Uncategorized – Page 12 – This Old House 2

One of those ramblers

Did you watch the Golden Globes? I’m not big on award shows but this one caught my attention, because indeed, this is a year of change. Bigly and Yuge. If you read here often, you know I’m thoroughly horrified at the idea that enough of the people of this country elected such a bullying egotistical mentally unfit sociopathic self absorbed and self obsessed idiot that he actually got elected. I say this and I’m not a Republican hater – I just really believe in the importance of decency and respect in general from a world leader. I paid attention to what all the candidates had to say in 2016. I felt Dems were missing the mark on a few important issues so I was open to a Rep candidate that might speak to all the issues we have before us. As for Republicans – The old guard is showing their true colors lately. I hope “new” republicans will change the ugly face of the old in the near future.

( Note: I’ve already lost 45 supporting readers for the most part, and that’s OK, I get it…In all fairness, a lot of the reasons he was elected were legitimate.. people were tired of the same old that wasn’t working….. and it’s kind of offensive to hear someone talk about your guy or your brand as I do here. I’m kind of offended that they’re not offended, but the beauty of this country is we can all have an opinion and no one is forced to read mine.)

Some good things might come of this turmoil, though. Take that award ceremony. For one thing – women have decided after a self admitting p*ssy grabber was elected President that Enough is Enough. Look how many sleezes have been flushed out of the woodwork in recent months. The sea of black attire at the Globes was a show of support for women everywhere. The message was clear – we will not tolerate abuse, we demand equality on all fronts, once and for all. I commend the men, and there are many many truly good and decent men in this world… I commend them for standing with women on this.

Oprah’s speech- Wow. While there is some noise about her run for the Presidency in 2020 – and the Orange Scream had no more experience than she does so that’s a moot (thank you, anonymous, for the grammar correction) point, I hope she doesn’t take that idea to the mat. Why? Truly she doesn’t have the experience in the political world – I do still think that matters, even though she is far more capable of critical thinking than 45. And we all know now, what a life it is. Would you choose to live under such scrutiny? I sure wouldn’t, no matter what the perks. The meanness in our society plays a full court press in politics. It’s ugly and disheartening and after all she’s accomplished, why do that to yourself?

I wouldn’t be surprised if 45 isn’t thinking that very thing at this point in time – and his whole family, even more so… What the hell did we do? Because their lives are forever changed, and I don’t believe for one minute it’s for the better. Think of the freedoms and the ways they ran their lives under the radar in important ways before, ways in which they can’t now and never will again. After watching his outrageous behavior unbecoming of a world leader on a daily basis, I take comfort in that small piece of knowledge. He’s suffering too. For every cringeworthy tweet and speech he vomits on all of us, for every environmentally unfriendly policy change, for every white supr*macy encouraging move he makes, he deserves what he’s asked for.

Truly, he’s his own worst enemy.

By the way, I bought that book. Not that I’m going to read it – simply because it’s a vote. A vote against all the crap he’s unleashed on us all. I hope it reaches the best seller list and my little purchase is a drop in that sea – because he does pay attention to his numbers. Then again, he lies about them too.

I don’t like my blog to be about the negatives, though. We all have enough of that in our lives, why visit someone else’s site for more of it, right? Most of my posts this year will not encourage this sort of environment. Sometimes it just feels irresponsible to ignore it completely.

So let’s get up out of the swamp, shall we? Until recently I was intimidated by the thought of baking bread from scratch. Something about the active yeast, the kneading, the rising, the possibility of flopping.. it all seemed too risky. I’m a decent cook for cripes sake, so that’s a little ridiculous, no? I decided to try a recipe shared by a fellow blogger, and it came out pretty darn good. But I knew I still wasn’t getting it quite right. Then I asked another blogger friend what her tips were, as she is a master bread baker.

Her tips? Hot water used with the kind of Yeast that is kept in the fridge, even sold that way at health food stores. She also buys her flour at a local mill where there is no crap added to it… and she shared this very very simple recipe with me. Within two hours I had a delicious loaf on the counter yesterday. My guys devoured it and the house smelled delicious. I think what makes this really simple french bread extra special is the touch of honey added to the mix. Yum!

