“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”
— Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915)
American writer, publisher, & philosopher
Thank you to my friends… from near and dear to far away and fabulous! I feel totally blessed to have you all in my life. You fill my heart with encouragement, gratitude, and love. Thank you.
Photo by Jill Wellington
“I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you.”
— Joyce Meyer (1943 – )
American author
Temps will reach 71° today, but we had our first frost last night. Thus, this will likely be this season’s final rose blossom.
“From the withered tree, a flower blooms.”
— Zen saying
Image by Shazib Nadeem
“I love the man that can smile in trouble, gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink. He whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.”
— Thomas Paine (1737-1809)
US philosopher, pamphleteer
I love cranberries. fresh, crispy, and crazy sassy! ‘Tis the season to make your favorite cranberry sauce and/or cranberry relish. Another fun twist is Cranberry Applesauce. The color is luscious, and you can tweak the sassiness to suit your personal taste. If you love cooking with cranberries, you will find more than 100 Super Simple recipes, ranging from brunch and appetizers to beverages and desserts, in my “Cranberry Cooking” book in both paperback and digital formats.
This is the pinkness from just 2 handfuls of cranberries
Cathy’s Cranberry Applesauce
Adding cranberries to applesauce imparts an awesomely rosy color, but if you love cranberries, go ahead and use a whole bag for that classic zesty flavor!
2 c cranberry juice
2 handfuls to 1 bag fresh or frozen cranberries, washed & stems removed
12 large MacIntosh apples (or Cortland or combo), cored and sliced
Spices: 1 -2 T ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground cloves (or ginger)
Put cranberry juice, cranberries, and apple slices in large, covered pot. Simmer for about 20 minutes until berries have popped and apples are soft, stirring once or twice. Process through food mill to remove cranberry skins and apple peels. Stir in seasonings. Serve warm or chilled.
KISS Tip: I like the sweetness from the apples, without adding any sugar. However, if you use more than just a handful or two of cranberries, you may wish to add a little sweetener…. Sugar, brown sugar, monk fruit make good options.
Image by John Hain
“America now is stumbling through the darkness of hatred and divisiveness. Our values, our principles, and our determination to succeed as a free and democratic people will give us a torch to light the way. And we will survive and become stronger – not only because of a patriotism that stands for love of country, but a patriotism that stands for love of people.”
— Gerald R. Ford (1913 – 2006)
38th US President
For National Gingerbread Cookie Day I salute Mom Burnham… again. For decades she handmade gingerbread boys and girls for the trick-or-treaters at Halloween, but she often made and froze extras so we could enjoy them through the holiday season, too. Her recipe is featured in volume 3 of “Fifty Years of Fabulous Family Favorites: Starters, Sippers, and Sweets” (page 142) AND it is also used each year by the pastry chef at St. Mark Village in Florida to make 1,000 of the delicious gems. Mom and her volunteers decorate them ALL for the annual Christmas party for friends and family.
Glenna Burnham’s Gingerbread Boys & Girls
4 c sifted flour
1 tsp each: salt, baking soda, and ground nutmeg
2 tsp each: baking powder, ginger, and cloves
3 tsp cinnamon
1 cup each: Crisco shortening, sugar, and molasses
2 lg or x-lg egg yolks
Sift first 8 ingredients together. In large bowl, cream together shortening, sugar and molasses. Add egg yolks. Mix well. Stir in flour mixture. Roll out dough ¼” thick on lightly floured board. Cut with large Gingerbread Boy or Girl cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate, as desired, with sliced small gumdrops for buttons, raisins for eyes and nose, and slivers of red cherries for mouth before baking. (If decorating with icing, add it after they are baked & cooled.) Bake at 350°F for 8 (to 10 max) minutes. Cool. Yield: about 20 cookies.
Cathy’s note: If using small-sized cutters, be sure to bake for far less time, or you will get dark crispy cookies without the awesome gingery chewiness!
Photo by Alex Shuper
“When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to hate war. War settles nothing.”
— Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890 – 1969)
34th US President
Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War II
Photo by Marek Studzinski
“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.”
