I have a wonderful, challenging, fun-filled, who-knows-what-will-happen? weekend planned. To see what’s in the works, just click below. Any advice? Please share your knowledge, thoughts, or encouragement!
Click Here https://damnedgypsy.com/2016/08/10/my-three-rs/ to read all about it!
XO Donna
I know it probably seems like I’ve been “absent without leave,” but the last three weeks have been crazy-busy, stressful, and exhilarating, as if I’ve been riding a giant roller-coaster… and, mind you, I hate riding roller-coasters. I’m always afraid I’ll be that person… you know, the one who gets sick!
Long story, short: On July 15th we moved again, and downsized even further. On July 20th, up to our ears in boxes, we finally found our dream motor-home just up the road in Georgetown, TX. The owners have been a dream to deal with, too. Talk about getting lucky!
Then, on July 31st, the book I’ve been writing (for a couple of years) – Sick and Tired… & Sexy: Living Beautifully with Chronic Illness became available on Amazon. If you (or anyone you know) are dealing with chronic illness, I’m sure you will find this book to be both helpful, and a fun read.
I hope you all enjoy it. If you do, please tell your friends, and please write and tell me. I’d love to hear from you!
Here is the link:
https://www.amazon.com/Sick-Tired-Sexy-Beautifully/dp/1943658110
XO Donna
P.S. – I also wrote a new article for the online women’s magazine: 1010ParkPlace.com
I am writing at 1010 Park Place this week. Just click below and come visit, y’all.
http://www.1010parkplace.com/boxed-in/
XO Donna
I wrote about meditation in my book; how I struggled with it, but did it anyway. I benefited from my commitment, but it wasn’t until I began working with a personal coach last September that meditation became a focus in my life. I once had a boyfriend tell me that I was “too airy-fairy.” As it turns out, I wasn’t airy-fairy enough.
My coach urged me to surrender to meditation, to move from a place of “having to” into a place of willingness. She also urged an a.m. and p.m. practice. I resisted. I didn’t see how it could help beyond making me feel a little more relaxed.
Here’s what happened after I finally did surrender:
Here is what I realized: we are only having a one-way conversation with our Spirit/God/Higher Power/The Universe if all we do is talk, ask, pray, but never sit still and listen. We need to make time for answers, guidance, solutions, and inspiration to come into our lives. These charge us, like magnets, to attract just what we need in the form of wonderful coincidences and seemingly miraculous occurrences.
Here is a great article including a video (01:48 mins!) by Madeline Diamond:
http://www.huffingtonpost.comentry/a-tibetan-buddhis-masters-simple-guide-to-meditation_us_57850a79e4b07c356cfe8158
Take a few minutes to sit down, get still, and give inner-peace a chance. Let me know what happens!
XO Donna
This week you will find my new article about downsizing and struggling with my feelings over it at: 1010ParkPlace.com. If it’s your first time there, linger a while. The articles are short, well-written, and relevant to women of all ages – but especially so to those of us on the other side of the big Four-Oh.
If you haven’t seen my Travel Blog, here’s this week’s post: damnedgypsy.com. I look forward to having some great on-the-road adventures and photos to show you as soon as I “get this party started.” But this week I’m still packing!
I really appreciate you reading and sharing. And I especially love to hear from you!
XO Donna
…at 1010 Park Place. Come visit, and sit a spell.
http://www.1010parkplace.com/basket-case/
Thanks, loves!
XO Donna
I admit I’ve been called many things by many people, but I have never been called mellow. Or yellow, come to think of it. As in, “You’re yellow. You’re chicken!” I never backed down from a dare, but it might have been smart if I had. Read More
Happy Thursday –
My second article has been published at 1010 Park Place and I hope that not only will you enjoy it, but that you will take the time to explore the other great writers and their thoughtful offerings.
http://www.1010parkplace.com/wabi-sabi/
I sure appreciate you!
XO Donna
I have been promising this forever, and I have finally typed it out for you!
Almond Flour & Whole Tangerine Cake
When I began looking for something to do with a 6 lb. bag of tangerines I impulsively bought at the grocers this winter, nothing appealed to me until I saw a stunning cake on a blog called The View from Great Island. And it was wheat-free!
I faithfully copied hers the first time, but felt I could change a few things and make it taste better to me. At cake number four I knew I had gotten it just the way I love it.
I’ve made them as gifts for friends, I trust this recipe that much. You can even do the fruit one day, and put the cake together the next.
Note: You must have a food processor and a 9” springform pan to make this cake.
4 medium tangerines
3 eggs at room temperature
3 C almond meal or almond flour
1 tsp of baking powder
¼ tsp of sea salt
½ tsp of vanilla extract
¼ tsp of almond extract
¾ C of sugar
Powdered sugar for decoration
- Prep the tangerines by washing them and placing them whole in cold water, bringing them to a boil, then simmering for 15 minutes. Drain, cover them with cold water again, and repeat process. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside to cool.
When you can handle them, cut them up, discard any seeds and place in food processor bowl fitted with steel blade. (I did this on a plate so I didn’t lose any of the juice.) Clean the sides of bowl once or twice as you puree.
Measure out the one cup of tangerine puree you’ll need.
In one large bowl, I beat the eggs, sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla and almond extract and tangerine puree. Then I add the almond flour and scrape it all into a greased or buttered spring-form pan to which I have added a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the bottom.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 50-60 minutes. It will be a gorgeous golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the cake will come out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around sides, and remove them. cool cake on a wire rack, still on bottom of pan.
When cool, I invert onto a plate, leaving it bottom-up. Dust with confectioners sugar and garnish with a twist of peel or two from another tangerine.
It’s very rich and can serve from 8-12 people. I’ve also served it with a dollop of mascarpone or unsweetened whipped cream.
I hope you love it as much as I do. Please let me know what you think after you’ve made one!
XO Donna
SexyPast60 