Autumn Color Tour

Good Wednesday morning!

The Gallery pics are from the dessert recipe I posted yesterday... Cookies-and-Cream Cake. It looks good, doesn't it? It's a very light dessert, and it isn't as sweet as you might think. I'm going to use the canned frosting (which the recipe called for) instead of whip cream next time. OR I may use whip cream, vanilla pudding and 1/2 cup crushed Oreo. The vanilla pudding will probably make the topping sweeter. All in all, a pretty good cake. I would definitely recommend it!

PROMISED RANDOMNESS - I mentioned Glenn Close several months ago regarding her very public stand discussing mental illness. Her sister and nephew both suffer from bipolar disorder, and she has made television Public Service Announcements, been interviewed on several talk shows AND has appeared in several publications. She hasn't been promoting movies or books or herself in any way, shape or form. She has been talking about mental illness.

I wanted to share an excerpt from her article in the September, 2010 Guidepost.

"I've learned that one in four adults has a mental illness -- such as depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD or schizophrenia -- and the stigma can be as daunting as the disease itself. I'm filming a public service announcement to get people talking openly about mental illness.

"A woman I don't know comes up to me. 'Thank you,' she says, 'for what you've done for the mentally ill.' Then a little more hesitantly, 'We have mental illness in my family.'

"I look at her, imagining the turmoil she and her family have been through. There is a lot I could say, but one thing in particular I want to know, as much as for her as for me. 'What kind of mental illness?' I ask.

"Words are powerful. They can shroud a problem in secrecy or bring it into the bold light of day. I admire this woman's courage for speaking out. Now I hope she can tell me what specific diagnosis? If you can give something a name, you can stop being afraid of it and start dealing with it. I should know. There is mental illness in my own family."

Ms Close then goes on to tell her story, her sister's story and her nephew's story.

I'll share two more parts of this article which touched my heart... "Words that seemed scary lost their power the more I heard them." And...

"As Jess (Ms. Close's sister) says, 'I am not my disease.' She is simply someone who is being treated for a disease, an illness with a biological basis like cancer or diabetes."

I may admire people for many different reasons, but Ms. Close is doing an extraordinary thing. Not only do I admire her, but I am thankful for her voice and dedication to such an "unpopular" cause.

By the way, we have Severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Severe Generalized Anxiety Disorder in my family... and we are not ashamed.

Wednesday Wisdom - Did you remember? Today is Encouraging Wednesday. Time to text, e-mail, Facebook, phone, etc. and encourage others. Here are a few quotes about the subject of "encouragement."

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you." William Arthur Ward

"Correction does much, but encouragement does more.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.” Jim Stovall

“A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success." Anonymous (Whoever said this needs to let people know. It's too good to be "Anonymous.")

Autumn Color Tour

I found this idea on a fellow blogger's website... and I liked it! I liked it a lot. So I borrowed it, and today I will share it with you.

"Tonight was the first evening of the annual Autumn Color Tour. This is where we all hop in the family mobile and drive around Utah County. Every Sunday evening, we will be in search of brilliant fall color. The journey will take us up the mountain ranges in many of the breathtaking Utah canyons. We open all the car windows, have beautiful (Sunday appropriate) music on (really loud). Then we all stick our heads out the window and take it all in. Welcome Autumn."

As you can imagine, this woman is my new best friend... although she has no idea!

Since Alabama falls can be very short-lived, this tradition may only last three or four weeks, but I'm already planning a family Autumn Color Tour to Cullman, Guntersville and/or Jacksonville. We're going on Sunday afternoons right after church, and I'm packing picnic-type snacks and drinks so we can stop and sit under a shady tree and take it all in!

And don't worry! We'll be back in time for Sunday night services!

Ahhh! I'm going to enjoy this new tradition, I think. (And this will be something Mikie and I can do together several years down the road... when we become... empty-nesters. There. I said it! It was quite painful, so I don't think I'll be saying it again anytime soon!)

Have a fantastic Wednesday. I love how four-day weeks just fly by, don't you? Thursday's date and blog linkage will be fabulous! You must come back and visit. You simply must!

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda