Getting in touch with my inner watercolorist with Waterlogue

A picture I took of Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Chicago, transformed by Waterlogue

I love watercolor paintings. So when I discovered this handy phone app, Waterlogue, it was a match made in heaven.  

The app transforms simple photos into lovely watercolor paintings.  

I have found that it works best with scenery, and not necessarily people.  It especially doesn't know what to do with lipstick on people, and it comes across as a blob of color on a person's face.

But it's so much fun!  Here are a few more of my creations.

This was my late mother's house.  She passed away in November, and the house has already been sold, but it was the scene of many happy memories.  I think I'd even like to find a way to print and frame this one.

This was a picture of me and my newborn grandson Landon, back in October 2013

This is a picture I took of a pretty house in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, last summer

A floral arrangement in a Longaberger basket on my kitchen table a while back

More about Waterlogue here

My Mom's Recipes...Tried and True

Going through my mom's things was difficult at times, but there are many things I'll cherish...including many of her recipes.  I'm sharing a few of her favorites here, written in her beautiful handwriting. Some were favorites passed on by other friends and relatives.

  I will definitely be making these time and time again, and I can totally recommend them!

(Click on picture to make it bigger.)

Sherrie's Vinegar and Oil Dressing

Chinese Chicken Wings

Troy Aikman's Chocolate Cherry Cake

I'm participating today in Thursday Favorite Things, hosted by Katherine's Corner!

I miss my mommy. (A daughter's grief observed, three months on)

On the evening of November 5, 2013, I got the phone call that forever changed my life.

It was my son Justin, calling from Texas where most of my family lives.

When I saw his picture on my phone, I expected a light-hearted chat.  But the first thing I heard sounded like some sort of static. I later realized it was the sound of him crying.

When he was finally able to speak, I heard the terrifying words, "I don't have any details, but Uncle David says Momo is unresponsive, and it isn't good."

That was a little over three months ago, and I'm still navigating an ocean of grief.

Sudden

The sudden death of a loved one is different from other deaths. I'm not saying it's worse, just different...in a bad way.

I don't discount or minimize the grief that lasts for years, seeing a loved one waste away slowly, perhaps in pain or not themselves. That's what happened with my dad. The loss is no less of a loss, and carries its own brand of heartache.

But the death of my mother...with no warning, no inkling other than that she was 80 years old and had high cholesterol...gobsmacked us.

 In my father's case, we were able to peruse hospice literature that readied us for the end. We were able to gather around him and say our final good-byes. We were as prepared as one can be for the death of a loved one--which, granted, is never prepared enough.

 But we were able to release him to heaven and not feel sucker-punched.

Peaceful

One thing we cling to is the apparent peacefulness of her death.  She laid down for her usual afternoon reading session that usually resulted in a nap. She had fallen asleep and died of cardiac arrest. No trauma, no pain...she simply went to sleep and woke up in heaven.

And yes, we are so thankful for that. We are completely cognizant of and grateful for the blessings...that she never suffered, didn't linger in the throes of a painful and debilitating disease. We rejoice that she's with my dad and all the loved ones that have gone on before.

But my mother...oh, my mother was amazing, wonderful, everything a mother should be. She was central to our existence. She was the hub around which we all gathered. She was the matriarch. Her unconditional love, her joy, her encouragement, her support, her smile, her faith, her grace--essential to our lives.

An ocean of grief

I said earlier that I'm navigating an ocean of grief.  Some days are relatively smooth and fair, others are stormy and tumultuous.  It's unchartered territory for me, because the pain is much more acute and shattering than was (and is) the grief for my beloved father.

We siblings ask, almost rhetorically, "When will this pain end?" "When will our grief settle down and become manageable?"

The truth is, on any given day, at any given moment, I could cry for my mother.

Sweet friends who have been through the same thing try to give us light at the end of the tunnel.  I look forward to a time where it won't be so raw, so painful to the touch, where tears will be few and far between.

I also look forward to the day that I'll see both my parents again.  If I didn't have this hope, this faith, I don't see how I could carry on at all. How do people do it who don't have this hope?

In the meantime...

I just miss my mommy.

Thursday Favorite Things: Eye Shadow Palettes

OK...anyone who knows me knows that I am a make-up junkie!

I'm not going to go into the pros and cons of wearing make-up, how much is too much, etc.  I only know that as a "woman of a certain age," looking my best inevitably involves applying a little paint to the old barn, if you know what I mean.

