Happy New Year!!!
Last, but certainly not least, may we all follow this young man's example in the coming year.
Next post: The recipe for Italian Potato soup AND the magnificent chocolate and raspberry mousse made for our dessert tonight!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Hope For The Future
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words...so this post is mostly in pictures, taken from my Pinterest board Hope For The Future. May this coming year bring you joy and helpfulness...open hearts and open hands.
Happy New Year!!!
Last, but certainly not least, may we all follow this young man's example in the coming year.
Next post: The recipe for Italian Potato soup AND the magnificent chocolate and raspberry mousse made for our dessert tonight!
Happy New Year!!!
Last, but certainly not least, may we all follow this young man's example in the coming year.
Next post: The recipe for Italian Potato soup AND the magnificent chocolate and raspberry mousse made for our dessert tonight!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Time Goes Marching Ever On...
As promised, I have a cake recipe and photos to post but first... At this time of year it behooves us to think about time's passing; where we have been and where we are going, never forgetting the people who have set the stage before us. (Photos from my Pinterest board: Gift of Those Who Came Before )
Thinking back on my childhood it seems there was almost always a special relationship between myself and older folk...many of whom I only knew by their first names, a bit unusual in that place and time. Jessie and Tressie, Dovie, Catherine and James, Goldie and Mary, 'Stick' and Imo and their three-legged dog Tippy, along with so many more; not least being my grandmothers. I thought nothing of chapping their doors or dropping by their workshops for a wee visit, usually accompanied by a 'pop' of some sort. My blue bicycle and I had our regular route in spring, summer, and autumn...during the winter I had to 'make do' with the nursing home on the street behind our house, the old Grey Elephant. (The house, not the nursing home.)
It never really struck me as odd that I preferred spending time with what we now refer to as senior citizens since I was generally surrounded by other children when at home; if not the neighbour's children (whose youngest, Penny, was my bestie) then the children my mother looked after, many of whom called my mom Aunt J-----. Perhaps it was the surfeit of children which caused me to seek out an older generation but what I most remember was the sense of being welcomed, appreciated and whilst I'm sure I was a dreadful pest and annoyance, at least occasionally, what I mostly recall were the smiles and gentle talk. Goldie explaining what Indian beads and fossils were, and the best way to grow squash, Jessie and Tressie asking me to 'help' them bake cookies. A nurse at the home explaining what dementia was in gentle terms, this after I'd held the hand of a confused woman who had gotten away from the nursing home and ran from adults who were trying to help her but who allowed me to lead her back 'home'. Dovey, a resident of the nursing home who lit up whenever I walked in, and showed me the dolls she had collected through her life. 'Stick', another neighbour who came to the rescue when the town bully came to beat up my brother and didn't like it when his knee ran into my foot....Stick heard me yelling as my poor brother tried to keep me safe in the house whilst defending himself from said bully and his two hangers-on and ran them off.
These people made my life so much richer, I can only hope that I was able to give them something in return. Have you, lovely readers, had people in your life like this?
And now for the recipe I promised...as I wrote yesterday, I came up with the recipe but Jess executed it for me; teamwork at it's best! There isn't a name for it, perhaps you can suggest one?
Two rounds of chocolate cake (I can give you the homemade chocolate cake version but how many people really have time to make it from scratch? A mix is juuuust fine as well.)
1 pint heavy (whipping) creme
1 pint red raspberries
3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. dark chocolate syrup
1 tsp. Each: butter and sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Short list isn't it? Bake your layers of chocolate cake and allow to cool; remove from pans and cover with waxed paper and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
When ready to put the cake together coat top and sides of first layer with half of the dark chocolate syrup. Not only will this give the cake more flavour and moistness it will prevent crumbs from migrating into the icing. Set aside first layer and place a small pan of hot water on the stove, bringing it to a simmer. Put a small metal bowl on top of pan of hot water and place butter in the bottom of the bowl to melt. In large mixing bowl place whipping creme, vanilla, and sugar....whip just until it begins forming soft peaks.
After butter has melted, add semi-sweet chocolate chips and allow to melt partially. (You can also use a double boiler if you have one; I never have because, frankly, a small bowl and pan work just as well.) Scoop melted chocolate into whipped creme and finish whipping....then cover top of first layer generously with mixture.
Rinse raspberries well and reserve 1/3 of them for later use. Crush remaining raspberries lightly with a potato masher. Spread crushed raspberries over first layer....
