Leslie Jane Moran

My Funny Valentine

2012-02-13T10:18:00.000-05:00

When the little family was home at Christmas time, we had a very special day with a photo shoot. I cannot say enough about our afternoon in Markham at "Pixelfix" Photography. The minute Zoë got into the studio, despite requiring several "outfit" changes, she felt so much at ease that we just knew this was going to be a special event. Now that the photos are completed, I will be able to share with you from time to time. If you live anywhere in our area, this is the place to go!

There are photos and there are photos. This photographer not only captured the concept, she captured the essence of our little one. I've never been as pleased with a photography package as this. Danielle, we cannot thank you enough for this marvelous time. We look forward to many more sessions as Zoë grows up.
My new personal photographer :)

All Photos:
Danielle Kinahan - Pixelfix Photography
dani@pixelfix.ca
www.pixelfix.ca

If I was in LA

2012-02-11T10:20:00.002-05:00

This is the view when you open the door this morning. Only 3 more sleeps!

Friday Night Viewing

2012-02-10T13:30:00.000-05:00

If you are a fan of genealogy, you won't want to miss this season of "Who Do You Think You Are". Tonight at 8 p.m. on NBC.

The Professor has done an exhaustive search on both sides of our families.

To paraphrase my response to his post:

"Up until now, I've managed to keep my own counsel on these Mormon posts. I must say that his genealogical work on my ancestors is scholarly and very impressive. I know what an arduous task it has been ensuring historical accuracy. For that "we" are all grateful. I'm not totally thrilled to be linked in any way shape or form with "Mitt". It is, however, fascinating to think of people making a voyage from Glasgow to Utah.

I wish my Father was alive to know of this story, he only got as far as knowing that "his people" arrived on the Prompt.

Thanks for making the rest of the trek a source of family folklore." I think I'm more aligned with the folks that just stayed here! Glad to be a black sheep.

I'm just going to add that if I were able to I would definitely be voting for Obama!

More than just a cake

2012-02-08T10:02:00.013-05:00

Yesterday, I had to pick up my sewing machine after it's repair and tune-up. This time, without the Professor in tow, I had much more time to peruse the shop. I had seen a bundle of 10 inch fabric squares called "Layer Cake".

The woman at the desk told me to look up the Layer Cake tutorial.

Doesn't this look like fun!
I was at The Oakville Sewing Center I can't believe I have not been here more often. My smocking teacher Judith Marquis used to work there, and highly recommends it. They have a huge sale on now, and an even bigger sale when they move to their new location at the end of the month. They have Kaffe Fassett fabrics as well as Amy Butler.

Everyone will be a little Crazy!

2012-02-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

One of my all-time favourite movies. MOONSTRUCK

The moon is full tonight. Expect the unexpected, and don't forget to watch this movie. It is so wonderful, and each time I see it, I find yet another special moment.
Ti Amo!

A lovely poetic read

2012-02-05T11:40:00.016-05:00

I'm a great fan of Heather Mallick, a columnist in "The Toronto Star". In today's paper there is a "colourful" two page spread....

"As we trudge through a grey February, blast us with scarlet and mauve".

"Yellow — The yolks of happy hens are an emergency-coloured orange-yellow I could be talked into this backyard chicken coop Toronto-Portlandia thing, you know, just to taste the wet frisky apricot yolks you get from chickens not raised in a battery. Yellow is the colour of the sun, butter, jaundice, wheat, cheese, lemons, cowslips, cowardice, quarantine flags, Murdoch journalism and straw. Yellow is little seen here. Follow that school bus! Pardon? Just cruising for cadmium, Officer."

Take a few minutes to read this article, it will cheer you and leave you with a smile on your face.

On the Blink

2012-02-03T23:28:00.003-05:00

I'm not exactly sure what happened today but everything was "on the blink". Is that yet another Ottawa Valley aphorism??

The dashboard of my car has been "blinking" .....oil filter, oil change, tires... One can turn these alerts off, but I decided today was the day to hike to Burlington and have it attended to.

I've actually been "blinking" myself of late. Need another eye glass appointment. To heck with "progressive" lenses. I want two pairs of glasses. One pair for driving and one pair for reading. I like large surfaces for both endeavors and I'm already used to people pointing out that I have a pair of glasses on my head and another on my face. Catherine the Great has made me blind.

My sewing machine is "on the blink". It won't reverse. It will go for a tune-up tomorrow.

My knitting is "on the blink". I am going to take a little lesson in the proper construction of the sweater AND how to pick up and knit borders.

My blog has been "on the blink" all day and I thought I was going to have to reconstruct, due to blogger's "blinking" new template idea. After much hair pulling, wailing and gnashing of teeth on behalf of both The Professor and I, it has all just been righted.

It is very late, and I'm blinking as I write this. I hope tomorrow will be a better day.

Failed attempt

2012-02-03T11:17:00.003-05:00

Trying to use the new blogger and I hate it. Be back soon, when I restore things.

GROUNDHOG DAY!