Easy Peasy French Bread

Ingredients

1½ cups warm water
1 tablespoon honey
1½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
3½ – 4½ cups flour

Instruction

Combine water, honey, salt and yeast. Let sit for 5-10 mins until there is a foam on top.
Knead in flour until no longer sticky.
Cover with a towel and let it sit for 20 mins. while preheating the oven at 400*
Cut slits in the top and bake for 15-20 mins.

I bought these little bulb vases at the grocery store yesterday – There’s a little patch in my garden just outside my kitchen sliders that contains a variety of hyacinth planted from winters past – the smell of a hyacinth is delicious, isn’t it? I do this every year when winter is it’s most ferocious to remind me that spring is coming. These bulbs will join that little gathering outside the door come spring, but for now, I have a little bloom on my kitchen window sill.

I’ve been decluttering and de Christmasing this old house while the temps have been in the single digits, feels a bit like spring cleaning, lifts the spirits.

Now that I’ve purged on this post, and I thank you for getting this far (!) it’s time to head out for barn and coop chores on this almost balmy! morning at 28 degrees.

Till soon, friends –

Frozen

Here in New England, we’re experiencing crazy cold weather. I believe the snow fall in my neighborhood was approximately 8-10 inches, but the biting cold and wind are what make it a dangerous issue. We’ve spent the last few days layering clothes, shoveling, ice bucket clearing and water refilling, and the guys have been out plowing and sanding.

The horses have their winter coats on, even the minis! Lacey and Coady have the typical very heavy winter coat, so under normal conditions they don’t need a blanket….but at -4 degrees with wind I’m not confident that they can be comfortable without them. The chickens have a cozy coop heater in their coop and the rabbit’s hutch has been fortified with lots of hay for tunneling and two horse blankets over the coop to keep out the wind.

Meanwhile, down by the sea – before the big snow storm we did a quick check of the cottage, I’m happy to report so far no “meece” encroachment. How can I properly describe the bone chilling cold inside an unheated summer cottage? Stunningly frigid, to say the least. The Cove is frozen over, although not the safe walking kind of frozen. Quite a feat with ocean water if you think about it, and a testament to just how cold it is ’round here.

That’s Horse island out in the middle of the cove – there is a house on it, no winter residents, of course. This photo was taken at sunset a few nights ago by a local photographer who captures some stunning views of local landscapes.

I understand even my Florida friends are wearing winter coats – stay warm, friends, I hope you’re safe and snug, where ever you reside. Till soon –

Snapshots from the future

With each new decade of my life, my perspective on various issues changes. Have you found this to be true as well? The things we focus on and fret over when we’re younger seem so frivolous, and the things we didn’t realize were so important, really are. Kinda makes me wish I could have sent my younger self a note or two or 100. I sit here now and wonder – if I am lucky enough to live to be 85, what notes would I send myself now?

About eleven years ago when my daughter had been lying in a hospital bed in a coma for about two weeks. I took a half hour break from searching for any signs of her coming back, the whirring of the machines, the reading of the respiration and heart rate numbers, the squeeze of a hand. I left her room in the ICU and sat on a low wall outside, watching people come and go as they bought food from the trucks parked in front of Yale in New Haven. I couldn’t ever imagine life to be “good” again for any of us. I was horrified, I was angry, I was absolutely in some form of shock. I remember my whole body feeling as if it were in fight or flight mode every second of every day. Besides the hundreds of silent prayers I recited over and over again for a restoration of my daughters health, the one recurring thought was – if only I could have a snapshot of our life five years from now… with my daughter in it, whatever that would mean.. I would be OK, we would be ok.

Thankfully, thankfully… everything would be ok in the long run. We are not exactly what we were before, but in some ways perhaps we’re better for the hard work and triumphs we’ve achieved as a result of that horrific accident.

