About RamonaZF

www.marthastewart.com/users/RamonaZF

Bio

• Female

About me

I'm sort of a late bloomer... Okay, by most standards, I'm a REALLY late bloomer! I'm 47 years old, the stay-at-home mom of a 4-year-old daughter and married 9 years to the finest man in the world, and my best friend. I'm working on being a writer (instead of just thinking about it). I love my family, friends, cooking, board games, and movies. Due to several chronic health issues, my life sometimes feels a little out-of-control so currently I'm slowly re-focussing on what makes me 'purr' inside.

I'm interested in

Cooking and baking
Entertaining
Home and decorating
Gardening
Health and fitness
Travel

I also like

Cooking

Paint

Cat

Healthy

Challenging

A reward

Beautiful

A few great choices

Traditional

If traveling to a remote cottage, I'd bring:

Music

Oh my! Sarah Brightman:Eden, African Children's Choir:It Takes a Whole Village, Allison Krauss:Now That I've Found You, Rod Stewart:As Time Goes By, Carol King:Tapestry, Michael Buble:anything!

A movie

Crash, The River Wild, Four Weddings and a Funeral, When a Man Loves A Woman, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Cousin Vinny, As Good As It Gets, Face Off, The Princess Bride, Milo and Otis, Planet Earth

Something to read

Eat Pray Love, Redeeming Love, Safely Home, The Road Less Traveled, The Kite Runner, The Covenant... anything by Randy Alcorn, Max Lucado, Alexander McCall Smith, Sue Grafton, Barbara Kingsolver

A photo of

My husband on our honeymoon, my daughter in motion, and me when I was just over a year old...waving a potato masher... I was 'helping' my Mom make supper... who I really am is all over my face!

Plus

Blistex (in the blue tub), blowdryer and my good brush, cozy bathrobe, Satsuma soap, green tea, quilt, sunglasses, good walking/hiking boots and the latest edition of 'O' magazine (sorry Martha)!

My favorite place in my home

Living Room
Kitchen
Garden

My signature dish

I don't really have a signature 'dish' as much as a signature style... I don't like 'fussy' and I use recipes 'guidelines' not 'absolutes'. The food at my table is simple, made from scratch with fresh ingredients, and often combines unusual flavours and textures - I borrow from all ethnicities, and I break a lot of 'rules'. Presentation is very important to me - I always try to create a feast for all of the senses. People usually take time to just smell the food first and delight in the colours!

My dream vacation

One of my dream vacations would be France on one of those cooking holidays... two or three weeks to study with a chef - in the morning you go to the markets and shop for your ingredients, in the afternoon you cook, and in the evening you dine with your colleagues and visit the sites! HEAVEN! I also want to spend a year in Africa - Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Eritrea, and Morocco. And, one day, my husband and I will walk the Camino de Santiago and the West Coast Trail. Big enough?

My hero

Regular people who, simply being themselves, accomplish extraordinary things - things they don't see as being extraordinary - they just simply say "yes" to whatever God and life require of them. Among these would be several of my friends and family - especially my Grandmother - and those who prefer 'excellence' over 'perfection' - among these are my husband, Pope JPII, Oprah Winfrey, Immaculee Ilibagiza, Martin Luther King, Ruth and Billy Graham, Marla Ciley, my friends Naoise and Geraldine.

My most valued possession

My most valued possessions are integrity, character, and faith. Without these I don't really exist, and I am unable to accomplish anything of value. My integrity is what makes me someone people can rely on and trust, and that which dictates the quality of my relationships - from it issues love. My character is what allows me to face myself in the mirror each morning, and to sleep soundly at night. My faith sets my life to music, and allows me the energy to dance, regardless of the circumstances.

Personal note

"We know what we are, but know not what we may be." - WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE -\r\n\r\n"You are a child of God.... 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." \r\n- MARIANNE WILLIAMSON -