I’ve been thinking about this, I love to write but for some reason I am having trouble blogging and I finally figured out why I am not a good blogger.  If you’ve been following my blog you know that I am trying to “find my voice.”  One of these suggestions was to take a topic and give my thoughts or point of view on it, so that is what I have been doing.  But the problem is that when I read something that I intend to write about, I want to “research” that topic.   I don’t want to read just one article and rely on the accuracy of that writer’s facts because let’s face it; we all see things in our own way and when we want to sway people to see things our way we will use facts or research that support our theory.  So when a writer/columnist is writing about a topic, they will use documentation that supports their topic. 

I read a two-page article in the NY Times yesterday on earmarking in congress, it was a great article and had all the makings of backing up my thoughts on term limits for congress.  But the trouble was that I didn’t have the time to research everything I wanted to and still write a blog, plus the fact that I think blogs should be a bit on the short side and I could see me expounding on the topic for pages and pages!

Don’t take this to mean that I am going to stop blogging because that is not the case!  I may just change the way I blog to compliment my way of writing.

I don’t know where I’ve been for the past two weeks, because somehow I missed out on the issue of Billy the Kid receiving a pardon from the governor of New Mexico.  Read the article here and then read on for my comments. 

The incoming Governor has said that she won’t even consider the pardon because there are many pressing issues that she will be contending with.  I applaud her. But  Governor Bill Richardson can’t be bothered attending to any REAL issues during the final few days of his term.  That being said, Mr. Richardson is hedging as to whether he will or he won’t pardon Billy the Kid.  (Sorry I couldn’t help that dig.)

At the time of his death there was some talk that New Mexico Territorial Gov. Lew Wallace had offered some type of pardon to Billy in exchange for his testimony in a murder case.  However it seems that Wallace tricked Billy into testifying and never really had any intentions of pardoning him.   Not surprising the descendents of Pat Garrett and Lew Wallace are opposing a pardon for Billy. 

Garrett’s grandson wrote, “The big picture is that Wallace obviously had no intent to pardon Billy — even telling a reporter that fact in an interview on April 28, 1881.  But I do think there was a pardon ‘trick,’ in that Wallace led Billy on to get his testimony.”

Wallace’s great-grandson wrote his ancestor never promised a pardon, so pardoning the Kid “would declare Lew Wallace to have been a dishonorable liar.”

If there is written documentation that Wallace led Billy the Kid on, then I believe they should grant the pardon; if Wallace tricked Billy, he is no better than a dishonorable liar in my book.

A thought occurred to me the other day that I thought was interesting and I hope you think so too.  Different areas of the country have different holiday traditions when it comes to food.  For instance, on my holiday table for Thanksgiving and Christmas there will always be pumpkin pie, apple pecan pie and death by chocolate.  For the Easter Holiday I still have the apple pie and the death, but not generally the pumpkin.  The same holds true for certain foods (comfort foods) if you will, that my family loves.  One of these is pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.  Here is what you need:

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking power, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 large eggs, 1 cup plain pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie mix) 1 stick of melted butter, 1 cup chocolate chips.

Grease muffin tin or use paper baking cups.  Sift flour, pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Stir in the brown sugar and the granulated sugar.  In a separate bowl break eggs, then add pumpkin and butter and whisk until well blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Pour over dry ingredients and fold in with a rubber spatula just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Scoop batter into muffin tins and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.  I usually stick a knife in them to be sure they are completely baked.  If you run out of pie spice you can substitute with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger and 1/2 teaspoon cloves.  These are actually better on the 2nd day. 

Here is what they look like.

Leave me a note and let me know your traditions or favorites!