The Animal in Me: Monthly Poetry Group

 

 

 

 

 

Last Friday of the month is for

Monthly Poetry Group to rhyme.

Diane, Mimi, and I take turns,

"If I Were an Animal," theme this time.

 

As usual, today I'll try,

a poem to write . . . or fudge.

Whether I'm successful or not,

you get to be the judge.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Animal in Me

Mimi asked this question,

so, between me and you,

if I were an animal, 

here's what I'd do:

 

I'd hibernate all winter,

like a sleepy black bear.

And perfect, if it's icy out,

I'd neither know, nor care.

 

Let out a frenzied bark,

if you're in my space.

Next, spray like a skunk,

so best learn your place.

 

I'd have eyes like an eagle,

nothing fuzzy in my views.

So happy with all I see,

and no readers to me to lose.

I'd remember like an elephant, 

'cause, sadly, at my age,

words, on the tip of my tongue,

I'd prefer be on the page.

Oh, to eat like a horse,

(and I hear that's quite a lot).

But all things considered,

if I could, then why not?

 

 

 

Pumpkin Dessert Croissants (no bake)

 

 

 

I would roar like a lion,

at injustices I see,

we all need to be equal,

if we're going to be free.

 

But move like a turtle,

at a slower, steady pace.

Our kids grow too fast,

and it's time we can't replace.

 

This life is short, it's fleeting, 

and for us to live it best,

take the good from everything,

and just sidestep the rest.

 

Before you go, stop by these blogs for more Collections poetry:

 

On the Border

Messymimi's Meanderings

 

Pumpkin Dessert Croissants (no bake)

                                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 box (3.4 oz) cheesecake instant pudding mix, can substitute white chocolate or vanilla pudding mix

2 TBSP powdered sugar

1 cup half and half

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

 

1 dz mini croissants

1/2 cup caramel sauce

8 Biscoff cookies

1/2 cup shelled pepitas

 

Directions:
*Vigorously whisk together the pudding mix, powdered sugar, half and half, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, or until ready to serve.

*Slice the mini croissants in half. Crush the Biscoff cookies.

*To serve: pipe or scoop the pudding mix onto the croissant bottoms. Cover with the tops.

*Drizzle the caramel sauce over the tops of the croissants, sprinkle with the cookie crumbs and the shelled pepitas.

Grey Hairs and Antacids: Use Your Words

Today’s post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once. All of the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the recipient will take them. Until now.

At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them.
I’m using: pinch ~ graded ~ fool's gold ~ spit ~ sentimental ~ braided
They were submitted by Jenniy of Climaxed.

                          
I got boys. This is probably not a surprise to you if you read this blog at all (you do . . . religiously . . . right?). It sure was a surprise to me though. I'm not complaining, I went through hell to have these kids: IVF, ectopic twin, pregnancy loss. But I came from a family of girls and I was expecting daughters. At least one. And I would have so much fun. Beautiful clothes, braided hair, I pictured it all. 

My mother had 2 girls. For whatever reason, my sister and I just assumed we'd have girls. Then we started our families. My first child . . . a boy. Five weeks later my sister had . . . a boy. 

A year later I was pregnant with my second child. A girl. I was sure of it. Everyone knew it. I was in the doctor's office having amniocentesis. I was high risk and although I'd refused it with the first pregnancy, I agreed this time. As the doctor ran the xray wand over my belly before the procedure, he stopped for a second between the fetus's legs. Suddenly the room went silent. Everyone, my husband, the nurses, all took a giant step back. The doctor silently keep moving the wand.

"Excuse me" I said, angrily, to the doctor. "My daughter seems to have something between her legs". The doctor didn't say a word, just kept scanning. "Go back" I said. 

Everyone in the silent room took another step back. The doctor, though, turned and bravely looked me in the eye. "I can go back" he stated, "but it's not going to go away."

Yeah, seems the only thing I'd be braiding is a baked treat.

Apricot Cream Cheese Pastry Braid

 

When I finally accepted that I was having only boys, I went to a number of department stores to look at the boys' clothes. I thought I'd feel better if I could find some cute things. I finally did, but I have to say that it wasn't easy. 90% of the kids' section is girls'. Colors and styles and options, hair bows and lacy socks even. The other 10% is boys'. Options are blue or brown, straight leg or cargo. {{sigh}}. Little girl clothing manufacturers would get an "A". Little boy clothing manufacturers . . . lets just say they'd need to be graded on a curve.


Two years later my sister was pregnant again. And she had . . . you see where this is going right? Nope. Two years later my sister had a girl. How COULD she do such a thing like that to me?


Now some would say that thinking girls are more fun than boys, or easier than boys, is like mining fool's gold. Girls aren't all fun and games, especially the teenaged ones. A friend once told me that boys may spit, but girls will scratch your eyes out.

I'm here to tell you that girls may be meaner to each other, but they got nothin' on boys when it comes to supplying moms with an instant head of grey hair and a chronic case of heartburn.

There's the time the school principal called to tell me that there had been a fight at school, and College Boy had videotaped it. And when, after much discussion and consequences, I got the same phone call the following year. The time his skateboard split his face open between the eyes and I could see cartilage.  

The time he took his skateboard into class and tail dropped his school desk. And yes, his friend took a picture.

The phone call from someone at the art museum who was objecting to College Boy skateboarding on the marble bench out front. And we all know about the time College Boy and his friends lit my car on fire (got a picture of this one too). Yeah, I talk about it a lot, I'm still traumatized.

PurDude? Yeah, there are grey hairs with his name on them too. Like the time he got pulled over for suspicion of theft (he was innocent, I swear), and the time he was learning to drive and almost got run off the road by a cop. I haven't forgotten seeing him drive down the street and pull into the driveway at night without his lights on. And, of course, two months into his freshman year of college when he called on my birthday to say he's fallen outside his frat at 2 am and broken his leg. 

And let me tell you, I cleared the drug store shelf of antacids when he was home months later and I finally got the true story of what happened.

Awwwww, now here I go getting all sentimental. NOT!

So yeah, I wanted a girl. But in a pinch I'll take these two boys. And the truth is, I have to admit I've gotten used to I adore them. Spit and all.

Here are links to all the other Use Your Words posts:

Dinosaur Superhero Mommy 
Spatulas on Parade
The Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver  
Sparkly Poetic Weirdo 
On the Border 
Confessions of a part time working mom 
Climaxed 
 The Bergham Chronicles
Southern Belle Charm 

Apricot Cream Cheese Pastry Braid

                                                               ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

 

Ingredients:

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup apricot pie filling
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg beaten with 1 TBSP water
1 tsp white sugar

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
*Beat the cream cheese until it starts to get fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and pie filling and beat until all ingredients are incorporated. 
*Place the pastry puff sheet onto a baking pan or cookie sheet. Unfold the pastry puff sheet and roll out to about 13 inches long (width is fine as is).
*Working with the dough facing you so it is longer than wide cut a 1 inch slit along each of the folds at the top and bottom of the pastry. Starting at the top and working down each side panel, cut both into 10 slits horizontally, evenly spaced.
*Spread the cream cheese filling into the center panel, leaving 1 inch at the top and bottom. 
*Fold the top and bottom inch of the center panel up. Alternating sides, fold the side slits over the filling.
*Paint with the egg wash, sprinkle with white sugar and bake for 30 minutes.