— George MacDonald (1824 – 1905)
Scottish author
Photo by Jill Wellington
For National Apple Cider Day I offer my Mulled Wassail recipe. Though initially styled for the holiday season in 1980, when standard coffee percolators were still standard, this hot cider punch is also easy to make in a slow cooker.
Cathy’s Mulled Wassail
2-3 qts fresh or frozen apple cider (NOT apple juice)
1 qt cranberry juice
½ tsp whole allspice
1 T whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
1 orange, cut in wedges, with peel
Cinnamon sticks, for garnish
Pour cider & cranberry juice in bottom of electric coffee percolator and put all spices and orange slices in the “basket.” Cover and perk. Or steep in a covered slow cooker on low for 2 hours, with spices and orange slices wrapped in cheesecloth. Serve hot with a cinnamon stick in each mug. Makes 2-3 quarts.
KISS Tip: This is a Family Friendly rendition, but you can easily add a favorite brandy. Let the singing begin.
“Silence will save me from being wrong (and foolish), but it will also deprive me of the possibility of being right.”
— Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971)
Russian composer & conductor
Image by John Hain
As people and nations hold grudges and wage wars, but I think it’s important to remember what we need in the long term.
“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”
— Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)
German-born theoretical physicist; developed theory of relativity
Image by John Hain
“True empathy is rooted in humility and the understanding that there are many people with as much to contribute in life as you.”
— Anand Mahindra (1955 – )
Indian billionaire businessman
Celebrate National Spicy Guacamole Day with your favorite level of spiciness… mild, medium, hot, or crazy-off-the-charts.
A Second Helping , book 2 in my Dockside Dining trio of recipes that are easy to prepare with very little effort or kitchen equipment, is perfect for backyard, tailgate, or dockside cooking.
One recipe that I offer is Gulf Coast Guacamole. It just doesn’t get more Super Simple than this. Of course, I am a great believer in sassing things up, so I offer a bit of that, too. You can cook up Super Simple recipes to your heart’s content with the whole Dockside Dining series, available in paperback and digital formats.
Gulf Coast Guacamole
2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted & mashed to the chunkiness or smoothness level you prefer
¼ – ½ c chunky salsa, mild to hot, as you prefer
2 T freshly squeezed lime (or lemon) juice
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to suit your taste.
Mix together and serve with tortilla chips and raw vegetables.
KISS Tip: If you are not serving guacamole right away, save one of the avocado pits. Put the pit in the bowl with the guacamole to prevent the typical “browning” from oxidation. Discard the pit before serving. Or, do not mix in the lime juice. Simply drizzle it over the top of your guacamole before covering with plastic wrap, and pressing it down onto the surface before chilling till serving time. Another idea is to very finely chop and add 2 T sweet onion to your guac. I prefer sweet onion to red as it does not need caramelization to prevent it from taking over and predominating the blend of flavors. And if you want extra spice, go ahead and add 1 T (or more) of finely diced jalapeño pepper… or ghost pepper, if you must. I prefer to place various “add-ins” on the side, for guests to choose as they prefer. These can range from extra tomato, salt & pepper, hot peppers, and even diced, cooked shrimp.
“Assumptions are the termites of relationships.”
— Henry Winkler (1945 – )
American actor
Photo by Melissa Askew
“A true friend accepts who you are, but also helps you become who you should be.”
— Unknown
(Photo by Brian Penny)
“For the veterans, thank you for bravely doing what you’re called to do so we can safely do what we’re free to do.”
— Unknown
Freedom is never free.
Chimney Rock, NC photo by Peter Hansen
For National Civic Pride Day, I take this moment to say an enormous THANK YOU to everyone who is out there helping others. We see it en mass here in western North Carolina, where workers and volunteers go above and beyond day after day. This is true of neighbors, local churches, various clubs and organizations, and some amazing small businesses and community-involved larger businesses. Thank you, thank you, thank you… to one and all.
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
— Wayne Dyer (1940-2015)
American author
Hope gets restored in many ways. Here in western NC, while so many people, businesses, and towns continue to struggle through storm destruction recovery, I am also reminded daily of Mother Nature’s blessings.
Our daily temperatures remain in the 60’s and 70’s. But while I expect the chrysanthemums to bloom now, both pink and white azaleas dazzle with their second bloomings.
