SOUL FOOD

Soup; warm, comforting soul food. Given the choice for my last meal, it would be a beautiful bowl of soup with fresh chewy bread, a glass of wine and something chocolatey for dessert. 

This past weekend, downtown Belleville hosted their annual Savour the Chill Soup contest. We make a point of taking in this event each year. Local restaurants all present their best in the soup category and for $2 a pop and with spoon in hand, you can hop from spot to spot and try their creations. This year's winner, Earl & Angelos, created a butternut squash with maple infused sour cream.  It was a taste experience and my personal favourite. Coming in at second place was Sans Souci's Wing Night soup.

It was a perfect mix of soup with a crostini to soak up the juice and a big ole chicken drum/wing. This is my idea of Soul food!

But we are not just body. This incredible species known as Humans are also made up of spirit and soul. I like to have soul food for all three. 

So I go to church and take part in what we call "Life Group" to nourish the other two. We get together in small groups and just share life together, talk about spiritual things, make memories and laugh or help carry one another's struggles. 

But we church goers learned quickly that throwing food into the mix just makes it all that much better.

Here is some of us enjoying a home made apple crisp that was warm and rich and buttery and fruity and I could go on and on. Thanks Leslie, it was delicious!

Here's to Soul Food, whatever that means to you. May you feed ALL of you, body, soul and spirit. 

LENT, LOVE AND RETIREMENT

Canadians, who is getting winter weary? Yes...I see those hands, all 35 million-ish. Walking is almost an Olympic sport. I had to help a little dear maneurver her walker through slush and ice. I pass other pedestrians, comrades-in-arms, trying to avoid nasty slips. We give each other that weary winter glance that says "I know...I know". So, please, let's give each other a good reason to celebrate or acknowledge and honour one another. Like Lent, Love and Retirement.

Although not the most ideal timing, Lent arrived this week. The day before Valentines. The day all the woman stoutly determined to give up chocolate changed their minds. 

I gathered with my church community and pancakes and bacon were enjoyed on Shrove Tuesday.

These two beauties, Charmaine and Rhonda, did their best to keep up with the supply and demand!

At work, we celebrated Valentines Day passing out Valentines to one another and slipping them into bags for special prizes; gift cards to a local spa or restaurant or the ever popular LCBO.

Sheldon and I enjoyed a beautiful gourmet dinner at one of my favourites, L'Auberge de France. 

The table was set with flowers, candles and little bags of candies making for a special atmosphere on a cold winter night. Thanks L'Auberge!

At the end of this week, one of our co-workers, Sue, finally hung up her hat after 46 years. 

You heard me...46 YEARS. The office will not be the same without this stalwart and foundational soul. Sue is our Bingo Queen so in her honour we had a rousing Bingo tournament over lunch. Sue, you will be greatly missed!

Cold Canadian winters need moments of refuge. This week, we packed it in with Lent, Pancakes, Chocolate, Love and Honour. Take heart, my comrades-in-arms! The Robins are back. Winter is slowly losing her grip. We will survive!

A FEW NEW ADDITIONS

I have a few things I want to tell you about - new additions in my life!\\\

The first one is the addition of Ronja to our home. She is an 18-year-old german exchange student who said in her german accent: "I don't like getting my picture taken."  So, no pic. But she is lovely with beautiful brown eyes and presently long bluish/blonde hair. Now before you get all up in my face about taking in kids (See my blog "The Last of the Red Hot Ballerinas") may I say in my defence she is not a ballerina. But you are right, I buckled...and took in another kid. I'm incorrigible. 

Next addition, I'm thrilled to introduce you to DandyLion. Unlike Ronja, this one is more cooperative when it comes to picture taking. AND HE'S SO CUTE! So here come Lots of pics.

He's fluffy with hair going here there and everywhere, like a hot mess. It's looks like he will have one blue eye and one brown.

Be still my heart. How adorable is this kitten?

He's inquisitive and curious like any kitten should be. But he's also sweet tempered and loving. I'm smitten with this kitten.

New additions. It's amazing how one's heart can expand and increase to love more. You would think mine would be getting pretty crowded with all the friends, family and extra kids I've tucked in. But apparently there is room for more.

Bring on the additions! Bring on the love!

JUST BE NICE

We Canadians are a pretty nice bunch. Everybody knows that. We also say "sorry" a lot (this is very true), and I'm sorry about that, but it just happens. Cause we want to be nice and not offend anyone. 

But today is the Big Game, Super Bowl Sunday. There will be factions and homes split down the middle: Pops rooting for Patriots and Uncle Fred cheering on the Underdog Eagles. They will still be saying "I'm sorry" but it will be more like "I'M SORRY!! BUT THAT WAS AN IDIOTIC CALL!!"

Just be nice...

Lulu, she is not a nice dog. So don't take any cues from her. 

She's a bit of a brat, really. She would harass my Old Man Frodo (miss you Old Man) and I would have to remind Lulu that this is an Old Cat - like frail and pushing 100 years by human standards.

See what I mean?  Just be nice Lulu.