With the Orange Scream in office, on a different level I am once again absolutely horrified at this place we have come to in our political environment. I find myself sitting on the proverbial wall looking out over the sea of people, wondering how we could have possibly elected a man with his history and temperament and wild ego to such a position of power. His latest tweets in the new year (just three days in!) are so alarming, he could be destroying a 70 year era of relative peace. That he doesn’t see how destructive his words are, that his supporters don’t see how erosive on so many levels his mentality is, well…. Once again I long to see that snapshot five years from now.

I mentioned the HBO series, Game of Thrones, in my previous post. Throughout the series, there has been a distant threat to the known world of the seven kingdoms. The threat has become more prominent as the series progressed. They are called white walkers – dead people reanimated by their ruler – the Night King. They were initially created as a means of protection by well meaning creatures, but with their numbers now in the millions, they are a significant threat. They show no emotion, they have no goals or apparent motives other than destroying what lives. They are simply a force of nature, the equivalent of a natural disaster. How many countless threats do we face in the real world, how many could we overcome through mutual cooperation? Think about it – Two big threats to all of our well being – we could collaborate to stop climate change or nuclear proliferation, which has the potential to destroy us all. This is absolutely obtainable. The problem lies in our own petty squabbles. We lose sight of the big picture as we’re consumed with our various greeds.

Right now, as season 8 is filmed for Game of Thrones, the setting is a version of this conflict where the characters will have to work past their deep-seated grudges and work together to defeat their common enemies or they’ll die. I believe we are coming to this place in our history. If you don’t think what’s going on out there is that serious, then you haven’t truly been paying attention or you’re blinded by a party affiliation, whatever that may be.

Oh, for that snapshot five years from now… or even 20.. to know that we will be OK. Not exactly what we were before, but in some ways perhaps better. I pray the good people will keep doing the hard work it will take to get us to that better place across all party lines. I’ll do my little tiny part to contribute to the betterment of our society – each salty drop of water contributes to the vast sea, after all. I hope you’ll join me in doing the same.

It’s a new year, folks. Let’s make it a good one.

Winterizing

The Mr. took this week off – gave the crew some much needed R & R – although with yesterday’s little snow fall they were back out in force shoveling and plowing – with frigid temps making layers necessary. Oh, do I know that woe – barn chores are not fun by any standards at 6 degrees F. I’ve been chiseling out ice buckets for days and the manure is frozen to the ground in the paddocks. Bleh.

When the Mr. actually takes a week off, I see a glimpse of what “retirement” will look like for him. And me. This man of mine has to be doing something almost all the time, and if he’s not doing something he’s wondering what I’m doing and what I could be doing in a more organized fashion *sigh. I’m sure I’m not alone in this dilemna… ah, but that for another day.

In between snow chores we’ve been doing some much needed clean up – moved some furniture around, cleaned out some drawers and I packed away Christmas (yes I did that already – I decorate the weekend after Thanksgiving and for me, once the holiday is done, it’s done). Our bedroom decor needed a lift, so I switched out some pictures and bought a new throw blanket and a few new pillows to put on the bed – the effect with just a few simple changes was warm and uplifting without breaking the bank. If you’re feeling a little stuck-in-a-rut during these cold winter months, take a look around your home space – declutter (!) where you can, add a little color, rearrange the furniture if that’s practical, give it a fresh perspective and you will feel refreshed yourself.

We got hooked on Game of Thrones this week too, crazy thing. It’s a little alarming, the binge watching that we’ve been doing… but we truly had NO IDEA how addictive the series can be! Have you been watching? I believe they are on season 8 this coming year. I hadn’t paid any attention to it, as we aren’t big on TV unless it’s a great series, and this particular series at first glance looked like it was all about raw nudity, vulgarity and hideous violence. Nudity doesn’t offend me but there’s an awful lot of it paired with violence, which I really hate. So I didn’t invest in watching… until this vacation week when the temps kept us in more than out. So many nuggets of wisdom, so many great actors, truly! I’m glad we figured that out.

Cold weather makes me crave comfort foods – like this Turkey chili I threw together yesterday in the big pot, my favorite pot of all, a le Crueset with many sauces, stews and soups under it’s proverbial belt. The cookware is expensive, but it’s worth saving up for a piece or two because it does such a good job with the cooking.

