“Love is the force that transforms and improves the face of the world.”

-Paulo Cohelo

Last night was the culmination of a weeklong competition I was hosting on social media called #LOVEfest.  I wrote about it already on here last week, but wanted to just share a few thoughts about it.  A sort of debriefing or re-entry after one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had.  In fact, last night after my final snap on snapchat when I announced the winners, I broke down in tears.

Don’t fret, they were tears of joy actually.  And playing some of Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”  as my background music probably helped the tears flow like the rain in Simba’s pride’s final battle in the The Lion King.  It is just that in light of what has happened in the world the last few days since I wrote my original post about the lovefest, now more than ever I suppose people are re-evalutating things in the world.  And certainly when looking at the quote at the very top, what is the face of the world today?

With hundreds of entries in this competition it was easy to pick out who would win two of the three prizes.  With a prize going to the first entry I received, that was simple enough.  The hard part was not letting on who it was!  Even the prize for most entries by one person was straight forward, it was just down to counting.  However there were a few people who were literally on fire sending me multiple images every day of the competition.  So it was close!   I was delighted as it made me see how excited people were at finding love and hearts in their world.  Even in the most unsuspecting of places.  However it was the prize for best image that had me in a conundrum.  How could I choose?  Like a parent deciding which child they loved best?  So I had an epiphany that I should put all the names in a hat and draw one out during my live snapchat announcement.

As 9pm on 15/11/15 was drawing near, the images were flying in fast and furious.  And beautiful heartfelt notes along with them saying that, especially since the Paris terrorist attacks, this was indeed something to help them take their pain and put it into a positive. The irony is that I never actually stated what the winning prizes were going to be.  I have hosted several competitions before, and my Hubby thinks that my followers knew they would get a good prize so they didn’t worry.  But it was almost as if the prize was irrelevant. In fact on my birthday this past Friday I received from all of them so many good wishes, birthday cards and in fact even gifts from my followers.  My heart was so full it was about to burst.  And along with all those participating in the competition, we agreed, that though we can’t change the whole world, by planting seeds of love where we stand maybe love will grow beyond our immediate environment.

I announced the winner for first snap to NIAMH.  Her entry, which she literally sent to me on snapchat within moments after I posted the competition, was of a head of broccoli.  Ooh I personally love me some broccoli!  And though it did have a heart shape, she emphasized it even more by adding some snapchat animation to it with a LOVEly red heart!

Then I announced the winner for most snaps to Jan.  She had sent me in a week’s time  seventy five images of hearts and LOVE in her world. This was astonishing considering the fact that for some of it she was traveling and didn’t have wifi access.  She had so many amazing snaps but one stood out in particular. It was quite funny because of it’s unlikely location and also that she hadn’t noticed it before.  A heart at the bottom of the fire blanket box in her apartment building.

Finally I drew a name, not from a hat, but from a heart box of mine that has been with me for quite some time.  I put all the names on paper, folded them up and gave the heart a shake.  Which is what literally happened to me this week.  My heart was shaken to its core with all the LOVE that flowed in from Ireland, America and the U.K.  The name I pulled out was Sheeners15!  I remembered one of her many entries because I don’t think I ever noticed the heart on the Pink Lady Apple sticker before, and I eat them all the time.  So you see how much the participants were opening my eyes as well?

I made a brief (because I was weepy) congratulatory speech to the winners and all the participants and told them it had been an honor to host such a special contest.  And of course I encouraged them to keep spreading the love.  By creating and finding these heart and love images, they are reinforcing the fact that behind the visual reminders is what it is all about…..LOVE!  Since it is love that features in my cooking (my secret ingredient) and indeed visually, as the letters in my home are visible to all when I do my snapchat cooking demos, I feel passionately about promoting my beloved purpose in life.

I received news back from the winners with their addresses so I could send off their winning care packages.  They were over the moon!  As well I received amazing notes from people who didn’t win but thanked me for doing it as they shared how much they loved the competition. People even sent snaps congratulating the other winners! Wow!

