Thursday Thoughts . . .

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win, but think you can't,
It's almost a cinch you won;t.
If you think you'll lose, you're lost,
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will;
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or the faster man;
But soon or late the man who wins,
Is the man who thinks he can.
~Walter D Wintle


I found this poem and thought it quite profound and inspiring. Sometimes I get to feeling a bit low about my artwork, and I start to second guess myself. I look at it and I think to myself . . . that it's really not all that good. Rejection after rejection from card companies doesn't help. Seeing my prints sit in my etsy shop for month after month doesn't help either. And so, for a time I stop trying.



But there is this little desire in me that needs to get out, that needs to express itself . . . and so I pick up my brushes again and I paint. I guess the truth is, that I paint because I can't not paint . . . and my head and heart are filled with all these little pictures and thoughts that just have to get out.

I ask myself, do I paint for others? or do I paint for me? I guess it is a mixture of both . . . I paint first of all because it brings me joy and secondly, because I hope it will bring someone else some joy too . . .



It is easy to get disheartened in the fact of rejection and seeming lack of interest . . . but then you need to remind yourself that a person is only a failure when they stop trying at all . . . and so I keep moving forward, hoping that one day . . . one day . . .

Lots of artists become famous and their work much desired, after they die. I hope that I don't have to wait that long . . .



I cooked a roast chicken the other day and made my ex mother in law's potato stuffing to go along with it. Old fashioned and tasty, this is the only stuffing recipe I use for the most part, unless I am trying out something new. Made with nothing more than potatoes, bread, a bit of onion, celery and herbs, we happen to think it's pretty wonderful. It's quite similar to my mom's, except in hers the onion is left raw and the bread in larger chunks. It doesn't matter how many times I try to replicate my mother's . . . I can never get it to taste the same. Must be that extra touch of love she puts into it. This tasty recipe of my ex's mom is a close second though and we really enjoy it. I hope you will too. It's not much to look at, actually, but it sure tastes good. I call it Grammy R's coz, that's who she was to my kids . . . Grammy R.



*Grammy R's Potato Stuffing*
Makes enough to stuff one large roasting chicken
Printable Recipe

This was my ex mother in law's recipe for stuffing. I always doubled and tripled the recipe as the stuffing was always my family's favourite part of the meal. You can use it to stuff a chicken or a small turkey, or you can do as I normally did and bake it in a casserole dish.

2 cups fine bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes (use no butter or milk)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped finely
1 stalk of celery, chopped finely
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp summer savoury
salt and black pepper to taste



Place the butter, onion and celery in a plastic container. Cover with cling film and then cook on high in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Place the mashed potatoes in a bowl. Stir in the onion/butter mixture and the bread crumbs, along with the poultry seasoning, summer savoury and some salt and pepper. Taste and adjust as necessary. You may need more of the herbs or seasoning according to your own individual taste. The dressing is now done and ready to cook as you wish.

If you wish to, you may use it to stuff a large chicken or a small turkey, cooking as per the instructions for cooking a chicken or turkey. If you wish to cook it separately then do as follows.

Butter a casserole dish well. Crumble the stuffing into the casserole. Spoon a little warm chicken broth over top and dot with butter. Cover and bake in a moderate oven (160*C/350*F) for 30 to 40 minutes. You can uncover the last 10 minutes of baking if you want some crunchy bits.



If you're looking for a dessert that's quick easy and built to impress, look no further. The English Kitchen has just the ticket! Frozen Lemon Souffles. Yummy Scrummy!