what's love got to do!?

I'm not ready: That's my determination. I'm just not in a place that is conducive to receiving romantic love in my life. In the world scheme of things, one could say it's much too soon anyway-it's just two years that I've been completely on my own. I am working at developing my career, muddling through the miasma of children making choices and feeling where this life is headed....time is not on my side right now for a relationship! Search though I may, it will not come if the time is not right-I am engaged in building myself and this is SO good. Therefore, I plunder on. Loving every minute. Investing in my moments to find greater self acceptance, richer connections with those in my life right now, and a fuller understanding of what I'm doing here on earth. Every step does not make sense. Every foothold does not remain true. But positive, progressive, fulfilling forward motion is happening: And that is enough. That is more than enough! It is a tremendous blessing and an eye opening joy each morning. It is the reason for living and breathing and my thrill in smiling and thanking God each and every morning. And, if a romantic partner should enter the picture while I am so thoroughly soaking up my life, then more power to him! He can join me on this ride and revel in the joy of finding the next foothold alongside. Jump in! in love. trish.

chutney love

I have a lifetime resistance to chutney. I think most people who weren't born in england or one of the british colonies does. What exactly is chutney after all?! Chunky jam? Mushy spiced fruit? Apple sauce gone terribly wrong?!

Alas, I broke down my inhibitions and delved into the wide world of chutney thanks to a recipe in More Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin. Simple and delicious. And now I'm armed with an understanding of the world of diversity that is chutney and all of its uses! A bit tangy, usually with some heat and yes, a chunky jam thing, chutney has become a house favorite of mine; and I'm working on convincing the guys of its virtues!

This recipe originally called for pears. I've adapted it to use the market fresh blueberries I can't resist! I think any fruit would work beautifully and tasting and playing is only going to make everything better ;)

I will be eating it on fish and chicken-and imagine someone would love it on a pork roast!-dipped by crackers or pita and shmeared on sandwiches. Yum. Just yum. in love. trish

Blueberry Chutney

3 lbs blueberries (about three pint baskets)

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne

2 tsp ground coriander seeds (buy whole and get your pestle out again :)

1/2 c prosecco, lime juice, or lemon juice

1/2 c white vinegar (or any combo of liquid that sounds appealing to you!)

1 1/2 c chopped dried apricots (prunes?)

2 TBLS minced fresh ginger or 1 tsp dried/ground

Cook all of this together in a large pot over medium heat. Stir every once in awhile to keep things moving. Once the berries are broken down and the liquid begins to thicken (1 hour?), add 1/2 c brown sugar. Cook and stir until it is sludgy but not liquidy (10-20 more minutes). Scoop into sterilized 8 oz jars (I used three) and process in boiling water to seal correctly for storage (see canning jar directions or google canning fruit)

Store for two months before opening-it's worth it I promise! Think Christmas hostess gifts....

pear chutney

packages

Tell me please, have you had in your life a package so beautiful, so tantalizing, so enticing that you spent days, weeks-heaven forbid-months, imagining the glory it must contain within? For, how could such a perfectly wrapped package possible hold anything but the most scrumptious, enlivening, richness on the inside as well?! And yet, once open the contents are uninspired, ill-matched trinkets that soon tarnish all the tantalizing wrapping that held so much promise and intrigue.

Or, perhaps you tell just the opposite: That your packages have all been wrapped in plain paper; boring grocery store gift wrap that blends into the background and is nearly unnoticable. Yet, on the inside, if time is taken to open these plain wrapper gifts, you discover that the contents are glorious; a wonderful surprise of synchronized harmony and perfectly placed parcels.

Is there a place, a time, a package that comes together? The wrapping beautiful, enticing beyond imagination and once open, the contents more wondrously harmonious than could've possibly been dreamt?

Tell me, does it exist? If one is working toward creating the best packaging for themself while honing the contents to meet the delicious expectations of the recipient, can the gift exchange occur?

Perhaps we just have to continue to open them all. No hesitations. No limitations. Until we receive a glorious one and find equally wonderful interior to match :) in love. trish!

contents perfected. Just right.

my wish

That the choices I've had to make for myself-that directly effect him-will be seen as building blocks, not brick walls. That the anger he feels will manifest into learning and growing and appreciating; not 'chip on my shoulder', 'glass half empty', 'world's out to get me' living. That my inability to protect him, to nurture him, to carry him is not seen as an inability to deeply love and care about him. That some burned bridges can be rebuilt. That he will see his gift, the one born to him alone, and he will not just walk his path, but fly! That he find love for himself; and trust in himself; and faith in himself. That he believe. in love. trish.

theo chocolate, freemont district gem

(Yes, we got to wear cool hats! :)

Oooooh. Chocolate. Dark. Milk. Coco nibbed. Cardomom infused. Oooohh. Chocolate. I feel a limerick in there somewhere! My sister treated me to a tour of the Theo Chocolate factory in Freemont last week. Treat is the operative word here! With my preschool niece's warm hand tucked into mine, I strategically picked each delectible morsal offered...and then some. For those of you unfamiliar with fare trade, the basic premise is that the product comes from a country that is child labor free and the world base pay is met, rather than a meager wage. Theo is the only chocolate factory in the US that supports both of these and also works the chocolate from bean to bar. A wonderful experience with two of my fav people on the planet :) in love. trish.

(I'm wearing the lelli kelly's :)

theochocolate.com

take time

today. to lie in the grass and feel the july sun soak your skin. to gaze up through the canopy of a sky-reaching tree at the passing, gentle clouds. to listen, really listen, to the summer soaked laughter of children dancing through the sprinkler. a toast to summer. to this one and only day. in love. trish

on my horizon

the Dalai Lama believes that when everything seems to be going wrong all at once, something wonderful is attempting to come into being and is protecting itself by distracting us so that it can be born as perfectly as possible.