French Onion Soup

When I made this soup in our first month of

marriage, it was a soggy soup of tasteless onions 

But you finished it all up anyway

Embracing me for my (lack of) cooking skills

Time was the best ingredient in the kitchen

I know that now after more than 3 decades of

family & raising the children

There is no perfect recipe to follow, but practice

makes it easier.   I didn't know that white, not

yellow onions, was the best for this recipe

That I needed to cut & stir the many layers of buttered

peeled onions (10 cups) for a long time (at least 40 minutes) in a pot

I did not know that the long caramelizing process

brings out the sweetness of the onions

Peeled away are silky translucent skin

Turning the color of char & slightly brown under the fire

Adding garlic, fresh thyme, wine & bay leaves 

Made this chicken stock richer, flavorful than I ever thought 

possible.   Pair with buttered bread and white wine

You sighed with delight over this (heavenly) soup

How is it possible that (you say) you have

never changed at all - you are still as beautiful 

when I met you.   I smiled at you and noted that you

are not wearing your glasses.   The french onion

soup made you giddy, I say.   I wipe away the

stains from my hands, now slightly wrinkled, bent & patient 

Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Poetics - Peeled Away with guest host Melissa Lemay.    Join us when we talk all about onions when the pub doors open at 3pm EST.    And yes, I now know how to make this delicious French Onion Soup.   

the world inside/outside

i, the day
you, the night

i, framing the sky with questions
you,  paving it with silence

i, penning words bursting out of seams
you, painting abstracts serene as midnight stars

i flee from bees lusting for roses and summer blooms
you are drenched in rain from monsoon storms 

my sun rises in pink over blue mirrored lake 
your sun sets in scattered inkblots of mystery

time races when we kiss 
                                      and twist                                       
time pauses when we spar 
                                      and part

the sweetness and bitterness 
                                      drives us mad
we zigzag and go off course but 
                                      love circles back (to)
                                      
this world of us, inside you
inside me, this world of us




Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Poetics, Opposites Attract, or Do They?, hosted by Lillian.
Please join us when the pub doors open at 3pm EST.

Blessings from the parents

Hi everyone ~

My family and I attended my cousin's wedding in NY last week.

There is always something about family reunions during weddings - it is full of laughter, memories and shared experiences.    Happy times indeed to celebrate love between the young couple, as well as to reaffirm one's ties among family members and friends.    Some guests came from all over the world to witness the happy occasion.

Among all the beautiful things I noticed during the wedding reception are the wedding pictures of the parents of the bride and groom.   I thought it was beautiful tribute to the love of their parents, who now join them in wishing them all the best.   Both fathers gave touching tributes to their wives during the speech, and I find it heartening to see both parents enjoying the merriment and laughter, along with the guests.    The blessings of the parents is the most precious gift to receive on this wedding day.

As parents, we may not be aware of it, but our children look up to us as role models for their relationships, and their partners in life.     As I listen to the young couple repeating their vows in the church, and again sharing a touching tribute to each other during the reception, I am reminded of my own wedding, my own vows, and my own start in marriage.     I wish them all the best~

 

Happy Mother's Day~

Here's to the ones who gave the life

to the souls from the starry skies

here's to the ones that encircle the earth

with the light of their loving eyes.

Here's to the one who never forgets

though I roam the wide world over

whose love can banish all regrets

God's sweetest gift - my mother!

Poem credit:   http://samuru999.blogspot.com/2011/05/toast-to-mothers.html

Picture credit: prettylittleflower.tumbr

Jon Bon Jovi: Love is a bed of roses

With divorces and separations common among celebrity couples, it is heartwarming to witness one enduring marriage in Hollywood - Jon Bon Jovi and his wife,  Dorothea Hurley.

Dorothea Hurley and Jon Bon Jovi have one of the most solid marriages in Hollywood.   They will be celebrating their 22nd wedding anniversary this coming April 28. They have four kids together (Stephanie, 18, Jesse James, 18, Jacob, 9, and Romeo, 7.)

Dorothea and Jon have been dating since High School.  Once, she and the rocker broke up, but he started to missing his sweetheart and went back,  begging her to take him back. During the New Jersey Tour, Dorothea and Jon went to Las Vegas and got married -April 28, 1989. It was a spur-of-the-moment ceremony at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Here is a fan video of an interview of Jon Bon Jovi.   What struck me was what he said at 5:10 of the video, "I don't like change.....".

Some other interviews by Jon Bon Jovi:


Certainly Dorothea appears to be made of impressive stuff, "I wouldn't trade her in for anything," he says fondly.


"The fact that she's independent and isn't needy or possessive helps and she is just a very strong woman (being a karate instructor can't harm).

