"Happy Easter" JP

A Good Thing

"Jeanne @ Collage of Life is the custodian of a wonderful tradition called The Brown Paper Book Club.  It's an easy thing to participate in, all you have to do is to read a book and when you have finished, wrap it up in brown paper, toddle off to the post office and send it to someone whom you think might enjoy it.  Then, if you feel like it, go to Jeanne's blog and record which books you have paid forward so others might have a couple of reading suggestions for their booklists.
I've forwarded a few dog-eared paper backs that were given to me by my best friend Petra to sister Victoria in BC.  Some I have liked, some I have loved, one I adored.  No matter...the principle is just one of sharing.  It's a little thing, but then again life is made up of little things and some of them make you feel really good.  Jeanne is a clever lady; she knows this and works energetically to communicate such in her multifaceted blog.  Do yourself a favour and read a little of what she has to say about life at Chateau Mango in Vietnam, and if you have the time and inclination, join her Brown Paper Book Club.  As Martha would say...It's a good thing."JP

all pictures, except for the last three, cheekily borrowed from Collage Of Life!

Unwelcome Houseguest

"as I move through this Spring Cleaning Process, I have discovered a dirty, sneaky houseguest who slunk into my life about twelve years ago and set up home.  She's everywhere in this house; a greedy, needy, untidy, unwelcome squatter.  She stalks the night hours invading my sleep and whispering her cruel, restrictive messages into my head, coercing me to repeat negative patterns that keep my heart in a vice.  Well, Fear...you are exposed.  I see you and all your garbage and I'm chucking you out.  With every wipe of a cupboard, with every sweep of the floor, you and your evil ways are slowly, but surely being cleaned out of my life.  Oh no, I won't miss you in the least, because, beautiful Joy and loving Abundance are sitting on the doorstep, happily, eagerly, waiting to take your place."JP

On Your Way!

Vernal Equinox

"spring cleaning...let the games begin.  Moving out the dust and dirt accumulated in all the nooks and crannies over the winter months of closed doors and windows.  Not just in  house, but also in heart.  It's time to visit each room and lovingly clean every square inch.  Discard the old and useless, that which no longer serves; things, practices and beliefs.  Make room for the fresh and inspiring.  Put on a mantle of cleanliness, openness, willingness.  Welcome Spring, welcome new beginnings..."JP

Lemonade to Lemons

"yesterday turned from a fire-anam-cara-soup-day to a drive-all-over-God's-half-acre-in-lousy-weather-day.  I compensated when I finally reached home by baking these precious gems...lemon ricotta cookies...sort-of like the italian version of a madelaine.  More cake-like than crunchy...delicious with a cup of tea."JP

Ingredients

Cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. 

Celtic Wisdom

" post-winter/pre-spring weather outside this morning. Mother Nature wearing her schizophrenic mantle.  Four leaf clovers, corn beef and cabbage soup on my mind today.  Rummaging around to find my copy of Anam Cara to cuddle up on the couch with this afternoon.  Warm blanket, fire ablaze, John O'Donohue's beautiful words, then recipes activating memory-aroma receptors in my brain."JP

Exhaustion...

"exhaustion...such an interesting physical phenomenon.  You try to complete one more rote task and it sweeps over you like a tsunami. No matter the consequences. Putting one foot in front of the other is impossible.  And so it goes tonight.  Scooped up and swept home to the intimate surprise of a delicious dinner in front of a roaring fire, a chilled glass of wine to accompany and suddenly the arms of morpheus surround me."JP