Gratitude in 2020

Everything is a blessing or a lesson. Everything. 

Yes, even in 2020 - an unprecedented time - the year of a worldwide pandemic, the year of COVID-19, the year of masks and shutdowns and quarantines.
Yes, even in 2020 - the year of the Earth's healing, the year of transformation and rebirth and self-reflection. 

As humans, it is easy (often without even thinking) to complain and immediately see the worst in a situation. It is also then easy to be that hamster on a wheel or even start that downward spiral that typically comes next if we aren’t aware. COVID-19 is real and while, thankfully, my immediate family has not been personally affected, I have many friends and family of friends who have been and my heart truly aches for them.

I have heard so many mention how they are anxious for 2021 to begin so this will be over. The mere flipping of a calendar will not make this disappear. Oh, and neither will THE election. But this isn’t a blog about politics or differing beliefs and I am not climbing up on the soapbox. Those pedestals are quite full right now. That’s not who I am, anyway. 

Who I am is a woman of pure love and light and gratitude. Gratitude. Yes, that is where this blog is going, friends. But thanksgiving and November are over, you say? Well, yes, they are but gratitude is a permanent state for me. Why? Because we attract what we focus on and what we believe. I choose to remain in a state of gratitude in order to attract more things into my life for which to be grateful! Who wouldn’t want that, right?

So, let’s go back to January 1, 2020 and reflect on our blessings AND our lessons and be grateful for each one because they happened FOR us; not TO us! I’ll start. I am grateful for:

1. the start of my work as a Hospice volunteer in January. I am grateful to have spent about two months (before she broke free of her earthly chains) with a lovely elderly lady whose family trusted me with her care. I am grateful for the beautiful friendship I found with her granddaughter as a result of my first patient pairing. There is nothing better than the feeling I get as a Hospice volunteer!
2. seeing “Grease” at the Riverside Dinner Theater with my mom in February.
3. sharing dinner with my cousins, Rosemary and Jack, in late February not, at the time, knowing how much I would truly appreciate that fellowship.
4. my first mentor turned family friend transitioning in late February and being able to spend much-needed time with her family for two days and hold a “normal” service. While the gathering was surrounded by sadness, it was also full of love, allowed me to catch up with Nicole and others and spend valuable time with Jan’s family.
5. Hubs and I making the trip to Raleigh the first week in March to see the Zac Brown Band. Little did we know it would be the first and only live show we would see in 2020. What an incredible time!
6. our first (and what turned out to be only) wine dinner of the off-season at the Salt Box Cafe.
7. my mom being able to spend almost two weeks of time with us in the OBX as, just a mere few days after taking her home, the pandemic was in full force.
8. a dear friend reaching out to me for help on a whim when a mutual friend’s husband was hospitalized. Subsequently, I am grateful for his trust in me (as we had never met in person) to connect with his energy to provide reiki healing and prudent messages to his wife. I am also eternally grateful for his willingness to continue to connect with me in spirit to reassure his wife of his love and appreciation.
9. Hubs being able to make a quick trip to Ohio to visit his mom, not knowing it would be the only trip home this year.
10. seeing the writing on the wall (even though I adored those babies) and quitting my part-time job at a dog daycare.       Now.... all of that occurred PRIOR to the pandemic. Let’s continue on through the rest of the year.  I am grateful for:
11. Hubs having a secure, federal government job in which he has always worked from home.
12. having such dear friends who I consider family that live close to Mom to assist in grocery shopping and transportation to medical appointments during this time. Mom is high-risk, having incurable lung disease, and my heart was able to rest due to the love of Sue, Sunday, Melissa and Phil.
13. being nudged to expand my awareness and energy work to a broader public collective in the form of “Spiritual Warrior Soul Daughter”. As a result, I have come in contact with beautiful souls and have been able to provide “love in service” to more than I ever imagined.
14. listening to my intuition and reaching out to a friend in which I had cut a connection to many years prior. While I was quickly reminded why that relationship had to end, and severed it for good this time, it also served a bigger purpose. As a result, I was introduced to a new soul sister in Colorado with whom I periodically send distance reiki to help in her cancer battle. While old wounds surfaced, it was for a higher purpose. TANC
15. being offered and accepting a part-time job with the local winery in June. Wine has always been a true love of mine and this experience paired perfectly with raising the vibration for myself and that of strangers. Being able to give people a sense of normalcy this year was invaluable!
16. my already resilient marriage growing even stronger as Hubs and I appreciate our lives and fall in love more every day.
17. being able to frequently support our friends (who are like family) who own and staff restaurants through takeout and curbside deliciousness. Shout out to Salt Box Cafe, Two Roads, South Beach and Mom's Sweet Shop!
18. breaking personal records in supporting John’s Drive In and Fishheads this season! The wait is usually so long at both we are lucky to get in one time a year. This year we went to EACH three times!
19. trips to my home away from home, Colonial Beach, to safely meet my mom. While it was not as often as a usual year, I am beyond grateful we had the special and few opportunities we did; especially to celebrate my dad’s birthday.
20. making a quick stop at the new Backporch Winery in King George while in town and making a new friend in the NN Wine Diva! What a wonderful visit we had-the view, the wine, the staff- to serve as a quick escape from reality.
21. enjoying three bushels of blue crabs this summer- two at CB and one from my new local friend, Steve, in Grandy.
22. the opportunity to provide weekend dog-walking services through Hospice to a lovely lady who is homebound and lost her husband in March. While she profusely thanks me every time, it is I who am the thankful one to have the privilege of caring for her precious girl and now for her as well.
23. having participated in my happy place, Winestyles of Montclair, virtual Zoom tastings. Being able to see my friends and be part of that Friday night from afar made my heart smile so big! I am also grateful for special packaged to-go orders just for me!
24. living at the beach so that I could easily clear my mind and be present in a state of gratitude when it was often very challenging.
25. the thriving mental and physical health of my family.
26. Nami growing in confidence and being a well-behaved good girl staying home alone for hours at a time while not destroying the house or eating Alvin.
27. Alvin overcoming a very scary and overwhelming health issue.
28. our beloved and devoted team of vets, staff and dog gurus who have helped us in so many ways with Alvin and Nami- Kate, Jennifer, Dr. Belton and Samson, Dr. Johnson and Brewer at Blue Pearl, vet tech Amanda and my forever angel-on-earth vet, Dr. Bakanas.
29. being offered, and then falling in love with, Sycamore Brewing Pumpkin Latte beer!
30. hurricanes and tropical storms staying away from the OBX this season (God bless those who were in those paths)!
31. finding the perfect blend of CBD oil and Benadryl to ease my Nammer’s mind for a calm car ride.
32. not waiting until May 2020 to get married, as that was a strong option back in June 2019!
33. Emily, and her local apothecary, for keeping me healthy with her magical Elderberry syrup, tinctures and teas.
34. Shree, my friend and Reiki Master, for always being the epitome of all that is love and light in a world that can often seem harsh and dark.
35. owning over 100 bottles of wine at any given time in our home. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
36. Harris Teeter in my town because Walmart on a normal day not during a pandemic is disgusting and suspect.
37. saying goodbye to my local government government career (especially EMS) a year ago in November.
38. my grandparents, as much as I miss them, not being in the physical, during this healing of the Earth.
39. afternoon visits with my soul sister keeping the barkeep staff entertained while enjoying margaritas, beer, nachos and remembering to LIVE in the present.
40. Nami faithfully serenading us to the sounds of a Drake White song. It never gets old.
41. the handsome, intelligent, funny, loving, rational man that I married is not only healthy but still by my side. Every second of every day I am grateful to be his wife and share this life with him.
42. NC Coast and Aqua for making the trek to Duck worth it-not only with fantastic meals and cocktails but in a safe and beautiful outdoor atmosphere overlooking the water.
43. Chef Amanda for satisfying our Salt Box cravings with special orders to stock our freezer and delectable cakes for both of our birthdays!
44. celebrating our one-year wedding anniversary on the outdoor porch of Salt Box Cafe-our first dining at a restaurant in eight months.
45. time in my backyard flower garden and having hydrangea bushes for the first time. Hydrangeas take me back to my childhood at my grandparents’ house.
46. my Redskins growing in confidence and talent each game thanks to Coach Rivera and for not only handing the Steelers their first loss on national tv but sweeping and stomping the Cowboys! HTTR4life!
47. discovering beautiful souls with phenomenal energy crossing my path, including but not limited to, Lauren, Jordan, Brandee and Heather.
48. having a tormented and loving soul in South Africa find me on social media and not only request my assistance in her healing but  become one with whom I have formed a long distance, beautifully energetic connection with like no other.
49. the friendship in my beautiful hair guru who continued to provide her services at home during the earlier shutdown and for Hubs becoming my very patient and excellent hair artist.
50. all of the souls, on this plane and beyond, for trusting me enough to communicate with me the messages that their loved ones so desperately need to hear. I am also grateful for those loved ones here in the physical listening and believing in my abilities.
    

