Saturday, May 26, 2018
Italian Sausage Biscuits
½ pound of mild Italian Sausage (or hot/spicey)
2 cups organic unbleached flour
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
1 teaspoon mineral or sea salt
¼ cup organic butter
1 cup buttermilk
Remove meat from sausage casing and brown. Set aside.
Place dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cut in butter until crumbly. Mix in crumbled meat.
Gently fold in the buttermilk and create a soft dough and more flour if necessary. Roll out and cut into rounds or squares. Bake for 12 minutes or until done.
450 F degree oven
Recipe referenced in "Murder at Raven's Cove Marina." One of the recipes prepared by Ramona and Samantha of Ramona's Cafe.
www.victoriavickerswrites.com
Keep Pests Out of Your Garden⎯Naturally!
Behind the scenes of Ramona's Cafe:
Surrounding the patio behind the cafe is Ramona's extensive garden. In the garden, she grows vegetables, flowers, and the herbs she and Samantha use in the food prepared in the cafe as well as the herbs used for the herbal teas.
Ramona is an herbalist and environmentalist at heart and doesn't use any chemicals whatsoever on the garden or anywhere on her property. The following are some of her tricks to keep pests away without harming the environment:
A natural pesticide and a super way to reduce waste are coffee grounds⎯the acidity of the coffee grounds is the key. Spread used coffee grounds around plants and work a little into the soil.
Slugs can be a problem but using eggshells and salt can save your tomatoes! Sprinkle crushed eggshells and a little sea salt over the soil around the plants⎯slugs don't like crawling over the prickly surface.
Ants, wasps, mites and flies hate cucumber peels. Spread your discarded cucumber peels around the plants that are attracting these pests⎯too bitter for their taste.
Aphids, Japanese beetles, ants and weevils don't like catnip. Plant this sporadically throughout the garden.
Happy Gardening!
Victoria
Copyright 2016, Victoria Vickers, Victoria Vickers Writes, All Rights Reserved
www.victoriavickerswrites.com
October Musings and A Recipe - Pumpkin Loaf
I love the Fall. Even this far south there is a change in the temperature and in the environment. My plants aren't as thirsty as they were a month ago and the mosquitoes aren't so hungry either--even the air smells fresher. We may not have the vibrant colors of Vermont or Nova Scotia, but we try. Some folks adorn the front door with wreaths wrapped in artificial maple leaves of yellow, orange and rust, and entryways are decorated with freshly harvested pumpkins and dried corncob decorations. I'm about to make my first pumpkin treat for the season - Pumpkin Loaf. I thought you might like the recipe to try. Let me know what you think. Bon Appetit!
Pumpkin Loaf
(I try to use organic ingredients when possible and available)
Preheat oven to 350F
4 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/4 C Unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 C Sugar
2 Eggs
1 C Pumpkin (can)
1 3/4 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Sea Salt or good quality salt
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
Combine cream cheese, butter, and sugar in a mixing bowl - cream together. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Blend in the pumpkin.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Pour into bowl with the batter and mix well. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan and continue to cool on a rack. Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee!
(I got a little sidetracked from book 3 of the Ramona Russet Series because of other writing projects. Slowly getting back to Murder of a Sculptor.)
Copyright 2017, Victoria Vickers
Pumpkin Loaf
(I try to use organic ingredients when possible and available)
Preheat oven to 350F
4 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/4 C Unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 C Sugar
2 Eggs
1 C Pumpkin (can)
1 3/4 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Sea Salt or good quality salt
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
Combine cream cheese, butter, and sugar in a mixing bowl - cream together. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Blend in the pumpkin.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Pour into bowl with the batter and mix well. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan and continue to cool on a rack. Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee!
(I got a little sidetracked from book 3 of the Ramona Russet Series because of other writing projects. Slowly getting back to Murder of a Sculptor.)
Copyright 2017, Victoria Vickers
Friday, May 25, 2018
Make Your Mother Proud With These Etiquette Tips
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Increase your confidence and improve your manners with the following tips:
Don't offer to have lunch with someone if you don't mean it. If you do then make a date.
When you are expected for a meeting or an engagement of some kind - be on time. If you have to be late call and explain the situation; it shows respect when you do this.
