Who Has Cabin Fever?

Got snow?
Got winter?
Got cabin fever?

Take 5 for Fun

Posted for:
Take 5 Tuesday

Take 5 for Fun

All photos posted below c2009 by Nickers and Ink.

All rights reserved.

5 things that have interested you lately.

1) Hearing from some old friends – after many years. One dear friend just called me, out of the blue. A handful of others showed up suddenly with Facebook requests. How nice to reconnect.

2) Poetry - both reading and writing.

3) Horse training. Our young horses are growing up quickly and ready to start.

4) Blogging on the Bible at Heart of a Ready Writer. Want to join us and read through the entire Bible this year?

5) Weather reports.(Hope springs eternal.) In the American Midwest, the weather seems to change at least hourly.

5 things you’ve researched recently.

1) Notable birthdays. (CTRL-click here to read today’s edition.)

2) Olympic history.

3) Multiple sclerosis symptoms and treatment options.

4) Old Testament history.

5) Dog training.

5 things you liked about the inauguration, (if you watched it.)

1) The music. (Oh, yeah!)

2) Whether we agree with Obama’s politics or not, I was proud of our country for finally reaching a point where race would not prevent a candidate from election.

3) The pro-life advertisement aired during the proceedings. (CTRL-click here to view it.)

4) The classy and cordial farewell between the Bushes and the Obamas.

5) Did I mention the music?

5 things you’re looking forward to this year.

1) The day our problem puppy is finally housebroken.

2) Losing the last few Christmas pounds.

3) Spring!

4) Riding horses outdoors (see #3).

5) My oldest child will graduate high school.

5 things you’ve watched recently.

1) House M.D. (The doc you love to hate.)

2) The Closer (Gotta love those interrogation scenes.)

3) American Idol (It’s like a train wreck – you can’t look away.)

4) The clock, as I am usually writing and publishing on deadline.

5) My waistline.

Love poetry? Check out Simply Snickers, a brand-new weekly poetry prompt. Try your hand with weekly prompts! Or, look into The Meme Express for daily blogging prompts.

Click here to visit Linda Ann Nickerson’s poetry and humor blog, Nickers and Ink.

Throughout 2009, please join us at The Heart of a Ready Writer, a Bible reading and devotional blog, as we read through the entire Bible in chronological order.

Click here to subscribe to an RSS feed for this writer's helpful Helium content. If you wish, click here for a free subscription to this author's online AC content, so you won't miss a single post!

Songs That Cure

Posted for:
Take Me Back Tuesday

Songs That Cure

What music can cure whatever ails you and why?

Most of the time, an upbeat praise and worship song can lift my spirits.

Scientists are beginning to agree that a person's physical and emotional health can be significantly improved by a positive attitude. Surely, this have proved true in personal experience for untold millions.

Having recently been diagnosed with a chronic medical condition, I have found firsthand the value of an enthusiastic outlook. What can raise my head more than praising the Great Physician? I know my every breath and energy for every step comes from Him. His healing is on the way, in His timing. God makes no MiStakes.

Here's one of my favorite uplifting songs:
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Here's another. This song is great for moments when I may not feel so well:

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Here's a third one. This sweet song brings peace and comfort, even as I seek healing from our great God.

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Be blessed today.


This post also submitted for:

Bet he's glad his mother chose life.

God only knows the future for an unborn child. (Check out this video, aired by CatholicVote during the 2009 American Presidential Inauguration festivities on television.)

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What if his mother had been pro-choice? I would suspect he (and many of his pro-choice followers) would be glad this single mom-to-be choice life for her unexpected unborn child.

I Am Thankful

I am Thankful!

Just this morning, a friend uncovered a link to this wonderful weekly meme, Thankful Thursday. What a super reminder to thank God for His many blessings.

Here in the Midwest U.S., the temperatures have plunged to near-record levels. The wind chill (or “windshield,” as a dear young friend puts it) is way-ay below zero. The stock market dropped again yesterday. Gasoline prices are creeping back up again.

Surely, our circumstances may tempt us to complain. But have we not much for which we may be thankful?

Can you list five reasons for gratitude today?

Here are mine:

1. I woke up breathing this morning in a warm house. (“Thank You, God.”)

2. I’m getting a bit hungry. Guess what? There is food in my cupboard and refrigerator. (“Thank You, God.”)

3. My children woke up breathing this morning in our warm house. In fact, school was canceled for the day, based on the cold weather. We have a whole day to spend together, safe and warm in our home. They were supposed to take semester final exams, which have now been postponed for a whole day. (“Thank You, God.”)

4. Today is laundry day. We have plenty of clothes to wash and to wear. (“Thank You, God.”)

5. I need to start my car today and let it run on this sub-zero cold day. I have a car that is likely to start and to run. (“Thank You, God.”)

My list could go on and on. How about yours!

“The Lord is good,

a strong refuge when trouble comes.

He is close to those who trust in Him.”

(Nahum 1:7, NLT)

Throughout 2009, please join us at The Heart of a Ready Writer, a Bible reading and devotional blog, as we read through the entire Bible in chronological order.

Click here to subscribe to an RSS feed for this writer's helpful Helium content. If you wish, click here for a free subscription to this author's online AC content, so you won't miss a single post!

Warming Up Winter with Wonderful Soups

Warming Up Winter with Wonderful Soups

The front-porch thermometer has hit a four-day high of +5 degrees (F).

It’s time to fend off the midwinter blues with some super soups. What is your favorite soup? Do you love pasta-filled potages, boiling broths, great gumbos, or frothy cream soups?