Foliage started showing Fall colors in late August, and green continue turning bright reds and golds still, as we approach mid-November, delivering the usual multi-month display… despite Helene’s damage.
And I am awed by errant reblooms of flowers such as Iris.
I keep pinching myself. This is home.
“Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your life’s search for love and wisdom.”
— Rumi (1207-1273)
Persian poet
As with many of us… millions of us… I have spent more than a few worried days and sleepless nights lately. It mattered not which side you were on; we were in for a wild election. Were we rising up or sliding into full-out socialism, mirroring the USSR to become the USSA?
Though I see the 2024 election results as a huge victory that can save America, my heart goes out to many of my friends. Some are lifelong Democrats. Other friends were focused on select issues like abortion rights, transgenders in women’s sports, environmental activism, or government-funded sex change surgeries. Some simply can’t stand Donald Trump. Other friends chose “identity politics,” hoping to vote for the first woman to win the US presidency.
I have registered as independent since 1972. I lean conservatively when it comes to economics, but liberally on social issues. This has not varied.
Photo courtesy of Library of Congress
Quite frankly, when Donald Trump started running for President in 2015, I thought it was a joke. He didn’t need more celebrity status. He had not seemed openly active in politics. I did not think he would “stay the course.” He proved me and many others wrong.
He’d been a long-time Democrat, like his father, and his party affiliation had changed more than once. Liberal celebrity friends, from Oprah Winfrey to Howard Stern, had even openly advocated Trump considering running for President… as a Democrat. I understood why some big-name Republicans feared he was merely running to assure victory for his Democratic friend Hillary Clinton. She had attended Melania and Donald Trump’s wedding, and he had donated to Clinton campaigns and their foundation.
But that was then, and this is now. Many angles of politics have changed over the years, including the two major US political parties. Republicans started out as the party for all the regular people and solid advocates against slavery, championing numerous pieces of civil rights legislation that were repeatedly voted against by Democrats through the 1950’s. In the 1960s, Democrats began claiming to be the party of civil rights and the working man and held that position for decades.
Things have changed once again. Do you remember the words of an actor, former president of the Screen Actors Guild union, 33rd governor of California, and 40th President of the United States? Ronald Reagan famously said, “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The Party left me.”
Politicians, celebrities, and regular citizens have long bemoaned the evils, backstabbing, and name-calling in politics. Actor Chuck Norris followed Reagan, noting the “party went too far to the left.” Hillary Clinton supporter and American comedian and actress Chelsea Handler said, “I’m not going to be a Democrat anymore because it’s too divisive.”
Increasing numbers in political circles admit to being former Democrats, from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard to Mike Pence and Ivanka Trump. The lists of noted names are long, including diplomats, politicians, entrepreneurs, and celebrities. These names range from Condoleeza Rice, Jeanne Kirkpatric, and Elizabeth Dole, to Larry Kudlow, Kanye West, Robert Duvall, Dennis Miller, Clint Eastwood, Isaiah Washington, Charlton Heston, and Frank Sinatra, to name just a few.
Despite finger-pointing and talking a very different talk, the Democrats have become the party of big business, mega billionaires, the grotesquely divisive and damaging cancel culture, and controlling the population masses by handouts rather than “hand-ups.” Perhaps these realities have been contributing to the numbers of people joining the “undeclared” ranks of independents.
Changing political parties, though not changing his politics, moved Donald Trump into the Democrats’ #1 pariah position, President Trump did not back down. He put his business acumen, tireless energy, and love of this country to work, strengthening businesses, bolstering the economy, and creating employment opportunities. He worked to improve healthcare, bring us energy independence, secure the southern border, advocate for safer cities, and champion peace through strength.
As shocking as it still seems to some, Republicans under Donald Trump became the party of the working class. For the first time in its history, the AFL-CIO, the Teamsters, the largest union in the nation, did NOT endorse the Democrat running for President. (For details on the accomplishments and records on both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, see my October 11, 2024 post “Trump vs Harris.”)
