Every now and again I adopt a word and use it every chance I get. The latest additional to my overused repertoire is "glorious" and what a beautiful word it is. The last few weeks have been filled with glorious moments culminating in a glorious evening spent with my husband at The Ravenous Pig celebrating nine glorious years of marriage. The tagliatelle pasta with lump crab and broccolini...glorious. The roasted cauliflower...mmmmm super glorious. The company...glorious squared. Peppered in between my word adoption and last night were several glorious days at the markets, a glorious girl's day out at Renningers with Morgan and friends and the creation of the glorious first draft Kickstarter video by the queen of gloriousness...Morgan Claytor. It is a lucky girl that is able to find so many life moments to use and abuse the word "glorious". A gloriously lucky girl I am!
Many hugs,
Kathy
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
I Found The Antidote!
Last night I went to dinner with my friends, Tom, Susan and Chris to the bastion of comfort food, Cracker Barrel. Who would have thought that hidden amongst the biscuits, dumplings and cooked to death veggies would be the miracle antidote to the post holiday blues. It was found in the eyes of an old friend fighting a battle with stage 4 colon cancer, who spent the evening far more concerned about the job possibilities of my son Ryan than the challenges before him and his fight. It was found in the concerned eyes of his wife, Susan and the blissful spirit emanating from his son, Chris. The antidote was found in perspective.
I have been blessed with far more than my fair share of friendships in my life. But none mean more to me than Tom, Susan and Chris. They are like part of my family. They are hurting, but still full of hope, love and concern for others. They get it. They know what is important in life. And even though I occasionally lose sight of it...I do too. Time for a happy dance.
I love you Tom. I love you Susan. I love you Chris.
Many hugs and prayers,
Kathy
I have been blessed with far more than my fair share of friendships in my life. But none mean more to me than Tom, Susan and Chris. They are like part of my family. They are hurting, but still full of hope, love and concern for others. They get it. They know what is important in life. And even though I occasionally lose sight of it...I do too. Time for a happy dance.
I love you Tom. I love you Susan. I love you Chris.
Many hugs and prayers,
Kathy
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The Best of Times...The Worst of Times
As usual, irrational post holiday blues have smacked me in the face...right at the start of a new year when hopes and dreams should be in abundance. I know I have much to be thankful for and yet somehow I have succumbed to a whiney, pouty dance instead of my usual happy one. And trust me, it is not pretty.
A month of so has passed since my last posting. Postings have always been quite cathartic for me. So here I am ready to lighten my load. The blues cocktail I have concocted includes a liberal pour of the usual financial woes with an added splash of concerns over my son's job prospects and my mother-in-law's health. Throw in a dash of a cluttered house and sleepless worry filled nights and you get the "perfect" blues elixir. Uug! Whew...I feel better already. All the heavy "worst of times" are off my shoulders and floating out in cyberland.
Now for the good stuff. The happy dance like its 1999 "best of times". Heartsong Cookies has been nominated for Best of Edible Orlando in the Best Cookies category. Once again I am in touch with my inner Sally Field...they like me, they really like me. I was joyful to be nominated...celebrating with a Toasted Walnut Fig Cookie...or three. But then the fierce competitive side of me kicked in. I wan to WIN, WIN, WIN! So I need your help. I need you to VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! I need everyone you know to VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! You can access the survey at www.edibleorlando.com.
Thanks for your support, tolerance and many hugs,
Kathy
A month of so has passed since my last posting. Postings have always been quite cathartic for me. So here I am ready to lighten my load. The blues cocktail I have concocted includes a liberal pour of the usual financial woes with an added splash of concerns over my son's job prospects and my mother-in-law's health. Throw in a dash of a cluttered house and sleepless worry filled nights and you get the "perfect" blues elixir. Uug! Whew...I feel better already. All the heavy "worst of times" are off my shoulders and floating out in cyberland.
Now for the good stuff. The happy dance like its 1999 "best of times". Heartsong Cookies has been nominated for Best of Edible Orlando in the Best Cookies category. Once again I am in touch with my inner Sally Field...they like me, they really like me. I was joyful to be nominated...celebrating with a Toasted Walnut Fig Cookie...or three. But then the fierce competitive side of me kicked in. I wan to WIN, WIN, WIN! So I need your help. I need you to VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! I need everyone you know to VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! You can access the survey at www.edibleorlando.com.
