Carpe diem... and reading list #21

I made the pancakes with lavender, again, to be sure it wasn't a fluke. Nope. Still really, really yummy! I also made blueberry jam for the first time. Blueberries had been on special, so I thought, why not? As a rule, anytime I try a new recipe, the first time I prepare it exactly as stated. If I don't like it, then it's the recipe not me. After that I adapt at will. I stuck with the recipe for blueberry jam, but instead of filling eight to nine jars, I filled only seven, and then used two of my fancy cups for the rest. In one, I poured the blueberry jam, but in the other I stirred in a little lavender. The blueberry jam is yummy. The blueberry jam with lavender is out of this world!! Note to self, it takes about 56 oz or nine 6 oz packages of blueberry jam to make the required 6-1/2 cups of mashed blueberries.

As for books, I've been doing some catch up. Winning a Groom in 10 Dates was fun, as per Cara Colter's style. Then I finally decided to read Kay Stockham's "The Tulanes of Tennessee", a series of five books, with each of the siblings being featured. I love related books. It's always so much fun to see the characters from other books, like unexpected visits from dear friends. I also decided to take a page out of one of them, when her heroine decided to make it the "summer of Jenn." I can't afford a personal trainer, but I can take responsibility for my exercising and eating. We'll see how I do. I'm currently reading Diana Duncan's "Forever in a 24-hour Day" series, each featuring one of the four O'Rourke brothers. (I want one.) Conall O'Rourke helps Bailey Chambers face her dragon and tame it, and I realized I needed to face my own dragon. The dragon is fear and negative emotions; emotions that hold you back if you let them. But if you tame them, they morph into strength and passion. I want to tame and embrace my dragon.