While there are MANY more things to be grateful for in 2020, these are the first 50 that came to mind. 50 equating to 5 which is the number representing change so how fitting and, no, I did not plan to make a list of 50! While I know many of you did not read this blog based on its length, it really doesn’t matter. This was an exercise for me that brought me back to the present moment and returned my focus to that of love and gratitude. While change is always prevalent, this year has had monumental moments of change and, through it all, I promise you BEing love and finding gratitude at all times is what will always keep us going!

Much love and light to you and yours as we approach Christmas and the end of 2020. Instead of focusing on what went "wrong" in 2020, how about taking time to reflect on what went "right" and bringing that love and positivity into 2021. There are no coincidences, my friends!

My 2020 Off-Season Wine Dinner

Wine dinners, oh how I miss you. We should be in “off season wine dinner mode” right now but 2020 has other plans. Last week, while chatting with my new friend, the NNK Wine Diva, I was inspired to start blogging about wine and food again (and maybe I have nudged her to start blogging as well!)

Let's take a trip back in time. 

It was the evening of March 11, 2020. COVID wasn’t even an issue at this point. What a delightful time just with that mere fact! The next day we would drive my mom, who had been visiting, back to NoVA and while we were there we would realize that the pandemic was just beginning! But let’s forget about that for a bit, and go back to the beautiful evening, just days prior, full of wine, food and friends at a Salt Box Cafe wine dinner!

Sitting at the bar, with a packed house, Hubs and I were more than ready! Throw us in a corner at a bar where we have access to staff (and a wall to lean on) and we are golden! Tonight’s theme was “The Earth is Mine” and I was about to not only imbibe on fantastic wine and food but I was also about to wine geek out! The presenter had prepared handouts with info on soil types and wine regions and AVAs, oh my!!! Most guests were probably just wanting to eat and drink and not worry about listening but I crave and love the whole experience! Hubs was even more excited than me because we were sitting in a corner with our backs to people and I wouldn’t be able to easily run my mouth to strangers. I have been known to make new friends when enjoying wine. I get it naturally, from my dad, and am actually not ashamed to say so. I may walk in the place not knowing a single person but it won’t be that way by the end of the night.