Thanks for your support, tolerance and many hugs,
Kathy
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
A Full Life
To say my life is full would be a woeful understatement. It is as overstuffed as the dinner plate of a very round visitor at an all you can eat buffet. Piled a mile high with good stuff and a few choice nuggets falling off the edge. I love my very full life and I wouldn't want to live it any other way. Problem is I keep eyeing the dessert bar and I want to add a few more treats. There just is no more room!
Since my last posting I took a glorious trip to Chattanooga to celebrate another fall wedding. I paid my first visit to Rock City and loved every gnome filled minute. I spent quality time with my husband and followed it up with some quality time with my son. Yummy meals with family and friends were in abundance. Every spare moment was spent baking cookies, selling them at the markets and receiving way more than my fair share of hugs.
On Halloween I turned another year older, wiser and happier. My friend Linda gave me a gift of treats from Bath and Body Works, one of my favorite stores. The name of the scent she chose could not have been more perfect...A Charmed Life. That pretty much sums it up. A Full, Charmed Life is mine.
Many Hugs,
Kathy
Since my last posting I took a glorious trip to Chattanooga to celebrate another fall wedding. I paid my first visit to Rock City and loved every gnome filled minute. I spent quality time with my husband and followed it up with some quality time with my son. Yummy meals with family and friends were in abundance. Every spare moment was spent baking cookies, selling them at the markets and receiving way more than my fair share of hugs.
On Halloween I turned another year older, wiser and happier. My friend Linda gave me a gift of treats from Bath and Body Works, one of my favorite stores. The name of the scent she chose could not have been more perfect...A Charmed Life. That pretty much sums it up. A Full, Charmed Life is mine.
Many Hugs,
Kathy
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
The Comings and Goings of Life - Days...far too many to count
The comings and goings of the last few weeks have left me with a severe case of writer's block. The times have been good...very good. And the times have been sad...very sad. I am wrestling with where to start, what to say. Finally an overused Nike mantra popped into my head this morning..."Just Do It!". So do it, I am.
Let's start with the very good. For the last year I have been looking forward to 9/30/2011. This was the day two of my favorite "young old souls", Morgan and David were tying the knot in Banner Elk, NC. Two beautiful people joining together in a beautiful place. What's not to like?!
Morgan and David are not only young old souls wise beyond their years, but creative ones as well. The event was a feast for the eyes from the breathtaking venue on the side of a mountain to the thoughtful tablescapes Morgan foraged to put together over the last year to the whimsical napkins hand screen printed by David. It was perfection.
A cold front moved through that magical evening with high winds, damp air and chilly temps, but it only made the fire pits more inviting, the S'more Love more tasty and the night more charming. Guests were wrapped in blankets, chunky sweaters, puffy coats, whatever they had handy. They huddled together, danced, laughed and basked in the warmth of the night. Words do not do this evening justice. Pictures do a better job, but still aren't quite right. It was an evening that made a permanent impression on this brain of mine. I will recall it whenever I need an extra dose of happiness.
In fact, I will pull it out right now to get me through recounting the sad event that followed.
Winnie Stocks, my friend and co-worker, was best described as a beautiful "old young soul". By old, I don't mean ancient. She lived 62 wonderful years with the exuberance of a teenager. She loved life, her family, her friends and her Pittsburgh Steelers. She could light up a room with her smile. She could make you smile with the clog of her fun, funky shoes clapping down the hall. Man, how I miss that sound!
Winnie suffered a brain aneurysm on Sunday, 9/25. She passed away one week later on Sunday, 10/2. We celebrated her life last Friday with a church service and a happy hour. Winnie would not have it any other way. She was in the hearts of all of us and her big beautiful smile showed up on our faces. What a beautiful legacy...a Winnie smile.
Live each day like Steve Jobs did...like it was your last.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Let's start with the very good. For the last year I have been looking forward to 9/30/2011. This was the day two of my favorite "young old souls", Morgan and David were tying the knot in Banner Elk, NC. Two beautiful people joining together in a beautiful place. What's not to like?!
