![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/74ccdea932.jpg\")
Wow…we’re all getting whiplash with the rapid fire changes going on in our country. I won’t go into ways you can stay involved. You’ll figure out what you want to do based on your own personal beliefs. What I want to talk about today is how to not drown in the rapids.
\n\n\nThere is fine line between staying informed and being totally overwhelmed. That’s true anytime…not just now. I found myself trying to watch all the things and being informed on all the things. I’ve felt overwhelmed and lost, confused and scared. Our brains are not built to sustain that kind of stress. We don’t know what to do when someone takes advantage of that. We don’t know where to turn when we seem to be losing all we have known. I know not all of you are feeling this and I honor the fact that we are all free to our own beliefs.
\n\n\nI’ve found some tools to help me stay balanced when things get stressful. And it doesn’t just apply to politics. It works in any scenario that is causing you stress…grief, illness, tragedy. Here are ten ways to keep your head on straight in times of trouble.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/c64c37fcc4.jpg\")
So, that’s my list of suggestions to help keep yourself on an even keel. I hope this helps. If you have more to add to the list, please share with us in the comments. Be safe out there…be good to yourself, and each other.
\n\n\n💜
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”” Joshua 1:9 NIV
\n\n
***Gratitude Journal***\n\n\n
Today I am grateful for all the tools in my mental health toolbox. I was blessed to have a good therapist that helped me get through some really tough times in this life. Mental Health and Physical Health is just…health.
#mentalhealth, #selfcare, #askforhelp
\n\n", "date_published": "2025-02-12T09:02:39-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2025/02/12/ten-ways-to-keep-from.html", "tags": ["Self Care","Courage","Mental Health"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2025/01/21/im-on-a-news-strike.html", "title": "I’m on a News Strike", "content_html": "\n![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/dc5ca273a8.jpg\")
Yeah, I know…I can’t keep my head in the sand forever, but there is nothing wrong with taking a break for a little self-care when everything just seems to spin out of control. I can’t control the news cycle, but I sure can control my consumption of it and all things social media. I love the “social” part…chatting with friends and family, seeing pictures of grandbabies and funny cat videos. However, if you find the current state of affairs totally overwhelming, back off and take care of yourself for awhile. I have the notifications on my phone set where I can take a cursory glance and if it’s nothing I need to deal with in the moment, I move on.
\n\n\nThat being said, I didn’t watch a single thing newsy yesterday. I crocheted on the market bag, which I think is going to turn into a basket for yarn that will sit by my Big Red Chair. When you crochet with seven strands of yarn at once you get a nice stiff-sided basket, but it is pretty heavy to tote around shopping. We watched reruns of some of our favorite detective thrillers then settled in to watch the Ohio State v Notre Dame National Championship. I’m rooting for OSU!
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/b089d7f4d0.jpg\")
We neither one stepped foot outside yesterday. The high was something like 9° and since it was MLK Day, the mail didn’t run so there was no need. I warmed up beef stew for supper and we were happy as little clams. I fed the sourdough starter so I can bake today. I need to make sourdough, sandwich bread, and maybe English Muffins again. They sure were good the last time, but I’m going to make a different recipe this time. The last ones were really complicated.
\n\n\nI tried going downstairs to sew, but it is WAY too cold to hang out down there so I came back upstairs. Maybe I can set up somewhere warmer. Or, maybe I’ll hang out in the office and write. I just felt shiftless yesterday and wanted to veg out for a while. It’s OK to avoid facing uncomfortable things, as long as you don’t buy real estate there. I’ll be back at it shortly!
\n\n\n❄️🩵❄️
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7 ESV
\n\n
***Gratitude Journal***\n\n\n
Today I am grateful for a safe place to land when things get rough in life. Number One is God’s arms. He is always there for me. And Number Two…Mr. FixIt. He is always there for me on this plane. I thank God every day for the gifts I’ve been given.
#gratitude, #mentalhealthday, #nonews
\n\n", "date_published": "2025-01-21T02:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2025/01/21/im-on-a-news-strike.html", "tags": ["Overcoming Obstacles","Gratitude","Mental Health"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2025/01/15/shiver-me-timbers-its-cold.html", "title": "Shiver me Timbers - It’s COLD!", "content_html": "\n![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/2bb07f3d47.jpg\")
Wowza…we’re hitting single digits pretty regularly here in WV as of late. I sleep with the window open in the little bedroom. I snuggle down under the electric blanket in that cold room and sleep like a rock. Mr. FixIt keeps his window shut and the furnace grate open…his blanket on just enough to warm the bed then he shuts it off. After several years of trying to sleep his way, I was just getting more and more sleep deprived and I knew it wasn’t healthy. So now we sleep in different rooms and we are much nicer to be around. We still get snuggles and hug whenever we pass each other in the house all day long so we aren’t hurting for contact. It’s just the sleeping part we had to address.