There's a sordid tale about one of the Kings of Judah. His father, Jehoshaphat was a great guy: wise king, honest and true. His brothers were all great guys too. But Jehoram happened to be born first so the throne came to him. First up he had all his brothers and few officials to boot executed. Not a nice guy. You can read about his disastrous reign yourself in 2 Chronicles 21. He only reigned for 8 years. Then he died of a nasty bowel disease. Scripture says "he passed away unlamented". Another version puts it this way?  "He departed with no one's regret". Like, good riddance don't let the door hit you on the way out. That's got to be one of the saddest scriptures around! 

So while you are watching the game, make sure you make amends during the half time while you all sing along with Justin Timberlake.

Don't be a sore loser, or a saucy winner - just be nice.

I'M IN THE DARK

How are you all coping through this Canadian Winter? Embracing it? Escaping it? Enduring it? Let's just end it?? 

One of the hardest parts for me is how much time I spend in the dark.

I eat breakfast and supper in the dark, walk the dog two times a day in the dark, wake up in the dark, go to bed in the dark. Bottom line....I'm in the dark here. 

One of my favourite APPS at this time of the year is "Star Walk" mostly because I can check to see how much more sunlight we get daily. Today, the sun will rise at 7:33 am and set at 5:14 pm - that's a whole 9:41 hours out of 24. But in a week from now on Super Bowl Sunday it will rise at 7:25 am and set at 5:24 - that's a whole 9:59 hours! Making progress. 

Still, I'm getting winter weary - so here's how I'm managing on this dark-cold-smack-dab-in-the-middle-of-winter.

I'm heading to the kitchen and making comfort food - I'm Making Banana Pancakes!

I'm buying flowers. I don't care if they only last a few days and are expensive.

Tip here fellas - for all 3 of you who read this blog. Buy your beloved flowers now. Don't wait until Valentines. She needs them...NOW.

Hang with the pets. They love hanging out with you and it's a good feeling being with those who love you.

And try and stay active - Last night Sheldon and I went for a swim. There were lots of adorable squealing girls and chubby babies and I enjoyed watching them all splish-splash and squeal to their heart's content. 

We are half way through....we can do this!

PLACES TO GO FOR A GOOD CUP OF JOE

I like a good cup of coffee. Strong, rich and hot with frothed milk and sprinkled with cinnamon. I'm the only coffee drinker in my house so I ritually make myself a cup of Joe every morning using a french press.

And, I admit, on weekends, a little dash of Bailey's makes it extra yummy!

Which got me musing about this necessary evil and I wanted to learn more about how to make a REALLY, GOOD cup of coffee.

Enter Adam:

On Saturday, Adam just happened to be putting on a coffee seminar at a local CrossFit centre. I'm not a Cross Fit person so I kinda stood out amongst all those rippling muscles but I am a coffee person, so I signed up!

To say that coffee is a passion for Adam is an understatement. Adam is the owner of The Brake Room (The Brake Room) and he is some kind of coffee guru. I learned about the coffee farms and farmers, the philosophy behind coffee, the importance of how to grind and how to store. The incredible science and chemistry around the amount of water vs. coffee vs. timing. I took a lot in but this is what I personally took home - I need to up my game when it comes to grinding; get a better grinder and grind fresh daily! 

I decided to check out the locally owned coffee spots downtown that personally, Belleville, could use a little love and support in the middle of winter. 

Nice Ice Baby is amazing for homemade ice cream and gelato. But coffee is also available, not to mention home made soup! 

 

Go check it out, Nice Ice Baby (Belleville Cafe - nice ice baby ice cream)  even if gelato is the furthest thing from your mind.

There is also Gourmet Diem (Gourmet Diem ) downtown. Coffee and fresh baked goods and it is chock full of great products. I bought a beet linguine there all rosy red and begging for mushrooms and peppers.

Finally, I stopped into a downtown favourite, L'auberge de France (L'Auberge de France)

This place is perfect for house cats like me - it's warm and cosy in here and you feel like you are in Grand Paris.  On Saturday mornings, you can get fresh baked croissants that melt in your mouth. But me, I went for a cappuccino and a slice of lemon loaf.

Because in Belleville, it's a good place to go, for a cup of Joe!

FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT!

Half the Canadians I know (I know quite a few) really do love winter. They thrive in it, they embrace it. The other half...not so much. I would fall into the latter category. The "I'm so cold, I'm tired of scraping the windshield, I don't want to go outside" half.

So we sit around sources of heat, whether that be a dog a human, or a fire of some sort, like one of these:

and watch TV or stare indolently out the window at the frozen tundra. 

But this time round, I decided to try and enjoy the longest season on the Canadian calendar. I was gonna try the "Fake it till you Make it" tactic. 

Let's start in the kitchen. I took a go at making Samosas from scratch - something hot and spicy!

The filling of potatoes, garlic, carrots and peas was well spiced with cardamon, fennel, cumin, ginger and hot chili to make the kitchen smell downright sexy hot!

I was skeptical about the dough; it did not feel right to me but bottom line, they turned out all right! I probably should have deep fried them but I took the healthy route and baked them:

Definitely got that amateur look, but aren't they adorable?!

I'm all warmed up on the inside, now let's get out there and tackle the tundra, frozen or not!

Proof I can do this winter thing:

See that? That's me with my friend Vicki and yes, we are snow shoeing! Outside!!

Here's another with Jolie and look, by golly we are all smiling! So you see, with a little fortitude of warm spicy food, you can take that winter on, you can 

FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT

or......maybe not....