Sugar flowers and leaves . . .

I forgot how much fun AND work it is to make flowers and leaves out of modeling chocolate. After the fact, I also recalled that one HAS to wait an hour or so before trying to roll it out, too. I now have two trays of sugar leaves and pink and purple flowers to put on some of my cupcakes tomorrow. Years ago, I used to decorate cakes quite a bit but you lose the touch over the years so it was delving into my memory and quick Google searches to figure out things. Baking and putting the cupcakes together tomorrow shouldn't be a problem . . . but I know that can be 'famous, last words'!

Just cut my teen's hair. His major talent in life is growing hair. I shear him as close to the scalp as I dare and he comes out of the shower looking like he still needs a haircut. He tell his balding father that he feels obliged to grow hair for the both of them!

Leftover beef is being created into beef/vegetable soup with rice for dinner. I'm also putting some bread to rise. Still cool weather but no rain today. It's just plain pleasant and I will keep the memory for the days when the sun beats down on us without mercy! Count your blessings while you have them and pray for some when you find a need.

Got to remember this!

Life isn't about the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away.

Anonymous

A good and holy week, I pray!

Starting my Easter baking tomorrow so I can give out my offerings to friends and neighbors before they head out on their Easter events, etc. I haven't done any baking except for bread the last six weeks and am looking forward to making cupcakes tomorrow. I'm thinking about chocolate cupcakes with fresh orange flavored filling and a yellow cake with tart lemon filling. My mental jury is still out on the third flavor but am leaning towards a spice cupcake with a nut filling.

With three of my brood finishing college and the 'baby' graduating from high school, this year, I don't get to hide Easter eggs for them. I haven't let go completely as I did get them each a pound of their favorite chocolates and have it wrapped in festive Easter paper. Hey, it's hard from a mom to let go, you know!

Another reason that Easter arrived a bit too fast for me is that my younger son and I are going on a trip in May. It's been 27 years since I've been on a vacation or gone anywhere and I think I'm a bit rusty at being in the travel mode! Nevertheless, we DO head out the second week in May and will be gone for 15 days. I think it is just a matter of finally sitting on the plane to let the excitement set in a bit. Meanwhile, it is making lists and figuring out what to pack and how little we can get away with so we don't have to lug it around.

Count down to Easter . . .

It seems like we just received our Ash Wednesday ashes and we are now two days into Holy Week. It is interesting to think about what was going through the mind of Jesus as He knew the time had come and understood what He would be facing. Pre-knowledge like that would floor a regular man. It was only because He was God and man that he could survive the progression of day up to Holy Thursday. I know I've had weeks of dread before a doctor appointment or dental work and cannot imagine coping with something of the magnitude of the crucifixion. Well, that's because I'm certainly not God!

I also feel a little sad for the people who only see Easter and don't participate in the journey to that day. There is something about Holy Thursday with the celebration of the Passover with the underlying tension, knowing how it will turn out within hours. Good Friday compounds the sorrow and the church does seem empty without the Blessed Sacrament in place. Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday bring back the joy but we can't let ourselves forget our Lenten walk and take something good and improved in our lifes from it.

It was interesting. . . the last time the Jehovah Witnesses were at my door, we talked about Easter. When I said that Easter tends to blot out the events that brings us to that day, the Jehovah Witnesses were floored that the Catholic Church even observed the Passion and Death of Christ. They were trying to invite me to a talk on it and couldn't believe that we actually had church on all those days. Made me wonder about what their leaders tell their congregations about other churches and why they feel they have to lie about our beliefs to promote their own.

Cheered up my day!

"The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would hire them away."
-- Ronald Reagan

"She got her looks from her father. He's a plastic surgeon."
-- Groucho Marx

"If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done."
-- Peter Ustinov

"Hegel was right when he said that we learn from history that man can never learn anything from history."
-- George Bernard Shaw