raining sheep

frugal living II: flowers

2012-02-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

I am quite certain that those of you who have been reading my blog for any length of time know that I love flowers. Here in Calgary, where the winter is long we only enjoy flowers outside for a very short time. Hence, I love buying flowers every week to cheer up my space. That can be an expensive habit. Because all the flowers are shipped here from somewhere far away, they tend to be expensive. One can easily spend $35 or more for a bouquet of flowers. Of course, when tulips are in season, it's wonderful because for $5 I can certainly indulge. So, to keep things reasonable, I have started buying flowering plants from my local greenhouse. The primroses above were $2.99 each and I have had them blooming here for three weeks now and I have a feeling they will be around for a few more weeks going by the number of buds ready to bloom.

I can't say that the socks I finished would qualify as frugal living. All you knitters out there certainly know how much yarn costs! But...they sure are happy socks and will soon be making their way to Vancouver Island to live with my mom.

Happy weekend all.

frugal living: cold-process soap

2012-01-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

So, one of my goals is to live more frugally this year. I am happy to say that I have done well in January. I cleaned out clutter, have not bothered buying anything and focused on doing some of the new things I wanted to learn. This week it was cold-processed soap. Making your own soap is less expensive than buying commercially made soap and you know exactly what is in it. I took a class, which I think is the best way to go because you get advice and learn basic techniques that you can expand on later as you get more into soap-making. I can see how this might become rather addictive. Homemade soap makes wonderful, personal gifts for any occasion.

Something I am becoming more aware of is the chemicals in cosmetics and products we use on our body. Some of these are cancer-causing. I have learned how to make my own cream and lotion and so it makes sense to learn how to make soap. My particular recipe has palm oil, olive oil, shea butter and one batch has goat's milk in it the other does not. I love the fact that I know every ingredient that is in there. In order to make soap, you need to use lye. Lye is what causes saponification to take place. All soap, homemade and commercial, has lye in it. Lye is not hard to work with at all - you just need to respect it. Wear gloves and safety eye wear and work in a well ventilated room. My soap is scented with lavender for the one batch and peppermint/rosemary for the other batch. I also added some calendula flowers to give the soap soothing properties.

Peeps, this was SO much fun!

weirdness

2012-01-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

All I can say is -30C...that is so freakishly cold...and with the windchill about -40 and the dryness, I feel like my skin cannot possibly stretch any further. I have been slathering on face cream like never before. So, I did what any normal person should do under these circumstances and finished making the Babe's socks, which I then promptly borrowed. I also started another pair of socks because there is just no such thing as too many hand-knit socks!

Very weird week at work...I have worked almost every day for the last two weeks from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. In a nutshell our company has been bought out by another. A very common occurrence here in oil and gas town. Being an investor relations manager, it has not exactly been a picnic for me. What does that mean for me? Meh, dunno! It could mean a great severance or working for someone new. I have to sit two months in limbo before I know. I hate that. Considering I just started working for this company after working for 10 years at my old one....it's a great deal of change in my life in a short while. All I can do is wait and breathe...and knit :)

Happy weekend.

skindeep

2012-01-14T13:54:00.001-07:00

Alright peeps! Today I am touching on skin care. I am 50 now, FIFTY!!!! When my mom was 50, I was 20 years old and I seem to recall I thought she was old - as is typical with the selfishness of youth. Of course, ahem, today, 50 is supposedly the new 40...or so I read in many publications. The inescapable fact is that I have noticed my skin changing and wrinkles breeding at the same rate as rabbits. I admit I am the worst steward of my skin - I wash my face with soap, Dr. Brommers lavender scent to be exact. I only started using face cream two years ago - I use an Aveda face cream with tourmaline in it; please don't ask me what that means! I only use face cream during the winter and I rarely wear sun screen even though I run outside in the summer. In spite of this, for a person my age, my skin is not too bad. I don't smoke, which helps tremendously; I don't wear any make-up except for a tiny bit of blush (don't want to scare people at work in the morning with my pasty, white face) and mascara, and most days I am lazy to even put that on. I also don't eat tons of really bad food.

I don't know ANYTHING about skin care, but I truly enjoyed this post on beautiful skin by Janet. I have Janet's blog 'Gardener's Cottage' on my side bar because her blog journal is full of applicable recipes, decorating advice and beauty tips, simple living advice and fashion tips for real women along with genuine thoughts and feelings peppering all the great words.

....AND...to fulfill another New Year's goal, I took a lotions and potions making class at a local soapwork company and man, was that FUN or what. I made a whipped body butter, a hydrating cream and a body lotion using all natural ingredients, free of parabens(?) and other nasty stuff.

Happy weekend peeps!

vegan food

2012-01-06T17:15:00.000-07:00

Alright, here we go ... vegan food. These are the most awful pictures ever...except for the one of the cat. I work until 6:00 p.m. nowadays, so when I get home it is pitch black outside and my SLR (which has no flash) is useless under incandescent lighting. So....I used my iPhone. And while we are in full disclosure mode, I confess that I ate a piece of pepperoni on my no meat day - half a small stick to be exact - because when I got home I was so hungry I could chew my arm off.

One of my new year's goals is to eat more vegan food. Now, let's not kid anyone here, I am not a vegan - I live in Calgary where nary a vegetable grows between September to June, it's winter most of the year and the second largest industry after oil and gas is beef farming. Our fruits and veg are all imported, probably sprayed with who knows what to keep from rotting during transport. However, I will attempt to have some non-meat days and to have some vegan dishes on those days - the Babe is officially not participating in this. The above is roasted squash with portobello mushroom. Apparently the squash is organic, or so it claims. I am not certain where the squash was grown, but I can tell you it was not here. I can also tell you that this dish is so delicious, the scent of sage permeates the house and it's like thanksgiving in January. This dish is vegan and gluten free (I think) and apparently a quarter of this squash with filling has only 254 calories - now I am sure we all like that at this time of the year. Personally, I devoured an entire half on my own, even after the pepperoni stick. The recipe came from some juicing website, which very often does not work, so I will just write it out here.

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Mushroom and Sage
1 medium Acorn Squash
3/4 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper
6 Tbsp. Olive Oil, plus extra for brushing
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 large Portobello Mushroom, chopped
1 small Onion, chopped
2 tsp. Fresh Sage, finely chopped
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes, optional

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim off each end of the squash. Stand the squash upright and halve lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp and the seeds and discard. Brush each squash half with olive oil, and then sprinkle with 3/4 tsp. salt and the black pepper.

Arrange cut sides down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast the squash until the flesh is tender and the edges are golden brown, approximately 25-35 minutes and remove from oven.

While the squash roasts, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute 2 minutes, or until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the mushrooms, sage, 1/4 tsp. salt and the red pepper flakes if using, and saute until the mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Fill the roasted squash halves with the mushroom mixture and bake again for another 10 minutes.

Makes 4 servings
Per serving:

Calories: 254
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 2.5 g

..and so it goes on

2012-01-02T21:13:00.001-07:00

There are places on this earth that are paradise. Emerald Lake Lodge in Yoho National Park is one of those places. We cross country skied, sat by a roaring fire, ate beautiful food and brought in the new year in style with champagne. As I looked through my photos of this wondrous place I realized I cannot abandon my blog because I would have no one to share these photos with. I also had a chance to make some goals. I know not everyone is into new year's goals, but I am one of those people who loves goals and thrives when I have something to be accountable for.

...and so here they are - I am sharing them with you so I have more propensity to meet at least some of them :)

~ be more frugal
~ save money
~ pay off any debt
~ shop my closet
~ declutter
~ run regularly
~ lose 10 lbs
~ eat more vegan food
~ learn to sew pillow covers
~ learn to make candles (the soy wax kind)
~ learn to make some body products (soap, face cream, lip balm)
~ learn to make jam

I think that group of 12 should give me enough blogging fodder for the year. I hope to blog about each of the 12 topics over the next year and hopefully be encouraged to achieve these goals by discussing them regularly here.

The best in 2012 to all of you and many hugs and thanks for your kind words to me!

musings for the new year

2011-12-29T19:16:00.001-07:00

For some reason I seem to do my deepest pondering in the morning, during my holidays, usually while enjoying my first cup of coffee and my soft-boiled egg. It is a ritual.

I have been pondering my blog today...and 2012. I feel out of sorts - I have been working on my degree for over 10 years and now that it is over I feel kind of empty...exhilarated that the school journey is finished and completed; however, I feel unsettled, restless. I am not certain what to write about on this blog anymore; my life feels a bit disarranged. You know, I keep asking "what does this all mean?" and what is the "this" exactly? Maybe because I am now a half century old, and as my dear mom would say, entering the last half hour on a clock!! I struggle with whether I want to keep up with my blog or go find myself first or something :) I know! I am very lucky that these are the only issues I have in my life!

I am a big proponent of new year goals and I am definitely going to be thinking about mine this weekend. Who knows, maybe 2012 will be my time to determine what I want to enhance or change in my life. Or, maybe I REALLY need to lighten up and run another marathon or something.

the clear-out

2011-12-26T13:55:00.000-07:00

I honestly cannot face another piece of chocolate, cookie, cheese or other such thing. I hate Christmas decorations after Christmas...they just look sad. So, I purged the house of Christmas and feel a lot better. And just to make it clear to myself that I seriously need to lose the 'at least three pounds I gained the last few weeks', instead of joining the shopping frenzy, I stayed home and made myself one of my favorite foods:

chopped apple,
a dollop of greek yogurt,
some cinnamon,
and top it off with flax seed

I know there is still New Year's Eve to get through, but this little bowl of health is the perfect thing right at this moment.

'tis the day before Christmas

2011-12-23T10:36:00.001-07:00

As you all probably know, Christmas for me is on the 24th and we are pretty well set around here.
The parcels are wrapped and placed under the tree,
The table is set, almost,
The critters are decorated,
The live critters are being lazy enjoying the warmth of a fireplace,
The human critters have some more baking and lots of cooking to do,
but most important of all,

Wishing you a very merry Christmas and Peace on Earth in 2012!

Cheers peeps

yes you spy a sock!