\n\n\nYesterday was very busy. I had a medical appointment. I delivered Christmas presents to those who were sick and couldn’t come to our party. I went to Tractor Supply and bought three bags of birdseed. I stopped at my friend Jon Six’s hair salon to drop off a whole bag of hats, baby dolls, and baby blankets that I knitted and he was so happy to get them. He’ll take them to the place where homeless girls have their babies.
\n\n\nAs I was driving to my next stop, I prayed for the recipients of these gifts that they may be protected from the cold. I felt my privilege lay heavy in my chest as I effortlessly went about my day of shopping…returning to my warm home and ample pantry. Tragically, we had an unhoused woman fall asleep outside of her tent Monday night and she was found yesterday morning…deceased. It breaks my heart.
\n\n\nIt reminds me that so many are just one catastrophe away from being homeless. I spent three years traveling around in my camper. There were times when that was a real struggle…especially when I first moved to WV and lived up by the Ohio River in weather like this. I was so blessed to have that comfortable house on wheels. I can’t imagine having nothing more than what you can push in a grocery cart. It’s a problem everywhere and it just seems to be getting worse. I may not be able to do much or give a lot of money, but I can at least help keep them warm with a hat that I’ve prayed over as I knit.
\n\n\nMy last stop was the gas station and the grocery store before I went home. I brought everything in from the truck. Since I still had my snow boots and heavy winter coat on, I went to the front of the house and knocked the icicles off the gutter. I put everything away and by that time, I asked if my husband would be satisfied with hotdogs for supper. He was fine with it. I just didn’t have it in me to cook. I found quart containers of chicken livers at the grocery store for $1.50 each so I put one in the freezer and I’ll cook the other container with caramelized onions, mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans for supper tonight. Comfort food that I am extra grateful for today.
\n\n\nI hope you are keeping warm and there’s food in your belly.
\n\n\n❄️🩵❄️
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’”
\n\n
Deuteronomy 15:11 ESV
#unhoused #homeless #winter #helpisontheway #helpingothers
\n\n\n*Photo Credit: AI Generated Image by Ginny McKinney
\n\n", "date_published": "2025-01-15T03:00:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2025/01/15/shiver-me-timbers-its-cold.html", "tags": ["Overcoming Obstacles","Camping","Comfort","Grace","God","Humbled","Insight","Mental Health"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2024/06/11/an-ordinary-monday.html", "title": "An Ordinary Monday", "content_html": "\n![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/eb5c0aa2d2.jpg\")
I love days like yesterday. I went to knitting group and helped the gals learn how to make teddy bears on the circular knitting machine. There were only three of us because one is recuperating from Covid. I stopped at The Pig on the way home to pick up a few things. I’ve been hankerin’ for some smoked pulled pork so I bought a good sized pork butt to throw in the smoker today. I haven’t used the smoker for probably two years so it’s about time! Mr. FixIt had an appointment in town so he stopped to get me some corn on the cob and strawberries for a shortcake.
\n\n\nWhen Mr. FixIt got home, he suggested we go out and wash the camper, but I talked him out of that. It looked like it was going to rain. We’ll get it done before we go on our trip. The pool is staying clean and sparkly and that makes me happy. But it got cloudy in the afternoon and the temperature dropped to 70° so there was no way I was getting in that water! I spent most of the day reading while Mr. FixIt watched TV and snoozed in his Big Red Chair.
\n\n\nAre you detecting a pattern here? I have these great ideas of an evening when I’m writing to you good people, then by morning I’m off chasing butterflies and rainbows. I have some thing very common to people with ADHD…”wait mode.” When I am presented with a big event coming up, like the Colorado trip, I go into wait mode. It’s kind of like freezing up…sensory overload from all the things running around in my head that need to be done and my executive function goes out the window. People with ADHD are often called lazy, without ambition, disorganized. We KNOW what needs to be done. We can write 5,000 lists, but when it comes time to actually DO the thing…we shut down and blank out. That’s why we’re really great with a deadline because at the last minute, we will work something to death to meet it. I really try NOT to be this way, but trying not to be who you are causes more problems. I know this is how my brain works. I’ll get it done. I might make some people crazy, but if they really know me and love me, they’ll understand.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/f84fae3cd4.jpg\")
Speaking of butterflies, I came around the corner of the camper the other day and ran right into a monarch butterfly! I was SO excited!!! My milkweed patch has exploded this summer and I am hoping for more of these orange and black beauties. When Mr. FixIt and I went out for our walk around the pollinator gardens last night, we saw a bird sitting on the ground. There is a window near there. And there are plenty of places where it could have fallen from a nest. I tried to identify it with Merlin and Google Images, but I’m not sure what it is. It said starling, but it has a black beak and starlings have light colored beaks. It had moved when I came back later so hopefully it’s on its way.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/0eb5046c4b.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/9fbe4a6f95.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/f5936ba34d.jpg\")
I snapped a few photos last night to identify some plants around the edges of the fields. Wingstem, Horse Weed, Creeping Charlie and a surprise coming up at the back of the wood pile…Sassafras. Grandma used to go out in the spring and pull up sassafras saplings, peel the bark from the roots, and make a tea fur us. She said it was a spring tonic to clean our blood. There have been studies done over the decades that have disputed this and the FDA has actually banned the roots and barks of the sassafras because it contains a high concentration of Safrole which has been known to cause cancer in rats. Grandma would pooh pooh the idea, but the last time I drank sassafras tea, it caused some most unpleasant gastric distress so I’ll not be drinking it again.
