yoga IS for inflexible folks - like me!

My  WHY behind starting a regular yoga practice ~  ~ 

Through yoga we start seeing the effect of our lifestyle in our body, we start seeing the habits that the body has picked up and we learn to undo those habits. As we work on opening and strengthening the body and freeing it from its tendencies, our mind is affected. 

As we feel more freedom inside, we start projecting this outwards and see the world as a better place to live in. As we feel more space in the body and the mind, our attitude changes, the world around us seems like a friendlier place and we start tuning into the wisdom of the universe; hence our life is enriched with more bliss than we could previously experience.

Open and expand the body and see for yourself how the world opens in front of your eyes. What you feel inside, is outside. What you see outside, is inside. If you want freedom and peace start by removing tension of the most tangible place you live in!!!

Danish Bakers

What better way to celebrate what would have been Dad's BIG 103 than a link to the utterly decadent DANISH BAKERS bake shop!  Oh, the butter cake!  The sticky buns!  The strudel!  The cakes & cookies & brownies!  Hands down, the BEST bakery around!!  And just 20 minutes down the Pike, in Rockledge!

Beyond decadence... 

Blessings to "Aunt" Joyce!

Aunt-of-the-heart Joyce Cooper introduced me to Song to the Evening Star, from Wagner's Tannhauser.  Still takes the heart right out of me!

Puts me in mind of a cousin's wedding.  Her pastor refused to let her use The Wedding March on the grounds it came from a "pagan opera."  The minister confused the story of Lohengrin, a knight of the Holy Grail - can't get more Christian than that! - with Wagner's Ring cycle.  What he should have protested on the grounds of is that the music is NOT the wedding processional, but was used as the newlyweds headed to their bridal chamber.    

Brownie-mania!!!

Hmmm...  Wednesday goodies for the college & Theological School.  Thursday (last day of school before the long-weekend Easter break), goodies for the sophomore guys.  

So, MASSIVE brownie baking today!!  

A nice little dollop of chocolate frosting, a mini pastel-shelled chocolate Cadbury egg & we are good to go with an appropriately Easter amuse bouche!

Starting to get a hand on doing things for multiple groups in an effective, competent yet totally tasty way!!  

Now, transfer those skills & graces to other chomping-at-the-bit parts of my life.  Can do!

C'est BUNNY day!

Confession - have always & forever been intimidated by chocolate molds.  Yes, I could do molds using all melted chocolate, but DECORATE them using other colors for eyes & other features?  Way outside my comfort zone.  

With a tap of a magic candy stick, Bakerella liberated me!  Going straight to A.C. Moore tomorrow (blessings on 50% off coupons!) & picking up a bunny mold; already have a bag of Wilton's "high end" dark chocolate wafers, along with pink & blue "chocolate" wafers.   Will invest in the considerably superior chocolate from KP Kitchen Crafts (will have to wait - closed on Mondays!). 

Blissfully wallowing in Beatrix Potter!

Stop reading my blog & head immediately over to A Quiet Life!!!

Happy BEATRIX POTTER Week!

As ordained by the Novel Bakers!  Lovely posts yesterday on Rattlebridge Farm, Home is Where the Boat Is & A Quiet Life.  

Rattlebridge Farm is my hands-down favorite ~ the ornaments have me melting into a puddle of primrose jelly!

Fire Pit Friday

Perfect surprise for a Fire Pit Friday gathering - a pirated version of Red Lobster's  Cheddar Bay Biscuits!  Whip 'em up & bake them right there, so they're piping hot from the oven. 

Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs

Mere coincidence?  Home is Where the Boat Is features Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs and - Voila! - the same recipe is featured in today's Philadelphia Inquirer (or was it the New York Times?).  Put 'em on next month's Baking Bucket List.

(It was Parade magazine!)

Baking Bucket List

What a terrific idea - put together a monthly Baking Bucket List, with recipes to try out that month.  Working on May's list.  My April "list" will consist of making & eating VEGETARIAN dishes, which means NO meat-based or even -whispered dishes.  And sugar - reduce my sugar intake.  Either it makes sense to be smart or it's just dumb to pretend.  In my heart of hearts, I believe it is smart.  There is no middle ground, hard as that is to admit. 

First up on my May list - the  mocha cupcakes with coffee buttercream I mentioned in my last posting. 

Mocha Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream

Gonna make me some of these little darlin's, from Baking Bites!

Clever paper plate cookie holder - One Good Thing by Jillee

One Good Thing by Jillee has directions for a mega clever, easy-to-make paper plate cookie holder. 

Keep it super simple, just following the step-by-step instructions, or take it up a notch or two by embellishing it & adding ribbons.  (She also has instructions for a paper plate muffin holder!)

As someone who loves to bake cookies & is challenged at an economical way to present just a 
handful, this is the answer to my prayers.  And fun to make!