First up, Butter Basted Monkfish in a Meyer lemon beurre blanc sauce with smoked rapini

Monkfish. What is monkfish? I’ve heard of it but never tried it. I love seafood-fresh local seafood-but when it comes to fish I tend to stick with tuna (real tuna, not that canned crap), flounder or swordfish. But, thanks to these Salt Box food genius chefs (who I am blessed to call my friends), I will try anything they prepare. I’m not a lobster fan because I think it is overrated and just tastes like whatever it is cooked in. Monkfish has the texture of lobster but the lemony flavor was incredible and I will always be a fan of smoky rapini any day! This dish was paired with Chateau d’ Anice Blanc which is a blend of Semillion and Sav Blanc from the Graves region of France. With a beautiful, summertime-like nose and a light, refreshing flavor, this wine paired perfectly with this  delightful dish! Wine geek note: The amount of drainage allowed in the soil  where vines are planted is important. Gravel is used to drain the water away and yields more minerality!

Grilled Sea Scallop with cardamom-scented cauliflower and parsnip purée over coconut rice is served next. 

Dear God, just reading the description made me salivate. Scallops are one of my all-time favorite sensual pleasures when it comes to food.  I have always been able to prepare them at home perfectly and an so grateful! I am in love with everything about this dish and actually had just tried my hand at parsnip purée not long before this night. Of course, while it was really good, it cannot be compared to Chef Amanda’s. While this dish was “lick the plate” incredible, it also improved the wine. On its own, the Dutton Estate Chardonnay Kyndall’s Reserve from the Russian River Valley of California did not impress me. While it smelled like a lovely Chardonnay, it did not taste like one and had a bad aftertaste. I hate when wine plays games with me in that way. Maybe it didn’t impress me because the grapes are grown where the Petaluma Gap opens and I dated a guy in Petalumaonce....it left a bad taste in my mouth ,just like the wine......... Coincidence? I think not. 

We are only two wines in and the volume in the room is increasing already. Geez, lightweights....or maybe there was some pregaming going on. Hubs and I were almost late so I won't assume or judge.

One thing I’ve NEVER been able to fathom is veal. I won’t even try it because the mere thought of it disgusts me. I can’t bring myself to eat baby animals. Period. So I was given the larger of the pieces on this next entree of Roasted Veal and immediately switched plates with Hubs. I tried a small piece of veal for the first time because, after all, Chef Randolph prepared it and he is a food God to me. But then I immediately forked the rest over to Hubs’ plate after I made a horrendous face. Bye Bye, Veal. I just can’t do it. I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh tarragon, smashed red potatoes and roasted baby carrots however. The wine, the first red of the night, was heavenly on the nose and I fell absolutely in love with the  earthy flavor. No surprise really because it is a Lange Estate Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Anyone in my wine circle knows that I am obsessed with Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. In my opinion, no one does Pinot better. I can fathom a New Zealand if need be but you can keep your California Pinot Noir all to yourself, thank you.

Oh yeah, almost forgot...Wine geek note: These grapes are growing in jory soil. What is jory soil? Evidently the magic behind Willamette Valley Pinot, that's what! Pulverized lava, salt rock and a little bit of clay and sand. It is iron rich which adds the spice notes. I swear if I ever visit the Willamette Valley I may never come back to the East Coast.

Something happened during this part of the night and it was mesmerizing. I recall texting my friend, Natalie, and telling her what happened as it happened because she is one of my those who really "gets" me when it comes to my "energy experiences".  Out of nowhere, I suddenly heard the song, "Cheek to Cheek" by Fred Astaire but, of course, no one else did. I felt a calm, content lightness come over me and I was instantly the only one in the room at that moment. I found myself smiling, sitting back and singing the words softly to myself...."Heaven, I'm in Heaven and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak... and I seem to find the happiness I seek.. when we're out together dancing cheek to cheek"  I knew the tune and could always hum it but never knew those exact words but they flew right off my tongue that night. I'm not sure who was with me in spirit but, man, it was a lovely and quite magical moment.

Italian wines have never done it for me. In general, they are too light and are fine with food but nothing exciting. I want more than fine. Water is fine and healthy. I want a party in a glass!  Next up we have a Camigliano Brunelleschi Di Montalcino DOCG from Tuscany. I do want to visit Tuscany though. Maybe, if I do then it will change my opinion on Italian wines. I'm not convinced yet. On the nose was a strong smell of rank, week-old garbage and this wine had absolutely no flavor. It was really bizarre to have such a strong aroma but weak taste. It was fine with the Duck and Pancetta Ragout over a crispy polenta cake dish but very bland on its own. Don't get me started on duck. I can't get behind duck either. I have tried duck at various places and I just don't care for it. 

There has only been one Italian wine that was appealing to me-Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 'Tralcetto- a red wine that I first served my parents with lamb bolognese on vacation many years ago. I fondly refer to it as "stick wine" for two reasons - 1) it has a little twig tied around the neck of the bottle with a piece of straw and 2) let's face it, saying stick wine is a lot easier than trying to pronounce that long, complicated Italian name.

I’m stoked for the next dish just reading the description-Mushroom Bruschetta with roasted shallot, chèvre cheese, fresh thyme and a truffle balsamic. My mouth is watering thinking about it even now eight months later. This is my absolute favorite creation of the night and I could have eaten 10 more! The wine, Pierre Rougon Chateauneuf-du-Pape from the Rhône region of France, smelled of rotten tomatoes, nutmeg and licorice. With a burnt taste, it had more flavor than the previous Italian wine but that’s not really saying much, is it? In the same vane, I only like French whites and I rarely will seek out any French wine. I found out early on I am definitely a New World wine girl; not Old World. Give me a Cali Cab, Oregon Pinot or Washington Merlot any day and I’ll be more than satisfied. While this wine did not knock my socks off, it became part of what I deem as the perfect food and wine pairing of the night!

Did you save room for dessert? That’s what every waiter says nearing the end of the meal, right? If you’ve ever been to Salt Box you know Chef Amanda is THE best at desserts. Hubs and I just about never get dessert at restaurants but we always get dessert at Salt Box. We will ask what the dessert options are at the start of the meal so we can make sure what we want is saved for us. Yes, they are that delicious! I have even been known to just run over to the restaurant to grab dessert to go on any given day.  