I don’t have a recipe to share with you – but I can tell you what I threw in the pot.

I browned ground turkey in a bit of olive oil in the pot first, then added diced onions until translucent. Then I threw in a large can of crushed tomatoes and a large can of diced tomatoes. I rinsed and drained a can of dark red kidney beans and a can of light red kidney beans and threw those in. I diced celery, added it to the mixture along with shredded carrots, and then added the spices – Chili powder, Cayene powder, two gloves garlic minced, Cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper – all to taste. The whole mixture simmered for hours on the stove – Then I served it with shredded cheddar melted in, and then sprinkled on top with a blob of sour cream for garnish. Delicious! and a big comfort on a very cold evening.

Below is a simple desert, easy to make and delicious – It was a big hit on Christmas Day – I first saw it on another blog and thought – hmm, let’s give it a go – Thank you, Raven, for the idea.

My Christmas gift from the Mr. was a super zoom lens for my Canon – These pictures were taken from the warmth and comfort of my house because it’s too darn cold to take the good camera out in the tundra. Thankfully I have a bird feeder not far from the kitchen window and was able to get these shots from that very spot, even through dirty windows 🙂

This little Junco below doesn’t look too happy with the weather ..

Either that or he’s not fond of the paparazzi…

– Karen

Time Out to Enjoy The Ride

Do you find yourself rushing through your days, sometimes out of necessity but sometimes just out of habit? Yep, me too.. stop doing that.

There was a time when I punched a clock and work hours were this time to that time with a lunch break in-between. Then I was a stay at home mom, which I adored. Now I work part time as editor of a local publication, but out of my own home, so I make my own hours. The care and keeping of this house and farm and Stella*by *the *Sea fill the other spaces. In all those phases I have kept a certain pace – and if I stopped the forward march I felt like I was slacking or falling behind, so I didn’t. Now, when you’re juggling a 9 to 5 somewhere outside the home and then have to fit the family and home care in, there’s little choice. But when there is some flexibility – for the love of all things worthy, slow the heck down. My new mantra.

Surely you’ve heard it, take time to smell the roses. The other night while I was feeding and watering and blanketing horses up on the hill, thinking of all the food prep ahead of me for the family Christmas gathering…. I almost missed the gorgeous sunset happening right behind the barn. I closed the last stall door, shut off the lights and began my hurried rush down to the house to get more “stuff” done… and noticed the golden hue reflected on the house. So I glanced backward… and stood in awe of what was before me. I took a full ten minutes to breath in the crisp winter air and behold the incredible sky and light. Our neighbor ‘s son across the street sent me a text in those moments (always with the phone in the pocket or taking pics, as you can see)… he said “Margaret and I are enjoying that sunset over your hill too”. Margaret is our 95 year old neighbor… I love that she still gets to witness those sunsets on the hill. She’s been enjoying that view you see below for many many years.

We get so busy making a life that sometimes we forget to truly live it. What are we rushing around for if we don’t get to enjoy the fruits of our labor? For me, part of living it is appreciating this gorgeous natural world we live in.

* this pic was taken just before the fresh Christmas snow we got in the nick of time.

Another blogger, Debbie, wrote about something that struck a cord with me – why she moved away from NYC and cherishes her life in the mountains of Upstate, NY. We share the same reasons we moved away from that area, both young at the time. The noise, the crowds, the traffic, the pollution. Now and then instead of getting all caught up in the “stuff I need to get done”, I try to take stock of what we’ve accomplished here and just plain enjoy the ride. I want to do more of that.

On this little farm I have what I’ve always wanted – a home for family to gather and a beloved family to fill it, fields to walk with my dogs, a small horse barn and pastures for grazing those horses I love, and heck I wouldn’t have guessed it back in the dreaming stage but I do love my chicken coop too! Who knew. The grounds outside the windows of This Old House 2 are my idea of a heavenly place to live, and I’m just so grateful for the opportunity. I’m so glad all those many years ago I stuck my adopted ancient horse in a rented horse trailer, (keeping a horse in an Urban/Suburban area like Staten Island was an experience)…. gathered all the courage I could muster and took a big leap of faith by moving to the country. I did have family supporting my decision and efforts and boy does that help.

