Everyone has one, many just don’t know it. If you aren’t sure, take a good look at the coffee mug sitting nearby. Is it the same one you used, say, a week ago? Is it part of a set or a one off that you got for whatever reason and tucked into the cabinet?

No kidding, a good coffee mug is the difference between a cold cuppa whatever (coffee, tea, you name it) and one that holds heat long enough to drink the contents.

It might be thermal, it might be a designer piece, it might be something found at a yard sale or in a second hand shop or gifted by a dear friend who knows how much you enjoy [ fill in the blank ]. 

The thing about a favorite mug is that it makes the beverage of choice that much better simply by using it.

Think I am wrong? Consider how you react when your favorite is not available and you must make do… If you feel a bit off balance, you have a Favorite whether you know it or not. :)

Don’t mind me, I’m off to clean up the current mug and get ready for a new cuppa …

Enjoy!

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As I write this there is way more than normal amount of snow on the ground for my area and it was only the day before yesterday that at least half of the county did a run on the grocery store. Yeah, a Bread and Milk Run.

For the uninitiated, a Bread and Milk Run is where the local weather folks warn about serious weather and let you know to stock up because you might not be getting out for the next few days. aka: It is going to be serious outside and you do not want to be there if you can avoid it.

For those folks who are not used to this kind of weather, preparing for it can be a challenge. I look on it as an opportunity to make use of my pantry.

Since we have not had issues (so far) with our power grid, I am thinking macaroni and cheese or possibly a pot of stew. They are filling, warming and some of the most comforting foods imaginable. But, what do you think of as comfort food?

In times when we have the potential for power loss, I look for things that can be eaten cold or room temperature. Peanut butter sandwiches, string cheese and crackers, fruit. I always have a thermos or two filled with hot coffee which always takes the chill off. Keep in mind you do not want to be opening your refrigerator or freezer as that lets the cold air out and could cause issues with the contents of that equipment. 

Once the weather returns to somewhat normal and the stores are well stocked, it is a good time to restock the pantry. 

In the meantime, settle in, relax and take it one step at a time. Spring will be here before we know it!

I don’t know about you but most folks I know are in one of two camps: (1) It is the first of the year so I must start over for everything. Everything. (2) It is the first of the year and I am taking my time to recover from a hectic holiday season and ease into a new year.

Sound familiar?

Frankly, I’ve never been one of those folks in camp 1. I just never thought my life was such that I had only 365 days to make or break before all would be tossed out and I would start over. And, really, why ditch what works? Of course there was that other pesky issue: lack of time and funds to create a magical new existence. Talk about stress! We won’t even think about things like weather or other stuff we have no control over…

Anyway, this year several of my YouTubers seem to be in the same camp, easing into a new year, generally with great thought and deliberation, and taking the time to enjoy what they are doing…in front or behind the camera.

As I write this, my area is undergoing some serious winter weather. We are looking at seriously cold temperatures in an area that rarely gets below 20 degrees on a really cold day in an average winter day. In other words, folks are stressing, fretting, and trying to deal with all the ‘what if’s’ they have no experience with.

I tend to keep a well stocked pantry so I did not have to make a grocery run, which is good because everyone else has and I would be shocked if there are no empty shelves. I have been making use of what is on my shelves. It is amazing how creative you can get when you come across something you forgot you had… Using up the odds and ends also create some great meals.

I’m also checking out my stash in the craft room. I’ve been watching a lot of creative people do what they do best and have been collecting ideas. I already have a list of cards I want to try.

I know a gardener or two who have found themselves contemplating what they want their garden to look like come Summer. Which means they are planning their Spring clean up and ventures to the local garden centers. Are you one of those? Have you ordered your garden catalogs yet?

I wonder how many folks contemplate that Winter Reset is really about looking ahead and not just recovering from the holidays. I know that the early days of January can be just as frantic as the last weeks of December. We often talk about getting off sugar or alcohol, maybe we need to talk about getting off the shopping rush, too?

That is a difficult one to maneuver around as all the retailers are either trying to get rid of old stock or entice you to purchase new stock.

In the meantime, I am settling in with my coffee, contemplating a coffee cake, and enjoying the peace and quiet. Before I know it everything will change again…