Captured the essence of my work

Photo used as slide at conference. The conference director nicely captured what I do and thoughtfully has allowed me to use the photo

Black Friday

Shopping in the AM (early early!)

Afternoon for editing Book Three in the Legacy of Honor Series.

Do you schedule work days for special projects and errands? I find that when I do that, the scheduling acts like a deadline and I’m more likely to stick to it.

Planning for the big meal

So, I started yesterday. Made the cornbread and the biscotti (one of two backup desserts) The cornbread needs to be stale. It’s for the stuffing. Someone else is bringing the one we will serve. The biscotti need to age in an airtight tin.

This morning I made the green bean casserole and the sweet potatoes. They can sit overnight with no harmful effects and now I don’t have to worry about the crowding the oven.

Later today I’ll make the place cards and set out the Bible verse we will read and the meat thermometer.

I won’t set the table tonight because I want to use it for some staging of the pots and pans and serving pieces I will need. I have already selected which pans are to be used for what item and what serving pieces and utensils will be used. May iron the cloth today or wait for tomorrow. Clth napkins are already ironed but I may not use them–I know many of you think paper is tacky, but I like it.

Tomorrow I will make the stuffing early then get the two turkey breasts ready. Corn and peas will go into a dual veggie dish that can cook and serve and will be done in microwave while dear husband makes his special mashed potatoes. The toaster oven will handle all of the hot appetizers. Cold ones will be set out early tomorrow to allow them to get to room temp by serving time.  Guests arrive at 3. Hopefully we will sit at table by 4

Decluttering the LR and cleaning the bathroom–tasks for tomorrow AM

Will take  deep breath several times during all of the prep to remind myself of all that I am thankful for–God, family, friends, our country’s freedoms. After all, that is really what this holiday is all about–Giving Thanks.

Appetite for Dreams

A young boy came to the Taste of Home food fair in Myrtle Beach on Saturday–11 years old, wearing a chef’s coat with his name on it!

The outing was a present. He came with his Mom. He wants to be a chef–what great parents–feeding his dream. I hope to interview him for this blog soon. Stay tuned and look to your own little ones. Feed their dreams with craft supplies, art and music lessons, cooking lessons, theater classes, whatever it takes–even if their careers take a different route, the creative help you have given them will never be wasted. Best of all, they will lovingly recall the way you fed their dreams.

Watch this space !

Looking for some guest bloggers to give writing advice and performing advice to fellow workers in these fields. Meantime, if you have not liked my author page on fb, please do: Joan Leotta, Author and Story Performer

Facebook foodies unite!

I just joined ,by liking, three new fb food sites. Two in Italian, ricette della nonna, and a wellness one for moms. Will keep you up on how they are. Still working on lowering cholesterol without resort to statins.
Blood test in a few weeks.

My Friend’s Success!

Happiness is not only your own success, it is enjoying the joy of others, especially that of your friends. My dear friend Edith Edwards, just won an honorable mention in the WHQR holiday writing contest!!! Her work will be shown all over. She is a wonderful writer and I am very glad for her!

Late in the day

So, it is late, but I am posting why I blog. Reason: to serve my readers and let you know about work ops and my work,
Today the tip is not to look at the progress of others. Simply applaud others and polish your work until it’s glow brings light to the audience for which it is intended.

There’s a word for it!!!

Every food writer literally eats his/her work.

Julia Child, the doyenne of our field, has left us a wonderful legacy of verbs to use to “spice” up our writing.

A fellow writer sent me this link and I am sharing it with all of you–ok, so I’m late. Couldn’t figure out how to get it to the blog from FB on my ipad and so had to wait until I was on laptop.

Enjoy!

http://diannej.com/2013/100-verbs-for-recipes-from-julia-child/

My Father, WWII Vet

If my Dad had lived, he would have been 103 this year. He became a citizen at age 21, having arrived in this country at age 11 with his parents. He was 33 when as an unmarried man he was drafted in 1943. He left his business, had to sell it as a loss, and went to serve his adopted country. Her served in the Pacific and rarely said anything about his service. Once he said he had helped liberate a hospital formerly held by the Japanese and that what he saw was awful. Yet, years later he was able to say we cannot hold the people responsible for what is done in war. He would have loved the story Unbroken and its theme of forgiving enemies. He would have enjoyed meeting my Japanese friends, who I met through helping at an ESL class.

Today is a time when we remember those who fought for freedom. Let’s also remember that war is awful and we all have a need to heal the wounds war leaves.