Which Teachers Should You Thank This Week?

This is National Teacher Appreciation week. 

No one is born knowing everything, or with the ability to figure everything out on their own. We rely heavily on the teaching of others throughout our lives.

When you think of a teacher, who comes to mind?  Is it your favorite elementary school teacher?  A

Busy as a Bee

Sometimes we use a phrase without giving much thought to its meaning. Many expressions that are now a part of our every day language have a rich history, of which we may not always be aware.

Recently, I was weeding around our caragana hedge - and collecting enough scratches from the thorns to make me look like I had been in the middle of a cat fight! While weeding, I observed a big fuzzy, beautiful bumblebee collecting nectar from the flowers of the hedge. Weeding is not a very cerebral task, so my mind was free to wander.  I started thinking about bees, and the phrase, “busy as a bee”

A Favorite Enchilada Recipe - Super Quick and Easy

Saturday Spotlight #17

Today my Saturday Spotlight is shining on Mexican food, in honor of Cinco de Mayo. 

Cinco de Mayo, literally translated, means “5th of May.” Although it is not a celebration of Mexican Independence Day,  Cinco de Mayo is a holiday celebrating a victory the Mexican army had over the French. 

Today I am sharing an enchilada recipe that is perfect for a Cinco de Mayo party, a potluck, or an easy family meal.

I lived in Spain for a number of years, so many people assume that I know a lot about Mexican cooking.  The two cuisines are really quite different, but I love both. I have discovered a number of good Mexican recipes over the years.  

Many years ago I got the idea for this dish from a recipe on the side of a bag of Kraft cheese!  I have added quite a few more ingredients, and changed the method quite a bit, however, so it now hardly resembles the original recipe. My guests have always enjoyed it - and I hope that you like it as well!

Quick and Easy Chicken Enchiladas

(Printable Recipe  - click here)

Ingredients:

A Clever Graduation Gift That's Always Appreciated!

We received a graduation announcement in the mail this week. It is that time of year. Final exams will soon be written; caps and gowns are ordered; parties are being planned... and announcements are being addressed and mailed by graduates everywhere.

When I was growing up, high school and college graduations were celebrated. Now, middle school (a.k.a. junior high school) and even kindergarten graduations are recognized, although usually not to the same degree as higher education.

Receiving a graduation announcement does not always require a response, however people frequently give a card and/or gift. When my daughter graduated from high school, we were overwhelmed by the

Life Changing Magic: Well hello, little black dress!

In one of her Just Typikel blog posts, my friend Kelly recommended the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Condo.  I trust Kelly's opinion and her enthusiasm about the book was contagious, so I purchased a copy for myself.

It was worth every penny - and the space it takes up in our bookshelf!

The Japanese Art of Decluttering

The premise of the book is that once you employ the correct techniques to tidy your home, it will stay that way.  Marie Kondo promises that if you use her step-by-step “KonMari method” of decluttering by

A Perfect Match

Yesterday, on National Tell a Story Day, I wrote a sequel to a fiction story I published about a month ago. Part I of the story was created using a Words for Wednesday challenge, so I decided to use word prompts to create this part as well.  

The main character of my story is Mindy, a compulsive shopper and hoarder of cleaning products. You can read Part I, “Cleaning Products Don't Work Unless You Use Them” by clicking here.

When we left off, Mindy had given up trying to adhere to her self-imposed shopping restrictions regarding the purchase of cleaning items. She had even come up with a scheme to justify her actions. Today, we catch up with her five months after she had that epiphany.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Do NOT put that there.” Mindy stopped the delivery man as he started to set down the box he had just carried in to her new office.  “How do you think I will be able to close the door?”

“But - where should I put it? There just doesn't seem anywhere else for it to go.”  The young man looked bewildered and a little stunned, as he looked around the room that was stacked from floor to

Saturday Spotlight #16: The Weekend

Today, my Saturday spotlight is shining on 

this weekend.

For the first time in over a year of writing this blog,
yesterday I experienced a bad bout of writer's block!


I spent a couple of hours trying to come up with a
decent idea for this post, and none seemed just right
for today. Lack of sleep and poor planning definitely played a role, so I decided to just provide you with some happy weekend wishes today.

A picture is worth a thousand words anyway, right?

I hope that your weekend is wonderful ...

... whether you are working or playing,

... participating or spectating.

... traveling or staying home, 

... rain or shine!

Whatever your plans, Happy Weekend!

Are you doing what you want to be doing this weekend?

If not, why not?

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

Arbor Day - the History, a Project and a Quiz.

Happy Arbor Day!

The Latin word for tree

Did you ever wonder how Arbor Day got it's name? It is simple, really - Arbor means tree in Latin, and Arbor Day is all about celebrating trees. 

History of Arbor Day

The first formal Arbor Day holiday was observed in 1872. The Nebraska State Board of

I Always Wondered What I Would Do

The Genovese Syndrome - or "Bystander Effect." 

I vividly remember hearing a story told by my sociology professor in college about the assault of a young woman (Kitty Genovese). The event was witnessed by a large number of people in New York City, yet not one of them made a move to intervene or call the police.  I was appalled.

Secretly, though, I also worried. In a similar situation would I be like those people, or would I have the guts and morality to do what was right?''

Put to the test.

A few months ago, I was put to the test. My husband and I had flown many miles from home

The Nurturing Nature of Bloggers

Over 1000 bloggers and videographers come together on the 20th of every month to raise their voices for compassion. The #1000 Speak for Compassion topic this month is “Nurturing.” 

I don't usually publish on Monday, so my post is a day late. Other amazing essays on this topic can be read by searching the hashtag #1000Speak.

 The word nurture is defined by the Merriam Webster on-line dictionary as “the care and attention given to someone or something that is growing or developing; to help someone (or something) to grow, develop or succeed.”

Nurturing occurs between parents and children, caregivers and patients, humans and animals, young and old, friends, and co-workers. Nurturing can be a factor in nearly any relationship, and the examples I could have drawn from to write this article are endless. Instead, however, I would like to

Saturday Spotlight #15: Wise Words

I'd like to share one more picture taken during our drive home from Denver to Montana. 

This quote, inscribed on a granite panel of the Indian Memorial at the Battle of the Little Big Horn Monument, made a big impression on me.

Photo taken at the Indian Memorial, Battle of the Big Horn Monument

Easier said than done, but I hope that humanity will try.

Have a happy and peaceful weekend.

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

A Glimpse of the Empty Nest - Part Two

The transition from parenting to becoming empty nesters can be a little daunting. We recently experienced a “trial run.” To read “A Glimpse of the Empty Nest - Part One,” click here. Today I am publishing “Part Two” …

Stopping overnight in Sheridan, WY. on our way home from Denver to Montana had been an excellent idea. After the outstanding meal we enjoyed at Frackelton’s, we still weren’t very hungry the next morning, but wanted some good coffee. We found a fun little coffee shop on Main Street and lingered there a while, deciding there was still no real reason to rush home.

Custer's Last Stand

It was a beautiful day for a drive. We’ve driven by the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument any number of times without stopping, but this time decided it was a good day for us to be tourists. 

A week ago I asked if anyone could identify the location of these photos.