Tasty Lassi

 

In cuisine from India, a very refreshing hot weather drink is lassi.

It's a yogurt concoction that refreshes.

My own version of a lassi is made by putting a good-sized handful of ice cubes in a blender. 

Then, add a cup of Greek yogurt.  

My fave is Cabot Greek yogurt, from Vermont, made with whole milk.

Then add about one to two tablespoons of sugar and a splash of half and half.

Whip this up in the blender until well mixed.

Then, pour into a pretty glass and sprinkle cardamon spice on top.

When looking to buy cardamon, I wondered why it was so darned expensive. 

I read that the cardamon must be harvested by hand, so it's quite labor intensive.

Plus, there has been bad weather in many places where it is grown, such as Sri Lanka.

Thus, there is no inexpensive cardamon. 

However, it's so delicious and adds so much yumminess to lassi drinks, I bought it anyway.

Here's to lassi drinks all summer long!

Waiting for the Storms to Pass

There are times in life that become very challenging.

Perhaps more than just a few things are not going well at all.

People one loves may be facing terrible times.

Disappointments show up in every direction.

Situations beyond one's control are mounting in number.

At such times, the best thing one can do is simply surrender.

In my own life, that surrender is to the Lord. 

Personally, He is in charge of every aspect of life

Once a total surrender is made, being anxious or worrying is no longer necessary.

God will take care of every detail. 

It might not be the outcome desired, but it will be the best possible solution because it's made by the Lord who made the sun, moon, oceans, and stars.

Repeating "This, too, shall pass" also helps because, as we all know, nothing lasts forever.

It is deeply hoped that  your day today will be happy and peaceful.

Blooming Like Crazy

 

Every time I go to see a very dear cousin, Marianne, her lovely home decorations and flowering plants amaze me.

The colors of the blooms sizzle.

The placements and arrangements of every single item dazzle.

The petunias on the upper porch are a splendorous cranberry color.

Little animals, like birds, ducks and rabbits are all over the place.  

They make humans feel totally at home.

What a delightful snack we had of fresh muffins and coffee.  Yum!

While I love all her beautiful blooming plants, I love my cousin more!

                                  She's like a forest animal's caretaker!

Cousins, like siblings and grandchildren, are just absolutely precious. 

They give us hope for tomorrow. 

Start Blooming!

The saying "Bloom Where You're Planted" is one of the best ever devised.

When the sign at the top of this post popped up while shopping, it went into my cart to be given as a gift to someone.

The saying is short but contains a whopping amount of truth.

So many times in life, it's easy to want to seek a new area in which to live, or to want to find a new home or apartment, or so on.

Perhaps it is more important to appreciate the place where one has been "planted" and strive to accept it and keep walking forward.

The little sign serves as a good reminder to ponder.

HAVE YOU EVER BLOOMED WHERE YOU WERE PLANTED?

The Thrill of Fresh Flowers

Today. the photos in this post show floral treasures found at my niece, Marisa's, darling cottage.

Apparently, she has double green thumbs because her flowers are gorgeous.

Flowers are one of the best parts of being alive.

Because they are so precious, many posts from this blog, throughout the years,  have been about flowers.

Sometimes I wonder whether this should have been a flower blog from the get-go.

At this point, after 17 years of doing this blog, it doesn't really matter.

 I just truly enjoy sharing my love of flowers and of life, itself, with anyone who wants to read my posts.

WHAT IS YOUR ABSOLUTE FAVORITE SUMMER FLOWER?