What more can be said?

Mark Twain said it!

It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.

- Mark Twain

Chocolate Molasses Cookies

This is an interesting combination that really works as it pleases the chocolate fiend in the family but gives off a holiday scent with the molasses. It is a rolled out cookie which works best with a basic, round cutter.

Chocolate Molasses Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup molasses
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (optional)
3 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Either vegetable oil spray baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the molasses, egg, vanilla, cinnamon, and zest and mix well.

Mix together the flour and cocoa and blend into the creamed mixture with a spoon. Chill the dough for about an hour to make it easier to work with.

On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4th inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place about 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.

Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove to cool on racks. When cool glaze with an orange or vanilla icing.

Icing
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Enough cream or milk to form a glaze.

or:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
Enough fresh orange or lemon juice to form a glaze.

Arsenic in our food?

This is a worrying report. I knew there was minute levels of arsenic in just about everything but this article does raise some concerns.

http://handpickednation.com/read/arsenic-rice-health-report-food/

Prayer and it's importance . . .

“Virtues are formed by prayer.
Prayer preserves temperance.
Prayer suppresses anger.
Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.
Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.”
~St Ephraem

The Various Stages of Comfort - cat style!

 Our cat, Marcella, will go to any lengths to incorporate herself into my belongings. She knows that I spend entirely too much attention to my sewing and is always trying to join in and share this attention. She isn't too picky about comfort as you can see in the picture as long as she is part of the action.

Our Trip to the HIgh Desert . . .

 Although we are a pretty dry climate in our area of California, our trip to the High Desert, yesterday, revealed exactly how hot and dry it can be. Most every yard sported sand in place of a lawn and the foliage was dusty and brown. It is amazing, however, how populated the area actually is and how many businesses are out there. Our final destination was 29 Palms. You could tell there was military in the area with all the patriotic signs and red, white, and blue. A large Marine base is located in 29 Palms.

Miss Stubby Returns!

 After a frustrating morning of trying to round up Miss Stubby for transfer to her new home, we ended up driving two hours to the destination with only one cat aboard. When Miss Stubby doesn't want to be found, she won't be found. We didn't leave any food out for her in hopes that she would show up and complain. True to her greedy, little cat nature, she showed up last night and meowed long and loud about the lack of food. We lured her in with some really stinky but much-loved tinned cat food and she spent the night in our garage with all the comforts of home but no chance of escape. My poor husband gets to make the two-hour, one way trip out to the desert again today to leave her with her new family. The one good thing is that she will be reunited with Bold who we left there, yesterday.

My huband is looking forward to now not having a group of cats congregating in our yard. We can go back to our one cat/one dog family.

Hypocrisy and where is the media on this?

Paradoxical Quote of The Day From Ben Stein:


"Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen."

Now add this, "Many of those who refuse, or are unable, to prove they are citizens will receive free insurance paid for by those who are forced to buy insurance because they are citizens."

Something to think about . . . obama's Mandate

EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT CATHOLIC, THIS IS EYE OPENING..

The Catholic Church is the oldest Christian religion in the world.

When the Catholic Church was founded, there were no hospitals. Today, one out of five people in this country receive their medical care at a Catholic hospital.

When the Catholic Church was founded, there were no schools. Today, the Catholic Church teaches 3 million students a day, in its more than 250 Catholic Colleges and Universities, in its more than 1200 Catholic High Schools and its more than 5000 Catholic grade schools.

Every day, the Catholic Church feeds, clothes, shelters and educates more people than any other organization in the world.

The new Obama Health Mandate could end all this and the tax payers would have to make up the loss.

Also, all Catholic adoption services would come to an end. A human disaster.

There are more than 77 million Catholics in this country. It takes an estimated 50 million Catholic votes to elect a president. I am asking all of you to go to the polls and be united in replacing our present president with a president that will respect the Catholic Church, all Christians, and all Religions besides Islam.

Mr President, you said, "The USA is not a Christian Nation".

You are wrong we are a Christian Nation founded on Judeo-Christian values allowing all religions in America to Worship & Practice Freely.