A friend in need!

I first met Simon in a clothing shop called "Relish." The adorable black pug ran over to meet me and it was "love at first sight." Some animals just have a way to win people over and that's Simon's talent. There are countless words to describe Simon; affectionate, clever, energetic  empathetic, funny, gregarious, intelligent, lovable, mesmerizing…..

Simon spends his days at the clothing shop "Relish" with his owner…it's his home away from home. Regardless of what day or hour you pop in, Simon blends in perfectly with the beautiful fashions and interesting clothes displayed on the racks all around the store. He even has his own little bed on the fancy couch.

Simon turned three the other day and there was a birthday party for him in the store. Talking about a fan club, Simon was so popular with everyone that I had to return two weeks later to have my picture taken with him. When an animal has that kind of impact you know they're extra special. I love you Simon….thank you for bringing happy moments to people in your community.

You are truly the friend that people like myself need!

Crepes on a Sunday

The French people have some of the most magnificent food in the world and one of their most popular dishes are crepes. Crepes are enjoyed throughout French and practically every city and village has a crepe stand or a restaurant serving crepes.

When you wake up in the morning on a Sunday what better way to start the day then with some delicious homemade crepes. Yesterday I was craving crepes and made my own batter from scratch.
If you find yourself in a mood for crepes on a Sunday or anyway of the week for that matter here's a recipe for CREPES that you'll truly enjoy.

It's the moments of making a tasty dish from scratch and sitting down to enjoy it that's extra nice. So enjoy your moments making and eating French Crepes.

                            These are the crepes I made on a Sunday morning!

FRENCH CREPES

1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons of authentic french butter, melted
1/2 cup - 1 cup of flour

Put the milk, egg, and melted butter in a mixing bowl…than gradually add the flour until it makes a batter. Place a tablespoon of French butter in a crepe style pan and and allow it to melt over a medium flame. Once the pan is hot enough you can pour the batter into the pan. It usually takes about a minute or two for the crepe to cook. Be certain to add a tablespoon of the French butter into the crepe pan every time you make a new crepe.

Afterwards you can put some of your favorite fruit preserves on top of the crepe and roll it up. Other filling options is to squeeze some fresh lemon onto the crepe and sprinkle it with cinnamon and powdered sugar. One of the most popular fillings is bananas with Nutella hazelnut spread.

Enjoy your crepes with a good cup of coffee.

Wishing you moments of happy eating!

The Eye Glasses

                                                  opticplanet.com

On Monday I had an exhausting day at work. I was really looking forward to my yoga class and was delighted when class started. The asanas were just what I needed for an hour and when class finished I didn't realize that I had left my eyeglasses in the "Goddess Room" the student's dressing room.

I had arrived early for class that evening and had my contacts in. I was looking for some lotion inside my tote bag and emptied out my whole tote bag looking for the lotion and not realizing when I got on my yoga mat moments later that I forget to put my eyeglasses back inside my tote bag.

Later in the evening when I arrived home and took off my contacts I was walking around my apartment half blind trying to find my eyeglasses in my tote bag. Stressed? a little but in yoga we are taught to take a deep breath and relax. I immediately called the yoga studio and they assured me that they would contact me the moment they found my eyeglasses.

A day later I returned to "Shanti School of Yoga" so blissfully happy that my eyeglasses had been found and set aside and now I could see again.

For those of us that can't see without our contacts or eyeglasses it is difficult when we lose our contact lenses or glasses and don't have a spare pair. It was truly a blessing that my eyeglasses were left in a yoga studio where there is kindness and honesty.

In moments of discomfort we soon realize how we take certain things for granted. Let's be thankful every moment for the comforts we have.

The Snow

All week long it's been snowing and snowing. Snow is beautiful but too much of it can make driving and walking challenging. Yet being snowbound has it's benefits. Sometimes it's nice to just stay indoors and connect with peace and quiet. It's a time to catch up on unread emails, reading a forgotten book, watching a good movie, baking cookies, cooking a meal, calling a friend, getting some extra sleep…the list can keep growing.

When free moments come your way during bad weather look at it as a blessing rather than a curse. Everyone needs a little "me" time in their everyday moments.

                                            Lots of snow can be a blessing!

THE MIDNIGHT CAKE

Last night I worked diligently in my kitchen preparing an array of foods for a family Christmas Orthodox meal. It was nearly midnight when I got to one of the final items to make the "Midnight Cake."

Centuries ago ingredients were far more limited than they are today so a cake such as this one was quite elaborate for it's time. It's truly a perfect cake to eat after midnight Christmas mass.

Although I was stressed last night and this morning with food preparations for the family Christmas feast all turned out well. It was so nice to finally sit down and relax with all my visitors and enjoy many blissful moments while eating with them.

We all sat around beeswax burning candles, listening to spiritual Russian musical chants and talking about the birth of Jesus long ago. Then before everyone departed we indulged in the "Midnight Cake." 

The simple gathering of family and friends is truly a time of unforgettable moments. May unforgettable moments come to you this new year of 2015.

Happy New Year!

Faith and Hope in "THe Miracle of the Bells"

Start the new year with faith and hope watching "MIRACLE OF THE BELLS," It can now be viewed on You Tube. There are many films that are classics during the Christmas season like"A Christmas Carol," "It's a Wonderful Life' and "Miracle on 34th Street" MIRACLE OF THE BELLS" should be added to that list. 

May your moments be enjoyed watching this touching film that teaches everyone a little lesson about being kind to others and not losing hope or faith.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015!