Oklahoma! Do you have your tickets?

Wow! Just saw Oklahoma! at the Stevens Center and the UNCSA has done a fantastic job in producing this classic musical. The performance is filled with energy, talent, color, and great comedic timing. I am astounded at the abundance of talent in all the areas of the performance – song, dance, acting and choreography. What a feat to get all those talented dancers moving together in such excitment and grace on that little stage! The main characters, Laurey and Curly, were played wonderfully by Kyle Guglielmo and Rebecca Moyes – and such wonderful singing performances from these two! The comedy was delivered with perfect timing by Adam Levinthal, Charles Osborne and Jennifer Webb as they played Ali Hakim, Will Parker and Ado Annie. Charles Osborne’s signing and dancing as Will Parker was especially captivating.

Braxton Molinaro’s portrayal of Jud Fry gave the play a powerful dramatic edge as he played the character in such a way to make me feel he was both vulnerable and evil at the same time.

Everything about the performance speaks great attention to detail. The set and the costumes were really well done. And of course, the music was performed superbly. I am still hearing all the great songs in my head! This performance is a joy to watch and should not be missed! See it twice if you can!

Is a tidy house good enough?

Is the simple life ~ the good life?  When my husband and I began dating, Marie (his Mom) worked full-time, took care of a husband (who had serious health issues), had three adult children at home ages 18-21, kept a nearly perfect house, cooked two meals each day and never seemed overwhelmed. Whew, that made me tired just writing the sentence!

Below is the example she set:

     1.) Marie’s home and her family were a priority in her life.
     2.) A tidy house appears cleaner than it is and a tidy house is good enough!
     3.) Keep decorating simple – there will be less to clean.
     4.) Keep cleaning supplies simple.
     5.) Do not over-stuff drawers, closets or cabinets. Have “just enough stuff and no more.”

Honestly, I do not know how she did it, but she did. Marie made housework appear effortless, she made home-cooked meals look easy (she did not have a dishwasher and did I mention the washing machine and dryer were in the basement) and she never appeared stressed regarding the care of her family and home.

I think it all comes down to one word: SIMPLIFY. Simplify everything in your life ~ simple meals, simple clothes, simple make-up & hair, simple yards, simple commitments, simple routines, etc.

Is there one thing, one room, one drawer, one closet or a meal that you could simplify and enjoy life more?

My house is protected by killer dust bunnies.  (Author Unknown)

Mmm Mondays and Corn Salsa

Spring has sprung and fresh vegetables are on their way! There is nothing like a great salsa and chips! Serve this up and enjoy a sunny afternoon listening to the birds and kids play!

Tomato and Corn Salsa
INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cup fresh corn kernels
1 1/4 cup diced peeled jicama
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 large red bell pepper –diced
1 jalape?o (seeded if desired) –minced
1 firm ripe avocado –diced
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 teaspoon wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon of sugar

PREPARATION:
I usually cut the ingredients the same size as the corn kernels for the best presentation. This can be served right away or refrigerated overnight for the flavors to develop.

Place the corn, jicama, onions, bell pepper, jalapeño, avocado, oil, lime juice, cilantro, vinegar, salt, cumin and sugar in a bowl. Toss them well to mix. Taste; adjust the lime juice and seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir well before serving.

Enjoy!!

The legend of the Dogwood

Workers traveled through the woods of Jerusalem looking for wood to make crosses for the crucifiction of criminals.  Today was a different day that any other day, word had traveled that the “King of the Jews” was to be crucified and they were told to find heaviest piece of wood as the King was to travel carrying the cross.

God spoke to the trees asking them to provide the wood for the cross, the trees did not want part of this, “We will be forever remembered as the tree that crucified our Lord,” they said.  God asked the tallest, the strongest, the noblest of trees – the Dogwood.  This tree was prized for its wood, being the preferred wood of construction at the time.  The Dogwood a good tree, a devout servant of God and immediately replied, “Lord if you ask of me to do it, then I will do it.  I will be forever tied to the death of our Lord and Savior.”

The tall Dogwood was cut and made into a large and heavy cross and taken to when Jesus was held.  The tree once proud of his strength shuddered as he touched the gentle shoulder of his Lord.  As Jesus carried his cross through the streets, the Dogwood felt the spit that touched him and his Lord as the people cried out at them waving their fists, he felt his Lord’s shoulders weaken under the weight of the wood that was him wishing he was lighter.  The blood that flowed from our Lord with each touch of the whip touched the wood, searing this mighty tree and leaving it crying with pain each time our Lord fell.

The Dogwood felt all the anger and bloodlust of the crowd that surrounded, it felt the compassion of Simon as he was brought to help our Lord, he felt the resolve as the man he loved moved slowly to his death.  The nails tore through the soft skin of Our Lord and into that tree, splitting the wood, the Dogwood felt all the weight of the worth as the cross was heaved up and for once the tree did not want to stand tall.  This mighty tree was sick and tired when Jesus finally died and fell limp against the wood.

Upon the Resurrection, God felt pity on the poor tree, forever scarred from his journey as a cross.  He said, “Thank you mighty tree, this is a task you will never do again. In gratitude for your loyalty and steadfastness of this journey and I will make sure you are the symbol of the Resurrection and not the death of my Son.”

