Blogging from A to Z: T is for Tree

T is for Tree

I love trees. The are my favorite of Mother Nature's creations. They uplift me, inspire me, and make me smile. In honor of them and the letter T, I'm posting a poem I wrote. Actually, it's the manuscript for a children's book I hope to have published one day. (I wish I was a decent illustrator).

MY FRIEND IS A TREE

My friend doesn't wear

pink bows in her hair.

My friend doesn't eat

milk, muffins or meat.

My friend doesn't shop,

swim, cycle, or hop.

My friend’s not like me.

My friend is a tree.

In spring she’s all white.

Her blossoms delight

my eyes and my nose.

I love what she grows.

She’s so fun to climb

in midsummer time.

If I get the whim,

I swing from her limb.

An apple a day                                                                                   

I eat when I play

with her in the fall.

She helps me grow tall.

Last winter I’m told,

when it got too cold,

she gave her right arm

to help keep me warm.

There’s more to my friend.

Her gifts have no end.

She gives me for free

stuff essential to me.

Recycling the air,

she makes lots to share.

Used air becomes new,

so I don’t turn blue.

When it’s a hot day,

I don’t want to play. 

I long for her shade

where cool air is made.                                                                            

When I want to run,

when smog dusts the sun,

I’m glad that she’s there.

Her leaves clean the air.

My friend’s not alone.

All trees that are grown,

like oak, ash, and fir,

give gifts just like her.

We all need the trees,

baboons, birds, and bees,

kids like us, too.

So what should we do?

Recycling is good.

It saves lots of wood.

I’ll turn off the light,

add blankets at night.

I’ll walk a lot more

to school and the store,                                                                       

and plant a new tree—

a new friend for me.

Blogging from A to Z: S is for Stone

S is for Stone

I love to work in stone.
If I were a queen, 
my throne
would be made of stone.
I love its cold, hard feel

I like to remodel houses and do all sorts of DIY projects. My favorite medium to work with is stone and tile. But I like stone best. I love the way you can cut/chip it to what ever shape you want and not have to see a manufactured edge. I love its variety of colors. It's nature's natural building supply. It makes me smile.





This is the natural stone I put on the front of the house we just renovated, along with a flag stone patio. It's still a work in progress.

Blogging from A to Z: R is for Raspberries

R is for Raspberries.
I planted some this spring
so I'd have lots to pick
and make tasty dishes with zing.

Raspberries are one of my favorites from my garden. I created this recipe one Sunday afternoon when I had just picked lots of raspberries. I was in the mood to eat them on cheesecake, but I didn't have enough cream cheese on hand to make one, and I didn't want to run to the store.



RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS

Coconut Pastry Crust:
1 cup shredded coconut (toasted and cooled)
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cold butter, cut up
1/4 cup + 1 TBS sugar
2 to 2 1/2 TBS water

Mix first 4 ingredients until butter is broken down to small lumps and mixed well with dry ingredients. Add water and pulse mixer until well mixed,

Dough will be slightly dry. Pour into greased deep cookie sheet and press evenly. Bake 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees until crust is evenly brown. Cool.

Cheese Filling:

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
Mix together and add:
1 cup boiling water
In a blender place:
1 1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 1/2 pkg. softened cream cheese (12 oz)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
Gradually add the warm gelatin mixture to the blender until the mixture becomes smooth.
Pour over cooled crust and place in refrigerator.


Raspberry Topping:

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup sugar
dash of salt and/or Butter Buds
Mix together and add:
3/4 cup boiling water
Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Let cool slightly and add:
3 to 4 cups raspberries, slightly crushed.
Stir well and place in refrigerator, stirring often until the mixture barely begins to set up.

Spread on top of cream cheese mixture.
Chill at least another hour before serving.

Blogging from A to Z: Q is for Quilt

Q is for Quilt
Some are sewn for service,
some are made for fun.
Others serve as a canvas, 
with brush strokes of threads,
carefully arranged and colorfully spun.
Though each quilt is different,
they all keep you warm,
and give you a sense of comfort;
a shield from cold and harm.

Blogging from A to Z: P is for People

P is for People
Some are extraordinary,
some average, 
some plain,
and why they do 
what they do,
it's hard to explain.
All I know is
there is no greater force
for bad 
or for good
then when people do
what they shouldn't
or should.

Blogging from A to Z : O is for Ocean

O is for Ocean,
so calm, 
serene, and blue.

O is for Ocean
in a fury
that could easily destroy you.

Moved by its environment,
it is different every day,
yet always so beautiful.
We're much like it in way.

Blogging from A to Z: N is for Nature

(This photo was taken a few minutes ago from my deck overlooking my back yard. It's one of the reasons we recently moved here--and took on the challenge of a major house renovation).

N is for nature
There is nothing quite so beautiful
nor so grand
as a scene 
painted by nature's hand.


I am now on the downhill trek on blogging from A to Z in the month of April. I thought it would be good to put out there a reminder of my theme for my journey. I am posting about things that uplift me, inspire me, or just make me smile. Nature is at the top of this list for me, for it certainly does uplift me with its beautiful colors, never clashing, always blending, all the while painting intricate designs that could never be reproduced fully on canvas. I am inspired by new seedlings, breaking forth from their rock-hard seed coats, pushing up through the soil, reaching for the sun, bending toward it, channeling its energy and growing into a miraculous organism, often a thousand fold larger than it started. And when I see a deer- or two or four, walk into my back yard, I can't help but smile at their grace, their beauty, and the serenity they convey to me. I love nature!