Something that is becoming prevalent all around us is the use of vulgar language. Sometimes it's unavoidable and a swear word rolls off our tongues. I'm not talking about that kind of swearing but the kind of swearing when people walk into a group environment and an entire mouthful of words has been spewed and every other word is a swear word. It's disrespectful and bad manners. Be mindful of the situation you are entering and act accordingly.
One last tip concerns cell phones. One should turn off one's cell phone while in a theater of any type. Even if the phone is on silent and one decides to check messages, the brightness of the phone is disruptive. Be courteous and turn the phone off. Enjoy the show. Enjoy the company you are with. Of course, there are exceptions, i.e. doctor, etc.
Until we meet again,
Victoria
Download your FREE copy of "In the Kitchen with Ramona," a collection of recipes used in the ficticious Ramona's Cafe, when you sign up for Victoria's monthly newsletter "Musings."
Copyright © 2018, Victoria Vickers, Catalina Press.
www.victoriavickerswrites.com
The Ramona Russet Mystery Series
It's Not Always Easy
It's not always easy⎯writing that is. Actually, most of the time it's hard. It used to be easy when I didn't have to worry about writing something interesting or worry about grammar and punctuation.
It was easier when I just wrote because of the urge to put words onto paper. I would pick out a fountain pen and a notebook, make a cup of tea and just write - mostly my thoughts or observations about people or places. Then came the day I wanted others to read my work and I started taking writing classes. Somehow something got lost in the process. Learning the rules of writing, which I don't necessarily follow, takes a bit away from the flow of creativity.
Through the years, I've read about other writers suffering from writer's block. I'm going through a bout of something that might be considered that - but I'm wondering if it's just that I'm worrying too much about those rules and creating a wall of fear - fear of writing any word down. This is my attempt to get back at it - putting words down.
I'm going to practice what I preach and that is, "Do what you really love and want to do because at the end of your life when you are taking that last breath, you can take it with satisfaction knowing you followed your heart - yes, it wasn't always easy - but damn it - you did it."
So as one of my favorite motivational authors used to say, "Don't die with your music still inside you!"
Until we meet again,
Victoria
Download your FREE copy of "In the Kitchen with Ramona," a collection of recipes used in the ficticious Ramona's Cafe, when you sign up for Victoria's monthly newsletter "Musings."
Copyright © 2018, Victoria Vickers, Catalina Press.
#writing #victoriavickers #write
Nettle - More Than A Cup of Tea -- and Not Just An Ordinary Weed!
I wanted to include the following article on Stinging Nettle because...I love it as an herbal tea (tisane) and anyone who knows me knows I love my teas whether herbal or the wonderful Camellia sinenis!
by Mariluz Kersey, CHC
Who would think a plant covered in stinging hairs, and filled with irritating chemicals, would make a delicious cup of herbal tea? Indeed, the name stinging nettle is enough to ward off the skeptical, but don’t be frightened—it’s worth your interest.
Drinking and learning about herbal teas, for me, are two of life’s little pleasures. So, several years ago, when my best friend bought me a box of stinging nettle bags to try, naturally, I got my kettle ready. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to buy more. I also wanted to learn everything I could about this tasty herb. Surprisingly, there are a number of uses besides making a good cup of tea.
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is rich in vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A and C, calcium, chlorophyll, and magnesium; it’s like drinking a cup of good health. Many herbs, reported to be good for you, have an unpleasant aftertaste—not nettle. Its mellow flavor and a hint of sweetness is pleasant enough that a child would like.
Health conscientious store shelves carry a wide selection of herbal teas, but nettle tea bags can be hard to find. Sometimes you can find brands that sell nettle in a convenient tea bag. Some health food stores and mail-order companies sell crushed nettle leaves in bulk form. It’s not as convenient as the teabag, but it’s just as good. Herbal farmers sometimes sell their crops, including fresh and dried nettle, at public markets. Growing stinging nettle, and then harvesting it, is an option, but ouch, this may not be a suitable choice for an inexperienced gardener. If the tiny hollow hairs brush against your skin and break, they will release an irritating chemical mixture of histamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, and a fourth chemical still not identified by researchers. These chemicals leave the skin feeling itchy and irritated; it feels like your skin has been in contact with fiberglass insulation. Some people have experienced blistering. You can also find nettle growing in the woods, in the rich and moist soil, and in wastelands. Whether you grow it in your garden or decide to hike along a stream and pick nettle, make sure you wear a good pair of gloves, preferably a pair made with a light rubber coating, and wear long sleeves.