Place second layer of cake on top of raspberries and use remaining chocolate syrup and whipped creme on top, remembering to cover sides well. Top with whole raspberries and prepare to hear your tastebuds sing. This is not an overly sweet cake but it is absolutely bursting with flavour!
Serves 8-12.
In answer to your questions...yes, I will share the recipe for Italian potato soup next week but you may have to remind me!
Ack, the 'little' snow we were supposed to get tonight bids well to be as much, if not more, than our Boxing Day snowfall!
Good thing for the day: Fond memories.
Thinking back on my childhood it seems there was almost always a special relationship between myself and older folk...many of whom I only knew by their first names, a bit unusual in that place and time. Jessie and Tressie, Dovie, Catherine and James, Goldie and Mary, 'Stick' and Imo and their three-legged dog Tippy, along with so many more; not least being my grandmothers. I thought nothing of chapping their doors or dropping by their workshops for a wee visit, usually accompanied by a 'pop' of some sort. My blue bicycle and I had our regular route in spring, summer, and autumn...during the winter I had to 'make do' with the nursing home on the street behind our house, the old Grey Elephant. (The house, not the nursing home.)
It never really struck me as odd that I preferred spending time with what we now refer to as senior citizens since I was generally surrounded by other children when at home; if not the neighbour's children (whose youngest, Penny, was my bestie) then the children my mother looked after, many of whom called my mom Aunt J-----. Perhaps it was the surfeit of children which caused me to seek out an older generation but what I most remember was the sense of being welcomed, appreciated and whilst I'm sure I was a dreadful pest and annoyance, at least occasionally, what I mostly recall were the smiles and gentle talk. Goldie explaining what Indian beads and fossils were, and the best way to grow squash, Jessie and Tressie asking me to 'help' them bake cookies. A nurse at the home explaining what dementia was in gentle terms, this after I'd held the hand of a confused woman who had gotten away from the nursing home and ran from adults who were trying to help her but who allowed me to lead her back 'home'. Dovey, a resident of the nursing home who lit up whenever I walked in, and showed me the dolls she had collected through her life. 'Stick', another neighbour who came to the rescue when the town bully came to beat up my brother and didn't like it when his knee ran into my foot....Stick heard me yelling as my poor brother tried to keep me safe in the house whilst defending himself from said bully and his two hangers-on and ran them off.
These people made my life so much richer, I can only hope that I was able to give them something in return. Have you, lovely readers, had people in your life like this?
And now for the recipe I promised...as I wrote yesterday, I came up with the recipe but Jess executed it for me; teamwork at it's best! There isn't a name for it, perhaps you can suggest one?
Two rounds of chocolate cake (I can give you the homemade chocolate cake version but how many people really have time to make it from scratch? A mix is juuuust fine as well.)
1 pint heavy (whipping) creme
1 pint red raspberries
3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. dark chocolate syrup
1 tsp. Each: butter and sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Short list isn't it? Bake your layers of chocolate cake and allow to cool; remove from pans and cover with waxed paper and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
When ready to put the cake together coat top and sides of first layer with half of the dark chocolate syrup. Not only will this give the cake more flavour and moistness it will prevent crumbs from migrating into the icing. Set aside first layer and place a small pan of hot water on the stove, bringing it to a simmer. Put a small metal bowl on top of pan of hot water and place butter in the bottom of the bowl to melt. In large mixing bowl place whipping creme, vanilla, and sugar....whip just until it begins forming soft peaks.
After butter has melted, add semi-sweet chocolate chips and allow to melt partially. (You can also use a double boiler if you have one; I never have because, frankly, a small bowl and pan work just as well.) Scoop melted chocolate into whipped creme and finish whipping....then cover top of first layer generously with mixture.
Rinse raspberries well and reserve 1/3 of them for later use. Crush remaining raspberries lightly with a potato masher. Spread crushed raspberries over first layer....
Place second layer of cake on top of raspberries and use remaining chocolate syrup and whipped creme on top, remembering to cover sides well. Top with whole raspberries and prepare to hear your tastebuds sing. This is not an overly sweet cake but it is absolutely bursting with flavour!
Serves 8-12.
In answer to your questions...yes, I will share the recipe for Italian potato soup next week but you may have to remind me!
Ack, the 'little' snow we were supposed to get tonight bids well to be as much, if not more, than our Boxing Day snowfall!
Good thing for the day: Fond memories.
Friday, December 28, 2012
There Might Be A Picture Or Two...
Oi Vey!!! And again I say: OI VEY!
