Pumpkin bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, or just under two cups
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup water
1 cup chopped pecans plus 8 pecan halves
1 heaping cup fresh cramberries
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored and cut into small pieces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Grease and flour two loaf pans (mine are 9×4x3) and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.
In a medium bowl, carefully whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup and water.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold all of the ingredients together. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl well, finding any stray flour bits to mix in. Fold in most of the chopped pecans, cranberries and apple chunks.
Divide the dough between the two greased pans and arrange pecan halves on top of each loaf. Sprinkle loaf with cinnamon and granulated sugar if you’d like. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Let rest in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.
Cool completely before slicing. Slice into thick pieces and serve. Maybe even wrap one loaf up in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for future munching

be thankful

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends

Forflowers that bloom about our feet;

For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;

For song of bird, and hum of bee;

For all things fair we hear or see

,Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

without you in portuguese

It is nice to taste and live the partnership of a relationship , specially when this way of living as a couple has a spell on you so.... listen to the music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apgOYCiA3jI

one day I will fly away...

I loved this movie and the art of interpretation of Nicole Kidman , she is great as an actress and as a singer, superb!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsdqqqMKkT4

Leadership starts early in life

This little girl has style and really knows the Art of telling Biblical stories and she spoke to me this morning... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4VrujheblY

missing feelings

Today, I got some melancholic and I was thinking about my Dad , our conversations, our great laughs about so many episodes of life , I thank God for the memories I do have and they are so many, time passes by but they are kept alive as a presence and this music followed us ...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKkeDqJBlK8

early in the morning

a beautiful song and great landscapes to bright up your day .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNDctijyRqc

I am going back to my youth ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrxFpcaNlCU

just thinking...

"To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mindthan to be hopelessly in love with spring."~George Santayana

IN MEMORY TO MY FATHER

This song is one of my favourites and I remember quite often that me and my dad used to sing it by the time of thanksgiving and christmas , but this time I will sing it alone , with his weet presence kept in my heart .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXqop7ZsAMo

para Madú, Gigi,Rafa,João,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAInTVeGZCQ Bebel e Alexa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAInTVeGZCQ

FAMÍLIA

saber esperar

Mas os que esperam no SENHOR renovarão as forças, subirão com asas como águias; correrão, e não se cansarão; caminharão, e não se fatigarão"
(Isaías 40:31).
"A esperança Cristã é a esperança que viu tudo e suportou tudo, sem se desesperar, porque ela crê em Deus. A esperança Cristã não espera no espírito humano, na bondade humana, na resistência humana, na realização humana; a esperança cristã espera no poder de Deus." (William Barclay)
Em que, nós cristãos, estamos esperando? Onde estamos depositando a nossa confiança? Em que temos gasto nosso tempo e determinação? A quem estamos entregando nossos sonhos de vitória e felicidade?
Muitas vezes nos queixamos de má sorte, de derrotas, de frustrações, de insatisfação com a vida, por não conseguirmos atingir as nossas metas e nem chegar a lugar algum em nossas andanças neste mundo. Todos conseguem alcançar seus objetivos e nós sempre ficamos para trás.
Estamos sempre sendo derrotados porque não entendemos que as grandes vitórias vêm do Grande Vencedor, nosso Senhor e Salvador Jesus Cristo. Temos nos sentido fracos porque buscamos poder em homens e não no Deus que é Todo Poderoso.
Quando confiamos no Senhor, sabemos esperar a hora certa e a forma correta de receber as bênçãos almejadas. Estamos prontos a suportar as lutas e dificuldades do caminho, compreendendo que lições serão tiradas de todas as experiências vividas e que um edifício sólido e firme estará sendo formado em nós que servirá de morada do Espírito Santo de Deus.
Se a nossa esperança está colocada em amigos, parentes ou pessoas influentes, ela é fraca e incerta. Podemos obter um resultado positivo ou não. Podemos ganhar ou perder. Porém, se está direcionada para o Senhor, trará, com certeza, muita alegria aos nossos corações e será sempre vitoriosa.
Você tem esperado em quem?
Por Paulo Roberto Barbosa

sweet Bebel

Isabel is baking a cake to the bride...

me and Madú

Padu & Rebeca

our princesses

I carry your heart

I carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)i am never without it

(anywherei go you go,

my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing,

my darling)

I fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)

I want

the sky of the sky of a tree called life;

which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart(I carry it in my heart)"I carry your Heart"

E.E Cummings

a piece of heaven

It is so good to have these landscapes to share ...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3BTBH75toM

LOVELY COUPLE

Padú e Rebeca

It was so nice to be in family and friends into this magic wedding party