The final course was a Smoky Cheddar "Cheesecake" in a date and walnut crust with cherry and apple syrup paired with Casa Gran del Siurana 'Cruor' from Priorat. Based on Chef Randolph's family tradition from Western Pennsylvania of cheddar and apple pie, this dessert was decadently divine! I am not a fan of Spanish wines typically but I lean toward reds from the Priorat region. I had my first Priorat at my hometown happy place at a Chef's Table dinner for my birthday many years ago and it made a huge mark on me. Tonight's Priorat was a blend of Sancerre, Syrah and Carignan and it had me at Carignan. I can't find Carignan (originating in Spain but mostly found as blending grape in French wines) often but when I do you can best believe I will grab it. 

Overall, 2020 has not been that horrible for me. I have been forced to slow down, reflect, focus on simple pleasures and what truly matters in life. Hubs and I have actually done things we normally wouldn't do and have found more daily appreciation for this wonderful life we lead. I, of course, have missed spending time with my mom and fellowshipping with my friends. It's bad enough that we have had record high visitation numbers in our County and it's just now starting to slow down a tad. We should be in the prime of our off season - my favorite time of year! But, most of all, when the realization hit me that 2020 has taken away my off season wine dinner fun, now THAT is just simply unacceptable. Well played, 2020, hit me where it hurts. Don't worry though, I got you and I will be back, better than ever. You can't keep a good wine girl down! Cheers, everyone! 

The Woods Were Calling Her

She was a beach girl, a lover of the ocean. She desired feeling the sand beneath her feet, the ocean mist on her face, the breeze in her hair. But for two nonstop days, she had an urge, an undeniable, powerful longing to be in the woods. The woods were calling her. That had never happened to her before and she was a bit confused. She tried to push it away and grounded herself in the dirt of her yard, but it didn’t satisfy. She stopped at the ocean and inhaled deeply with her head lifted to the sky and basked in the grandmother sun’s warmth on her face. She stood in awe and in deep gratitude as she gazed upon Mother Ocean. That known welcoming sense of contentment came across her as it always does and she began to feel better. But that feeling of peace didn’t last very long and she started to sink into that spiral of unease and imbalance. The woods. She needed to be in the woods. But what did that mean? All she knew was she had this burning desire deep in her soul to be in the woods. The more she resisted it, the stronger it became and the more emotional and irritable she felt herself becoming. Short fused with no explanation one moment and uncontrollable tears the next. The woods? She lived at the beach, surrounded by water. Why the woods and where would that be anyway? Then it happened again.... that overwhelming push to be in the woods and this time she couldn’t ignore it. This time she listened. She grabbed her keys, crystals in her pocket and off she went - a woman on a mission. Suddenly, she knew exactly where to go.

She was alone and for a brief moment her ego mind warned her of potential danger but she settled into her soul and she became surrounded by the love of those who went before her as she took her first steps onto a dirt path that would take her into the woods. The solitude in nature. The sun glistening through the canopy of trees. The birds swooping past. The leaves falling from the trees onto a pond. The quiet stillness of the marshy waters. Not a single human in her presence.

She wandered without a plan and let the woods guide her. She could feel the tension evaporate the deeper into the unknown she walked. At times, she was led to stop and just take it all in and listen. This was truly being present and showing gratitude in the here and now; knowing that was all that was even real.

As the sun was fading, she felt the desire for one last turn. Not knowing why, but knowing to listen, she turned down a path which led to a wooden bridge over swamp-like waters. Before she stepped onto the bridge, she looked to her left and saw him and her body froze. It was like a bright white glowing light encompassed her being and her focus was solely on him. He was tall and majestic and absolutely stunning. They locked eyes and neither of them moved. She felt an absolute awe come over her as she watched in gratitude this mesmerizing creature. An incredible blue heron. Patience. Grace. Magnificence. Authenticity. Elegance. Confidence. Balance. Solitude.

The blue heron was calling her to the woods. She was being called to create a place in the stillness of nature to be renewed. The woods were guiding her to that necessary balance by taking time to be alone. The heron was telling her she was on the right track by being patient and sinking in to her natural way of being. She knew it was time to look within to find answers and that self reflection was the key at this time. It was time to retreat and reclaim her power as her own.

She physically walked out of the woods but, spiritually, the woods became an innate part of her soul that day. She had been barely functioning and energetically drained to the depths of her being for weeks. Her passion is her purpose and yet it became overwhelming. Spirit found a way, through nature, through the woods and the teachings of the blue heron to push her into self preservation and self care. Now, she was ready to truly refocus and remember who she was. 

Chickpea Flavor Bombs

Ahhhh.... food. Yes, it’s been a while but I’m getting my cooking mojo back. Well, I guess I didn’t lose it really. I just haven’t felt the nudge to blog about food. That whole spiritual energy work thing has kinda taken over. Well, this meal sparked my creative juices and was so delicious that I must share!

Chickpea Dumplings in Curried Tomato Sauce

Looking at this recipe may not excite you but, trust me, it is well worth the effort! No meat, no dairy, no gluten and yet sooooooo much flavor! Do yourself, and your taste buds, a favor and try this one!

I like to prep my kitchen counter with all the necessities before digging in so, first, open a German Riesling and pour yourself a glass. My dad and I always loved to cook with wine. The wine isn’t part of the recipe; it’s for the chef’s enjoyment (and it will also pair well with the end result of your hard work).

The specifics:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour

3 cups of finely chopped baby spinach (divided into 1/2 cup and 2 1/2 cups)

1/3 cup olive or avocado oil

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup dairy-free plain yogurt (I use SO Delicious coconut milk yogurt. You could use full milk yogurt if you wanted, I guess, but why? Just make sure it’s plain and not flavored.)

