Festivals Galore - Friendly Reminder

If you live in middle Georgia, there is no doubt in my mind where you will be this weekend. There is SOOO much going on, and you better believe I will be in the middle of it all!

Tomorrow is a big event in my immediate family's life - The Mulberry Street Festival. This event is (correct me if I am wrong.. I am winging it here..) 42 years old. It's a HUGE fine arts and crafts festival, showcasing pieces from all over the United States. There will be fine art, jewelry, clothing - you name it. Basically if it is hand made - it will be there and for sale! The best part? The event is free. It starts tomorrow morning (9am) and also takes places on Sunday.

Yours truly will be volunteering at the event. Ma mere is the president of the Middle Georgia Art Association, and this event is a huge fund raiser for them.

ALSO - the Cherry Blossom Festival wraps up this weekend. Activities will be going on all over down town Macon - with the International Food Court, the Street Party on Saturday night, as well as the big carnival at Central City Park.

Tons of other little items will be taking place - AND, make sure to patron the local shops and museums downtown. Show a little love and support.

I want to apologize for the late post. I have been extremely busy today and honestly, a little sleepy.

I promise to post tons of pictures of the weekend!

Until next time...

Easter's on Its Way

Photo: Easter Setting - Etsy.com

I always have a tough time trying to decide what to do for Easter. Outside of the going to Mass, indulging in a big family dinner, and distributing the Easter baskets - it's hard for me to come up with decorative ideas.

I see items in the store, but I rarely ever buy them. You would think that those of us that are Christian, we would have tons of Easter decor, but no, unlike Christmas, Easter takes a back seat. However, it's not like that every where. My exchange students from Europe told me that Easter was a much bigger holiday than it is in America, and honestly it should be. Isn't our whole religion based on the mystery that is Easter - the risen Christ?

With that being said, I want to get more into Easter in the future. I did a littl research for you, and I hope you like some of the ideas I came up with. I plan to take these and use them in the future.

Luckily, you have a few weeks until Easter - now here are a few tips and tricks you can use to really impress your family, as well as invoke the "Easter" Spirit.

Photo: Easter Garland

I found this wonderful idea on Crafty Endeavor's Website

An Easter garland is a wonderful idea for decorating, and it looks fairly simple. I think this would be a fantastic craft to do with your kids!

Easter Wreath with Plastic Eggs & Yarn

From Sweet Survival Blog, I found this super easy idea for a front door wreath. (I am sooo not crafty.) You are basically taking those plastic eggs and tons of yarn! Check out her website! 

Bunny Bark

From the blog of "Home Based Mom" I found this DELIGHTFUL recipe for Bunny Bark. What a wonderful way to use some of that candy - and I think it is a great gift idea!

Robin's Egg Bird Nests

I found the BEST bird nest recipe from the High Heeled Hostess - using Robins Eggs - MY FAVORITE!

Home Made Egg Dye

First of all, I found a WONDERFUL BLOG called - Dreamy Whites (About French Inspired Living.) But on this blog is a wonderful tutorial on making your own home made Easter egg dye. They got the idea from Better Homes & Garden. If you have the time, and are feeling creative - this is a one stop shop for that old fashioned way of dying eggs.

Chocolate Covered Peeps with Sprinkles

Another GREAT idea from Home Based Mom - Chocolate Covered peeps with sprinkles! Can you imagine taking these to the office on Monday morning? You would be the hit! (THAT's how you spice up a PEEP!) 

Easter Egg Vase

Better Homes and Gardens had a BEAUTIFUL idea for a centerpiece on your Easter table - putting eggs in the bottom of a vase, then adding the flowers. Simple, yet elegant.

Easter Bunny S'mores

What a cool gift idea - Easter Bunny S'Mores. You can find the details on this idea from the blog Creative Gifts For Holidays

Easter Vase

Here is another fabulous idea for a center piece from Mix Mingle Glow!

Fancy Easter Setting

Of course we can count on Southern Living to give us the best ideas for a perfect Southern Easter Place Setting. Idea - Colorful natural containers pair prettily with classic silver pieces to create an elegant spring tablescape.



