It’s Day 7 of the Perfectly Honest Countdown!
7-7-7-7 Day 7 on Jan. 7. A party on Feb. 7. Starting at 7pm. A little memory aid -you’re welcome!
Author: Linda
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8 – Eye Fact and Fiction with Sam
It’s Day 8 of the Perfectly Honest Countdown!
Hey, Dr. Sam O’Brien here. I’m an ophthalmologist, an eye physician and surgeon, and I thought I’d test your knowledge with a fact vs. fiction quiz about eyes.
Sitting too close to the television or computer screen will damage your vision.Not true. Your eyes may feel more tired, but you can fix that by giving them a rest. Nothing harmful to your vision.
Reading in the dark will weaken your eyesight.
Another myth. It may be harder to see, but it won’t weaken your eyes.
Children don’t need an eye exam until they start school.
False. Children can have eye problems such near-sightedness or far-sightedness, crossed eyes (strabismus) where the eyes don’t line up with each other or look in the same direction, or lazy eyes (amblyopia) where one eye doesn’t see as well as the other. These need treatment as early as possible so that a child doesn’t end up with lifelong vision problems. At birth to 3 months, the red reflex should be checked, alignment noted at 6-12 months, and visual acuity measured with an eye chart at 3-5 years. But don’t wait if you have a concern. As a side note – sitting close to the TV isn’t harmful, but it may be a sign that a child needs glasses.
Eyeglasses can be used as safety glasses.No, big no. You tend to turn your head as a reflex to an object flying toward your eyes and eyeglasses don’t protect the sides. Wear proper eye protection with home repairs, yard work, and sports. High risk are baseball, basketball, boxing, and racquet sports (tiny ball the size of the eye). In baseball, ice hockey and lacrosse, a helmet with a polycarbonate facemask should be worn. In the USA, fishing was the number one cause of sport related eye injury. All those flying hooks! And safety first when you’re celebrating the win – cover the top of the champagne bottle with a towel so the cork doesn’t fly into an eye.
I can wet my contact lenses with a bit of saliva.
Nope, not sterile. Don’t do it.
Water is clean enough to store contact lenses in a pinch.
Not true. Contact lenses should not be rinsed or stored in water. You should remove lenses before going swimming or getting into a hot tub, too.
Costume lenses are dangerous.
Yes! Contact lenses are medical devices that need to be measured for a proper fit to avoid (potentially irreversible) damage to the cornea. Costume lenses are available without a prescription and aren’t fitted for your eye. And costume lenses that cover the whole eye don’t allow enough oxygen to the tissues – big problem.
What’s the most common cause of vision loss in the world?
Near and far-sightedness. Donate your old glasses to be re-used in countries where eyeglasses aren’t affordable.
There you go – 8 facts for Day 8 of the Perfectly Honest Countdown! Be active and have fun – but protect your eyes. Stop by tomorrow for a special invitation! You don’t want to miss the party! Oh – and don’t forget to sign up for Linda’s newsletter – Let’s e-talk – to enter to win those prizes. I was thinking Mikaela would like a set of those Cards by Karen to keep in touch with her good friend Margo or her mom. Maybe I’ll go sign up for that newsletter too!
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9 – Pregnancy Q & A with Mikaela
Hi Everyone – Dr. Mikaela Finn here. So glad you dropped by! I’m an obstetrician-gynecologist (passed my exams 6 months ago –yeah!) and I thought I’d share the nine most common questions I’m asked about conceiving and early pregnancy.
Do you need to have an orgasm in order to conceive? MF: For the men – yes. (Although, keep in mind it only takes one sperm to do the trick and there may be a few in the ejaculate that occurs before orgasm.)For the ladies –no. It’s always a bonus :), but it’s not necessary. The contractions of the uterus may help the sperm travel to the fallopian tubes faster, but it’s not essential to get pregnant.