2011-12-18T22:04:00.000-07:00

I was going to make spiced nuts and this amazing chocolate-dipped shortbread today...and I did make both those things... and both were a disaster. The spiced nuts were a new recipe and I should have just stuck to my old one...I'm sure you have all been there! The shortbread was fantastic until I dipped it in chocolate and put it on the wire rack to let the excess drip off, to which wire rack the shortbread proceeded to adhere to with such passion that not a single scraping implement I owned could pry it loose. Sigh! And additionally, nothing at all tastes good to me right now, probably because I have been stuffing my face with all kinds of food for the last two weeks and right now, I think one of those juicing diets is probably not a bad thing.

On the other hand, I am nearly done my first sock in like two years and I did sleep in this morning under my lovely crochet blanket. All in all, a good day.

i promised last week

2011-12-09T17:57:00.002-07:00

I promised I would give you the recipe for the oatmeal, chocolate chip loaf so here it is. This loaf is not too sweet, hence why it is perfect with Nutella or orange marmalade on top, or I love it with a sharp cheese! You can layer the dry ingredients into a 1-quart canning jar and give it away as gifts - just remember to write out the recipe and include it. I found this recipe in a Yoga magazine and absolutely love it.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Loaf

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup light brown or raw sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking power
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips

1 cup butter milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil

Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl.
Mix buttermilk, eggs and canola oil in a separate bowl.
Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix until everything is just moistened (batter will be lumpy).
Butter and flour (I just used baking spray) a loaf pan and pour batter in.
Bake at 350F until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean (about 40 minutes).

Happy weekend all.

and so it begins

2011-12-03T14:29:00.002-07:00

The sharp sound of my shutter going off permeated through the silence of our home today...the Babe said, "Now, that is a sound I have not heard for a long time!" Somehow fitting that I graduated just before December 1 arrived. I don't think I could stand another holiday with studying involved. Instead I have been coming home from work rather out of sorts because I need to establish a new order in my life, which once again includes doing things that give me pleasure. Ever so slowly, I am starting to feel the desire to make again.

This first weekend in December includes the tree, of course, and a baking project. To commit myself to posting on this space next weekend, I promise to bring you the recipe for the chocolate chip-oatmeal loaf in my photos. I had to try making it first to see if I loved the taste - I did, especially with Nutella on top.

Happy weekend peeps!

around the house

2011-11-08T16:05:00.002-07:00

So here is the deal:

13 days to graduation
13 days to my 50th birthday
6 days till I start my new job
4 days till I get my new car
today....started vacation for the next week.

As you can tell, a great deal of activity in this part of Canada!! Lots of deep breaths and I think everything will fall in place!

almost there

2011-09-25T16:51:00.000-06:00

Another course completed, two to go....and only two more edges to finish on my blanket. Somehow symbolic, no?

last days of summer meditation

2011-09-18T17:03:00.000-06:00

The world can be an arrogant place, demanding constant attention. But, today is one those last days of summer when the sun shows itself late in the morning and dissipates the chill that is a prelude to autumn. Most of the time I suffer from an endless case of busy brain, my mind constantly humming with life's stresses. Today I am sitting outside and time is standing still. For once my mind is not moving forward or backwards into a reproachful past, and I am truly in the moment. I feel my 'self' untethering from the world and simply perceiving the biosphere of my backyard enclave. I am meditating in my own manner - I squint my eyes and through slits take in the color of the flowers in their last blush of prettiness; I am laughing at the birds, fat from gorging on birdseed, splashing in the bird bath. They are fighting over the scarce real-estate that my bird bath affords. I want to archive all this with my lens and am frustrated that I am unable to capture the mood in the resulting images. I wistfully realize that it is lack of practice on my part to see and capture beauty lately. Yet I understand that even this is part of this moment, a temporary state to be gracefully accepted.

I really am studying.....

2011-09-01T21:07:00.000-06:00

I am studying...
but....I found beautiful cherries, raspberries, blackberries, and peaches at the market and a crisp was in order
with some blush French wine
and then I needed to capture it all...of course.

a quiet moment

2011-08-19T21:31:00.000-06:00

Just a quick hello; yes, I am still here. I am taking a quiet moment, between all the papers, to feel the peacefulness of the setting sun, that moment when dusk sets in. I have three courses left and then I graduate. I doubled up on my courses so graduation day will come sooner... which means I will be back in my corner on the Internet sooner than planned. But for now, I am enjoying this tiny, quiet moment.

between courses

2011-07-08T11:29:00.000-06:00

No deadlines, a long weekend, beautiful sunshine, before a golf game, doing nothing... these are definitely my favorite kinds of summer moments. Morning coffee just makes everything feel so good.

sometimes you need to disconnect for a while

2011-06-19T15:11:00.000-06:00

As you all probably know, I have been working on finishing my degree for longer than I have been blogging. I am almost at the end. I have five courses left and will be done in January 2012, about seven months from now. I have decided to not take any breaks between my courses between now and then. So, as a result, I am going to be pretty much not blogging. I have thought about this for a long time and I think I need a break. Blogging, even just once a week is starting to feel like another deadline to me and right now I can't handle any more deadlines. I am going to get my courses done, I am learning how to play golf this summer and doing quite a bit of hiking with a girlfriend. I am not really picking up my needles at all or my crochet hook.

I am not closing down my blog, there will occasionally be something new in this space, but only when I have the time and when I have something great to post. My comments will be open for another two weeks and then I will hide them until I am done my degree. Once I finish school, I will have time again to DO things that I can write about. I will probably not be around the Internet as much either. I will put photos on flickr of the wonderful places I hike to this summer and sometimes I will post them in this space as well.

I hope you all have a great summer; I will be back here full time when my courses are done after Christmas. Hugs.

Raina

home again

2011-06-11T20:17:00.001-06:00

New York - dirt, noise, smell, fantastic restaurants, central park, green peeking out amongst the concrete-ness, fabulous shopping...fabulous shopping...did I say fabulous shopping? Perfect weather, 28 degrees almost every day. The first seven days we rented a little studio apartment (the operative word here is "little" - like maybe 400 sq. ft.); my last four days I spent in the Ritz-Carlton on the waterfront. What a crazy time!

favorite places to eat - prune restaurant, gramercy tavern, pure food and wine

favorite districts - Flatiron/Gramercy, Meatpacking District, Chelsea, Battery Park

favorite places to shop - Moschino , Jimmy Choo, Ann Taylor (we don't have that store in Canada), every little indie boutique in SOHO and NOHO, and matta ny

favorite walk - from Battery Park along the waterfront all to way to the Meatpacking district and back, time 2 hours total

things we did - walk the high line, go to the top of the Rockeffeler Center, went to listen to music at Webster Hall, went to a little underground concert we were spontaneously invited to by a photo gallery dude who we hit it off with; the concert took place at the John Varvatos store (the babe's favorite shopping place), we went to the Chelsea Market and checked out all the foodie heaven stalls, we rode the Subway, often in the wrong direction. We walked the Brooklyn Bridge, we shopped at Saks and lost each other, we walked in Central Park, I went to see the World Trade Center site.

downer - the $900 I willingly paid in duty on my declared items and the subsequent 2-hour suitcase search and grilling by Customs Canada in Montreal - man I hate those people, power-hungry a$$holes!

All in all a fantastic vacation mixed with some fun business.

clean food

2011-05-26T17:23:00.002-06:00

Sometimes my diet sucks! Busyness at work, school, not running my regular five times a week...next thing you know my pants don't fit. Being very small (I am only 5 feet) even two pounds means I am up a dress size. That is when I take time to refocus and tuck into my healthy cookbooks. My latest favorite are Clean Food and Clean Start by Terry Walters. This is a recipe I adapted from her Clean Start cookbook for asparagus with miso lemon dressing. I just added edamame to it.

You can find the recipe on Terry Walker's website here or at the end of my post. I basically substituted one cup of shelled, frozen edamame in lieu of one of the bunches of asparagus. I used toasted almond slivers instead of the Marcona almonds, which I could not find here. I served the dish with broiled salmon and it was delicious and healthy.

I am away from this space for the next couple of weeks as I am heading to New York for some vacation time for a week and then I am gone on business for another week. See you all soon.

Asparagus and Edamame with Miso Lemon Dressing

2 bunches asparagus (or 1 bunch asparagus and 1 cup frozen edamame, thawed)
1/4 cup water
3 garlic cloves, minced (2 cloves if you like things less garlicky)
2 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sweet brown rice miso
1/4 cup Marcona almonds (or whole blanched almonds)

Preparation

To prepare asparagus, cut off and discard woody ends and chop remaining stalks into bite-size pieces.

In large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat, bring water to boil. Add asparagus and cook 2 minutes or until bright green and just soft. Remove from heat, drain water and set aside.

In small skillet over medium-low heat, sauté garlic in olive oil until soft (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and miso, mixing until miso is dissolved. Pour dressing over asparagus, transfer to serving dish, top with almonds and serve.

SERVES 4

guest blogging today

2011-05-20T11:32:00.000-06:00

The perfect day starts with a yummy breakfast and popping over to visit lovely Victoria's blog, San Francisco Girl by the Bay. Her blog is a daily ritual - hence I am absolutely tickled pink that she asked me to guest blog at her space while she is cavorting in New York City. So head on over to Victoria's place to catch up with this week's post.

weekending

2011-05-14T18:03:00.002-06:00

This city can be so infuriating! If it is not snowing and freezing cold, it's sunny and so windy that anyone with contact lenses dare not show their face outside for fear their eyes will be filled with enough dust and dirt to fill a sandbox. The cat and I have been keeping ourselves safely within the confines of our home, doing what we love to do most - weekending. Weekending, as you all know, is undertaking important tasks such as crochet, drinking wine, photography, and trying to find the perfect muffin recipe. You know, one of those recipes that you can make all the time, that is healthy, low-fat and scrump-delicious. Anyone have anything good like that for me?

inventory

2011-05-07T10:14:00.000-06:00

Decided to take an inventory of all the crochet I have started but not finished - two blankets and two pillows. One blanket needs five more squares and an edging, second blanket will be done when hell freezes over, and the two pillows need backs. Sigh! I figure there is at least a year's worth of work there at the pace I have been going.

I also took stock of my pathetic closet - I had purged so many things that I pretty much had nothing left to wear for spring. I have a corporate job - professional clothing is a must and I am typically a really boring dresser. So I really splurged and made an appointment with a personal shopper at Holt Renfrew. Although it cost me like half a year's worth of mortgage payments, it was the best thing I have ever done. She picked out six items for me (all very cute), designed by a Canadian designer and sewn here in Canada, the fabric is all manufactured in Italy, no slave labour involved, and I cannot believe how versatile these items are. I can make well over an entire week's worth of outfits out of these six items. It's all great quality and I can build on this foundational wardrobe...and best of all, my closet still looks very minimal. A good week I would say...now to go and make that macaroni and cheese!

the beautiful outdoors

2011-04-29T19:36:00.000-06:00

Last weekend was so beautiful I actually took some outdoor photos. I thought you would enjoy seeing some of the outtakes. This week we were 'blessed' with 15 cm of snow...but, it is melting and Sunday will be nice again.

I am busy doing some crochet; I have some pillows starting to happen. My only issue is how do I sew the crochet onto a cloth backing? Anyone have any tutorials to point me to? I want the back of the pillows to be fabric and the front to be crochet. Help!

I have been thinking of doing a magazine type project to document my seasons each year. I never seem to really remember what my garden looked like, or what my Christmas looked like, or what special recipes I made. It would be nice to have a reminder of the things I do each season. Not sure how I want to structure it, but it's something I could share on my blog every three months or so. I still have school until February of next year. So less than a year to go. Basically that gives me the opportunity to start planning the project and start shooting deliberate photos to begin this visual diary.

Happy weekend all.

happy easter

2011-04-22T12:44:00.001-06:00

Finally, the sun is shining outside and I had my morning smoothie and then several cups of coffee in my backyard. Although it really is only about 6 degrees, Celcius that is, my yard is south facing and has its own little ecosystems going on as long as there is some sun. There is green stuff out there coming out of the ground and that makes me feel so relieved. This winter was so cold and snowy that I doubted my perennials would make it.

To celebrate this moment of spring amidst all the cold and snow we have had, I made myself a healthy green smoothie. Something about drinking in all that goodness that gives me a feeling of excess winter pounds just melting away. You do need a good blender for this, but here is the recipe:

Pineapple Spinach Smoothie

1 cup fresh pineapple
2 cups fresh packed spinach
6 cubes of ice

Blend. Drink. Feel good.

Happy Easter everyone. Enjoy your long weekend and buy yourselves some good chocolate.

a lovely random saturday

2011-04-16T12:52:00.000-06:00

What a great Saturday. My favorite breakfast, a little random reading, contemplating some crochet, and of course a lot of sleeping in. It helps that it is snowing like crazy here and a bit cold. Not a good day for a run around the river; the perfect excuse to cocoon and hunker down. I love days like this because the possibilities for procrastination are most certainly epic. I start another class next week so I am milking this for all that it's worth.

I am reading some serious stuff, ahem, like Emily Chalmers Modern Vintage Style - such a great distraction. Of course, I love pondering that style, but myself probably could not live with it as it requires a fair amount of tchotkes, which would drive 'miss I-love-my-surfaces-bare' crazy.

Happy weekend peeps!

color still does live here

2011-04-09T20:03:00.000-06:00

Lest you think things are getting a bit maudlin in this corner of the internet, fret not. Color is still alive and well in my world. I realized I have a bit of an obsession for Le Creuset pots. I have quite a few and since I bristle at conformity I never really buy them in the same color - I prefer a rainbow. I purchased the new purple one today and decided they all look rather jolly all together like that. Le Creuset, in my opinion, are the best pots one can own. I do everything in mine, including baking my bread. I purchased the oval one hoping I can make my Tartine bread in a batard shape rather than the boule. I find round bread hard to slice.

I am certain you noticed that little bit of crochet. I had this fabulous, colorful yarn (I think it is Debbie Bliss or something like that), the only balls that survived my de-cluttering a while back. I decided to just make random granny squares and started piecing them together. Not certain what to make - perhaps a fun, colorful pillow. Granny squares are soothing to crochet - there is simply no agenda, just stitches coming together.

Happy weekend all.

dark clouds

2011-04-05T20:57:00.000-06:00

The Island was shrouded in shadows last week. The way it sometimes is in early April. The dark clouds matched my mood. Going through my parents house I see an accumulation of a lifetime. My mother tells me that she has assigned the artwork in the house to each of us girls - I get St. Rita who is knitting wool directly off the back of a sheep. So appropriate. We collect things but one day these will be gone - divided - and a lifetime of what was important is dissected into that which is kept and that which is discarded. These thoughts disturb me and make me twitchy, I wish I had brought my running stuff with me.

spring? where?

2011-03-26T15:10:00.000-06:00

I went to brunch this morning with a favorite girlfriend. The snow is falling outside in that cold, prickly kind of manner that seems to be its calling card in Calgary's version of spring. Girlfriend wanted me to go out with her tonight to a little party, but I am at home now, the fireplace is on, bread is rising, and I don't particularly want to venture out in the cold. The skies are a color of grey that spells out "cocooning'.

I hope I have completely different images for you next week after my trip to Vancouver Island. I will be late posting because I am going to be away, but perhaps there will be images of the ocean rather than snow. The Island is enveloped in its own grey skies and rain so the color blue may not make an appearance - regardless, it is time away and I am looking forward to it. I have made a pact with myself that this time each year, I will go to a warm place with flowers, sun, and lots of heat. Life is too short.

right now

2011-03-20T10:55:00.000-06:00

You know how sometimes you just walk around the house and all of a sudden you love everything? That's kind of how I felt today. Typically everything is so familiar in my home that I don't really see it, but today, everything I looked at made me realize that I love every corner. Sure, we need to do a ton of renovating still, the kitchen is a late 70s disaster painted over by a late 80s disaster, but no matter; it all seemed perfect today. Obviously, I am on the school/work deadline count-down. Last week of school coming up and I sign off the film for the annual report I have been writing this coming week as well. To celebrate such awesomeness I baked bread and I have been running around the house snapping images of corners and bits that seem specifically sublime today. Even the sun was shining for the occasion.

p.s. photo number 2 - my own homemade bread made from my own starter - no commercial yeast used in the process.

peace on earth, so elusive

2011-03-12T23:51:00.000-07:00

It's hard to complain right now about anything - I look at the world and it seems as most of it is suffering. People are dying in wars, earthquakes, floods. Every minute someone is in distress. I have to admit that I feel guilty every time I whine about something, because quite honestly we are lucky. All I can do is light a candle and hope for peace. I am making my way through this month and soon I will be on the other side. Two more weeks of school and then I go visit my parents on Vancouver Island. I can't wait to feel the ocean breeze brushing my face, breathe in the salty, damp air. That place is like a tonic - as soon as I get off that plane and smell that smell, that I can't describe, every worry and stressful thing just seems to roll off my shoulders.

The last few weekends I was taking an artisan bread-baking course at the local technical school. It was fabulous - although I am wearing the results :) The experience has encouraged me to look into the one-week artisan bread-baking worshop at the San Francisco Baking Institute. I am seriously considering it. They offer three levels, each level is a week. Perhaps I could take one level each year - a week in San Francisco learning how to bake bread sounds simply wonderful.

unintended

2011-03-05T18:28:00.001-07:00

I seem to have taken an unintended blog break. Life got away from me a bit lately. I am in the middle of my course and have to admit to being a bit overwhelmed. Normally I take breaks between my classes, but this time I needed to go right into another course...I also had bread baking class last weekend....work is a bit hellish as I have my writing deadlines...next thing I know two weeks have gone by and I have not picked up my camera once.

I purchased Margaret Roach's new book And I Shall Find Peace There. You need to watch the video clip because honestly, you will be delighted. I watched it and took a big sigh. I read the book cover to cover (well, on my iPad anyways, no more acquiring physical books for me, I am trying to shed stuff). Margaret Roach was the editorial director at Martha Stewart and she decided to 'drop out', move into the woods (her country home in upstate New York) and garden. The book is wonderful and I must say gives me the urge to drop out myself...except I can't, not yet. This is what the minimalism is all about in my life lately. Some would say I am lucky, I have a really great job. But, the corporate rat-race is overwhelming and I keep thinking that I need to start living my life - soon! Strange concept, as most people think you are living your life when you are at a great point in the career path. When we work for others we are not masters of our own destiny, ever. Financial freedom and being able to live without a gazillion tchochkes surrounding you, is the means to get out of the rat-race earlier, hopefully be able to work less or freelance. And have time to take more photos. Check out Margaret's other blog, a way to garden. I love the slide shows on it, the great recipes and all the flower porn, especially when it's like -20 here.

was not going to post this week but...

2011-02-19T16:38:00.001-07:00

...I took these photos of my dining room and had to share. Those tulips look fake. I got this tulip table (how appropriate) after Christmas, and yes the chairs don't go with it, but eventually I will get new ones. I just love the marble top - so easy to clean. I am in the middle of finals and papers, etc. so just popping in for a second. My next course is World Mythology...I know, what is that? I looked at the outline and nearly spit my coffee out...the female divine, the male divine...I am getting a business degree, this is too funny.

Also, while writing random things here, I started my sourdough bread starter...three times now! Apparently there is supposed to be some kind of wild yeast thing happening. Obviously not in my house. This third batch is bubbling so I take that as a good sign. Anyone start their own starter before? Any hints, advice, blessed words of wisdom? Please help me.

our daily bread

2011-02-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are sadly on some kind of gluten free diet, you may not want to read on. However, for all the bread lovers out there, this is an ode to bread. Yes, I have pink valentine-friendly tulips, but the item filling my soul with passion is bread...specifically Aviv's bread. Aviv is actually a mathematician/science dude with a master's in biomedical engineering. Instead of toiling 24 hours a day as a financial analyst, he toils 24 hours a day creating the most wonderful, crusty, perfect artisan, springy spongy sourdoughs and scones that will ever pass human lips. Really, the most perfect thing for Valentine's day along with a spicy, dry chorizo and locally made Canada Gouda cheese from Sylvain Lake. I feel sorry for all the peeps who don't live in Calgary because Aviv is a genius, I don't know him but I am in love. Of course I am going out for a run for an extra hour tomorrow.

My dad makes really good bread; I also make bread but not 'really good bread'. Just kinda, meh, okay. At the end of the month I am taking an artisan bread making course and then another one at a local bakery. My sister will laugh at me and compare me to my dad because when I get into something, I go in all the way! Hence the new Tartine cookbook. I tried getting a starter going (just flour and water) and well, it's a learning curve. By the way, my sister is officially a 'cool' people because she discovered Aviv before me and told me about his bakery.

Happy Valentine's day to all the 'cool' peeps out there who left me the kindest comments last week. I am so lucky.

cool?????