Robin's Egg Place Cards

Southern Living brought us another fabulous place setting - Robin's Egg Place Cards. Decorate your spring table with a speckled surprise. A tiny nest makes an ideal place card holder when filled with an egg that’s been dyed a soft shade of blue. For an authentic robin’s egg look, use a toothbrush to add delicate markings with brown craft paint.

 Those are just a few ideas for Easter! I hope you get a chance to try a few - I think your family will absolutely LOVE THEM!

Morning Rituals



*Photo source ysvoice,tumblr


Today feels great, as far as I am concerned. I have a better handle on my emotions, better idea of what is next, and just a sense of my needs versus my wants.

Also, I did not allow any black clouds to hover last night.

As I was sitting here this morning, checking out what's going on through FB and Pinterest, eating my bagel with pineapple cream cheese and drinking my water - I got to thinking about how much I miss my morning rituals.

Remember all of my posts about my sun room? My daily routine before work? The hours I would spend in there on a Saturday? The Sunday afternoon naps with the rain pounding on the skylights?

Man.. I sure do miss that room, and my rituals.

Wherever I move, I hope to create more rituals.
I want to get up and read the morning paper. Not online, in my actual hand. I want to pour my cup of coffee or espresso and just digest what is going on in the town I am living.

I want to make sure I read my morning meditation as well as take a moment to thank God for yet another day.

If time is permitted, go for a quick, brisk walk - just to get the blood flowing.

I need more my morning routines.

What do you do in the mornings that help you get through the day?

Bridging the Gap through Food

The egyptian and I in Alexandria, Egypt

"Breaking Bread" is a common term used to imply that two or more parties of different backgrounds or view points are coming together to find some sort of common bond. I have always loved exposing myself to other cultures and ideas, and I was very lucky that it was encouraged from such a young age.

I can remember as far back as when I was a very young Brownie Girl Scout, I attended my very first "Taster's Tea," an event created to expose children to various cultures through food, song, dance, and art. I remember wearing a can-can costume (yes, at 7 or so, I became a cabaret dancer from France *sigh*,) and trying my best to represent the country of France, a place I have been obsessed with ever since my first ballet class. I even remember as a young child, going to eat at a local American restaurant, where my father would deliver milk, and our family would sit for a while chatting with the manager, a Cuban man. I was always fascinated by his accent and his story. I could go on and on sharing with you the various people I have met over the years from various countries - and what I found was one common theme always arose - Food.

Usually our conversations were over food, or about food. What better way is there to share the very element of your daily lives than by "breaking bread" with your fellow man? It's a common denominator we all share - the need to eat, and converse and enjoy one another. In my own family, dinner time was a time to share our stories. We would aways sit at the table, and each person basically went around the table and shared their day, their experiences. Food was at the center of it all. My mom, though I often complain about our ability to butt heads more than anyone around, was always trying to expose us to other cultures through food. We would all talk, we would be exposed to something "different," and we would either smile or spit it out - but it was always an adventure.

When I decided to host 14 different exchange students in my home, I was also exposed to a wide variety of food. From curry dishes to Thai noodle, from Pavlova to Vegemite, from Moldovan wine to Belgian chocolates - each country was represented, and somehow became apart of who I am.

The egyptian & I at Green Plaza - about to eat in Egypt.

When I married the egyptian - my entire life would be forever altered. Where I grew up, in Macon, Georgia, it was rare to meet anyone other than American - maybe a few Indians or Pakistanis, perhaps a sprinkle of Mexicans or Salvadorans, and maybe one or two Filipino.. but rarely a Middle Easterner, or in the egyptian's case, a North African/Arab.

When I flew to Egypt to meet his family, one of the biggest adventures for me was being exposed to all of the different flavors. I was not familiar with many dishes, even though I tried as best as I could to do my research.

My first night, the very first item I tried was a dry type of cheese, that to this day I do not know the actual name, just that my husband calls it "Turkey Cheese." I took a bite, and after a minute or so, I became a little alarmed. I thought the slice was stuck in my throat. It felt as if it was just sitting in my esophagus. I told him I thought I was choking, and the entire time, I kept laughing to myself thinking, "Great, I fly to the middle east by myself and die by eating cheese. Of course." Later, I discovered it is just a really, REALLY dry cheese. LOL. Needless to say, after that little incident, the food "ice" was broken.

