Monday January 13, 2014

Ms Murky Mondays:
A Revelation about Power

I learned in high school that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. With that as my foundation combined with my experiences, it is no wonder that I have always believed that power is bad.

Jim was reading some article in the paper out loud as he does most mornings. While I don’t remember for the life of me what the article was about, I know I wrote down on the pad near the stove, “ a revelation about power.” It struck me right there and then that I have it all wrong about power. Power is actually good. It’s how you use power that can be either good or bad. For instance, you use power to lift someone up or hold someone down. Good power or bad power.

My experience with power has generally been bad. In my twenties, I was fired from a job for insubordination when I turned down my bosses sexual passes. I pursued a wrongful termination suit and learned it’s all about power and again, the context of power in this instance was bad. I watched colleagues back-stab, steal, and cheat to get ahead for money and power. And then I was sued by a crazy lady who turned out to be a serial suer. She prayed on the small vendor and she had to be right. There was no room for a rational conversation. She had power over me. And the list goes on and on. What I now see is that these experiences made me afraid. In fact, so much so that I started giving my power away. Afterall, I didn’t ever want to be someone who exerted power. Power was bad.

One day, I mentioned to a dear friend that I felt small. It was a passing comment. What showed up in my snail mail box was the most wonderful passage:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

― Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"

I am now both holding onto my power and I am stepping into my power. When you live from your heart with love as your guiding principle miracles do happen. And I remind myself when I walk into a room that there’s nothing to fear when I show up as the authentic me – a quirky, adventurous, spirited, pioneering, creative, nurturer, loving connector and joy gatherer – no matter what I do for a living. And I hold my hand out and offer to lift you up. Whether I am helping you tell your family food stories through Heirloom Meals, or helping you make your house a beautiful place to live, or helping you finding a home, or being your friend, colleague, or neighbor. This is my power and it is good.

Monday January 06, 2014

Ms Murky Mondays:
Welcome 2014!!

I am back – where did 2013 go?

It’s funny how life has a way of guiding us. We make our big plans. We set our intentions. And I bet many of you think I have forgotten to blog or even abandoned my efforts. Well, life happens and intentions get set aside. But at the core of that statement is life happens…

What many of you may or may not know, Heirloom Meals is my passion. It has yet to produce any income. It’s been a consumer of capital and I have been working as an interior decorator and real estate broker to fund my dream. What I haven’t done is integrate all the things I do. Like, for instance, why not share with you what I am doing, how I am building Heirloom Meals. What’s working. What’s not. And why not share with you my amazing interior projects and the kitchens and baths and interior spaces that I create for my clients. It’s what makes me, well, me. I realized through a lot of soul searching that I compartmentalize. Shut down. Deliver to you only part of me. You get the part that’s all love, all passion. I make it look easy. Put morsels of my life that are dreamy, beautiful, and peaceful out into the world.

But life is messy. You set off on your path and you veer off course. Or are you really off course? 2013 delivered 2 amazing decorating jobs/clients. (I promise to show and tell in a future post!!) And it delivered 2 big real estate transactions. I. AM. BLESSED. It also had its challenging aspects. I dealt with betrayal, disappointment, family dog dying, a sick horse, and many other things that I can barely even remember, and nor do I want to remember. Memory does an amazing job of forgetting the bad stuff and keeping the positive things front and center.

So as I round into 2014 and think about “life happening” and what’s next? It appears that I will continue to fire on all cylinders. My mantra for the year is to give myself full permission to be me, and that means giving my readers, listeners and fans all of me. Here’s a glimpse of what’s on tap:

- I am attending the Realscreen Conference in Washington, DC January 26-29th – the theme is unscripted television (that’s what Heirloom Meals is) and most of the major cable networks will be there. Wish me luck!!

- I am attending Debbie Phillip’s Women on Fire Retreat in Naples Florida 2/28-3/1.
- I am working on my book proposal.
- Re-vamping the online store to carry only Heirloom Meals designed artisan products
- Get more guest bloggers writing my Saturday blog post
- Recording weekly interviews for my NPR radio show – got a recipe and a story – I would love to help tell your story.
- Doing monthly cooking demos on Newschannel 13 in Albany NY
- I am taking a fencing class
- I am finishing up the design and décor of a 13-bedroom high-end drug and alcohol rehab in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts called CMC Berkshires. It is essentially a healing hotel.
- Blog more/daily if I can
- Practice Qigong everyday
- Practice gratitude everyday
- Smile with my heart and be love.

