discoveries

By way of Chronicles of a Country Girl I felt challenged to think of ten new discoveries in my life. It took some concentrated thinking but here they be.

1) Boar’s Head Cajun Roast Beef. One of the things I love about Publix is that they encourage you to try a slice of whatever it is you're ordering. Or, if they are featuring a new product they invite you to try it. We have fallen in love with more foods this way, the most recent of which is the cajun roast beef. I'm not a huge spice fan, but this is just right spicy and flavorful. And pssst! Ken doesn't even know we have it yet!

2) I have a great mind (as in: great minds think alike). Some of Pampered Chef’s new products (within the last year) were my idea. No, really! I suggested two-cup prep bowls, an ice bucket, and a double-boiler. Ta-da! All three will be available starting Monday. The two-cup prep bowls have become a best-seller (thank you very much), the ice bucket ice usable for HOURS before much water begins to pool at the bottom, and the double-boiler, well, I don't even have mine yet but I can assure you it is fabulous!

3) Introverts in the Church. This book, bought on a whim at Cokesbury because it was on sale, has been mind-opening and practically life-changing. I need to get back to reading it so that I can finish it and reflect on all that is has to offer, but in short it has removed a lifelong thorn from my side. How's THAT for discovery!

4) When I apply myself, I’m a pretty darn good teacher. When I say apply this isn't to suggest that I don't always apply myself, but my mind moves at lightning speed, and that sometimes translates as being impatient with the details of preparation. I got into the details of our Lenten program this year, and it shows. It's a hit.

5) the proportionately large number of blogs I visit/enjoy that include, or have as their focus, photography. I need to work on developing this craft. I can take some good pictures, but I'd love to take great pictures.

6) Papa John’s Pepperoni Rolls. This is truly a new discovery, as in last night. It's not that they're the best things in the world--they have too little pepperoni and cheese in relation to the dough. But they're a nice little snack. The best part? Easy to make at home. Kind of like making rugelach from leftover pie crust dough, these can be done with dough, cheese and pepperoni. Dipper's choice for dunking. I'm also thinking that these are pretty new because I can't find a picture of them on the web. And alas, I can't photograph ours because they're, well, gone!

7) I need to get out more. This isn’t a new discovery as much as a renewed discovery. Does that count? When I see the work of other Project 365ers I am reminded that I am not out in the world enough. And when I am out, and I remember my camera, I forget to take pictures. This needs to change. This picture is obviously not one of those times that I forgot my camera. (Cheekwood Botanical Gardens in Nashville--one of my favorite places for photographs).

8) Writing a postcard to say hello doesn’t take much time out of your day and can make a world of difference in someone else’s.

9) Quick Fix Meals on Food Network. And OMG, the pretzel sticks! I’m thinking church project for sale at the fall Oktoberfest. Best part? The kids will want to help! We're going to be making pretzels (the loopy kind) during Lent, so we'll see if doing this all from scratch will be feasible. Stay tuned, like in several months.

10) Banana Muffins. For some reason I have an aversion to banana bread. Probably because it is everywhere. So when I had bananas about to turn to mush I decided to make muffins instead. Ah, what a treat! The ingredients are a bit different, so you get a different flavor, but there's also something satisfying about holding a muffin in hand, splitting it open when it's hot and watching butter melt. Bliss.

 
Play along if you'd like! This has actually been kinda fun.