Morgan and David are not only young old souls wise beyond their years, but creative ones as well. The event was a feast for the eyes from the breathtaking venue on the side of a mountain to the thoughtful tablescapes Morgan foraged to put together over the last year to the whimsical napkins hand screen printed by David. It was perfection.
A cold front moved through that magical evening with high winds, damp air and chilly temps, but it only made the fire pits more inviting, the S'more Love more tasty and the night more charming. Guests were wrapped in blankets, chunky sweaters, puffy coats, whatever they had handy. They huddled together, danced, laughed and basked in the warmth of the night. Words do not do this evening justice. Pictures do a better job, but still aren't quite right. It was an evening that made a permanent impression on this brain of mine. I will recall it whenever I need an extra dose of happiness.
In fact, I will pull it out right now to get me through recounting the sad event that followed.
Winnie Stocks, my friend and co-worker, was best described as a beautiful "old young soul". By old, I don't mean ancient. She lived 62 wonderful years with the exuberance of a teenager. She loved life, her family, her friends and her Pittsburgh Steelers. She could light up a room with her smile. She could make you smile with the clog of her fun, funky shoes clapping down the hall. Man, how I miss that sound!
Winnie suffered a brain aneurysm on Sunday, 9/25. She passed away one week later on Sunday, 10/2. We celebrated her life last Friday with a church service and a happy hour. Winnie would not have it any other way. She was in the hearts of all of us and her big beautiful smile showed up on our faces. What a beautiful legacy...a Winnie smile.
Live each day like Steve Jobs did...like it was your last.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Pure Magic Part 2 - Days 372-394
When I mentioned in my last posting that I was running out of gas, little did I know that I would run on fumes for three weeks straight. An average of 4-5 hours of sleep each night leaves very little in the tank for posting creativity.
Don't get me wrong, I am NOT complaining. The last few weeks have been about as good as it gets. They have been pure magic. Problem is, so many good things happened it would take a War and Peace size novel to tell it all. So how about the Cliff Notes version and some pictures to tell the story?!
* I fell in love...with an ice cream truck. A rarely traveled route home from
Gainesville yielded a wonderful discovery...a vintage ice cream truck for sale for $5,900 that was the perfect match for the food truck dream image in my mind. Problem is I don't have $5,900, but I am working on it.
* My research and development team has been prolific...my customers. They have come up with some winning flavors. Like The Hadley, Lemon Coconut White Chocolate, The Morgan, Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip and The Noah, Blueberry Butterfinger. They have been the first to sell out on market day. Which brings me to my next point...
* We have enjoyed three consecutive weeks of sell outs...culminating with a banner day last Sunday at Maitland where the cookies disappeared before noon with two hours to spare.
* I actually have my first Heartsong groupie...Jennifer. She and her husband visit me at both markets. She makes me smile by posting photos of my cookies on Facebook.
* I have a new kitchen home...The Sugar Suite and I hope to be prolific to keep up with the growing demand. I can bake 48 cookies at a time instead of 18. More cookies in less time! I am in heaven.
* Thanks to my friend Morgan, I fell in love with more material things...vintage jewelry. Our jointly owned necklace spawned a visit to Winters Past in McIntosh, Florida. There I discovered a necklace and earrings from the forties that featured Heartsong colors and had to come home with me.
* We ushered in Fall this weekend with the first Gator game of the season and we won. I love winning. I love my Gators and oh how I love Fall!
My soul is happy.
Many hugs and magical days,
Kathy
Don't get me wrong, I am NOT complaining. The last few weeks have been about as good as it gets. They have been pure magic. Problem is, so many good things happened it would take a War and Peace size novel to tell it all. So how about the Cliff Notes version and some pictures to tell the story?!
* I fell in love...with an ice cream truck. A rarely traveled route home from
Gainesville yielded a wonderful discovery...a vintage ice cream truck for sale for $5,900 that was the perfect match for the food truck dream image in my mind. Problem is I don't have $5,900, but I am working on it.
* My research and development team has been prolific...my customers. They have come up with some winning flavors. Like The Hadley, Lemon Coconut White Chocolate, The Morgan, Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip and The Noah, Blueberry Butterfinger. They have been the first to sell out on market day. Which brings me to my next point...
* We have enjoyed three consecutive weeks of sell outs...culminating with a banner day last Sunday at Maitland where the cookies disappeared before noon with two hours to spare.