1 tablespoon finely chopped serrano or jalapeño pepper (I have left this out and it is equally as delicious, so your call.)

1 -15 oz. can no-salt-added petite diced tomatoes

1 -15 oz. can no-salt-added tomato sauce

Spice blend

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground mustard (the spice; not the condiment)

1 tablespoon curry powder (Did you know curry simply means “mixture”? Thanks to Chef Randolph for that little nugget.)

                                            1 tablespoon ground ginger

Grab a large mixing bowl and let’s get started!

Chop the onion and pepper as fine as possible with a sharp knife. I like to have the crunch in this dish for texture so it doesn’t need to be super fine but you definitely don’t want big chunks. Place the cut veggies in the bowl.

Solicit the help of your good friend, Mr. Food Processor, for chopping the spinach. I have made this dish numerous times and finally had the genius idea of NOT chopping the spinach by hand this go ‘round. What a time saver! Add 1/2 cup of the spinach to the bowl. Set the rest aside for later.

Add 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/3 cup oil and one cup plus two tablespoons of chickpea flour to the bowl.

(Do those two tablespoons really matter? I have thought the same thing and am not willing to chance not including it so just get over it and do it.) Mix well until all is incorporated, scraping off the sides of the bowl when needed.

Use a tablespoon (and your fingers) to scoop and shape this mixture into round dumplings. I think they should be called meatless balls or chickpea nuggets. I hear dumpling and I think Asian and this is not that kind of dumpling. Oh well, I didn’t create this recipe, so not my call, I guess. Anyway, make round balls out of the mix in the bowl and place them aside. I usually get about 14 or 16. They aren’t very appealing but just wait because they are so surprisingly yummy!

Now grab a small bowl and combine the spices listed above to create the spice blend.

Believe me, it’s easier and quicker to combine them this way ahead of time rather than adding each one to the pan individually. You’ll make a mess because you are hurrying. You won’t pay attention and forget what you already put in and screw up the balance. I’m talking from experience here. Phew! Ok, yeah, that deserved a sip of wine. Go ahead.

Next, grab a large skillet/pan (that has a lid) and heat two tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Pour the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes into the pan and combine with a wooden spoon.

Add in the spice blend and stir. Let these beauties meld together for a minute or two. Have a sip of wine and take note of how much you’ve accomplished thus far! Ok, not the whole glass. No time for a refill just yet either. Get your grimey hands off that bottle!

Stir in the rest of the spinach that’s been patiently hanging out over there in the food processor. (Oh yeah, remove the blade first. Damn, those things can do some damage.) Use a spatula (or your finger) to get all that spinach stuck around the bottom of that container. No greens get left behind, y’all. Once it is all combined, bring to a simmer. Be careful not to boil. We just want a gentle but steady simmer.

Nope, don’t do it. I saw you reach for that glass of wine. Patience! Well, ok, fine but be quick about it. We have more work to do!

Next, nestle the dumplings/meatless balls/chickpea nuggets in the sauce.

(Nestle. What a comforting word, isn’t it? I’m a word girl. I can’t help it.) Once the round guys are all nestled in, place the lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes......if you can stand it. I usually have to peek after about five minutes even though there’s really nothing to see. You may want to baste. Use your judgment. Make sure the sauce doesn’t start boiling and after 10 minutes, take off the lid and baste those babies with the sauce. Be gentle because they are delicate. Make sure they are covered completely in sauce. Don’t roll them. Spoon the sauce over them. Put the lid back on and leave them alone for 10 more minutes.

Now is when you get a break. Use your time wisely. Finish that glass of wine, if you haven’t already. Yeah, I saw you. Or, do what I do and clean up the huge mess you made because I despise cluttered and unkept kitchen counters! Plus, after you enjoy this meal you don’t want to ruin that happy feeling by having to do dishes! Completely destroys the good vibes.

This recipe makes enough for four people unless you are at my house in which case it makes enough for me and Hubs and one additional bowl for lunch the next day. Naan or sourdough bread is a must as an accompaniment because you will definitely want to sop up the sauce!

So now the kitchen is cleaned up, your wine glass is empty and the oven timer annoyingly beeps. Shut the timer off. Yeah, I know it keeps beeping so next time REALLY push it.Man, I hate when that happens! You showed that oven timer, didn’t you? Lift the lid off the pan, baste again and it is ready to eat!

Use a large serving spoon to gently place the dumplings and sauce in bowls. Go heavy on the sauce. If you’re like me, your brain will reach for parmesan cheese but don’t do it. What you are about to enjoy may look like an Italian delight but it actually is a rendition of a Pakistani dish so no need for cheese. (Yeah, I’ve kicked dairy in every way possible but just can’t stop the cheese addiction. I have a problem. I know and 80% is awareness. I used to say "at least it’s not crack or heroin" but guess what? Cheese is just as addictive, but that’s for another blog post. Ya only live once, so enjoy that wine and cheese every so often! Well, wait, we actually have many lifetimes, but again, I’ll save that for another post.)

OK, so dig in! Enjoy your Chickpea Dumplings in Curried Tomato Sauce and let me know what you think! Oh yeah, don’t forget to pour yourself another glass of wine! Who am I kidding? Bon Appetit!

Follow your passion

I started this blog in 2014 as a way to memorialize my wine and food adventures.  As time went on, the blog revolved around other passions of mine - my plant-based lifestyle challenge and my spiritual journey.  Six years later, I realize even more why I named it what I did because it truly is a representation of my self and those simple pleasures that matter to me in life.

