The Joy That Jeanne Has Shared With Us

We love that THE GREAT BLOGGERS’ BAKE OFF is a joyful and fun event on WordPress and that it promotes the international talent and creativity as well as the warm spirit that has developed amongst WordPress. But this year feels a little different somehow. We want to go a stop further than fun and creativity and talk about facts and reality.

That is why the JOY OF BAKING this year is weaved into two other areas – HOW TO MAINTAIN JOY IN LIFE DESPITE RISING COSTS and HOW WE CAN TAKE BETTER CARE OF OUR BEAUTIFUL PLANET.

We know that many of you will share the same concerns that we to over rising costs and the damage being done to this beautiful planet. Two WordPress users were invited to share their thoughts ad feelings on these subjects. First of all, we have none other than our very special BAKE OFF JUDGE JEANNE, the Creator of A JEANNE IN THE KITCHEN!!!

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE RISING COST OF FOOD AND OTHER NECESSITIES AND HAVE YOU MADE ANY CHANGES TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN JOY?

We all know the price of food is rising beyond belief. I just heard that in the United States, where I live, the price of food has risen over 13.5% in the past year. WOW!!! That is a HUGE increase! But we all have to eat. There is no getting around that basic fact, so what do we do.

There are all kinds of things we can do to help get around the rising food costs.

Make a list and buy only what you need.
Buy the store brands rather than name brands if you can. More so than not they are exactly the same items as the name brands, and the same quality, just at a lower price.
Buy in bulk if you can, portion off what you need and freeze or store the rest.
Use up those leftovers. Waste not want not. If you are like me, I am not a big fan of eating leftovers in the same recipe or way as the “firstovers” so I recreate and repurpose them all the time.
Instead of going out to eat, especially for lunch, bring in your leftovers for lunch.

For more great tips, visit Jeanne’s post sharing superb practical advice:

BUDGETING IN THE KITCHEN

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT NATURE AND OUR BEAUTIFUL PLANET? WHAT BRINGS YOU THE MOST JOY FROM CREATION?

We have a beautiful planet. I am a believer in God, and God is a magnificent artist. He has given us the most beautiful and fabulous art that we call nature. There is so much beauty all around us. All we have to do is open our eyes and look around. The beauty is there, just waiting to be seen. There is beauty in everything.

I love photography, and I love capturing all the beauty we have, whether it be in my own backyard, or when I am underwater scuba diving, or out and about on my travels. There is so much to see and I appreciate every bit of it.

We need to be respectful of all the gifts that both Mother Nature and God have given to us. We need to work together as a team. Humans and animals need oxygen (O2) to survive. Plants need carbon dioxide (CO2) to survive. Humans and animals expel CO2 when we breathe and plants give off O2. Plants use photosynthesis to capture carbon dioxide and then release half of it into the atmosphere through respiration. Plants also release oxygen into the atmosphere through photosynthesis. So we have a symbiotic relationship.

It is a win/win for everyone and for the planet when we work together. We all need each other, so we all need to take care of each other.

Jeanne shares her love for creation regularly in her beautiful posts:

NATURE WALKS

FLOWERS FROM BELIZE

FLAMINGOS FROM BONAIRE

MARINE LIFE FROM COZUMEL

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO SHARE THE JOY OF BAKING WITH OTHERS?

I love to bake and cook, and I also love to teach others and to share my joys in the kitchen with anyone who is willing to learn. I have taught kids and adults. Sometimes all we need is just someone who is willing to share their time and knowledge with others, and that will ignite a passion, or at least joy, they may not have known was there.

I believe food is a gift of love. When we share our food with others, we are also opening up our hearts and sharing our love with them. I have recently opened up my kitchen to teach adult cooking classes, and I am always hearing about more and more people who want to participate in them. If they keep growing the way that they have been, I might need a bigger kitchen. Food is one of the best ways to break the ice and to learn about other cultures. Food = love.

Jeanne’s cooking and baking posts frequently show how she shares the joy of baking: