just chatting...

The blog world is getting bigger all the time and I was contacted by a fellow blogger that is also a quilter to share my thoughts on a post she recently did. If you have thoughts on art quilts and subject matter that should be explored by certain groups...well, mosey over and take a read here.

I know from chatting with people I come across in my daily life that I have a few readers that "lurk" and do not post comments- consider this paragraph written to you- I am delighted that you take the time to read my blog...feel free to email me directly should you want to respond to anything I post...also, feel free to never let me know you read my blog! It is all the same to me, you see. I do the same thing- there are many blogs I read and enjoy, and never leave a comment.
It's that great aspect of freedom and choice, you get to exercise it when you are blog surfing.

I respect the folks that like to be more low profile- not everyone wants to be in the limelight and isn't that what makes life so grand? We are all different and I am so thankful that is so.

Today is work book group lunch day- where we discuss the recent book read, Self Storage by Gayle Brandeis, discuss it (decent first book, weak ending) and the new choice is decided upon.
I read this easily in two evenings, which gave me a month and a half to read a few others. Truthfully, I always have at least ten books and several magazines stacked on the night stand.
I almost always read each night before going to sleep- I grew up reading my brains out and that habit has waxed and waned over the years- currently it's in the waxing stage . I live with a very diverse reader-often many serious and in my opinion "sad" topics..so our library contains many, many books waiting to be read -most of which I had no idea were out there. Our tastes vary, which is a great thing about living with another reader-I get the chance to try reading books I normally would never think of reading. ( ok, so I always did that anyway!) It always leads to lively discussions...and I have been known to proclaim, I am NEVER reading that author again. I just do not want to read deep and disturbing and sad books all the time...I like a mixture of topics to read, a mixture of authors and points of view. It's the great thing about being a grown up- I get to make my choices and KNOW I am making them. One of my sons growing up would throw a tantrum saying I was "making" him mad. I always told him that was how he was choosing to feel. boy, did we have ongoing conversations over that idea. Sure, I made him do his homework or chore-whatever, but, he was in charge of his feelings. A very abstract concept to convey to a growing child. I think many adults are still grappling with that fact-claiming ownership of their feelings. I know I self censor many times over consideration of others feelings-which is different than knowing how I feel and expressing it.

sort of rambled along there didn't I? On a quilty note, I finished the binding on two donated charity quilts and on Sunday I am going to share how they turned out with my small quilting group-dedicated to charity sewing. I need to take my camea and share a photo of the raffle quilt for that charity and tell you how you too, could buy a ticket and win this quilt !! so check back on Sunday evening for that post...it's really a beautiful quilt and includes a block I made!

as always, choose to have a wonderful day!

wrapping up the weekend

On a quilty note..
This is my progress on the wedding quilt-a nice start. There are a total of 16 rings. Both this yellow and purple were used in his brothers quilt too. I may move rings around, but, this is now up and will keep me motivated. I also am working on a ufo as my leader/ender to this project.

Today was my charity group meeting-one gal showed up and we had a short but fun time. She quilted on two quilts and I pinned a new one, plus trimmed both of hers. When I am in the binding mood, I can bind the two trimmed quilts. Another member left three finished quilts to add to our total. So, it's been a mostly quilty weekend - I sorted out my problem label - and it's on the quilt and I am hand binding it in the evenings. I tried a new weight watcher recipe-I love new recipes and cook books-I have a large collection and I am always on the lookout for something new to cook. This is a crockpot meal and we both agreed, it's a keeper.
It's chicken and sweet potato soup.
Ingredients: 3/4 pound skinless, boneless, chicken breasts, cut into one inch cubes, 3 small or 2 medium sweet potatoes (I used yams instead), pared and cut into one inch cubes, 1 large onion chopped, 1 can (29 ounces) salsa-style diced tomatoes with chilis (undrained) ok- I used two containers of our favorite fresh salsa and threw in a small can of green chilis-1 can (14 1/2 ounces) fat-free chicken broth (again I used up some chicken stock I had in the fridge) 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, 1/2 teaspoon (or more!) ground cumin, and 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels (do NOT thaw)
Preparation:
in a 4 quart slow cooker combine chicken, sweet potatoes, onion, tomatoes, broth,oregano, and cumin; cover and cook on Low for at least 6 hours.
stir in corn; cook on High until chicken and vegetables are very tender, about 30 to 55 minutes.

This makes 4 servings (so they say-lots more in our opinion!)
per serving: 270 calories; 1.5 g fat; 7 g fiber (5 points if you do that method)

My sweetie thought I could add lentils to this and it would taste good- so I will try that addition next time around. I was surprised at how well this tasted...really. Add salt when you serve-we use Kosher salt for the great flavor and that way we each get the "right" amount.

Lots of leftovers for the week-always a good thing in my opinion. I have been reading both off the computer (I am half way through a long way gone by ishmael beah) and blogs...still way behind but I am not giving up-eventually I will make it around several rings..too bad it's back to the work world for me tomorrow.
And thanks for the comments on Alice-she is such a delightful baby, and quite firm in her likes and dislikes...apple juice from her sippy cup wins over green beans being the latest assertion.
a lesson for her momma-treat apple juice like dessert, after the veggies if you want miss alice wonderful to eat her greens. LOL.