The Life of Mrs. Miles

Barb's Rope RV Element
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I know this will be a highly specialized element – but I love filling requests and I recently had one from a blog reader – so here you go! I'm still taking requests, if you have something you would like to see. I did have a comment (anonymous) who asked where one might download some of my older elements. I don't have them hosted anywhere, but if there might be something in particular you would like to see revived, let me know and I'll go up into the (virtual) dusty attic and dig it out for giveaway again.

Awwwwwwwww - I got and awwwwarrrrd!

I gots another awarrrrddddd (skipping about in my bloomers with flower petals flying all about and its a nice spring day with downy ducks and sunshine – well you get the picture of how excited I get to recieve an award) My friend and constant encourager and nice/naughty blog buddy (lil angel/w/horns) KIM B. Thank you Kim for considering me oh so worthy, and for managing to award it at a time I really needed the 'pick-me-up'... I will pay it forward to someones 'peshul and nice and wunnerful in the next blog entry! Case you might be one of the one or two people who have not visited Kim before, you better scoot over there right quick to see what kind of a high quality goodie she's giving away today!

What an odd, odd week. I feel sort of “Alice in Wonderland” - like. Nothing is as it seems, seems to be the rule of everything happening about me. I'm hardly trying to be creative as whenever I open a graphics program all the inspiring ideas I've been ruminating on simply fly out of my head, and my hands hover over the graphics tablet and my mind goes “Ack!”

Good rule (reiterated to me by so many of you wonderful, encouraging freinds, family and folkses) is to just take some time off. So I'm taking your advice to heart and am going to allow myself till the end of this week to just play! Thanks so much for each and every comment and email I've been sent. I've used the past few days to clean house (mentally and physically), cook, walk about in the wilderness (mentally and physically too), read lotsa magazines, chat and pray with friends, have deep, hot bubble baths. Why is it we have such a difficult time allowing ourselves “time off” - especially in my case where I have no formal physical job? Perhaps this is part of the problem. If I had a 9-5, I would then consider the after hours and weekends as 'time off'

So I've been treating myself to little forays outside, camera in hand, seeking to capture what November has to delight me with. I did a little study of my own shadow as it falls on the carpet of golden leaves, and on the trunk of a ponderosa pine tree. I'm borrowing this idea from my friend Becky's photography. She captured her own shadow in a terrific photo last fall. Had I not seen hers I wouldn't have thought to consider my shadow an actual subject.

Remember that old, old song "Me and my Shadow"?

I was studying the bible this morning, in particular, Matthew 8:5-13. Several things popped out at me, that I'd not considered in any depth before.

5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help.

6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."

7 Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."

8 The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.

11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

The first thing which caught my attention was the fact that this Centurion would be bold enough to step out of his comfort zone, and in faith, approach Jesus to ask him to heal his servant. In the first place, this servant must have a special place in the centurion's heart and home to have caused such concern from his 'boss'. Even accepting the fact centurion valued his servant, its amazing that the centurion would step out in boldness to approach Jesus for the healing. Wow. So we have two powerful things going on here – compassion and faith.

The second thing that stood out for me today was the centurion's acknowledgement that he held Jesus in such high regard and admiration that he felt he did not 'deserve' (verse 8) to have Jesus come under his own roof. He respected Jesus, and believed so completely in Him, that he was convinced he could be helped merely by asking Jesus and accepting His words as an order done! Wow x2! Imagine that – it completely sets Jesus apart from any 'earthly' physicians, that he heals with merely a word! Ahhh, but even at that, it took the faith of the Centurian to complete the task – as you'll see in my next rumination.

So, the centurion has asked, Jesus has listened and the bible tells us that Jesus was... astonished, was amazed, was taken aback, marvelled at, was surprised, was surprised at, did wonder, he wondered, was surprised and did wonder at, and wondered. (depending on which version of the bible you're reading from) Yes, Jesus was impressed with the centurion for having such complete faith, so much so he used the centurion as an example to those who He was speaking to – and he urged the centurion to go home to find his servant healed.

This was my first time reading that Jesus was amazed BY anyone. I don't rightly know if there is anywhere else in the bible that Jesus speaks to other people about being impressed by a man. The only other time I can locate Jesus being amazed by men, it was Him being amazed at their LACK of faith. Do you think we have a faith Jesus will be impressed with? I would love to know your thougths about this!

Coconut Curry Turban Squash Casserole

So, I mentioned that |I was cookin' yesterday... I made seven little casseroles and man, were they delish! I'm sorry that I can't give you any actual measurements because I didn't write them down... I have a bad habit of 'guess-tulating' when I am whipping up for the first time. This is what I did, as far as I remember:

I chopped up a whole bunch of cubes of one of those turban squashes, then I mixed 1 can coconut milk, chicken stock (dry) curry, slight touch cumin, squish of fresh ginger - in garlic press, and poured it over the cubes in the bottom of cute (single serving) casseroles. Next, I browned a lb of gr bf and three cloves minced garlic... then I ground up 2 tbsp coriander seed, 1tsp 5 spice powder, black pepper, 1 tbsp curry in a coffee grinder and tossed that in. Then I mixed up another can of coconut milk, 1/2 can water, more chicken stock powder, more ginger squishes and 1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley. Then, I added two packages of the dry bread cubes from a stuffing mix (but not the spices) Oh, and 1 tsp dijonaisse kraft mayo and several over-generous shakes of grated parmesan cheese. Mix well! Then, I topped the squash with the stuffing/beef mix and placed it ontop of the squash cubes. This filled the dishes nicely. I put the lids on, put them all on one big cookie sheet, poured water all round them to 1/2 inch depth and baked for 45 min at 350. Then I took the lids off, baked for another 10 min. Mmmm – this recipe was a hands-down success!

A couple of things to share with you after my gleaning of magazines yesterday:

I find my skin gets very dry (and itchy) in winter weather so I was interested to find a tip to help with this. The article I read says to add a few tablespoons of cider vinegar to your bathwater. Another article said to have short showers, rather than bathing at all. Have you heard of other remedies for this problem?

Now, the second thing I'll share an idea which might prove valuable to all you EARLY shoppers (ya YOU Valinda...) (Valinda also gives a neat freebie almost daily folks - better check in there too!) I thought a very neat gift idea – personal stamps! I mean, what else do you buy for someone who has anything? So I just thought to put that idea out to you now, before the big rush is on! If you're in Canada click here

and if you live in the USA click here

I also found a site which I thought was neat and helpful for parents who feel passionately about certain things regarding their children – and would like to 'advertise' so... so if you are such a parent e.g.

Radical parents aren’t afraid to take a stand, especially when it comes to their children’s health. Some parents don’t want their kids to eat sugar. Some parents don’t want their kids' vaccines to contain junk like mercury. Some parents don't want their kids to ingest steroids in their dairy products. Some parents are radical parents which means they aren't afraid to stand out from the rest. Then you will love the 'please don't feed my sugar' website, where they offer t-shirts which hit the point home in a visual way. Just click here to visit.

One way-confused cricket... outside in NOVEMBER?
GO HIBERNATE, little insect!

I heard a few articles on NPR Radio in the past few days, which you might find interesting! The first article is about some cockroach robots that a scientist created so that he could study the habits of cockroaches. I won't go into details because you can listen to the entire article (in audio) by clicking here.

The other article is one about a new (and very strange) dinosaur which was discovered in the Sahara desert recently – called a Mesozoic Cow – it is built entirely different than any found before! Just click here to the article and see a rendition of what scientists think it must have looked like.

Well, I guess I've said 'nuff for today. If I don't blog again over the weekend, have a good one folks!