It's winter and it's cold . . . brrrrrrr (remember that little tune from Sesame Street?) I decided to go out in it this morning. For heaven's sake, I have LOTS of wool to bundle up in and if I don't wear my boots on days like today when WILL I wear them? I listened to a podcast (an interview with Wendell Berry) and trudged around my small walking loop. I wore the alpaca vest I finished last year, a yellow pixie hat I made long ago and my old down jacket. I was warm enough and the air smelled like sparkles. I have the sleepy hibernating feeling today. I am a bear. I am going to crawl back into our fleecy bed later on. It's the Sabbath, you know.
One of my "why's" as Kelli and I continue with Weight Watchers is because I want to feel calm and relaxed whenever I can. Extra weight weighs us down (duh) and makes us feel a little off kilter (not calm!) so I mean to remind myself that feeling relaxed and peaceful will make me feel more like myself, the "myself" that my Creator intended in the first place.
Different foods make us feel certain ways, too. What do you think "calm foods" might be? Tea? Eggs? Soup? Do tell.
Last night I placed two whole chickens on cans of tea (we have wire things that are made for this purpose) and covered them with a honey garlic rub. They were tasty! I made gravy because Kelli and the girls were here as well as Jenny and Scott and their girls. It was good. I used to think gravy was super tricky because meat drippings are a must, but it turns out they really aren't a must. Simply browning a bit of butter and flour can take the place of drippings, add water and a seasoning cube (very salty, I know) and there you have it! I had a package of country gravy mix which looked ugly in the picture, but actually tasted pretty good. I added that, too.
Are you going to bake heart cookies for Valentine's Day? I am not. They make me feel seasick, but they ARE beautiful.
Happy week to you, sweet reader.
I hope you give and receive heaps of LOVE.
28 comments:
Your snow photos are pretty and make me nostalgic for my snow childhood in Wisconsin. All that pure white crunchy snow, snow angels, snowball fights. I like "the snow smells like sparkles".
Eating less in Winter is extra hard because cold weather naturally makes us want to eat more. It seems the body craves carbs when it's cold.
I used to bake heart-shaped cookies when my children were in elementary school but no longer do. I did bake Gingersnaps yesterday ( not heart-shaped though).
Ok first of all, WEAR THOSE BOOTS GIRL THEY ARE COOL! But if it were me, I'd stay in. Shoot, you can wear them inside! I live in Indiana and we have had snow, snow, snow. And now we have ice. Ice has covered everything. Yesterday I went outside to put some scraps in the compost bin and I fell down the steps and it hurt bad! So I'm staying in and staying cozy. I LOVE your reason for sticking with Weight Watchers. I actually started My Fitness Pal today. I want to stick with it so bad and lose the dreaded....let's see...10 pounds for the last four years....plus! I'm going to think Calm...I love calm....losing weight is a calming feeling! I never thought of that way before. Thanks!
Would a latte' be a calming food? Probably not. (sigh)
Cindy
Your winter photos are beautiful but my favorite is the nice warm winter boots. I should have a pair like that to keep my old toes warm.
How I love reading Amelia Bedelia to my 4 kids when they were young. I too need to undust my house. I even had a bad dream about how the dust took over my house. It was pretty scary...
I've made a similar gravy like my mom would make when I was a child, by carefully browning flour in a skillet, stirring constantly so it wouldn't burn and adding the butter, water, and seasoning. It was delicious.
Take care and stay well.
HUgs, Julia
Oh Pom Pom, it does look cold there. I Just don't know what to say about which foods right now. I have been so out of control and mad at myself since Thanksgiving. So determined every morning to eat healthy, but by lunch time I am making fudge and popping corn, with real butter. :( That country gravy mix is really good. I use it because I can no longer make good gravy??
Smells like sparkles. :) Why I like you. We are having a huge windstorm, so my world is very white. No heart shape cookies here, but I am making home made fudge for my hubby. Calm foods? For me, it would be deli sandwiches and iced tea. Have a great week. :) Kit
Happy Sunday! It looks like your walk was beautiful and cold!
Your wintery photos are beautiful dear Pom Pom. While I sit here & swelter & Oh the flies are so bad this summer. They annoy me so! Dear Timothy ... such a sweet face. No I am not going to bake fancy things for Valentines day - we are going to have The Mr's favourite which is shrimp cocktails in fancy little dishes :-) Simple & easy. Have a lovely week my friend Xxx
I love all of the cold pictures of white and blue. It is really cold there isn't it? I am so happy that Timothy is a cat of comfort.
I am in agreement with you on the calm. That is why I am staying on whole 30 because I am calm and at peace. Which is why I have to forego all of the Valentine goodies.
