Author: admin

The State of Things…

 

I don’t even watch the news anymore, rarely skim the headlines, truly shy away from anyone posting political crap on social media, and I used to be one who chirped.. a lot!  I just cannot believe the utter shit show across the entire political system, our governing bodies.    I decided my sanity and well being is more important than absorbing all the toxic noise, misinformation, ignorance.  And we all know in our deepest well of knowledge that we don’t change the heart or mind of another person who will believe what they want to believe, no matter the detriment to themselves or others.  So I stopped trying to do that, too.  And I must admit, I’m not so sure those I trusted are trustworthy enough.

It’s freeing!  I’m spending more time improving the quality of the work I put into my day job, this farm, the critters in my care, my family, myself. I picked up the paint brush again and completed a piece for a friend, and I have a new one on the easel.  It all feels like the right thing to do.

The completed piece –  this tells the beginning story of an immigrant who was born in this house ( no hospitals anywhere near) and raised here until his family moved (legally!) to this country for a better way of life.  They have worked very hard for a long time with two successful businesses now  and just built a beautiful barn and home  here in town.  He wanted this painting made as a reminder of their journey.

New on the easel… when completed it will be a snowy scene of a Vermont covered bridge in a  town we visit often, many good memories and hopefully more to be made.

The weather has been good and bad and iffy and good and bad again. In between raindrops or frigid temps I’ve been walking with Kai again, and recently my son and I have gone on a few short hikes. It feels good to keep going.. and we’ll get more hikes in when weather permits.

This is Deer Lake Reservation, which has just been sold by the Boy Scouts of America after a lengthy campaign by locals and state representatives to save it from development, to Pathfinders, which will keep it as a camp and public recreation area and wildlife refuge.  There are extensive trails, too.. this is a BIG WIN for nature, for campers and the general public who appreciate and recognize the value of open space.  There are many cabins the scouts and other campers used, and they will be kept up by the new owner and used in summer camp programs.

This quartz wedged in a large boulder looks like teeth!

We’ve also been down to the shore for some winter walks…

This next scene is going to be my next painting, on a bigger canvas for the living room if it comes out decent.  I am so grateful for this New England lanscape, diverse and beautiful in all seasons.

Our girls are in the second trimester of their pregnancies now, we are all so exciting for  Jonathan and Mia to arrive.  The eternal worrier in me keeps praying all will go well for both moms to be and their babies, and the dads as well!   Baby showers being planned, I’ve already got a shelf full of childrens books I’ve been collecting for many years ( I’m a big fan).  The baby clothes nowadays are so much more fun than when we were young mothers!  and the baby equipment too.

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods or piece of the plains,  spit of sand on the shore or your stamp on suburbia…  what have you been doing to stay sane in these troubling times?… creativity, better health, new horizons, perhaps travel again?    Covid is running rampant again around these parts, my son and daughter-in-law just got over it.  People are masking up again….just.. ugh.

closing this post with a few pieces I’ve found inspiring or profound…

 

Till soon-

 

Enders Island

There is a little island jutting off another little island (Mason’s Island)  just a causeway away from the towns of Stonington and Mystic here in Connecticut that is open to the public year round.  I’m surprised it’s taken me all these years to discover it, but here we are.   It is described as follows:  Enders Island is an 11-acre island off the coast of Mystic, Connecticut and the site of St. Edmund’s Retreat, an independently owned and operated Catholic Retreat Center. The ministry of Enders Island is dedicated to the work of spiritual care, recovery from addiction, and education in a variety of fine arts within the Christian tradition—both in-person and online.

Mom had cataract surgery last week and I had a few hours to spend during her procedure.  Enders was nearby so I went exploring this lovely, serene place. I had the place almost to myself and it was indeed a cold winter day, but the wind was gentle and the sight of it all was warming in a way that is hard to describe.  There are some memorials scattered about, I don’t know whether there are remains on the property or if these are just stone testaments to the love people had for them.  The little chapel at waterfront is full of messages and little gifts for the deceased who are dearly missed…

I’ll let the photos do the rest of the talking here…

This little chapel is obviously a place of great solace for many.

