Fall is supposedly here. Cooler weather, warm toasty fires...okay. Well 90 is cooler than 110, and we've had fires, just not the right kind. It is still too hot, and too depressing in this part of the world. Not enough rain and too much fire risk. But I'm not about to let it get me down. I have been doing so much soul searching, and at the end of the day the most important thing is still love. 

Some friends of ours are in between houses and we invited them to have a cookout. Which in our neighborhood, of course, turned into the whole neighborhood coming. I made some awesome Banana-Chocolate Muffins...so yummy I didn't even get a picture, and these amazing things:

Cherry tomatoes stuffed with Herbed Cheese...
Oh my, so good. I tried finding a good recipe online, but ended up combining a few different recipes. I used my own cheese spread recipe-my darling husband thinks I make the best- and piped it into the tomatoes. None of the recipes I found said to pipe the cheese in, but rather to spoon it. Which sounded messy and time consuming. This made them fluff up quite nicely.

They took all of 20 minutes from start to finish, and were the first thing to run out. 

Since we hadn't been expecting people, and don't really have room-or a table to speak of. I made a table with a couple ladders and some wood we had laying around.

The tool shelf on the ladders were great for extras-I put a pitcher of homemade Hibiscus Tea and some lemons on it. I think I need to find a better table cloth and do this again soon. One of these days we will also have to convince my parents to move closer so these impromptus can include them. We set up a little sitting area in front complete with lights. So far so good. We think it may stay up for a while...as long as the weather stays nice...pictures of that to come soon-the camera died before I could get any night shots. 

So again, here's to fall. Cooler weather, and the ability to be outside without melting within minutes. Here's to family and friends and celebrating love and life and happiness that we create.
Just another day in the life of C A Stone...♥
Live in the rhythm of love...and share the bliss!

Yes, it is that time of year again. My gears have been turning all year, and I can now register one more click on my age clock. Another year older, and another year wiser, right? Yeah...right.

I dear friend of mine, who I never thought would be reading my blog gave me a sweet idea for the name. And I like it. So now the blog is "Stone Ground Love" I think it is fitting. I love to cook, and experiment in my little kitchen. Now that the weather should be cooling off I will be posting more about that-but it is fitting because not only are the things made from my kitchen always made with love, but my life is made with love. I need to have my darling Husband create an image of a Love Grinder. I wonder how that would look?

Of course it would have to start with the most interesting Mortar and Pestle I could find...

But alas, I digress. So today, while I am unsure how, I am sure that my darling Hubby and my dear Mother have something planned for this evening, but not sure what. 

All I know is that I was banished to my room last night-totally damsel in distress style. Jon had gone to the store with my grocery list, and I was in the middle of my show that I watch while he's out-one of my guilty pleasures-and when he got back I had to stay in our room! And all I could do was watch more of my show. And eat the chocolate hint he gave me and wonder what was going on in my kitchen. LOL There was a mess this morning that gave me a few more hints...

So far it has involved sweet notes from my wonderful boys, and flowers. I should be getting coffee and breakfast soon...

Gotta go-Hubby is calling! Thank you for sharing with me and reading! I love to know people are reading. Feel free to leave comments, make requests, or share your memories with me!

It's true. Just when you think you know all the ins and outs of your rights. Someone has to go putting mud in your pie...er something like that.

I have been a fan of social networking since it's emergence. I think it is a great way to keep up with people, to express joys and pains, and to kill some free time.

In high school I had a network of other IM-ers. People I didn't really know aside from the world of 1's and 0's. They were my go-to people for friend problems, relationship problems, and even more personal issues. There was something about being able to talk to a person that was disconnected from your other circles. Some of these people I've been able to actually meet in real life, and others have slowly faded into the unknown. But they were there for me, and in some way they helped me through some of the toughest years of my life, when I didn't have anybody else to talk to. I censored myself back then with a cloak of invisibility. They knew my life story, but couldn't put a body to the story. 

Then in college, there was an even bigger network: classmates, hall residents, hot guys, hot girls...study buddies...oh I had so many "lists" of people on my IM accounts. But these people didn't really care about the personal issues of a college girl. They wanted to know when the next party or study session was, or when I would be down in the basement cooking my next batch of double dark chocolate chipotle mocha brownies... This time the face was known, but the girl inside was hidden. Who cared that I was a first generation student, that the college didn't recognize because I look Anglican, trying to juggle two jobs, a full workload at school, and a crazy boyfriend? 