He breathed on that might tree and all the pain the tree fell went away as those strong limbs softened and turned from tall and straight to gnarly.  The wood once strong  and prized for the construction of criminal crosses for crucifixion turned soft and unusable, the echoes of the cries of the people, the crying of our Lord turning whispering then silence as peace came taking away the horrors of that journey.

The once mighty tree, treasured for it’s strength became small and gnarly, as it sighed from a job completed.  No one would ever make a cross of that wood again.  Pain became joy as it’s blooms were stained with red representing the blood on the hands and feet of our Lord,  the flower in the middle of the bloom represents the crown of thorns our Lord wore at the time of crucifixion.  The Dogwood would only bloom around the time of the celebration of Easter, a reminder not of that night of darkness but the beautiful light of the resurrection that saved the world.

The dogwood softly felt the cleansing breeze on its soft gnarly limbs, its blossoms opened and worshiped our Lord it smiled at peace as workers passed the unusable tree for other pieces of wood.  The Dogwood did God’s will and with the blessing of our Lord it did what it wanted to do – it rested.

10 Different Ways to make Deviled Eggs

A fully dressed Easter table must include a plate of deviled eggs. Below is the recipe I use, along with 10 variations. Do you have a different way of making deviled eggs?

1.  My favorite deviled egg recipe:

6 hard cooked eggs, peeled and sliced in half
2 ½ tablespoons of “Duke’s” Low-Fat Mayo
1 teaspoon of prepared mustard
1 tablespoon of diced dill pickles
1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper
Salt to sprinkle on top
Paprika to sprinkle on top

Scoop the cooked yoke out of each egg half. Put the yokes in bowl and mash with a fork. Add the mayo, mustard, pickles and cracked pepper. Spoon the mixture into each Egg White. Sprinkle with Paprika and a little salt on top.

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Variations (Add one of the following)

2.  Garnish with Green Olives (You can also dice up one or two olives and put in egg mixture)

3.  Lemon Pepper:  Omit the pickles and prepared mustard listed above.  Add 1/8 teaspoon of lemon juice and a  dash of lemon zest.  Sprinkle with Lemon Pepper.

4.  Old Fashioned:  Add a 1/8 teaspoon of sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of vinegar (omit mustard)

5.  Bacon & Cheese:  Add crumbled bacon and grated cheese to the egg mixture (omit pickles and paprika)

6.  Kicking Eggs:  Add horseradish, ground mustard and dill weed (reduce the amount of cracked pepper, omit pickles and prepared mustard)

7.  Ham Eggs:  Add 1 heaping tablespoon of finely minced ham

8.  Veggie Eggs:  Choose one or more of the following veggies. (Celery, broccoli, cauliflower, Bell Pepper etc.)

9.  Spicy Eggs:  Add a dash of cayenne pepper

10.  SUPER EASY:  Substitute any flavored mustard you choose for the prepared mustard listed above.

A Phone Booth ~ What was that?

My daughter and her new husband took this picture on their honeymoon. The picture makes me laugh every time I look at it. It also caused me to think about what is disappearing from our world and will be unheard of to future generations.

What will make your grandkids say, “What?” Can you think of other things that could be added to the list?

• Phone Booths                                                            
• Phones that plug into the wall
• Phonebooks
• 45s
• LPs
• 8 Tracks
• Cassettes
• VHS
• Rabbit ears (the kind that was on top of TVs)
• TVs that you had to get up and turn on and off
• Dialing a phone number
• Handkerchiefs
• Video Cameras the size of a shoebox
• Film for the camera
• Open roads
• Libraries
• Long-distance phone calls
• Gasoline that costs less than a dollar
• Plugging in the computer
• Handwritten letters
• Drive-ins
• Baking from scratch

What would you add to the list?

The Flower Girl

Have you ever attended a wedding where the flower girl did something unexpected? It has been my experience that the ring bearer usually steals the show, but I am sure there must be a few mischievous flower girls. My sister’s daughter, Madison was a beautiful and perfect flower girl this past weekend! She was also the flower girl in my oldest daughter’s wedding and so now, I would consider her quite a professional!  (Her mother was a flower girl at my wedding!)

Flower Girl Facts

1. The Flower Girl, in weddings, dates back to Ancient Rome and Greece
2. In the earliest times, herbs were dropped in front of the bride, which represented hope for many children.
3. During the Elizabethan time, rose petals were dropped from the bride’s home all the way to the church.
4. The Victorian flower girl most represents today’s flower girl. Dressed in white, the Victorian flower girl carried little baskets of blooms to welcome the newly married couple.
5. Today’s Flower Girl might be dressed similar to the bridesmaids, a simple dress the same color as the bride or a miniature version of the bridal gown. Regardless of what she wears, today’s flower girl prepares the way for the bride and reminds us how quickly little girls become young women.
6. The flower petals dropped along the aisle before the bride, represent the new road the bride is taking in becoming a married woman.

Do you have a funny flower girl story?

Do you know of other interesting facts about flower girls?

Mmmm, Mondays!

It is Monday and I have decided it should be: Mmmmmm, Monday! That’s right a little recipe to get the week going! This is a quick and easy cinnamon bread recipe. I love eating this bread in the morning with coffee or as a dessert at night! Your kids will love it too! It is so super fast and tasty! Follow the directions below!

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

***TOPPING*** (mixed together)
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients together, then add the vanilla, milk, and egg.
Put in a greased and floured loaf pan.
Sprinkle topping over top of loaf before baking.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.