Usually we have a Boxing Day celebration but this year, with Jess having to work Boxing Day we decided to skip it...unfortunately Mother Nature didn't like that idea and dumped several inches of the white stuff on us. Happy Boxing Day? Needless to say, Jess did not make it to work since we had a white-out for a few hours. Ah well, back to bed....
On the other hand, we didn't lose power and that's always a plus and Jess made a delicious shepherd's pie from the leftover beef from Xmas dinner. Did everyone have a happy holiday? I certainly hope so! Whilst I wasn't up to putting up the Christmas tree this year we certainly didn't lack in holiday cheer...
Very cheery, especially with the candles lit, much easier to manage than doing the whole tree......and with the added benefit of being out of the reach of our canine kiddies, although Buddha was absolutely fascinated by it. He really really wanted the wee porcelain doll in the center. Jess and I teamed up to create this for our Christmas dessert:
I'll share the recipe and more photos tomorrow...
Lily, Buddha, and Abby received an early Christmas (and timely Gotcha Day!) gift from Gracie and Val at My Girlz Got Paws. As you can see in the next photos, Lily was thrilled with our new cow...although they've all taken turns carrying it around and loving it to pieces. Isn't the accompanying card the cutest thing???!!?
Healthwise, I'm still on the mend, there's been plenty of sleeping, great company and good food to help me along.
Mmmmm, Italian potato soup! As my Dad used to say: "It'll fix what ails ya and if nothin' ails ya it'll fix that too!"
I'll be posting again tomorrow and over the next few weeks, whilst I'm still recuperating, I'll be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays...I look forward to catching up with all of you again; I've missed you!
Good thing for the day: A good long talk with my daughter, mother, and stepfather on Christmas Day.
Usually we have a Boxing Day celebration but this year, with Jess having to work Boxing Day we decided to skip it...unfortunately Mother Nature didn't like that idea and dumped several inches of the white stuff on us. Happy Boxing Day? Needless to say, Jess did not make it to work since we had a white-out for a few hours. Ah well, back to bed....
On the other hand, we didn't lose power and that's always a plus and Jess made a delicious shepherd's pie from the leftover beef from Xmas dinner. Did everyone have a happy holiday? I certainly hope so! Whilst I wasn't up to putting up the Christmas tree this year we certainly didn't lack in holiday cheer...
Very cheery, especially with the candles lit, much easier to manage than doing the whole tree......and with the added benefit of being out of the reach of our canine kiddies, although Buddha was absolutely fascinated by it. He really really wanted the wee porcelain doll in the center. Jess and I teamed up to create this for our Christmas dessert:
I'll share the recipe and more photos tomorrow...
Lily, Buddha, and Abby received an early Christmas (and timely Gotcha Day!) gift from Gracie and Val at My Girlz Got Paws. As you can see in the next photos, Lily was thrilled with our new cow...although they've all taken turns carrying it around and loving it to pieces. Isn't the accompanying card the cutest thing???!!?
Healthwise, I'm still on the mend, there's been plenty of sleeping, great company and good food to help me along.
Mmmmm, Italian potato soup! As my Dad used to say: "It'll fix what ails ya and if nothin' ails ya it'll fix that too!"
I'll be posting again tomorrow and over the next few weeks, whilst I'm still recuperating, I'll be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays...I look forward to catching up with all of you again; I've missed you!
Good thing for the day: A good long talk with my daughter, mother, and stepfather on Christmas Day.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Still Here
Still recuperating (this bug has been a BEAR) and getting ready for the holidays. Thinking of everyone and wishing you all the best...I will be spending the time between now and Christmas baking, sleeping, decorating, sleeping, and spending time with family-with a side of, you guessed it, sleeping. I will see everyone again the day after Boxing Day (27 December) with lots of photos, a tale or two, and a bit of laughter...in the meantime, have the happiest of Holidays filled with joy, laughter, and open hearts and minds.
(Wouldn't she be lovely under the Christmas tree?)
Good thing for the day: Two wee boys (at a guess, ages 2 and 4) at a local restaurant loudly singing "Jingle butt, jingle butt, jingle BUTT BUTT BUTT!" The mischief in those eyes and cheeky grins!
Music for the day: A couple of my seasonal favourites...
Good thing for the day: Two wee boys (at a guess, ages 2 and 4) at a local restaurant loudly singing "Jingle butt, jingle butt, jingle BUTT BUTT BUTT!" The mischief in those eyes and cheeky grins!
