Kathiey's World

FINDING JOY IN THE JOURNEY-THE JOY OF FLOWERS   I have started a new series "Joy In the Journey". Joy will be the focus of this series and I am featuring it on my divorce recovery blog and I thought I would share some of it with you.  We all experience times of pain and despair but there is still joy to be found. I remember the early days of my separation. I could feel and see nothing but despair.  Even in this devastating time when I nearly gave up, I kept holding onto God, and in the back of my mind, well-hidden, the desire to see the beauty and find joy in this world remained. In this series, we will look for and find the joy that is all around us, even when we experience pain.  Let's get started... Finding Joy in the Journey I love flowers.  I love the colors, the intricate detail of each petal, and the aroma.  I love to go to gardens and take close-up photos of flowers.  Here are a couple of my photos.  Yes, I did play with them on a photo app, but that added to my j

I love a good muffin.  I especially love a nice moist muffin. I had selected a muffin recipe that declared it was one of the best moist muffins out there and I could not wait to try the recipe and share it with you.  Well, I did make the recipe and there were many steps and I was extremely disappointed with the outcome.  First off they did not even look good.  Second, they were dry and a bit flavorless.  Sadly I have no muffin recipe to share with you.  What I thought I would do is share a few muffin tips so let's get started. Here are a few tips I found online... Don't over mix your muffins or they will become tough. When combining dry ingredients with liquid ingredients, stir only until the mixture is combined. The batter may still be lumpy.  A wooden spoon is recommended rather than a mixer. In most cases fill your muffin cups about 3/4 full unless told otherwise by the recipe. Your eggs, butter, and milk should be at room temp.  This aids in making your muffins light and fl

 I enjoy a good Chardonnay.  Why, you ask?  Well, because it tastes good.  That's about as much description I can give. Let's get a few details about Chardonnay from Google. For the most part, I enjoy a good Chardonnay.  Once in a while, I will encounter one I am not fond of.  I have found that some Chardonnays have little flavor, and I shy away from those, and some are a bit too citrusy for me.  I will try to understand the difference between the types of Chardonnays to make an educated decision when purchasing one.  Here is what Wine Magazine says about Chardonnay "Chardonnay can taste different, depending on where it grows and how it's made. But typically, Chardonnay is a dry, medium- to full-bodied wine with moderate acidity and alcohol. Its flavors range from apple and lemon to papaya and pineapple, and it also shows notes of vanilla when it's aged with oak" I realize I will not like all Chardonnays as I look at that definition.  I love the apple, papaya

I love to travel.  I love to explore.  With that in mind, I thought I would start a new series called Travel Tuesday. This series will include local travel, and hopefully beyond to the not so local.  So, what is my plan for Tuesday Travel?  The goal is to share my visits to local and not-so-local destinations.  I hope to share restaurants, shops, historic sites, hiking trails, and the list goes on.  I am going to start next week and my first destination will be my visit to Apex NC. Apex is not very far from me so I plan to take several day trips to Apex to visit shops, restaurants, and any other interesting places I can find.  There will be times when I don't have any current travel to share.  During these times I will research a potential travel destination or share some fun travel I have had in the past.  I may also share a travel quote or do some travel-related shopping. I hope you join me on this adventure.  Be sure and sign up for my newsletter so you don't miss any of my

  It is time to go Sunday Shopping.  I was out walking in the 80-plus-degree heat today and I started thinking about the beach.  I will have to prepare before I go so let's see what we can find on Amazon (I am an Amazon Affiliate.  If you buy anything on Amazon using my links, I get a percent of the sale with no added cost to you.  Thank You!) 1- Falnex Beach Tent Dark Shelter Coating XL UPF 50+ 4-6 Person Sun Shelter Easy Setup Beach Shade with Extended Zippered Floor Pacific Blue 2- GARDRIT 60 Can Large Cooler Bag - Collapsible Insulated Lunch Box, Leakproof Cooler Bag Suitable for Camping, Picnic& Beach (39L) 3- Kaufman- Beach Towels, Soft, Plush ,100% Combed Ring Spun Cotton Velour Oversized 30”x60” Highly Absorbent, Quick Dry, Lightweight, Colorful Cabana Striped... 4- Quik Shade Adjustable Canopy Folding Camp Chair 5- ORIbox 2 Pcs Waterproof Pouch, Zipper Design Perfect for Boating Swimming Snorkeling Kayaking Beach Pool Water Park(Black), D Black 6- Nikon - Coolpix AW130

When going through divorce your entire life changes.  Some of these changes create some very large obstacles that we may not know how to handle.  Don't give up.  Push on to overcome the obstacles placed before you.  Have faith, take a deep breath, and press on. God Bless You On Your Journey! KathieyV  