2012-02-02T09:56:00.003-05:00

The country’s first two furry forecasters have brought good news to winter-weary Canadians on Groundhog Day: Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam and Ontario’s Wiarton Willie both failed to see their shadows Thursday morning.

That means, according to tradition, an early spring is on its way.

Photo and Text Credit: nationalpost.com

Perfect timing

2012-01-31T09:48:00.006-05:00

Just when I needed some artistic inspiration. Leonard is at it again ...."Old Ideas".

Perfect time for some golden old mellow. Available today on iTunes.

Just a bowl of cherries

2012-01-30T11:17:00.012-05:00

Life is just a bowl of cherries. Thanks to Lauren A's recommendation, I still had a huge bag of frozen cherries from Costco that stared me in the face every time I opened the door to fish out yet one more "clear-out-the-freezer-item". The weekend was uneventful, between snow showers, cozy to be inside. There was tons of figure skating on television and my favourite Sunday evening crop of shows....The SAG awards, Downton Abbey, The Good Wife, PanAm, and I previewed the latest HBO "Luck" with Dustin Hoffman....

How about a cherry cobbler?

Ingredients
Filling:

6 cups tart red cherries, pitted
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
4 teaspoons cornstarch

Topping:

1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a saucepan combine filling ingredients and cook, stirring until bubbling and thickened. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish. Meanwhile, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until it is crumbly. Mix together egg and milk. Add to flour mixture and stir with a fork just until combined. Drop topping by tablespoonfuls onto filling. Bake for 25 minutes until browned and bubbly.

Lauren A. {the beet hater} will be glad to see that I added a pastry topping to her version of the low-fat dessert delight.... "Cherries on Vanilla Yogurt Ice Cream". Lauren, I think I've improved the weekend treat :) You knew I would :)

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse
Photo Credit: http://bakinandeggs.com

I have to go back!

2012-01-28T16:38:00.013-05:00

"Founded by American collector and heiress to the Post cereal empire Marjorie Merriweather Post, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is one of the premier art collector's museums in the United States. The museum features the most comprehensive collection of Russian imperial art outside of Russia and a world-renowned collection of eighteenth-century French decorative art and furnishings. The collection includes Fabergé eggs, Russian porcelain, Russian Orthodox icons, Beauvais tapestries, and Sèvres porcelain. Encircled by woodlands, the twenty-five acre estate provides visitors a tranquil oasis of luscious formal gardens."

"A portrait of Catherine the Great of Russia hangs on the stairway at the mansion. Mrs Post's marriage to Joseph E. Davies took them to Russia in 1937 and 1938 when he was U.S. Ambassador, and there Mrs. Post developed a love of Russian decorative arts."

Thank you David P. for reminding me about this wonderful place. I will certainly try to make it to "The Style That Ruled The Empires".

Picture/quote Credit: http://washingtonspeaks.blogspot.com

January 27, 1756

2012-01-27T11:36:00.008-05:00

Happy Birthday Wolfgang

From her viewpoint

2012-01-23T10:04:00.008-05:00

If only history had been taught like this in school. As the Professor points out, I wouldn't have had time to read a tome such as this when I was in high school, but I don't think I would have forgotten the historical content, had it appealed this much to me then.

Catherine, her life from being a German princess, to Russian despot, as seen from her point of view....well, as much as can be gleaned from her own and others memoirs and letters. The perfect historical novel, written by a witty scholar.

This is a huge book, but it is going really quickly and I am smitten with it. Today is the perfect dark day to curl up and pretend one is part of the Russian court.

Russian Food

2012-01-21T11:02:00.010-05:00

Start with a VODKA Tonic!
Start EVERYTHING with a Vodka Tonic
There are many versions of Borscht. This is one that I imagine is the closest to the one I ate. It is like a bowl of liquid jewels! Catherine the Great would have approved.

I love cooking beets in the oven. They usually take much longer than one expects, I always count and hour either which way, unless you have a pressure cooker.

Ingredients:

4 beets, washed, or 2 cups sliced canned or jarred beets
4 cups meat or vegetable stock
1 minced clove garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
Salt and black pepper
Chopped fresh dill for garnish

Preparation:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap beets in aluminum foil and roast until tender, about 30-45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and slice into strips or julienne.

In a medium pot, bring stock to boil, add beets, garlic, sugar, lemon juice or vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 10 minutes.

Serve hot with boiled potatoes and chopped dill for garnish, or cool quickly in an ice-water bath and refrigerate to serve cold garnished with dill and sour cream.

The menu served at "Frank" coinciding with the Chagall exhibit had this on the menu. The brisket served with potatoes and sauerkraut was as inspiring as the art work!

[Apologies to Lauren A. and all those who HATE beets! :) ]

recipe credit: http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/polishsoups/r/beetsoup.htm

All things Russian

2012-01-20T17:12:00.000-05:00

I'm so happy that I defied last weeks slushy snowstorm and braved a trip on the train and subway to see the Chagall exhibit at the AGO. It was a real history lesson for me as well as a visual inspiration. I am currently reading all things "Catherine The Great", and, as synchronicity would have it, Chagall's Russian ancestry intertwines perfectly with my obsession.