Music for the day: A couple of my seasonal favourites...
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Love, Twue Love
Or...a few quotes about friendship.
"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you."
-A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh
"It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages."
-Friedrich Nietzsche
"Stay is a charming word in a friend's vocabulary."
- Amos Bronson Alcott, Concord Days
"Why is it", he said, one time, at the subway entrance, "I feel I've known you so many years?"
"Because I like you," she said, "and I don't want anything from you."
-Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever."
-Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Good thing for the day: The many friends who touch my life. Thank you.
Music for the day: 'Tis the season...and this is a song I remember my mother loving when I was wee.
"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you."
-A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh
"It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages."
-Friedrich Nietzsche
"Stay is a charming word in a friend's vocabulary."
- Amos Bronson Alcott, Concord Days
"Why is it", he said, one time, at the subway entrance, "I feel I've known you so many years?"
"Because I like you," she said, "and I don't want anything from you."
-Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
"If I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever."
-Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Good thing for the day: The many friends who touch my life. Thank you.
Music for the day: 'Tis the season...and this is a song I remember my mother loving when I was wee.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Yobacca!?!
Just a quick update, on the fly as it were...
Spoke with Mom tonight after her surgery; it went well but the surgeon warned her that this could continue happening in the future. (She had her gallbladder out several years ago and the ducts keep scarring closed which causes gallbladder attack-like symptoms all over again; she's lost 20 lbs. in the past month.) Still, right now she's a little sore but otherwise okay.
This bug is hanging on and on; it's the Energizer bunny bug! Sadly, Jess has it as well, she hasn't missed any work...through sheer stubbornness I might add. Bless 3M for doing doggie duty and making a mean pot of spaghetti this weekend!
Delightful doggie data:
Well, either Lily is coming out of season or I wasn't as diligent as I thought I was because things are slooowly beginning to calm down. Even the canine Casanova has begun thinking about things like food....and sleep....and whilst he thinks about himself like this:
Lily apparently still thinks of him as, well, this:
However, just on the off chance that I could be (gasp!) wrong and I am about to become a poochie grandma I decided it behooves me to have a name for the new breed thus established. Considering that Buddha looks like a brindle Yoda and Lily looks like a curly blonde Chewbacca I've decided that (drumroll please) Yobacca is the perfect name for such a combination! Brilliant, right?
In either case, it looks as though Buddha has been our lucky 'who gets snipped first' winner; I'm sure he'll be thrilled! Well, at least once he's over it. Who knows, perhaps he'll fancy a spot of tea and some crumpets?
Good thing for the day: A little peace and quiet.
Music for the day: (What I think Lily and Buddha might have chosen this past week, if they could.)
Spoke with Mom tonight after her surgery; it went well but the surgeon warned her that this could continue happening in the future. (She had her gallbladder out several years ago and the ducts keep scarring closed which causes gallbladder attack-like symptoms all over again; she's lost 20 lbs. in the past month.) Still, right now she's a little sore but otherwise okay.
This bug is hanging on and on; it's the Energizer bunny bug! Sadly, Jess has it as well, she hasn't missed any work...through sheer stubbornness I might add. Bless 3M for doing doggie duty and making a mean pot of spaghetti this weekend!
Delightful doggie data:
Well, either Lily is coming out of season or I wasn't as diligent as I thought I was because things are slooowly beginning to calm down. Even the canine Casanova has begun thinking about things like food....and sleep....and whilst he thinks about himself like this:
Lily apparently still thinks of him as, well, this:
However, just on the off chance that I could be (gasp!) wrong and I am about to become a poochie grandma I decided it behooves me to have a name for the new breed thus established. Considering that Buddha looks like a brindle Yoda and Lily looks like a curly blonde Chewbacca I've decided that (drumroll please) Yobacca is the perfect name for such a combination! Brilliant, right?
In either case, it looks as though Buddha has been our lucky 'who gets snipped first' winner; I'm sure he'll be thrilled! Well, at least once he's over it. Who knows, perhaps he'll fancy a spot of tea and some crumpets?
Good thing for the day: A little peace and quiet.
Music for the day: (What I think Lily and Buddha might have chosen this past week, if they could.)
Friday, December 7, 2012
Spot......Spot The Looney...
Or what I've been singing when I look in the mirror lately.
(Some parts of this tale may have been slightly enhanced for your reading...and laughing at me...pleasure. Go ahead, laugh, I can take it!)