Welcome to Foodie Friday.  today I am returning to an old recipe, from about 10 years ago.  I did not rate this recipe so I don't remember what I gave it but I remember liking it. Kathiey's Bruschetta  (Make it your own by adjusting the ingredients) First off just what is bruschetta?  Lets ask wikipedia.... Bruschetta  ( Italian pronunciation: brus 'ket a)  is an antipasto from central Italy whose origin dates to at least the 15th century. It consists of roasted bread rubbed with garlic and topped with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Variations may include toppings of spicy red pepper, tomato, vegetables, beans, cured meat, and/or cheese; the most popular recipe outside of Italy involves basil, fresh tomato, garlic and onion or mozzarella. Bruschetta is usually served as a snack or appetizer.  After searching several recipes I decided to make my own version.  I gathered my ingredients.... Tomatoes are f resh from the garden... Fresh mozzarella cheese...Yum:-)

Welcome to Wine Wednesday, Everyone. I have come across several articles on the fact that the price of wine is increasing. It seems like the price of everything is rising, so I guess we should not be surprised that the cost of wine is on the rise also. The cost of wine may be going up because of the glass bottle. According to several articles I have read, the cost of glass has gone up 20% in some places. The weight of the bottles is also a cost issue. The heavy bottles take up more gas during shipping, so the shipping cost will go up as well. It takes a lot of energy to make the bottles. There is a link between the energy needed to make the bottles and the cost of oil. With the war raging in Ukraine, most countries have stopped buying Russian oil in protest, which I think is the right thing to do. The oil that was once purchased from Russia at a minimal cost is now being bought elsewhere at a much higher price, affecting the cost of many things, including wine. The winemakers and distr

Here are a few books that caught my eye that are released in April 2022. Here is my YouTube version...   1-The School For German Brides Historical Fiction, Fiction, WWII by Aimie, K Runyan Release Date April 26, 2022 Good Reads gave it 4.40 stars Overview From GoodReads In this intriguing historical novel, a young woman who is sent to a horrific "bride school" to be molded into the perfect Nazi wife finds her life forever intertwined with a young Jewish woman about to give birth. Germany, 1939 As the war begins, Hanna Rombauer, a young German woman, is sent to live with her aunt and uncle after her mother's death. Thrown into a life of luxury she never expected, Hanna soon finds herself unwillingly matched with an SS officer. The independence that her mother lovingly fostered in her is considered highly inappropriate as the future wife of an up-and-coming officer and she is sent to a "bride school." There, in a posh villa on the outskirts of town, Hanna is taugh

  It is time to go Sunday Shopping.  It will soon be pool time here in NC.  All of my bathing suits are pretty old so it is high time I think about a new bathing suit.  Let's see what we can find on Amazon (I am an Amazon Affiliate.  If you buy anything on Amazon using my links, I get a percent of the sale with no added cost to you.  Thank You!) 1- Yonique Tankini Bathing Suits for Women Tummy Control Swimsuits with Boy Shorts Two Piece Modest Swimwear 2- Holipick Women Tankini Swimsuits Two Piece Tummy Control Bathing Suits Ruffle Swim Tank Top with Boy Shorts Swimwear 3- Lovezesent Womens Two Piece Print Zip Tankini Swimsuit with Skirt Bathing Suits 4- Yonique Womens Tankini Swimsuits Athletic Two Piece Tummy Control Bathing Suits with Shorts Modest Tank Tops 5- Modest Tankini Swimsuits for Women Two Piece Bathing Suits Floral Print Tank Top with Boyshorts Tummy Control Swimming Suits 6- Tempt Me Women Ruched Slimming One Piece Swimsuits Tummy Control Vintage Bathing Suits Happy

I tried a new wine last week.  The one I tried was by 4 Estaciones, and it was a Viognier.  Let's see the results of my tasting. The tasting is based on my limited abilities... Appearance The wine is pale yellow with no bubbles or sediment. The Scent I would say acidic and fruity. Taste Very sour and acidic.  I would say a sour lemon taste. Re-tasting with the experts from the Wine Cellar "Yellow tones with fine hue, intense with apricot, citrus, and tropical fruits. A refreshing wine with creaminess and an elegant persistent finish." I agree it is yellow. As far as the fruit tastes, I can only identify citrus; although I smell something else that I can't identify.  It did have a persistent finish that I did not like. Vivino says it tastes like... I would agree that it is bold in flavor and leans a tad toward sweet.  I would disagree and say it is more acidic than soft.   I found this wine very acidic to point of discomfort.  I read that an acidic wine can stimulate

  Join me for my five-book reading wrap-up!                                                               March 2022 Here is my Youtube Video (There is an Amazon link to each book.  If you are interested in more information, click on the link.  I am an Amazon Affiliate.  If you click on the link and buy anything at all, I get a percent of the sale at no cost to you...thanks:-) ********************************************************************************* Book 1  "Stranded" by Sarah Goodwin Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Survival Good Reads Rating is 4.26 My Rating is 4/5 stars          (click photo below to go to Amazon)   Overview I found on GoodReads. Eight strangers. One island. A secret you'd kill to keep. When eight people arrive on the beautiful but remote Buidseach Island, they are ready for the challenge of a lifetime: to live alone for one year. Eighteen months later, a woman is found in an is