Double portrait with wine glass

There is nothing like seeing the vibrant colours of the real thing, but these were two of the most dramatic paintings in the collection.

A friend pointed me towards an audio presentation about Chagall that is very much like a lecture you might hear at Chautauqua. This is Chagall and the Russian Avant-Garde. Well worth the time to reacquaint oneself with this part of history.

Hat Tip: JS

If only for a day

2012-01-19T00:39:00.006-05:00

The last few weeks have been a roller-coaster of temperature here in Southern Ontario. This year, I ordered a parka, online, from LLBean. It has been really, really cold the past few days, and I have never been happier with a jacket than this one. It is snugly and very warm, and has that fabulous two way zipper that allows one to sit in the car without your coat around your ears! Every time I go outside, I say ...I LOVE this coat!

If I had only ever worn this perfect parka for one day it would have been worth it.
I have been collecting quite a few items from LLBean. Big corduroy shirts are my other favourite items. They also deliver lickety-split.

Back to the Ballroom

2012-01-18T12:43:00.004-05:00

Back to Ballroom Line-dancing classes. We reviewed what we had covered last time, and this is one of my favourite melodies. I always come home with this "ear worm". Even if you can't understand the lyrics, how can you not enjoy this melody. Now if I could only master the steps :)

"Ay Amor"

From Here To The Moon......

2012-01-17T10:34:00.016-05:00

When your children and their children live very far away, these things mean so much. It all started of course with the book, which you can order from Amazon.

I got my mug from "Winners" ...one of those flukey moments, but now you can order the mug from Amazon. It's made by Konitz.

The other night, I was watching Letterman and it just happened that Dolly Parton, sang this song. Synchronicity.

These make wonderful gifts for new babies, or just Grandmas that miss their own babies.

The Mushroom Soup Challenge

2012-01-15T18:28:00.013-05:00

Life is full of challenges, but none quite as daunting as the "Mushroom Soup Challenge". The Professor picked up two flats = 24 cans of mushroom as opposed to one flat of mushroom and one of tomato. He swears the Mushroom was in the Tomato spot :)

We've had the famous tuna casserole with potato chips, and a version to use up frozen meatballs, as well as one evening just eating it as SOUP. We still have 21 cans to go.

Personally I grew up with mushroom soup on pork chops and chicken and I know that the "purists" find this really disgusting, but to me, it's a bit of comfort food. Luckily it's cold and wintery now....perhaps I'll donate one flat to the food bank, which would take us down to 9 cans, but in the meantime, make sure that you mention what your way of using the soup is.

I may even invite you over for dinner!

How Canadians Learn their Colours

2012-01-13T23:16:00.016-05:00

I remember as a child similar festive occasions with cousins when your activities went relatively unnoticed by the adults. It was so easy to just sneak off and busy oneself with all the new and exciting nooks and crannies to explore. With a not-yet-1-year-old and a not-yet-2-year-old alternately crawling and running around a big house, it's easy to take your adult eyes off things for a few moments amidst all the merriment....

It may have all started with a rousing rendition of Skinamarink....not sure, possibly the sippy cup got confused with the wine glass???

Okay Wyatt, here's the deal. Some adult left all this recycling here in the kitchen, so I suggest we try and get our colours right and really impress them....first...go for the GREEN can!

Okay, great, now the BLUE one. Good Wyatt!!!

Red is such a Christmassy colour....tip it up boy!

Oh for heaven's sake. Boys and their beer! I'm going to try for the white wine. Very refined.

That's our girl!

Disclaimer: No alcohol was consumed by underage drinkers in this post. The men in the family get every last drop!

Photo Credits: Auntie T.

Got my "singing voice" back

2012-01-12T07:48:00.002-05:00

Lately I've been seeing the oddest things as "signs"....I'm not sure 'signs' of what, but long time friends showing up out of the blue, hawks, from the tops of oak trees in the back yard waking me...

then, on the way home from "5 Guys Burger and Fries" radio blasting Sixties on 6...in the brisk sunlight...an oldie from "The Hondells"...where I found that my singing voice has returned...meaning, the END of pneumonia! This is THE most official of pronouncements. The sign here is probably what in the WORLD were you doing in Five Guys?????

I was belting it out and returned home to find a "Groupon" coupon for Scooters...it's a sign, I'm sure of it. I'm also sure that if I'm driving the scooter, The Professor is going to have real trouble with the moves required in the song :)
First gear... it's all-right
Second gear... a lean right
Third gear... hang on tight
....Faster...It's all-right!

The Best Bar none

2012-01-10T11:40:00.012-05:00

At a recent Christmas gathering, I was introduced to the latest Charles Pachter book, "Canada Counts". You may remember this Toronto artist's "M is for Moose"?

I have a copy waiting for Zoë, but more importantly, within it, I also have a taste tested recipe for Nanaimo bars. "Ma Soeur" made this version of what we nationally claim to be "ours", not unlike hockey. These confections are one of my daughter's favourites, and indeed, SHE, who doesn't cook, made Nanaimo bars herself this year.