 

Standing out on the rocks in front of that little chapel, I felt the power and the calm of the sea, the air, the solid footing below me that has been there for eons.   There was the peace of the many souls who created and embelish this sanctuary,   the peace of those who visit this place along their journey, both among us and beyond…. a peace this weary soul needed.

Till soon, friends –

Chicks, Cool finds and Artichokes

The chicks are now a few weeks old and growing some serious feathers. I’ve made their brood box bigger so they can run and jump and flap their wings.   I supplement their medicated chick starter crumbles with chopped up parsley and spinach and crushed hard boiled egg – they love the yoke in particular.  One of them has developed a scissor beak and I’m not sure she’ll make it.  When chicks hatch out of the egg they protect their head and beak with one wing over it as they claw/peck their way through – When they fail to do that they can develop an injury to the beak that becomes more evident as they mature – which is what’s happening with Cersei. Some live with the condition, some don’t.  She is the one on the bottom left corner – if you look closely at her beak, you’ll see the misalignment. 

Meanwhile.. out at the coop – the girls are getting out to free range more often now that the weather has improved, and they’re loving it.  Ruby is my friendliest hen… 

 

 
 Their favorite places to hang out around the yard are under the big pine tree at the front of the garage and the side of the garage where the dust baths are divine and the worm scratching prolific.  Hence all the mulch in disarray. 
 

 
I’ve been doing some Spring cleaning here at the farmstead, tackling a clutter issue I’ve been ignoring but annoyed by for some time.  The big window in the keeping room area that the dogs sleep under has housed my plants on a table for a while now. The problem is it blocked the light/cluttered the view, just looked like an afterthought.   Two days ago I came across a very old plant stand in an inexpensive antique store and had an aha! moment.
Before… 

 
 

After….. 

 
 The plants are now on the stand on the other side of the bar divider, in the dining table area.   They’ll  get the same light, so I’m hopeful they will be happy there.  I do need to raise my stained glass creation, but it’s a heavy piece and will need one of the menfolk to get the job done without smashing it. 

 
This recipe has been circulating facebook, and I’m definitely going to try this as a seaside supper at the cottage. Looks delish! 
 
Stuffed Artichoke bottoms with lemon and shrimp
 

 
 
 
Servings: six as a first course; two as main course.
These stuffed artichoke bottoms are impressive appetizers but also make an elegant main course for two.
 

Ingredients

For the breadcrumbs

  • 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1-1/2 cups coarse day-old breadcrumbs

For the artichokes and shrimp

  • Kosher salt
  • 6 large artichokes, trimmed down to bottoms 
  • 3/4 lb. medium (51 to 60 per lb.) shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Make the breadcrumbs

  • Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the parsley, thyme, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs and increase the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring, until the breadcrumbs are golden-brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels. (The crumbs may be made up to 1 day ahead; cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature.)

Prepare the artichokes and shrimp

  • Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
     
    In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 Tbs. salt, drop the artichokes in, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon. Spread out on a clean cloth to cool and dry.
    Heat a 10- to 11-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the cayenne, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Working in two batches, sear the shrimp in the hot pan, turning once, until lightly browned on the edges and opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer each batch of shrimp to a medium bowl.
    In a small saucepan, gently melt the butter over low heat. When the butter is just starting to foam, add 2 Tbs. of the chopped parsley.Let the parsley sizzle in the butter for 1 or 2 minutes and then whisk in the lemon juice. Add the butter mixture to the bowl with the shrimp and toss.
    Oil an 8×10-inch baking dish with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil and arrange the artichoke bottoms stem side down in the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Pile 5 to 6 shrimp in the center of each artichoke bottom, including some but not all of the butter. Top with the breadcrumbs and drizzle the remaining butter and the shrimp juices over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
 
One last thing before you go – I laughed out loud when I saw this one.. 
 
