Fishing on Sundays

Retro painted deck set

Metallic blue paint mixed with chrome - two chairs and a table, perfect for late afternoon Manhattans!

Two things that made me happy today

Breakfast

Late Night Flower Projects

Patty's Purple Hebes

Rainy tuesday night, what are we going to do ? Let's head to the nursery!

We picked up three flowering bushes called Patty's Purple Hebes and two lavender for our deck.

Didn't quite get enough potting soil so we're heading out to Thrifty's to get more.

I will post pics once we get our couch and table set up as well, it's going to be the perfect tea and a book Kind of deck!!

Lilacs- A Warm Sweet Memory

It's almost that time again!  The flowers are just starting and we should see them open in the next couple of weeks here in Victoria!  I always keep my eyes open for side of the road bushes I can pick from for a free Mothers Day bouquet! 

A lilac story that comes to mind that I will never forget is the scent of Lilacs on the warm morning summer air in Edmonton.  The memory that is evoked from when I lived there is when I worked a few overnight shifts at the movie theatre in West Edmonton Mall. It was when Star Wars was re-released, I was the treasurer so I had to count out all the tills after closing and for Star Wars they were doing all-nighters! 
My Step-Dad would come in the morning at 5am to pick me up after my shift, really a great guy,  this was before I was old enough to start paying rent for living at home ( at least before he started asking for it).  As an adult I think "wow, think of all the gas money he spent!" and the time he took picking me up and dropping me off at work everyday ( I mean, 5am!!!).  Without ever asking for anything in return.  The things you take for granted when you're a teenager!
I remember waiting outside at 5am, the sun just rising, the prairie heat already up, which was extra nice coming out of an air conditioned buiding.  It was likely already 24 degrees out by this time.  The city was completely quiet and all you could smell on the air were Lilacs! 
I don't know if it's the age and size of the bushes or the fact that the heat is so sweet for the plants but the Lilacs in Edmonton seemed to smell 100 times more potent than the ones here on the West Coast.  I remember in this concrete jungle that was our home, that I still wasn't used to at all, this being an absolute "soul soaking up lifes beauty" kind of moment.  I think it was the combination of the warm air, the sweet fragrance of the lilacs and the complete silence of a usually bustling place. I closed my eyes and took in huge nose fulls of the fragrance,  sun warming up my face and just relaxed, feeling so content with life and the simple things we are often too busy to appreciate.  I realized you couldn't smell the Lilacs during the day, their scent was masked by car exhaust and other city things. But in the mornings, these few mornings in particular it seemed to carry through the city somehow. I felt like I was alone in the world in the best way.  On top of that the view of  the sunrise in it's golden moment was more magnificent than ever.  From atop the stairs of the mall I could see forever.  Thinking back this should have been a wonderful memory in itself, but the scent of the Lilacs was the one that stuck with me.  I will never forget that feeling, it was a little slice of heaven for me in a dull, dry & dusty city.
I will always remember these mornings for the Lilacs and Ernie, and feel so lucky for the life I have lived, as simple as it is, it is always the small things that mean the most.   

The Real Desert Story

Dinner & Desert

Pancake Bacon

Yes, you read that right,  I wrote PANCAKE BACON.  Can you even believe this photo?  I found it while "surfing the net"  this afternoon, on my "lunch break"  The thing that makes my heart smile about this photo is that it is an oldy. I believe all the best things were made back in the day,  including good ol' fashion cooking & this photo proves it.  AND look how cute Aunt Jemima is!! I can't believe they took that photo off the front of their packages.  You bet I  will be making these this weekend, how else will I ever go through the $6 jumbo bag of pancake mix I bought from Costco three years ago.  and yes, I will probably heat up syrup in the microwave and dip them. 

Bell Shaped Flower

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If you have 5 minutes today

read this,  it will make you laugh at least 47 times.  Very clever and funny. 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/people-you-wish-you-knew-in-real-life

Hide and Seek

Joey hung out here for awhile this morning, being so small he always finds unusual "safe" places to relax where no one will step on him.

iPhone camera FX

Pat Bay Beach walk

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My First Blog Recipe

Well, I don't really have a name for this recipe,  except DELICIOUS.  If you want to impress someone and make them think you have mad cooking skills, this is the best and easiest recipe you could possibly make,  plus it takes no time at all!  I usually use whatever I have in my fridge as I always have some half vegetable of some kind and left over white meat.  You can use whatever you think would be yummy but I will tell you my suggestions here so you can go on that if you would  like. 

Here's your ingredient list:

White Wine-  I put this at the top of the list so you don't forget to buy it if you are heading out to the grocery.  This pasta is perfectly paired with white wine.  Choose a dry not so fruity wine to go with this one, as this cream sauce needs a simple friend, like a  Sauvignon Blanc, an un-oaked version is best. 

Pasta- Today I used Whole Wheat Bow Tie,  This recipe is best served with a bow tie or penne.  I like to use regular white pasta as I find the whole wheat a little heavy. 

