I was busy yesterday. I had a lot to do in the house, but it felt like such a good baking day that I decided pie and cake trumped cleaning.
I'd been meaning to get at a few cupboards for a few days now. We have dried fruit, pasta, rice, etc. that needs to be sorted and rearranged. The various flours we have are jumbled together and need to be straightened out. The cupboards with the oils and vinegars ... never mind. I don't want to talk about it.
Instead, I baked a peach upside down cake, a peach pie, a loaf of bread ( in a machine but I still had to triple-sift the flour) butterscotch brownies and Katherine Hepburn Brownies. (I add cayenne.)
In between the pie and brownies I made Potatoes Romanov. These are potatoes mashed with cheese and sour cream then left to set for a few hours. They need to be baked before serving. It counts.
During the course of all this I kept wanting to get at the cupboards plus I had peas to shell and beans to blanch and freeze. I felt swamped. Dishes piled up. Instead of thinking about what I'd done I was focused on what needed to be done and became somewhat anxious.
Then my thinking changed. I realized this was all about food. I was getting upset because I had too much food.
I decided this was
a) stupid
b)offensive to those who have so little
c) ungrateful
Once I realized this I had to laugh at myself. Gratitude replaced the feeling that nothing was being done. Plenty got done. I had the pile of dishes to prove it.
I had a counter overflowing with dirty dishes and a whole whack of food needing my attention and for those blessings I am grateful.
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15 comments:
Great way to turn it around, cousin! I need to do the same thing when I'm feeling overwhelmed by the enormous bounty provided by my garden!
Thanks for the gratitude reminder.
My pleasure, Cousin. Turning around the idea takes a bit of effort, but I recommend it.
df Leah,
So here we have another post that you have written exclusively for me.
This week I begin a few week course of a pre-treatment diet. This will require me to cook, which is not my favorite activity.
I keep saying to everyone who will listen (and apologies to loved ones who have heard this entirely too often) "Oh well, it is a small price to pay. After treatments I will be good as new."
But the part I forgot is to be very grateful for the fact that I am healthy enough to cook, have the mental acumen to follow the proscribed regime without assistance and that I can afford to buy the necessary foodstuffs.
Thank so much. I feel better already.
Terrie
dfTerrie,
You're welcome. I am happy that my posts speak to you on such a personal level.
After treatments you'll be better than new.
I'm glad you're getting after a pre-treatment diet. That means you're treatment is practically here. This is good.
Oh, I need to figure out how I can make the hours spent in front of the computer into a positive thing - especially when I look around at the mess that I have been ignoring ;)
Great post, the recipe looks wonderful.
Thanks, Reb. The brownies are tasty.
As to your computer time, well, think of what you're learning.
Well chosen words today, Leah. I have a similar situation here, where I would love to bake except it would make my apartment too hot with the temperatures we have:30C (I don't have A/C). I've been meaning to make another batch of gingerbread scones which will just have to wait until the temperatures drop.
A great website for recipes is:
joyofbaking.com
the words I FELT SWAMPED spoke volumes to me.
Im feeling a bit swamped around here mentally and physically (clutter).
I need to moooooove past that and embrace the swampitude and be grateful for its cause (visiting family)
Thanks, Barbara. I've never made scones. I'm intrigued. Thanks for the web link.
Miz, it's a simple matter of turning a situation over and tickling its tummy until it smiles.
I forgot to mention - I love your new header picture! It's wonderfully moody.
dfBag Lady, thank you so much. This is one of my favourite pics. Glad you like it.
*grin!* I completely understand. With the huge harvest of our garden, I found myself feeling overwhelmed by the work, then I'd kick my own butt and remind myself, hey, a garden is a lot of work, but we are very blessed to have all this marvelous food and it's more than well worth the effort. :)
Thomma Lyn, it sure is worth it. Yours really turned out well. My back yard salad garden is doing okay, but the big garden isn't producing much. I'll miss it in the winter.
We should all think more like you do.
Thanks, Hilary. Oh, wouldn't that world be scary?!
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