Change

When one seeks to change something that is very small to begin with, the changes are....well, small. Toward the end of last year, I began looking at my very small bears and thinking of how I might give them a new look. I carried one little "Daniel" to the Hunt Valley show and he was adopted very quickly - without my taking anything but a snapshop of him with his new Mom. Others saw him and are awaiting more of this new little guy.
So here's what I've done. This new little man has a smaller (not shorter) snout, smaller nose, shorter legs, and ears that are sort of pointed toward the back of his head. So far, I've kept the wired arms which are so handy for carrying flowers, candy, iPhones, etc.
I haven't abandoned the little face and body which I've been making, but as in all things, change is inevitable, and change is good.
Toward the end of a workday, he and I were admiring that "golden hour" that comes in the early evening, and he agreed to pose for a few "artsy" shots.

At a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized -- at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who happen to think differently than we do -- it's important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we're talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds.

We are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this Earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame -- but rather, how well we have loved --


President Barack Obama

These words were from the speech President Obama gave last night at the Memorial in Arizona. You can see the entire text of the speech here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/12/obama-arizona-memorial-sp_n_808335.html

Icy Gifts

This last visit of Nature's winter gusto left delightful sparkles. We had no great mounds of snow this time, but glorious little gifts reflecting today marvelous sunshine - especially if you look closely!

The holly leaves look as though they are wearing delightful dangly earrings!

A New Recipe - Tomato Bisque Soup

Yesterday, I tried a new recipe and I thought I'd pass it along. One of my favorite things to have is Tomato Bisque Soup. I had never tried to make it but love having the restaurant kind. So, in the often used phrase of one of my favorite tv shows from the BBC (the show is Top Gear by the way - and I know nothing about cars - just love the presenters): "How hard can it be?" I searched online for recipes and then went shopping. I sort of made it up as I went along.

Here's what I used:
1 can of petite diced tomatoes (28 ounce can - I think it was Hunts)
1 can of vegetarian vegetable broth (14.5 ounce can)
2 TBS of tomato paste
1/2 medium onion finely diced
1 TBS sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste. I like a lot of black pepper!
A dash of Oregano
1/2 to 3/4 cup cream (you could use half and half or just milk if you'd rather)

Here's what I did:
Saute the onion in a couple of teaspoons of olive oil. Add the big can of diced tomatoes, the vegetable broth (you could use chicken broth as most of the recipes I read used it), the tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper, and oregano. Let this simmer for 15 minutes or so. Be sure to taste so that you can adjust the seasonings. Then add the cream and let it come to a boil again. It's just about ready to eat then. Lower the heat and simmer until you are ready to serve it. Serve with some crusty bread for dipping.
The recipes I read said to puree the tomatoes, but we liked the texture of the tomatoes and onions in soup. I can't tell you if the leftovers heat up well as there was none left! I think this could serve 4 people if your bowls are medium size, but if it's the main course it will serve 2 nicely.

And so as not to make this a dull post, here's a cute photo of Beaker in front of the Christmas tree shortly before he and Kim left to go back to Pittsburgh.

Mr. Big Eyes