Love My Cheddar

 You know, it's so true - - I love my cheddar.  I could (and I do) eat a lot of cheddar soup, cheddar chunks, cheddar patty-melt sandwiches, you name it, if it involves cheese, I want my cheddar. I can take it mild and I can take it sharp too; just let me indulge a bit with grapes, olives, hot tea, and pretzels - - thank you, that was a really good fantasy; I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to do that. 

Today was a good cheddar day. It wasn't raining, it wasn't sunny, it was sort of drizzle-spitting if you will, and it was almost chilly but not quite; you know what I mean? People in Oklahoma just call it a Thursday, because you don't ever really know what you're going to get when you step outside the door, but today was definitely a cheddar day.  Some days I say that and it means I gather up the ingredients to actually make the cheese; I do that too, but it literally takes two solid months to perfect, so if I'm thinking of making my now world-class famous cheddar and broccoli soup, I had better be prepared to drive to Aldi and pick up the ingredients rather than going to the closet and finding the curds in their semi-settled state. I mean, don't get me wrong, you can make a good soup with cheddar that's only half hardened since when you put it into the saucepan at a medium to high heat it's going to melt anyway, but the taste needs to be right too! 

Today I went to Aldi for the ingredients and it hit me; Oklahoma has Aldi and so does Scotland! YES! I am going to be just fine when I move, just fine. I will, however, need to be sure and find a place that's close enough to an Aldi that I can walk or ride my bike. I have a backpack to wear for the occasion; I'm making plans! I am literally at my computer at night (and yes, during the day) making plans to walk to Aldi in Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline, Rosyth, Leith, just wherever it is that I'll be living; probably in the Kingdom of Fife, but you just never know. I will choose a place that's closer to Aldi rather than one closer to a bus stop. I have priorities.  Scotland has a store called Lidl too, and it's a great deal like Aldi, but c'mon, once you're an Aldi fan you're an Aldi fan for life; am I right? I know I am.

So, I bought the ingredients that I needed. I had the spices, I had the butter, I even had the heavy whipping cream, but I bought another carton just because I was about to use over a cup of the great stuff. You have to use the best so it turns out as good as you expect it to. If you chinch on it, you get what you put into it. No amount of seasoning will ever make up for using less than heavy whipping cream, don't try milk, don't even think about using half and half, just go all the way - - heavy whipping cream! Thank you.  Also, if you want to make the chicken broth you can, but they come in really handy dandy-sized boxes - - if you can get the damn lids off! They really know what they're doing when they box that stuff. You have to WANT into that box! 

After I arrived home and put all the other things away, other than the things I needed to make the soup, I remembered that I should probably have made sure I had a floret or two of broccoli lying around the fridge. I did! Whew! That's good. I mean, cheddar soup is good on its own, but yeah, it needs its bestie, floret broccoli, to make it all really spark! Ingredients gathered, chopped, mixed, heated, and stirred, and voila! Soup! I added a nice side of Italian sausages and a handful of grapes on the side of the plate. Tonight I only had one kid to feed, but the dogs knew I was thinking of them when I added an extra sausage to the pan. (Just so you know, I add a little bacon grease to the pan to saute the sausage, and I throw in a bit of basil, pepper, and onion powder too)

Done! I think it takes about 5-8 minutes tops to make the soup, and the sausage can heat up slowly during that time too; it's a good, fast, healthy, and oh so tasty dinner -- not expensive either. People should really consider soups more often. They're always on the menu at the restaurants, and they're not just for wintery cold evenings, but there's just something about a chilly night and hot cheddar soup that sounds so good - - I wish I could do bread with it. I'm not doing bread these days, just a few pretzels and even then I have to limit the carbs; hate that, but it's true. 

Enjoy the soup!  (Don't forget the cornstarch - - it makes the difference)

RECIPE:

Cheddar Broccoli Soup 

 

Prep: Cut up the broccoli into fine or semi-fine size. I use florets, some people like to add stocks. I add whatever stock is attached to the floret.  Cut up the onion into fine pieces or use onion powder, which is what I use.  Cut up the minced garlic or use garlic powder, which is what I use. 

