From earliest childhood I can remember coloring Easter eggs. We were five children who grew up with wonderful Easter traditions which we fondly remember. When we were young, our mother cooked and decorated the Easter eggs. As we grew older, we all participated in the activity.

Soup brings back childhood memories of the family gathered around the table on a cold winter's evening. We always had freshly baked bread with our soups. My mother was the gourmet of soup to us children. To this day a hot bowl of soup always evokes wonderful, happy memories. Soup is the warmth of a kitchen, sharing news with a friend and therapy all rolled up together. As I felt when I was a child, so I feel now that a good soup needs to be shared.

Many ordinary dishes can be served with a bit of color and style by adding edible flowers. Yes, thats correct - edible flowers. Not only are some of these flowers beautiful, they also have a wonderful smell. Dont start picking flowers from your garden on your next nature walk. Edible flowers can be found in flower beds, however, a word of caution is in order. Be sure that the edible flowers have not been sprayed or otherwise treated with a harmful pesticide. If you are unsure about the treatment of the flowers, ask. We do not advise you to go to the florist and ask for a bouquet of edible flowers! You may, however, find edible flowers in a gourmet grocery store or at a farmers market. It is also important to know which flowers are safe and which may create havoc with your system.

Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on non-essential obligations - extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending.