Life at a "Swell's" pace

Growing an Avocado Plant

We've taken up the trend of growing avocado trees from seed. We have been saving our avocado seeds throughout the year and trying our best to get them to root. We've has a bit of success and therefore we've planted them in small pots and then combined them into a large pot all together. They've struggled a bit, but they are growing. We haven't read about how long it takes for them to grow larger, but for now we are happy with what we've created. The plants currently share a pot with some ginger found in the back of our refrigerator a few months ago. Waiting to see what happens with that, as well.

There's different way to get them to root, but I've always found that the toothpick balanced on the top of a glass has worked best for us.

I like to wait until there's a good group of roots showing and a small sprout coming from the seed before transferring them to soil.

These are the plants that the seeds above created. This is about a year's worth of growing. There is ginger in the pot with these, but overall there's definite success with the seeds. It's kind of satisfying to know that you can eat the avocados and with a little patience allow it to continue on with life. Everything in this world has a purpose, and I feel that sometimes giving other living things a chance to continue on living, is a great way to appreciate life on a different scale.

Easy Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are one of the first things I learned to bake once I was out on my own. But having to ice them and decorate them, is mostly something for holidays and special occasions, unless you have the time and patience. Just having a simple sugar cookie on any day of the year, or even just a quick cookie to take somewhere, or to eat on throughout the week, is something a lot of us enjoy. Sugar cookies, just baked and left by themselves, is such a simple cookie to mix together. The key to these easy sugar cookies is to roll them in sugar before baking, without the hassle of cookie cutters, or icing. Here is my version of "Easy Sugar Cookies" that you can make any time of the year. And the best part, they're soft.

Here's how to make these easy, soft sugar cookies:

2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking power
3/4 tsp. sea salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk

Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. Using a stand mixer, mix wet ingredients together starting with the butter. Combine butter and sugar, and add the eggs. Combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well. Form into balls, about two tablespoons for each ball. Roll in granulated sugar, or colored sprinkles, flatten just slightly and lay on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for about 30-45 minutes, or freeze at this point to bake later.

Bake for 12-16 minutes at 350 degrees.

I would add to allow them to cool before eating, but nothing is better than a warm sugar cookie straight from the oven, so enjoy!

Five Simple Things (June 6)

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This doggy.

The best doggy!

2. These bags.

Getting our garden going. I am trying out of plan that my dad mentioned. It seems to be working well so far.

3. This breakfast.

Not feeling that great this week, so meals in bed it is for a bit. Hopefully, it passes soon. I am immunocompromised, so when people don't cover their coughs or sneezes, and don't wash their hands, it affects people like me. Just a quick reminder, wash you hands frequently and stop coughing and sneezing on people.

4. These stickers.

With a new laptop comes stickers on the cover. Here is the lineup I plan on using. One of the fun things about stickers is, you're never too old to use them. Life is short, display what you love.

5. This kitty.

She always stays with me when I am not feeling well. Maybe she was a nurse or doctor in a past life. She watches over me and follows me to the bathroom. Her bedside manner is perfect!

One last thing:

This week was the last week for this cool kid. He is going through finals and I have high hopes for him to pass them all with great marks! Paint me proud!

Positive affirmations this week:

I saw this message this week and it really hit me. Children are not given a chance to be themselves and allowed to feel their own feelings. I think a lot of the older generation, as they were growing up, weren't allowed to feel things. So, as they got older they didn't know how to regulate their emotions in a healthy way and that reflected onto their own kids, and then on their grandkids. The disfunction continued until one generation finally said, "enough!" Allowing ourselves and our children to be more human and feel what they feel allows them and us to regulate them when the time comes that they are spiked. Punishing kids, and ourselves for having feelings is a horrible way to process them. It's okay to be sad, it's okay to be mad, and it's okay to feel anything. A lot of times I see the older generations even get upset at their grandchildren for being happy at times they don't think they should be happy. To me, that is disfunction to the very core of their existence. We, as parents, can do better and not allow past disfunction to dictate our feelings. Feel what you feel and allow those around you to feel what they feel, too.

You can do this!🌈