Try this blog quiz, to see what your soup choices say about you. Here’s what I found. (Be sure to come back and leave a comment to let us know what you discovered.)

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You Are Minestrone

You are a spontaneous person. You don't make or follow rules. You just go with your gut. You're eager to go wherever life takes you. If something doesn't work out, at least you've learned. Nutrition and eating healthy is very important to you. You eat your veggies. That being said, you're not a picky eater. You like all foods.

What Kind of Soup Are You?

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Related Items of Interest:

Cheesy V-8 Muffins

These savory muffins are delicious with soups or salads.

Chicken Pot Pie

Everyone's favorite supper! This is quite simple, but delicious. It's an excellent dish to take to a brand-new mom or another friend.

Colonial Williamsburg Peanut Soup

Have a taste for something historical? Here's the secret to the tasty peanut soup the American colonists used to enjoy. It's still served in taverns in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Why not whip up a pot of this potage on President's Day, or a chilly evening?

Crunchy Chinese Chicken Salad

Excellent for picnics and potlucks! The combination of sweet and salty, smooth and crunchy, is irresistible!

Is MSG Bad for You?

Widely used as a flavor enhancer, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is actually a proven neurotransmitter that over-stimulates brain activity.

Perfect Poultry Pie

Here is a super simple supper you can make with those holiday leftovers. This yummy poultry pie also makes a wonderful dish for pot-luck gatherings or for taking supper to shut-ins.

Place-Kickers Potato Chowder

Football fans will love this delicious vegetarian soup. Great for company or for a tailgate party, it's also perfect for free-agent fare as a simple supper on a chilly night.

Souper Shortcuts

Make the most of leftovers. Even small portions of turkey, chicken, and beef are worth saving. Leftovers are a wonderful shortcut to soups, stews, or stir-fry.

Turkey Chili – A Delicious Supper on a Chili Day

What could be more delicious on a brisk autumn or early winter day than a steaming serving of chili? Why not enjoy turkey chili, a creative and scrumptious way to employ your remaining scraps from your holiday feast?

Throughout 2009, please join us at The Heart of a Ready Writer, a Bible reading and devotional blog, as we read through the entire Bible in chronological order.

Click here to subscribe to an RSS feed for this writer's helpful Helium content. If you wish, click here for a free subscription to this author's online AC content, so you won't miss a single post!

New Year Oddness

New Year Oddness

Let’s try a bit of Wednesday Weirdness today. The posted questions are listed here in bold type, and my responses are in italics. (CTRL-Click on any links to open those items in new windows.)

1. Why do you keep a blog?

I love to write. Actually, I have several blogs. Please feel free to visit any and all of them. In fact, how about signing up to be a blog follower, so you can keep up with my prolific posts?

Heart of a Ready Writer – daily devotional and Bible reading

Nickers and Ink – poetry and humor

Practically at Home – home and family

The Mane Point – horses

The Meme Express – daily blogging prompts

Simply Snickers – weekly poetry prompts

2. Who is one long lost blogger you wish would come back?

I’m not sure I could list a missing blogger, but I surely do appreciate my ongoing faithful blog visitors, particularly when they leave comments!

3. If you made a New Year's Resolution, did you break it already? If you did not make one, why?

Although I generally avoid New Year’s Resolutions, I did decide to take a stand this year. Want to know what my New Year’s Resolution is?

My New Year’s Resolution is to read the Bible every day and to read through the entire Bible in chronological order in 2009.

Would you like to read along with me? Come on in, and join me at The Heart of a Ready Writer. I would welcome the encouragement of a comment now and then too!

4. People who still have their outside Christmas lights up. Festive or Lazy? Discuss.

Twelfth Night (January 6^th) was yesterday. For many cultural traditions, that’s the official end of the Christmas season. Plenty of folks keep their Christmas lights up and on until January 6^th each year.

I took ours down on Sunday, January 4^th, right before the kids headed back to school.

5. What is the last annoying song that got trapped in your head?

Today’s blogging prompt at the Meme Express is “Dirty Laundry.” I included a music video for Don Henley and the Eagles’ song, “Dirty Laundry.” Now I simply cannot get that song out of my brain.

Maybe I truly ought to attack the overflowing laundry baskets in our closets.

Related Items:

22 Great Uses for Vinegar

Dirty Laundry – at the Meme Express

Dos and Don’ts for Washing Down

Head First – Fun in the Laundry Chute

Greenback Attack – on Laundering Money

Laundry Lingo – Removing Stubborn Stains

Lightening Laundry Labor

6. Have you ever worn or tried edible underwear? What are your thoughts on it?

Gee, I don’t believe I have. Of course, something seems to be eating single socks at our house. Maybe the mysterious sock eater knows something we don’t.

Bonus: If you could do one bad thing and get away with it, what would you do and why?

I’d probably eat a lot more chocolate. If calories didn’t count, and post-binge migraines posed no threat, I would definitely dive in.

Throughout 2009, please join us at The Heart of a Ready Writer, a Bible reading and devotional blog, as we read through the entire Bible in chronological order.

Love poetry? Check out Simply Snickers, a brand-new weekly poetry prompt. Try your hand with weekly prompts! Or, look into The Meme Express for daily blogging prompts. Click here to visit Linda Ann Nickerson’s poetry and humor blog, Nickers and Ink. Click here to subscribe to an RSS feed for this writer's helpful Helium content. If you wish, click here for a free subscription to this author's online AC content, so you won't miss a single post!