 
 
Till soon –
 
Karen🐤🐣 
 
 
 

A beautiful day

     When I was younger I didn’t live so much in the moment – always worrying about choices, relationships – the good ones and the bad ones, finances or lack of them, my young family’s safety, health, the list goes on and on. While I’m still and always will be a chronic worrier,  ( Heck, I just stopped having “I didn’t do my homework” dreams about five years ago)  I have learned with age to live far more of my life in the moment.  And… I don’t give as much of a f*ck about trying to please everyone all the time, or even if someone likes me.  I have finally come to that place where I know in my heart of hearts I am a decent soul and I like me… maybe even love me.  Sounds silly, but that knowledge comes hard to some of us, and maybe you know the woe.  This was a day when I sat completely comfortable with myself and content with my life’s direction. 





    Yesterday it seems everyone in New England was out and about, enjoying the beautiful 🌺SPRING🌸  day – temps reached 61 degrees!   On the road, some of my fellow Jeepers had their tops off and down at Stella, island folks were beginning the Spring ritual of opening up and airing out their cottages.  My daughter and I spent some time at the show barn with Leah – and I got to take her for a spin around the block a few times myself. 



  As I watched my daughter go ’round the ring practicing for the first show of the season, the warm sun beaming down on our faces, I was reminded again of all she has overcome, how lucky we are to have these experiences after all.   

    After time well spent at the barn, I headed down to the cottage where the Mr. was working with two of his crew to replace the split railing we initially installed at the waterfront.  When sitting on the blue stone patio, what greeted  seated folks at eye level were  clunky cedar beams.  It was a nice rustic look but took away from the water views.  So we’ve installed wire which will keep people from falling over but doesn’t block the view.  It’s almost invisible. as you can see in this photo. 



   We were so pleased with the effect, we decided to take the waterfront railing section  of the deck out and replace it with the same wire.  We have a lot of summer meals up on that little deck and the view now when seated will be a much fuller waterfront scene. That deck comes in handy as a “playpen” for Frasier and Sally as well – they are safe up there with a gate at the stairs, and someday the same will be true when and if we’re blessed with grandchildren. 



     We brought some dirt from the farm down to the shore – we’ll spread it in the waterfront part of the little yard to fortify the grass and level the footing some.  If you can believe it,  M wants to plant a little vegetable garden down there as well as the one I keep here on the farm.  The bunnies are prolific on the island-really-a-peninsula,  he’ll have to put a little fencing up if we are to eat any of that produce. 
   


Frasier, Sally and I took a walk  after inspecting the new fencing… we are on a cove in the Long Island Sound – which you can see in the distance here.  The crocus have arrived!   And they tell me the peepers too, and while I can’t hear the actual thing, I hear peepers 24/7 with the tinnitus and hearing loss, go figure – 😂











  I can usually find at least one piece of seaglass on each walk.  This one was a very pale blue, my favorite color.



The water hasn’t been turned on yet so the cottage can’t be given a thorough Spring cleaning, bed linens aren’t re-washed or beds made  until April 15th or so, when the water is turned back on.   We don’t spend too much time here until then, no toilets!   The new gas stove does a fantastic job of heating up the space when the nip in the air needs tucking.   Sally approves. 


    When the chill came in off the water with the setting sun I came home to feed the horses and chickens and clean the new chicks water for the tenth time.  Have I mentioned how piggy chicks are?  All doing well, by the way.  The  good weather had us all in high spirits, and it was evident in the people we encountered throughout the day, too.   I always hope that kindred spirit spreads far and wide. Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a blanket of good will to cover this entire planet – think of all the problems we could solve, what a wonderful world this could be if only.   It was a restorative kind of day that I sorely needed.   Today I’m wishing the same for  you – 
 Till soon – 
Karen 🌷