So you see, social media can be used in a positive way.  I have met all these folks through snapchat, twitter and instagram and have witnessed firsthand the kindness of strangers.  I have seen people competing in a fair and friendly way.  I have seen those who may have “lost” but still praise the winners and share their gratefulness for simply being part of the game.  And it makes me realize that we can make a positive difference in this world, because no matter how big or small, a positive will always outweigh a negative!  Because LOVE wins!

Love & Hearts,

YDP

ps. I think it is ironic that the week I started this competition Twitter decided to change from using stars as a way to “favorite” a tweet to using hearts!  Oh, it was controversial, but it was a LOVEable choice!  Good one Twitter!

Here is just a small sampling of the #LOVEfest images sent to me this week…..

Several folks found LOVE in their cooking

Some found it in the clouds

Some found it in their coffee

And of course mommies found it in their kids

Even siblings found some LOVE

Loads found LOVE with their pets

And some found LOVE in nature

Some even found it on their clothes without previously noticing, including me and my scarf!

Lots of LOVE on toys

Some found it in their lunch

Some found it in their treats

And then we have the fabulous Cheerios Heart! Which even rivals the other cereal heart found here if you click on my twitter.

People were looking up high (as in a wall shelf) and looking down low (as on the ground)

And some used their LOVEfest snaps as a way to show solidarity

And like me, people used hearts and LOVE to be inspired everyday!

Two of my fav #LOVEfest images came from #bffs (best friends forever) as their separate snaps showed that like love it takes two, a give and receive, a reciprocal representation of love in action!  Right, so I just did all that philosophical analysis over a heart shaped sambo they made!  LOL!  But when you’re on a LOVE roll you just do that sort of thing!

Oh wait, you’re thinking to yourself the title says “Recipe:  Love Wins!” which means there should be a recipe, right? HELLOOOOO! The recipe is clear, concise and you can go forth in confidence. Spread love my friends!  That’s it!  Wherever, whenever and however! xoxo

Triskaidekaphobia (or fear of the number 13) is an actual phobia.  It is so legit in fact that some airplanes do not have a 13th row, hotels do not include a 13th floor, horse racing tracks don’t have a number 13 stall. etc, etc.  In 2013,  Ireland (a country known for being a bit superstitious) changed the vehicle registration plates to start with 131 or 132 instead of 13.  There are theories as to when this all started, but it usually goes back to Biblical times and Judas, the betrayer, being the thirteenth person at the Last Supper.

To be even more specific, scientists have given a fear of Friday the 13th yet another distinction, paraskevidekatriaphobia! Some people stay in bed all day for safety because they believe the day to be bad luck. But since I was born on a Friday the 13th I like to believe it’s a day of good luck! Today I am celebrating my 51st birthday. That makes this the 8th time I have had my birthday fall on a Friday the 13th. Eight is another of my lucky numbers. I say that like I am some kind of gambino, which I am not.  It is so funny how people get all worked up over a number or a day.  It is only because we have a calendar that says it is so.  But nevertheless, I love this day and I love my birthday.

I am actually quite like a little girl all excited and giggly around this day.  My Hubby likes to tease me that I have a birthday week (or even a birthday month) with various plans leading up to and following the big day:  Lunches, brunches, FaceTime sessions, cards to open etc. Since I never had actual birthday celebrations as a child, maybe I am making up for it.  But I do enjoy it as it only comes once per year.  And since I lost my parents at a young age, I realize now more than ever that every year is precious!

Some people like to go all out on certain birthdays, especially the 16th, 18th, 21st, 30th, 40th etc. Of those, I suppose there were two that were significant celebrations.  I had a big party for my 21st  (it was the first actual party I ever had in fact).   Though on my 21st, which in America is a big deal as it is when you are able to legally drink alcohol, I didn’t even have a sip of booze.  I had an infant, whom I was breastfeeding, and a toddler to look after as well.  I didn’t really start drinking any alcohol until I was well into my 30s by the way!

