Something tasty

A tasty treat

Somedays you crave a tasty treat.

I thought I might just do something fun with buttermilk biscuits.

I topped them with fresh ripe strawberries and banana, then added Coconut whipped cream from a can.

Tasty, and great at breakfast with French roast coffee! 😋

Better than Winter

Looking out my kitchen window

It was a long-time coming, but it looks like Spring has finally sprung!

To celebrate the joys of warmer weather, I brought home a stunningly beautiful Hydrangea plant.

A flowering Hydrangea plant
Beautuful Hydrangea 😍

They say being here in Minnesota is like living 6 months in Eden, and 6 months on Mars!

Well then, hypothetically-speaking, it looks like being here in May through October will be better than Winter!

The fountain is up and running now!

Lift yourself up

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” -Booker T. Washington

There are many truisms all over the Internet. You can read them on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and lots of places online.

I love motivational and inspirational quotes.

This one really struck me when I was feeling blue and lonely.

If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else!

Giving is living, and that’s the reality for all people!

Head-shot day

We change through the years.

High school dropout

Yes I quit school at 16. Mental depression and ADHD. I did not fit in.

Singer-songwriter

On to University after getting my GED, I graduated and began teaching and performing.

I was in my forties by the time I graduated college. Being a non-traditional student was hard.

In the nineties, I was mistreated and rudely shunned by most of the other students. Some bullied me, and called me a “re-tread.”

The professors were a bit kinder.

Happily, I was a college radio broadcaster and wrote for the campus newspaper.

I lived off campus, and that helped.

Keeping busy kept me happy.

College graduate in May 2003

By 43, I started my own music teaching business. My college degree was in Music Education.

My music teaching business ran from 2004 until the pandemic in 2020.

Me now

Now I am just getting back to writing songs and stories and recovering from the fallout of the pandemic. My duo, Molly and Sonny Boy have some upcoming gigs, and more original songs to record

Enjoy this song we recorded before the pandemic.

https://youtu.be/AVFYEzeWRmU

I still work in radio and audio production. Each Sunday at 4:08pm Central on AM 860/97.3 FM and at http://KNUJ.net I produce and broadcast a show called, “Music from Germany.”

Germanic roots

Music from Germany – May 1

Morning Potatoes

Pan-fried Potatoes and more!

I own the popular Aroma steamer. I like to steam a big batch of chopped Golden Yukon potatoes and then fry them in a cast-iron pan with a medley of vegetables and soy bacon.

French roast drip coffee is the best!

Homemade is hard, but it is the price you pay for tasty food that will most likely be eaten quickly! 😋

Musing over Muesli

Morning muesli

Yesterday I found out that art helps us in our emotional growth.

I went to a pow wow of sorts at the local arts center regarding the direction of the Grand.

https://www.thegrandnewulm.com/

The future of art

I found out that some people feel that art is not for them.

Yet throughout the ages, art has been significant in every culture.

I have seen all kinds of art.

To be honest some of it has downright puzzled me. “What’s that?” I sometimes wonder.

As a singer and a songwriter, I don’t always think of music as being an art per se. I think of it as musical storytelling. It’s fun and entertaining.

My music duo, Molly and Sonny Boy

However music is a means of self-expression. It is an art.

My preference is towards the wordy arts.

I like songs and stories and film.

I like accessible art as well.

I like mainly realism and functional arts and crafts.

I like pops of color as well, for décor and inspiration.

So now, I will continue musing about art over my muesli this morning.

Good question

Less self-loathing

Soy bacon, chili, egg, Sriracha, Poblano pepper & chedder for breakfast this morning

Yesterday I had to go to the doctor for my ankle.

I had a sprain a long time ago that never healed properly.

I had to get on the dreaded scale.

For most of my adult life I have been anxious about my weight.

There was a period when I was in college, when I was very slim and I never even thought twice about what I was eating and drinking.

I had enough movement and exercise in my life that my weight was not an issue.

I was a non-traditional student in my thirties and I had to park far, far away from my main college, the performing arts center.

After things settled down and I had some issues with car accidents and such, I put some pounds on.

From then it was terrible and I weighed too much, way more than I do now.

Me, today.

About six months ago, after a great amount of effort working on dropping 10 pounds, I decided to give it up.

I realized that although I wish I were tiny like before, unless I quit eating the way I do, I won’t be skinny.

I was plagued with guilt and self-disgust night and day.

Finally, I said to myself, I need a break from this emotional tumult.

So for the past 6 months I stayed away from the scale.

Yesterday I had to get on the scale at the clinic. It had been 6 months of freedom from worry about weight.

I really thought I’d gained too much weight and that I was way heavier than before.

To my surprise, that was not the case.

It seems all those years of anxiety were futile.

The conclusion I came to was this.

You can either get away with being fat and forget about it, or you can get on with losing weight.

Every day is a new choice and a new beginning.

Go ahead and be active and eat healthy, and try your best.

But let go of the guilt and suffering because it’s not worth it.

A Tantalizing World

Fresh delicious Apple Pie

Everywhere we look, people look for happiness.

They seek it online and in person. They are full of dissatisfaction.

They can’t get very much done because they are distracted.

Life is meant to be fun.

Life is meant to be enjoyed.

Here is a story I never heard of before, but it is the origin of the word tantalize.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantalus

If you ever feel like you are missing out on all the fun, you are not alone.

Most people feel that way and that’s why many seek temptations and escape from the drudge of work.

Nevertheless, if you want to be a better person, the key is to plan your work and work your plan. The joys are hidden behind and in between your efforts in the daily service of others.

Yet, you need to also take time for yourself and live with balance and gratitude.

Grand Arts Center Open House

Invitation

On Sunday there was an open house at the Grand.

The Grand Center for the Arts is a delightful space in the downtown area of my town.

https://www.thegrandnewulm.com/

Lovely art on the walls
Creative decor
Gift shop

There have been many live performances in the building, as well as live music on the deck in the warmer months.

There is a bar, and during live performances they offer light fare as well to add to the conviviality for the guests.

One of the most unique features are the printing presses in the basement.

Printing press
Franz Kitzberger with his work
Drawers of movable type

To adapt to the times, the Grand has made many changes in its administration and functions in the community.

To stay relevant, it encourages artists to express their talents in exhibits, gallery shows, and public displays. Poets, dancers, musicians, painters, and many more artists, have benefited from the benevolence of The Grand and its supporters.

Dance

Polka Fun

The KNUJ Spring Polka Party was held at Turner Hall on Sunday.

People were dancing and drinking.

It was 2 years since the last KNUJ Polka dance.

Old and young love music and fun!

Local Schell’s Beer