 

Ingredients:  

• 2 cups of broccoli florets chopped 

• 4 cups of chicken broth (I use the box type, but you can make it if you choose to) 

• 1.5 cups of heavy whipping cream 

• 2.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (a package may be slightly more, which is fine) 

• ¼ cup of onion – or a tablespoon of powder (no salt) 

• ¼ cup of garlic – or a tablespoon of powder (no salt) 

• 1 tablespoon of butter  

• ½ teaspoon of black pepper 

• ½ teaspoon of table or pink salt 

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 

Instructions: 

1. Heat the stove to medium. 

2. Add broth, heavy cream, butter, seasonings, onion, and garlic. 

3. Let it heat up for about 5-6 minutes on its own before adding broccoli. 

4. Add broccoli and stir, turn up the heat to high (keep an eye on it) 

5. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 5 minutes. 

6. Turn the heat off, but allow the liquid to simmer under its own heat for 2 minutes. 

7.  Slowly mix in the cheese, stirring continuously until it is all mixed. 

8. Add the cornstarch to thicken the mixture. 

9. Take off the stove, let cool, but stir a few times. 

10. Serve in 1 cup portions. (Should make 5 servings) 

Dogwinks - THANK YOU Squire Rushnell.

 About a year ago or so, maybe not quite that long ago, a great man and fellow author by the name of Squire Rushnell wrote to me; asking me if I would consider allowing him to add my dog Faith's story to his new book "Dogwinks".  Oh, but of course I would!  I love being asked questions like that; for me, it's a no-brainer. You want to talk about my dog Faith? You want to spread her great story and do so in a book that you wrote about her and other dogs? You bet! I couldn't say yes fast enough.  

Squire and I talked a few times over the next month or so, he was trying to get all the details of Faith's story so he could combine them, condense them, and add them into the book alongside other great stories about other great dogs who, like Faith, had amazing stories to tell. One of his stories about a sweet Beagle named Ruby is even being made into a Netflix movie.  I love that. Faith's story has always been a fan favorite too; and who knows, Squire may have friends out there who think Faith needs to have her story told on film as well. If that happens we'll be sure to throw director Michael Givens a bone, so to speak, so he too can be a part of the mix.  He's been a dear friend (wanting to get Faith's story in front of millions) so we hope he'll accept the challenge when or if it arises.

You can easily pick up a copy of "Dogwinks" at any of your favorite bookstores, you can buy it on Amazon, or order it online through another source, but please buy a copy! It's choke-full of great tales of dogs who met changes and challenges head-on, who took on impossible tasks, who served, and who survived.  Dogs (and other animals too) show us, humans, what it means to love unconditionally, and without restraint. This book is a solid tribute to 20 dogs including a Husky named Hunter who literally saved the lives of his owners. It's a wonderful book -- one you'll want to share and give as a gift to anyone who you know who loves dogs. (which should be like 1000 people right?)

Again, when someone wants to share the best part of your life with others, just say yes! It can only bring a smile to someone and of course, to you too! Thanks again Squire!!   You can do a little research on Squire to find out he's really cool, and he's been an author and producer for years and years. If you have an opportunity to do so, please pick up his other books too!

www.godwinks.com 

Not For Sale

 My good friend Niki told me I should write songs for people, or allow them to buy my poetry to use in their lyrics. The answer is an emphatic no.  I will not, I have not, I never will allow anyone to buy my poems and either claim them to be their own or say they created something out of them and now call my work their work. I won't change the words, I won't change the style, I won't change the damn punctuation, let alone the meeting or tempo.  They can get their own pen and paper, they can either create it themselves or pay someone who doesn't mind giving up their work. I mind.  I used to joke and say I'd sell Caity, but I really wouldn't. She's mine. I made her, she's not going anywhere - - except she goes wherever the Hell she wants to, but I made her that way! MINE.

I guess there is some part of me that says I'm selling my books for others to read, so that's sort of selling my words. The difference between selling my words to be read and selling my words to be taken over are two very distinct things. I'm not actually losing possession of my words or my creation if I charge to read them; they are in fact still mine. It's giving them up, giving them away, or allowing others to claim them that goes against my grain and my soul; it's simply not going to happen. If I have one thing it's my word(s). They are in fact and deed my own.  You can keep yours and if you need help finding some I'll assist for sure, I've always been up for that, but you can't have mine. I tell people I may and will sin, but I will not plagiarize! There are boundaries. (Though recently, I was told I don't know what a boundary is...I laughed. Of course, I do. I set them!)

Nope. If you want to read my words you can read them, but you can not and may not have them. I hope you have a blessed day.  Enjoy this poem I just rattled off the top of my head because I can. I may not be able to pluck a string correctly, but I sure as Hell can write!

