On Faceless Selfies and Difficult Decisions

by Judy

 I have loved this month's theme of faceless selfies, and not just because I really dislike being in front of the camera.  I've realized that one can learn a lot more about a person from a faceless selfie than from a "regular" selfie. We've learned that some of you are dog lover's, tea lover's, scrapbooker's and butterfly farmers.  Without ever seeing your face, we know you!

Faceless selfies are a creative way of telling our story, and is probably something that we should all continue dabbling in throughout the long winter to keep our photography muscles flexed. The above photo is my faceless selfie. Hot, black coffee (no sugar please), piles of files and paperwork, notes to myself,  empty wrappers, well, just a horrible mess that unfortunately is engulfing me. Right now I'm working at the end of my kitchen table because the desk in my home office is so overflowing I had to move to a new spot. I couldn't bring myself to photograph the actual mess that is my desk. Ugh.. Which brings me to some sad news to share.  

I have been juggling a lot over the past year, juggling more balls than I am skilled to juggle.  Over the past few months, I've been dropping a ball here, a ball there, my rhythm has been off, and of late I feel like I'm trying to juggle with one hand tied behind my back.  

Sometimes in life we have to walk away from things that we love till we get a better grip on all the stuff of life.   This will be my last post here at FOL .  I am so blessed to have been a part of this group, and so unbelievably blessed to know all of the women here at Focusing on Life.  I consider each of them a friend for life.  It's been a joy getting to know all of you too, through your kind comments and photos that you've shared.  Thank you.  

No, life doesn't always go the way we want it to, but even throughout my stress and turmoil, I know that I am a lucky woman in so many ways.   My FOL sisters have told me that if there comes a time that I can collaborate with them again, I am welcome to do so.  I am keeping that warm thought in the back of my mind as I say so long, for now. 

XO  Judy

It's a Tea Party!

by Linda

One nice thing about grand daughters that are growing up way too quickly is that they love to have "real" tea parties. With "real" tea and "real" cake.

I am more than happy to oblige!

I do enjoy tea. Hot or iced, mostly iced because I live in an oven   On a cold winter day, is there anything better than a hot cup of tea?

No, I think not.

Of course, for a proper tea party, you must have cake.

Because who doesn't like cake?

anyone? anyone?

I think not.

Occasionally this poses a problem. What kind of cake? One grand prefers chocolate, the other prefers icing vanilla. I am a plain vanilla kind of girl but we can't always have our way now can we?

Or can we?

This recipe found it's way onto my Pinterest feed. It is simply an old-fashioned sugar cake, nothing hard or fancy about it. I thought it looked like a good cake for a tea party.

What I really loved about it was that it was baked in a cast iron pan.

Raise your hand if you have an old cast iron pan that makes everything taste better!

I inherited this one from my in-laws many years ago. My FIL always said that it made the best fried chicken. I use it exclusively to bake cornbread. It always makes perfect cornbread. Other baking pans have let me down but not this cast iron pan! Perfectly cooked cornbread with the best crispy edges ever!

So I printed out the recipe and immediately baked this cake. Because I am so patient.

This cake, baked in cast iron, bakes up very nicely and makes those crispy edges! I'll have an edge piece please! A little jam would be nice or lemon curd. Very slightly sweet, just perfect with tea. or coffee. or nothing, don't judge.

My chocolate lover has hers with Nutella and my vanilla lover just licks off the powdered sugar. Trophy husband likes this cake and he hates cake.

Come on over! I saved a piece for you! Better hurry!

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Sugar Cake

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1  cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I think almond extract would be the bomb too!)

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

4 large egg whites

confectioners sugar for dusting

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-cream shortening and milk for about 3 minutes

-in a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt

-add flour mixture to creamed shortening/milk in 3 batches, blend well after each addition

-add in egg whites, beat till combined

-bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, test for doneness

-cool completely, dust with powdered sugar

**I lightly oiled and heated my cast iron pan, I put a little (about 1 teaspoon) shortening in it and put it in the oven while it preheated, when the shortening was melted, I removed the pan from the oven and swirled the oil around to lightly coat the pan everywhere.

Enjoy!

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Only 10 more days for this months Focus! Faceless-selfies! Have you tried it? So much fun!

Can you tell what I like to do from mine?

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Tea is quiet and our thirst for tea is never far from our craving for beauty.

~James Norwood Pratt

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Thoughts on the New Year

by Linda

Well, I don't know about you but 2016 kinda snuck up on me and smacked me up side the head and said "hey, wake up dumbass"

Or something like that.

It really did sneak up though, it seems as if 2015 just flew by. As I pondered the year past, the highs and lows, the dids and did nots, I was feeling a little like I let the year fly by. My shoulda, coulda, woulda list was making me mad.

What to do?



Totally my fault, I lost focus on a lot of things I enjoy. Started looking at half empty glasses, started seeing more negative than positive around me.

sheesh, I was a real peach last year

Never one for New Years Resolutions, I decided that I needed to make one this year.

Be nicer, at least be happier

Children have a natural ability to play, be happy, look at the bright side of things. I was reminded of this during our after Christmas trip to New Mexico. This year we drove into Goliath. (that huge storm that reeked havoc on most of the country just after Christmas) The plan was for everyone to arrive before the blizzard hit. The reality was trophy husband and I made it but our 2 kids and families faced the beginning of the storm for their last 100 miles. Trophy husband bravely ventured out to try to help them to the cabin. There were ditches and guard rails and snow-packed, icy, very hilly roads and abandoned cars. Everyone, except me, was forced to stay overnight at a seedy, rip-off hotel.

It was to say the least, a very eventful first day.

When our grands made it to the cabin the next day, they were filled with joy and happiness. There was no sign of the troubles from the day before. When they returned to school and were able to share their Christmas break with their class, both of them told the same story-they talked about driving into a blizzard, winding up in a ditch and staying in a hotel! They were most excited about the hotel!

kids!

This year I'm going to do more of the things that make me happy. I'm going to see the glass half full every time. I'm going to focus on the positive.

I'm going to be excited about staying at a hotel.

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This months Focus - Faceless Selfies - has me excited! It's a little like a still life but it's all about the person behind the lens. It's a picture that the people that know you will nod and say "that's so her".

Try one! Share it with us!

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