TAKE A PICTURE OF THE CAKE!

We had our Staff Recognition day at work this week. I'm often the resident photographer and before the festivities got underway I was called upon to "Take a picture of the cake!" 

I complied before the cake succumbed to the masses.

I enjoy taking food pics. I have a whole folder of pictures devoted to food (and wine so I remember a good bottle). I will snap a pic before a great meal or I often shoot whatever I'm making  in the kitchen. Here are a few samples:

Mini spinach and cheese quiches I made for Christmas one year

A summer salad with grilled veggies and salmon

Peaches and yogurt with homemade granola!

Chocolate dipped strawberries

Pumpkin Pie!

I'm not the only one with a food fascination. Just look at the influx of cooking shows from competitions to instructional. We have whole networks devoted to food. There are websites, twitter and Facebook sites filled with gastronomic eye candy. In my day your options were Julia Child and the Galloping Gourmet!

Why is that? We can't touch it, eat it or smell it - we can only look at it and yet we can't get enough.

There is no doubt food is something everyone is interested in. It reminds us of comfort, connection, celebrations. It tickles our senses from the sensual to the spiritual. The kitchen is the heart of the home. But now we can add to that the vast array of ingredients and tools available to us and our access to global cuisine. Now your cooking with gas!

It would seem someone had a light bulb moment and discovered the goose that lays the golden egg (and how best to serve it) - we now have a multi millionaire industry on our hands.

Working with food is relaxing for me and the kitchen is one of my comfort zones. This is nothing new. Many of our ancestors, men and women, have taken refuge around the fire with some fresh homemade bread and a hearty soup. I will continue to putter in the kitchen, chopping, mixing and experimenting and I will continue to take pics, partly cause they are so pretty, partly because I'm proud of my creation and I'm saying "Look what I made!"

And, don't worry, when called upon, I will Take a Picture of the Cake!

CHICKEN SOUP

I have been blessed (thus far) with extremely good health all my life. No broken bones, no chronic illnesses and other than the occasional lump removal (I'm inclined to be lumpy), very few surgical interventions. 

However, this week I came down with a cold.  My throat scratchy, my neck glands tender to the touch, head feeling punky and I can feel the pressure in my sinuses. 

I needed some comfort. Sitting beside me in the big chair is Lulu, cuddled up beside me. I can feel her steady heartbeat on my thigh and it's comforting to have her close. But for a cold, some homemade chicken soup was in order. Something with big chunks of chicken, veggies, rice and parsley.

We all have times when we just need to be comforted. I've been thinking about what I call "the suddenlys." These can be good and bad but without warning life changes and suddenly everything, or a lot of your normal, changes. It's a transition, a bend in the road you did not see coming, a loss or a gain. 

When you are hit with a suddenly, I hope you can find the comfort you require, whether that be a prayer, a hug, or the love or a good dog. 

If you need it, I have some homemade chicken soup in the fridge!

WEIGHING IN ON MINIMALISM

Before I begin, it's Sunday morning, and I have a question....

Why, oh why are we still doing this time change thing??? Come on Ontario, let's put that one on the back shelf please.

But I digress...I watched a documentary on "Minimalism" yesterday. If you have not heard about this new trend, here it is in a nutshell:

To intentionally live with only the things you really need. 

"Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it" according to Joshua Becker.

Which got me thinking....am I a Minimalist??? The answer is No, but I am a purger...which is close! 

I intentionally purge nearly every week and I have a continual pile of items ready to go when the charity of choice calls up and asks if I have anything for pick up - you betcha I do.

I don't "collect" anything (except maybe things that are yellow). 

Yesterday was another so not necessary freezing cold day but as I hunkered down in the house last weekend I was not going to be trapped in again so I went to do some shopping. 

Like me, I expect Minimalists do not get a high off of shopping but I did need to pick up a few things:

The honey and spoons were for work. For some reason, spoons disappear at the office. I don't know where they go, but I suspect they are canoodling with socks somewhere.  I picked up the spoons at Value Village along with a sundress for $12. Now since I bought a sundress, that means I will get rid of something. Purgers like to keep things in balance. 

The wafer cookies were a treat for my hubby, and the coconut oil was a necessity along with the wine!

Funny wine story. Went like this:

Cashier to the young woman behind me next in line: "May I see some ID?"

Young Woman: "Of course"

Me to the Cashier: "You coulda asked me too!"

Cashier: "You were borderline"

Me: "I bet you say that to all the girls"

Now that's just funny on so many levels!

I think Minimalism is a good perspective. We really have way too much stuff. My plan is to slowly whittle everything down to only what is important to me before my kids have to move me into a retirement home. 

That should leave me with pets, humans, music, food and wine and all things yellow!

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE!!

We had a little glitch when we were heading south for our holiday. The plane was a good 10 hours delayed. That meant we spent a whole lot of time in the airport wandering around aimlessly! 