My Words 

 

Words are the bones of my soul 

Framing both my age and youth 

Break me, I will mend 

Contain me, I consume.  (Truth)

Your burns will sustain me 

Your groaning fuel my spite 

My words are mine to wield 

I do, with angst and might 

My words are mine to flourish 

To keep, to grow, to birth 

My words are mine to render 

Take mine and be cursed! 

Never dream you’ll claim mine 

Or calculate their worth 

Words are individual 

Tenured in their trust 

 

Jude Stringfellow 04/18/2021 

Do Unto Others -- As You've Been Coaxed to Believe

 As Christians we are taught from the day we arrive on the planet, that we are to do unto others as we would have done to us; in other words, the Golden Rule is that we are to treat people the same way we would want others to treat us. What does that really mean today? Is it the same as it was say, 100 years ago? With the invention of so many media-type outlets such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Buzz, and I suppose even Blogspots, we are literally able to treat people openly, publicly, unbridled, and without any type of restraint.  We are able to treat them, communicate with them, demonstratively explain things to them, and we're even able to bash the living Hell out of them for the entire world to see - - but should we? We are breaking the gilded rule completely if we do, but do it we do. (Do it, we do. I include myself in that one; I am just as guilty).

Recently, I was made aware of the fact that I'm not considered a friend to a person I considered to be my friend. I suppose we have differences of opinion as to what friendship is; whereas he was more or less assuming I was an internet acquaintance, and I thought because we had exchanged a few good conversations and we had very similar beliefs and opinions, that we shared a shared bond that even though was physically and geographically distanced, was nevertheless a form of friendship - - I was wrong. I'm just a number, an object of circumstance, and was even lowered to the level of a client if I'm honest about it. I bought a product from the man, and that gave me the right to be called a client, a patron; how nice. I feel so honored at this point; no really, thank me again, it was my pleasure. 

Again, I'll say it, as Christians, we are to treat others as we would have them treat us. So when I call the man out for obviously speaking to others about me in terms that can only be described as rumors, gossip, potential lies, or worse - false witness; I'm being 100% upfront, in your face and bold about it, I will and I do have the right to stand my ground and say I am NOT the things you said about me; and the way you feel about me is just that, a feeling - - subjected to your anxiety, your fear, your ineptness to realize that those around you are abusing you, but some of us only pray for you and hope what God has in store for you will be received. It sort of makes my desire to be your friend seem useless and unwarranted; but the thing is, I see through your fear and your confusion, which only pisses me off further because I'd love to just say "Fuck it" and move forward, but there's that DAMN Golden Rule again; I have to treat you the way I would want to be treated. So I forgive. I forgive and wait. 

Waiting is not a bad thing.  I was given the enormous gift of patience years and years ago when I made the complete mistake and buffoonery of asking God to give it to me. HE DID...Oh boy howdy did He ever!  My ex literally kidnapped my kids and for 19 days I had no idea where they were, what they were doing if they were alive, what was happening to them - - I had to WAIT, and I had to PRAY, and I had to depend ONLY on God, and that friend, that is when I realized you should never ask God for patience. The gift given in spades, I have it, and I will (and do) use it routinely. I will wait. I will wait for eternity because I have eternity. I have no problem whatsoever knowing fully in my soul that this man, this careful, cautious, overtly concerned man, will someday on his very own, or perhaps assisted by the Spirit, will realize that he's stepped all over me, without being a bit too hard for it. Don't get me wrong, I will still bite, but I won't force the fangs in too deeply. He is, after all, my friend (in my mind and heart). 

Do not lie about me. Do not tell rumors about me. Do not cause others to not speak or respond to me because you are scared of me, or someone living with you is telling you that I want something that I don't want.  Don't allow others to influence your decision. Don't walk on their tightwire, stand on your own! This is how I treat others because this is exactly how I want to be treated. When you approach me you will do it honestly, straightforward, blunt, and with ... dare I say "Integrity"? You'll be the person God intended you to be because if He asks me to show you who that person is to be, you can bet your bottom dollar and your big burly beard that I will obey God, not man, EVERY SINGLE TIME. I'm really selfish that way; I want my blessing for having delighted in Him. It's my covenant; you can go get your own by doing the same damn thing! Do GOD's will, not someone else's bidding.

Do unto others. Forgive them when they do wrong unto you. Maybe we should read Matthew 7:1 at this point:  "Judge not that you be not judged, for with what measure you use to judge, you will also be judged by the same."  THAT is a much better rule to go by.  Don't you think, Friend?