If I swallow sperm, will I get pregnant? MF: Nope. The little swimmers can’t reach the egg this way and the high acid of the stomach will destroy them.
Will using birth control affect my fertility? MF: Generally no, except for depo provera (injections). If your periods were regular before you went on birth control, they generally will be regular when you stop. Menses (periods) usually return within a month or two of stopping birth control, however there is a possibility of getting pregnant right away (hence the pregnancies that occur when one birth control pill is missed). It’s usually recommended to wait until you’ve had one normal period before starting to try to get pregnant, but that’s so it’s easier to calculate the baby’s due date.
Can I use hot tubs and saunas if I want to get pregnant?
MF: For the men – better not. Testicles hang low for a reason. Too much heat (even body heat) can affect sperm production and motility. It takes 3 months to produce a mature sperm cell so using a hot tub in February may affect sperm until April or May. So avoid the hot tub (and the tighty whities underwear)!For the women – before you’re pregnant it’s fine, but a raised body temperature in early pregnancy can affect the baby and may increase the risk of neural tube defects, like spina bifida. So if you’re trying, it may be better to avoid it, just in case you’ve been successful!
Are there any steps I should take if I’m thinking of getting pregnant? MF: Stop smoking. Stop drinking alcohol. Don’t use over-the-counter meds unless prescribed by your doctor. Make sure your vaccines are up-to-date (more than a month before you get pregnant). Start folic acid (0.4 mg – 0.8 mg a day).
Can I eat fish if I’m pregnant/breastfeeding? MF: Limit or avoid the long-living, higher-end-of-the-food chain fish like fresh or frozen shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish, marlin, orange roughy, escolar, and canned white albacore tuna. You’re trying to avoid high levels of mercury, which can harm the baby.Speaking of toxic minerals, high lead levels aren’t good for an unborn baby either so if you live in an older house (built before 1978), check to see if the paint on the walls and woodwork contains lead.
What about drinking herbal teas in pregnancy? MF: Avoid chamomile tea, sage tea, parsley tea, teas with aloe, coltsfoot, juniper berries, pennyroyal, buckthorn bark, comfrey, Labrador tea, sassafras, duck roots, lobelia and senna leaves. Fresh or dried parsley and sage are okay to use in cooking though.
Caffeine? MF: Keep it to less than 200 to 300 mg of caffeine a day. More has been linked to miscarriages and low birth weight. That’s roughly 1-2 cups of coffee. Don’t forget there’s caffeine in chocolate, energy drinks and cola soft drinks, too.
A comment about food poisoning…. MF: Never pleasant and worse when you’re pregnant so cook everything well. No raw fish, shellfish, meat, or eggs. Watch the refrigerated pates. Use pasteurized honey, milk, and cheese and avoid raw sprouts especially alfalfa sprouts, raw clover, radish, and mung beans.
And I highly recommend using the parking spots reserved for pregnant woman and taking advantage of all the ‘door opening, people offering you their seat’ politeness. The special treatment is well deserved!
Well I better run, folks – the delivery room is calling. I hope this has been helpful – keep in mind that medical advice changes often as new research is done – so always check with your own doctor when you have a medical question. I hear Sam will be here tomorrow with 8 fact or fiction pearls about the eye. I got a sneak peak and you’ll never believe what sport causes the most eye injuries in the USA! I won’t spoil the surprise, you’ll find out tomorrow! Thanks again for stopping by for Day 9 of the Perfectly Honest Countdown!
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10 – Countdown begins!
The 10 Day Perfectly Honest Countdown begins!On January 14th, Perfectly Honest will be available for download from www.amazon.com. Woohoo! Sounded like a great reason for a party! An e-party for the e-release!
Each day until January 14th, we’ll go behind the scenes and you can meet Mikaela and Sam. They’ll share pregnancy facts, eye myths, tennis trivia, recipes for their favourite meal, and more!