2011-02-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

Ever notice that blogland has its own 'cool people'. You know....they are the cool bloggers many of us follow because....they are cool. They always have dibs on the latest home decorating trends, like Victoria of SanFranciso Girl by the Bay. Or they are people that just have a cool job or style like Malin. Her blog has awesome photos and you can see it here. I am not one of the cool people because I only find out things by reading other blogs - I don't discover them. But, in my dreams sometimes I am cool; I have a gazillion blog followers :), I get a ton of tweets, and no matter what I capture with my camera it's absolutely faaabulous baby! Hee, hee, I am way too busy writing papers on organizational psychology to follow the latest trends in anything. Thank goodness for cool people otherwise I would be a dinosaur.

However, what is kinda cool is that my little blog has been included in the latest issue of Artful Blogging - I actually forgot to blog about the fact they asked me to write a piece for the issue 'cuz I was too busy writing riveting psych papers. I have to say my heart did this little twisty dance when I beheld my photos in print, in a magazine!! Sigh, I wish that was my life on a regular basis. Well, happy weekend...I need to get back to my Improving Organizational Performance paper.

hello world...simple is good

2011-01-29T11:17:00.002-07:00

As you all know, I have been on a simplifying streak. What was interesting in some of the comments you all left was how many people have a problem figuring out how to start. I am a de-clutterer by nature but even this process was extreme. So here is how I did it and here are my strategies for simplifying even more:

Go to the evil Walmart and get yourselves those large Rubbermaid bins that have lids. I think they are about $6.00 here in Canada, but then we get gouged pretty much on everything, so for all you American folks, they are probably cheaper there. Get lots of them - believe me, it's worth the money to get that 'I am virtuously minimal' feeling and is cheaper than going to a therapist to deal with stress. Did you know that clutter and owning too many things causes stress? It does.
Next, do a quick round in the house and pick at least two or three items in every room that you can throw into that first bin. Do it quickly, without thinking too much. Once that is done, sit down, relax and have a nice glass of wine. Then get up off that couch and do the process one more time, quickly! Don't think about it. By the second round hopefully that Rubbermaid box is full.
Now that you have a start put an empty Rubbermaid box where you can see it. Every day put three things in it. I bet it will only take you a minute. By the end of the year you will have given away 4,380 things. I bet you never thought you had that many things, but many people do.

And ya'll, remember to actually deliver those boxes to your Goodwill organizations, they will love you and probably get to know your first name.

home alone - my version

2011-01-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a business trip late last night, I am supposed to be doing homework, but babe is on a boys ski weekend and so...instead I made potato gratin. I don't believe this dish qualifies as particularly low-calorie food, but it sure was good and my evening was as girly as you can get. Watching Eat, Pray, Love; eating comfort food; white wine. I am happy to share my recipe for the potato gratin. I adapted it from a Canadian living recipe - actually I changed it quite a bit, and it is delicious. Here is the recipe.

Cheddar Cheese Potato Gratin

If you don't have fresh sage on hand, substitute 1 tsp (5 mL) finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried sage or thyme.

3 or 4 strips organic bacon (make it organic so you can pretend bacon is good for you :))
1/4 cup butter
2 onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tblsp finely chopped fresh sage
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp salt
ample ground pepper
2 lb russet or baking potatoes
7 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese ( I use the white cheddar)

Slice bacon into small pieces (about 1/4 inch or so), fry until somewhat golden brown and set aside.
In skillet over medium heat, melt butter; fry onions, garlic, sage, mushrooms, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 10 minutes, add bacon, stir and cook for another minute.
Using mandoline or sharp knife, peel and thinly slice potatoes.
Generously butter bottom of 8-cup (2 L) gratin dish. Layer one-quarter of the potatoes on bottom; sprinkle with one-quarter of the onion mixture. Repeat layers 3 times. Cover with foil tightly.
Bake in bottom third of 350°F (180°C) oven until potatoes are tender, about 1 hour.
Remove foil; cover potato mixture with cheese. Bake in top third of 450°F (230°C) oven until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

Eat and enjoy and be happy

rituals

2011-01-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

Rituals are powerful. I do not consider myself a spiritual person, however, I have a strong sense that rituals are important and need to comprise our daily being. Perhaps it is because rituals calm our minds, ground us back to reality and provide that sense of continuity that we as human beings seem to require so much. Rituals are simply things we de regularly ....

be it buying flowers, lighting incense, burning candles or the daily ritual of making a cup of tea - all of these practices bring us back to ourselves.

I find that the simpler the ritual the more I am likely to practice it. Rituals allow my busy brain to focus for a moment; these habitual actions bring me into the 'now'. Perhaps the need to empty my environment of many things right now is because when the space around me is sparse, then, the power of the ritual is amplified.

starting off on a simple note

2011-01-08T10:47:00.001-07:00

To honor this new year, I have been clearing my house....what I mean is that I have given away about 15 huge rubber maid boxes of crap to Goodwill and countless reusable bags filled with...well, more crap. I have always considered myself a minimalist person who edits junk on a most regular basis. Lately I have been getting into all these minimalist blogs such as zen habits and miss minimalist. Now, I am not planning to pare my life down to 100 items and I don't plan on quitting my job to write an ebook, but honestly how much stuff does one need? I took the opportunity to purge my house during the holidays. Everything imaginable went. Books, clothes, my everyday dishes and yarn (yes, yarn!).

We are now eating off our bone china every single day. I mean think about it peeps - if you have your china gracing the shelves of your china cabinet and you use it only about once or twice a year, let's assume you got it the day you were born, and, say you live until 80 - you would have used your china 80 to 160 times during your lifetime - maybe!! How absolutely sad. And, to add insult to injury, when we all die, maybe our good china would be pulled out for the 81st time to be used for that final meal to send us off!! Good things are meant to be enjoyed every single day. This year quality belongs in my everyday, simplified life. Did I mention that the ladies at Goodwill know me by my first name now?

a joyful season to all

2010-12-16T11:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I am starting my long, much-looked-forward to break and so it is appropriate to leave you all with something delicious. I tried a new cookie recipe last week and I am in love, I truly am. Luscious green pistachios, ruby red, dried cranberries and the best milk chocolate you can buy comprise the ingredients of this little piece of heaven. This is a sugar cookie recipe, pretty basic but amped up with the addition of the fore-mentioned ingredients. I found it in Country Living magazine (U.S. version) - surprising since it is not a magazine I generally buy. I was craving Christmas decorating and the cover enticed me to make the purchase :)

As is my custom, I am going to take a break from blogland, so Merry Christmas to you all, I hope you all have time to spend the holidays with someone you love, and I will catch up with you on the other side.

Cranberry, Pistachio, and Milk Chocolate Cookies

1 stick(s) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
2 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup(s) dried cranberries
3/4 cup(s) chopped pistachios
6 ounce(s) chopped milk chocolate

In a large bowl, beat together butter and confectioners' sugar using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed.
Add eggs, vanilla, and salt, and beat until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low, add flour, and mix until dough is smooth.
Mix in the cranberries, pistachios and chocolate chunks
Divide into three 2-inch-thick logs and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Chill until firm, about 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice logs into 1/4-inch-thick and bake on parchment-lined banking sheets until firm and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

weekend comforts

2010-12-10T14:20:00.001-07:00

See that top picture...that is my sofa....cat-proofed with a homemade quilt and accessorized with my crochet blanket....all waiting for me to park myself there starting mid-next-week for 17 days. I have the penultimate in chick lit to read - Eat, Pray, Love. I watched the movie four times and I am not ashamed to broadcast that fact to the world...and I enjoyed it, yes I did. Finished making my welcome pots of greenery - of course what none of you see is the old icky pumpkin left over from halloween to the left of them. MUST. THROW. IT. OUT. This is the weekend for baking. I have a new recipe to try out and if it turns out you might see it in this space next week. Of course, if it does not turn out, you will just see pretty photos of the ingredients deconstructed :)

Happy weekend all.

the count down to...holidays

2010-12-04T19:56:00.002-07:00

Oh boy, I am most definitely late posting this week, however, here it is. The tree is up and fully loaded, I am just filling in the empty spots. Every time I look at it I feel an urge to run to Michael's to find the perfect color glass balls...all I am missing to make this the ultimate Christmas confection is something in orange.

I completed my last business trip for the year, two more weeks of work and school and then I am off for two whole, fabulous weeks. I ... can't .... wait!!!! Because I have been so busy, I have decorated around the chaos and so it seems to be taking me for ever to actually get it done. But, finally, it truly is Christmas here. The Babe, of course, is sick and hacking his germs all over the house and me...I am anticipating that I am going to be next, even though I never get sick, except whenever I am on holidays. I am already popping the Cold-FX to safeguard myself against such a possibility.

Question - do you all actually get people who leave you comments that you misspelled something? I always thought that since this is my blog, I can give myself the permission to not be perfect!!

continuing the preparations

2010-11-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

As you can see, more baubles are appearing in the house. The deer is now surrounded by some vintage mirrors and I think all he needs is a bauble and a bow. The Christmas tree is getting decorated this weekend...well, actually it's pretty much done as I write and it is starting to look a lot like Christmas. I keep thinking I need to bake some kind of cookies or something otherwise it will not feel like the festivities are real. It has been -21C for the past week, but yesterday it warmed up to -1C - can anyone say MIGRAINE!!

I know for many of you this is Thanksgiving weekend so happy Thanksgiving to you all. Apparently there is something called Black Friday in the U.S. as well, which basically sounds like some kind of a shopping nightmare to me similar to Boxing Day in Canada. Hopefully no one got crushed in some melee in Walmart or something.

the weather outside is frightful....

2010-11-19T21:29:00.000-07:00

I think I will just slowly ease you all in to my Christmas...after all, some of you will just be celebrating American thanksgiving. It was -20C here yesterday and that makes it the perfect temperature for hibernating inside. My sister and I have our birthdays this Sunday (yes we are born on the same day, two years apart...our dad was an engineer!). For me, Christmas truly begins once our birthday is properly celebrated with a gift exchange, fattening food and wine. It seems that every year some theme seems to emerge in my Christmas decorating - this year I am surrounded by horned mammals - they have invaded the house. I have pulled some of my beloved decorations out of storage and my tree is standing, albeit not decorated. I think I will enjoy it with just its tiny, white lights glowing in my dark living room for the next week.