So now. I've graduated...and my networks have merged into this big conglomerate of people...people who have heard my stories, and see my life. People who care, and know my story. People like you who read my ramblings and laugh with me. I have this problem with laughing at inappropriate times. It's my pain/anger/sadness/stress mechanism. I think I have my brother to thank for that... but its a part of me. Just like my inability to hide my anger...I don't say a word when I'm angry, unless provoked. I don't like to speak when my mind is fogged with those kind of emotions. I have to wait until I can see through the fog...and that makes it hard when I have to bite my tongue and try to play it off. heh. 

Okay, so where was I? Oh yes...now. I live in the now. I love to plan for the future, sure. But what I really love is looking around me when all seems bleak, and stopping to think: "Wow. You know...life is good. It may have a few cracks in the crust, but my slice of this pie, we call our existence, is a pretty darn good!" And I love sharing that with the world. We all have problems, but it is up to us to find the solutions, and if we crawl in our shells and don't face them head on our existence will be quite pitiful. We make our happiness, and we make our misery. I choose to be happy. I choose to vent what needs to be released, and hold onto what needs to be remembered, and cherish those that are near and dear to me.

So this is my story. My unedited, unabridged life. The joys and trials, and the choice to be happy. I will not be censored, and I will only be true. Those of you privy to the more personal details may get more out of my ramblings and beliefs, my shared quotes and moral stories... and if you don't like it- well, that is your problem to solve!
Just another day in the life of C A Stone...♥
Live in the rhythm of love...and share the bliss!

I absolutely love this time of year- Memories of bonfires as a teenager out in pastures... moving into my first apartment and sleeping on an air mattress for a month and having wet floors for almost the whole time because the shampooer left the floors "slightly damp"... cold nights watching movies at "snake man's" house slowly turning into late night one-block walks home from Jon's riding on cloud nine...taking a New Year's overnight trip to New Mexico with Jon just because we could... moving from my wonderful little apartment on North to our house of Love on Harvey all in one extremely late and cold new years night...cocoa and marshmallows with my Shi on our porch in our slippers...and Christmas with my family.

This will be the first year I don't spend Christmas with my parents. The second year I spend with my Love, and our wonderful Shi. And the third year since I fell in love with Jon. This year it will be hard to be so far from my parents, but I feel fortunate that they are close enough to spend so much time together. Making plans for the season that don't involve waking up to see my Mom and Dad on that morning seem strange-sad even, but knowing that this man who was once a stranger sitting across the room in Tantra will spend every Christmas with me feels amazing. 

So I continue my plans...baking with the boys, making gifts for those we love, decorating for Christmas (now that Thanksgiving has had it's time in the limelight)... I continue making plans, but I now think even more fondly on all the time and love I shared with my family. The things that really mattered. I can't even begin to remember half of the presents I have received from them over the years...I know that every year (but one) I was given pajamas, every year we got clothes (and usually the necessary socks and underwear), every year Mom's cooking would be amazing, and every year I can remember the love. 

Take time this year to do what matters the most. Your child will survive (and yes, still love you) if you don't get them the coolest, newest and most expensive toy/gadget out there. Your friends and family also don't need you spending a fortune on them to "show" them how much you care...what everyone needs is more time and more love. Get back to the reason of it all, and enjoy the season of sharing Love.


Much Love to all...near and far

It is really hard to get the whole family in agreement as to what we should be for Halloween. Last year it started as the Zombie family, then we thought it would be funny to go as characters from the Wizard of Oz...and still Zombies. Then, the youngest backed out and decided to go as a Vampire, but we already had our costumes planned out, so there was the imminent split.
This year we made it work. The (not-so) little guy saved up his allowance and bought a stormtrooper outfit, Daddy had a darth vader mask, and I rolled my hair into braided buns...
But it didn't stop there... we had bought costumes to go to another party as Zombie Germans, and thought; "Why not go as German Star Wars characters!?!?"
So he was Deutsch Vader, and I Deutsch Leia... laughter and stares abound all night. Original costumes, and again...we pulled it off. The little man was my bodyguard all night, and of course, Deutsch Vader was chasing Prinzessin Leia all night. 
Ideas for next year? Message me...we gotta go big, or stay home. ;)