My 50th year was like a “birthday tour” which I’ve savored for quite a while.  My friends in Ireland went all out for me and I had many celebratory events that made me feel very special. Then my Hubby organized a trip for all my family to meet up in Austin, TX.  He rented a house from Air b&b and we cooked together, hiked together, rode bikes together and went on the most awesome food tour together!  It was all so special and I’ll never forget it!

Since then, this past year I have experienced so many life changes and transitions.  Most significant was moving away from Ireland, my soul home, to London.  It has been quite the paradigm shift!  But it really is a cool city and is growing on me more everyday! I’ve been back to America several times to visit with family.   I have spent wonderful times with my daughter, son in law and granddaughter (we are besties as she calls us) in their new home in Washington State.  I was able to witness the birth of my second granddaughter when I was with them all summer.  It was so emotional and a true privilege to be a part of the miracle of life.  While Hubby and I usually do loads of travel together, this year our move has been a journey of its own.  But we did go to Czech Republic in June when he was on a jury of a film festival.  As well, in August, we went to Monet’s Garden in Giverny, France (where the impetus to begin this blog was spurned within me).  And there is one more trip we will be taking soon which I am excited to share with you.

Birthdays are a time to reflect on the past and also to look to the future. What does the time beyond my 51st birthday look like?  Well I have some things up my sleeve, but no matter what we plan, we have to leave room for God to surprise us!  And I also think that I am going to start a new campaign slogan, “51 is the new 21” haha!  I don’t care one bit about “age-ism” and am happy to share with anyone my chronological achievement.  I feel grateful to have gotten this far and am excited about what lies ahead.  I don’t clamor for “yesteryears” or complain about the increase in creases on my face.  I just say NO to BO (tox) and love the body I’m in (or meat suit as I call it).  It is all an incredible blessing!  And so I want to thank you for sharing it with me!

Love, always and forever,

YDP

P.S. I had to include this image above as it reminds me of the time someone close to me (who shall remain anonymous) asked me if their birthday (which is on the 6th of July) ever fell on a Friday the 13th. I’ll leave it at that!

I’ve had a fondness for LOVE & HEARTS for a very long time.  I try to find images of them when I am out and about in the world.  I have taken numerous photos of things with the letters L-O-V-E and heart shapes, even in the most random of places.  A street sign or a maintenance vehicle are unlikely spots you think of when you think of love. Yet when I see them I get so excited . They are visual reminders!!  And I love it even more when it is foodie related.  An accidental heart shaped scone.  Or even an ‘on purpose’ heart shaped fried egg for a ‘breakfast in bed treat’ for a loved one.

My LOVE & HEART affection has become contagious as my granddaughter now likes to get into the hunt and search.  She has helped me find hearts in loads of things such as a rock which we discovered on a walk this summer.  Nature is filled with an abundance of love if we just look for it!  Hubby has gotten into it as well and made me heart shaped toast for my birthday last year.

When I started on my snapchat journey I kept with the tradition and would snap away at various things that had heart and love images.  Or else I would draw hearts on the snaps before I sent them to my story.  I love that aspect of snapchat!   Though I am defo not an artist, you can choose a color and write words or draw anything on top of the pic you snap.  My go to is always a HEART!  Some of my followers said they found my snaps to be heartwarming and enjoyed them.  So I decided to put together this competition so they too could join in the hunt and search.  I’ve done some competitions before for my snapchat followers, but this one has been by far the most loving contest ever.  It’s also longer.  I wanted to give people more time to spread the love!  It’s been going on this whole week and will culminate with the winner or winners being announced on Sunday 15/11/15 at 9 pm.