I'm sure all of you are aware that I love our dogs. What you may not know is that our Lily, who has been with us for 4 1/2 years, had never once come into season. We were all very grateful for that little gift and I, at least, never questioned what I read from a veterinarian: that some female dogs, just like some human females, just never do.... Mmm hmmm...can you see where I'm going with this?
What never occurred to my little pea brain was that my darling Lily had never been around a non-neutered male. Dog that is, hehe. Her hormones were lying in wait...
A few months ago we adopted Abby, the dainty pit bull, and Buddha...the handsome Boston. Abby, thankfully, had already been spayed when she moved in with us, but Buddha? Nope, uh uh. He was also underweight, had a badly injured leg, and other health issues...since Lily had never gone into heat I made the decision to wait until after the new year to do the responsible thing and get him neutered so he had plenty of time to regain his health.
Abby sees where this is going and is ready to run...
So, I've been sick the last week or so and guess what happened on Tuesday! Yup, that's right........Lily came into season! There's been whining...... kvetching..... groaning.... growly behaviour, and that's just from the humans! Buddha is in love or, more accurately, lust and Lily is prancing around with tail in the air just certain that the love of her life is going to come along and it isn't Buddha.
Buddha, in true Pepe Le Pew mode, has been attempting to break into Lily's bed or jump the gate into the dog room, whining all the while...forgoing food, or sleep, desperate to be with his ladylove. Lily, on the other hand, greets his greatest efforts with growls and barks; I think she may have even hissed at one point. I'm not unhappy about her reaction because, as good looking as they both are, they would not make pretty puppies together; imagine if Yoda and Chewbacca had made a baby together! Buddha, of course, does not agree with me.
As we used to say in school Buddha; tough noogies! Sadly, we can't get either of them 'fixed' until Lily goes out of season so we are doomed to this for a while: keeping them apart whilst preserving Lily's innocence. She had a visitor today, a pooch of very mixed parentage (German Shepherd and Bassett Hound? How could that shepherd have stooped so low!) who pranced up onto the deck outside the dog room. He serenaded her, they did the Romeo and Juliet scene...loudly...he did his best to ignore the cold water I chucked out...OI! What's next? A Dachsund/Shar Pei mix???
I'd been sleeping on the couch, both to ensure Buddha and Lily remained separated and to try and keep the noise level down enough that 3M and Jess could get some sleep but yesterday I was too sick to do so. My darling Great Scot took the couch whilst the heroic (wait, would it be heroine-ic for a woman?) Jess took Buddha and Abby into her room. I slipped into bed for a good sleep, wondering if everyone would survive the day... They did, thankfully, and I have made my vow: Never Again! As soon as possible they will be snipped, snapped, and stitched!
Go ahead, laugh, I deserve it!
Good thing for the day: I'm not a doggie grandma...yet.
Video for the day: Because it's so appropriate...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQmFMXkhXPY
(Some parts of this tale may have been slightly enhanced for your reading...and laughing at me...pleasure. Go ahead, laugh, I can take it!)
I'm sure all of you are aware that I love our dogs. What you may not know is that our Lily, who has been with us for 4 1/2 years, had never once come into season. We were all very grateful for that little gift and I, at least, never questioned what I read from a veterinarian: that some female dogs, just like some human females, just never do.... Mmm hmmm...can you see where I'm going with this?
What never occurred to my little pea brain was that my darling Lily had never been around a non-neutered male. Dog that is, hehe. Her hormones were lying in wait...
A few months ago we adopted Abby, the dainty pit bull, and Buddha...the handsome Boston. Abby, thankfully, had already been spayed when she moved in with us, but Buddha? Nope, uh uh. He was also underweight, had a badly injured leg, and other health issues...since Lily had never gone into heat I made the decision to wait until after the new year to do the responsible thing and get him neutered so he had plenty of time to regain his health.
Abby sees where this is going and is ready to run...
So, I've been sick the last week or so and guess what happened on Tuesday! Yup, that's right........Lily came into season! There's been whining...... kvetching..... groaning.... growly behaviour, and that's just from the humans! Buddha is in love or, more accurately, lust and Lily is prancing around with tail in the air just certain that the love of her life is going to come along and it isn't Buddha.
Buddha, in true Pepe Le Pew mode, has been attempting to break into Lily's bed or jump the gate into the dog room, whining all the while...forgoing food, or sleep, desperate to be with his ladylove. Lily, on the other hand, greets his greatest efforts with growls and barks; I think she may have even hissed at one point. I'm not unhappy about her reaction because, as good looking as they both are, they would not make pretty puppies together; imagine if Yoda and Chewbacca had made a baby together! Buddha, of course, does not agree with me.