\n\n\nMy friend Loretta from knitting group brought us some more succulents to plant. I hope I can polish up this brown thumb and turn it green! I used to be able to grow beautiful plants. But now I swear I could kill a silk flower!
\n\n\n🌸
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "date_published": "2024-06-11T01:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2024/06/11/an-ordinary-monday.html", "tags": ["Farm Life","Insight","Mental Health"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2024/03/08/the-matriarch.html", "title": "The Matriarch", "content_html": "\n“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.””
\nMatthew 11:29-30 ESV\n
![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/a5f5b8f569.jpg\")
My grandmother was fifty-six years old when I was born. My grandma was only forty-eight. Yet…they seemed ancient to me when I was a little girl. Their hair was gray and their skin was soft with wrinkles. Blue veins traced rivers on the backs of their hands and brown “liver spots” dotted their arms. They were magical beings with vast knowledge of such things as the perfect chicken and dumplings and soothing slices of jelly bread. They kissed away booboos and loved me unconditionally…my grandma most of all.
\n\n\nI was standing in front of the mirror at The Farm yesterday morning, brushing my own grey hair and pinning it up in a bun just as Grandma had always done. I never knew her to have short hair. As far as I know, she had never cut it or gone to a beauty shop. And she never had bangs. I’ve been letting my bangs grow out. I trimmed them myself through the pandemic so I just kept doing it. Then I waited a little too long and was afraid I’d botch it up. Not wanting to go to the hairdresser, I decided to let them grow out to see if I like them. I don’t NOT like them. I wore my hair swept back when I was growing up. My bangs are getting long enough to sweep them back when I pin my hair up, as long as the bun is high on my head. The jury is still out. I think I notice my face more and maybe that’s not a bad thing. I don’t feel the need to hide anymore and this is a little liberating.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/45e4fadaab.jpg\")
That’s me in the center of the photo with my uncle and cousins going for a ride in the old Model A truck.
\n\n\nMy Noom lesson yesterday was on self confidence and giving yourself compliments. We are quick to compliment others, yet we are so hard on ourselves. My exercise for the day was to stand in front of the mirror and give myself a believable compliment…out loud. I stepped closer to the mirror and looked at myself critically. I’ve always had a distinct widow’s peak and that’s why I’ve worn bangs. I was self conscious of the receding hairline on either side of my face. I finished brushing my hair back and said to the girl with the grandmother face who was smiling at me.
\n\n\n“You have a kind face. Your eyes crinkle with your laughter and twinkle with happiness. Every line on your beautiful face reminds you of the multitude of smiles you’ve given over the seventy years your presence has been known here. You are exactly as you were meant to be and exactly where you belong!”
\n\n\nI gave myself a big hug and you know what? I felt better! Why are women so hard on themselves…and on each other? We should be celebrated for the glorious and powerful creatures we are! We should be lifting each other up at every turn and encouraging each other with positivity, love, and grace. I used to be so threatened by other women. And now? No way! I am past all that. I am of the mind that if another doesn’t like me or accept me as I am, they are not deserving of my time and energy and I release myself from the burden of bearing the weight of something that is no longer mine to carry.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/e630e2a9e2.jpg\")
I took this picture because, honestly…I don’t see that angle of myself. I wanted to see what the roadmap of wrinkles on my cheeks were up to. When I looked, I smiled. I’m not sad to have my grandmother’s face or my grandma’s long hair swept back in a bun. I’m honored to be counted among the crones.
\n\n\nI am the matriarch now.