There are three prizes, one for the first image sent to me.  The second prize is for the most images sent to me.  The third is for the best image.  The images must be of a heart, or the word LOVE, but could also be something that represents love (such as lovers holding hands or a baby and momma hugging) .  It is amazing to see how much love people are finding in their worlds.  And I believe this shift of focus, into something positive, lifts a person’s spirits!  Sometimes people only see the ugly things out there, and let’s face it, they are out there.  The contest started on Sunday evening, when people are usually grumpy about the weekend ending.  But this has put a little spark in the week.  For all of us involved.  I’ve been sending out snaps reminding them of LOVEfest week and thanking them for all the images they’ve sent.  I have noticed, people are very competitive and are totally taking this seriously!

Of the several competitions I’ve done in the short time I’ve been on snapchat, this one has been the most fun for me.  I am blown away by not only the amount of snaps I am getting, but by the creativity of the entires.  It has been not only LOVEly but FabuLOVE!  While I can’t show any of the entrants images until we have a winner on Sunday, I will share some of the pics I have taken along the way.  As well I will share my red velvet cupcake recipe.  Though I bake up this recipe pretty regularly, I always make it for Christmas and Valentine’s.  But who says you need to wait until the holidays to share the love!?.

Red Velvet Cake

For the cake:

60 g unsalted butter, room temperature

150g caster sugar

1 egg room temperature

10 g cocoa powder

20 ml red food colouring

½ tsp vanilla extract

120 ml buttermilk

150 g plain flour, sifted

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 ½ tsp white wine vinegar

For the frosting:

300 g icing sugar

50 g unsalted butter, room temperature

125 g cream cheese

 

1. Preheat oven to 170 C/325F/Gas mark 3

2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy about 3-5 mins; add the egg slowly and beat until incorporated.

3. In a separate bowl mix together the cocoa powder, red food coloring and vanilla extract to make a thick, dark paste. Add to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and mix thoroughly until evenly combined (make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Turn the mixer down and slowly pour in half the buttermilk. Beat until well mixed then add half the flour and mix until everything is well incorporated. Repeat this process until the buttermilk and flour have all been added. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and turn the mixer up and mix until it is smoother. Then turn mixer down and slowly add the salt, baking soda and the vinegar. Beat until well mixed.

4. Fill prepared baking tins and bake until done, when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (15 – 20 mins for cupcakes). Put on a rack to cool in the tins.

5. To make the frosting, beat together the icing sugar and butter until it has come together and is well mixed. Turn down speed and add the cream cheese all in one go and beat until incorporated. Turn up speed and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 mins. Then spread on cakes and add heart decorations. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes. Double if you are making a layer cake.

In case you are wondering why I am so OTT with this LOVE business, it is quite simple.  My purpose in life is to share love.  My job may be in the food business, but I found I can spread love by adding it to my food (my special ingredient).  I can share it with my family and friends through not only saying the words, but by showing them through my loving behavior.  By being a support system, a listener, a cheerleader and a helper, they experience my love manifested.  I even like to shower love on my snapchat friends (most of whom I have never met in person) or strangers, such as a grocery store clerk.  Simply being kind, saying “Hello, how is your day going?” is a loving gesture.  Or taking the time to watch my followers’ snaps and sending them an encouraging note.  Love is a verb, which means, it is an action.  So a card, call, text, hug, kind word, freshly baked treat, are all actions to reflect the feelings in the heart.

All the so called “good things in life” can also be “too much of a good thing”. Too much good food and you get a sore tummy, too much good wine and you get a sore head, too much good dancing and you get sore feet.  But LOVE is the one thing you can never get too much of, and why?  Because your heart has the ability to stretch, allowing it to give more, and also to receive more.  But it can get worn out if it is only going in one direction.  Love needs to be two ways, reciprocal, for it to continue to flow properly.  So if your love isn’t getting received in one place, that is okay.  There are loads of other places just happily waiting to accept it. Trust me, I’ve experienced that scenario first hand!

