If you think about it, winter forces stillness. It’s something we have no control over, it simply is. The snow softens everything around us. It hides the letting go of the temporary, vibrant life we’re given in the spring and throughout the summer. But even this form of life gets tired. It grows weary of the heat, the wind, and the rainstorms.
The same goes for people. We get tired of the challenges life puts us through. The difference is, we can break those cycles. We have the ability to shelter ourselves from what damages us.
Protect yourself, and let go of the things, and the people that do you no justice. When you feel worn down or cornered, remember to protect yourself and your peace.
This salad brings back a lot of good memories for me.
This ham salad recipe comes from my ex-husband’s grandparents who lived in a little village called Ilion in upstate New York. Making it brings me right back to their home. Brown carpets, the smell of food in the kitchen, and everyone sitting around that brown Formica table, laughing. Grandpa Dulak talking about his days at Union Fork and Hoe, Grandma sharing stories about taking the girls to camp at Canadarago Lake. It’s amazing how a simple recipe can carry so many great memories.
Hold on to all the good memories you can.
Ingredients:
1 pound cooked ham, chopped
1/2 cup mayo
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Chop or dice the hame up. I prefer it to be chopped because it I don’t like chunky ham.
In a large bowl, combine the mayo and ham
Add the chopped celery, onion, and salt and pepper to the mayo and ham. Stir well.
You can have it as a sandwich or on crackers. I always end up seasoning it a little more with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Facts can vary depending how much more or little (per 1/2 cup serving):
I live in upstate NY and you all probably know what that’s like. On average, we get about 8 months of cold/rainy/snowy weather and 4 months of rockstar weather. I love the change of seasons. Like everything else in life, even the sunshine could get exhausting also. I need to see those leaves changing to the fiery reds, burnt oranges, golden yellows, and deep purples. There’s also a different smell in the air. The smell of camp fires magically appear out of nowhere. Even the sounds are different. When the wind blows, you can hear the rustle of the leaves blowing across the ground. At the end of summer, my mom always said, “the trees, grass, and bugs are tired, and they need to rest too.” At first, I didn’t understand what she truly meant but I see it now. The once bright fresh greens that the leaves used to be now appear subdued and look like a deep olive color.
Change is good. I welcome change and I don’t mind whatever mother nature brings my way. I really love all types of weather in upstate NY.
We go all day long, all week long, all year long. Is there anytime to just sit and do mindless and useless things? It took me a long time to realize that yes there is time to sit and do nothing or do exactly what you want. I feel like that is the only way I can regroup and get myself motivated again.
Guilt stricken is the best way I can describe how I used to feel about wanting to do this. I think it stems from my childhood. No, I know it stems from my childhood. My mom was OCD nonstop. She wasn’t clinically diagnosed as OCD but the signs were there. Back then, there was no special diagnosis for overly cleaning, obsessing, or being anal retentive about everything she did. God rest her soul. She was the epitome of having EVERYTHING in an orderly fashion. In turn, it rubbed off on me in different ways. I felt like I could never let the dust go, let the mail pile up, do the dishes on an as you use basis. It’s hard because of so many reasons. One because I used to care what people think. Specifically my ex-husband, relatives, friends who visited, and my kids.
In spite of letting things go, people will be people. Either they’ll judge you or they won’t. But in the scheme of things, either way it does not matter. Let them judge. Let them think however they are going to think. It’s okay to do what YOU want.
What matters most is how you feel. You have to be mindful of yourself. Screw everyone else around you. I know it isn’t easy. It took me probably 45 years to realize this. It’s hard enough to survive in this world so let the small things go and do you. Take care of you.
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