Those leaps of faith- they may seem treacherous, daunting, foolish even!… but oh so worth it if you muster your way through. And whatever you do – where ever you find yourself – I hope you take a time out now and then, I hope you slow the pace to live your life full.

Till soon, friends –

I believe

I’d like to thank each of you who drops by this little blog space, some of you have been visiting with me here for more than seven years!.. and we’ve become good friends. While this blog’s traffic isn’t as big as it used to be, I still find the writing and sharing a rewarding experience. I also love to read about your families and traditions, your pets, your recipes, your tips and tricks and your way of life in another part of the world we live in.

Who knows.. someday when I’m gone, my children and grandchildren and maybe even greats might look over this blog to find some of my recipes or my thoughts on a subject or to reminisce about the homes we’ve lived in, the animals we’ve loved, stories of their own adventures too.

I love this time of year. Even though the chores on a small farm are greater due to the weather issues, life does slow down a little in a good way, especially at night. At This Old House we tend to hunker down in the man cave or the family room with a seasoned wood fire crackling in the fireplace. We settle in for meals together at the table and are sometimes joined by the kids and their significant others. There’s just more of that togetherness and less -out and about-.

Now that the kids have places of their own, more often than not it’s just the guy and I, and the dogs. I miss the noise of a family all living under one roof, but the quiet has it’s blessings too, and so I focus on those and look forward to the ruckus when the kids do visit. We are so very lucky that both of our children live near home.

Speaking of ruckus, our newest canine member of the family, Miss Sally – has been with us now for about six months. We absolutely adore her and she absolutely adores her bones. Sally is a crazy mix, a real Heinz 57. The best guess is Corgi, Basset, Dachshund, Tennesee Treeing Hound. All that rolled into one makes for a pretty odd looking dog – notice the shape of her little front legs – very stocky legs, but also very deformed. The vet assures us she’s not in pain and she gets around just fine – runs right along side the big dogs without a care in the world. I hope that will always be true.

Our Family room – Christmas is coming, how I love this holiday – baking and cooking and wrapping and giving, some of my favorite things to do for others. I love traditions that bring families together, things that remind us it’s not all about “those crazy men in Washington “- Do you know that is an actual Santa line from the original Miracle on 34th Street movie? Some things never change!

My wish for all – Whatever your struggles, I hope you find resolutions, peace in your heart and mind. May we all experience better health and prosperity in all it’s forms, may there be more good will and less anger among us all.

Decency Matters ….and a few more holiday recipes

Lately I’ve tried not to dive daily headfirst into the current political mess we’re all in. There’s no question the stress flares the fibromyalgia, and it’s so not worth it over something I have little control over (like zero). What I can say today is that I was so happy when I woke up a few mornings ago to the news that a pedophiliac racist bigot who so hypocritically hides behind a religion like R*y More-or-Less was sent a very clear message – Decency Matters. I want to shout out to the world so that Alabama can hear – THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALABAMA.

Onward! I’ve got all my shopping done and wrapped, been trying some new recipes too. It’s hell trying to avoid gluten at this time of year, and although I’ve given it a sincere effort, baking those favorite recipes with gluten free substitutes just.. sucks. SO… I’m making and baking as I always do, and I’m not eating it myself. Have you ANY idea how difficult that is? But I have to acknowledge my truth – while I am not a celiac, gluten makes me feel yuck and flares the fibro. *sigh.

Making this for our celebration with mom on Sunday

Eggnog Cheesecake

Recipe HERE

Spinach Dip Breadstick Christmas Tree

Recipe HERE

This is the scene right this minute outside my little office window here at the farm.

Light snow falling on a stand of pine trees –

my favorite spot at This Old House.

The nature that surrounds us, the saving grace.