3x Turkey Sausage- Italian style- If you live in Victoria these are from the Red Barn Market.  And they are perfect for this recipe. I cook them first by themselves and then cut them in to ¼" thick rounds to add to the prepared sauce.   I also use bite sizecut up chicken breast  sometimes, in that case cook the chicken separately to add to sauce after, season with Italian spices, do not overcook as they will continue cooking in the sauce.

3 cloves crushed garlic- If I can suggest one thing as a necessity in your kitchen it is a garlic "crusher" or slicer.  No more sticky fingers. 

Butter- LOTS.  I usually throw in 2-3 tables spoons to simmer the garlic in before I toss the other vegetables in.  If it's looking dry add more,  I never said this recipe was low fat,  I only promise it will be delicious. 

Vegetable medley- today I used

Zucchini- half of one diced in to ¼"-1/2" pieces

Asparagus- 8 spears

Orange Pepper-  I had half of one so I threw it in.

Crimini Mushrooms-  I like to use any kind of "button" mushroom as little flavour morsels,  they absorb tons of flavour plus they are packed full of nutrients!

Grape Tomatoes-  I used only the smallest ones and did not cut them.  Be careful when you go for your first bite, these will "pop" in your mouth and might be very hot! 

*If I would have had an onion on hand I would have used half of it and simmered it with the garlic.  This was still mouth watering without. 

Sauce

500ml Cream Cheese plain

Large jar of prepared Tomato sauce -today I used Classico Tuscan as my tomato sauce base, I don't consider this cheating, you could make your own from scratch but this recipe is supposed to be easy.  Otherwise no one would make itJ 

Milk or Cream- whichever you have in your fridge, in case you need to cut the thickness of the sauce add just a bit. 

Diced tomatoes,  I like using the "Italian spices" one-  I didn't actually use these in the recipe today as I had already put in enough grape tomatoes to make me happy.  But feel free to do so if you don't have fresh tomatoes on hand.

Spices-   I threw in a little bit of basil, fresh parsley and oregano as well as a pinch of salt and some fresh ground pepper.  I do most of my seasoning "by taste"  Add a little- taste. Doesn't taste perfect add some more-taste.  Taste again because it's so delicious, stick your figure in the sauce because it's so good you can't help yourself-tasting!!!

Here are some pictures to give you an idea of how to prepare.  I took them on my camera phone so I apologize they are not "professional". 

These are the ingredients

 

Then I chopped everything up. I simmered the minced garlic in the butter while I was cutting the rest of the vegetables.  

Add the vegetables and stir around on medium - low until tender I put the tomatoes in last so they don't burst from the constant stirring.

Then add the cream cheese, keep stirring DON'T let it burn!

Stir stir stir

Then add the tomato sauce and mix together, this Tuscan one turned out to be quite sweet and even had olives in it! Bonus!!

Suddenly you have a Rose' sauce!!

 

Now add the already cooked sausage or chicken and stir, add spices to taste and let the sauce ripen together for about 15 minutes, if it becomes too thick add a bit of milk or cream. Taste test after 15 minutes and adjust spices if necessary.

Now cook your pasta. 

This time I added the pasta right to the sauce for an easy server. It presents nicer if you serve it over the pasta rather than stirring them together, I always feel like this makes it look like a type of hamburger helper meal. Not very Klassy of me. 

I really hope if you try this recipe you enjoy it as much as I do, and if you can think of a name for it I'd love to have one!!

Bon Appetit!!!

Tickled Tulips

Here are a few pictures of the Tulips I picked up last Saturday, I picked them because I LOVE the simplicity of mixing green and white flowers together, it was a bonus that they had frilly edges. This morning I woke up and they had finally started opening. It seemed like they took longer than normal tulips, I wonder if the variety had anything to do with it as the frilly petals seemed to be locked together tighter than smooth petals would be. I just love the romantic feeling they give off.

Funny Cat Video

For my 2nd birthday my parents got me an orange tabby cat, I named him "Harry" pretty stunning name for a two year old to come up with, I know. He got sick and died shortly after we moved to Edmonton, the vet said old age, I say it was the bad weather.

Kyle shared this video with me this morning, if you've ever owned a cat you will have empathy for this man and his 5 a.m. wake up call.

http://www.wimp.com/doorstopcat/

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For all of my plant killing friends

Air Plants are the solution! Plus they look super cute and trendy.

Air plants, also called Tillandsia plants, or Epiphyte need no soil as they derive their nutrients and moisture from the air and in a natural environment the rain. So there's very little watering that needs to be done and no messy soil. I love the look of them in small Apothecary jars!

What do you think??

Fantasy Shoes

Wow so in Love with this pair of Prada shoes!! Sophisticated and fun! Who doesn't love a little fantasy ;)

Nice to see you, welcome to my blog

Great Bathroom Inspiration

http://www.elledecor.com/image/tid/6684?page=0
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5 minute stand up

I have recently (in the last six months) found out that the most worthwhile and amazing things in life start with a short note about tanning.......

"I went tanning today I'm hoping to get a nice glow for my sisters wedding."

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