"I've been cognisant of the fact that relationships have been breaking up around us, but it hasn't made me cling to her or the other way round.

"And although everyone says we're about the only couple still together in the rock business, it's not really true.  There's Bono and his wife Ali and Bruce (Springsteen) and Patti. We're not the only ones."

So there will be no trading his wife in for a younger model, as is a rock star's wont?

"No. I find that women are much sexier when they age gracefully. I want to see them in cowboy boots and blue jeans and not with so much liposuction that they can't even close their eyes.

"You see women with it everywhere in Hollywood and, urgh..." he grimaces, leaving the sentiment unarticulated yet completely understood."

In the 2002 interview:   Rocker Jon Bon Jovie says  his 13-year marriage has survived touring,  groupies,  and fame because his wife Dorothea keeps him grounded.   "She's been there for me for the ups and the downs. She was there for me before there was an up," adds Bon Jovi.   "She's the muse for all the syrupy ballads I write."

Cheers to you both!!!!

Love is beautiful

If I could have just one wish,
I would wish to wake up everyday
to the sound of your breath on my neck,
the warmth of your lips on my cheek,
the touch of your fingers on my skin,
and the feel of your heart beating with mine...
Knowing that I could never find that feeling
with anyone other than you.


- Courtney Kuchta -

Keeping the trust

Take care of the trust given to you


by your child, your spouse, your friend or your neighbor.


Honor your commitments and promises, even if it is the last thing you need to do at the end of the long day.


Affirm their faith in you by looking out for their welfare,  as if they are yours.


Hold it in your hands like it is a precious gem or glass.


Because once it is shattered by doubts, dishonesty or lies,


it is hard to gain it back.  




gif credit: http://cristania.tumblr.com/post/3823928897

Math and love

I see that a lot of my readers search for love and quotes about love.   Here is an original composition on love by a young man ~

You plus me equals forever, so I plucked a thousand feathers to make up this quill that I used to tranquilize my thoughts to make my will, so I spill, a thousand hearts, a thousands roads, crying to the skies hoping to evoke, trying to promote to the heavens, pleading god for us to remain together, so we remain together, add us up to forever, subtract all the mistakes, integrate all the great moments, divide all the pride and break it down, turn the X's into hearts, it's dark when I shout at you, but it is the spark of your smile that makes me go through, the rainy days, the tears of pain, the joyful glee you and me, hopefully the universe can see,

that we remain together infinitely...

Credit to:   http://poetarch.blogspot.com/2011/03/math-and-love.html


Picture credit:  victoria6277.tumblr.

Love is spelled T-I-M-E

It is spring break and the snow outside has melted.


At this time, spending time with our children and loved ones


are blessings we are thankful for.   Whether it is biking, walking,


baking or watching movies together,  we are creating and stamping


our "memories" with them.


Specially to a child, time spent with him or her is L-O-V-E.


Here is beautiful video from Simple Truths - To a child, Love is spelled T-I-M-E.


Simple Truths - We Hope You Enjoyed the movie!.

Photo credit:

http://photo.rodrigogomez.com.mx/index.php?showimage=507

You are amazing

Have I told you today that you are amazing?

The best thing in life is finding someone

who knows all your insecurities, mistakes and shortcomings

and still thinks you are completely amazing.

~ Have a good weekend everyone ~

Picture credit: happythings.tumbr

The secret of great relationships

What one simple thing can you do to make a big difference in your relationships?

There is a story of a married woman who was very frustrated about her relationship with her husband.  She felt that the husband was not helping her in the home, was unresponsive to her conversations, and generally found fault with everything that he did.


The marriage counselor told her to try one thing:   To thank the husband for something that he did for the day, and not to expect any response from him.   So, she went home and tried to notice one good thing  that her husband did.   Sure enough, she noticed that he bought some groceries home.   She said, "Thank you for buying these items today".    The next day, she said, "Thank you for preparing my coffee."   She did this for the next few days, saying thanks to her husband for a chore or a deed, and not expecting anything in return.


The husband was at first surprised about the change of behavior but noticed increasingly that she was thanking him, more than once a day.   After a few weeks,   he said to her one day,  "Thanks for the supper - it was good."    From this time on, he started thanking her for the little things that she did.


When the marriage counselor checked with the woman after a few weeks, the woman said that their relationship was going great and that she was lucky to have a caring and thoughtful husband.


So what changed?


Just one simple word but it worked wonders ~

Here is a wonderful video about the secret of great relationships:  
The 100/0 Principle from Simple Truths:

Simple Truths - We Hope You Enjoyed the movie!

Thank you to everyone who visits my blog!

Photo credit:  happythings.tumblr