Focusing In

You are more blessed than you think. - Unknown

One thing that I have noticed since I began photography, is that by focusing my lens, I direct my eyes to find things that I would normally just walk by and miss. There are so many wonderful things around that we simply do not notice.  I believe in life, it is the same. I think that many times we just walk by and don't "focus in".
This week I determined to "aim my lens" at life and capture in words the moments that I might have otherwise just walked by or missed. At the close of everyday, I jotted down five points for which I was grateful. Honestly, my writing was generic on my first try.  A one word simple point number one, a simple point number two, a simple point number three, a simple point number four and a simple point number five.
As the second evening rolled around,  I reflected on my own abilities. I thought perhaps I would again write the same generic items:  A simple point one, a simple point two...
But, to my surprise, when I picked up my pen, to "focus in" on the day, all the amazing things...that I might have otherwise walked by...began to fill my page.  They were not so simple points.
By the end of day five, I was amazed. My simple points of gratitude were not so simple at all but, actually spectacular. Seriously spectacular. Is this my life? And to think I would have just walked by these things if I had not decided to take that written snapshot.
I highly recommend taking a moment every evening and "focus in" on all the little moments that fill your day. What will you see when you "focus in" ? Will you see just the rain? Or will you see...

The end!

Northumberland Forest Walk

In the woods we return to faith and reason. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The end!

Honey-Lemon Ricotta Muffins

Life is the flower for which love is the Honey.- Victor Hugo

Spring began last week. We have already gone stargazing, camped out in our yard and one of my children has gotten a sunburn. We have killed mosquitoes and have been tempted to go swimming in our lake (hmmm, maybe not yet). We stumbled upon a rattle snake,  to later realize it was just a milk snake. And I can not tell you how many times my daughter has said to me, "It is so hot, why is it so hot? Aren't you hot?" No, this is not hot my dear little Canadian children. And that is just the first week of our Canadian spring.
Today we are going on another adventure. We are on our way to the Muskoka Region of Ontario. My husband and his band have a radio interview.  I love to travel, so we decided to all travel north together, about three more hours north. Why not?
These muffins I packed for our adventure. They are delicious. I used fresh honey that my sister in law picked up at a local farmers' store. 4 out of 4 children stuck in a car agree these are amazing! We all highly recommend these muffins for your next breakfast morning...or road trip.

Honey- Lemon Ricotta Biscuits (adapted from Nonna's Lemon Ricotta Biscuits )
Makes 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS:
muffins:
2 cup flour ( I used 1 cup all purpose and 1 cup spelt)
1/4 cup ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
lemon glaze;
1 cup icing sugar
1-2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice


DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare a 12 cup muffin tin. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine flour, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer beat butter, honey and lemon zest until well combined.  Beat in Ricotta, egg, lemon juice and almond extract.
4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until blended. 
5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.  While baking, make glaze.
6. For the lemon gaze: mix 1-2 Tablespoon lemon juice with one cup of icing sugar ( you can add more or less of the lemon juice to make the glaze the consistency you like)
7. Remove muffins from oven, serve warm with the lemon glaze. Enjoy!

A May Day

Live each day as if your life has just begun. - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Spring comes suddenly in Ontario.  Where I live, it did not come last month or last week.  I do believe it came last night.  Here is the world I woke up to this morning...

The End!