As it was, I had forgotten my lip balm with SPF and since I had LOTS of time to kill I went looking for a replacement. I could find nothing with an SPF in it and not being a shopper I finally just asked the nice lady to help me pick something out.

She chose this one. And at the till I found out if cost me over $30!!! Yikes!! But when I tried it the stuff was amazing. Who knew?? Went on like butter.

Where Have you Been All My Life!!

Sometimes you just have to try something new and discover your life could be sooooo much better. 

Like this homemade hummus recipe that has been stuck to my fridge for at least 3-4 years and I had never tried it. 

Yesterday was a good day to hibernate in the kitchen (freakin' cold out) so I made Primal Crunch Granola (another "Where Have You Been All My Life moment) and decided to give this Hummus a go.

I chopped up the garlic:

Added the lemon juice. Working with lemons always make for a better day - the colour, the smell, it's all good!

And put it all in a blender. I added some cayenne pepper and sweet red peppers cause I wanted a bit of that hot/sweet thing going on:

A voila, I had a beautiful Hummus

So good for dipping veggies or crackers or Naan bread!

It's always a good idea to try new things. You may discover something that will make your life richer. Like an expensive tube of lipstick, a friend, or a new hobby.  How about exploring your faith? Apparently God is standing at the door knocking waiting for someone to open it, according to Rev. 3:20...just saying...

Or maybe you should just check the fridge door. Might be a great life-changing recipe right in front of you! 

WE WERE HERE

For the record, this is not my footprint. It belongs to someone I was following on the beach who's feet are not nearly as ugly as mine. 

But we were here. 

In Punta Cana, walking the beaches with thousands of other souls in so many different shapes and sizes.

We listened to the waves wash in with a gentle swoosh as they gave the sand a sloppy wet kiss.

We were treated like royalty at the Riu Palace Bavaro, where the staff went out of the way to meet all your wants and needs.

I ate a lot of seafood: Lobster Risotto

Sea bass, cod and Sushi!

I LOVE SUSHI!

The desserts were nothing to sneeze at either!

I spent most of my time by the pool, reading and swimming. Much to my surprise, I usually had the pool to myself - seems most everyone just wanted to dip in for a minute to cool off before they headed back to their lounger and cerveza. Me, I was doing laps: back stroke, breast stroke, side stroke, dives, somersaults. When I get the chance to swim, I'm gonna take it!

We landed back in Canada early Saturday morning around 4:00 am. I thought Lulu was going to pee on the floor she was so excited to see us! 

The opportunity to take such a luxurious holiday only magnified my sense of gratefulness. Not just for going on the trip but for all I have waiting for me at home. Everything from my bed and the big chair in the front room, to the clarity of Canadian light, and for doing the simple things, like walking the dog and baking banana bread. 

So I'm sending up a big prayer of thanks for enjoying adventures in far off exotic lands and for the comforts of home. 

Thanks for letting me be here. 

THIS IS NOT THE BLOG YOU ARE LOOKING FOR

This past week was Valentine's Day so to show the love I made some treats for my peeps at the office.

 Strawberry and raspberry tarts 

And cookies: ginger and some white chocolate vanilla! Because I'm all about putting others first you know....

WAIT.....

I have to be honest..this is not a blog about thinking of others first. If that's what you want, this is not the blog you are looking for..

Cause to be honest, right now I'm here..

Doing this:

And looking at these!

Having a wonderful time, wish you were all here!

I WON'T JUDGE YOU BY YOUR iPOD.

If I were a betting woman, I would guess you usually have some sort of music floating around in your head. Something you heard on the radio or a catchy commercial ditty. Or, something from your own music collection. 

I know I do. Follows me around while I carry out my morning ablutions, while I'm walking the dog, working, eating- my own personal musical just going on in my head. The song changes up when another ear worm invades and takes over my head space. 

"Ear worm, or brain worm" is described as "stuck song syndrome, a catchy piece of music that continually repeats through a person's mind after it is no longer playing." Well, some of them are catchy, some are just plain annoying!

I love music. All kinds (except Country....sorry. Just can't do it).  

Some I love because of the memories they bring. Memories of loved ones or a beautiful moment I can somehow relive while the song is playing. Led Zeppelin always reminds me of my sister Heidi. 

The musician in me will fall in love with the bass or drum line or a gut wrenching solo. The guitar solo in Elvin Bishop's "Fooled around and Fell in Love" nails it.  

Some I love cause they are great work out songs - hats off to the awesome funk of Earth Wind and Fire and Bruno Mars! 

Some, are so beautifully engineered they are works of art in themselves. John Mayer that's some team you got working for you!

I have classic rock, funk, inspirational, classical, jazz, pop, alternative all hanging around on my music collection and in my head space.  

You have yours too - quite likely there's some country in there. hey - to each his own. What happens in your Musical, stays in your Musical.  I won't judge you by your iPod!