It is nicer to have good health.
Have a wonderful time today doing what you love to do.
I like your snow covered photos, I agree with you about going for a walk in the snow with your snow boots. You can always warm up later. Sensible puss resting next to the heater. Have a good week, Cathy x
It looks very cold over there, but oh how beautiful the photos are. Yes, I imagine walking a mile in snow would feel like two. It would certainly help the pounds disappear. For me there, is nothing quite like a cup of tea in a pretty teacup to help me feel calm.
Love the quotes and look at that snow. Yikes. Hibernating sounds good. Snow makes for beautiful photos. Good for you for moving ahead with WW. Hope your new week is wonderful.
That's an excellent question -- what foods make you feel good? Nuts, I think. Dried fruit (in moderation). I like to make some rice, and put a slice of cheese on it, for lunch. Too much bread makes me feel yucky. Popcorn with a little salt always sits well on my tummy at night. Timmy does look toasty there. Yes, the Sabbath is a perfect time for a good afternoon nap, a rest after that fresh air and walk :)
I can't imagine what cooking with a can of tea is? can you elaborate? it sounds interesting and like it should be something British if it involves the word tea! I loved seeing your snow this morning, we have hardly had a scattering here in the South. We did get hailstones three times yesterday though, that was exciting. I think calm food for me is definitely soup (we have slimming world products and they do a frozen pea and mint soup that's delicious) also avocado is calm food for me, with a little vinaigrette in the hole where the stone came out, nearly everything favourite of mine seems to be green! I do hope you do well on your diet but that you enjoy it, hope it doesn't mean deprivation so much as finding healthy ways to prepare the things you enjoy! Betty x
Nothing lovey-dovey going on here, I'm afraid...We're not old romantics like that.
What foods make me feel good? I love a veggie/ chicken curry. With naan bread, and onion bhajis - which aren't so good! But really, any food shared with friends is best! Whether it's a simple supper or something elaborate.
Another thing I love is tapas/ mezze type food - lots of little dishes of yummy things made to be shared.
So cold, Pom Pom! But lovely photos and no, I am not going to bake heart shaped cookies for V-day. I am not a V-day person but am sending cards to the kids. Stay warm!
It is wonderful taking a walk in the snow. : ) I'm glad you got out there and walked!!
Ice cream always makes me feel good. : )
I won't be baking any heart cookies either.
I thought about making valentine sugar cookies but I'm not sure yet. It's really time consuming but I think my family will enjoy them. Happy week to you too! ♥
xx Beca
It looks like your world is as covered in white as ours is here. Keep cozy if you can. It's beautiful but a little too much!
Sounds like you were nice and cozy on your walk. I would probably freeze to death on that walk.
Your chicken sounds really good - I rally like the chicken on a can. My son makes it for me when I go up to his house.
Timmy has the right idea on keeping warm.
Have a great week.
Hugs,
Mary
PS your pictures were wonderful.
It looks so cold! Not sure about cookies; we've a church meeting coming up and I'm supposed to take dessert. We start The Daniel Plan in March so not sure what dessert should be. Any suggestions, chirp, please!
I like your reasoning about why you are doing Weight Watchers. I feel much the same way (only I'm doing WW)...but I am working on losing those extra pounds I'm carrying around. Tea is very calming for me.
Did your snow melt off today? Ours has all but melted. Just in time for the next storm. I am entering my 4th year of Weight Watchers. It is the only program where I have lost weight. Seldom miss a meeting. Love Free Style! Tim just looks so sweet. He's found a good place!
Happy Valentine's Day, PomPom!!
As I type, we are already in Valentine's Day, but by the time you read this it will be for you, too! I'm not making heart cookies, but I did think about it....
I'm proud of you for taking a walk in winter!!!
Wool and down are the best materials for keeping warm, aren't they? I like your boots. We've been eating things that are good for us and so calming foods for me are a nice salad with nuts or seeds and varied veggies. I like soups too.
I did make heart shaped sugar cookies for my kids and grandkids. I only ate 2. I like them, but sugar is not my friend, so I'll continue to stay away from sugar. Fruit works for me though.
Happy LOVE day!
I love that Old English proverb! Speaking of needing to dust the baseboards and sweep, I find, at my age, I don't even SEE dust on things. I know it's there, but it's at just the right distance that I can't see it with my bi-focals. With my tri-focals, yes. But I only use those for computing, lol. I'm feeling bear-like as well. Happy hibernating! (Tim has the right idea.)
You know when you said that about sparkles...oh my goodness so know what you mean.
Your description of the chicken made me drool!
The snow pictures are exquisite!
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