, Worn Out, Well Loved

My Old Teddy, originally uploaded by poppalina.

I'm feeling so tired and worn out. I think all the post surgery stress, drugs, and lawsuit issues have a lot to do with it, but this morning was an immediate cause. Claire woke up screaming and writhing in pain. Comb and I tried desperately to figure out what was wrong. We'd never seen or heard her behave like that. I started thinking that she might have an intestinal obstruction, given yesterday's symptoms. After about 30 minutes, she started to calm down a bit. A few minutes ago, the director at Claire's daycare called me to let me know that Claire just suffered a fall and would have a severe black eye. Poor Claire! At times like this, I feel so exhausted because, try as I might, I cannot do anything to help her. I wish I could drive to her and lift her up to my chest, but these things are impossible right now. I feel tired and worn out, but very well loved.

Good Morning, Morning!

“To spare oneself from grief at all cost can be achieved only at the price of total detachment, which excludes the ability to experience happiness"

~Erich Fromm

Mango Tilapia

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• dash of pepper
  

Salsa:

• 1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced
• 3 roma tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a shallow baking dish, combine the olive oil, orange juice, and pepper. Rinse the fish fillets and pat them dry. Place them into the baking dish and turn to coat with the seasonings.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until fish can be flaked with a fork.
4. While the fish cooks, combine the mango, onion, avocado, tomatoes, lime zest and juice, cilantro and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Stir to blend and set aside at room temperature until fish has finished cooking. Place fillets on a platter and spoon the salsa over them to serve.

I suggest serving this over rice. This is amazing stuff and it doesn't get much healthier! Enjoy!

(Let me know how this goes, Hue! Happy Cooking!!)

Good Morning, Evening..

~ Seen Scene ~, originally uploaded by ViaMoi.

If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.

~St. Clement of Alexandra

Good Morning, Morning!

Perfect Bloom, originally uploaded by judy stalus.

Many persons have the wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

Helen Keller
(Today would have been Helen Keller's 129th birthday!)

Baking Fiend

I don't know what has gotten into me, but all I want to do is bake all day. For the past month or so, I've baked something at least once a week. Yesterday, I made banana muffins with cinnamon sugar centers and a double batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. A few days ago, I made carrot cake. I'm now in the process of making double chocolate brownies and an apple blackberry pie. It's the first time I'm trying the apple blackberry pie recipe so I'll post it later if everything turns out well!

Good Morning, Morning!

Blossom Bokeh [Explored], originally uploaded by kimberlyfaye.

"All things are possible until they are proved impossible - and even the impossible may only be so, as of now."

~Pearl Buck
(American author and Nobel laureate who would have been 117 today)

Michael Jackson

RIP Michael Jackson's Star On Hollywood Blvd, originally uploaded by Sërch.

Whether or not you cared for Michael Jackson and his music, it is undeniable that the world just lost a little color, a little character, and he will be missed by many.

“In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe.” -Michael Jackson

*Strike My Fancy*

This makes me want a pet hedgehog! What do you think might be a good name for this little fellow?

Good Morning, Morning!

Fields of Gold, originally uploaded by Allard One.

"Living isn’t enough! One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower!"

~ Hans Christian Andersen

(Photo: tulip fields in the Netherlands)

Good Morning, Morning!

, originally uploaded by kimberlyfaye.

"If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember... You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I'll always be with you."

~ Winnie the Pooh

Yesterday's Adventures

Yesterday was a beautiful day, brimming with play and sunshine! You may have noticed that I didn't post a "Good Morning, Morning" post and I apologize if you missed it, but we were out having too much fun all day! My mom and brother visited. We had a picnic in the park and played in the fountains. Claire didn't eat much of her sandwich during the picnic because there were just too many other things to do outside! After all, it was her first picnic and there were butterflies and balls and grass and countless other distractions.

Good Morning, Morning!

"All right! All right, rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty! Come on. Hup, hup, hup! Get your clothes on. Get ready. Got breakfast for ya. Look..and it's happy to see you!!" ~Mushu from the movie "Mulan"

Good Morning, Morning!

wisteria spotted visitor, originally uploaded by jaki good.

“When you have come to the edge Of all light that you know And are about to drop off into the darkness Of the unknown, Faith is knowing One of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or You will be taught to fly”

~Patrick Overton

(This was a quote that my husband shared with me when we first began dating.)

Happy Father's Day!

We love our Daddy so very much much!

Good Morning, Morning!