The Girlz and a remarkable story

  Great news – day 2 and not a chick has been lost.  I’ve named them… Arya, Sansa, Summer, Snow, Khaleesi and Cersei  (there’s one in every flock) –   They’re perky and chirpy and hungry and pooping an awful lot.  Occasionally they flutter/fly/sprint across the Christmas Tree Box they currently call home – all good signs for healthy chicks. 
     Cersei in my hands here is the loudest, with a wicked chirp and bossy attitude already. I hope she isn’t a he. 
     Pardon my allergy eyes – the past few weeks have been the worst my allergies have ever been, and the meds make me feel worse, so I’m winging it without.  Bleh.  Makes me look ancient and feel ancient.  Any allergy sufferers out there have tips on what helps?  I’m allergic to grass, pollen, mold, dust – and I live on a horse farm with hay fields in an old house with beams that are dusty – hahahahahaha…. it’s funny if it weren’t so.. itchy. 
Today  the sun is bright but the air still chilled… 
   It’s the kind of day where the dogs go out but come back in quickly enough because WIND!   After a quick squirrel hunt they much prefer their sun spots in the family room. 
   I let the grown-up girls free roam for most of today, and just brought them back to the coop before the hawks start circling the fields again.   They love to eat all the seed the birds and squirrels drop from the feeder… 
 When it’s time to bring them in, all I need to do is shake a can of cheerios or corn.. with my high annoying Here Chick Chicks voice –  , … and they come running. 
   If you’ve pondered having chickens in your backyard or farm, I haven’t yet met a person who dared to take it on and then regretted it.  They are truly delightful to have around, and the work is minimal compared to other farm animals.  There is the responsibility, of course, and you need to know how to properly care for them – many books on the subject – but it’s relatively easy and you don’t need a lot of space as long as they have the right living quarters and you feed and clean properly.  The fresh eggs are divine. 

 Are you a reader?  My mother gave me a great book for my birthday – a true story about a remarkable young woman, her memoir-  a link to a review of it HERE.   You won’t want to put it down until you’re through it. 
     
Till soon, friends –  

Chick Day

  All around this area at this time of year are the ads for feed stores and especially Tractor Supply announcing their Chick Days.  I had written a post a while back describing my plans to build a bigger coop this Spring and I even ordered 16 new chicks of different varieties to raise and increase my current flock of 14 aging chickens.  Well – the boyz got busy doing other things, work related things that actually pay the bills,  and so we decided to hold off a year or two on the new coop. I cancelled my  chick order with Cackle Hatchery, a  little bummed, because I had picked out some beautiful breeds.

    So… I’ve had to go in to Tractor Supply several times in recent weeks, and each time I stared at the chicks and ducklings and almost grabbed _just a few_, but talked myself out of it because raising chicks is work, and I’d have to create another brooder on the porch, and do I need more chores right now and especially without a bigger coop? The answer is no.. .so…. I was pretty proud of my restraint.
   Yesterday on the way home from checking on our little cottage by the sea,  the husband said “Let’s stop in Agway and get some of that dried cow manure fertilizer for the vegetable garden“. 
  I’m thinking that’s safe, they don’t sell chicks there, right?  
Wrong. 

     Frasier’s wondering why mama won’t let him sample the chicken nuggets out on the porch.

    I even left the store chick-less with the Mr… came home and thought on it for about 30 seconds more.  Then just for the heck of it  I browsed the basement to see if there were any big boxes down there that would suffice as a brooder for the time being.  The Christmas Tree Box was sitting empty, because once you pull a fake tree out of it’s box, it isn’t ever going back in there the way it came out. So… I took it as a sign.    Of stupidity? Possibly.  But here we are, regardless. 
   Last night two of the chicks looked a little wobbly – they go through a heck of a lot to get to the feedstore at just a day old.. and then to their new home.  I’m happy to report this morning all six look perky.   These are what I brought home.. 
2 Light Brahmas… 
2 easter eggers – which can come in any color at all, so those
will be revealed as they feather out. 
 One Buff Orpington
 And one New Hampshire Red
  Not as exotic or as large an order as my original order from Cackle Hatchery, but still good egg layers, hearty breeds, a nice edition to my flock. 
 Happy Spring! 


   

Hope Springs Eternal

     One of the biggest mysteries to me right now is how Kelly*nne C*nway and her husband are still married. I know what its like to live with someone with differing political opinions, but their situation takes place on an entirely different playing field. Can you imagine being a fly on that wall at dinner time? And If ever my boss called my spouse, the father of my children, a loser? publicly? … it’s the day I quit my job. I used to think she was pretty dumb to be willing to stand in front of the cameras and spin the lies, twist the words, contort herself to please the man she once called a whiner and unpresidential as she supported T.Cruz.   But it’s evident now she’s ambitious, cunning like her boss, enjoys the theatrics and her place in the WH. 