There will be free stuff!! Because what’s a party without gifts? As a special thank you to my newsletter subscribers, I’ll be giving away one free e-copy of Perfectly Honest each day! But that’s not all – I have the most beautiful cards from Cards by Karen (I was thinking of subscribing to my newsletter so I can win them!!), 2 free copies of Save QB! – a fun game app for all ages, and earrings uniquely designed and handcrafted for Mikaela, and you! And there will be a special grand prize on January 14th of a charming Stick Man Creations bird pendant because you know, “It’s a ‘birds and the bees’, roll up your sleeves, kind of love”! So join the party by subscribing to my newsletter and your name will be entered to win! (I’m sorry – this draw is closed now.)
Beautiful Bella – Cards by Karen 
Save QB! game app 
Stick Man Creations Bird Pendant 
Original LOC Design Earrings Thanks for dropping by today! I’ll be posting the daily topic on Facebook so like my Author page if you’d like the reminders.
Sign up here for my newsletter Let’s e-talk
Tomorrow Mikaela will be sharing the top 9 questions she’s asked about getting pregnant! Do you need to have an orgasm to get pregnant? Drop by tomorrow and find out :D.
Laugh every day. Love every minute.
Linda
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Florence Niven, Glass Artist
My life is filled with love and laughter thanks to the amazing people I get to hang out with. As well as being awesome moms, they’re creative, talented, generous, and fun! I thought you might like to meet them so I’ve asked them to come and give us a behind-the-scenes look at what they’re passionate about. I have to warn you though – creativity is contagious!
Florence Niven, super-talented glass artist, is my guest today. She can make anything out of glass – from elegant jewelry to whimsical ornaments to stunning large glass panels – even 14 little birds for my mom!!
How did you get started as a glass artist? FN: My background is in Graphic Design and Illustration. I was a greeting card illustrator for years. In 2000, I took a stained glass course that completely changed the direction of my work and I replaced my paintbrush with a glass cutter. I now work full time as a glass artist.What is the process involved in making a piece? FN: Each piece starts with a concept and design. My background in Graphic Design informs how I work. Like any glass designer I know the limitations of glass and how to work around them. This for me is the most enjoyable part of the process. It’s like solving a puzzle – eliminating any unnecessary pieces while maintaining a strong design; building a strong foundation with pieces and layers of glass. I have to think in 3 dimensions, working from the base up; being mindful of what will happen once the layers of glass are subjected to the 1200+ degrees of the kiln.
Yikes – 1200+ degrees in a kiln – how thick is the users manual with that 🙂? FN: The firing process involves trial and error and careful note making. Tweaking your firing schedules is crucial to getting the result you are looking for. Too high a temperature will give you a lovely puddle of glass. Nice only if you were aiming for a lovely puddle of glass. Taking the temperature of the glass up or down too quickly will cause a stress fracture in the finished piece – destroying hours of work in a few seconds. (I urge you to have chocolate on hand for moments like these…) Most kilns are regulated by a programmable control panel. My kiln allows me to save 6 different firing schedules that I can alter depending on the project. These allow me a wide range of firing options.
Man – no ‘undo’ button, eh? (Maybe your superpower should be to rewind the clock!) Where do you find your inspiration? FN: I’m constantly inspired. I have a notebook with me at all times. I see ideas in nature, on TV, in movies, books, fashion. Often the project that I am working on will lead me to other avenues. I think after you’ve done this for a while you become attuned to the ideas that are bouncing around, and capturing them before they disappear becomes second nature.
Do you work from a plan or do you tend to wing it and wait to see the effects of the glass? FN: I am a graphic designer as well as a Virgo, so ‘winging it’ is not in my vocabulary.
; )
I always have a design mapped out including type of glass and color choices long before I start the messy work of cutting the glass.