The book is amazing, and, as Hélène pointed out to me, the visual teaching value of numbers is wonderful. Ma soeur was the kindergarten/primary teacher that everyone asked for. She was part Mary Poppins and part Nanny McPhee which made her very effective, if not magic with 5 & 6 year old children. She also wore neat clothes, another reason to abide by her recommendations :)

I'm not sure which recipe I have followed for years. I'm sure it wasn't with chopped almonds in the base layer. This recipe is the one I will follow from now on. As I said, it was taste tested and as "bars" go, this is the best so far.

The official City of Nanaimo recipe.

I highly recommend this book, not only for the recipes...Strawberry-rhubarb pie too, but also for the enduring Canadian images so beautifully represented in numbers.

So many challenges

2012-01-09T10:36:00.001-05:00

The problem with bloghopping is that you can get a bit over stimulated if you don't keep yourself in check. It all started with Ludgera and her idea about the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt. Of course Ludgera will diligently have this quilt whipped up by next week.

It reminded me that some time ago, obviously in a moment of madness, I purchased a similar project called Dear Jane...a civil war quilt. I don't even know where the book is at this point, but it's somewhere in the quilting pile.

Back to the theme here....Ludgera's blog led me to Fussycut. Angela's listing of all the interesting things she's doing got me not only intrigued about knitting and finishing my afghan, but also the the Instagram project. "The January Photo a Day Project"

Mary Ann Moss (Happy Birthday today!) is now into Instagram, so I had to find out all about it to quell my curiosity. Turns out, I'd already installed the app and had a few followers, but never truly understood the drill! I'm going to try and use this one exclusively with the iPhone.

Roben-Marie, like many others is doodling, and I've just about finished my on-line class with her inks, so I have a raft of supplies.

As I was scurrying around the house trying to find suitable photo subjects, The Professor and I had a discussion about whether or not everyone does EVERYTHING, or just one of these things. I tend to want to do EVERYTHING at once instead of focusing. That was the end of the discussion.

Nancy is doodling too. Have a look at The Sketchbook Challenge.

As for me....I'll be dreaming and scheming (quilting, knitting, photography, doodling) as I tackle a few Monday household chores and then face the canvas tree skirt that takes up the entire dining table. The afternoon sun is the best light.

Don't Forget! Tonight is the Premiere of Downton-Abbey Season 2

2012-01-08T11:53:00.000-05:00

Why do all the good shows come at once! We only have two television sets and the VCR is constantly on record. We have no way of ever catching up. After having nothing to watch since Christmas specials, there is now "The Crimson Petal and the White", the first two episodes of which I reviewed last night. THE steamiest version of Victorian England that will ever be aired on t.v.

Tonight of course they've put all the teasers out for "The Firm", "Luck", "The Good Wife", "Pan Am" and of course "Downton Abbey". We'll be recording and no doubt running up and down stairs while flipping and flapping the remote! Let me know if I've missed anything.

Resolution: I will not sign up for any more classes until I have finished

2012-01-07T11:51:00.014-05:00

Most of the bits and pieces are back where they stay until next Christmas. I'm not sure why, but there is always a lot of rearranging even though it all goes back in "exactly"? the same place each time. Why does it expand???

It has been so long now that I can't even remember when I had the fat idea to paint a canvas tree skirt by Catherine Holman.

It seemed like a great thing at the time. I was in the thick of folk art painting and the pattern was by one of my favourite folk artists. She has subsequently specialized in cupcakes....my kind of woman! In the day, I even took a course from her in an effort to ape her fastidious style.

So, it is now 2012, and this is a picture of a picture of the fabled tree skirt

These are a few more of the pictures in the packet that would be used to complete the project.

This is a photo of what has been completed to date and shoved under the tree, for more years than I can count, with the unfinished portion well to the back!

This the paint that is required to finish the project. It's in a Christmas cookie tin that hopefully brings seasonal inspiration.

And this is all that I have to finish!

This cannot be put away one more year without at least the skaters on the pond! My eyesight is not getting any better, which by the way, might explain why even Catherine Holman is making BIG cupcakes.

I'll be at the dining room table in the full daylight...see you next Christmas! :)

One down

2012-01-06T07:30:00.001-05:00

I usually decide whether or not to read books based on the New York Times book review. For "The Night Circus", the cover alone enticed me to read the book despite the nebulous review by Stacey D'Erasmo. I have to say that after reading this one, I concur completely with her interpretation of the text. I think someone else mentioned that it was a lot of people waiting around a circus for something notable to happen.

This is one tome, that I think is already in the works and will make a spectacular movie. As I flipped along, I was mostly intrigued as to how one might design and construct sets as per the descriptive. I'm not sure if I'd recommend this one. You may borrow my hardback copy if you wish.

What a difference a Year Makes

2012-01-05T06:30:00.002-05:00

Trying to take a picture of a 2 year old is like trying to nail jello to the wall!

We are never quite sure what the story is that she is telling with her action packed drama...something about a cat and a kangaroo....the cat obviously wins.

AT LAST!

Happy Birthday sweet girl.
Zoë Jane, 2 years old today! Yeah!!

