when time is precious

This is my busy time at work - I come home tired, I make supper, eat and then sit on the sofa and look at things...all kinds of things. Lately I am obsessed by old cameras. The kind that take film. The kind where the camera costs $10 and the film costs $30...if you can get the film that is. Having never really shot film cameras to any extent, I am intrigued by the concept. When I was little I got a Polaroid camera for Christmas. I don't know what happened to it - but I found this old SX-70 on eBay and had to have it. Now, I just need to get film.

I also longingly gaze at my basket of yarn and my 'pink' project that just needs two little, very little sleeves. I can't seem to get to those sleeves. Maybe this weekend.

And on an absolutely irrelevant point, the Babe dropped food on the cowhide on the floor and said he cleaned it up - the cat has been licking the cowhide for the last 15 minutes....I am guessing that the Babe's cleaning needs some work :)

weekend rituals

I love those Saturday mornings, that when I get up I KNOW I am going to have a good day. I have these neurotic weekend rituals and without them my weekend just is not the same. I get up, make coffee, check my email, facebook, flickr, blog,...(I know, that is SO lame!), and then I set out to shoot an inspirational picture for the week. The rule for that is that the picture has to make me happy every time I look at it. I then print it out on this little mini photo printer I have and put it in my January Moleskine notebook....yes, I have a Moleskine journal notebook for every month that I fill up with writing, little notes of things I want to blog about and I paste my inspirational photos in there.

Something about that whole set of tasks destresses me from my crazy work week and sets the mood for the rest of the weekend. I know everyone of you has these little rituals - share them with me - these are the kinds of little bits that make me excited and that give me ideas for my photos.

....and, THANK YOU all for voting in the poppies. I was so excited to get more than my initial two votes and I was tickled pink that Meri nominated me :)

a tiny favour!

I am kind of shy about doing this but I have been nominated by lovely Meri for "favorite photographer" in the Poppies awards. I was hoping to get a few more than two votes, one of which was from the Babe :) so please click on the link here and up my count a little bit if you enjoy my pictures. My goal is to get more than two votes. I believe voting only goes until January 29.

a recipe

I have had so many writing deadlines at work this week that I feel all "writed out". Even thinking up this blog post seems complicated today. Thank goodness I have a great recipe to share with you. I found a great food blog, the 10Cent Diet, by a fellow Calgary gal who calls herself the 10Cent designer. I loved all the recipes so much that I ordered her Blurb book so that I would always have my favorites on hand. Her recipes are gluten and dairy free and encourage using organic foods. The recipe I have made at least four times already is the Baked Saffron Eggs. This has become our staple weekend breakfast recipe. This dish is yummy, easy to make and you can customize it by adding various ingredients to it. Here is the basic recipe:

Baked Saffron Eggs

1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 Tbsp. butter (original recipe called for ghee, but butter works fine)
1/2 Tbsp. butter (for greasing ramekins)
4 med shallots, diced
6 tiny tomatoes, sliced
pinch of saffron
coarse salt to taste
fresh ground pepper
3 large free run eggs

Directions:
preheat oven to 375° F
1. In a skillet, toast cumin for a minute or so on medium heat. Next add the butter to skillet and once heated, add the shallots. Cook until soft (about 3 minutes).

2. Add the tomatoes to the skillet, a bit of salt and a pinch of saffron. Cook until heated through and beginning to soften (about 3 minutes)

3. Thoroughly grease 3 ramekins with butter. Place ramekins on a baking sheet so you can move them easily in and out of the oven. Fill the bottom of each ramekin with the tomato and shallot mixture. Crack one egg into each ramekin. Bake for 12 minutes (check at 10, might take 14).

4. Sprinkle a little more saffron on each, fresh ground black pepper and some course salt.

I customize the recipe by sometimes adding in olives and/or mushrooms or whatever else my taste buds command me to do.

Give this a try - you won't be disappointed. Happy weekend.