How do you choose the colors? FN: I used to be intimidated by color and didn’t feel I was particularly good at choosing them. I now have a strong sense of what will work together so am a little more courageous. Color options in glass, generally speaking, are quite limited – it’s not like paint that you can mix to create your own variations. You choose sheets of glass the way you would choose fabric – what you see is, most of the time, what you get. (Some glass changes color with the heat of the kiln.)I am finding that the palette for my smaller items – my angels and Christmas ornaments – is becoming, by choice, somewhat limited – with lots of white and just a small hit of color. For my larger pieces, like my bowls, I enjoy combining a strong opaque glass, which can be a bit bossy, with the playfulness of a transparent glass.
Beyond the artistic process, how do you manage the business side of it? How far and wide do you sell your pieces? FN: I have an online Etsy shop that allows me to ship items worldwide. I also show my work at 4 different galleries and they ship pieces on my behalf. I have pieces in Tokyo, Australia, the UK and throughout Canada and the United States. The rather large panel that is presently in Australia was shipped by an airline in a piece of my customer’s checked luggage. Not sure how that one survived, but surprisingly it did. (She did not tell me beforehand of her plan…)
I order most of my shipping supplies online and they are delivered to me within 48 hours. The Fall season is typically my busiest when I spend a great deal of time at the ‘Angel Factory’ either making or shipping angels. I receive orders throughout the day, pack them as the orders come in and ship them out the next morning.
That’s pretty awesome that people all over the world are enjoying your art. If someone wanted to become a glass artist what advice would you give them? FN: I would advise anyone wanting to work as an artist to make sure they have a strong design foundation and realistic expectations. Being a working artist is not for the fainthearted. You have to be committed to your craft and willing to forge your own path. I started out as a greeting card designer long before the Internet made mailing cards obsolete. I have switched directions in my work many times over the years and have done so because I remain highly motivated not to work for anyone else. It is easier to be a working artist if you know what the design rules are beforehand, so you can decide which work for you and which you are going to bend.
What was the most exciting moment for you in your work? FN: I received a voice mail a couple of years ago from a woman in Washington interested in my work. I called back assuming I was calling Washington State, but actually it was the Canadian Embassy in Washington. That was pretty exciting.
I just sold my 1000th item on Etsy this year. That was fun too.
Wow – Congratulations!! That’s a lot of successful kiln firing 🙂! What do you love about what you do? FN: Every now and then – usually when I am in the middle of my busiest season, knee deep in angels, wondering how I ever got to this place – I receive an order that totally alters my perspective. The first time this happened, a group of women contacted me through Etsy about their friend – a young woman who had lost her little girl to cancer. The friends were rallying around her and commissioned me to make a little girl angel ornament for the grieving mother and identical angels for each of the friends.This year I received requests from two separate hospitals. The first was for a shipment of Mended Heart ornaments for a Pediatric Cardiology unit. The woman who contacted me had been looking for symbols of hope and healing. Shortly after I received another request for 100 angels that could be handed out during an annual perinatal bereavement memorial service.
I am honoured and humbled by these requests and find myself thinking – ‘Ah, yes. This is why I do what I do.’
Art that touches people’s hearts is the best kind of art. What song would be your theme song? FN: I would like to be able to name a strong ‘empowering woman’s anthem’ kind of song. The kind that makes you stand a little taller and roar a little louder. However, when I look back over the path my work has taken me, with its many ups and downs, bumps and hurdles, and the fact that I keep moving forward, I’d have to say a more realistic theme song is the simple little Garden Song:
“Inch by inch, row by row, gonna make this garden grow.
All it takes is a rake and a hoe and a piece of fertile ground.
Inch by inch, row by row, Someone bless the seeds I sow.
Someone warm them from below, ’til the rain comes tumbling down.
Pulling weeds and picking stones, we are made of dreams and bones.
Feel the need to grow my own ’cause the time is close at hand.
Grain for grain, sun and rain, find my way in nature’s chain,
to my body and my brain to the music from the land.”
Lovely. What would you pick as a superpower? FN: Oh I would love to be able to clone myself. I would have one of me taking orders, another me handling shipping, another me designing, another me cutting glass, another me running out for groceries….