I have found all these fabulous, free on-line magazines in virtual land. I will share the links with you because who cannot resist a great decorating magazine, especially if no trees were harmed in its production :)

rue magazine
sweet paul
gifted magazine
pure green living
lonny magazine

Happy weekend and enjoy!

just saying hi

2010-11-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

Honestly I just got home from a week of being away for work. I hate airports - one is herded through various lines like a bunch of cattle. I figure one day we will have nothing left to remove from our person going through security lines - I am grateful that they still allow us to keep our pants on. I have been on four airplanes in five days, four different airports, all with same bad food. I was in Miami for two days and saw the ocean for about 20 minutes. It was 28 degrees outside and probably 0 degrees in the over-air-conditioned hotel conference center. I will have a proper post next week. I have to say the highlight of this week was just coming home and having my simple breakfast at the kitchen island with Morcheeba playing in the background.

Next week Christmas begins in my home. Last year I did not have a Christmas tree due to renovations so this year I am going all out. Expect the next several weeks of posts to be filled with tinsel and cheer to properly celebrate the holidays.

guiness cake

2010-11-04T19:55:00.002-06:00

So yeah, of course, Sunday last weekend I was a bit bored and did not want to delve into the halloween candy so I decided to bake a chocolate cake instead. Hmmm, not sure why cake seemed like a reasonable substitute for eating candy bars, nonetheless, cake it was. I found this amazing recipe on design sponge and it's by one of my fave food bloggers Katie Quinn. I knew the Babe would like it because it has beer in it (Babe is a total, TOTAL, beer geek...we have a beer cellar in our basement...I am so embarrassed) and I have to say, considering I am a bit of a beer hater, the cake was delicious. That malty taste of Guiness really comes through and the cake is super moist. And...that cream cheese/whipping cream frosting, ahem, be prepared to run a half marathon after licking out the bowl from that baby. I had to swallow half a bottle of lactaid before I felt safe to lick the frosting spatula.

So of course, now this cake was hanging around the house all week, and I basically encouraged Babe to eat as much as he could humanly shovel down because honestly, I don't want this kind of stuff around. It is the austerity program around here until Christmas - i.e. clean food, raw food, no sugar...you know the drill. My trainer says I should not drink wine for the next few months either, but I mean really, what kind of regimen does not include wine??? A girl has to live occasionally - it's a long ways to Christmas!

p.s. I am very remiss in reading and commenting...I have been working 12 hour days pretty much for over two weeks now and am traveling on business all next week. I promise to catch up when everything slows down.

night of the hallowed eve

2010-10-30T10:56:00.001-06:00

I love halloween. I love handing out candy and decorating my front entry. Just wanted to share some of the 'welcome to our home' goodness. I don't have much to talk about as I pretty much had to work late every single day this week. Now I need to scoot out and get some candy...and hide it so the Babe does not empty the stash like he did last year...and then I really think it would be fun to make cake this weekend. The next few weeks are crazy at work as I have deadlines and I am traveling quite a bit, so this weekend I am enjoying a bit of quiet and home life.

Happy trick 'r treating everyone!

domestic goddess

2010-10-22T20:38:00.004-06:00

There are all kinds of domestic goddesses out there. Women, who whip up a meal from nothing, bake scrumptious cakes, knit the most complicated fair isle sweaters :) and women who can artfully decorate a home from thrift shop finds.

I absolutely love to while away my time perusing Nigella and Alice Waters' cookbooks - I leaf through Jane Brocket's Gentle Art of Domesticity, and I read a gazillion blogs written by accomplished women. These things don't quite come easily to me but I love that day off work, no school courses, and I can make chocolate chip cookies and roast a chicken....and, ya'all sit down for this one, start some SOCKS. It all looks kind of nice on photographs - let's face it, anything can look nice in a Le Creuset pan, but this all took time and primping. Now I just want to sit and eat.

Happy weekend.

nesting

2010-10-16T17:37:00.000-06:00

I have a feeling I am not the only one who sat glued to the television last week watching the miners in Chile getting pulled out of their dark tomb, one at a time. I could not help myself, but I cheered when that first man was brought up from below and every little compartment of my soul rejoiced that they were all alive and well. What choked me up the most was that the most important thing to them was seeing and hugging their loved ones. It made me think of Nando Parrado - he was one of the people who survived a plane crash in the Andes back in the 70s (you know... the movie 'Alive' was done based on that story). I went to hear him speak at some executive training motivational thing. He alway ends his story with the following words:

~Savour your existence. Live every moment. Do not waste a breath~

These are such powerful words. To honor those words I am enjoying an evening in with the Babe, drinking some very, very nice wine and eating cheese - because you know, life is just too short to be on a diet :)

thankfulness

2010-10-08T07:06:00.003-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to everyone. This is the time of year when we should reflect on all those things we are thankful for. I usually do, but life is a bit overwhelming right now. Work is crazy and very stressful, school is brutal and I feel really tired. I am definitely thankful for the long weekend; to just sit back and enjoy.

Thanksgiving would not feel right without food. I had a lot of plums sitting around and I decided to cut them up and make some crumble. I am certain everyone has a favorite crumble recipe. Mine is pretty simple and pretty much any kind of fruit works. Best part is - you can always have it as a sweet breakfast. This is a forgiving recipe and you can definitely not be precise.

plum crumble

A whole bunch of sliced plums (I used about 5 to 7 plums, chopped into small chunks)
3 or 4 peaches, sliced into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar (I tend to use muscavado sugar when I can - or you can use a bit of maple syrup or agave syrup)
1 tsp cinnamon (or more if you like it cinnamonny)
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp to 1 1/2 tblsp cornstarch (use more if your fruit pile looks big)
optional: a bit of freshly grated nutmeg - just a sprinkle

Combine all of the above and put in a cool, rustic pie plate of some kind, or your favorite smaller sized Pyrex. You want to have a nice pile of fruit.

the crumble part

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup oats (I use the large flake kind)
1 cup brown (or muscavado) sugar (you can play around with the amount a bit)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup melted butter

Combine the dry stuff and pour the butter on it. I mix it all with my hands so that there are some nice pea-sized chunks of crumble. Spread that on top of the fruit and tuck in some small, thin slices of butter ( maybe like 4 or 5 slivers here and there).

Bake at 350F for about 50 minutes. You want it browned, bubbly and the house smelling amazing. Serve with ice cream or yogurt cheese (if you know how to make it).

Happy weekend all.

friday at home

2010-10-01T10:45:00.001-06:00

Good morning peeps. Friday at home - what bliss. I have to say those are my favorite kinds of days. Clean eating goes out the window as I slather locally made rhubarb-strawberry jam on a piece of toast, my favorite vintage plate, lots of coffee....and wait.....you won't believe this....time for some crochet!!! It feels like it has been ages since I have even touched yarn. Oh yeah, and new age yoga music playing in the background. Don't judge me - it's soothing :)

Happy weekend all.

autumn musings

2010-09-25T18:42:00.002-06:00

I know I am late with my post this weekend, but honestly, there is now way I could bring myself to be on my computer when it was a glorious 25C degrees today, warmer than it was the whole summer - the birds were chirping and singing and eating the berries off the trees that definitely are in full autumn mode. I uncorked some of my precious Sonoma zinfandel, snacked on sharp cheese and planned some kind of a cake bake for this weekend. Probably chocolate - the Babe loves chocolate - in case you did not know :)

I totally ignored my school work today and went antiquing earlier in the afternoon. Vintage cake stands are the flavor of the day.

For autumn inspiration and photos I am reading Nikole's blog

Loving this so much

i left my heart in san francisco...

2010-09-17T17:24:00.000-06:00

I love, love, love San Francisco. I think this ranks as one of my fave holidays. I ate constantly, drank wine every day, and still managed to lose a pound by trekking across those massive, steep hills. I tried to absorb every possible color known to man in chinatown - what a vibrant, bustling place. We visited the San Francisco Ferry Building and I made certain we stopped at Miette bakery, which is a most splendid place. Every one of your senses is stimulated by the lovely, colorful milk glass cake stands, cookies, cupcakes and confections of every kind and vintage vessels holding candies and baby meringues in a rainbow of hues. Miette has a blog - you can check it out here.

We drove our rental convertible at full speed heading to Sonoma where I sampled many great wines and then onto Santa Rosa where the Babe went and sampled various beers at the Russian River Brew Pub. Unfortunately he had to take it easy as he was designated driver...heh heh.

We came back to cold and..yeah, it snowed last night.

when life hands you lemons - part two

2010-09-10T18:40:00.020-06:00

another cool thing you can do with lemon curd is to fill a lemon cake with it. I love anything lemon and I have never made a layer cake before and this was my first attempt. Even the most simple cakes never turn out for me. They typically bake around the edges and fall flat in the middle. This time I purchased Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Cake Bible along with every professional cake tool I could get my hands on and I faithfully followed every instruction, measurement, time advice and tip in the book. I wanted a small, high cake a la Nikole Herriott. The cake was......ok. Frosting hides many flaws. I changed the size of the pans from 9" to 6" inch pans and made the cake small and tall - except I overfilled the pans. I should have filled four small pans with the batter instead of three. The cake tasted pretty good, and the curd was lovely. Next time I will try chocolate with a ganache frosting rather than the buttercream - and I will fill my cake pans properly. Practice does, I am sure, make perfect.

By the way... right now, I am enjoying myself in San Francisco :)

when life hands you lemons.....

2010-09-05T18:16:00.001-06:00

When life hands one lemons, one should make lemon curd. I have always been scared of lemon curd - the idea that something could curdle and turn into one big mess held me back from making this most delectable treat. A while back I found a recipe that was supposedly 'no fail'. I always have a grudging mistrust of anything labeled 'no fail' because often it does exactly that - fails!! This weekend I was craving that tart, smooth taste and I decided to attack the problem like a scientist. I followed the recipe to the most minute detail, measuring, mixing and even using a thermometer to detect the perfect state of 'doneness'. Let me just say that whatever bit of lemon curd was clinging to the back of my mixing spoon and the bowl, has been scooped and licked off to the last little slather. Here are the directions - follow them faithfully and you too will have this bit of fabulousness to spread on your morning toast or on a piece of ginger cake.