     As time rolls on, Tr*mp’s mental state becomes more unhinged. He must be exhausted by the end of each day – throwing all those punches continuously.   I can’t feel sorry for a man who lies and cheats and insults and disrespects as if it’s his own form of religion.   His divide and conquer mentality within our own country is a horrible threat to our democracy, it destabilizes us all.   His allegiance to ruthless superpowers who have been trying to destroy America for ages is so alarming.  What’s truly scary for me is…  his supporters don’t see it , or if they see it, they don’t care.   I don’t understand how it can be lost on anyone… the very simplest and biggest truth … and don’t take my word for it – look to the world’s history for the answer… 



    Never until now would I have believed that a man who wasn’t even admired in his home state because he was a cheat, a con, a user,  certainly not a philanthropist, a thrice married  multiple spouse cheating  draft dodging tax evader who called his own daughter a nice piece of ass and was caught saying he just grabs women by the pussy because he can, … would garner such a following by people who would normally be appalled at the behavior.   His total disregard for truth on the little things, let alone the big things,  the environment, animal welfare, our public lands should alarm anyone.   We only have one earth and we’re trashing it –  His rollbacks  in these vital arenas are all about greed, how is this appealing at all?   There’s nothing normal about this cult following, and it’s destroying the fabric of our country with each vile, juvenile, false tweet he puts out.  It’s disgusting.  I am so sad, mad, concerned.. for our Country.  

     When this shitstorm has blown through and we pick up the pieces of our democracy, sew up the rips in the fabric of our communities, our government,  our friendships, even, I hope we finally find a way to  embrace each other  for our differences, work together to heal the divides, respect each other’s voices and hear the concerns, be open to the options so that we can work together to fix what’s so very broken.  

     Am I naive?  Maybe so. But on this, the first day of Spring 2019 ….  I’ll hold on to hope and continue to do what I can where I am to help mend the fabric,  make it stronger than it apparently was.  We each have that power in the little ways we are able – … drops in the ocean with the hope that America will continue to swim,  striving for peace and prosperity and diversity and good will – and continue to be a beacon of hope for all. 

   In the spirit of such… I’ll share with you the first tiny little sprout coming out of the seeds I’ve sown and placed on the window seat in the family room of This Old House…  a little bumble bee cherry tomato is the first to break through – not the mighty beefsteak. Go figure. 



   



54

  Today I am 54 years old. Fifty four.  Five four.  54.  Wow. Seems like yesterday I was a lot younger.   Time flies, my friends.

      I will continue to cherish every day and hopefully every year I am allotted on this earth and I will take a lesson from my aging Dane, Ben.  He’s a cardiac and arthritis patient at this point – has his good days and bad.  Dogs have the great gift of not knowing their mortality. They only know the good days and the bad days.  They celebrate the good by just being, doing, enjoying the moment, whether it’s a good meal, a warm fire,   a romp in the tall grass or  splash in the beach waves with the warm sun on their back.  Bad day?  Rest.   No worries for them about the future or mistakes of the past or even relationship or finance woes.  They just live in the day, and make the best of it without a thought for the rest of it.   Wouldn’t it be grand to have the freedom to do just that.  We CAN do some of that if we allow ourselves – and so I will. 
    So I missed being a leprechaun by mere hours. My mom made my favorite birthday dinner last night – the traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal… It was divine.  And while I may not look it,  I have some Irish in me. On this day it’s all in.  🍀
 L-R – Mom, Rex, Daughter K,  Son’s GF and my other girlie, M, and  Me

    I hope you had a good day yesterday and wore a little green, celebrated  with some merry in your step and perhaps your mug too.   May we all take a lesson from dogs and find more ways to enjoy life, less ways to fret over it.