When brewing a cup or a pot and using a teabag or loose herbs, preparation is easy: simply place a bag in your mug, pour boiling water over it and let steep for five minutes. If using the loose herb, measure a teaspoonful per cup, more if you like it stronger. If using a pot, increase amount, and don’t forget to add an extra spoon for the pot.
Nettle is more than just a great tasting cup of tea: it is a versatile plant usable in almost all aspects of daily life. Archaeologists have reported finding fragments of nettle cloth in Northern Europe dating as far back as the latter part of the Stone Age. Before our ancestors spun cotton into threads to make cloth, they used flax, hemp, and nettle. Today, researchers are looking for ways to reduce pollution and waste and returning to nettle is one solution. Nettle plants require less water and use much fewer pesticides and other harmful chemicals—chemicals that are dangerous to the environment and humans—less than cotton. Hemp and flax are environmentally friendly, too, but the finished product is rough; however, the finished nettle fabric has a finer and softer texture—much nicer against the skin. Other uses for the fibrous stalks are rope, fishnets, and paper.
Europeans use nettle as a treatment for gout, bladder infections, and arthritis. Native Americans use the juice and leaves for skin wounds and as a pain reliever. Some horse breeders are using dried nettle to give horses a sleek and shiny coat. There are hair care products containing nettle that promise to condition the scalp, reduce dandruff, and to make hair grow (folklore). Instead of spending large amounts of money on such products, why not try making a rinse out of nettle and vinegar; take into consideration that nettle has darkening qualities. In a glass jar, place one tablespoon of crushed nettle leaves and a half-cup of apple cider vinegar, cover and let steep for one week. Shake jar at least once a day. Strain and discard leaves. Add two cups of filtered water to vinegar and shake. To use: set aside one cup and have it ready; shampoo hair, omit conditioner; pour half of the nettle rinse over the scalp, and rub gently into scalp then pour the remaining half cup over rest of hair (save another cup for next shampoo). Do not rinse. Dry as usual and admire!
The young tender leaves of nettle also make a delicious food. One can find recipes for soups, salads, wine and beer on the Internet, and in herbal books and magazines. Nettle also makes a healthy side dish: Gather nettle leaves, rinse and shake off excess water. Set aside five cups of nettle; it will reduce once cooked. In a medium-sized frying pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil and two crushed garlic cloves over low to medium heat. Quickly sauté. Add the nettle, reduce heat; once it begins to look like cooked spinach, it’s ready. Add two tablespoons of pine nuts (or the preferred crunch of choice) and serve. The cooked leaves are a deep and rich green; cooked leaves lose their sting.
Even folklore has a place for nettle. After all, don’t most myths have a grain of truth? One story says to keep negative spirits away, sprinkle nettle powder around your home; another myth claims that it will bring you, love.
Nettle is used for food, beverages, clothing, rope, hair and skin products, and paper. Its history teaches us about how resourceful our ancestors were, and more importantly, as more people turn to nature for answers, it will help us with the future. What more can we ask of a plant? I shall ponder the thought as I make nettle pesto and savor another cup of nettle tea!
To your health!.
Coach Mariluz
Mariluz is a certified health coach, natural health activist, and writer. She works with men and women to make healthier food and lifestyle choices so they can get back their joie de vivre!
by Mariluz Kersey, CHC
Who would think a plant covered in stinging hairs, and filled with irritating chemicals, would make a delicious cup of herbal tea? Indeed, the name stinging nettle is enough to ward off the skeptical, but don’t be frightened—it’s worth your interest.
Drinking and learning about herbal teas, for me, are two of life’s little pleasures. So, several years ago, when my best friend bought me a box of stinging nettle bags to try, naturally, I got my kettle ready. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to buy more. I also wanted to learn everything I could about this tasty herb. Surprisingly, there are a number of uses besides making a good cup of tea.
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is rich in vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A and C, calcium, chlorophyll, and magnesium; it’s like drinking a cup of good health. Many herbs, reported to be good for you, have an unpleasant aftertaste—not nettle. Its mellow flavor and a hint of sweetness is pleasant enough that a child would like.