Ever since I moved to the Outer Banks, my wine consumption has decreased. Sad actually, but it made me realize that is because wine is meant to be an experience. When I lived in NoVA, I frequented wineries/vineyards and my favorite wine bar. It was wine that led me to those places but it was the environment and the people who kept me there. Since moving, I don't have those luxuries any longer. There is a local wine bar but it does not feel like home and no matter how hard I try, it just isn't where I belong. I am grateful for my friends at the Salt Box Cafe who hold wine dinners in the off season, and while those events are absolutely fantastic, it truthfully makes me long for those days gone by at my hometown "happy place". So many memories there - it's where I first began my wine journey and where I met so many strangers who became long lost friends before the night was over.  Even though I don't see them every week now, I still connect with them. If it weren't for wine, we would have never met.  There are no coincidences in life, my friends. 

I didn't always like wine. In fact, I despised it! My ex-husband's family loved wine and would always put a glass at my seat at the dinner table. Even though they were persistent for almost seven years, I would always decline. Over time, I admit, I started declining just to spite them. The mother was a functioning alcoholic and the father drank to tolerate his wife and to pat himself on the back of his worldly knowledge. The sister was a lush and wine was an escape from her sad reality. The rest of the family hung on to their European roots and up went their pinkies and self-perceived sophistication when the wine was imbibed.  I wanted no parts of any of this facade.

Fast forward six years, after my divorce from this family, when I was in a relationship with a very kind soul who loved wine and took the time to teach me about wine instead of shoving it down my throat. What a concept! Those next four years, along with meeting my happy place family, opened up an entire new world to me. Becoming a wine club member of Winestyles of Montclair, I tasted up to eight wines a week and began to understand not only what I liked and did not like but why I felt that way.  Soon enough, I was able to decipher wines that I would enjoy simply by knowing where the wine was from or what grapes were used. Weekend trips to vineyards and tasting rooms in Prince William, Stafford, Fauquier and Loudoun counties led to beautiful landscapes, lovely people, and a lifetime of memories all with wine as the common denominator. 

Over time, I began to teach others about wine and encourage them to make wine tasting an experience.  Wine changes based on food pairings; even something as simple as a piece of cheese or chocolate.  I often joke because friends and family would (and still do) moan because I would always ask them "What do you smell" and would make them answer before I let them even take a sip. Of course, immediately following the first sip, I would then ask, "What do you taste" and wait for an answer. The best part? There are no right or wrong answers. I wanted my friends and family to broaden their awareness and really experience the wine and appreciate what they were consuming. If you are drinking wine (or anything for that matter) to get drunk, you're not doing it right. 

My background and two degrees are in public administration - local government. I know local government but I lost my passion for public service once I personally started seeing the politics and selfishness (and way too often, the narcissism) that was in control.  At that point, I felt as if I was stuck because I was already 10-12 years in. It was a career at that point and I did not want to start over. But it became "just a job" after a while and I have never been one to just "go through the motions". I hate to say it but I lost myself along the way and, unfortuately, it became a very vicious downard spiral.  Little did I know though, it would all make sense more than ten years later. 

By the time 2014 came around and my now husband said we should move to the beach, I was more than willing to give it all up and start over. Yes, even at 41 years old!  I sold my house, quit my 18-year long career without anything in the pipeline and moved four hours away from the only home and family I had ever known. 

When I took it upon myself to request a part-time job at a local wine bar and was given the opportunity, I was super excited but it was short lived. After a few weeks, dusting bottles and playing cashier while being treated like the dirt on the bottom of someone's shoe was not really what I had in mind. Knowing I did not NEED this job but was hopeful to work in the wine industry, I was quick to kick this nonsense to the curb. Moving to the beach was to better my life and this was not going to work. 

I, then, found a sweet gig at an an association for a local neighborhood development where my administrative skills could easily be put to use a few days during the week..(In fact, that is where I met the owner of the Salt Box before I had ever even stepped foot in that incredible establisment! Again, everything happens for a reason.)  New doors were opened for me not even a month later when I interviewed and was offered a full-time County government job.  I was over local government but it was all I had ever known and it would give me a salary as well as health insurance (which I greatly needed as we were not married yet). It didn't take long for me to realize that the public sector here is no different than that from which I came. The short honeymoon phase was "sweet" but I soon had equal headaches, more examples of "what not to do" and "how not to treat people," another brush with narcissism and favortism, incompetency and lack of giving a damn running wild and all at a salary that was cut by $60k. The redeeming part - quite a few friendships that I made and will keep for the duration of my life, which made every bit of the roller coaster worth it.  Just shy of three years, I got married, quit my job and truly renewed and got a new lease on life. 

So now what was I going to do? Anything I wanted. No more holds on me. No more self-imprisonment. I would enjoy being a wife and a dog mom and I would do something I have yearned to do for at least six years - volunteer with Hospice. I have only had one patient so far thanks to Covid but that one patient made a huge impact on my life in just two short months. Without a doubt, I knew this was a passion of mine that would never burn out - love in service. I also began to focus on my spiritual and energy work which I aboslutely thrive off of and delved into it head first. Reaching so many people through love and comfort and healing is what I am meant to do here in this temporary life. 

Then seven months later, a new part-time job found me. I say it found me because I wasn't looking at all. In fact, I decided that when it was time it would happen and I had turned it over to a higher power and allowed things to just flow. I have been performing wine tastings for a local vineyard for almost a month now and after 46 years on this Earth, I finally have a job that I enjoy. Why? Because I get to serve and talk about wine while promoting a business run by a family I respect. I get to meet people from all over the country and make them smile. Most who come to see me are already happy because they are on vacation and I just add a tiny bit more joy for them. 

I have learned and absorbed so much about wine since 2007 that now I am able to share that with others. Wine is not just for drinking and tasting. Wine is for sharing, for comparing, for learning, for great conversation, for relaxing, for laughing, for unwinding, for letting your true self shine. Wine is the making of memories. Wine should be seen as an experience every time a drop is poured or a bottle is opened.

