Here it is, once again, the season that both excites us and depletes us, as we hurry along day after day, formulating lists, scurrying along from store to store, buying, purchasing, wrapping and waiting. We wait for a day in which we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, with our family and friends, unwrapping gifts, singing songs, and eating a bounty of food. I myself have been caught in the excitement, moving from one store to the next, looking for items that will bring a smile to the face of…See More

 As a young girl I often heard my Mom say things to my Dad, or to no one in particular, such as: "What happened to all the bananas, I just bought a bunch yesterday and they are all gone!" My Dad was a big guy, and yes, he did eat a lot of bananas!  Or when my Dad, who loved to entertain and cook Italian food for his family and friends, invited over twenty people into our home for a meal, my Mom would react with anger, "Why does he always do this!!!!- he is going to take over my kitchen!" My…See More

For the last two weeks I have been teaching a class inspired by Melody Beattie's bookMake Miracles in Forty Days. One of the exercises I had the class do last week was to make a list of all the people they resent or are unable to forgive, including themselves. Writing a resentment list is one of the things that Melody suggests you do in her book. Melody states: "having a heart blocked with resentments is the number one barrier, according to many experts, to achieving what we want in life, to…See More

My Son's SurpriseLast week I was feeling melancholy for the second day in a row, not sure why, just knowing that everything was good in my life and there was no glaring reason for these feelings. I was praying and asking for the feelings to be lifted and was not having any luck. It was approaching lunch time and I was in the bathroom and yelled down to my son, Michael, in the kitchen: "what would you…See More

On this Valentine's Day love is in the air, as well as chocolates, flowers, fancy dinners, and jewelry. We look for love from our children, spouse and friends. As children we are taught to search for love outside of ourselves, encouraged to find a mate with all the qualities suited best to us. So we spend many years searching for the perfect love. It isn't until many years have passed, and perhaps through much pain, that we begin to realize the love we are seeking was with us all along- inside…See More

risotto, oh risotto, what will your theme be-porcini mushrooms,or shrimp,or lemons squeezed by me!See More