I am a "dabler" of all things creative. I love to paint designs on glass items for a gallery. I like to crochet; make rag rugs; make my own curtains, table runners. I sew when the mood strikes. I love to find new recipes to cook. I play with polymer clay. I love to make things for our home. We grow veggies, and I freeze as much as I can. We pick fresh fruits (blueberries,blackberries,apples,pears) from our local area. I love to learn new things. Oh, dear, I just love all those foods that I shouldn't have! Mexican dishes; potstickers; pizzas; sweets! I am trying to learn more healthy dishes. I love to browse Allrecipes.com for all the latest ideas. I love to make home-made soups, especially after having turkey, or roasted chicken, or beef roast. My soups are really wholesome and filling. Well, my husband and I live alone now, so, I look back at when I grew up for my favorite family cooking traditions. I learned to make soups from my mother. My grandmother used to make egg noodles from scratch. I remember watching her expert hands manipulate the dough; rolling it out so thin and perfect; slicing strips with a big knife. My mother was an excellant cook, too. I enjoyed watching her in the kitchen. No matter what she made, it was interesting to observe the process. My soups are good, and always well received. That makes me feel good. Turkey chili has become a staple for us. I love to create new versions of the chili. The success of the basic recipe, makes me want to experiment with different additions: sometimes adding onion, or celery to the soup changes the overall taste. Adding tomato soup or V-8 is another change-up that I like to use. A really nice version is to add chicken broth and three kinds of beans. It really is fun to experiment. I prefer not to remember my failures. I figure any attempt I make is a learning experience for next time, even if it's not quite right the first time.