THEN AND NOW – HERE AND THERE

         (Photo Source: Google internet images)

(16 June 2012 – Well, corn is on sale at Safeway and very plentiful at the local Farmer's Market.  I really enjoy adding corn to salads, soups, salsa, and especially to my homemade corn bread (fresh corn kernels adds a great texture for a Tex Mex cornbread recipe). 

Below is a short offering I wrote, in which I mention how Summer is a time for leisure and fun -- to be enjoyed while one may, for Winter is not far behind those Summer days where one must forage for the good times. 

Also, below is my maternal Cousin Emily Elizabeth Dickinson's poem #930, in which she writes of her reflections on Summer and harvesting of corn and rose blooms turning into hose hips / seeds, having a sad face that turns bright red with cheer in time, feeling both the warmth of Summer and the frosty sorrow of Winter, and finally comparing our Summer and our Winter feelings and circumstance and wondering which really one prefers.  dht) 

  

THERE IS a Time for Summer play –

A moment of Joy before it strays.

WHERE IS the Age for Winter forage –

A blink of an eye before all's rendered passage.

[Dorothy Hazel Tarr]

  

 There is a June when Corn is cut
And Roses in the Seed —
A Summer briefer than the first
But tenderer indeed

As should a Face supposed the Grave's
Emerge a single Noon
In the Vermilion that it wore
Affect us, and return —

Two Seasons, it is said, exist —
The Summer of the Just,
And this of Ours, diversified
With Prospect, and with Frost —

May not our Second with its First
So infinite compare
That We but recollect the one
The other to prefer?

[Poem #930 by Emily Elizabeth Dickinson] 

RIVER OF LOVE

              (Photo Source: Google internet images)

(9 June 2012 --   Do you ever stop loving someone? Does Winter follow Fall?  Does the Sunset follow the Sunrise?  Mayhap during the flow of your Life's Journey, you never really stop loving; you just learn to live without Love!  dht)

When Life is full to overflowing, Love runs deep in tranquil and sheltered waters.

At Times, the Waters of Life are run swiftly over rocky ground, where Love is challenged with its downfalls.

Sometimes, the Twists and Turns of Life, confuse Love with anger and mistrust.

There are Times in Life, when Love is so diminished that it flows as a trickle in a dry River Bed.

[Dorothy Hazel Tarr]

DREAMS SURRENDERED

                        [Photo Source: Google internet images]

(9 June 2012 – How does one say farewell to the Hopes and Dreams of youth?  For many, Hope is the only thing that remains of a tattered Life.  Dreams the only realm where reality gives way – so one can Live with Peace and Happiness.  What does one do?  Where will Life's Journey take one?  When at last, the Hopes and Dreams of a Lifetime are finally gone?  dht)

There was a Time when youthful optimism filled each day and laid lightly on my shoulders.

Albeit, Fortune's Folly was swift to stamp out all remaining embers of Hope that mayhap lingered.

How reluctant to release one's hold - fastened so steadfast to Hopes and Dreams of Love, Family, and Friends.

For so long one's Hopes and Dreams were the Only Companions on Life's Road toward destiny.

Alas, finally, the Hopes for Tomorrow are forfeit and the Dreams Surrendered.

[Dorothy Hazel Tarr]

GIFT CARD smoothie

                     [Photo Source: Google online images]

[8 Jun 2012 – WHAT does one do with a $5.00 gift card for Starbucks? 

Well, that is exactly the question I was posed with when I went to Starbucks (inside my local Safeway store) to redeem my gift card.  At first, I was going to get a decadent coffee with the 'works'.  Then as I was talking with my server person, I noticed a photo of smoothies that were being offered.  So, I changed my mind on the spot (since I'm a smoothie kind of gal), and placed my order for a strawberry smoothie with the 'works'.  It cost $5.00 exactly (with tax)!  Well, normally I do NOT spend that kind of money (out of my social security budget) for a smoothie!  However, since it was a gift card, I felt like treating myself!  It was great!  Moreover, I enjoyed it while I was doing some grocery shopping at Safeway.

Now, this little treat really put me in mind to have a homemade smoothie!  So here is my recipe!  ENJOY!  Dorothy Hazel Tarr]

                           [Photo Source: Google online images]

My SMOOTHIE – Kiwi, Banana, Pineapple, Strawberry

2 or 3 kiwi (peeled, and chilled)

1 cup banana slices (frozen) (TIP:  I always peel, slice and freeze my bananas that are getting too ripe, so I can use them in recipes. One banana makes about one cup of slices.)