As an advocate for all people, voters show rapidly increasing percentages of support for Donald Trump from women and minorities. Immigrants who have worked to become citizens praise Donald Trump and, often having left socialized nations, firmly state they do not ever want to vote for anything that even smacks of socialism.
He surrounds himself with strong people, both men and women. Donald Trump has a very long track record of women in top leadership positions, even in nontraditional industries such as construction.
He is far from racist, as the many first-hand accounts have shown. Nor is he xenophobic. Hello! Two of his wives have come from foreign nations. And he is not Nazi, Marxist, or fascist. Nor is he part of Project 2025. These are just some of the Democrats’ divisive strategies that they admit to using because “they resonate with voters,” despite having been debunked by liberal fact-checkers. However, using the known lies appears to be having less impact than in the past. Americans are starting to not blindly follow mainstream media hype.
Donald J. Trump may not be the leader that millions of U.S. voters want, but millions of U.S. voters trust him far more to be the leader we need. As former Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway reflected on the post-election morning, “We never really examine those we deeply disdain.”
That is a powerful observation of human nature. Once someone decides to hate someone else, their window becomes locked shut to learning facts, details, and other evidence that is contrary to their accepted position, decision, or “comfort zone.” We become less open-minded than we might like to admit.
May God bless Donald J. Trump and his entire family and team with safety, loyalty, and courage. May all of us grow together and appreciate that America is getting back up. Donald Trump has delivered a liberation day for all people, regardless of their age, sex, race, heritage, or any other identity factors.
Congratulations President-elect Donald J. Trump and all Americans. We will succeed together.
A day of voting. A day of defiance.
A day of hope. A day of worry.
A day from which we head toward freedom or plunge deeply away from it.
God bless America.
“Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there.”
— Unknown
Yesterday I celebrated my Dad’s birthday in Heaven by doing something he would have loved.
I finished planting over 200 daffodil bulbs along our driveway, to add some little groupings we already have.
Come Spring, I will think of Poppy and smile.
(Thanks to Breck’s Bulbs for my 3-months of daffodils.)
I like the America where our citizens are recognized as the nation’s heart and soul. I like the America where our hopes, dreams, and differences make us stronger, rather than dividing us.
I have been deeply saddened by the America that embraces a “cancel culture” to crush differing opinions, gaslights otherwise intelligent people with loud and frequent repetition of known lies, and labels supporters of a Presidential opponent as deranged fascists, weak, deplorable, or garbage. Further, I will not be cajoled nor berated into voting for ANYONE based on race or sex. Period.
We have always enjoyed getting decked out in high or low style for Halloween.
This year we appeared as Frankenstein’s monster and his Bride.
Even Mother Nature can’t keep Halloween spirit and shenanigans down in western NC. The street was packed with gleeful goblins and pretty princesses.
We got fully festive helping hand out goodies to trick-or-treaters at KD’s Sea Shack in Tryon…
…and then we won the costume contest at Sully’s Place in Columbus.
Boooooooootiful times with friends and fun fiends.
“Fear has been infectious in this country, but courage can be contagious, too! That, too, is what it means to be an American.”
— Vivek Ramaswamy (1985 – )
American entrepreneur
“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)
American social activist & stateswoman (First Lady: 1933-45) Ambassador to UN
“Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
— Richard Branson (1950 – )
English business magnate
“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 – 1832)
German author
“One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks.”
— Jack Penn (1909 – 1996)
South African sculptor
“If you lose hope, you’re just not looking far enough ahead.”
— Joe Tye
American author
“Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the subjects of it. The history of liberty is a history of resistance.”
— Woodrow Wilson (1856 – 1924)
28th US President
“Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos. “
— Don Kardong (1948 – )
American author
Photo by Andrey Tikhonovskiy
“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 – 1968)
American Baptist minister & civil rights activist
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”
— Helen Keller (1880 – 1968)
American author, political activist, and disability rights advocate
Some mornings are more dear (deer) than others. LOL! Mom and her first-year twin fawns were romping beside our kitchen deck today. They play like puppies.
“This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it. Why should there not be a patient confidence in the ultimate justice of the people? Is there any better or equal hope in the world?”
— Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
American statesman
16th President: 1861-65; first Republican president; assassinated following Civil War