As he sometimes does on my December birthday, my husband gifted me this year with Estee Lauder's Blockbuster gift with purchase.

It was a make-up lover's dream.  Among the stand-outs: the eye shadow palette.  The colors are absolutely lovely, go on beautifully, and fulfill just about any eye-shadow needs a make-up lover could have.

Here's a closer look:

I am absolutely loving this palette.  Here's me wearing a few of the colors (click to make the picture larger):

On my lid: Estee Lauder Ivy Envy, Satin
In my crease: Estee Lauder Lavish Mink, Matte
Under my eyebrows: Nude Fresco, Satin

While this palette is no longer available,  you can buy the individual colors at your Estee Lauder counter.  Which is what I plan to do with the Lavish Mink color.  It's exactly the deep, dark shade I love in a brown eye shadow.

Are you a cosmetics junkie too?  I'd love to hear about your favorite palettes and products!

I'm taking part today in Katherine's Corner's Thursday Favorite Things blog hop!

Today is English Toffee Day!...A yummy-looking recipe for English Toffee cookies

Source

Who doesn't love the delicious flavor of English toffee? One of my favorite forms is English Toffee creamer in my coffee or in convenience-store cappucino.

 Today, January 8, 2014, is English Toffee Day.

Here are some interesting facts about toffee, including this one:

Some think that English toffee is a variant of a 19th century candy.  Because slave labor drastically lowered the prices of sugar and treacle at the start of the 19th century, the key ingredients needed to create toffee became available to average people. Seeking a frugal solution,  two English ladies decided to combine these two ingredients and created a wonderful treat.

In the spirit of the day, I thought I'd share a recipe for English Toffee Cookies.  In all honesty, I haven't tried this recipe, but it looks easy and delicious.  Here we go, from Cooks.com:

ENGLISH TOFFEE COOKIES
1 c. brown sugar 1 c. granulated sugar 1 c. soft shortening 2 eggs 2 1/2 c. flour 1 tsp. soda 1 tsp. salt 6-8 Heath candy bars, broken Cream together sugars and shortening. Add eggs and beat. Combine flour, soda and salt and add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Blend in candy bar bits. Drop by teaspoon of dough onto cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Sounds like the perfect comfort food for a cold January day!

My great-aunt Cynthia...a woman of class and grace

My great-aunt, Cynthia Pearl  Carroll Todt

Going through my recently-passed mother's household effects has been both sad and rewarding.  Among the plusses: finding vintage pictures of family loved ones.  Like my great-aunt Cynthia.

Cynthia Pearl Carroll Todt was my mom's sister.  She and her husband, Bill Todt, an executive in the Gulf Oil Corporation in West Texas, were childless, and they adored my mother.

Auntie, age 16...circa 1926

Together, they had an enormous influence on my mother, and by extension, me.

"Auntie," as she was called (with the West Texas drawl that made it sound more like Ain't-ee), was a woman of class and grace.

My earliest memories of her include her red lipstick and beautifully manicured red fingernail polish.  Her clothes were timeless and elegant.

This so reminds me of clothes I've seen on Downton Abbey

She loved make-up, a love she passed on to my sisters and me.  Her home was lovely and gracious, and  had a wonderful smell all its own, an aroma I wish I could bottle and spray in my own home.

Auntie and Uncle Bill, circa 1940's

My mom was named after her, and then I was named after my mom.  Cynthia Pearl...Cynthia Anne...and I'm Cynthia Susan.

Sass!

I hope you enjoy these pictures.  I love their vintage quality and charm, and they connect me with a lovely woman from my family's past.

A Wedding in December

On Saturday, we attended the wedding of my nephew David and the lovely Kayla.  The reception was held in a renovated barn called "Oak Lane."  Thought I'd share some of the pictures from that fun day!

The venue for the reception--Oak Lane in Oregon, IL

My three nephews who have all gotten married this past year, and their lovely brides

David and Kayla

Hubby and me enjoying the reception

The Easiest and Most Delicious Beef Stew Ever (Crockpot or Not!)

For me, few things herald the arrival of colder temperatures than beef stew.  (Chili and all things pumpkin go without saying, of course!)

Granted, "my" beef stew recipe is about as basic as you can get...but the results are mouth-watering all the same.  It's kind of hard to ruin the combination of stew meat and tasty veggies.