Haha – the world would be a better place with more of you! What’s your favourite dessert? FN: Chocolate. Hands down. End of discussion. Doesn’t even have to be good chocolate. A handful of baker’s chocolate chips works just fine in emergencies.
Thank you very much for sharing your art here, Florence! Our Christmas tree is filled with your ornaments and I’m looking forward to adding more each year!
You can find more of Florence Niven’s Glass Original artwork at:
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Holiday Cheer from the SMP Authors!
Here is a little holiday cheer from the authors at Soul Mate Publishing. (Have to say it’s a good thing we’re professional writers and not singers :D!) Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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12th Day: Winners and Cynthia Gail
♪♫♪ On the twelfth day of Christmas I’m going share with you:Rafflecopter winners,
food to wake up to,
gifts for your mother,
tart lemon mousse,
toe tapping music,
warm maple taffy,
pimp for your table,
fine first course food,
four frugal gifts,
cream soda punch,
something to do,
and cran-nut squares that’re gluten-free. ♪♫♪
Thank you so much for sharing in our 12 Days of Christmas author event! I hope you had fun and picked up a recipe or two or an idea for a new holiday tradition. We’ll be announcing the winners for our gift giveaways. Good luck and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year! Happy Holidays!
Click HERE to go to the Rafflecopter where the 16 winners are listed. Cynthia Gail will also be contacting the winners. (Her contact page is HERE).
ON BEHALF OF ALL PARTICIPATING AUTHORS IN THIS YEAR’S BLOG HOP
Laugh every day. Love every minute. Linda
My guest author today is Cynthia Gail. Welcome! Cynthia did an amazing job of coordinating the 12 Days of Christmas celebration. I’d like to thank her very much for all the time and energy that went into making this a very special celebration!
Winter’s Magic by Cynthia Gail
Owner of La Bella Vita, a five-star day spa nestled in the affluent suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee, Beth Sergeant knows her elite clientele first hand. She attended their private schools. She was even engaged, although briefly, to one of their most recognized bachelors. But she never fit in to their social-elite world.
After losing his parents to a car accident at a young age, Nick Chester was raised by his grandfather, the wealthiest man in Nashville. When he chooses to socialize, he has a never-ending list of exclusive events and beautiful women vying for his attention. Yet he never lets himself forget that everyone has an agenda.
Beth can’t resist Nick’s charm and accepts an invitation to dinner, despite her deep-seated insecurities. She proves she’s nothing like other women Nick’s dated and learns to trust him in return. But just as the last of their resistance crumbles and true love is within reach, challenges from Nick’s past threaten to destroy everything and force Beth to reveal her most guarded secret.
Pick up a copy today at Amazon.
About the Author
My husband and I live in the suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee with our eighteen-year-old son and three dogs. When I’m not working or writing, I can be found with family and friends. I love to bake in the winter, grill in the summer, and on occasion, I sneak away from everyone and curl up with a good book.
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11th Day: GF Muffins and Sophia Kimble
♪♫♪ On the eleventh day of Christmas I’m going share with you:food to wake up to,
gifts for your mother,
tart lemon mousse,
toe tapping music,
warm maple taffy,
pimp for your table,
fine first course food,
four frugal gifts,
cream soda punch,
something to do,
and cran-nut squares that’re gluten-free. ♪♫♪
Gluten-free Almond Walnut Muffins
Need a Christmas morning recipe that you can make ahead? I bake up a batch of these gluten-free muffins and freeze them so they last longer. You could add more honey if you like your muffins sweet. They’re a bit on the pricey side because of the almond flour/ground almonds, but one muffin served with fruit and yogurt is a surprisingly hearty breakfast!