Lemon Curd

3 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 large egg yolks, room temperature

2/3 cups fresh lemon juice, room temperature

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Beat butter and sugar until nice and fluffy
Beat in the eggs and yolks, one at a time, at slow speed
Then beat everything for exactly 1 minute at slow/medium speed (3 on a kitchen aid)
Take the bowl out of the mixing stand and wisk in the lemon juice - the mixture will looked curdled BUT THAT IS OK, it will all work out - you'll see
Scrape mixture into a small pot and on low heat whisk everything until it becomes nice and smooth
Turn the heat to medium and continue to whisk the mixture the WHOLE TIME
DO NOT let the mixture boil - if you see steam coming off of it, take it off the burner and stir until it cools a bit and then put it back on.
The mixture is done when it coats the back of a spoon and leaves a path when you drag your finger through it or better yet, measure the temperature - it should be 170 F.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest
Scrape into a jar or bowl and press plastic wrap on surface to prevent a skin from forming
Let cool and then enjoy

Happy long weekend.

time travel

2010-08-27T19:57:00.000-06:00

I found a pot of gold in my local indie camera store here in Calgary. They had this old stash of 100 pack polaroid film in chocolate - perfect for my vintage Keystone 750 rapid-shot instant camera. I have never used this camera with old film and I love the results. My desk looks like something out of an old, sepia Hollywood movie. The film is really called chocolate and looking at this photo has reminded me that I have not watched the movie 'Chocolat' for ever and I am in the mood!

The Babe and I are off to San Francisco in a couple of weeks and I can't wait. I am definitely packing one of my polaroid cameras with me because I have this feeling that the opportunity to capture something awesome will come up more than once.

Just love this blog. I was featured in it here a while back and forgot to mention it. You will find both inspiration and amazing recipes there.

such great stuff out there

2010-08-19T17:15:00.002-06:00

I was sitting at my desk at home browsing through old issues of Domino magazine....never a sadder day in raining sheep land than when domino magazine stopped publishing...I believe that happened the same year that Gourmet magazine stopped publishing as well. I just don't understand. Gourmet had the best photography out there. I will be honest, I never cooked a thing from it but the photo inspiration more than made up for it.

Recently I discovered Lonny magazine. This online bit of goodness reminds me of domino mag and carries through the same sensibility by showcasing amazing and fun decor, up-and-coming designers and plain old awesomeness. The best part is it is free and does not kill trees. You can look at the back-issues in the archives section - perfect bit of star-gazing to partake in with a glass of wine this weekend. Enjoy.

big dilemma

2010-08-13T14:11:00.004-06:00

So I have a dilemma, should I Etsy or not? Obviously I have had too much time on my hands as normally I only think about work or school... but, I have been on a three day break. Absolute heaven but I tend to stray into la-la land with my thoughts. I often get asked for a print of some of my photos by people and in the past I usually sent the file via email and said 'go ahead print away'. I never think of my photos as something I would sell - it's a hobby. However, I am starting to rethink that and perhaps (grand idea!!!) I could actually sell some of my prints. I notice a lot of my blogger buddies have Etsy stores and I am curious how you all find that experience. Any input would be appreciated. I am mainly thinking prints of some of my polaroids or custom orders if someone wants something they particularly like. You know, I am definitely keeping my day job :)

By the way, I have to be honest and say that not only have I been off for three days, but due to the horrible hail and stormy weather, I have also not ventured outside. I only remember the sun through my photos from last week. Sigh. Obviously I am getting cabin fever.

weekending

2010-08-07T12:36:00.000-06:00

Such a glorious weekend! It's my last weekend of school homework, the sun is warming everything it touches and kitty and I are enjoying the backyard. Everything in the house looks beautiful to me for some reason. I can't seem to stop taking photos. I love it when you actually 'feel' that weekend feeling. I am quite certain you all know what I mean.

The Babe is gone on his man trip, and that gives me the opportunity to cleanse the house of any unhealthy food and focus on eating the bounty from the organics box I have delivered every couple of weeks. Breakfast this morning - poached farm eggs on organic, lightly steamed spinach squirted with some wonderful, fresh lemon juice. Top the whole thing off with some coarse sea salt.

like a dream

2010-07-30T18:54:00.002-06:00

Do you sometimes think you are in a dream? Sometimes a fogginess descends on me and days meld into each other without purpose, they just kind of happen. This photo reminds me of that 'feeling'.

weekend flowers

2010-07-23T14:00:00.000-06:00

life in polaroid - pink version

2010-07-20T21:56:00.001-06:00

squint your eyes and pretend it's 1972...bell-bottom blue jeans with heart patches on the knees, daisies tucked into braided blond hair, James Taylor playing on the record player,.... and....polaroid.

life in polaroid - outdoors version

2010-07-15T19:34:00.005-06:00

life in polaroid

2010-07-08T20:56:00.001-06:00

You all probably know I love my old SX-70 polaroid camera. I love how the resulting photos look old and imperfect. I even have a begrudging admiration for the fact that I have to pay over $35 U.S. for a box of film that is really worth less than a third of that. Oh how far we have come!! You also probably know that often in the summer I take a very long blog break - kind of like the French and their holidays!

After this post I am officially on a blog break until the end of August. However, because every now and then I feel incredibly inspired - even in the summer - I do like to post a photograph, typically no words, just a photograph...so I am not on a total blog break, just a partial blog break :)

Oh, and in case you are wondering about the photos, the top is my special room, my office/craft room/a room of my own, the middle (left) are some amazing roses that take my breath away, and the middle right is my dining room, the bottom photo captures the most incredibly stunning, crochet pot holders that I bought from the very talented Emma Lamb. Her work is amazing and I just had to buy something from her.

Happy summer everyone, I will be back with words at the end of August.

all around laziness

2010-07-02T14:54:00.004-06:00

I have had a few really nice days at home, just relaxing and enjoying my garden. It was Canada day yesterday and I spent the day in Canmore, with a girlfriend, having many drinks on a patio, watching the parade go by and then doing some shopping. Glad I did, because today is very chilly and I have no intention of being outside, rather I am going to spend my afternoon reading and crocheting. It is amazing to ponder the fact that a few weeks ago, it was snowing and cold and now my garden is blooming and the scent of lilac and peonies permeates my entire house whenever the doors are open. I love these lazy days of no work and no school - one could just get used to that.

crochet in the garden

2010-06-26T18:27:00.000-06:00

Well peeps, summer is officially here and that means long runs by the river, yarn work in the garden and lots of white, sparkly wine. I needed the wine today, in the last few weeks our dishwasher deceased, our washing machine set on fire and once the Babe pulled the dryer away form the wall, he pronounced that a fire hazard of the utmost kind......So needless to say, my bank account is looking sad. At least I am well stocked on yarn :)

I am working on a scrap yarn blanket, which basically means whatever bit of yarn is laying around, that is what I am using. I am also making circles for my granny square blanket. I have a 100 circles right now waiting to be crocheted in. I am about halfway through with the granny square blanket and I anticipate it will take another three or four months to complete it...total work of love.

Have a fabulous weekend everyone.

I have a feeling, that today was a good day

2010-06-20T16:32:00.001-06:00

Finally, the sun decided to come out. Finally that miracle happened on a weekend and finally I was home to take full advantage of it. I got back from my business trip late last Wednesday and my parents arrived from the Island for a visit that same day. We had a flurry of visiting, shopping, going out for coffee and dessert...all those fun things we do when get together. However, Sunday was reserved for my garden and I got my flower pots all done.

I have to confess I cheated heavily - since we only have about 10 weeks of somewhat warmer weather left, I bought fully blooming annuals and just shoved them into my pots for instant gratification. We do not have much of a growing season, and with all the cold, snow and rain in the past month and a half, that growing season is even shorter. Hence, annuals are truly a godsend for climates like ours. Everything changes when flowers invade the patio.

Only one full week of work and then I am four days a week for the rest of the summer :)

because cats are people too

2010-06-10T21:11:00.003-06:00

So remember how I wrote a few weeks back that the cat goes crazy over my crochet? I decided that Tencents obviously felt left out of the whole hand-made goods thing and she needed a lovely blanket of her own. I had some left over cashmere blend yarn, merino yarn, cashmere-silk blend yarn and from these luscious odds and ends appeared this wonderful blanket. The cat went crazy the minute I put it down and proceeded to roll around and burrow in it like some mole on drugs or something.

The pattern is the ripple and I found it on Lucy's blog. I have delivered this post to you from Ottawa as I am currently away on business. This is also my last week of school before my little 'school break'. I have time for few words so I am leaving you with extra photos of the ripple goodness.

beam me in scotty!

2010-06-05T15:40:00.001-06:00

Lately writing my blog posts seems like I am 'beaming in' to my blog for a nanosecond and putting words to screen in between two breaths. I was in Montreal for work for the last four days, I have two, count them, two papers due by Monday, and I am off to Montreal/Ottawa next week (big breath here). After this weekend I have one more week of school left and then I get a three week break between classes. I - can't - wait!!!

I wanted to show you the doilies I crocheted last week - I love how they look like they are floating on air. Happy, colorful little stars gracing my coffee table. I will reiterate that I am most definitely NOT the doily type, however, I could not resist this colorful thin cotton yarn and this project was just right for it. Notice the hint of yellow in my photos - that is my way of pretending that we have sun.

Happy weekend everyone.

weekend goodness

2010-05-29T19:58:00.001-06:00

I was going to do some gardening, but today I woke up to two inches of snow covering the back yard. Perfect day to do some crochet and finish my school paper. Luckily I had taken some photos last week on the one good day we had. I took full advantage and planted my basil. All I can say is thank goodness for greenhouses because none of these plantings would survive this weekend. I am looking forward to some sun and warmth, but in the meantime I am reaping crochet goodness courtesy of mother nature.

I did brave the chill today and the reward was a fabulous vintage hand painted tray from my favorite second-hand store and some cute juice tumblers that are perfect for drinking yummy crisp white wine. The tumblers are sitting on top of my newly created doily. Never thought I would be the type to crochet doilies, but I found the colorful pattern in my Japanese crochet book and it is the only one I could figure out how to make.

Happy weekend :)

something new

2010-05-22T10:10:00.015-06:00

I wanted a new bag and decided to crochet one.....I had to frog it four times. First the circle was too big and the bag was gigantic, so after 50 rows of crochet I frogged. Second time - still huge - after 40 rows I frogged. Third time was too small and the fourth time - I don't know what I was thinking. Finally something I am very happy with. Of course the cat immediately rubbed her hair all over it and won't leave the bag alone. I am not certain what attracts her to it. Here are the goods:

pattern - Attic24 of course

yarn - sublime cashmere silk aran and Debbie Bliss merino aran (don't think they make this any more)

hook - 3.75 cm

mods - I did 11 rounds for the circle on the bottom and then did 29 rounds for the remainder - in total 40 rounds

Now if I could just figure out how to read the patterns in my Japanese crochet book and make them work left handed!! Happy weekend all.

a finished object, can you believe it?