Health conscientious store shelves carry a wide selection of herbal teas, but nettle tea bags can be hard to find. Sometimes you can find brands that sell nettle in a convenient tea bag. Some health food stores and mail-order companies sell crushed nettle leaves in bulk form. It’s not as convenient as the teabag, but it’s just as good. Herbal farmers sometimes sell their crops, including fresh and dried nettle, at public markets. Growing stinging nettle, and then harvesting it, is an option, but ouch, this may not be a suitable choice for an inexperienced gardener. If the tiny hollow hairs brush against your skin and break, they will release an irritating chemical mixture of histamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, and a fourth chemical still not identified by researchers. These chemicals leave the skin feeling itchy and irritated; it feels like your skin has been in contact with fiberglass insulation. Some people have experienced blistering. You can also find nettle growing in the woods, in the rich and moist soil, and in wastelands. Whether you grow it in your garden or decide to hike along a stream and pick nettle, make sure you wear a good pair of gloves, preferably a pair made with a light rubber coating, and wear long sleeves.
When brewing a cup or a pot and using a teabag or loose herbs, preparation is easy: simply place a bag in your mug, pour boiling water over it and let steep for five minutes. If using the loose herb, measure a teaspoonful per cup, more if you like it stronger. If using a pot, increase amount, and don’t forget to add an extra spoon for the pot.
Nettle is more than just a great tasting cup of tea: it is a versatile plant usable in almost all aspects of daily life. Archaeologists have reported finding fragments of nettle cloth in Northern Europe dating as far back as the latter part of the Stone Age. Before our ancestors spun cotton into threads to make cloth, they used flax, hemp, and nettle. Today, researchers are looking for ways to reduce pollution and waste and returning to nettle is one solution. Nettle plants require less water and use much fewer pesticides and other harmful chemicals—chemicals that are dangerous to the environment and humans—less than cotton. Hemp and flax are environmentally friendly, too, but the finished product is rough; however, the finished nettle fabric has a finer and softer texture—much nicer against the skin. Other uses for the fibrous stalks are rope, fishnets, and paper.
Europeans use nettle as a treatment for gout, bladder infections, and arthritis. Native Americans use the juice and leaves for skin wounds and as a pain reliever. Some horse breeders are using dried nettle to give horses a sleek and shiny coat. There are hair care products containing nettle that promise to condition the scalp, reduce dandruff, and to make hair grow (folklore). Instead of spending large amounts of money on such products, why not try making a rinse out of nettle and vinegar; take into consideration that nettle has darkening qualities. In a glass jar, place one tablespoon of crushed nettle leaves and a half-cup of apple cider vinegar, cover and let steep for one week. Shake jar at least once a day. Strain and discard leaves. Add two cups of filtered water to vinegar and shake. To use: set aside one cup and have it ready; shampoo hair, omit conditioner; pour half of the nettle rinse over the scalp, and rub gently into scalp then pour the remaining half cup over rest of hair (save another cup for next shampoo). Do not rinse. Dry as usual and admire!
The young tender leaves of nettle also make a delicious food. One can find recipes for soups, salads, wine and beer on the Internet, and in herbal books and magazines. Nettle also makes a healthy side dish: Gather nettle leaves, rinse and shake off excess water. Set aside five cups of nettle; it will reduce once cooked. In a medium-sized frying pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil and two crushed garlic cloves over low to medium heat. Quickly sauté. Add the nettle, reduce heat; once it begins to look like cooked spinach, it’s ready. Add two tablespoons of pine nuts (or the preferred crunch of choice) and serve. The cooked leaves are a deep and rich green; cooked leaves lose their sting.
Even folklore has a place for nettle. After all, don’t most myths have a grain of truth? One story says to keep negative spirits away, sprinkle nettle powder around your home; another myth claims that it will bring you, love.
Nettle is used for food, beverages, clothing, rope, hair and skin products, and paper. Its history teaches us about how resourceful our ancestors were, and more importantly, as more people turn to nature for answers, it will help us with the future. What more can we ask of a plant? I shall ponder the thought as I make nettle pesto and savor another cup of nettle tea!
To your health!.
Coach Mariluz
Mariluz is a certified health coach, natural health activist, and writer. She works with men and women to make healthier food and lifestyle choices so they can get back their joie de vivre!
www.mariluzkersey.com
Copyright 2018, M. Kersey
Box of Souls
Last night, I dreamt that I kept my soul hidden in a small wooden box and at the end of the day, I retreated to my bedroom, pulled out the box from under my bed, and freed my soul, but it wasn't a dream.