This is what I'm starting with in the New Year

2012-01-02T04:16:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T11:05:00.011-05:00

Artist: George Lepape (French 1887-1971)
*Denise Poiret at "The Thousand and Second Night" Party.
Gouache, 1911

Photo Credit: The Web

A Day in A Very Little bit of SNOW!

2011-12-30T13:54:00.013-05:00

The first stay-on-the-ground snow of the season, had us out late one evening making a very small snowman with Zoë. The next day, he was a little bit worse for wear, but still there. After a ride to the skating rink in the sleigh, all bundled up like "Ralphies" brother, (thank you Schiller family for the borrowed snowsuits!)....

Barely able to see, due to scarves around necks and hats pulled well over ears and foreheads, (a good Canadian tradition), we come across Mr. Snowman on the front lawn.

We really want the snowman to get into the sleight too, but Papi says he can't walk yet.

Yes, he has sticks for arms. He's perfect, but not alive yet.

Now that we have our mitten off in order to touch the sticks....

This is what always happens when your mittens get away from you! Oh bother, let's just go inside. It's VERY sunny but oh so cold this day at Mamère and Papi's house! This is NOT California!

Had any Earworms lately?

2011-12-23T10:38:00.009-05:00

Before you have to go an look up the legitimacy of the word, this is how Wikipedia defines it:

"A haunting melody or earworm is a piece of music that sticks in one's mind so that one seems to hear it, even when it is not being played. Other phrases used to describe this include musical imagery repetition and involuntary musical imagery. The phenomenon is common in normal life and so may be distinguished from brain damage which results in palinacousis."

My own "case of the worm" started with "Caballero"...one of our ballroom line dance melodies. I tried everything to vanquish it. I'd get up in the middle of the night and dance in the dark living room to try and squelch it. I'd sing it out loud, or use my inside voice...nothing worked for days. When I mentioned "Earworm" in class, no one had heard of this word for the syndrome before.

Now there is every risk of it becoming Frosty the Snowman....Thumpity Thump Thump...

Photo Credit: The Web

Eggnog

2011-12-20T07:30:00.001-05:00

Dana started it. Talking about eggnog.
Now I have to admit, we are so totally into it. I'm not sure if it's the soporific effect of the "additions" or the seasonal mellowness of the drink, it's just hard to resist.

Do NOT get low fat or reduced whatever. I know, I know, there are probably waaay too many calories, but it's just so FESTIVE!

P.S. Don't run out of eggnog on a Sunday evening :)

Photo: The web

The best Advent Calendar without chocolate

2011-12-19T12:19:00.009-05:00

It's still not too late to enjoy the daily fun with the Jacquie Lawson London Advent Calendar. Go to Jacquie Lawson.com to order one.

I just love the new activity every day and leave the screen up to hear Big Ben Chiming every 15 minutes from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. I tried to send this to my gym buddies, as I totally forgot the annual card exchange this year. Only half were able to download the gift, but there are ways to overcome the pitfalls of the program. I've decorated the tree several times, my own version of snowflakes fall and I'm amazed each day to see either a boat floating by or a double decker bus in the background....I am so wishing the people walking on the sidewalk would go into the restaurant :) Try it! You'll love it.

It's a real delight and if you are not into the London view, then there is a village view as well. Some have both...just to keep the merriment at an all-time high.

P.S. This is also in the "decorating" category! Done.

Jane does it again

2011-12-15T12:09:00.011-05:00

I actually have this book, circa 1980 something.

Jane is a decade older than I. I used to like to think that someday I could look like her, including lengthening my legs. We actually wore those outfits!

I saw an interview of Jane with Piers Morgan the other evening, and she still looks pretty great. My legs still have not lengthened.

Now Jane has come out with a new exercise video aimed at "Seniors". I'm always happy to participate in Seniors discounts, so I guess I'll go for this one too. I have just had an ALL CLEAR report today from the Dr. I've had pneumonia for 4 months and now must reinvent myself...slooooowly back into the workout regime. Just in the nick of time, Jane does it again.

When I reviewed the video, it looks a lot like Devon's 10 a.m. fitness class that I used to attend. I love the dance aspect of exercise, so I hope my spot will still be available in the New Year. Something to really look forward to...back to normal!

The meditation part at the end of the video is so totally "Jane"...I'll have to find one of those little pyramids, AND, it would seem she never did succeed in blowing out that candle :)

It's true

2011-12-14T10:45:00.002-05:00

It's true what they say..."never leave candles unattended". Especially if they are your advent candle and you get distracted.

Now we shall have to wait until Saturday to light our candle again!

How Cold is it?

2011-12-13T11:54:00.014-05:00

No snow yet, but the oak leaves are all down now, heralding the beginning of the real winter. The birdbath is frozen over, making it the perfect little skating rink for Woodstock of Snoopy fame.

Listening to Vince Guaraldi "A Charlie Brown Christmas" one of my favourite Christmas albums.

Tis the Season

2011-12-12T11:44:00.010-05:00

December 12. Okay, now it's time to get serious about everyone arriving.