* I actually have my first Heartsong groupie...Jennifer. She and her husband visit me at both markets. She makes me smile by posting photos of my cookies on Facebook.
* I have a new kitchen home...The Sugar Suite and I hope to be prolific to keep up with the growing demand. I can bake 48 cookies at a time instead of 18. More cookies in less time! I am in heaven.
* Thanks to my friend Morgan, I fell in love with more material things...vintage jewelry. Our jointly owned necklace spawned a visit to Winters Past in McIntosh, Florida. There I discovered a necklace and earrings from the forties that featured Heartsong colors and had to come home with me.
* We ushered in Fall this weekend with the first Gator game of the season and we won. I love winning. I love my Gators and oh how I love Fall!
My soul is happy.
Many hugs and magical days,
Kathy
Monday, August 15, 2011
Pure Magic, Part 1 - Days 359-372
A rare eight hours of sleep left me refreshed and clear headed enough to reflect on the happenings of the last two weeks since my last posting. Two words sum it up...PURE MAGIC! Words won't do it justice, but I will do my best to share anyway. The time away started with a chuckle and ended with a blessing with lots and lots of good stuff in between. So much good stuff that I need to break it up into at least two parts.
It began when a customer stopped by my booth and asked me to participate in an event celebrating World Breastfeeding Week. Since "No" is not in my vocabulary, the answer was "Yes, sure!". She called mid week to work out the details and asked if I could make mini...boobie cookies. I began to giggle like a little schoolgirl. Mini boobie cookies?! Out came the "Yes, sure!". "How many mini boobie cookies would you like?" I asked. "Oh, sixty or so should work" she replied. So I set out on my mission to create a mini boobie cookie.
D & G Occasions, a local bakery supply store, was my first stop. I perused the cookie cutter section looking for just the right size circle cookie cutter for my little cookie. Since it was close to closing time, a store clerk asked if she could help to speed me along. I shared my mission with a chuckle and stone faced, she told me of a "special" cabinet in the back that held body part molds. Oh my! She asked me if i would like the key to check it out. Double oh my! Well out came my famous words again..."Yes, sure!" I replied. With the guilty pleasures key in hand I headed to the back to unlock the mysteries from the secret stash. Stored inside were candy molds of every body part you could imagine...female and male. I felt like I had stumbled into the back room of a video store. Quadruple oh my!!!!! Somehow I didn't think these would work for my mini boobies. I promptly headed back up front with the key...feeling more than a little embarrassed, but with a schoolgirl giggle that would not stop.
I am running out of gas right now, so I will have to share the Pure Magic events in the next installment. Until then...Many, Mini Boobies...OOPS, I mean Hugs!
Many hugs,
Kathy
It began when a customer stopped by my booth and asked me to participate in an event celebrating World Breastfeeding Week. Since "No" is not in my vocabulary, the answer was "Yes, sure!". She called mid week to work out the details and asked if I could make mini...boobie cookies. I began to giggle like a little schoolgirl. Mini boobie cookies?! Out came the "Yes, sure!". "How many mini boobie cookies would you like?" I asked. "Oh, sixty or so should work" she replied. So I set out on my mission to create a mini boobie cookie.
D & G Occasions, a local bakery supply store, was my first stop. I perused the cookie cutter section looking for just the right size circle cookie cutter for my little cookie. Since it was close to closing time, a store clerk asked if she could help to speed me along. I shared my mission with a chuckle and stone faced, she told me of a "special" cabinet in the back that held body part molds. Oh my! She asked me if i would like the key to check it out. Double oh my! Well out came my famous words again..."Yes, sure!" I replied. With the guilty pleasures key in hand I headed to the back to unlock the mysteries from the secret stash. Stored inside were candy molds of every body part you could imagine...female and male. I felt like I had stumbled into the back room of a video store. Quadruple oh my!!!!! Somehow I didn't think these would work for my mini boobies. I promptly headed back up front with the key...feeling more than a little embarrassed, but with a schoolgirl giggle that would not stop.
I am running out of gas right now, so I will have to share the Pure Magic events in the next installment. Until then...Many, Mini Boobies...OOPS, I mean Hugs!
Many hugs,
Kathy
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