Till soon, friends –

First Snow

Early this morning as I set out to feed the animals… I took this photo with

my phone … The moon as the tree topper.

Till soon, friends –

gifts

In this season of joy and celebration, my thoughts turn to all those people out in California affected by the wildfires. When I think of their current reality – displaced by the fires and their tremendous losses, I am also reminded of those who have nothing to lose – like the homeless. Imagine what these holidays must be like for them as they watch the rest of us bustle around with work parties and errands and shopping and indulgent eating and cheerful family gatherings, etc. etc. Throw in those who have lost or are losing a loved one, suffering debilitating illness whether mental or physical… indeed, the holidays can be anything but joyful for many.

Since my father has being living in a nursing home (assisted living and rehab facility is the more politically correct term) I have seen some pretty sad scenarios. Around the holidays the realities for some residents are stark. Fortunately his facility runs an excellent recreation program – there’s always something upbeat and entertaining going on and all residents are encouraged gently to participate. Surprising to me, my father is one of their best customers. Their decor is beautiful too. Despite these things, there are many residents who are relegated to their bed or wheelchair due to their mental and physical infirmness and they spend day after day sitting in that chair out in the halls or in their room with very little interaction due to their limitations. They don’t receive many visitors, if any, and I wonder if they are aware of how very different their life has become. Would they choose to exist in that state if they could make the decision for themselves? It doesn’t seem kind to let them linger but who am I to decide where the quality is in a life – therein lies the thorn. It weighs heavy on me when I see it, especially when most of the world is in seasonal celebration mode.

I am a natural gift giver, and by that I mean I absolutely *love* buying or making things I know the people I care about will use, need, eat, appreciate or love in whatever the ways. In reading your posts, I know many of you in blog land feel the same. While I realize my good fortune at having the means to do so, this was also true when I was very young – I would make toys out of bits of yarn and twigs for our cat and spread peanut butter and seed over pine cones or “itchy balls” for the birds outside, hanging them high in the hopes that our cat wouldn’t get the birds in their attempts to collect their treats. My sister and I made crafts for relatives with the help of my mom – like macaroni wreaths spray painted gold, ceramics from ceramic class, and handmade cards that I learned recently my now deceased Aunt had kept for all these years.

Most years I have my gift buying and making and wrapping done early – and 2017 is no exception. My daughter’s old room upstairs is currently bedecked with wrapped presents and all the “stuff” one needs to get that job done. I will bring it all down and place it under the tree shortly…and cross my fingers that the new pup won’t eat anything. I’ve caught the (grown) kids peeking in “the Christmas room” a few times when they visit and I love that they still feel a little of the excitement, the wonder that goes along with the spirit of childhood Christmas.

I’ve started my holiday baking… have you? What are your favorites? Mine are my Aunt Virginia’s Sugar Cookies and a sand tart recipe I can’t give out as it’s a family friend’s heirloom recipe that he wishes to keep close. I made the peppermint fudge I shared in the previous post and it is so easy , delicious and it looks pretty on a plate.

We’re expecting snow in the next day or two. Already the skies are grey and heavy. I’m looking forward to the snowfall this year, although I worry about the workload it entails for my guys. It means more work for me up at the barn and coop, too. I feel like the air, the atmosphere, the political climate, the season needs a cleansing. There is so much unrest – A fresh snow fall might do the trick with a little Christmas magic thrown in. The world slows down when there is snow, out of necessity of course, but also within ourselves, do you notice that?

I’ve donated a little cash to each of the incredibly selfless dog rescue folks I know – each of whom have little in the way of material things and give all of what they’ve got to those in need – people and animals. They are among the real heros we encounter in life. I will take the time as I’m blowing through the lobby of the nursing home to stop and chat with those I see in the chairs and I will thank the staff who make their lives a little brighter (more heros). I will thank those who provide services – like the mail guy who tackles his fear of big dogs and puts that package on the woodpile under the porch roof despite the 190 lb. dog staring at him, and the garbage pick up guy who always waves at 5:30 a.m. when I’m letting said 190 lb dog out as he’s emptying pails. I’ve sorted through old clothes and dropped them off at the Salvation Army and donated to food pantries. To the grumpy woman in the grocery check out line I pay a compliment out of the blue (the color of your scarf really brings out the green in your eyes!) and her big smile says enough. Perhaps she’ll pay that compliment forward to someone or maybe whatever’s got her feeling grumpy won’t seem quite so heavy a weight.