I was amused to see that even the New York Times had an article entitled "Scrub The Halls" Cleaning before Christmas with everyone arriving home.

In a previous post, I was swagging the halls, The Professor thought I should be "decking" them...I'll tell you who will be decked AND scrubbing! :)

P.S. The New York Times is my home page, so I hope this link works. I've been having trouble with tricky links this past while.

Photo Credit: NYTimes

Feliz Navidad

2011-12-11T12:32:00.007-05:00

While digging out the Christmas decorations last night, I decided to have the Michael Bublé special playing in the background. This is such a fabulous rendition of Feliz Navidad.

I will be looking for more of Thalia's work too! I adore this combination of voices. Enjoy. I'm off to swag a few more halls!

This is available on iTunes.

Vanity

2011-12-09T11:57:00.014-05:00

I have always loved the old fashioned vanity.
This one finally emerged from the garage, has been refinished, and is now ready to adorn. I must go and find a mirrored tray to put the perfume bottles in. Strange, I rarely wear perfume these days, but I do love the look of the bottles.

Before:

After:

Little glass drawer pulls add a bit of glamour

The specially cut glass top is the finishing touch
The little stool needs to be reupholstered, so I'm on the hunt for the appropriate fabric. This may also necessitate a new bedroom linen set! Turquoise goes with everything! :)

“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity, to what we would have others think of us.”

Jane Austen quotes (British Novelist and Writer, 1775-1817)

Caballero A Spanish Gentleman

2011-12-08T14:35:00.011-05:00

Our ballroom line dance class had it's Christmas Dinner Dance last Friday evening at the Faculty Club. This time our darling instructor Sarina and her sweet husband Tony joined us for the event. Joined by other dancing friends, we had so much more confidence to have our leader with us that we all thought we did quite well. This is our latest (slightly more difficult) choreography "Caballero". I love the music, but have been unable to shake it from my mind ever since. It's like it was a traumatic experience after which we all bonded.

This YouTube is the one I prefer to use for practice purposes. If you proceed through the first part of the video, at the end, you can follow the lesson from Juliet Lam....

There will be another dance in the spring, and I'm sure this melody will still be coursing through my psyche. If you start now, you'll all have it by then :) We have yet to find this "Caballero" to join us:)

What is a Skiff of Snow?

2011-12-06T10:57:00.011-05:00

When you wake up in the morning and look out at the rooftops...this is a "skiff" of snow.

Just a "skiff" on the chair

.....and in the garden

And finally what every Canadian dreads, is waking up to find a "skiff" on their car!

This is a term that was used widely where I grew up in the Ottawa valley. Someone from Kansas wondered what a skiff was. Helen and I are wondering if this was regional lingo. Have you ever heard of "A Skiff of Snow"?

Everything old is new again

2011-12-04T10:56:00.010-05:00

Yesterday I was looking for a few supposedly newly released Somerset magazines, which have not hit my newsstand yet. The overwhelming theme in all the other books were either vintage fabric or mixed media fashioned holiday ornaments. I remembered that I had this Vogue pattern from years ago that I figured I could find and resurrect.

After a bit of Christmas clear-up and decorating, it will be nice to get back to a small bit of embroidery. I've been inspired by Pam Garrison's work of late. She will be in LA at the French General in January.

I'll be there in February....wonder who will be around then?

Watch Out Piggies!

2011-11-30T11:52:00.004-05:00

Lights on the Lynn River

2011-11-29T12:15:00.001-05:00

An hour and a half from Toronto, Simcoe, ON. The "Christmas Lights on the River" celebration last weekend. We have not been to Simcoe since our daughter was in a cousin's wedding some thirty years ago. The drive was a reminder of where some of the best farmland in Ontario lies. We got into town with just enough light to get a few shots of the park that would later be completely illuminated.

By the time we left town, it was all lit up and the entire community was buzzing with anticipation. No snow yet, but it will be lovely. Zoë must see this some day.

A Sunday afternoon at the Ballet

2011-11-28T15:50:00.008-05:00

I was in total heaven yesterday afternoon at the ballet. This production of Romeo and Juliet was utterly spectacular. I was a bit worried when I heard that the director of the ballet had given two of the younger dancers in the company the leading roles. We were so entranced, they did not disappoint. After all, Juliet was only 14 at the time of the story and these "youngsters" made it all the more believable. It is extremely difficult, at the best of performances to get Toronto audiences to their feet for ovations. Everyone was on their feet after this one..the longest I've ever seen!

This happens to be some of my favourite ballet music.
"Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: No. 13. Dance of the knights"

Photo Credit: National Ballet of Canada

Dinner was a hit

2011-11-25T11:40:00.004-05:00

Michael made a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner for the little family yesterday. By all accounts it was a hit! They were thankful to be celebrating with all the right ingredients after coming back from three years in Europe with hard to find fixins.

Zoë is like Jane and seems to love "Elsie's Potatoes" from the Best of Bridge cookbook.

