The Hermits' Rest

Hugs-giving OR What Are Your Traditions?

Apparently the DOG tradition is “Thankstuffing” according to the Bark Box people, who sent us a nice stuffed turkey toy for Vlassic to destroy.

Admittedly, I am one of those people really uncomfortable with the traditional US Thanksgiving origin story, especially since I have ancestors who were there on both sides of that particular piece of history. Probably most of us who are descended from the early settlers in the US are like that, since the settlers and the people who were already there seemed to hook up a lot when they weren’t attacking each other. As with most historical eras, I have a feeling that there were people who were good to each other and those who were not. Anyway…

The cactus in the kitchen window also wants to celebrate. Ooh, Aah.

…what I do like about Thanksgiving is the idea of an entire day to remember to be thankful for the abundance you have, your family, and your friends. That’s what I celebrate every year…that and delicious food, especially my oyster cornbread dressing and my orange/ginger cranberry sauce. I could probably get through the day with just those and a baked sweet potato.

Recipe: Cranberry Orange Sauce with Ginger Bits

Here’s the sauce I insist on making every year, whether people want it or not. Since I could eat it all myself, that’s no problem. It’s simple and delicious. (I will add a photo when I find one.)

Ingredients

1 bag of cranberries (regular size, not the huge ones)
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, with some orange pieces if desired
1 cup sugar (I have used Stevia or Splenda when serving diabetics)
1/4 cups candied ginger, cut into small bits (or some fresh ginger; don’t use powdered)

Method

In a sturdy, medium-sized pan, combine all ingredients. Cook on high, stirring to mix in the sugar well, until the cranberries start to pop. Lower the heat and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, 5 minutes or so.

Let the sauce sit a while to cool off, then pour into a bowl and put in the refrigerator. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.

Serve in a beautiful dish, which it so rightly deserves.

My Health Is MY Business; Yours Is Your Business

[Skip this if you have food triggers. Thank you.]

I figure it’s a good time to update on my intention to eat in a more healthy way and nip that triglyceride issue in the bud.

(At the same time I am demonstrating that you can post to this blog in columns.)

I’m feeling really good lately, and quite positive about everything. That’s probably why I am not in the least upset to pass by a dinner roll or a piece of pie. It has occurred to me that, just because a piece of food exists, I don’t have to eat it unless I want to.

So, even with going to New Orleans and all those other trips, I’ve been eating reasonable portions of mostly healthy food. I don’t weigh myself much, but my jeans tell me I’ve at least slimmed down a little. This is mainly good, because I don’t want to buy new clothing.

I’ve walked a LOT and have been hitting my exercise goal more often the past month or two. I actually have come to crave movement and don’t like just sitting around for a long time. I just get up and walk! It can’t hurt.

So, my health seems good. It’s how I like it. That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it.

And YOU?

After listening to people tell each other over and over again that they “should” be “doing keto” or cutting carbs, or fasting, or eating what your body tells you to…I sure am tired of people thinking they know what’s right for someone else.

I have friends of all shapes and sizes, as well as exercise lovers and haters. You know what? If you have thought about it long and hard and are happy with how you eat and the amount of movement you get in, well, it’s not my job to tell you otherwise.

If you ASK me what I do to keep healthy, then, sure, I’ll tell you how I am a big fan of moderation in everything, but that I’ve cut back on sugar and carbs lately for health reasons. But do I think you have to do that because I do? Nope.

What I would appreciate, though, would be for people who know I have reasons for my food choices trying to get me to change them. “Oh it’s just one cookie.” Yeah, but right now I don’t want one. I’ll have one later.

Gallery of Me

Well, Here I Go Again

I think I’m on a big kick of telling you how I handle issues that bug me. I’m like the happy curmudgeon, telling people to get off my lawn, but kindly and with good intent. Thanks to everyone who puts up with these blog posts. Thanks to the few of you who read my odes to my horses, too.

PS: All these pictures of me make me feel a little vain, but the idea is to show I am happy, at least in photos, however I’m doing in the eating department.

Who’s Lee? Does He Say Anything?

Lee as the cover of a romance novel for middle-aged women.

Lee is my spouse! I’ve mentioned him before, I just know it. Oh, I can be funny.

We will have been married 11 years on Friday. He’s a hermit. But he does right a lot. You’ve perhaps seen some of his posts on our Hermit Haus Redevelopment blog or the new Hearts, Homes and Hands blog. Still, he told me he wondered why no one seems to come across his personal blog, while I get a reasonable number of hits.

I told him no one’s going to just stumble over it; they have to know it’s there. I share.

Now I will share Lee!

If you’d like to learn a little bit about him, head over to The Hermitage, a blog he’s been keeping since I met him. There he gets to control all his HTML and format all his pictures exactly how he likes it, and that makes him happy.

None of this WordPress hand-holding for him! Right now, he’s sharing what he’s grateful for, and I’m happy to be one of those things.

I’m grateful for my spousal unit, too. He’s really kind, generous, stubborn, and occasionally grumpy. Other times, he’s funny and sweet. In other words, he’s human!