You can make this for the crockpot or for a big pot on the stove.  Right now, I'm about to start getting ready for work (I just work afternoons.)  My stew is in the crockpot already, with all the flavors mingling nicely.  When I get home from work, all I'll need to do is spoon it into bowls!

Here's the basic recipe, but remember, you can always improvise.  Throw in those left-over veggies in the fridge...have less of this or more of that.  It'll still be yummy.


EASY BEEF STEW

1 package of stew meat pieces
Seven or eight potatoes, peeled and cut up in chunky pieces
[NOTE:  Since my husband and I are being careful about carbs, I actually use only 1 large potato now, when it's just the two of us.  It still tastes wonderful!]
1 package baby carrots (cut each carrot in half if you wish)
[NOTE:  I used "real" carrots this time.]
1 can mixed vegetables
1 can green beans
1 can corn
1 large can tomato sauce
1 and a half packets beef stew mix
[NOTE: Since my hubby and I are empty-nesters and don't have to make the stew stretch to feed several, I just use one packet of the stew mix]

Brown the stew meat in a little oil. (My mom advocated dipping the pieces in salt-n-peppered flour first, but I don't always take the time to do that.)

 While browning, chop up veggies and put them in the crock pot. Add tomato sauce (you can add a can of diced tomatoes if you like--my family just doesn't like to SEE tomato pieces in anything. Weird, I know.)

Add canned veggies, INCLUDING the juice. (Again, this might also be a good time to get rid of left-over veggies that may be in the fridge and are still good.)

Pepper the meat and add some seasoned salt if you like, then dump in the crockpot with everything else. Add beef stew mix.

When making this in the crock-pot, you probably won't need to add extra liquid...but if you're making it in a big pot, you'll probably need to add at least a cup of water, maybe more. Play it by ear.

If using a crock-pot, cook on HIGH for four or five hours.  If cooking in a pot on the stove, cook on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender.

Some of my favorite Christmas music

Some of my favorite sounds of the season...

Amy Grant's "Home for Christmas"

I fell in love with this album the first time I heard it several years ago, and it has certainly stood the test of time.  The very traditional arrangements of classic favorites...the gorgeous orchestration, with Amy's pleasant voice...the few "newer" songs that have since become classics as well ("Breath of Heaven," "Grown-up Christmas List)...it's all combined to make this one of my favorite Christmas albums of all time.

4Him "The Season of Love"

It just wouldn't be Christmas for me without this wonderful CD.  It first came out so long ago that the cover picture shows the four guys in full early 90's glory, mullets and all.  But the sound never gets stale.  The gorgeous 4-part harmony, as well as the guys' distinctive solo voices, shine on unique arrangements of traditional favorites as well as others that have also become classics, like "Strange Way to Save the World."

Michael W. Smith's "Christmas" and "Christmastime"

Again, it would not be the Christmas season for me without these two albums.

I wrote about them several years ago:

The arrangements and orchestration (in "Christmastime" are absolutely gorgeous... This is one of my very favorite Christmas albums. It is the perfect, joyous blend of the lighthearted and the reverent. Now I can't imagine the Christmas season without it. 

His first Christmas album, "Christmas," also remains a Christmas season staple for me, but it has a much different tone. The first album is more quiet and worshipful overall. 

Point of Grace "A Christmas Story"

Another really beautiful album that as more than stood the test of time.   Lush, shimmery, angelic female four-part harmony, with a nice balance of the sacred and the secular.

Bryan Duncan "Christmas is Jesus"

There's something unique about Bryan Duncan's voice...I've always loved it.  And his Christmas album is a wonderful blend of traditional and inspirational.  His "Angels We Have Heard on High" is a joyful celebration, while "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is thoughtful and hopeful.
The song, "Form of Man," really encapsulates what Christmas really means...God coming down to earth and taking on human form:

Jesus, lowly born, brought riches to the earth
Lord of Heaven coming down, risking human birth
God’s thoughts and ways are not our own and I can’t understand
Why He wrapped His love in flesh and blood and He took the form of man.

Oh, and sometimes...as I wrote in an earlier post...I  just have to listen to Handel's Messiah.

A few years ago, I wrote about going to Trinity Lutheran Church in Rockford and hearing the Messiah performed live...

...Finally, the lights were lowered, and the small orchestra began the overture. I was instantly captivated.

The first song sung by the choir is "And the glory of the Lord." As soon as it began, and the beautiful voices wafted over us in stately and gorgeous harmony, I started crying and didn't stop for the entire length of the song.

It was not only the beauty of the music that caused my awestruck tears...it was the power, the majesty, the dignity, the authority. "And all flesh shall see it together...for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." 

I love "The Hallelujah Chorus," and it also has a powerful effect on me. But probably my favorite song from Messiah is "For unto us a child is born," and has been since I was in junior high. I don't know what it is that captivates me so much about this piece. I love the intricate harmonies, the amazing run-on vocal phrases that spiral skyward, the joyful elation of the violins. [Do listen to the video below if you have a few moments and have any appreciation at all for classical music.]

I honestly don't think I've ever heard any music with the power to transport me to the heavenlies like Handel's Messiah. If the music in heaven is even slightly more amazing and awe-inspiring--and I believe it will actually be much more so--then we certainly have a lot to look forward to!

Thanksgiving Memories

Thanksgiving is one of my very favorite holidays.  This one will be bittersweet, as it will be the first one since my mother passed away November 5th.  However, I've spent many Thanksgiving Days away from my mom.  I won't spend the day mourning or grieving.  I'll thank God for giving me 50 plus years with the most wonderful mother ever!

The following is a repeat of a post I did a few years ago (November 2010):

The table ready for Thanksgiving at my mom's house, 2009

Thanksgiving during my growing-up years was always a wonderful celebration. Turkey was the star of the show, always made delectably by my mother.

It wasn't until I grew up and moved away that I really appreciated the fact that my mom had to get up early in the morning, while we were all still snoozing, to get the bird in the oven.

Mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, and my mom's 24-hour marshmallow salad were always featured on the menu...and yes, football was always part of the festivities.

Growing up in a Christian home, we always took the time on Thanksgiving to reflect on our blessings and give thanks to God.



When I got married and moved to Illinois, Thanksgiving almost always meant a Swanson family celebration, usually at the the home of one of my husband's older brothers. My sisters-in-law are all amazing cooks, and any Swanson gathering means some delicious eats.

Of course, the turkey reigns supreme, but pies and fudge and all kinds of desserts offer temptation. One of my favorite dishes at Swanson Thanksgivings is my sister-in-law Gail's sweet potatoes, sauteed in butter.

There are always a variety of delicious vegetable casseroles on the menu as well.

If everyone has enough energy and it's not too cold out, we often make time for a walk to make us feel a little better about consuming so many Thanksgiving calories.

And of course, you'll find many family members watching football on TV.

Many times, I've had a smaller Thanksgiving celebration for my immediate family.

A few years ago, my son and his wife and my little grandson Payton were able to come from Texas. We actually had dinner at one of my sister-in-law's homes, but it was my first Thanksgiving as a Type 2 diabetic, and I made some diabetic-friendly desserts--including low-carb pumpkin pie--that were absolutely delicious.

I try to include at least one or two of these at every holiday meal, so I can indulge without feeling too guilty!

My mom's dining room table

My grandson Payton and my niece Arden at their own little table at my mom's house, last Thanksgiving. They love this table! (2009)

The table in my mom's entryway, decorated for the holiday (2009)

The Valley of the Shadow

Cynthia Anne Zarafonetis Garrett

July 9, 1933--November 5, 2013

On November 5th, shortly after 9 in the evening, I got a phone call that will forever change my life.  My precious mother had been found "unresponsive" and it wasn't good.  Shortly afterward, another phone call: "She's gone."

My mother wasn't just any mother--she was, simply, amazing.  Someday I will try to write more coherently and gracefully about her and all she meant to me.  Over 10 years ago, I wrote this tribute to her that makes an attempt at verbalizing the awesomeness that was my mother, but I don't know if it even came close.

On the night she died, I put this on Facebook:

I am devastated. My precious, beautiful mother, Cynthia Garrett, went home to be with the Lord this evening. She simply laid down as if for a nap, and never woke up. I talked to her just this morning and she was cheerful and happy and so alive. I'm so happy for her...she's with my dad, many of her friends and loved ones and her Saviour...but there's a hole in my heart that won't mend until I see her again. 

God has been very real and precious to my family and me in this time of grieving.  We are still able to smile and laugh in the midst of our tears.  We know we'll see her again someday.