Dry:
500 g/ ~5 cups ground almonds
200 g/~2 cups walnut pieces or pecans
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Wet:
3 eggs – whisked
250 g (~1 cup) vanilla Greek yogurt 0% fat
2 Tbsp honey
Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix eggs, yogurt and honey together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined. Fill baking cups with batter. (I use a silpat muffin mat so they pop out easily when they’re cooked.) Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins. Enjoy!
Laugh every day. Love every minute. Linda
My guest author today is Sophia Kimble. Welcome!
Protect Her by Sophia Kimble
Golden Alexander is trapped in a nightmare.
Trying to flee her hallucination of a demon, she runs heart first into the brooding alpha male she’s been dreaming about for years, and then her nightmare really begins.
Kris Pietka is done with women…he’s broken. But when he meets Golden, an overwhelming need to protect her tests everything he thought he knew about himself, and the paranormal.
A bond forged centuries ago thrusts them together as they search for a way to break an ancient Druid curse prophesying their demise. Racing against the clock, they travel from Vermont, to the Carpathian Mountains in Poland, and the Scottish Highlands in search of answers and a way to break the curse.
But something evil watches—it covets, and time is running out.
Will fate allow love to prevail against unbeatable odds, or will Golden wake to find it was all a delusion?
Pick up a copy today from Amazon.
As part of The 12 Days of Christmas celebration, Sophia donated a $5 Amazon card, paired with a set of hand-painted ceramic penguin holiday mugs from Ryan Jo Summers to the prize list. Click HERE for this and many more random drawings. To follow the celebration, find a new recipe, pick up a holiday decorating or shopping tip, click HERE.
About the Author
Sophia Kimble has always wanted to be an author, but for years, life got in the way. She wouldn’t change a thing about how her life turned out, though. Her family keeps her laughing and loving. Her wonderful husband and two extraordinary children stand beside her every step of the way and make this journey called life worth living.
Sophia has worked as a nurse for twenty years, but has put that career path aside to devote her time and imagination to writing down the stories that keep her up nights.
She takes her love of the paranormal, history, and genealogy, and weaves them into tales of family, fated love, and supernatural occurrences.
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10th Day: Traditions with Ryan Jo Summers
♪♫♪ On the tenth day of Christmas I’m going share with you:gifts for your mother,
tart lemon mousse,
toe tapping music,
warm maple taffy,
pimp for your table,
fine first course food,
four frugal gifts,
cream soda punch,
something to do,
and cran-nut squares that’re gluten-free. ♪♫♪
My Holiday Tradition – Gifts for my Mom
My Mom lives in a different city, but I wanted her to know that I was thinking of her every day so I started getting her advent gifts from December 1st until the 25th. I enjoy choosing the gifts as much as she enjoys opening them each morning. I pick a theme –I’ve done gardening, puzzles and games, crafts, travel, birds, baking, holidays (I bought little gifts throughout the year – New Year’s, Valentines, St. Patrick’s Day, Canada Day, Thanksgiving, Hallowe’en and saved them for the December gifts). This year’s theme is pink – 25 gifts that are pink. I try to write a clue on the card and number the gifts. I also write down what I’ve given her so that I can talk to her about it – otherwise I’m afraid I’ll give away the surprise! It’s become a tradition that we both look forward to. What is your favourite holiday tradition?
Laugh every day. Love every minute. Linda
My guest author today is Ryan Jo Summers. Welcome!
When Clouds Gather by Ryan Jo Summers
Darby Adams has a successful Bed & Breakfast Inn, a wonderful son and a happy life in the coastal town of Driftwood Shores. Then a guest is found dead in one of her rooms. Suddenly she is the number one suspect and her world is spiraling out of control.
The surviving family wants answers so they hire new-in-town private investigator Sam Golden to undeniably prove her guilt and have her put away. Sam begins his new case in a dual role, in the guise of being Darby’s much needed friend while looking for the evidence to send her to prison.