Since my return, and after my husband has treated many friends to his amazing food, I have been asked by so many people to share some of the recipes. I decided I will do just that. I know there are a few that are already on the blog and easily searchable, but here are a few more I think you might enjoy.

But before I do that, I just wanted to remind each of you to break out of your comfort zone. Try other foods. Be adventurous. Be spontaneous. Open up your eyes and mind to a new way of thinking and eating. I have friends from all over the world, and even more friends that have parents from other cultures - how exciting to be invited into their homes, and "break bread."

Here are some examples of me - bridging the cultural gap - through food.

Dinner at a friend's home in Alexandria, Egypt. We were eating on the balcony over looking the street, just a block or so from the Mediterranean Sea.

Talk about fresh - straight from the farmer to your neighborhood stand. This was at the corner of my husband's street.

Fresh fruit right under my husband's home

Lunch - bread "pie" - cheese and white honey

The falafel guy

The neighborhood butcher

Typical breakfast - tahini, greek yogurt, bread, pepsi. ;-)

Bridging the Cultural Gap

I hope you enjoy these recipes!

Yogurt Salad (a staple in our home)
1 Cucumber   2 garlic cloves   8 green scallions   2 1/2 cup strained greek yogurt   5 tbsp chopped, fresh mint   plus extra to garnish   salt & pepper   to serve with flat bread (similar to pita bread)

Trim the cucumber, but do not peel. Cut the cucumber in small, neat dice. Finely chop the garlic and scallions. Beat the yogurt in the bowl with a fork until smooth, then fold in the cucumber, garlic, scallions and mint. Season the mix to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let chill in frig for one hour. Serve with flat bread.


Hummus bi Tahini (the RIGHT WAY! ;-) )
14 o. canned chickpeas drained and rinsed   1 garlic clove, crushed to paste with a 1/4 tsp salt   3-4 tbsp tahini (pronounced in Egypt as Taheena) also known as sesame paste   2-4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice   1/4 tsp cumin   extra virgin olive oil for thinning (opt.)   plus extra to serve   salt   warm flat bread   garnish with - paprika and chopped fresh flat - parsley

Put all but one tbsp chickpeas into a food processor. Add garlic and process to a thick, coarse paste. Add 3 tbsp of tahini and process again until well blended. Add 2 tbsp lemon juice, the cumin, and some salt to taste - process until creamy. Taste and add extra tahini &/or lemon juice as needed. For a thinner dip, with motor running drizzle in olive oil until you reach the desired consistency. To serve - put in a bowl and add an indention in the middle - put the remainder of chickpeas there, and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with  paprika and parsley. You can refrigerate for up to three days.

Salata Tahini (My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE)
1 large garlic clove crushed to a paste with 1/4 tsp salt   4-6 tbsp of water   4-6 freshly squeezed lemon juice   5 1/2 ounces of tahini (sesame seed paste)   1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley   salt   warm flat bread

Put garlic in a bowl and stir in 4 tbsp of water and 4 tbsp of lemon juice. Use a fork to whisk in sesame seed paste, then season to taste with salt. Taste and add extra paste and lemon juice until sauce is a smooth, pouring consistency. Stir in parsley. Transfer to a bowl. *sauce thickens when chilled.

Falafel (THE RIGHT WAY! ;-) )
** this is a looong recipe - but it was given to me by a wonderful egyptian friend.
1/4 c medium bulgar wheat   1 day old pita torn into small pieces   1 tbsp boiling water   1 onion quartered   4 garlic cloves   4 tbsp freshly chopped flat leaf parsley or cilantro   1 cup dried fava beans rinsed and soaked in cold water for atleast 12 hours   1 1/2 tbsp of ground cumin   1/2 tsp ground coriander   1 tsp tumeric   1 tsp ground sumac   1 tsp baking powder   2 tsp salt and pepper   sunflower oil for deep frying

