The Case for Stuffed: Poetry Monday

 

 

 

Poetry Monday's once a week.

I bet you know which day.

I don't participate every time,

But today I've come out to play.

My friends assign each week a theme,

Stuffed Animals, what they chose.

Now it's up to all of us,

to put our thoughts into prose.

 

 

 

 

 

The Case for Stuffed

Pets are known to bring us

neverending joy.

I know we like to play with them,

yet they think that we're the toy.

Whenever we're sad or upset,

they'll be by our side.

Lovingly lick our face,

till those tears have dried.

They're our loyal companions,

so alone we never feel,

(and I'm sure it's not just that

they're looking for their next meal).

But oh, how we spoil them, 

seems they're always in the mood,

to allow us share with them

all of our favorite food.

 

 

 

Maple Bacon Bread

 

 

 

But . . .

 

 

 

 

When it comes to stuffed animals,

here's the honest scoop:

there's no tripping over leashes,

wrapped around you in a loop. 

No danger of them fighting,

get along in any group,

and never will you find yourself

picking up . . . you know . . . their poop.

 

 

 

 

Wait!

Read more poetry, 

you're not through.

Some talented writers

are in this crew:

 

On the Border

Messymimi's Meanderings 

Mother Owl 

 

Maple Bacon Bread        

                                                                                 ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour plus 1 tsp

1 TBSP baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup milk

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup dark maple syrup

1 egg

3/4 cup cream cheese baking chips (can substitute cinnamon baking chips)

5 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and chopped

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan.

*Whisk 2 1/2 cups of the flour with the baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

*Whisk in the milk, oil, maple syrup, and egg.

*Toss the baking chips with the remaining 1 tsp of flour. Mix into the dough, along with the chopped bacon.

*Pour evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 - 55 minutes, until the center of the top springs back to the touch.

*Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and remove from the loaf pan.

Resolve is the Resolution

 

 

 I don't make New Year's resolutions, I've mentioned that before. No reason to promise that on one specific day on the calendar that I'll suddenly do what I haven't done the day before.

 

But I still have resolve. Actually, that's not true, it would be more accurate to say that I'm determined to regain my resolve.

 

I have all but given up, I look around at our current state of division, derision, and I despair. I care about our freedoms, our environment, public health, safety in public places, future generations. I've been bruised and battered by the tone of our politics, the loss of respect, the blatant denials and dishonesty. And it's not getting better, it's getting worse.

 

So much worse that it's killing people. I never thought we could possibly sink this low, that in the United States of America, the sanctity of human life has become collateral damage. 

 

I wrote a post back in March about guns and about my quest to get vaccinated. I called it Just Shoot Me. Please. The day before it was to post, there was a mass shooting in a covid vaccine line in a grocery store in my son's home city, Boulder. I had to frantically change the title and replace the original graphic of my post. It became Vaccination Information Stagnation.

 

 

 

In the ongoing quest to protect society through vaccination, the focus has been on reason. Truth is, reason is not an option. Its foundation is truth and truth no longer exists. I've been railing against it, my poor logical brain cannot fathom the impotence of logic. But I have had to accept that relying on reason is unreasonable.

Perhaps, with the tenets of our religious beliefs still in the forefront of our thoughts, and a fresh new year just days ahead, we can put logic aside (ouch) and appeal to some core beliefs. Getting vaccinated is about compassion, it's about selflessness and respect, it's a tangible embodiment of ministering to others. 

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

 

 

Food prices are sky high. There are some foods I can't even find at all. And yet, we still find a way to eat. I've become a lot more creative with ingredients and substitutions, all for the greater good. To continue to nourish our bodies.

 

Spicy Grilled Peanut Butter and Bacon Sandwich

 

 

The focus now needs to be on nourishing our communities. We are obliged to see need, protect each other, replace sanctimoniousness with service, focus on the sustenance of humanity.

 

So this year, I resolve to keep trying, to look for other avenues of approach, to appeal to our better angels, to show restraint, to lead by example, to comport myself in a ways that strengthen our ability to recognize truth, restore reason, serve society. 

 

Join me?

Spicy Grilled Peanut Butter & Bacon Sandwich       

                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients (per sandwich): 

2 slices of an Italian loaf, cut 1" thick

1 TBSP creamy peanut butter

2 pieces bacon, cooked

1 TBSP butter

2 tsp pepper jelly

Directions:

*Spread the peanut butter onto on slice of the bread. Cut each piece of bacon in 2 - 3 pieces and place onto the peanut butter. 

*In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once it's hot, place the bread in the skillet with the peanut butter and bacon up.

*Spread the pepper jelly onto the other slice of bread and place it in the pan on top of the bacon, jelly side down. Press gently.

*Reduce heat just a little and allow the sandwich to cook until the bottom is well browned. Carefully turn the sandwich over and cook the other side. Serve warm.