¾ cup pineapple juice (chilled)

½ cup strawberries (frozen) (TIP:  I always wash and freeze the strawberries that I get from the local Farmer's Market on the same day I buy them.)

1 cup yogurt (chilled)

1 cup ice cubes

1 T honey (OR, sweeten to taste with your favorite artificial sweetener)

½ tsp imitation butter extract flavoring (or any of your favorite flavorings: like vanilla, rum, coconut, orange, lemon, OR don't use any flavorings or extracts)

Pour the liquid ingredients into a blender first (yogurt counts as liquid).  Add all the fruit in at once.  Don't forget to add any of your special flavorings.  Blend until SMOOTHIE!

Pour into a tall chilled container and enjoy with a straw and spoon.

FOR, a real treat, top off your smoothie with some whipped cream (out of a spray can—of course!)!  Now, that is a decadent smoothie!

Servings:

One jumbo smoothie or two medium-sized smoothies.

AND, IF there are any leftovers, just pour your leftover smoothie into popsicle molds for a great, homemade cold smoothie popsicle treat!

Variations:

Try using two or more other fruit combinations for a taste treat or just use them solo for a true flavor boost (banana, shredded coconut, peach, apricot, plum, papaya, mango, raspberry, apple, cherry, blueberry, blackberry, cantaloupe, watermelon).

And, for flavorings try using one of these (peanut butter, coffee powder, cocoa powder, rum extract flavoring, walnut extract flavoring, or 1 Tablespoon of your favorite fruit flavored liqueur).

In addition, for juices, try using one or more of these (orange juice, pineapple juice, pomegranate juice, apple juice, cranberry juice, guava nectar, apricot nectar).

In addition, in place of the yogurt, try using non-fat milk or soymilk, coconut milk, or NO MILK—just add more ice cubes and/or juice in place of the yogurt or milk.

There are no limits to the combinations.  HOWEVER, if you need more hints or recipes, there is always the internet where so many recipes and ideas are readily available with GOOGLE search.

ENJOY!

                             [Photo Source: Google online images]

MY CANTALOUPE SMOOTHIE

[Photo Source: Google online images "Cantaloupe"]

(6 Jun 2012 – Before I found this recipe, I did NOT really think of using CANTALOUPE for anything except to eat with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the middle of a half cantaloupe.  YUM!  Now, I look for cantaloupe in the Fresh Farmer's Markets and buy them several at a time.  I like to put the cantaloupe in the freezer so I can have it whenever.  To prepare the cantaloupe for the freezer:   I cut off the rind, remove the seeds, and cut up the cantaloupe into one-inch cubes (about) and freeze them in containers that hold about 2 cups.  Then during the winter (or anytime I have a craving for cantaloupe), I use the frozen cantaloupe cubes in SO MANY GREAT recipes!  Below is a recipe for my CANTALOUPE SMOOTHIE that I just LUV!  I also make homemade cantaloupe ice cream! Dorothy Hazel Tarr)

MY CANTALOUPE SMOOTHIE RECIPE

1 cup evaporated non-fat milk chilled

OR

1 cup non-fat milk chilled

OR

1 cup non-fat yogurt chilled

OR

1/3 cup powdered non-fat milk plus 1-cup ice cubes

SWEETEN TO TASTE (8 tsp white granulated sugar, OR artificial sweetener equivalent, OR 1 T honey)

2 tsp vanilla

½ tsp imitation butter flavoring

1 medium cantaloupe, peeled, seeds removed, cut into cubes, and frozen

In a blender container, combine all ingredients except frozen cantaloupe (and ice cubes if you are using the powdered non-fat milk).  Start the blender, and blend  adding one cantaloupe frozen cube and one ice cube at a time to the blender (through the special opening in the blender's lid – so there is less splashing and it is safer).

VARIATIONS:

This recipe is also GREAT with FRESH PINEAPPLE!  Just use ½ medium pineapple, peeled, cut into one-inch cubes (about), and frozen.

AND, you can have FUN and try your own variations using other fresh fruits (banana, mango, plum, strawberry, peach, and apricot).

AND, you can use Google to search the internet for more variations and health and nutrition benefits.