Put bulgar wheat in a bowl, pour boiling water to cover. (The wheat will cover the water.) Cover the bowl with a folded clean kitchen towel and let it stand for at least 20 minutes. Put pita bread in a separate bowl, sprinkle with boiling water and let it soak in.
Put the onion and garlic in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add parsley and process again until finely chopped.
Use hands to squeeze bread dry. Drain beans, rinse, shake dry, and add to food processor along with bread. Process to a slightly grainy paste. Scrap the mix into a large mixing bowl.
Use your hands to squeeze the Bulgar wheat dry - add to this bowl: cumin, coriander, sumac, turmeric, baking powder and salt & pepper to taste. Use your hands to mix  all of the ingredients together , then shape into balls, each about the size of a walnut.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the frig for about 30 minutes.
Heat the oil for frying 350 - 375 F. Add falafel in batches to avoid over crowding. Turning over after 6-8 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. Squeeze lemon wedges over them. Serve with any of the above dips!!

Middle Eastern Flat Bread - (Khubuz)
1 tbsp yeast   1 tbsp sugar   2 1/2- 3 cups warm water   5 cups all-purpose flour   1 cup whole wheat flour

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/2 a cup of water. Let stand 2-5 minutes. Place both flours in a large bowl, and combine with some of the water and dissolved yeast. Begin mixing and kneading , adding water sparingly until a smooth dough results and the sides of the bowl are clean.

Cover with a towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until it doubles in size. Cut orange sized balls from the edge of the dough and form them into smooth balls.  Cover and let them rise for 30 minutes. Roll into 1/4 inch thick flat loaves and allow them to rise again for 45 minutes.

Place the loaves in a 550F oven on a baking stone (like a pizza stone) on the middle shelf. 
As soon as the loaves puff up - remove them to cool. The loaves can be frozen and heated later if needed. Makes 10 loaves.

Za'atar Flat Pie
**Use can buy some Za'atar seasoning from Olive Forge Herb Farm in Haddock, Georgia for a GREAT price.

2 tbsp Za'atar   1/4 cup chopped ripe tomato   1/4 cup chopped onion   1 tsp Olive oil   2 tbsp lemon juice   1 loaf unbaked bread (see above)

Punch out one unbaked loaf of bread dough and spread za'atar on top as follows:
Mix the za'atar, tomato, and the chopped onion with oil and lemon juice. Roll the dough in a circular loaves 1/4inch thick.
Pour the za'atar mix on the dough and smooth it evenly over the surface, pressing it gently with a fork. Place the loaf on a cookie sheet and bake at 550f for 1 minutes, or until the edge of the loaf is golden.

Chicken in Pita Bread with Sumac
**you can purchase ground sumac at Olive Forge Herb Farm in Haddock, Georgia

1 lb skinned chicken breasts   3 cups onion, sliced    1 tbsp olive oil   1/3 cup sumac    4 whole wheat pita breads

Cover the chicken in water and cook for 20 minutes or until the breasts are done. Remove them from the water and cut them into 1 inch thick pieces.
Saute the onion in oil until transparent, then mix the chicken with the onion and sumac.
Cut each pita bread in half. Stuff each half with the chicken-onion mixture. Place the stuffed halves next to each other in an oiled baking pan and spray with olive oil. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

THEN.. for my husband's standard meals of all:
Ful Mudammas
1 clove of garlic   1/2 cup lemon juice   1 medium tomato, diced
1 small chopped onion   1/2 cup finely chopped parsley  1 tbsp olive oil   1 tbsp ground cumin   pepper to taste   2 1/2 cups cooked fava beans

Mash or press the garlic, mix it with lemon juice and add it to the remainder of the ingredients to the beans. You can, if you want, mix the lemon juice , olive oil, and the seasoning with the beans, leaving the vegetables in a separate bowl. Ful is eaten with bread and raw onions. Stuffed into a small pita, it makes a delightful sandwich.

That is just a sampling of a few tried and true recipes. Those are the staples- basics of a middle eastern/Mediterranean table. I can bring you more... if you want more, let me know in the comment section!

Now - let's break bread!

