Today's Joy: Observation, Physical Form & Appreciation

Spoke to a good friend via Facebook this morning, Reader, and we both savored having a little unhurried time to just enjoy the day. God does such great work that it really is a shame to not look around us and observe the fine points & minute details of His creation.

Look at this wildflower, for example. Look at those cute little curly things in the middle. See how the edges of the petals look like they've been clipped by pinking shears? True, I don't know the technical names of the flower parts. I don't have any botany facts to back up my observations. But I do know when I see a little miracle of creation in front of me. What a beautiful form for reproduction to take! Of course, you'd never see the intricacies or appreciate the complicated design of such a thing if you didn't put down your cellphone or laptop or tear yourself away from a meaningful discussion with the GPS to notice the physical world around you.

In 2010 it is very possible to spend the majority of your day effectively living in your head and not engaging the world around you at all. But if you're like me, Reader, something inside you becomes uneasy when you realize the day has gone by and hours of physical sensation have become a blur. I believe God wants us to live spiritually, to reach beyond our physical limitations. But he also gave us these physical bodies, the ability to analyze & appreciate and all these amazing sensations for a reason. What a waste to leave your body effectively "parked" at a work station for hours while your mind is off tripping through cyberspace or daydreams.

Flesh & blood vessels are not designed to be docked like an Ipod. We are designed to interact and be vital. We're designed to love and learn and touch everything around us with an insatiable curiosity to know. We are capable of so much more than sitting and staring while our neurons fire and we play out some alternate existence on a flat screen.

There is a synergy, a compilation in creation that melds our physicality with the power of our thoughts. I suspect that partnership is our true medium. And I bet that's the experience God wants us to have. A balance between all that freaky mental energy rolling around in our heads and the amazing capability for expression in our physical form. It really is mind-boggling.

Long story short: take out your earbuds for a moment, Reader. Pull your hands off the keyboard. Turn off the blue tooth for just a few moments and take a deep breath. Close your eyes and listen to the environment around you. Listen to what you were oblivious to a moment ago. Listen to your own heart beat. Then open your eyes and look around.

What do you see?

Today's Joy: Warm Weather.
Slept with the windows open last night, Reader, and was it delightful! Then woke up this morning and saw blossoms opening on the magnolia tree in the backyard. Here are a few shots of them and some of the other goodies popping up in the garden. Hard to believe it's already the middle of April! Am suddenly in the mood to put on a sundress!

Photos (top to bottom): magnolia, daffodil, yellow tulip, crab apple blossoms, daffodil, pink tulips, magnolia, white tulips. April, 2010, Hampshire, IL.

Today's Joy: Real Chicago Pizza!
Reader, there were many things I loved about living in Dallas. Folks there really know how to have a good time and they definitely know how to make a girl feel welcome. But, bless their hearts, they wouldn't know good pizza if it walked over and slapped 'em with a slice of pepperoni.

So, when it comes to hankering for the real deal, I am beyond glad to be back in Chicago, where good pizza is a way of life. Tonight, Brother treated us to a thin crust with sausage, mushroom and black olives from Maciano's on Rte. 20, west of Elgin. Oooooohhhhhh.....sooo good! Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Today's Joy: Finding Out the IRS Has to Pay Me!
Well, Reader, despite procrastinating on my taxes until the day before the dreaded April 15th deadline, I have now officially met my obligation to the U.S. govt. Thanks to H&RBlock.com, my state and federal taxes were prepared & e-filed in less than an hour. And for a lot less cash than I normally pay (approx. $66). Sweet!!

The only thing that could make today even better is the big, fat refund I'm gonna get! I love it when the IRS has to pony up the cash.

Bread Pudding with Bailey's Irish Cream Sauce

Today's Joy: Bread Pudding.
Reader, I've made bread pudding for three days in a row now: once on Sunday for my monthly Dinner & a Movie Night with K & AJ; then on Monday night for my co-worker, C, & his Ohio friend and once again tonight for my family.

3 delicious nights of puffy, golden-brown, nutmeg goodness! 3 decadent evenings of whisking butter, whipping cream and Bailey's into a rich sauce to pour over bowls full of piping hot pudding. Ow. My tummy hurts just thinking about it! But, oh, it was sooooo good.
So, here for your enjoyment is my thrice-tested bread pudding recipe. A little love from my kitchen to yours!



Bread Pudding
3 & 1/2 cups milk (2% or Vitamin D)
1/4 cup (half stick) butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 loaf white bread, torn into pieces
1/2 to 3/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coat 9x12 glass casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and add bread pieces.
Sprinkle raisins over top of bread.
In a sauce pan, heat milk and butter over medium heat until butter is melted and milk is hot.
In a large bowl, whisk sugar, nutmeg, salt & eggs. Then stir in milk.
Pour sauce over bread, making sure all of the bread gets moist.
In roasting pan large enough to hold casserole dish, add approx. 1 inch of boiling water.
Set casserole dish in hot water bath and put roasting pan in oven.
Bake for 45 minutes or until pudding is puffed & golden brown on top and knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove from oven & let cool for 5 minutes.
Serve warm with sauce recipe below.
Makes 8-12 servings.


Bailey's Irish Cream Sauce
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream*
pinch of salt
dash of nutmeg (optional)

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in other ingredients. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly, while whisking frequently.
Pour 3/4 of sauce over hot pudding & allow to soak in.
Spoon into individual bowls and drizzle with remaining sauce.
Serve immediately.

*Can substitute bourbon, rum or flavored liqueurs.*

Today's Joy: New Friends.
Was invited to a lovely dinner by a new co-worker. Great food, good conversation. Had a wonderful time! Reader, these days there are few things I love more than an evening spent cooking and gabbing.

Today's Joy: Little Signs.
Reader, when God really wants to get through to me about something, he gets on the radio. I love to sing in the truck & always have music on while I'm driving. It's my traveling sanctuary--a place I can think on problems and ruminate about life. So, it makes perfect sense that God often speaks to me through timely songs, lyrics & commentary when I really need encouragement. It's kinda nice too--like having your finger on the pulse of the universe. Anyway, I was wrestling with a particular question today and He sent me direction through one much-needed song, then another (just in case I didn't get the point). I love that He has a back-up plan. And I love His sense of humor.

He sent me another message today too. In this glorious spring season, I admit I've been feeling the recent loss of love pretty keenly. Seems especially hard when everything around me is growing or being renewed. But hope arrived today in the form of an attractive Nigerian man who came into my store and asked for my number. I turned him down--am not ready to think about dating right now. But His message was clear. I won't have a broken heart forever. And that small comfort is all I need. Whatever you're wrestling with, Reader, may God bring you some peace today too.

God is closest to those with broken hearts. ~ Jewish Saying

Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak; sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go. ~Author Unknown

Quotes courtesy of The Quote Garden.

Photo: April Daisies, Platt Hill Nursery, Carpentersville, IL.