Until strange things begin happening at the B & B–scary things. Finally Sam has to question his thoughts on her guilt or innocence. Meanwhile, Darby leans on Sam to weather each new challenge and threat. Feelings begin to develop between Darby and Sam. Until Sam is forced to tell Darby the truth about him, effectively destroying what trust they had.
Until a new threat forces Darby to trust Sam once more. She will bet her freedom and life on his skills, but can she trust her heart?
Pick up your copy today from Amazon.
As part of The 12 Days of Christmas celebration, Ryan donated a pair of hand-painted ceramic penguin holiday mugs, paired with a $5 Amazon card from Sophia Kimble to the prize list. Click HERE for this and many more random drawings. To follow the celebration, find a new recipe, pick up a holiday decorating or shopping tip, click HERE.
About the Author
Ryan Jo Summers is a North Carolina writer who pens contemporary romance blended with an unexpected twist. “Whispers in Her Heart’ combines mystery and horses with the mystical paranormal.
Her latest book out, “Shimmers of Stardust” combines Christian elements in a time travel love story. Next up will be “When Clouds Gather”, a romantic mystery.
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9th Day: Lemon Mousse and M. Bonatch
♪♫♪ On the ninth day of Christmas I’m going share with you:tart lemon mousse
toe tapping music,
warm maple taffy,
pimp for your table,
fine first course food,
four frugal gifts,
cream soda punch,
something to do,
and cran-nut squares that’re gluten-free. ♪♫♪
Gluten-free Lemon Mousse
This is a Gluten-free Lemon Mousse dessert recipe. It’s tart enough to make you pucker so add a little mistletoe and grab your sweetheart! Plan on doubling the recipe because there won’t be enough!
Soften 1 pkg of gelatin in ¼ cup cold water for 1-2 minutes. Then stir over low heat until dissolved.
Add: 1 Tbsp. lemon rind (I like a little more so I use 3 Tbsp. when I double the recipe)
½ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup white sugar (I use 3/4 cup for double the recipe)
Stir in 2/3 cup President’s Choice Greek vanilla yogurt 0% fat or plain yoghurt
Whip 1 cup whipping cream with ½ cup sugar and whisk it into the above mixture. Chill 3-4 hours. Serves ~4. Enjoy!Laugh every day. Love every minute. Linda
Today’s guest author is Maureen Bonatch. Welcome!
Destiny Calling by Maureen Bonatch
Hope only wants to find out if her ability to infuse euphoria or despair with her touch makes her the devil’s spawn, or his exterminator. But when the woman who raised her is murdered by something not human, she loses the only family she knew and discovers one she might wish she hadn’t.
Drawn back to the home town she vowed never to return to, her ability is seen as an asset to everyone but Hope, and she doesn’t know who to trust. Her family wants her to help them overcome an enemy oppressing the human population, while the man of her dreams is courting her for the Underworld.
Pick up a copy today at Amazon or Wild Rose Press.
As part of The 12 Days of Christmas celebration, Maureen donated a $5 Amazon card, paired with a bag of heart-shaped pasta from Abigail Sharpe to the prize list. Click HERE for this and many more random drawings. To follow the celebration, find a new recipe, pick up a holiday decorating or shopping tip, click HERE.
About the Author
Growing up with four siblings had Maureen familiar with escaping into a good book, or the recesses of her mind. She realized later in life everyone didn’t have characters telling stories in their heads, or weren’t envisioning magic and mayhem within the everyday. This, and long walks in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania spawned a love of writing.
Since her desire to become a Solid Gold Dancer was thwarted when the show was discontinued, Maureen opted to pursue other paths. Attempting to conquer new endeavors proved fruitful with her first novella, while other attempts, such as challenging a fear of heights with parasailing, were unsuccessful. Therefore she’s chased other interests, though none-the-less-daring, but closer to the ground, such as belly-dancing, becoming a self-proclaimed tequila connoisseur, fulfilling her role as biker babe to her alpha hubby and surviving motherhood to twins (so far).
Penning stories boasting laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world.
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