The earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your readings have been to you like the blast of a trumpet.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans. It is lovely to be silly at the right moment. Horace

 When we are fulfilled, we radiate energy toward others. When we are empty, we pull energy from others. Fill yourself up and let it pour over. Cory Muscara

I tell you, in this world being a little crazy helps to keep you sane. Zsa Zsa Gabor

 You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. 

― John C. Maxwell

Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.     
― John C. Maxwell 

 

If we are growing we are always going to be outside our comfort zone.
― John C. Maxwell 

 

Do not take the agenda that someone else has mapped out for your life.
― John C. Maxwell  

 

The realization that life is absurd cannot be an end, but only a beginning. Albert Camus

To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work. Mary Oliver

Carrot Cranberry Rice Slaw

Make a rice salad with grated carrots and a dressing of olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar or wine vinegar. Add dried cranberries (or raisins) for color and sweet notes. Sprinkle with Adobo sesoning (garlic onion oregano black pepper salt).

Cook a pot of (Royal brand) brown Basmati rice. When cooled off combine with the carrot slaw. It makes a fabulous salad. 

“Someone once wrote that musicians are touched on the shoulder by God, and I think it's true. You can make other people happy with music, but you can make yourself happy too. Because of my music, I have never known loneliness and never been depressed.”

― John Berendt, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

“For me, Savannah’s resistance to change was its saving grace. The city looked inward, sealed off from the noises and distractions of the world at large. It grew inward, too, and in such a way that its people flourished like hothouse plants tended by an indulgent gardener. The ordinary became extraordinary. Eccentrics thrived. Every nuance and quirk of personality achieved greater brilliance in that lush enclosure than would have been possible anywhere else in the world.”
― John Berendt, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

 “If you go to Atlanta, the first question people ask you is, "What's your business?" In Macon they ask, "Where do you go to church?" In Augusta they ask your grandmother's maiden name. But in Savannah the first question people ask you is "What would you like to drink?”
― John Berendt, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

 “Keep a diary, but don't just list all the things you did during the day. Pick one incident and write it up as a brief vignette. Give it color, include quotes and dialogue, shape it like a story with a beginning, middle and end—as if it were a short story or an episode in a novel. It's great practice. Do this while figuring out what you want to write a book about. The book may even emerge from within this running diary.”
― John Berendt

The list is the origin of culture. It’s part of the history of art and literature. What does culture want? To make infinity comprehensible. It also wants to create order—not always, but often. And how, as a human being, does one face infinity? How does one attempt to grasp the incomprehensible? Through lists, through catalogs, through collections in museums and through encyclopedias and dictionaries.

UMBERTO ECO

Aloo Gobi: The dish gets its name from the Hindi words, – ‘Aloo’ translates to ‘potatoes’ and ‘Gobi’ to ‘Cauliflower’.

 https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/aloo-gobi-recipe/

The Minnesota Star Tribune Article

https://www.startribune.com/ice-agent-charged-with-two-felonies-for-pointing-his-gun-at-motorists-during-operation-metro-surge/601727970

Basil Dip Dressing made by Luz

My friend Luz made this and served it on roasted potatoes and roasted peppers with kale. 

A creamy, high-protein basil dressing is made by blending 1 cup of cottage cheese, 1 cup packed fresh basil, 2-3 tbsp lemon juice, 1-5 (cored) fresh garlic cloves, and 2 tbsp cider vinegar or wine vinegar (or water). Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor, until the dressing is completely smooth. 

It serves as a healthy, low-fat alternative to mayo-based dressings, perfect for salads, dips, sandwiches or spreads. 

For a thinner dressing, add 1-2 tbsp of water or olive oil. Enhance with 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, or extra fresh herbs like parsley or chives. You can also add more oil for emulsion. 

Plain Greek yogurt can be used in place of cottage cheese. 

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 or 5 days.