Something's changing and it's happening all around us. I pass people on the street. Emptiness etched on their faces and hollowness in their eyes. They look through me-past me-not at me-as if I don't exist-as if I were air. Conversations are brief and topics light and inoffensive.
A few of us saw it coming, but couldn't do anything to stop it. They never even noticed. Hints of it dotted the news, but people didn't pay attention.
My friends and family laughed at me. They told me I was crazy, that our government, the government we elected, would never do such a thing to its citizens. However, one by one, their souls were stolen.
One night the circle of friends-the ones who saw-was broken.
"Aren't you coming tonight?"
"Coming. Coming where?"
"It's girl's night. Remember? You're supposed to bring chips and dip. We're waiting for you," I laughed. "Rachael?"
"Ah, yea, but I'm really tired. I'm going back to bed."
"Rachael! Wait!" I said. My friends watched. No one spoke as I returned the phone to the cradle.
"But we never miss our night," Cindy said.
We looked at each other. I could see the light leaving their eyes. They each had experienced something - they knew it was only going to get worse.
Everyone walks around with automatic precision. Their memories wiped clean every few hours as if someone has taken and ripped the page from their notebook-brain and thrown it away. The topics of conversation over coffee are health problems and the medications their doctors prescribe. Tears don't flow. Laughter doesn't fill a room. Anger doesn't explode. Emotionless. Easy to control. Crime is nonexistent.
Last night, I dreamt I came home from work and stood in front of the mirror. I stared at my reflection. I was faceless and my hair was steel grey - bland and lifeless. I pulled the jacket zipper down and pulled each side of the coat apart revealing a cavity filled with light. My soul stepped back into my body. I stretched and groaned-a sense of freedom filled me.
I turned out the lights. I walked around the apartment and secured my blinds. I watched the street through the blinds. Nurses wearing black overcoats knocked on doors.
My sister Amy's cat died-her cat of sixteen years-she didn't shed a tear. Her lack of emotion at the loss sent chills up my spine. She stopped singing and laughing. She didn't look at me, but through me. Her blue eyes turned black and her pink skin grey.
"Aren't you sad?" I asked her.
"No," she said. "It's a fact of life-things die. So what. I'll get another."
When we meet, we sit arms length to each other and dim the lights. We're afraid of meeting in public. Paranoia is escalating among us.
I knew my soul would leave me if the water affected her but she hasn't. We are immune. Would my body eventually give in? Some days I wished it would take me over. Maybe it would relieve the feeling of loneliness living among these hollow shells. They still celebrate holidays and birthdays, but without joyous sentiment. They go to work as they always did but don't complain. Everyone is so compliant.
The members of the Awakened all work for different companies. We seldom cross paths in public and if we do , we don't exhibit any recognition for each other. We heard that new laboratories were set up to investigate citizens not affected by this process. Our imaginations run wild. The scariest of horror movies with the maddest of scientists have been the latest topic of discussion.
We heard that Rachel died. We were the only people at her cremation. How long can we exist like this. I don't know. The fear is consuming. I wear the same style clothes every day. A pin sticks me through my bra strap to remind me. Pretending is exhausting. My soul is tired.
She is free of chemicals. She is free from the forces trying to change our society. How I've managed to retain my sanity, my individuality is still a mystery to my few friends and me. We face each day with fear and each day as if it is our last. We are four - the Awakened - the ones that see.
They're winning. Soon the entire world will be at the mercy of their governments: governments in partnership with big pharma, an orderly planet with no more terrorists, no dysfunctional families, no activists, no hatred, no lawbreakers, no passion...and no freedom.
Something's changing and it's happening all around us. I pass people on the street. Emptiness etched on their faces and hollowness in their eyes. They look through me-past me-not at me-as if I don't exist-as if I were air. Conversations are brief and topics light and inoffensive.
A few of us saw it coming, but couldn't do anything to stop it. They never even noticed. Hints of it dotted the news, but people didn't pay attention.
My friends and family laughed at me. They told me I was crazy, that our government, the government we elected, would never do such a thing to its citizens. However, one by one, their souls were stolen.
One night the circle of friends-the ones who saw-was broken.
"Aren't you coming tonight?"
"Coming. Coming where?"
