Tag: excitement

Week 41

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I took a stroll through my garden this morning to see how everything was doing, as we near fall and cooler temperatures approach. To my delightful surprise, I discovered quite a few strawberries in my little patch! I also found a lot of Cayenne peppers if anyone has some good ideas for those. My garden inspired this week’s healthy snack, Strawberry Oatmeal Bars. YUM!

For the Strawberry Bars:

  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil – melted
  • 2 cups small-diced strawberries
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon  freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon-ish of honey

For the Vanilla Glaze (optional, but huge yes)

  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar – sifted
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon milk – any kind you like
  1. Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, ginger, and salt. Pour in the melted coconut oil and stir until it forms clumps and the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumble mixture, then press the rest into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared pan.
  3. Scatter half of the strawberries over the crust. Sprinkle the cornstarch evenly over the top, then sprinkle on the lime juice and drizzle honey. Scatter on the remaining berries, then drizzle more honey. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs evenly over the top. You will have some fruit showing through.
  4. Bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes, until the fruit is bubbly and the crumb topping smells toasty and looks golden. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely (you can speed this process along in the refrigerator).
  5. While the bars cool, prepare the glaze: In a small bowl, briskly whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Feel free to add more milk if a thinner consistency is desired. Lift the bars from the pan. Drizzle with glaze, slice, and serve.

Crickets – Symbolizing Luck

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The beautiful sounds of crickets chirping outside as I lay my head down to rest. This last week has been packed full of long days of work. It feels so nice to be horizontal and this lovely tune outside of my window inspires me to write. How fitting that the cricket symbolizes luck, good fortune, and everything one has been working toward and dreaming about are now possible.

Every step I take, now in the direction aligned with the end goal – save enough money to move out of the country for several years. There was lackadaisical planning since 2012 when my first escape was interrupted by the law. The plan bloomed the summer of last year. Now, with a year left until launch date, there is serious planning, arduous work, and of course honoring my wild side until we depart.

When I say we, I’m referring to my friend Margaret and me. Oddly enough I met her in the rehab I was sentenced to 2 years after my judicial debacle. I didn’t like her when I first met her; funny how some people grow on you over time – to a point where we are virtually inseparable. This lovely woman and I are currently planning an exciting expedition. Theoretically we would love to go to every country, although most nations aren’t very fond of Americans or felons for that matter.

I have always been an explorer. Traveling to 48 states and a several countries left me craving more, more than the drugs I use to lose myself in. I have been patiently (well let’s be real, I haven’t been patient) waiting to finish probation so I can leave the state freely without requiring permission. Probably a funny thought for most people, requesting to leave and having a solid approved reason to do so. Apparently “because I feel at home on the road ” wasn’t a sufficient answer. 😉

chakraThe day that I discovered the world had different chakra centers of energy vortexes, both hemispheres of my brain lit on fire. This was it. This would be the basis of a guide for the beginning of traveling. What started off as a singular adventure quadrupled to four companions. Over the course of a year, 2 dropped off the bandwagon, leaving just two of us to pioneer our own destinies of exploration.

Planning escalated when two friends informed me they were getting married in Costa Rica 3-4 months before we thought we were going to leave. The research beings. Where do you even start to plan a trip like this aside from overworking yourself to save the money … we decided visas and vaccinations, after we picked all the countries of course. Our list is currently nearing 80 different countries.

As this cricket slowly gets quieter I feel as it’s my cue to wrap this up for tonight …. it’s so hard to sleep when I get excited.