Baking Powder Biscuits

When strawberries are ready, these biscuits are easy and quick to make. Strawberry shortcakes with real whipped cream and fresh strawberries is my favorite dessert.
Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 cups/500 mL sifted all-purpose flour
1 tbsp/15 mL Watkins Baking Powder
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL salt
5 tbsp/75 mL vegetable shortening
3/4 cup/180 mL milk

Cooking Directions
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add shortening and cut into dry ingredients with two knives or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Make a well in center and gradually add milk, stirring until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead lightly for 30 seconds. Roll out 1/2 to 3/4-inch/1 to 2-cm thick. Cut with a floured biscuit cutter. Arrange on greased baking sheet. Bake at 450ºF/235ºC for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 12 biscuits, one per serving.

Nutrition Facts
Makes 12 biscuits, one per serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories 130
Protein 3 g
Carbohydrates 17 g
Sodium 180 mg
Fat 6 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Cholesterol 2 mg
Dietary Fiber 1 g

Recipe courtesy Watkinsonline.com

Independent Watkins Assoc
Denise Passehl
#300500

Where The Path Will Lead Us

Last weekend while walking in the timber with my son and twin grandchildren I was enjoying the view of them as they walked in front of me and my husband. Every little thing brought wonder to their eyes, finding treasures to take back home.

I get so much joy watching them, it warms my heart to see how much they love their daddy, spending time with him as he shares his life stories with them. I love telling them stories of their daddy as he was growing up also, a lot of my stories are the funny things daddy did when he was their age.

Just like the path we were on, we didn't know what was ahead. Life is like that, we never know what lies ahead. We just trusted it would take us where we wanted to go. I don't want to see my grandchildren grow up so fast, but they do so I wonder what things they will experience in their life and I pray that I make a difference for them. I hope they want to know their heritage and what their ancestors were like. I loved hearing about my ancestors from my parents, looking at old pictures and wondering what kind of person they were and if I am anything like they were.

So as they grow up I look forward to hearing their stories of their lives from day to day. Soon they will be all grown up with lives of their own but I pray they have fond memories of all their family members.

Stop and Smell The Flowers

Saturday we went hiking in south west Iowa with my son and two grandchildren. My grandchildren are at the fun age of 6 years old. They want to learn everything about life. While hiking on the trail in the timber, we saw everything from butterflies to ant hills, with many things in between.

I enjoyed watching their faces as they found something that they would get so excited about. As adults we don't take enough time to see things how children do, so I decided to slow down my walk and try to see things through their eyes. It's hard to believe I was once a child like them and life was so simple and fun.

I made a promise to myself that day that, I would take more time to see things like a child. It is easy to get caught up in LIFE as adults know it. If you see me having fun and picking flowers, just know that I am taking a break from all the junk in the world to "stop and smell the flowers." My grandchildren taught me a lesson this weekend, one is never to old to learn something.

My New Zebra Purse from Linda

Yesterday I asked God in my prayers to show me a miracle, it didn't take long for me to see that miracle. I got to work and another employee said somebody put something in your bottom drawer while you were gone yesterday. So I open the drawer and it was this beautiful Zebra purse that I have been looking for. It was perfect! It took a few questions and I figured it out that is was Linda, a friend who works in another department.

It was the best thing anyone could get me, she is a dear sweet person who has a heart so big. She knows me well and her hugs come at the right time. A person can never get enough hugs can they? I couldn't wait to get home and put all my stuff in my new Zebra purse. I feel so cool carrying this bag. Thank you Linda, love you.

Now anyone who knows me knows that I collect anything Zebra. Want to know why? I had surgery for Carcinoid cancer, the ribbon for Carcinoid is Zebra. Every cancer has its own color of ribbon, Carcinoid is Zebra. So if you have any Zebra items you don't want send them my way. I am on a mission to get all the Zebra stuff I can.

You will be able to spot me coming down the street with my cool Zebra purse, it rocks!

140 conference

Yesterday was a first for me, I actually spoke at The State of Now/140 Character Conference in Des Moines on April 23rd. It lasted all day and featured speakers in ten minute segments. Cancer, Agriculture, Education, Business, Food, Authors, Tourism, Reflections and Synchronicity were some of the topics covered. My dearest friend whom I have known since the day we were born, Deb During Brown, organized the event. I hope that in the future you will all be able to attend one of the 140 Conferences, you will not be sorry. It is a life changing event. Each of the speakers had so much information and their stories were inspiring.

I spoke about how Social Media has helped me learn about Carcinoid Cancer and how Twitter and Facebook have become a great source of support for me. There is no local support groups for Carcinoid, it is such a rare form of cancer and little is known about it.

I had major surgery to remove 3/4 my stomach, 2 sections of my small intestines, right ovary, 19 lymph nodes, 2 tumors the size of a mans fist, one on the inside of my stomach and the other on the outside, then a radiofrequency procedure that burned part of my liver out since it had metastasized there. I was cut open from top to bottom, tubes coming out of my nose, IV's, drainage tubes coming out of my stomach, a catheter and staples running up and down my stomach. I was in the hospital for 8 days, 3 hours from home, alone and very depressed. My husband had to work and I told him to stay home because 3 hours was a long drive one way. I thought I was strong, but I became so depressed and home sick. Eight days later I was released from the hospital, told what kind of treatment I would have, which is a shot that I get in my hip every 21 days for the rest of my life called Sandostatin. No chemo, not a choice for this. Doctors told me to go home and live my life.

That is all I knew, what they had said, no information, no idea what my life was going to be like and how long I am going to be here on this planet. This is a rare cancer called Carcinoid they told me, little is known about it. I was asked if they could keep my tumors to study. I gave them permission.

So when I got home I did all the usual searches on the internet for what I could find out about Carcinoid. It was all medical information and some other sites with information, but I wanted real life experiences and to actually talk to people who had this. I felt all alone, only about 5 in 100,000 get this and I knew of no other person. I was already on Twitter and Facebook so decided to put it out there. My first tweet on Twitter was about Carcinoid. Before you know it I had people responding to me from other parts of the United States that had it or have family that have it. We started talking back and forth, I wasn't alone. There are others out there. These people became my friends, we supported each other, talked about our symptoms that we live with. If I am not feeling good and need someone to just talk to that really understands me then they are the ones. No other person can understand the strange things that go on in our body and emotions with this type of cancer, except another Carcinoid patient.

Soon one of them asked me if I was on Facebook and yes I was. She invited me to a group called Carcinoid Coffee Cafe, a private group with all Carcinoid people from all walks of life. This was so neat, we can talk about anything and everything, help each other with support and just be there. The group has grown since I started, there are more and more people being diagnosed with Carcinoid daily. Soon another group started in Iowa called Iowa Carcinoid Connection. We are only Iowan's, I am planning a get together for us sometime this spring or summer in a central location so we can meet. There is another group called Carcinoid Cancer Awareness.

I have so much to be thankful for with these groups, we all have become close, offering the support and education we need to live with this. Our normal is a new normal. No one is judged, we have become one.

I asked God to use me with this disease and I pray that I can be of some help to someone who might be as scared, alone and lost as I was in the beginning when I knew absolutely nothing about Carcinoid.

I am thankful for Social Media, it has become my best tool for living with Carcinoid.