Ring it in, Rest, Replenish

The new year is upon us and we all know what that can mean — champagne, resolutions, bowl games, and for some the last days of a holiday season vacation.

Rest, Recover, Enjoy

Rest, Recover, Enjoy

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Yesterday’s Wine

In 1971, country western singer, Willie Nelson had no hits. He and his wife had divorced, his Tennessee ranch had burned to the ground and he’d lost any money from his song-writing due to unsuccessful music tours. Nelson moved to a new ranch and went to a recording studio to record a couple of new songs. The concept album, as it was called was about the Imperfect Man and it contained the song, Yesterday’s Wine.

Day After Savory Bread Pudding
Day After Savory Bread Pudding

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Tammy’s Top Ten (t3 report) Food Quotes

Food and words and words and food. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that it’s a combination I prefer. Maslow coined food as one of the most basic human needs. Yet when do words come into his famous pyramid? Do they enter in the layer just above bodily function called safety which includes things like family, employment and morality or are they contained in the middle ground of love and belonging where we see friendship and intimacy?

tsakshaug flickr creative commons

tsakshaug flickr creative commons

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Pay Back

I swear. The hardest thing I’ve ever done is try to be a good parent. There’s no book and I probably wouldn’t have read it if there was. I began with great ideals and have flexed into a more adaptive role realizing that kids and situations vary and that some of my ideals would  have likely put them on a therapist’s couch for years to come. I pray a lot.

Sixteen Year-old Decision

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Tammy’s Top Ten (t3 report) Holiday Ideas

I won’t say that I’m doing all ten of these this year. In fact, I’m not. But given that I have a 15 year old, it does mean that I’ve assembled a relatively fruitful portfolio of things that we’ve done during the holidays. I hope one or more of them will stimulate a fun idea for you.

flickr.com/photos/powi/2081228827/lightbox/

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Laughter

“I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.” The quote from Woody Allen describes the condition that triggers the release of endorphins, our natural feel-good chemicals that promote a sense of well-being and have also been shown to relieve pain. It also triggers the release of milk from one’s nostrils but never mind.

flickr.cc.2.0/photos/chrishuggins

Lessons from Mountain Biking

Okay, I was sold a bill of goods. I was told that there was a wide rolly trail from Sunriver, OR to Bend. I saw it as a great opportunity to rent a bike, spend time in a gorgeous outdoor setting with my husband and exercise my wide rolly body.

Oregon Trail Rash

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The Way to a Man’s Heart

My friend confided in me that her husband will never leave her for another woman. Rather, she might lose him to a good Osso Bucco. I’m certain that you’ve heard the old adage, that the stomach is the pathway to a man’s heart but over the last few years there is growing evidence that the true path to the heart is through one’s teeth.

Showing the Pearly Whites

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Tammy’s Top Ten (t3 report) Lessons from my Dad

It’s Father’s Day and as usual, I’m terrible about these events. I was traveling this week and although there’s a card in my office, I didn’t time it right – which is why it’s still sitting in my office. Clearly put, gifting is not my love language. In fact, when I took the Chapman survey, it’s my lowest value. But put differently, when I think about lessons as gifts, I suddenly become much more appreciative and find that I’m very willing to pass them along.

My Dad and My Grandma and the Bluebonnets of Texas

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Agrigirl Meets Agri-ecologist

It’s a good thing that seats are preassigned on United Airlines. If they weren’t, I might’ve arm-wrestled to keep the seat next to me open on the red-eye flight from Lima, Péru to Houston, TX. I had visions of stretching out across that empty seat in order to rest and relax and contemplate the magnificent journey that I’d just taken.

Machu Picchu in the Early Morning

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