Seven Ways to Make the Most of a Moment - Week 7

Life is made up of many moments.  

Getting the very most out of your life starts with how you use each one. 

Here are this week’s suggestions:

1. This Sunday is Mother's Day! Do something nice to show your mom you care - better still, TELL her how much she means to you! (Read my blog on Sunday, to find out what I've done for my mother this year!)

My photo of a note card: Image is of the painting “Mother and Child” by Mary Cassatt (1845-1926)

2. News of fires, tornadoes, floods, mudslides, and earthquakes remind us that an emergency can strike without warning. It is important to be as prepared as possible for any type of disaster that could occur in your area. The American Red Cross Plan and Prepare website is an excellent resource of information on how to do so. Take a moment and check it out!

3. When driving with children and their friends in the car, try to refrain from participating or commenting on their conversation. Strange as it seems, they will forget you are there and it is fun to listen to their chatter :)

4. Turn off the pilot light to your gas fireplace when the weather warms up enough that you are sure you will no longer be turning it on. Keeping the pilot lit during hot weather can actually add heat to the room, and is a waste of money and resources.

Our pilot light is still lit. Our weather still is sometimes cool enough to have our fireplace on downstairs!

5.  Movie: My all-time favorite animated movie is without a doubt, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, released 2002. The movie captures the essence of the wild West, the soul of a horse, and the value of courage and strength. The sound track is beautiful, and the animation so good that when I see a real bald eagle soaring above a river, I am reminded of this movie!

6.  Book: The Round House by Louise Erdrich has been recommended to me as being an excellent book.  According to a review by Laura Miller for The Guardian, this novel “tells a story of brutal rape and a boy's coming of age on a Native-American reservation.” It was the winner of the 2012 National Book Award for fiction.  I plan to download it from the library to my Kindle as soon as it is available.

7.  Recipe: Vanilla Ice Cream with Orange Segments and Chocolate Sauce.

This is not really a recipe, but more of an easy dessert suggestion. Initially I wasn't convinced that oranges went very well with vanilla ice cream - but just one bite changed my mind! 

• Peel an orange. Carefully divide into segments, remote pith and any thick membranes from each segment. Cut into bite sized pieces.
• Scoop a bowl of vanilla ice cream. 
• Squirt or spoon desired amount of chocolate syrup (purchased or homemade) over ice cream in the bowl. Sprinkle liberally with orange segments.
• Enjoy!

I guess I will have to eat this before it melts, since no one else is here right now ;)

What is your favorite topping for ice cream?