If you are reading this right now, stop, and take a moment to look in your world for visual images (reminders) of LOVE!  It can be the letters L-O-V-E sewn on your throw pillow there on the sofa.  Or maybe your reminder is that heart shaped stone you found on the beach when you were on your hols and you keep it by your bedside.  Or if you are at your desk drinking out of your favorite mug, maybe there is a heart on the graphics that you might not have even noticed before now.  Send me a comment on here and tell me about it.  Why is it important to you and how do you see love in your world?  If you are on Twitter you can tweet it to me (@yankeedoodlepad) or to my instagram (@yankeedoodlepaddy).  You too can have a chance of winning one of three prizes for this contest.  There might just be one person who wins all three (first, most and best).  And there is a chance you’ll find that you’ve already won by playing in this competition.  You’re prize is getting back in touch with your heart.  It is the best navigational system in the world, which we are born fully equipped with folks!  Did you ever wonder why that is?   Because our GPS heart leads us to the one thing that makes us uniquely human,  LOVE.

Me love you long time!

YDP

P.S. As I was writing this my daughter found this image and emailed it to me…see what I mean, it is beautifully and eternally infectious, this search for visual reminders!  And this one is a good one! Thanks Heather! Love you! xo

Tomorrow is a national holiday in America.  It has been celebrated on November 11th since the year 1919.  In the beginning it was called Armistice Day, but in 1954 it was changed to Veterans Day.  Living in London at this time of year you can’t turn a corner without seeing someone wearing a Red Poppy in honor of Remembrance Day which is also recognized on 11/11.  Though this is the first time I have had to write about the holiday, it has had meaningful significance to me for many years.

I have a great fondness for the military.  It seems strange to say that given the fact that I abhor conflict of any kind.  I don’t even like to get in a disagreement with anyone and will usually defer to others just to avoid it.  I’m always going on about Love and Peace, not War and Peace.  However, deep down I appreciate my freedom.  And that saying, “Freedom isn’t free” rings true to me.  It is a fact of life that one of the things that protects our freedom is the military.

In my own life I have had family members serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.   Though not in the military, I have shared the story about my father who was a fireman.  I think that this kind of life, not just wearing a uniform, but sacrificing their own lives to save another’s, must be a calling.  The way being a nurse, teacher or someone in the religious orders is a calling. When someone has a “calling” to a vocation, it isn’t normally an external drive, as in making money etc.  However, it is the internal drive that seems to motivate them.  Which is why honoring these people is so important.  It lends credence and significance for their devotion to the cause.

I am grateful our country has a day to honor those who have given their time and devotion to protecting its citizens.  Sure there are critics, and many people feel there should be this change or that.  But there is an underlying sense of security that we are blessed to have knowing that a Hitler type person isn’t going to come rolling through our streets taking away our liberties. When my Hubby and I went to Normandy in France and toured around the area once occupied by the Germans during WWII we saw the visible scars that remain.  Yet, the French there are still so appreciative for what the Allied troops did to free them from the Nazis.  When we visited Auschwitz it was one of the most emotional experiences I have ever had.  To see the remnants of those horrors made me pray that it would never ever happen again.  But this is why we need our military, strong and ready, to circumvent a human disaster such as that.

Though I was born in Chicago, for many years I lived in Los Angeles.  It’s where my kids were  born and raised.  A place where people worship Hollywood heroes with animated 3D capes.  Where “Showtime” Sports heroes are given parades for their bravery at winning trophies.  Where reality tv show heroes are showered with massive sums of money for their sacrifice of showing up at an opening of a new nightclub.  However it is the real heroes, the ones without capes or parades with money pouring down like confetti, who are the ones we honor this day.  These heroes wear dog tags.  They have their names, social security number, blood type and religious affiliation engraved on them.  But what is engraved on my heart is how much I love and appreciate my family that has served, and all the military personnel and their support systems at home.

God bless America!

YDP

 My Grandpa O’Neill (Army) with my mom

My Uncle Joe (Navy) with my dad and their mom, my Grandma Geraghty (from Sligo)