As we used to say in school Buddha; tough noogies! Sadly, we can't get either of them 'fixed' until Lily goes out of season so we are doomed to this for a while: keeping them apart whilst preserving Lily's innocence. She had a visitor today, a pooch of very mixed parentage (German Shepherd and Bassett Hound? How could that shepherd have stooped so low!) who pranced up onto the deck outside the dog room. He serenaded her, they did the Romeo and Juliet scene...loudly...he did his best to ignore the cold water I chucked out...OI! What's next? A Dachsund/Shar Pei mix???
I'd been sleeping on the couch, both to ensure Buddha and Lily remained separated and to try and keep the noise level down enough that 3M and Jess could get some sleep but yesterday I was too sick to do so. My darling Great Scot took the couch whilst the heroic (wait, would it be heroine-ic for a woman?) Jess took Buddha and Abby into her room. I slipped into bed for a good sleep, wondering if everyone would survive the day... They did, thankfully, and I have made my vow: Never Again! As soon as possible they will be snipped, snapped, and stitched!
Go ahead, laugh, I deserve it!
Good thing for the day: I'm not a doggie grandma...yet.
Video for the day: Because it's so appropriate...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQmFMXkhXPY
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Linky, Linky, Who's Got The Linky?
Oh, that's right, I do.....somewhere around here.... Are you finished with your holiday shopping? Just a few more things and I'm all done for the year but I still want to share some wonderful links that will put you in the shopping spirit. Well, they do for me at least. (Nope, as always I have not been paid to promote or mention any of these, they are things I like and wanted to share with you.)
First up: Cee Cee Native Crafts, a family owned enterprise located in Canada. Operated by good friends of mine they do wonderful First Nations earrings, barrettes, bookmarks, etc.. These make great gifts for any holiday or event, for those who love Native American crafts and/or beadwork. You can also find them in blogland at The Four Beaded Directions and on their Facebook Page. You'll be seeing more from them here in the next few days (think giveaway!) so keep your eyes open! Some examples of their work:
Next up is Godspeed Candles, another family owned and operated business. In this instance they are my family members...and nope, I'm not involved in this business, I just happen to know they do really really good work! Just take a look at this one...with a mix of peppercorn, nutmeg, cloves, elderberry, plum and mint doesn't that sound like a heavenly scent?
You can also find them on Facebook (as well as Pinterest).
Oi, this is going to turn out to be a chapter book...so I'll just list others I love, some from here in blogland.
Antiquity Travelers creates beautifully unique jewelry and sells it in her Etsy shop, the link is on her blog; go check it out, you'll be very glad you did! (I'm salivating over several of her pieces, especially the earrings.)
Ana Eugenio's wonderland. Besides having a beautifully honest blog, if you follow the link to her shop you'll fall in love with her beautiful photographic artwork. It's available as either frame-worthy prints or postcards...oh, and she also does headers and buttons; she did mine!
moncy3, along with checking out Claudia's blog, go find out what she has on offer in her shops...including wonderful supplies and ideas for gift packaging!
Linda at physaria designs does some of the most colourful, fun, and unique jewelry and polymer clay buttons I've seen on the internet; you'll fall in love with her Etsy shop; I know I did.
pudwinks, oh I do love me some pudwinks...not only do they have beautiful cards and pins, they create beautiful artwork and cheery stories. Located in Cornwall, I've a feeling their popularity will be worldwide! (Oh, and lest we forget, they can and will personalise their cards, etc...) Remember when they sent me a wee package? If not, this is but one example (a personalised card) that was in it... Adorable!
One final link...for those who like good footwear and eyewear and the opportunity to do a bit of good in the world, I give you Toms. If you've never heard of them, I urge you to check them out...begun because of a compassionate urge to help children in poverty, Toms has now given out one million shoes. For every pair of shoes purchased, a pair of shoes is given; how cool is that? Not only that, for each pair of sunglasses from Toms, the gift of sight is given to someone in need of it...whether it is a pair of glasses, cataract removal, whatever is needed. Now this is a company I can respect!
Okay, now we have the health update portion of tonight's programme. It's boring and whiny so unless you have to read it I urge you to skip it, lol.
Parkinson's: Moving to a higher dosage of Sinemet has kept most of the Parkinson's symptoms under control and it isn't showing signs of losing effectiveness. Most days I don't even have to think about it.