It's a springy kind of weekend

Talk about a wild week! From visits to a chiropractor, to suffering through some stomach trouble, to basically just laying around in pain - to one fun filled Saturday! Yes, I finally got moving around, and I feel so much better for it.

Now I am going to share a few photos with you of my life - as spring slowly approaches!

Autumn and I decided to go camping last weekend. The good news - we did not need to go far, since our family lives on the edge of a National Forest. This was last Friday or Saturday night. My thought was - sleeping on the ground might be good for my back. Ha!

We brought the essentials - A barbie dream car, complete with barbie and Edward (yes, that's Edward from Twilight,) and of course our handy/dandy flashlight. I also added my iphone (which I layed there playing on Twitter most of the night,) a bottle of water and my latest book that I have been reading slowly, but trust me - it is good. (Hard to read when you are wincing in pain.) Like my black furry blanket? ;-)

Goofy girly- ready to go to sleep.

One night during the week, Autumn was sitting on the back of dad's truck - about to help him haul some trash to the dumpster. (Yes, we are so far out in the country that there is no curbside service.)

Meet the Georgia Pine Tree. Yes, they smell sweet - and yes, this is a pollen - RIGHT BEFORE IT COVERS EVERYTHING.

My nemesis. PS - My car is totally yellow now, and my eyes are watering.

Dad is preparing to plant brocolli.

Plus we are starting some tomato plants

Meet Mr. Pookie. Typically, he is not a friendly cat. It has taken me YEARS to get him to let me touch him. Turns out, he is sweet.. but you have to earn his trust

Thursday night was "Fine Art's" Night at Autumn's school. This is her right before her performance.

This is Autumn right after her performance. I call this the fall from the high. Her adrenaline was zapped.

Later, my sister treated her to whatever dinner she wanted- we went to Huddle House. LOL

The sun was setting - and it looked gorgeous.

Yesterday, my friend Lisa and I got up and met for Breakfast fairly early.

After breakfast (I had a waffle topped with strawberries with a side of scrambled eggs with cheese,) we headed the 15 miles into Macon (my hometown,) and went to the fundraiser for "Friends of the Library." It's an old book sale (or used books, or books pulled out of circulation at the library.) This was the last day of the sale - and here is what was left. I got several books - all for $13 (and in hardback!)

I got:

Words You Should Know by David Olsen for $1

An Incomplete Education by Jones & Wilson for $1

The Book of Virtues by William Bennet for $6

Total Meditation by Susannah Marriott for $5

It was Saint Patrick's day and the first day of the Cherry Blossom Festival. I thought Lisa's car paraphenalia was appropriate - she had both shamrocks and cherry blossoms on hand.

Next - Lisa drove us to the Cherry Blossom Festival - one of the activities was at Central City Park.

We were greated by the camel. I loved on him for a little while. He/she kept licking me. LOL

One thing about Cherry Blossom time - Macon is given permission to go bold or go home. The tackiest pepto/hot pink mesh bows are every where. SERIOUSLY.

We enjoyed an art exhibit of Georgia landmarks

I took this pic for all of my Northern friends (aka Yankees.) LOL Yes, we deep fry anything - even Banana Pudding. ;-)

I did not partake.. but I did take a picture for you. ;-)

Tons of performances going on. Mostly dance teams competing.

Turkey legs - something you could smell all over the place. The smoke from their smoker had a delicious scent!

We crossed the park (there is a little bridge) and made our way to the dog show...

On the way, we discovered tons of bikers - they just met up, parked and were hanging out..

See the rebel flag? Yep, it's the south.

There was a trolley service - this is Sweet Melissa. Named after the Allmand Brother's song. Yes, they are from Macon also.

Here is Lisa risking my life.. LOL - Drinking her lemonade, texting.. all the while with no seat bell. Rebel.

Here I am - a little more pink than before.It was hot as hades - mid 80s with high humidity.

We ran some errands- then went for lunch at about 3pm.

Here is another pic of Autumn at her performance. The little guy to her left, is Dominic - her best friend.

Pork skins, Sweet Peach Iced Tea and Kettle Corn. Yep - I'm back home.

Frisbee dog show!

I hope you enjoyed my little Saturday. What did you do yesterday?