I am not a wine expert but I have always prided myself on my stellar customer service skills. This job is as much about engaging people, making them feel special, making them smile and making them know they matter as it is about pouring wine samples. This job is all about putting the customer first and giving them an experience where they leave happier than when they arrived.  Our wine isn't for everyone but I am confident that there is something on the tasting that every customer will like by the time it is over. If not, at least they didn't waste 20 minutes of their life - we conversed, we laughed, we learned and we raised the vibration if only for a little while. And that, is completely worth every drop.

 

So, thank you, Brown family, for trying to shove wine down my throat all those years ago. Thank you for being an example of what I do not want to be. Thank you for teaching me how not to treat others. 

Thank you, Michael, for sharing your wine tips, knowledge, patience and grace with me for those special years we shared. I look back and smile every time I share something about wine I learned from you and see that light them up as you did me.

Thank you, Kim, for introducing me to my happy place so many years ago as we shared a pizzette and bottle of Jam Jar for the first time.

Thank you, Arthur, for teaching me the value of a "wine experience" every time I stepped through your establishment. Thank you also for becoming a lifelong friend to me and my parents and always making your restaurant and wine bar like home to us. Thank you for my "happy place". It and you have truly changed my life in so many ways. 

Thank you, Kenny, for being a chauvinstic ass and allowing me to experience how not to treat an employee or run a business. 

Thank you, John and Brooke, for trusting me and taking a chance on this girl who loves wine and people and allowing her to represent your wines on your behalf. 

Wine is more than fermented grape juice to me. It is more than alcohol in a bottle with a pretty label. Wine is a hug in a glass. Wine is a memory in a bottle. Wine takes me back to moments in time - moments that made me laugh so hard I cried and moments that equally stopped me from crying.  Wine is an experience and I am so grateful to be returning to that passion of mine.

Soul connections

What's reiki?

Life Force Energy

Moving and transferring of energy

Energy Healing

Pure, unconditional love at its greatest form

That's reiki.

Ok, but, WHY reiki? Well, I'll tell you.

About four or five years ago, when I saw how just one reiki session for my dad, during his battle with prostate cancer, changed his entire demeanor, I knew I needed to know more. When those "magic hands" are the only relief he had from the effects of chemo ravaging his already broken body, I knew that I needed to be able to do the same for someone else one day. Being an inutive empath, animal communicator and medium, learning reiki just seemed like the next logical step.

Personally, I have had reiki sessions by four different reiki practioners and each session was different yet magical and entirely life changing. Some healed me emotionally. Some made a difference in my physical health. Some calmed me and led me to a state of contentment. All affected me in a way that is beyond explanation. What is the common denominator with each one? The relaying of pure, unassuming, open, allowing, trusting, energetic, unconditional love from one person to another. We are all connected. You, me, the Earth. We are all energy. We are all connected energetically and, as a result, are able to participate in the healing of one another. (For all of you skeptics, this isn't "woo woo" - this is backed by science.)

In November 2019, after many years of searching, I finally found a reiki certification class that was gifted to me.  During the course of a weekend, my human existence as I knew it changed. This is exactly what I had been needing, had been waiting for, and was the catalyst for pushing me into the next level of spiritual awakening. I finally knew that my passion would become my purpose. I had read the books, I had listened, I had learned, I had practiced, I had preached and yet something was still missing. That reiki attunement and certification was the missing link. It didn't come sooner because I wasn't ready yet. Everything happens in divine timing and when it is supposed to - it is not up to us. It is only up to us to love, heal, forgive and expand our souls. I was now ready to walk the walk and talk the talk.

I started off practicing reiki periodically on my dogs. I felt drawn to connect with animals more than people. I practiced here and there on my husband and was gaining a tiny bit of confidence but not enough to really want to expand my skills. I knew what I did not want and that was to make reiki a business. I wanted to help people but didn't want to open my own practice with reiki as the focus. What I did find appealing though was distance reiki. With distance reiki, I can open up my awareness and use my intution and guides to lead me without any distraction and without actually touching or hovering over a physical person. One may think that it isn't as powerful as being in the same room and having my hands scan your body and release the energy from the blocked areas. I even had my own doubts, honestly, until today.....

Let's step back in time. 

In 1996, I met a man with which I had an undeniable and instant connection on a soul level. At only 23, it was an incredible and terrifying rush and also totally confusing and maddening. Due to circumstances that have since been forgiven (after a lot of internal healing work), we didn't really speak for over 14 years. In early 2014, we reconnected and then fell apart again for six years. For some reason, over the last few months, Spirit had been nudging me to reach out to this man and I had been resisting. But then two weeks ago, I gave in and reached out to him; not really knowing why.  All I knew was I had ignored that little voice, that gut feeling, my intution before and I had been burned. Since then, I had promised  myself I would never ignore it again. I now knew better.

After catching up, I found that he now has a girlfriend who is a "pure angel" but has "terminal cancer". Without even thinking, I immediately offered up a distance reiki healing session for her. She was familiar with reiki and, while it helped her, it was expensive and she had to stop. I didn't even have time to breathe or process what I had just done and, honestly, who knew if she would even accept or if he would even relay the info. But I offered. 

Ten days later, I received a message from her accepting my reiki love offering.

This morning, I participted in the most emotional and gratifiying exchange of energy as I provided distance reiki to this absolutely loving and beautiful soul who refuses to accept and buy in to western medicine's prognosis for her. What started out as a love offering to a complete stranger, turned into an energy healing and exchange of love with a soul in which I now have an even greater connection than either of us could explain. 

There are no coincidences in this temporary human existence, friends. Listen to your intutition. Listen to that nagging voice telling you to do something even if it doesn't make sense to you at the time. It just might lead you right to your soul's purpose.