\n\n\n🩵
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n”Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.“
\nProverbs 31:30-31 NIV\n
#Matriarch, #Aging, #PositiveAging, #InternationalWomensDay
\n\n", "date_published": "2024-03-08T02:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2024/03/08/the-matriarch.html", "tags": ["Self Care","Uplifting Stories","Strong Women","Growth","Gratitude","Comfort","Grace","Peace","Wisdom","Forgiveness","Courage","Aging","Presence","Change","Memories","Mental Health"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2024/01/06/its-my-rebirthday.html", "title": "It’s My Re-Birthday!", "content_html": "\n![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/980dbe30e9.jpg\")
On January 6th every year I celebrate my re-birth day. This is the day I didn’t die. January 6, 2000 is the foundation upon which I have stacked every day since. The comparison of where I am now compared to where I was then is unbelievable. Sometimes I look back and it’s like all that happened to someone else. I don’t relive the events like I used to. I’m far less likely to share the whole story with new friends. It’s not who I am anymore.
\n\n\nLooking back now with an understanding of my place somewhere on the autism spectrum, it’s no wonder I reacted the way I did when it happened. It was incredibly traumatic. If you want to read about it, I’ve posted it here in the past. Here’s one retelling, but I’ll not write about it again. I’ll just celebrate how far I’ve come. And, celebrate 24 years of sobriety. https://www.marshmallowranch.com/the-pivoting-point/
\n\n\nSo, instead of dwelling on the not-so-good parts of the past, I asked my Mr. FixIt to go to the farm with me yesterday. Everything was in order. The table I was thinking might work, won’t. It wasn’t sturdy enough. I did bring home several bags of things my Aunt Peeps set aside for my Aunt Rosie. I went through it to make sure what was in it. Some of it goes to my uncle, and some to the step grandchildren of my aunt. And the rest goes to my cousin.
\n\n\nSince the table didn’t work out, we drove up to Harrisville to Arlo’s Antiques. They had two tables that would work. One was too expensive, and the other didn’t have a price so I need to call today and talk to the wife when she’s there. I would love that second table. It is so sturdy. It looks like something out of a chemistry lab. I have a feeling it’s going to be too spendy though. While we were there, we wandered around looking at everything and I found almost a complete two years’ worth of The Workbasket magazines.
\n\n\nI’ve been wanting to crochet a couple of doilies for the end tables we bought from an enterprising student from one of the local high schools. He buys things and fixes them up for resale. I think they’d be pretty with a big doily on it to protect the surface. I can’t remember if Mom got these or my Grandmother but I distinctly remember reading them every month. Between these and the Needleworks & Crafts magazines, my passion for all kinds of handwork was born.
\n\n\nI need to get a hat and scarf made today to take to the Former Mrs. FixIt at our great grandson’s 4th Birthday Party tomorrow. I’ll also start another tote/basket and do that cooking I said I’d do yesterday! We’re hanging pretty close in case the weather gets dicey. Has it snowed where you are? Be safe out there!!!
\n\n\n❄️
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "date_published": "2024-01-06T02:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2024/01/06/its-my-rebirthday.html", "tags": ["Family","Memories","Crafts","Healing","Mental Health"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2023/12/02/its-okay-to-say-no.html", "title": "It’s Okay to Say No", "content_html": "\n”Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.“
\nProverbs 22:6 ESV\n
![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/655296cc18.jpg\")
The fog rolling in over the far field.
\n\n\nGod put it on my heart today to talk to you about something.
\n\n\nWe’re heading into the busiest time of the year. Holiday decorating, shopping, baking, parties. It’s a whirlwind of activity and for many of us…it’s just overwhelming. We can’t all be like Martha Stewart. She works hard, I’m sure. But she has a staff to do the big stuff. So, I’m here to tell you…
\n\n\nYou and I don’t have staff.
\n\n\nIt’s okay to say no.
\n\n\nLet me say that another way…
\n\n\nIT. IS. OKAY. TO. SAY. NO!
\n\n\nYou’re asked to bring five dozen cookies to the craft bazaar but you’re budget is feeling the pinch…just like that nerve in your back. But you hate to disappoint them.
\n\n\nIt’s okay to say, “I’m sorry, I really can’t this year.”
\n\n\nYou’re expected at yet another holiday event and you’ve been overloaded at work this week, but what will they think of you if you don’t at least make an appearance?
\n\n\nIt’s okay to say, “I really wish I could make it, but I’m spread too thin this year. Thank you for the invitation, though! Let’s make it another time when things settle down.”
\n\n\nYou’re grown kids want you to make their 37 favorite dishes this year for Christmas.
\n\n\nIt’s ok to say, “I’d love to do that, but it’s a little much for me right now. Here are the 37 recipes. Why don’t you all go through the list, pick your top three, and come early. We’ll cook together. I’ll provide the wine!” This works for friends, too.