2010-05-15T12:23:00.007-06:00

Just popping in very quickly. I started my Uni course and I am so busy with that and work. Horribly behind in reading everyone's blog. Any spare minute I have I am either running or crocheting. I finished something...yipeee!!!! Is that pillow not the most scrumptious thing or what! I am so excited about it. What a hit of color. Today the sun is shining and the snow decided to melt away and spring is here...I hope...for a bit. So my pillow had to go outside to share my morning coffee with me. What a fabulous thing to behold - coffee, a bright crochet pillow and sunshine. Life is so grand.

For you yarn lovers, the yarn is Sublime's cotton/soya blend. Beautiful, soft yarn - I love it. The pattern is here. Lucy's blog, Attic 24 is the best reference for simple, fun crochet goodness I have found. The flower came from some YouTube video that demonstrated how to crochet it - I have a blue flower on the other side of the pillow.

Happy weekend my friends.

mothers' day weekend

2010-05-08T20:05:00.012-06:00

Hopefully your eyeballs are coping with the burst of color in this space this week. Since I am a mother, I gave myself permission to post three photos rather than two. This little marinade of hues invaded my home this weekend because quite frankly it has been snowing and freezing most of this week and only today the sun came out for five minutes. I decided to indulge my hippie soul and bought every color of the rainbow. I went all out to ensure that spring does make an appearance in this space - even if it is purchased and resides on my dining room table :)

I needed a break from my granny square blanket and decided one of my chairs absolutely requires a pillow similar to this one here. The instructions can be found at Attic 24 on the left hand side of the home page. I start Uni courses next week so I am bracing myself for all around stress and chaos. Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend - I am running the Mother's Day 10 km race tomorrow to celebrate motherhood and raise some much needed cash for the neonatal intensive care units here in Calgary.

progress

2010-04-29T21:19:00.007-06:00

I woke up to a white world this morning. Snow covered the ground - for the third time this month. I walked out on my patio and sank about ten centimeters into some wet, heavy white stuff and winds blew around me at a brisk 75 km an hour and whipped my hair into a frenzy. I shuddered and ran back inside. Normally I would be slogging my way through insane traffic to go to work, but kismet intervened this time - our company is moving into a brand new building. Moving hundreds of people into a new construction is akin to a military manoeuvre and we are supposed to be 'working' from home and are on an enforced day off tomorrow. Amazing how quickly I can get through work when an unfinished blanket is calling my name. There truly is progress being made - the blanket is wide enough to span the back of a sofa, but still a long way to go before it protects me from the elements!

Hard to believe that a couple of weeks ago I was basking in glorious sunshine surrounded by palm trees with the only frozen thing being the margarita on the patio table next to me.

life in the desert

2010-04-23T19:37:00.003-06:00

Life in the desert comprised early morning runs on boulevards flanked by rows of palm trees and beautiful blooms emitting the most intoxicating scent imaginable. I would stride along perfectly manicured streets, my iPod prodding me further and further until I lost track of time. The sun would remind me that it was time to go back and reluctantly I would turn around. When I got back to my condo I made myself a huge breakfast of papaya, strawberries, and bananas smothered in thick Greek yogurt from Trader Joe's. I would retire to the patio to while away the rest of the morning reading books, writing thoughts into my journal and watching a gaggle of seniors frolicking in the pool. Inevitably, one of them would stride along and stop and start up a conversation. Often they would just plop themselves into the lounger next to mine and pepper me with questions - what is your name, what do you do, where are you from. They had all the time in the world to visit with me. Normally, I love my solitude, but I did not mind their interruptions. Later, I would go for long two, three hour walks.

We went to the desert and I photographed blooming Joshua Trees and marveled at the amazing flowers produced by a plant that grows in an arid desert. I wish I was still there.

just a little bloggy break

2010-04-02T13:36:00.004-06:00

Happy Easter weekend everyone. I am enjoying being at home, working on my granny square blanket and just relaxing. As you know it has been a very busy, stressful time for me at work and I feel a bit 'writed-out" after all my writing deadlines. The Babe and I are off to beautiful Palm Desert on Friday next week for some rest and relaxation and sun. All I am going to do is sit by the pool, trail run in Joshua Tree and even do some shopping :) I think this is a good time for me to take a bit of a break from blogging and enjoy some time off and catch up with everyone else's great posts. I will be back in this space in a couple of weeks or so.

Happy long weekend everyone.

we interrupt our regularly scheduled programing

2010-03-30T18:16:00.006-06:00

So I have a friend, Patrick, who is an amazing chef and he has this great gig happening .... I am not certain how many readers I have here in Calgary and area, but I thought I would let you know about this. How many times have you been in a position where you need some rare ingredient, or want to know where you can buy organically raised beef, or discover a place that sells amazing knives...well, Patrick is organizing these fabulous food tours where you can learn all of those things and more. The tour is taking place here in the Calgary area on Sunday, April 11, 2010. To find out more information on the tour please visit Patrick's website at www.inter-course.ca. This link takes you directly to the information on the food tour.

I love the idea of a food tour around my own city - it amazes me how one can live in a city and never discover the great purveyors of fine ingredients that cater to foodies of all sorts.

so sorry, but it's like WARM here

2010-03-27T18:53:00.004-06:00

Horribly late posting this week, but honestly, it was the most fantabulous day today. Warm, sunny - a sit-in-the garden-for-the-very first-time-this-year kind of day. I acquired a new toy and have been playing with it all afternoon - an old Hasselblad film camera. Ah! The agony of having to wait to get film developed. I have been working on my granny squares outside and my plants are starting to show. I love when mother nature obeys my commands :) Tencents sat outside with me and was in alert mode at every chirp from the birds - of course I don't actually think she would know what to do with a bird if it got near her. She is a bit scared of them!

I am savoring every second of this moment in the garden because here in our part of the world, it could very well dump snow next week and fall below zero.

Happy weekend all.

the antler debate

2010-03-20T21:08:00.007-06:00

So....in our home minimalism rules...at least, that is the Babe's mantra. I definitely lean to the minimalist side when it comes to home decor as well, with mid-century modern being generally the direction I go. But, the core of my soul definitely sings the boho chic song. I love patchwork pillows, flea market finds, retro 40's and 50's 'stuff', old furniture mixed with new furniture. When I was single, my space most definitely reflected that side of me. For the past five years, I share the environment and Babe does get some say, and well, I am not allowed to put a fake antler-headed-deer thing on my dining room wall. I found this really cool, very fake deer head and the Babe put his foot down. No deer head in the dining room - apparently it looks too dead. I confess I already have a set of white resin antlers over the fireplace; but, one more deer-oriented item can't really hurt now, can it?

Oh well, to make myself feel better I ordered this little package of goodness. It's only a few inches high and in my view does not look dead, rather, it looks quite jolly :) ...and my granny circles are coming along nicely. I have almost 50 made - now I am learning how to put them together. And when that blanket is done it will take its rightful place in the family room.

Happy weekend all.

uh, did a week just go by?

2010-03-12T16:47:00.005-07:00

I have been a very bad blogging friend this week - I barely had time to check out your blogs and leave comments. I have been breathing and dreaming work for almost the past two months. I have four major deadlines for four tomes replete with numbers, technical stats and other riveting information. You know your work becomes your life when you wake up stark-raving mad in the middle of night because you can't add a column of numbers in your sleep. I spend my days talking to three different lawyers about 'regulatory disclosure' all of whom tell me something different. I promise I will visit everyone this weekend.

In the meantime though look at how I have been de-stressing! Are those granny squares not the most scrumptious thing ever!! They are as addictive as making socks and oh - such instant gratification. I am enjoying making really small ones now. I figure if I make about 200+ I should have enough for one of those awesome granny square blankets.

So I leave you all with granny squares and flowers. Happy weekend.

when the world sings your songs

2010-03-06T09:24:00.009-07:00

I had the best week - I was absolutely crazy busy at work; I came in to the office at 6:15 a.m., looked at my watch and it was 3:45 p.m. - time to go. I love days like that. I went out with a like-minded girlfriend for wine and macaroni and cheese last night and gossiped for hours - what bliss! And....now....this weekend....I am taking Monday off and I will polaroid my heart out all weekend (I just got film in the mail - happy days).

I am also feeling a little shy about saying this, but it's just too exciting to not share - I completed my first little, tiny photo book. I got it in the mail this past week and even though I just did it through Blurb, I can't stop looking at it. You can all see it here. I have it set up so you can see all the pages. I am thinking of doing a more substantial book that will pay homage to my polaroid addiction.

Happy weekend all.

inspiration for the week

2010-02-27T10:31:00.016-07:00

Lately my big pleasure in life is definitely my photography. I am pushing myself to take images almost every day. If I don't photograph something, I am on the computer trying to push my photoshop skills forward. I have been studying my photos this week and noticed a nice progression - that makes me ridiculously happy. I am also getting interested in film photography and want to slowly move in that direction. Through this photo-learning journey, I have stumbled on some blogs and flickr accounts that really inspire me. I thought I would take time to share some of the new places I have been frequenting. This is a good chance to practice my html links - I hope some of these inspire you as well.

For positive inspiration and stunning photos I go to Maddy's journal, my favorite photo from her is here.

When I need inspiration to be a better photographer I peruse Leslie's page. Does this photograph want to make you reach in and pick those peonies?

....and, for a dose of fabulous moods, links to great music mixes and just plain wonderful photos, please visit the Blue Hour.

Happy weekend all.

the weekend of redemption

2010-02-19T18:37:00.007-07:00

First I will confess that it has taken me an entire night to execute this post between all the staging of raw materials, cooking of raw materials, staging of cooked materials and much cursing in between all those steps. Secondly, I do hope you enjoy the polaroid photos above because the cost of the film could feed dinner to a family of six.

So yes, Babe is away this weekend hence this is perfect timing to cook healthy, vegetarian food for myself for the next two days. As I mentioned last week, gummy bears have somehow instilled themselves into my food plan so this weekend I am redeeming myself to the goddess of healthy living and as such, I will share one of my favorite recipes with you. Whenever I am low on the vitamin scale and feel I need a boost - I eat kale. Lightly steamed kale is delicious, it does not go mushy like spinach and if you don't like garlic or if you are a vampire, I would stop reading right here. This recipe comes from the cookbook 'Vegan with a Vengeance' by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

Have a happy weekend all!