5 Lbs. Potatoes or 9 large
8 oz. Low-fat Cream Cheese
1 cup fat-free Sour Cream
2 tsp. onion salt
1 tsp. salt
pinch of pepper
2 Tbsp. butter

Cook and mash potatoes. Add all ingredients, except butter, and combine. Put into large greased casserole. Dot with butter, bake, covered at 350F for 30 minutes. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate or freeze. Thaw before baking. Serves 10-12

The instructions should also read...give potato masher to youngest child!

When my mother started the tradition of these potatoes at home, it was because you could make the recipe, scoop out balls of the mashed potatoes with an ice cream scoop, place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer until solid and then into a large zip lock bag and back into the freezer. This way, you can thaw and use as many as you need. The recipe is meant for a crowd, but can be just for two if you do it her way!

She did not to my knowledge use the low-fat version of anything!:)

Happy Thanksgiving USA

2011-11-24T10:45:00.010-05:00

I sometimes celebrate the American Thanksgiving (as opposed to the Canadian Thanksgiving) in the USA, but not this year. I am really going to miss the Black Friday trek to the outlet mall in the middle of the night :)

Technically, I think from very dubious ancestors to present day family, I sort of qualify to celebrate. I most likely should have cleaned the silver and made a turkey.

It started when we lived in Princeton, for six years of our very young and informative lives. The faculty and students we lived and loved among became family and have remained so for the past 43 years. We are still in touch with all of them despite having been dispersed to places like Norway, Switzerland, California, and Washington DC.

The Professor has been publishing his text book for so long now that the American publishers are like family...he spent one stint in Chapel Hill, North Carolina as writer in residence.

My niece married an American and all her children are American. Our daughter married and American, our son married an American and our granddaughter is an American! I think this qualifies us on some level to be unequivocally attached to the USA, while remaining staunchly Canadian.

There is nothing more quintessentially American than Norman Rockwell. Happy Thanksgiving to all our American friends, in-laws, outlaws, and relatives. We are ever so thankful for all of you!

Speaking of Calendars

2011-11-19T19:32:00.035-05:00

The 2012 Milk Calendar was in the Toronto Star today! I love the photo on the cover. I too have saved just about every Milk Calendar for years. It always sends me into a frenzy of wanting to cook again.

One of my all-time favourite recipes is the Mushroom and Leek soup. In the day, I was pasting the recipes in photo album binders with plastic page covers...(the original Martha that I am), and I still have this recipe fall out of my now, rather unorganized folder of odds and sods clipped from newspapers and magazines.

I love the tureen this is served in.

This was the picture that had no recipe for it...the one that attracted me the most of course, so in case you don't get the calendar, here's the link for the recipe.

Chocolate Raspberry Celebration Cake

If you are not in the distribution area to get this calendar, you can access the recipes at MyMilkCalendar.ca If for no other reason, how can you resist this line-up of meals....Classic Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Herb and Sweet Onion Scalloped Potatoes, Nice and Easy One-Pot Macaroni & Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomato Cauliflower Cheese, Chicken and Vegetable Casserole with Basil, Garlic Shrimp and Spinach Linguine.....
Hungry yet???

Photos: My Milk Calendar Canada

Calling America

2011-11-18T22:26:00.006-05:00

I'm not sure why the movie Larry Crowne got so dissed. It was the perfect Friday night flick when the Prof. is away.

Now this is a flash from the past ELO...Electric Light Orchestra. This is my theme song. I'm constantly calling America to see and talk to my girls!

We really are living in a modern world. Last month I was calling overseas with a 6 hour deficit, now I'm calling LA with a 3 hour lag. At least I can see my muggins' with Skype...the new era of Grandparenting. It would still be nicer to hug them all in real time.

Wall Calendars

2011-11-16T16:59:00.007-05:00

I have to have a large box wall calendar by the kitchen phone. Lately, the selection of calendars has been anything from weird kittens to lakes of the world, but NOT the sort I want. I'm not sure why I have had so much trouble finding Pomegranate Press, they tend to have the most beautiful. I had to order the 2012 version from Amazon.

Now I'm happy to have my Reading Woman on the wall. It's amazing how 2012 is filling up already. Places to go and people to see!

The Twirly Scarf Saga

2011-11-15T11:25:00.008-05:00

It all started with a quick trip to Chautauqua this summer. I always see what the latest knitting trends are in the shops there. Sadly, upstate New York and the lake area showed signs of real economic turn-down this year. Many of my little haunts were either closed or totally uprooted. One remaining store had an easy "flippy" scarf that is perfect for knitting while listening to lectures. Of course, the wool that the sample was knit from was no longer available so I decided that this colourful yarn with a bit of silk in it would be fine. The colours are what attracted me more than the piece. I'm not sure if or when I will ever actually wear this, but the combination of hues is inspiring.

The other attraction is that it was knit on darling little Am6/4mm (7 inch long) bamboo needles. I'd never done that before either!

A project gone horribly wrong became the second swirly scarf, just to see how this variegated yarn would turn out. It's heavier guage, so I just used the needle size called for in the baby sweater pattern.

The easy little swirly scarf is a good pattern to use up some of your bits and bobs of wool, or as I did, just another use when the intended went wrong.