\n\n\nYou’re neighbors have decorated to the nines and you hate for your house to look all dull and Scroogie compared to theirs.
\n\n\nIt’s okay to call your local high school and see if their Booster Club might be interested in earning a little money if the kids could come and decorate for you. The teen group at your church might be interested, too.
\n\n\nYou’re grieving the loss of someone special and your friends want to get you out of the house and “get your mind off things.” Your friends mean well, and this really could be something fun for you to do. But if you aren’t feeling it…
\n\n\nIt’s ok to say, “No, thank you. I’m just really not feeling it this year. I’d love to go to coffee after the holidays, though! Let’s do that.”
\n\n\nAt any given time, it is ok to say no if you’re just over it. We had to go to town nearly every day this week. The last two days, I felt myself getting overstimulated and agitated. So, I politely told Mr. FixIt that I’m going to stay home till Monday morning knitting group and again till my Wednesday mammogram. The roofers are starting soon and I want to ENJOY the holidays. I can’t if I’m overwhelmed and snippy.
\n\n\nI know there’s someone out there that needs to hear this. Just chill a little. You’ll be much happier, as will everyone around you, if you take a little “me time” and get some rest. Eat healthy foods. Get plenty of sleep. Drink lots of water and less alcohol. Get a massage. Meditate. Go to yoga. Take a walk. Listen to soft music. Spend some time with God, or whoever you pray to or consider a Higher Power. I want to be inclusive here because self care isn’t just for Christians.
\n\n\nSending big hugs out to all of you. You’ve got this!
\n\n\n🎄
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.”
\nMark 6:31 ESV\n
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\n\n\nWe’re getting down to the cutoff for Christmas ordering. I’d say by the end of next week, if you’re looking for something from my shop, you should have your orders in. I’d like to thank all of you who have been so supportive and are shopping small! I’m most appreciative.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/498e765255.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/uploads/2026/9f1720ef9c.jpg\")
We are in the midst of a little cold snap here in West Virginia. I’m still sleeping with the window open, even though the night-time temps are getting down in the twenties and last night was supposed to get as low as seventeen degrees. The house was toasty warm and I was so grateful for my new bootie/slippers. We cooked. We watched the History Channel and learned more about the Titanic and other historical mysteries.
\n\n\nRemember I told you I took a video when I was making the pie this weekend? I tried to process it and post it from my iPad and started getting the message yet again that it is full. I downloaded the video to a thumb drive and transferred it to my laptop and created a beautiful video. Only problem is, if you’ll also remember, our internet is powered by two possums and a squirrel and I’d say the squirrel has given up the ghost. There is no way I’m going to be able to upload videos from home. That leaves them to my trips to The Farm, and I am not quite sure when I can get over there next.
\n\n\nIt’s always something.
\n\n\nI got another little job finished. The cast iron griddle I seasoned last week turned out so nice, I decided to do my skillets over again because they were kind of gummy from where I wipe them with oil between uses. I’ll give it a second coat and season it again later in the week along with the third coat on the griddle.
\n\n\nAs it’s getting darker earlier and earlier, there have been many stories on the news about Seasonal Affective Disorder. I, myself, have had difficulties with it in the past. There are many symptoms of SAD. It affects your mood, sleep, and your physical body. Fatigue, depression, anxiety, loneliness, mood swings, sadness. You can eat and sleep too little or too much. Irritability and lack of concentration. Ennui. Winter Blues.
\n\n\nToo many people suffer silently with SAD. But, the last few years the press has been shining a light on this disorder. As we lay our beautiful former First Lady, Mrs. Rosalyn Carter to rest today, I am encouraged by her steadfast mission to raise awareness of mental health issues. We’ve come a long way toward accepting mental illness as just that…an illness. No different than heart disease, high cholesterol, or anything else.
\n\n\nIf you or anyone you know are suffering, please know there is not shame in admitting that and reaching out for help. Here is an excellent resource on Seasonal Affective Disorder. And remember, I am always a private message away if I can help in any way.
\n\n\n🎄
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
\nRomans 15:13 ESV\n
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
\n\n\nHis Mercies are new every morning. There is always hope…always.
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We have a 30x40 metal building that sits out back of our house. We pay our taxes on it as well as everything else here at Marshmallow Ranch. Yet, there it sits…full of who knows what. I’ve had ideas for how we could better utilize that space to bring in some income instead of sitting there as an expensive storage closet.
\n\n\nWhen Mr. FixIt and I were driving into town yesterday for yet another doctor’s appointment (they seem to come in waves, don’t they?) I mentioned my idea. I’d love to get the building cleaned up and create an area in at least half of it that could serve as a primitive barn like sales area. Then, we could up-cycle furniture and decorator items, stage them nicely, and sell them.