One thing that makes us a fun couple is how different we are. Go see him and find out for yourself! Give him a comment or follow him on Blogger.

MUST We Always Be Correct? The Conversation Killer

This morning, Anita and I were talking about how some of our circle participate in conversations. There are some issues where a couple of the folks really like to be correct and make sure everyone knows their version of the facts. Other people are sensitive about being “corrected” in public. During these conversations, I am mostly conspicuously quiet.

Let me tell you this about that! My dad always said that.

Why am I quiet? When one of these fact-slinging fests starts up, I quickly decide for myself whether MY version of what is correct is important enough for me to interject it and possibly get into an argument or make someone feel stupid. Usually, it simply isn’t. Whether Family Member A is citing outdated statistics to prove a point or Family Member B doesn’t remember a historical fact accurately is really their problem.

What happens is that the conversation is effectively killed when someone declares, “This is the only answer. The end.” (Meanwhile, I’m over there googling.)

Horses Heal Hearts

I feel so good right now. Sara and I just went on a long ride on Apache and Spice. Due to our schedules, we hadn’t been out for a while.

Look what we did! We put the bowl in the trough! Hee haw!

I was a little worried that Apache would be hard to ride after so long, but he seemed as glad to go explore as I was. We had a blast.

The light and foliage were spectacular, and because we went way to the edge of the property, we got to see some longhorns next door.

Spice started getting antsy when we saw some deer in the distance, and had trouble settling down. Fiona was too busy eating to notice the deer at first, so when they ran across the field, she ran all over.

Going home was a challenge for Sara, but she handled Spice really well. She went round and round in circles a lot.

I enjoyed myself so much. I wished the ride would never end. I feel so calm and serene, like I have no problems. I feel healed. And I think the horse is as happy as me.

Our newest calf, Grazzi. Sort of like thanks.

Book Report: The Body: A Guide for Occupants

Ooh-wee am I excited to share this book report! I’ve been making myself obnoxious the entire time I’ve been reading it, because I keep telling everyone little tidbits I’ve learned or recommending it with great abandon. I sure liked The Body: A Guide for Occupants, by Bill Bryson. I am a complete sucker for nonfiction that both informs and entertains, and this book certainly achieves those goals and more.

Even Penney the dog liked this book, at least at first.

Bryson, who is many people’s favorite nonfiction writer, according to the many people who told me that, takes you on a tour of the human body and all its systems, and he shares lots of current information (the book just came out) as well as fascinating stories of what people used to believe about various aspects of ourselves.

Planning to Be Interesting

While I have little exciting to report today, I sure planned to be interesting later! I think that counts as good news.

I did a lot of work for my volunteer jobs. The best part was planning for next year’s Master Naturalist activities with our Vice President, Donna. She hates computers and I love them, so we are complementary.

The back of Donna as she talked about bluebirds

We even made a survey to ask the members what they want to learn about next year. The one person who has filled it out so far is me, but then it hasn’t gone out in email yet.

Carlton wants his fellow pound puppies to get to run around like he does.

Lee and I then went to Tractor Supply in scenic Hearne, where I not only got horse and chicken supplies, but also scoped out supplies for the dog run our family and business are going to build for the Cameron dog pound.

We even got an invitation to do a dog adoption day at the Tractor Supply store! Thus, I did work for ALL my volunteer jobs! Interesting!

The evening has started well, too. As I walked back from horse feeding at dusk, I heard the sandhill cranes above me. I guess they were heading to the big lake by the old Alcoa plant.

Imagine cranes here. They are too high to photograph.

Then I walked through the field as flocks of Savannah sparrows took off at my approach. Their wings were beautiful to hear.

Ahh, autumn.

Fall Beauty Is Subtle but Sweet

I’ve really been enjoying the weather and the fall foliage the past week or two. It got all windy in Austin and leaves were swirling like they did back in Illinois when I lived there.

Here at the ranch the cedar elms are the ones that provide color. It’s not bright, but the trees have many shades going from orange to russet brown.

There’s one tree with yellow foliage. I’m thinking it’s a mesquite. I didn’t look too hard. It must be something else.

Guest Blogger: Are You Ever Safe from Snakes? No.

by Mandi Shuffield

Sarge, 9 years old. He will let his boys do anything they want to him. They seem to love putting things on his head…

The weather is finally cooling off here in Central Texas! I see a lot of folks are catching up on yard work and home improvements. I know the contractors I ‘ve talked to are sure happy about not sweating to death just from stepping out of their houses! But does this mean that we should be lured into believing that the venomous snakes are not active right now? It does not!

I have seen people share a post that gives the seasons that snakes are not out at this time of year. In my experience of almost 38 years, I’d say ignore that and pretend that even when there is ice on the ground, you could find a snake.

Just be vigilant, and then you won’t have to retrain yourself this spring. Don’t get lulled into security because some zoologist somewhere says they are “less likely” to be active. That’s the key phrase there, “less likely.” That doesn’t mean there is a 0% chance of finding them. That’s especially true if you’re moving leaves, debris, or climbing under a house where it is probably sort of warm.