Familial Tremour: With the advent of colder temperatures there has been a mild increase in tremouring. Let me stress that it is a mild increase; I haven't had to resort to using my cane and can still drive most days. Mom, it's about equivalent to what you experience when you're tired. This is do-able and the medication is still working very well for me.
Fibromyalgia: What can I say but ouch? Between it and the RA there's a pretty high level of discomfort many days; I take the pain meds when I need to and keep moving...slowly. Just call me Turtle, hehe.
Fatigue: Yup, got plenty of it, more than enough to share!
It's the time of year when 'bugs' are being passed around and if it's within a mile of me I get it. Yay? Having gotten over the flu I now have a horrid cold which has settled in my head and chest...as Mom exclaimed when I called this evening "You sound TERRIBLE!" Still, in comparison to this time last year things have improved SO much that I have to count my blessings every day. If I'm in and out over the next few days blame this cold btw.
Good thing for the day: See Above!
Music for the day: Because Christmas is coming...
First up: Cee Cee Native Crafts, a family owned enterprise located in Canada. Operated by good friends of mine they do wonderful First Nations earrings, barrettes, bookmarks, etc.. These make great gifts for any holiday or event, for those who love Native American crafts and/or beadwork. You can also find them in blogland at The Four Beaded Directions and on their Facebook Page. You'll be seeing more from them here in the next few days (think giveaway!) so keep your eyes open! Some examples of their work:
Next up is Godspeed Candles, another family owned and operated business. In this instance they are my family members...and nope, I'm not involved in this business, I just happen to know they do really really good work! Just take a look at this one...with a mix of peppercorn, nutmeg, cloves, elderberry, plum and mint doesn't that sound like a heavenly scent?
Oi, this is going to turn out to be a chapter book...so I'll just list others I love, some from here in blogland.
Antiquity Travelers creates beautifully unique jewelry and sells it in her Etsy shop, the link is on her blog; go check it out, you'll be very glad you did! (I'm salivating over several of her pieces, especially the earrings.)
Ana Eugenio's wonderland. Besides having a beautifully honest blog, if you follow the link to her shop you'll fall in love with her beautiful photographic artwork. It's available as either frame-worthy prints or postcards...oh, and she also does headers and buttons; she did mine!
moncy3, along with checking out Claudia's blog, go find out what she has on offer in her shops...including wonderful supplies and ideas for gift packaging!
Linda at physaria designs does some of the most colourful, fun, and unique jewelry and polymer clay buttons I've seen on the internet; you'll fall in love with her Etsy shop; I know I did.
pudwinks, oh I do love me some pudwinks...not only do they have beautiful cards and pins, they create beautiful artwork and cheery stories. Located in Cornwall, I've a feeling their popularity will be worldwide! (Oh, and lest we forget, they can and will personalise their cards, etc...) Remember when they sent me a wee package? If not, this is but one example (a personalised card) that was in it... Adorable!
One final link...for those who like good footwear and eyewear and the opportunity to do a bit of good in the world, I give you Toms. If you've never heard of them, I urge you to check them out...begun because of a compassionate urge to help children in poverty, Toms has now given out one million shoes. For every pair of shoes purchased, a pair of shoes is given; how cool is that? Not only that, for each pair of sunglasses from Toms, the gift of sight is given to someone in need of it...whether it is a pair of glasses, cataract removal, whatever is needed. Now this is a company I can respect!
Okay, now we have the health update portion of tonight's programme. It's boring and whiny so unless you have to read it I urge you to skip it, lol.
Parkinson's: Moving to a higher dosage of Sinemet has kept most of the Parkinson's symptoms under control and it isn't showing signs of losing effectiveness. Most days I don't even have to think about it.
Familial Tremour: With the advent of colder temperatures there has been a mild increase in tremouring. Let me stress that it is a mild increase; I haven't had to resort to using my cane and can still drive most days. Mom, it's about equivalent to what you experience when you're tired. This is do-able and the medication is still working very well for me.
Fibromyalgia: What can I say but ouch? Between it and the RA there's a pretty high level of discomfort many days; I take the pain meds when I need to and keep moving...slowly. Just call me Turtle, hehe.
Fatigue: Yup, got plenty of it, more than enough to share!