"It's girl's night. Remember? You're supposed to bring chips and dip. We're waiting for you," I laughed. "Rachael?"
"Ah, yea, but I'm really tired. I'm going back to bed."
"Rachael! Wait!" I said. My friends watched. No one spoke as I returned the phone to the cradle.
"But we never miss our night," Cindy said.
We looked at each other. I could see the light leaving their eyes. They each had experienced something - they knew it was only going to get worse.
Everyone walks around with automatic precision. Their memories wiped clean every few hours as if someone has taken and ripped the page from their notebook-brain and thrown it away. The topics of conversation over coffee are health problems and the medications their doctors prescribe. Tears don't flow. Laughter doesn't fill a room. Anger doesn't explode. Emotionless. Easy to control. Crime is nonexistent.
Last night, I dreamt I came home from work and stood in front of the mirror. I stared at my reflection. I was faceless and my hair was steel grey - bland and lifeless. I pulled the jacket zipper down and pulled each side of the coat apart revealing a cavity filled with light. My soul stepped back into my body. I stretched and groaned-a sense of freedom filled me.
I turned out the lights. I walked around the apartment and secured my blinds. I watched the street through the blinds. Nurses wearing black overcoats knocked on doors.
#
Only a few of us are left. We call ourselves the Awakened. We can't do anything about it. Now, the drug is in our water and in our food. We can't escape it. I've tried running to the country and to the smallest communities but they're all the same. Fellow citizens walking around like zombies taking orders from messages on the television and the radio. It's like watching a scene from a science fiction movie. Everyone walks past each other with vacant calmness and insincere politeness. There isn't a care in the world. They smile but not wide happy smiles, but short dead ones. They pass each other with faint familiarity. A glimmer of recognition yet they are subdued.My sister Amy's cat died-her cat of sixteen years-she didn't shed a tear. Her lack of emotion at the loss sent chills up my spine. She stopped singing and laughing. She didn't look at me, but through me. Her blue eyes turned black and her pink skin grey.
"Aren't you sad?" I asked her.
"No," she said. "It's a fact of life-things die. So what. I'll get another."
#
We still meet once a week but no more card games. We drink coffee made with filtered water-filtered a dozen times.When we meet, we sit arms length to each other and dim the lights. We're afraid of meeting in public. Paranoia is escalating among us.
I knew my soul would leave me if the water affected her but she hasn't. We are immune. Would my body eventually give in? Some days I wished it would take me over. Maybe it would relieve the feeling of loneliness living among these hollow shells. They still celebrate holidays and birthdays, but without joyous sentiment. They go to work as they always did but don't complain. Everyone is so compliant.
The members of the Awakened all work for different companies. We seldom cross paths in public and if we do , we don't exhibit any recognition for each other. We heard that new laboratories were set up to investigate citizens not affected by this process. Our imaginations run wild. The scariest of horror movies with the maddest of scientists have been the latest topic of discussion.
We heard that Rachel died. We were the only people at her cremation. How long can we exist like this. I don't know. The fear is consuming. I wear the same style clothes every day. A pin sticks me through my bra strap to remind me. Pretending is exhausting. My soul is tired.
#
I watched my soul relax and climb back into her protective sanctuary. She is safe there.She is free of chemicals. She is free from the forces trying to change our society. How I've managed to retain my sanity, my individuality is still a mystery to my few friends and me. We face each day with fear and each day as if it is our last. We are four - the Awakened - the ones that see.
They're winning. Soon the entire world will be at the mercy of their governments: governments in partnership with big pharma, an orderly planet with no more terrorists, no dysfunctional families, no activists, no hatred, no lawbreakers, no passion...and no freedom.
Originally published at Ascent Aspirations
Copyright © 2018, M. Kersey, Catalina Press, used with permission
Copyright © 2018, M. Kersey, Catalina Press, used with permission
Zucchini Bread
2 1/2 cups grated raw zucchini
1 1/4 cup organic sugar
3/4 cup sunflower oil
3 eggs
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Grate zucchini and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together: sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Fold in the grated zucchini.
In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, banking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Fold into batter mixture just until all moistened. Fold in the chopped nuts.
Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool before slicing. Enjoy with a cup of your favorite tea.
Try to use as many organic ingredients as you can.
Adapted from the book: Tea Time by Nancy Admon
please email me with any comments or questions: victoriavickersbooks@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