\n\n\nMarshmallow Ranch could have a sort of home-grown sticks and bricks shop! I wouldn’t want to be open more than say…Fridays and Saturdays…once or twice a month with a bigger “show” in the Spring and the Fall. Think Round Top. Think Junk Gypsies. Think Ree Drummond. I think it would be so cool! And I think I could get Mr. FixIt onboard. He’s a great haggler and we could have fun with it, I think.
\n\n\nIt’s an idea that’s been percolating in the back of my mind since I moved in here. Now that we have Mr. FixIt’s back feeling better, I really think we could do it! We have lots of room here. We could create a gravel parking area across the driveway from the building so there would be ready access. Ooooooh…the wheels are turning! Who know if it will come to fruition…but I feel something coming like that, anyway.
\n\n\nWe had supper at a little country diner we enjoy. We need to mow today…again. Mowing season WILL end…I promise. We just need to keep plugging along and get things done. And now we don’t have to go anywhere all week. Yeah, I know…you’ve heard it all before!
\n\n\nGood news at the doctors, which is always a blessing. She was thrilled at how well I’m doing and we are going to start reducing some of my meds because…I’m down 25 pounds! I feel fabulous. She asked about all the symptoms I was dealing with over the last 2-3 years. When she got to… “How’s your pain?” I had to stop and think. And you what??? I didn’t have any! So, who wants to try Noom with me? I can get you 2 free weeks. I’m not kidding when I say this program is a game changer. It approaches weight loss with education and support as it shares the psychology of why we gained weight in the first place. I love it!
\n\n\nIf you’re interested, use this link: https://noom.com/r/JthjXSfaA
\n\n\nI would be happy to help in any way I can. We aren’t getting younger AND we are getting dangerously close to hibernation season and you know what that means. Baking. And eating!
\n\n\nEnjoy your day, dear friends…and know you are loved!
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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
\n1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT\n
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\n\n\nPumpkin Kitty has her own T-Shirt! Check her out at:
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I got up yesterday and went to the grocery store to buy the things I needed to teach the girls how to prepare several traditional Jewish dishes. I was so enamored with the King Soopers near Ben and Sue’s house that I wandered around for an hour and half just having a completely marvelous time! I’ve been doing a lot of the cooking and cleaning up to help Sue since she’s still recovering from knee surgery. She still gets in there and does a lot, but I swore I would NOT allow her to wait on us while we’re here.
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Daughter #1 and Little came over around 1:30 and Little’s friend and her mom came at 2:00. We promptly got to work. The first thing to do was mix up the matzo ball batter and get it chilling in the fridge. Then I taught the girls how to pare and core the apples, chop them, toast the walnuts and chop them to make Charoset. We added cinnamon, honey, brown sugar, and Kosher red wine then popped it in the fridge to chill.
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Next up was the Matzo Ball Soup. We poured a large box of low sodium chicken broth into a stock pot with a tight fitting lid. Little filled the broth container with water and we poured that in as well. While it was heating up, we sautéed a mirepoix…chopped onions, celery, and carrots till the onions were translucent. We added that to the pot and adjusted the heat to a simmer. We did add about half of the soup mix packet that comes with the boxed matzo ball soup mix.
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We removed the matzo ball batter from the fridge and started forming small balls around the size of a big marble. You need to do this with wet hands. This allows the surface of the matzo ball to be smoothed out to seal any cracks, thus preventing them from falling apart while cooking. You keep the lid on the pot while it’s simmering, then remove the lid quickly when you add a matzo ball then put the lid on fast. This traps the steam in the pot and makes your matzo balls fluffy.
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Once that was done, it was time to start the Hamantashen. These are triangular shaped cookies filled with a variety of different fillings. We chose raspberry jam, apricot jam, and chocolate. Traditionally they are filled with poppyseed paste, but I couldn’t find any. I think it’s usually only sold for Purim in the spring. We mixed up the dough and it needed more flour than the recipe called for. We finally got it at just the right consistency. We rolled it out between two sheets of parchment paper then cut it in circles with a biscuit cutter. We placed the circles on a cookie sheet (I forgot to line it with parchment paper so they stuck a tiny bit). Then we dropped a scant teaspoon of one of the fillings, folded up three edges and pinched the three resulting corners together.
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We also needed to bake the cookies about five minutes longer than the recipe called for. Once the last sheet of cookies was in the oven, we started making the potato kugel. Daughter #1 has discovered a brilliant hack to make this a much easier process. Traditionally, potatoes are peeled and then grated into ice water to keep them from turning a dull grey. Once they’re all grated, you have to squeeze all the water out. If you have any arthritis in your hands, this is a killer. So my brilliant daughter just buys a big bag of shredded hash browns. So smart this girl.