Garlicky Kale

5 or 6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch kale, well rinsed and coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Tahini dressing (see below)
Lemon wedges to serve

Sauté the garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Add the kale and a few splashes of water. Use tongs to toss the kale around, coating it with the garlic and oil. Stir frequently for 4 to 5 minutes.

Serve with a drizzle of Tahini dressing. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Tahini Dressing
Makes 2 cups (you will have lots left over - use on salads or as a veggie dip)

8 teaspoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup tahini
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lemon
Several dashes fresh black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh parsley
1/2 cup cold water

Heat the garlic in 6 teaspoons of the olive oil in a small saute pan over very low heat for 2 minutes, just until it's fragrant.

Place the heated garlic and all the other ingredients except the parsley in the food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. Add the parsley and pulse until the parsley is very finely chopped but not pureed.

Refrigerate at least 1/2 hour in an airtight container (I actually don't follow this rule). You may need to mix in a little extra water once it's chilled.

Notes: Once it has thickened I sometimes use it as a spread on pita bread with roasted peppers on top.

just in time for valentine's day

2010-02-12T16:51:00.007-07:00

pattern: rusted root by the Zephyr Girls

yarn: pink cashmere

needle size: 4.0 mm and 4.5 mm

size: xs

I finished my pink knit just in time for Valentine's day. When I see it on the photo I don't dislike it quite as much as I do in real life. The fact is...it makes me look fat. Something about the chunkier cashmere is not doing it for me. Trust me when I say that I post-processed the heck out of the photo to make it look blog-worthy :) I tend to like my knits finer - this would be a good pattern for a bamboo yarn or a lovely cotton of some kind or other.

Sigh! The reality is that I was knitting this at my busiest time of the year and was not running my usual big runs and ... well, eating way too many gummy bears! That sweater reminds me of these rather unhealthy transgressions.

...but, on the absolutely bright side of life, you have to agree those pink flowers are the cat's meow!

Happy, happy Valentine's day to all of you! If I could, I would send you all real flowers - these virtual ones will have to do.

when time is precious

2010-02-04T20:07:00.005-07:00

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

2010-01-30T11:16:00.012-07:00

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!

2010-01-25T17:41:00.012-07:00

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

2010-01-22T19:24:00.007-07:00

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.

...the sad life of a chicken and other musings

2010-01-16T11:17:00.005-07:00

I did a very unfortunate thing over the holidays - I watched Food Inc. I have to concede that I no longer can look at chicken in quite the same nonchalant way. Whenever I am cooking chicken now I envision a half maimed bird whose sole purpose is to have its extremely large wings cut up, sauced, deep fried and then be fed to a man drinking copious amounts of beer. I know one should take these kinds of documentaries, along with anything produced by Michael Moore, with a grain of objectivity, but I can't help myself. If any of you are thinking about renting that documentary, please don't eat chicken prior to viewing.

On the happy (chicken-less) side of life, I am finally knitting something out of that scrumptious, pink cashmere that I have been hoarding for the last two years. I am not ready to share yet... I need to see how it goes :) No matter what the outcome, all that pink certainly makes for the best photo shoot ever.

Happy weekend.

around the house

2010-01-09T11:14:00.004-07:00

I think my brain and body are still in a state of shock after having to go back to work this past week. Eighteen days at home have completely spoiled me and I felt like a zombie, aimlessly sitting in my office trying to appear productive. I despise that first week back; the week felt endless. It did not help that it was -26C on a few of the days!! This weekend I am trying to just chill out and relax and get my headspace back to normal. It is windy and cloudy outside and so I am walking around the house shooting pictures. I like the blue light that is permeating our space today so I wanted to share it. Maybe I will get motivated to start knitting something this week :)

Happy weekend.

i begin with a knit

2010-01-03T14:50:00.005-07:00

pattern: tea leaves cardigan

designer: Melissa LaBarre for Madeline Tosh

yarn: Blue Sky, suri merino

colorway: earth

needles: 3.5 mm and 3.75 mm

mods: used smaller needles than recommended to arrive at a smaller fit

I think it is a good omen that I can begin 2010 with a post that comprises a finished knitted piece. This pattern was truly enjoyable and I love the finished product. I am not certain about the buttons, I just sewed them on today - but knowing me, I won't change them. I should post a link to the pattern, but for the life of me I can't remember how to do it, so you can check my ravelry link to get the link or you can email me for the info.

I take this as putting my left foot forward (being that I am a lefty it is my 'good' foot) into the new year! Tomorrow I am back to work and so it begins......

...and so we are almost on the other side

2009-12-31T13:21:00.003-07:00

2009 is almost finished and a new year is upon us. I could not let my blog sit without that final note and the chance to wish you all a wonderful 2010. I hope for great adventures, happiness, good health and opportunity for all of us.

I have been simply relaxing during the holidays - I did get outside to take some pictures, but mostly I just relaxed, browsed magazines, drank wine and ate lots of food. I have many resolutions for the next year - most of which are really only pertinent to me and hence would be somewhat boring to recite. One of my lighter resolutions is - do I give up eating so much cheese or just run another marathon - meh, I think the marathon will win out; cheese is just too good to pass up.

wishing you a very happy Christmas

2009-12-18T09:36:00.004-07:00

The house is all finished and our renovations are at an end... at least for a few months. The decorations are out in every room, the cleaning lady has been here and my holidays have begun. As usual, I am taking a break from blog land until the new year. I do want to wish all of you my friends a most wonderful, delectable holiday season. I also wanted to leave you with a few pictures of our new family room and kitchen area. I look at these photos and can't believe how wonderful it all is. The kitchen has temporary storage furniture until it is completed next year - but everything is clean and organized and I am thrilled.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate and may your new year be filled with much love, health and happiness. Hugs to all.

the weather outside is frightful...

2009-12-10T06:51:00.002-07:00

I can't believe this but here I am posting on a Thursday. That has not happened in many, many a months. We have had pretty much an ongoing series of days with cold, snow and commuting that would raise the hairs on the back of your neck. We are desperately trying to finish our baseboards, but when you get home at eight o'clock at night, the last thing you feel like doing is painting! I am hopeful that we can do a huge push and have things finished off this weekend - cross my fingers and toes.

In the meantime, I have been picking up my camera again and pointing the lens at anything that I deem 'picture-worthy'. The only problem now is that I look at some of these Christmas corners, which right now only comprise two rooms, and I am so impatient to get the rest of the house decorated. Actually, I am impatient to be able to just clean the rest of the house and get the shoe rack out of my living room!

Happy weekend all.

i'm dreaming of a white Christmas

2009-12-04T15:07:00.006-07:00

We are in the midst of a blizzard and lucky me because I am sitting at home in warmth surrounded by Christmas lights. It is on very cold days like this that I often count my blessings that I have a home and family and friends and I feel very lucky indeed.

I promised you some Christmas corners...it seems that my decorations are all white this Christmas! So fitting for a day like today. I like how the snowman seems to be floating on my glass-top sideboard. The simplicity of white is a welcome respite from the chaos of renovations.

Happy weekend all.

and so the festive season begins

2009-11-29T20:02:00.005-07:00

Well, it's official - there will be no Christmas tree this year. The hardwood floors are almost finished, but there is still wallpaper to hang, baseboards to put down, furniture to move and that will take....wait for it - yes, two weeks, for sure. My tree requires an effort to put up and leaving it up for only a couple of weeks is not worth it, so Christmas has started around here without a tree. The white lights were resurrected from the depths of Christmas boxes, the silver and glass baubles were unwrapped and piled into vessels everywhere, and candles were lit to begin celebrating the onset of the season. This year's tree is a bundle of curly willow branches covered with sparkly white fairy lights. I like it - it is wonderfully simple and twinkly.

This year I will take photos of my Christmas corners to focus on the sparkle there is, rather than the sparkle that is missing.

Happy weekend all.

birthday flowers

2009-11-22T18:07:00.004-07:00

It was my birthday this week and the Babe gave me flowers - I thought I would share some snippets of them with you. I was in New York most of the week and time ran away from me and I conveniently forgot I was a year older :)

Typically, once my birthday is done, I start thinking Christmas but with the house still upside down I am not excited to be heading in that direction. Every time I ask the Babe when the renos will be finished, the answer is 'two weeks'. But...it was like two weeks last week and now it's two weeks AGAIN!!! Sigh. I could make snowballs out of the dust around here.

the goddess of knitting....

2009-11-15T14:58:00.009-07:00

...well, I don't think that Devi is the goddess of knitting, but it's the only thing I could come up with. Definitely the creative bug is entrenching itself in the house because I have been knitting, buying fabric for possible pillows and thinking decorating and Christmas. On the plus side, the Babe has been laying our hardwood floors and they are almost half done....and I found a guy to hang my black wallpaper! I know black wallpaper conjures up weird images of goth decor, but I promise you that will not be the case.

I found some sumptuous silk in brilliant colors of azure blue and lime green - I am thinking that there is absolutely room in my home for such colors. And what am I knitting - well, I am attempting this little piece here. I have a feeling my yarn might be a bit too thick but we will see how it turns out. The pattern is very addictive and I can't put my knitting down.

Enjoy your weekend.

corners

2009-11-07T14:18:00.003-07:00

I love my camera because I can point it at a tiny corner of our nest and make it look 'put together' - like the dwelling is all cute and decorated. Ha! Nothing can be further from reality. I make the corners pretty so that the mess around me does not drive me crazy. The painters were here a couple of days ago and painted the rooms under construction and I can finally envision what things might look like - hopefully before Christmas!!

I was insanely busy this past week but in all the mayhem managed to squeeze in a 'non-cooking' class, otherwise known as the 'raw food experiment' around here. This escapade into a completely different style of cooking (or un-cooking, depending how you see it) has already produced a Vita-mix blender that cost more than a mortgage payment. I am taking the crackers and breads class next week using a dehydrator!! Ahem! I am really scared I am starting to resemble my father who has every possible appliance a human being can procure.

...and, finally, I did finish a pair of socks and I love them! They are knit from koigu yarn and fit like a glove. Now I need to start another project...I have some pink cashmere....quite a bit of it. Hmmmm!! What to do?