GOT A MINUTE OR TWO

  Today was a "scone" day!  I didn't have any "sweets" in the house and I was wanting something with my coffee this afternoon.  Didn't have any cranberries, so substitued golden raisins, pecans and white chocolate chips!  There are delicious! Dinner was Chicken Enchiladas!  I used the canned chicken from Costo and they turned out really good.  Quick and easy since you don't have to prepare chicken!

  Our daughter on the Oregon coast sent me these pictures today! SNOW AND MORE SNOW!  This is the first time they have had a snow that didn't immediately melt!  It's snowed for a couple days now. Tristan is a happy camper.  The schools are closed and he's in his own Winter Wonderland!  So glad he gets to experience this!   

  As long as I can remember in my adult life, I have love this time of year starting with Ash Wednesday and the following 40 days as some call "Lent".  As a follow of Jesus Christ, I don't follow Catholic Traditions of Lent, but I do take these 40 days each year to take a serious personal look at my life and priorities. I like to take this time to find a devotional that I can meditate on each day.  Over the years I have used many different forms.  Last year I did the 40 days of Passion by Bill Crowder with Daily Bread. This year I am using the book in the picture above by John MacArthur titled 40 Lives in 40 Days!  Along with a prayer journal to record my thoughts and prayers and insights. Today was "Peter".   Oh my, I am a lot like him;  impetuous, impulsive, over eager, and slow to follow through!! But God saw something in Peter that would make a good leader.  In fact. every time there is a list of Deciples, Peter is first. Over time, Peter...

The latest creation from my visits with Jean Pierre cooking show is "Italian Sausage, onions and bell peppers on a bed of Angel Hair pasta." So easy and so very tasty.  A quick and delicious dinner.  Sauted the onion in olive oil, added steamed sweet italian sausage, cut in slices. When onion and sausage was almost cooked added bell peppers and a spoon of fresh garlic. When golden brown and onions and peppers were tender, placed on a bed of angel hair pasta.  Sprinkled some parmasan cheese on top!  Delicious!!  Give it a try?   The other day, my blog friend and artist Christine (She's on my side bar favorites) posted a picture of a frog she drew.  I told her it reminded me of a watercolor I had dones years ago of a frog that I titled "Looking for Lunch".  A fun little painting I had printed on cards, and would send one to a friend to invite them to lunch.

  After graduating High School I left Northern CA to attend BIOLA (Bible Institute of Los Angeles).  I worked at Knott's Berry Farm Chicken Restruant.  That was 1959 and Walter and Cornelia Knott were both alive and working in the kitchen. On my breaks I would wander through "Virginia's Gift Shop".  I saw this advertisment for lipstick called "Michel".   I thought it was a really beautiful name and lipstick. Fast Forward ~~~ I met and married my dearest, who was also attending Biola. and in 1962 had our first daughter " Michel ".  I never forgot how much I loved that name so she was named after a lipstick.  When she was in school everyone thought it was Michael or Mitchel..I ask her if she wanted us to change the spelling to Michelle, but she liked it just like that!  So it stayed.  Michel my Bell.

  Remember that "huge" candle I got with seven wicks!  Well it does light of the room!  I was enjoying my early morning quiet time with a cup of coffee and decided to take a picture of the candle when lit.  After I took the picture, I saw the wolf learking behind the trees. HaHa  Actually it's one of my watercolors and I took it down to hang a different picture in it's place, and set him on the couch until I decided where to put him.  Not every day you have a wolf on your couch! (click on picture to enlarge to see the wolf) Had some delicious salmon the other night!  I tried a new sauce on it and it was so yummy, I could just drink it!!  1/4 cup brown sugar packed, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon dejon mustard (I used the multigrain) salt and pepper and a pad of butter.  Mix well and brush over the salmon and bake at 400 for 12-14 minutes.  Be sure to add more after it comes out of the oven.  I served it with oven bake...

  Issac and Matthew with Great Grandpa.  They are both wrestlers! Two different divisions.  Issac on the left took 1st place at the CIF Highschool Match.  He's wearing his metal!  Matthew took 2nd in his division. This means he gets to move on to the next match in Palm Springs next weekend.  We are very proud of his accomplishments.  He wrestles at 123 lb level. This is receiving his 1st place award at the tournament. Issac gave Grandpa a tee shirt from his High School Wrestling Team.  Go Grandpa!!

  I am so pleased that my dearest is doing much better.  Somethings will never change (his heart working at 30%) but other areas of his life have improved.  It's been several months now that his weight, blood pressure and loss of that water retention have leveled off and been consistant.  This of course makes his mobility better. He is still "frail" and has to be careful of balance when he walks.  He used a cane in the house and on the walks from the car to the doctor appointments. At night he uses the walker from bed to bathroom. His appitite is really good now, and he's enjoying some of the "gourmet meals" I've tried.  But what he loves the most, is that homemade vegetable soup. The picture was taken on the balcony a few days ago with the tree now in full bloom!  It made for a nice backdrop!  Doesn't my dearest look great!  Thanks again for all the love and prayers you have shared on his behalf!  They are working!