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My daughter added about a half a cup of vegetable oil to a 13”x9” pan and popped it in the oven to get hot. We added about half of a chopped onion, half a cup or so of matzo meal, and salt and pepper to the hash browns and tossed that together. Then, we whipped up six eggs and poured it over the hash browns and combined them well. Once the pan was hot, we poured the potato/egg mixture in and baked it in a 400° oven till crispy and browned around the edges. Yummmmy!
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The last dish we prepared was Matzo Brei…a sort of Jewish French Toast. We took six sheets of matzo and crumbled it into a bowl then put hot water over it to let the matzos soak it up. In a separate bowl, I beat four eggs with a heaping tablespoon of brown sugar, added a few shakes of cinnamon, and a generous tablespoon of my home brewed vanilla. We scooped up handfuls of the now soggy matzo and squeezed as much water out as we could and put it in the egg mixture. Once all the matzo was in the bowl, we mixed up the “batter” and dropped it by spoonfuls into a medium hot skillet with melted butter in it. We fried them till they were golden brown on each side then removed them from the pan and worked on the next skillet full.
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We were just finishing when Mr. FixIt and Ben walked in the front door. They took the camper to the cattle ranch out on the eastern plains. I was tickled when I learned they were able to park it under cover to protect it from severe weather. I fed the guys with all that yummy Jewish food and called it a night! My back hurt and my feet were cramping from standing on them all day. But it really was a fun afternoon of cooking foods I haven’t made in ages. I left the photography to Little so I’ll just post the ones I have. We didn’t get every dish but you’ll get the idea. I’ll try to leave a link to the recipes we used. Some were just in our heads because we’ve made them for so long.
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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "date_published": "2023-07-13T00:00:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2023/07/13/what-a-fun-day-in.html", "tags": ["Fun","Cooking","In the Kitchen","Mental Health"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2023/07/10/glimmers.html", "title": "Glimmers", "content_html": "\n“So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.”
\nColossians 2:16 NLT\n
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When we were driving down from the mountains on Saturday, we had a chance to really see what the heavy snows and abundant rains have done for Colorado this year. Mr. FixIt wears many hats when we travel…navigator, photographer, snack reacher, and Googler, to name a few. All I do is sit there and drive and he feeds me, answers every question that comes to mind, reminds me to watch for the next turn or rest area, and takes pictures every time I say, “Ooooooh…LOOK!” He’s a gem!
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I wish we could have stopped at the Scenic Overlook at Lake Dillon but it was closed. But let me tell you…it was FULL. I mean, full to the brim! I don’t think I’ve seen it look like that in twenty years. The sky was a deep, rich blue and the water was a sparkling green. Crisp white sailboats drifted along in the ever present breeze. It was so peaceful. It reminded me of the true abundance God provides for us.
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Appreciating the beautiful gifts we are given changes our focus. In the vast world of neurodiversity, we often speak of triggers…those things that bring up harsh memories and causes a huge spike in the anxiety hormone, adrenalin. The “Fight or Flight” response. And, just like everything in the world, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The opposite of trigger is glimmer.
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Glimmers are those small experiences that tells our nervous system to feel calm and safe. These moments can affect our inner selves in a soft and gentle way in the same way triggers spike us up into fear and frenzy mode. They bring us little micro moments of joy. When you start looking for glimmers, you start experiencing more of them. And the more you experience, the more inner peace you feel.
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Count your glimmers along with your blessings and see how much better you feel. I’ve attached photos of some of my glimmers of the last couple of weeks. Tell us some of the glimmers you see in your life. Feel free to share photos so we can experience even more joy in our day.
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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "date_published": "2023-07-10T00:00:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2023/07/10/glimmers.html", "tags": ["Choices","Be Joyful!","Mental Health"] }, { "id": "http://mashmallowranch.micro.blog/2022/11/28/self-care-isnt-selfish.html", "title": "Self Care Isn’t Selfish", "content_html": "\n“So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can.”
\nEcclesiastes 3:12 NLT\n
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Actor Jonah Hill interviews his therapist, psychiatrist Phil Stutz in this touching and eye-opening documentary on Netflix…Stutz.
\n\n\nLast week I had a moment. I was burning the candle at both ends, running on little sleep, and trying to put on a memorable Thanksgiving Extravaganza. Then I hit the wall on Thursday and, even though there was SO much left to be done for Friday’s gathering, I gave myself permission to crawl back in my bed, pull the cozy covers up to my ears, and drift off for a few more hours of much needed rest. I sacrificed the extra baking by asking Mr. FixIt to stop on his way home from town and buy readymade pies. I knew the rest would get done and if it didn’t…it certainly wasn’t the end of the world. As it turned out, everything came together at precisely the right moment and came off without a hitch.