It's the time of year when 'bugs' are being passed around and if it's within a mile of me I get it. Yay? Having gotten over the flu I now have a horrid cold which has settled in my head and chest...as Mom exclaimed when I called this evening "You sound TERRIBLE!" Still, in comparison to this time last year things have improved SO much that I have to count my blessings every day. If I'm in and out over the next few days blame this cold btw.
Good thing for the day: See Above!
Music for the day: Because Christmas is coming...
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
We Are All Mad Here!
Well okay; I and the other Bletherskites are mad...bwahahaha!
What a long, strange, week it's been. For the most part I'm over the physical symptoms of the flu but I'm still all muzzy headed. Does that ever happen to you? Restless, slightly irritated, unable to concentrate or settle on anything? Generally when that happens I get my baker's hat on and go to town but nooooo, the oven element decided to break last week. In two places. Simultaneously.
I grumbled. I growled. And oh my, did I ever whine; the other Bletherskites are so incredibly patient they didn't even offer me cheese! Oh wait, it may not have been patience, it may have been self preservation...
Reading, which is in my top three of all-time favourite activities, helped for short periods of time .... until I would reread the same paragraph over and over because the words just stopped making sense to me. Same with trying to read your blogs. I don't 'do' television. Bored and sick Jacqueline=extremely dangerous beastie.
Pinterest and I had a rather meaningful affair last week. Now, we'd flirted a bit over the last couple of months but last week it turned into le grande passion! Always there when I needed it...never complaining when I walked away (or slept away) for hours on end, endless variety and most surprisingly of all: even a bit of good sense! It teased me...with chocolatey goodness recipes....it titillated....with gorgeous Art Deco and Art Nouveau designs...it taught me...lots of inspiring cheapskatery tips.
So now you know, I freely confess it, when I'm sick but able to crawl out of bed...you can find me with my new flame: Pinterest.
Still, Pinterest will never replace you: my lovely readers and friends, and so I'm back with nonsense intact, fairly wellish and with oven once again working! Tomorrow you will finally get that list of Christmas shopping links I've been promising ...and I'll be posting a general health update for family and friends, so be warned. (It's pretty boring, thankfully.)
Tonight I want to wish Mom and Pop a Happy Anniversary! I believe it's their eleventy-first. (Joking!!!!!) Next Monday Mom has surgery to correct the problems she's been having so I hope you'll join me in wishing her all the best, as well as a Happy Anniversary.
Good thing for the day: Having things working again!
Music for the day: For Mom and Pop, (the Kenny Rogers lookalike) some of the music I remember them playing and a special Neil Young...just because.
What a long, strange, week it's been. For the most part I'm over the physical symptoms of the flu but I'm still all muzzy headed. Does that ever happen to you? Restless, slightly irritated, unable to concentrate or settle on anything? Generally when that happens I get my baker's hat on and go to town but nooooo, the oven element decided to break last week. In two places. Simultaneously.
I grumbled. I growled. And oh my, did I ever whine; the other Bletherskites are so incredibly patient they didn't even offer me cheese! Oh wait, it may not have been patience, it may have been self preservation...
Reading, which is in my top three of all-time favourite activities, helped for short periods of time .... until I would reread the same paragraph over and over because the words just stopped making sense to me. Same with trying to read your blogs. I don't 'do' television. Bored and sick Jacqueline=extremely dangerous beastie.
Pinterest and I had a rather meaningful affair last week. Now, we'd flirted a bit over the last couple of months but last week it turned into le grande passion! Always there when I needed it...never complaining when I walked away (or slept away) for hours on end, endless variety and most surprisingly of all: even a bit of good sense! It teased me...with chocolatey goodness recipes....it titillated....with gorgeous Art Deco and Art Nouveau designs...it taught me...lots of inspiring cheapskatery tips.
So now you know, I freely confess it, when I'm sick but able to crawl out of bed...you can find me with my new flame: Pinterest.
Still, Pinterest will never replace you: my lovely readers and friends, and so I'm back with nonsense intact, fairly wellish and with oven once again working! Tomorrow you will finally get that list of Christmas shopping links I've been promising ...and I'll be posting a general health update for family and friends, so be warned. (It's pretty boring, thankfully.)
Tonight I want to wish Mom and Pop a Happy Anniversary! I believe it's their eleventy-first. (Joking!!!!!) Next Monday Mom has surgery to correct the problems she's been having so I hope you'll join me in wishing her all the best, as well as a Happy Anniversary.
Good thing for the day: Having things working again!
Music for the day: For Mom and Pop, (the Kenny Rogers lookalike) some of the music I remember them playing and a special Neil Young...just because.
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