…..And so much more….

Wishing everyone a year full of love, joy, and peace. And please let me know what you are doing!!

WIth love,

Carole

Monday March 18, 2013

Ms Murky Mondays:
College Kids at the Table

A great thing happened this weekend. My stepdaughter, Caroline and her boyfriend, Adam plus two of his friends all surprised us for a visit. Caroline did call an hour before arriving to let me know and ask if it were OK. OK?? It's more than OK - they are 150% welcome - ANYTIME!! An unsolicited visit is like a gift!! What made me giggle and my heart sing was that Caroline and Adam both sold the idea of coming to Boulderwood by using my cooking as the hook.

Who knew that 18 and 19 year olds would be interested in dining with adults, then playing some pool and ending the evening with a word association game of Apples to Apples. They were completely present. They relished their food, conversed with us and enjoyed sitting in front of the fire playing . Not once did any of them text, tweet, snap chat, instagram, FB etc..

I have such gratitude that all the years of homemade meals that seemed to be taken for granted actually made an impact on Caroline and they are now offered as a selling point for a visit. This, to me, is the definition of success.

Life is good!

And by the way, we loved playing the word association game and seeing the generational differences and similarities. It was the pop culture stuff where I saw the differences - like, one of them had no idea who Lucille Ball was. I guess I have some 'splanen to do!

And, on the menu: Homemade Organic Buffalo Chicken WIngs, Gluten free liguini with tomatoe sauce (canned last fall), homemade garlic bread, salad with homemade dressing. Dessert: s'mores at the fireplace in the Living Room.

Sunday June 03, 2012

Ms Murky Mondays:
Vintage Wood Burning Cook Stoves

I know it's just June, but we are already thinking about next winter. Afterall, isn't all the vegetable gardening really about the anticipation of putting up food for the winter? But today I am not writing about my garden, I am writing about our decision to find a vintage wood-burning cook stove to replace our Vermont Casting wood stove. My attitude is if we use the stove as auxiliary heat almost everyday of the winter, why not have one that I can cook on?

Is there anyone out there that has cooked on a wood-burning stove? I'd love your tips!! I am excited for this project. Here are some photos of some relics that we are looking at. I kinda like the one that says "Hot Closet" - the precursor to the warming drawer. Love it!!

Monday March 05, 2012

Ms Murky Mondays:
An Heirloom Meals Supper

Sometimes I wonder if what I am doing with Heirloom Meals is really working and then something happens to erase my doubts. It's the small things that mean the most. So when I learned that a dinner party we were invited to by my friend Suky Werman was inspired by moi, I knew that Heirloom Meals had struck a chord. In an email she wrote:

"The idea for a heritage potluck was inspired by our viewing Carole Murko's wonderful Heritage Thanksgiving special on PBS this past holiday season. Carole--you created a dybbuk in me.

Here is what is already planned:
We're providing the main course from my Viennese heritage and at least one hors d'oeuvre. Julia Werman will be making Rudy Werman's chopped chicken liver and I know Liam, our son in law, will be creating a Sicilian savory vegetable from his venerable family tradition. So far, Carolann Patterson is making Potato Dauphinoise. Anna Gershenson will be making Dobosh Torte as well as a Latvian dessert from her early life in Riga Latvia. I haven't had an authentic Dobosh since I was about 25. t's a taste sensation and Anna is a fantastic baker. We're looking forward to sharing one of your favorite dishes either in the vegetable, starch or appetizer department. There will be 16 of us, but I think it's comfortable to plan for 12 when you're working out portions. I warn you that we'll have to have little tastes of the dobosh because it's a tough one to bake.

Let me know if you have any questions. I hope this doesn't feel daunting. It's a great way to get to know each other and hear family stories."

Well, it wasn't daunting at all. I made Shrimp Risotto Cakes and was thrilled to see all the dishes that were made. Suky even went to the effort of making labels for everyone's dish.

Here's a photo memory lane from the dinner:

What a wonderful journey we had walking down food memory lane with everyone. Now, if only Suky had asked for recipes. And, by the way, Anna's torte was magnificent in it's presentation and taste.

Well done, Suky. I thank you from the bottom of my heart!