Adding a Little Spice to Life

As I was figuring out what to fix Tom for his solo supper tonight, I did what I normally do and checked two items--the meat choices in the freezer and the spice rack. As you can imagine, I'm one of those cooks that has hardly to date met a spice I didn't like in some way, shape, or form. On one of the last trips to the Amish Gourmet grocery, I came across a ginger/sesame spice--that was the one for the chicken dish I was going to prepare.
I guess my spice cabinet is my collection in life. Generally, I'm not much on collecting much of anything; I'm a bit too eclectic for that and can see that it could lead to a collecting nightmare. However, with the spices, it's always an adventure to open the double doors and see three shelves full of various combinations with endless possibilities. There are the tried and true; there are also the exotic that are seldom used. Some are more than likely a bit stale, while others seem to retain their aroma and taste forever.
As I prepared the chicken with the spices, I started thinking about how people are much like the spice cabinet. Some prefer to play it safe and have a small amount of spice in life--certainly nothing wrong with that! Others have that proverbial cabinet brimming and bursting at the seams, but never really use any of that spice--they only have it because they feel for some reason they should. Yet others might have had reason to have that large variety of spice only to now see a cabinet full of tired flavors and vanishing aromas.
No matter where you find yourself in you life's spice cabinet, be sure to take a chance once in awhile and sample a new flavor...that's truly the "spice of life".
Have a fine day.

The Tummy Rub

Greetings from Highbanks...

I started the day with the first cup of coffee out on the deck, a favorite habit of mine. The hummingbirds were up to their usual antics--I think we're up to 8 now. As I watched their performance, one of our middle-sized kittens can running toward me only to remember at the last minute that he didn't do that. He stopped abruptly; his eyes grew wide and he started to back away. Then he did something he'd not done before--he rolled over on his back and looked at me pleadingly to give him a tummy rub. Of course, this didn't happen; he wouldn't allow himself the pleasure. Maybe someday.
As I sat there enjoying the morning air, the coffee, the birds, and the kitten's antics, it occurred to me that we all, for various reasons, disallow ourselves from enjoying life to the fullest. We pause, for whatever reason, from saying hello to an acquaintance, checking in on a friend or relative, or just taking the time to truly enjoy a moment in life. I'm going to start being more mindful of those opportunities...I invite you to do the same. Nobody wants to miss a good proverbial tummy rub!
Have a glorious day.

"Life itself is the proper binge"--Julia Child