Wintertime!!

Oh glorious snow! What a joy to wake up to several inches on the ground! Oh how I love the time of year when we put the landscape to bed for the year and focus on the inside work. Today, as I gleefully showed off my pictures of the snow like a kid on Christmas morning, I was disheartened slightly by the “ewwwws” that I received in response. Whats to hate? I dont understand. But I suppose that is possibly because I love my life. I love the area I live. I love the bountiful surroundings and blessings that I get to enjoy each day. I love that I live at a slower pace of life than the average American, but I often forget that. I sent some photos I took the other day and she came back with “what a perspective change”. I had to ask her to elaborate. Her response had to do with the speed of life. The negativity in politics, the division in our country. Its what she had spent her day doing, and when our days finished up and we exchanged pics at the end of the night, we had vastly different experiences. I am so thankful that I have left the rat race. I am so incredibly blessed. I hear my friends and aquaintances saying they wish they could do what I do. Honestly, I feel frustrated as I wonder how to get across that they can. That I just made the decision one day and made it happen. It didnt happen over night. I set my focus on it and made it happen, and waited, sometimes quite impatiently, while I worked toward it. Today the reward for patience and perseverance is that in the “yuck” of the snow, I get to choose hibernate. I get to choose typing in my blog, seep cleaning a neglected area, watching old church sermons on my smart tv in front of the fire, or baking and cooking if I so choose. Today I choose blogging, and then the kitchen. Sermons in the background while I bake are cozy mixed with the crackle of the fire. The latest item that I was sent for free or a greatly reduced cost for my honest opinion on is a Keliwa 12 Cup silicone muffin pan. I have wanted one for so long but could not bring myself to make the purchase, so when the offer came, I snatched it right up. I am thrilled, and as soon as I am done saying hello to you all, I am heading straight to the kitchen to give it a whirl. I did run it through the dishwasher and it held up just fine and seems good as new. It is a perfect day for baking and I am truly excited to try this out. There isn’t a whole lot to say about it. It is a beautiful bright red color. Its light and flexible but seems to hold its shape well. The cups are average sized. It is BPA free and heat resistant to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. I am considering one to use as a soap mold as well. If you are looking for a good silicone muffin pan, you can find this one here.

And so, off to my kitchen I go. Lots to prep for a hearty dinner on a cold snowy Fall day. Much love and abundant blessings my friends. Until next time…