Radiance, originally uploaded by Villi.Ingi.

"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty."
or from another perspective,
"A father is a guy who has snapshots in his wallet where his money used to be."

Hoppin' Saturday Morning

It was a beautiful, but busy, morning. The most notable part of the morning was Claire's First Day at the Pool! Capitalization because, yes, it was that special. :)

Daddy, Mikey, and I spent several hours outside turning Claire into a water baby! Here are some pictures. Enjoy!

Good Morning, Afternoon! (oops.)

"It is possible to move a mountain by carrying away small stones."

~ Chinese proverb

Warm the Heart and Water the Soul

I've got two recipes for you folks today! Yesterday, I decided to try out some new recipes and they were a hit so I'd like to share. The smells and taste of these old fashioned desserts will certainly warm the heart.

Recipe #1: Southern Carrot Cake

2 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
1 1/2 cups oil
3 cups carrots, shredded
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
4 eggs, beaten

Blend together the sugar and oil, then add the eggs. Mix the dry ingredients and add to the oil mixture. Blend in the carrots and nuts, stirring well. Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

Frosting
1 pkg block cream cheese, softened
1 box confectioner's sugar
1 stick butter
2 tsp vanilla

Cream together the cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, butter, and vanilla. Spread over cake.

*Refrigerate uneaten cake.


Recipe #2: Banana Molasses Bread

1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses unsulphured
2 lg eggs
1 1/2 cup ripe bananas
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, honey, and molasses. Add eggs, one at a time. Add bananas and mix thoroughly. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Grease loaf pan and pour in batter. Bake for approx. 1 hour.

*There are no pictures of the banana bread..Again, it was all gone before I got out the camera!


And, as for watering the soul, I think it is so important to cry every once in awhile. Life hurts and if we don't let the ache out, we'll carry far more than we need to.

So, if your soul needs some watering, I suggest you watch "Steel Magnolias". It's a cute movie and definitely prompts some tears. You can watch it in pieces on YouTube if you can't access it anywhere else.

Good Morning, Morning!

my morning face, originally uploaded by ~ geisha ~.

"Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts."

~Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, 1860

Rx for a Good Day! (Brownie Recipe + Pricilla Ahn)

1) Listen to this:

"A Good Day" by Pricilla Ahn

2) Bake this:

Big, Bad, Bold Brownies!

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x7 (or thereabouts) baking dish.
2. Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
3. Add flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove, and cool before eating (if you can stand the waiting..).

I'd post a picture of the brownies but I never have time to get out the camera before they're all gone..Suffice to say, they're beautiful but more beautiful in the tummy.

Good Morning, Morning!

The Majestic Paramo, originally uploaded by Laura Travels.

"It's impossible for you to conceive how far up is, except for the limitations of your own mind."

- Pat Ryan

Beware: Some May Find the Following Pictures Disgusting

After Claire had her fill of dinner, she lifted up her plate and discovered that the world was green. And that mommy and daddy looked funny. Little did she know...

Good Morning, Morning!

"You're never fully dressed without a smile." ~Martin Charnin

Interior Design Inspiration

Warm neutrals, a glowing lamp, natural wood, and serene images set the stage for a deeply tranquil space.




I tend to stray away from strictly formal spaces, but this living room has just enough casualness mixed in to feel comfortable, yet elegant. The oversized picture is left unhung, the wood beams are left exposed, and the single chair is slightly mismatched.




I love this solid table centered here in a formal living room. Its strong presence is reminiscent of an altar and lends a bit of sacred aura to the space.




I just love this cozy nook! It beckons to be an afternoon reading sanctuary, doesn't it?




The sleek honey-colored wooden chairs, abundant natural light, and minimal decor make this dining area so beautifully calming.

noggin, originally uploaded by OnkelChrispy.
(I believe I did a little too much yesterday so I've been dealing
with a terrible headache since last night, hence the late posting.)

Good Morning, Morning!

Marilyn Monroe Rose, originally uploaded by crlpix.

"No man knows till he has suffered from the night how sweet and dear to his heart and eye the morning can be."

-Bram Stoker

Good Morning, Morning!

"People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year."

- Peter F. Drucker

Good Morning, Morning!

Nature's own glitter!, originally uploaded by Amber... Bamberboo.

Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you.

~Maori Proverb

Yogurt for Breakfast!

Today Claire fed herself yogurt..It was the first time that she consistently got food into her mouth using a spoon! Bath time followed.