\n\n\nSelf care isn’t selfish. It’s imperative that we take care of our health…physical, spiritual, and mental. Without it, there is no moving forward. If there is anything good to have come out of the pandemic, it is an increased awareness of mental health struggles. I think we all can watch the news and social media interactions and see a great number of people aren’t at their best right now. It’s frankly a little scary to see systems we always trusted to run somewhat smoothly break down in the most unexpected ways.
\n\n\nThe people we have in our lives are there for a reason. There is a lot of truth to the adage that people are put in your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Some just come to share information. Some are there to teach us lessons. The ones I find most valuable to me are the ones who hold up a mirror and reflect back to me who I am in any given moment. We change, we grow, we move on. But sometimes, we remain stuck, trying to change the outcome of something which is futile. The past is unchangeable. It’s what we do with the information and the lessons that propel us forward that count most.
\n\n\nHubby #2 and I went through a lot. We both had wounds that we recognized in each other. In our naïveté, we came together thinking we would heal each other and be together for the rest of our lives. That isn’t how it worked out. And there was a terrible amount of angst involved in the unraveling. I sank into a deep clinical depression and for a variety of reasons, was nearly doctored to death trying to come out of it. It took a long, l-o-n-g time for both of us to evolve enough to have deep conversations. I cannot speak for him, but for me, it offered the healing I longed for but just couldn’t reach while we were together.
\n\n\nA week or so ago, Hubby #2 sent me a message and recommended I watch a documentary on Netflix called Stutz. It’s directed by the actor, Jonah Hill and is about his therapist, Dr. Phil Stutz. This is groundbreaking. For a therapist to allow himself to be so vulnerable as to open up the way he did in front of the camera was remarkable. It demonstrated the profound trust the two of them have for one another. Jonah extols the virtues of Dr. Stutz’s teachings and credits the tools he learned in therapy for saving his life.
\n\n\nWhen I lost Mr. Virgo, I got through it…perhaps easier is not the right word. It’s more like I had been through such a terrible loss at the end of my marriage, the resultant therapy facilitated a grief journey I was much better prepared for. Had it happened the other way around, I am fairly certain I would not have survived my husband’s death. I had a lot more tools in my toolbox. But nothing quite so well articulated as the tools Dr. Stutz taught Jonah.
\n\n\nI decided to wait till after Thanksgiving to watch Stutz. And, I preferred to watch it alone. I knew it would stir up lots of memories and feelings and I wanted to process that without having to share it in front of Mr. FixIt. There are private moments of grief that we don’t necessarily need to share with anyone else. That’s ok. As I waited for the right moment, I wondered if Dr. Stutz had written a book. I checked online and, indeed he did. He wrote a book with Barry Michels called The Tools…5 tools to help you find courage, creativity, and willpower and inspire you to live life in forward motion. I immediately ordered it and it arrived the day before Thanksgiving.
\n\n\nMr. FixIt went to town last night to hang with his bowling buddies and I knew it was my moment to watch the film. I was entranced. I stopped, rewound, paused to reflect, and started again. The 90+ minute film took me nearly three hours to get through. I want to watch it again…at least once…before I delve into the book. I absorbed a lot of it, but the biggest takeaway was this.
\n\n\nNo one gets it right. The whole of life is a process and you will mess it up royally, but that doesn’t matter as much as simply learning to move forward through it.
\n\n\nThese are difficult times we’re in right now. Empathy and compassion seem to be in short supply these days and any tools we can find to help us navigate the rough waters of life are blessings. I picture a world where the tools spread from one person to another to make a great wave of healing. Yes…God is the ultimate physician and God can heal us of anything and everything. And…God can touch the minds of brilliant people and inspire them to great insights into the human condition that can help people cope. That’s what I felt in this film…because it came from a place of pure, authentic love and respect.
\n\n\nIf you get a chance, do give it a watch. There are a few coarse words in the conversations between Jonah and Stutz, but it doesn’t take away from the message overall. I’ll let you know what I think of the book when I get through it. In the meantime, remember…take care of yourselves. And each other.
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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "date_published": "2022-11-28T02:30:00-06:00", "url": "https://marshmallowranch.com/2022/11/28/self-care-isnt-selfish.html", "tags": ["Health","Overcoming Obstacles","Wisdom","Change","Healing","Anxiety","Mental Health"] } ] }“Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.”
\nIsaiah 58:12 ESV\n