Gifts don’t have to accompany a fat wallet. Many of the most important gifts we can give are free or cost very little. A small tin of your grandmother’s vintage recipe cookies is worth more than a cashmere sweater from “Needless Markup”, as is a pleasant conversation, your time spent, talking to someone who is mostly alone.

May we all find peace and love in the varied ways we need it. May we give it, too, in the ways that we can.

It’s Raining Men

… that simple line is immediately what came to mind as I tuned in to the news the other day and saw yet another sexual harassment shoe drop – it’s happening almost daily lately. And ya know? … I believe we have NotMyPresident Tr*mp to thank – because once that disgusting tape came out with his own pussy grabbing “she was married but I went in on her like a bitch” talk… and then that same guy was elected POT*S…. I believe it was a catalyst and folks finally got angry enough and found the tremendous courage it takes to say enough is enough.

In a related conversation, someone said “It’s not just men who abuse, you know…. is this male hunting season? Maybe all men should just move to Montana and leave you women to fend for yourselves“. Hmmm.. well.. Clearly we live in a masculine and emasculating society, no? It is absolutely not just men who abuse… and I think more men don’t stand up because they fear backlash, jeers from their peers (what’s the matter with you, can’t defend yourself from a woman? or worse, a gay man? ) … and so on. There are many many good and decent men in this world who wouldn’t lay an inappropriate hand on another human being. But clearly.. there are many, especially those in power, who do, and have since the dawn of time. If your’e not a sexual predator – why are you moving to Montana? And why Montana… are they more accepting of sexual abuse in big sky country? I’m thinking not.

A male friend of mine said… after yet another was announced… “jeez, so basically just anyone can accuse anyone now and they’re guilty?” It’s never right to wrongly accuse someone of a crime. There are false accusations out there for every crime. Why are we assuming the accusations by women are false? It takes tremendous courage to stand up and call out this kind of behavior. Many women (and men) have not done so over the years for fear of losing their jobs, and leaving a job is not such a simple thing to do when you’re supporting yourself and possibly a family and the job market is less than stellar. There’s the fear (and reality!) of not being believed and then the possibility of being harassed further because you did stand up. All those issues factor in and lead people to remain silent more often than not.

I , for one, am so glad to see people finding the courage to speak out. At the very least it will give people in power pause before abusing again.

I’m sharing a simple and sinfully delicious chocolate butter cream icing

recipe here with you because WOW, it’s the best we’ve had.

It’s so good you’re gonna want to eat it with a spoon

out of the mixing bowl.

(yes I did)

CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

3 sticks butter, softened

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

5 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon expresso powder (it makes the chocolate pop)

Mix all together in mixing bowl with hand mixer

and frost your favorite cupcakes or cake.

***********************

Another holiday recipe I found on facebook and will make today – it looks easy and delicious.

Photo and recipe credit momontimeout.com

Practically Perfect Peppermint Fudge

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

2 mins

Total time

7 mins

Tis the season for peppermint and sweets! You can have the best of both with this Practically Perfect Peppermint Fudge! Just a handful of ingredients and five minutes are all you need to make this pretty and festive fudge!

Author: Trish – Mom On Timeout

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 64 candies

Ingredients

24 oz white chocolate chips
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 cup crushed peppermint candy or candy canes, divided

Instructions

Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with non-stick foil and set aside.
Combine white chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and salt in a medium bowl.
Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Stir in the peppermint extract.
Stir in ¾ cup of the crushed peppermint candy canes.
Pour the fudge into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Top with remaining crushed peppermint candy canes.
Refrigerate for 2 hours until set.
Cut into bite size pieces if desired.

Till soon, friends – thanks for stopping by.