 My favorite Irish blessing – 

Till soon, friends  xo
– Karen

Heated Exchange

      When we bought Stella two years ago, she had been much loved by the previous owner but also neglected. We kept all the rustic charm, she is still a very 1930’s summer cottage, but the things that really needed fixing got fixed and an interior wall was removed so that the tiny  kitchen was open to the seating area that looks out over the cove.  For more details, search the Once Upon a Tide post labels where you’ll find posts on her restoration. 
       At the door to the back deck was the only source of heat,  a gas operated heating stove, one we couldn’t use because it didn’t vent to the outside and so the odor from the burning gas flooded Stella’s small interior. A few days ago we had a new one installed with a vent pipe that goes through the roof.  It still needs to be hooked up, but it will be a beautiful sight to see on chilly spring, summer and fall evenings when we want to take the nip out of the air inside the cottage. 
 The original… 
The new model
      The cottage and surrounding island , or what’s really a peninsula despite it’s name,  have a different vibe in winter months for the obvious reasons – and the cold inside the cottage is bone chilling.  The unmade beds, empty refrigerator and food pantry underline and highlight it.  When we began Stella’s re-do, she was infested with rodents – mice droppings fell from the curtain tops and were embedded in the toaster left from the previous occupant.  There were nests in the seat cushions.  These things in particular freaked the Mr. right out, so he made sure she is now almost airtight, and we don’t have meese in the rafters or the cushions or the toaster anymore. 
  While the guys were installing the new stove, I took a walk around with camera. 
 Stella from the road
 … and from the waterfront 

    Meanwhile, we’ve had some glorious sunsets that 
I’ve captured with the good camera here on the farm

   As I type this, it’s snowy-raining outside and the horses and chickens are waiting for their breakfast –  Spring is just around the corner, you can see it in the light cast across the fields at the end of the day, in the diamond sparkles on the water.  Just don’t look on the ground, where there’s still some of the white stuff that doesn’t scream spring.  Out into that stuff I go….. 

Frosty and Sweet

    As soon as I open my mouth about bringing Spring things in, Mother Nature tells me to curb my enthusiasm. 

  Snow falling on Cedars –  My chicken coop pictured below with the cedar forest a very philanthropic woman named Elizabeth and her husband Ed planted many moons ago here on this little farm. It was upon her death at the age of 95 about 16 years ago at the estate sale that I first laid eyes on the inside of our 1835 farm house and the surrounding grounds and fell in love.  A lot has changed here in the ten years we’ve owned the farm – including the complete resurrection of the house.  One thing that is absolutely as it was – are the cedar forest on the left of us and Pine forest on the right, minus a few trees lost in storms.  I love them 💗 they remind me every day of the thoughtfulness and generosity of the previous occupants of Grace –  (This Old House)   We’ve paid it forward, so to speak – by planting many sugar maples along the dirt roads on the property.  Someday someone will enjoy the shade and glorious colors  and perhaps the syrup made from the the sap of the Mighty Maples we’ve planted. We will at least get to enjoy them as juvenile trees.

  Speaking of Maple Syrup –  I’ve been collecting the sap  from some of our ancient maples when the weather conditions encourage the sap run, and the boys have been dropping the buckets off at the Sugar House at Parmelee Farm.   It’s balm for the soul, this community project.  Residents of our little town have been collecting sap from their trees to add to the big barrels at Parmelee,  helping to fill the distiller,  they’ve been volunteering to fill and label bottles, some even dropping off cookies and snacks for the volunteer force to enjoy while they work.  The Boyscouts and Girlscouts have visited to learn the ancient art of syrup making, as have science classes from the middle school.  All sales of the limited supply of syrup are applied to sustaining the farm and sugar house.

  That label being applied is one I designed for the project –  I’m no professional, but I think it came out pretty darn good in the -winging it- department.

      In these times of truly ugly politics, this community effort for a worthy cause is a beautiful thing indeed.  If you’re feeling discouraged for whatever the reason, I strongly recommend finding a project or organization in a field of your interest that is doing something good in the world – no effort is too small, the commitment does not have to be huge, so don’t let work commitments and the lack of free time discourage you.   It’s balm for the weary soul. 💗

      Till soon, friends…