I wasn't able to provide energy healing to my dad during his valiant 21-year battle with cancer. I wasn't able to provide energy healing to my grandmother with heart disease or my grandfather as he fought for 15 straight days after being told his heart "exploded".  I wasn't able to provide energy healing to my protector, Prowler, or to my princess, Callie, as cancer quickly took over their precious bodies.  I wasn't able to provide energy healing to the many loved ones who went before me. But I won't look back at what I couldn't provide. I will only look foward to what I can provide now. Every single reiki session that I provide will be in their memory, in their honor, and with their accumulated energy of love guiding my every breath. 

Today's distance reiki session provided so much love and healing to both myself and the recipient. As a result, we raised our individual vibrations and each other's. The enormous amount of love radiating between North Carolina and Colorado for 40 minutes was enough to raise the entire vibration of all that resided between and around that expansive space. That feeling alone is exactly why I was nudged to contact my old friend - not for him but to spread and feel unconditional love. It is no coincidence that it happened now during a time when the Earth is healing and human beings are being forced to rise up or bow out. Nothing in this life is a coincidence; definitely not soul connections. 

So why, reiki? 

Love, that's why. 

Love in service.

Love is always the answer regardless of the question. 

Does worrying make you feel good?

So many humans are consumed with worry. You are probably one of them. I used to be one of them and it used to overwhelm me until almost four years ago (I'll share that story sometime if you're interested). 

Let me ask you something. 
Does worrying make you feel good? 
I haven't met anyone who has ever replied in the affirmative to that question.
So then my next question to you is - so why are you worrying if it doesn't make you feel good? 
Usually the answer I get is something along the lines of "I can't help it." 
What if I told you you're wrong? 

Usually, that is when people blow me off and walk away, end the conversation or, perhaps in this case, will even stop reading this blog post. Your choice, but if you are still reading, congratulations, that means you want to do something to change this behavior and I can help.

Worry comes from a low vibrational state of fear. We all know about the vibrational energy ladder, right? If you don't, then go back and read my blog post from last year(https://winefoodie.blogspot.com/2019/04/love-or-fear.html).

Every emotion we have comes from only one of two places - love or fear. We are born as an extension of God, Source, the Universe in pure love and light.  When our soul begins its human existence is when we are faced with the low vibrational energies and our ego brains start accepting fear. (This is the watered down version - we can talk about subconscious an conscious minds if you want later). Love is our natural state; not fear.

When you find yourself worrying or being anxious, then consciously begin to find a higher vibrational thought. I don't even care what it is. Pizza. Puppies. Balloons. Flowers. Bradley Cooper. Gal Gadot. Whatever instantly gets you away from that vibration. Why is this important? Because, as we know if you read my very first post from a year ago,: (https://winefoodie.blogspot.com/2019/03/we-are-all-energy.html):

We are all energy.
We have thoughts. 
Those thoughts create an emotion/feeling in our bodies. 
That emotion/feeling then creates a vibration.
That vibration is what the Universe responds to with a like vibration.

Within 30 seconds of sending a vibration out to the Universe, it comes right back to us. The process of attracting more of what we are focusing on just takes 30 seconds. (That is the Law of Attraction; not something I created by the way.) So whether you are focusing on puppies or worry and dread you will get it sent right back to you within 30 seconds. Think about that. If you are worrying about getting the coronovirus (or cancer or getting murdered or robbed or in a car accident) and it is consuming your thoughts, then guess what? You are sending that vibration out and literally asking for more of that worry to come to you! Why would you want that to happen? 

Thoughts are powerful. (https://winefoodie.blogspot.com/2019/04/be-careful-what-you-think.html) And guess what? Who do you think is in control of your thoughts? YOU! You are the only one in control of your thoughts. So if you don't like something that you are thinking about, then stop it and change it! Sounds simple? Yeah, that's because it is. Does it happen instantly? Of course not, but with everything else you have learned in your life, the more you consciously practice, the easier it will become. Soon enough, you won't even THINK about worrying because you know that it does absolutely no good! Worrying has on redeeming quality whatsoever!  In fact, all worrying does is make things worse for you and over time it will lead to dis-ease. Yes, your thoughts, if not kept in check, will manifest into physical disease; if it hasn't already. The more you worry, the more you will attract more things for which to worry. It’s a vicious cycle.  

When you are able to accept that you are exactly where you are meant to be at any given moment and that everything is either a blessing or a lesson, it becomes easier to release worry. If worry fixed things, it would be worth a little discomfort but it doesn't fix anything. Worry only causes harm and attracts more worry! 

Next time you find yourself worrying, consciously find a higher vibrational thought. If you are worried about a person, send them love and accept that what they are experiencing is out of your control and part of their journey. When you worry about someone, all you are doing is sending them worry. Wouldn't you rather send them love and encouragement?  If you are worried about an outcome, release the attachment to the outcome and trust all will happen exactly as it is supposed to. How do you do this? By changing the way you think and upon what you place your focus!

If you want to delve deeper, reach out to me and I will personally do my best to assist you. But please understand, I will have expected you to read this blog post along with the other three that I have mentioned in this post first. If and when you are ready to do the work, I'll be more than happy to help you along the path!  My help and encouragement can only go so far though - you have to do the work; I can't do it for you. But I am proof that all of this does work!

While you are taking in this information, let's take a moment and focus on two simple things we can all easily understand and do right now:

1. SMILE. It is hard to be scared and anxious when you smile. So just take a moment right now and smile. Do it. Right now. Wherever you are. Smile. Feels good, doesn't it? You just can't be scared or anxious when you smile - it's not possible.

2. Whenever you are worried or scared, practice gratitude. Put your fear aside and trust that all is well in spite of what may be going on and be grateful. Instantly make "I am grateful for..." statements the minute that you start to feel worried. Don't overthink it - just feel it and speak it out loud.

This is raising the vibration, my friends! Don't give your attention to worry and fear. Don't allow your mind to dwell on the trouble. Smile, be grateful and raise the vibration to that of love - your natural state!

Namaste'

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