Here is the pattern:

Cast on 22 Stitches
K4 Turn
K6 Turn
K8 Turn
Knit all 22 Stitches
Keep repeating until all your yarn is used up. It will twist and turn on it's own.

Just a bit too woolly

2011-11-14T15:15:00.007-05:00

I'm not sure how long I sat and looked at this basket of woolly skeins. They were really too woolly to be comfortable as a sweater, so finally I found a blanket pattern that I thought suited their Gallic tendencies.

Pneumonia has forced me to sit and do nothing for the past few months, this is the result. It's more of a shawl really. There wasn't enough to finish off a proper throw, but it will be just woolly enough to cover the shoulders and stave off the cold of the coming snows.

1982-2011 I wish it wasn't so

2011-11-13T19:09:00.026-05:00

This is sad news indeed. R.E.M. is calling it quits.
Losing my Religion
Everybody Hurts
Man On The Moon

R.E.M. - We All Go Back To Where We Belong (Kirsten Version)

This is the "going out" album. There are so many great songs...this one will be out November 15th. I wonder if my son would like this for his birthday ? :)

A timely little movie

2011-11-06T18:12:00.008-05:00

Having just been to this area of France, and in the month of November, this is a very timely little film. It's surprising that I have overlooked Audrey Tautou (Amelie), Marion Cotillard, and Jodie Foster in this movie.

The trailer describes it as a story of:

" The Beauty of Hope
The Absurdity of War and
The Enduring Power of the Human Heart"

I watched it in French with English sub-titles. Makes it even more romantic!

Pace Yourself

2011-11-03T17:32:00.010-04:00

Was that Pace myself, or BRACE myself. Once again, now that Starbuck's has installed itself at the grocery store, I am alerted to the flavour of the season. Usually I pace myself allowing only one of these per month....they don't stay around much longer anyway. But when you read the specs, you'll see exactly why this is necessary.

The Eggnog Latte with Whip
510 calories

The Gingerbread Latte with Whip
430 calories

The Peppermint Mocha with Whip
470 calories

Now, really. Why would you go without "the whip"???? Isn't that the entire decadent point!!??

It has been suggested that you can have non fat milk and no whip..Bahhhhh Humbug!

Just pace yourself. It's not like you can afford one every day!

Photos: Starbucks

Reflections of a Pirate

2011-11-02T11:28:00.022-04:00

It's all over now but the candy wrappers. This is the first Halloween that Zoë will really have been cognizant of the festivities. I'm sure it was still a bit of a mystery. What IS a pumpkin anyway???

Is this a holiday to celebrate one of Mummy's favourite colours? ORANGE??

It's a bit like the three bears story. One is too small, One is too big,
but THIS ONE is Just Right!

Why are all these people dressed up like one of my movies? I just moved from Belgium to Los Angeles...will we dress like this every day? Are we movie stars now?

Do you think we can find Johnny Depp?

Maybe I should have gone after some furniture. Where do I sit to eat all this loot? I hope the container with all our household goods arrives soon, but for now, it's not unlike living on a pirate ship...is that why I'm dressed like this???

The Tired Out Pirate

2011-11-01T00:42:00.004-04:00

Thank goodness for barrettes to hold on your pirate hat!

This is the result of waaaay too much Halloween!

BOO

2011-10-31T13:04:00.005-04:00

This is the one I'm going to try this year. I used to do very intricate cut-outs, but without kids, I find that The Professor doesn't ooh and ahh quite enough to merit a day of scraping and cutting and repairing with toothpicks.

I've eaten just about all of the little chocolate bars we got for shelling out....I wonder how many goblins will be around to the door this year? The neighbourhood is changing and there are a few new youngsters, but nothing like past years when our kids were out there tearing around with pillow cases! Happy Halloween everyone. I hope to have a picture of my Granddaughter "The Pirate" ....she's dressing up in LA and going to Mummy's work for treats! Oh that they were here. BOO!

Switching Allegiance

2011-10-30T14:06:00.006-04:00

It's that time of year again in Canada. Lip smacking fall. The "chapping" begins!

I used to be strictly a Blistex - (original/regular) devotee. This summer, I was drawn to a colourful display of Burt's Bee's products, and knowing that this would make my daughter-in-law terribly proud of me:), I went for the pricier option. There will be NO going back. I LOVE this "tinted" lip balm. It's a little bit of colour and a lot of comfort.

South Riding

2011-10-27T17:22:00.007-04:00

Masterpiece Theater does it again. This time, Winifred Holtby's South Riding", set in a Yorkshire town during the depression has been made into a 3 part series.

It is a fantastic show and I can only imagine that the original book would make for a very good read. Hope this link works so that you can get the flavour of "South Riding".

This piece aired a while ago, but sometimes they bring things back. Part II of Downton Abbey is to continue in January 2012.

There really is a first time for everything

2011-10-26T07:30:00.000-04:00

As seen the other evening in a window at the Eaton Center. Who knew???

Once, The Professor was overheard wondering who in the world would ever pay $400 for a pair of shoes???!!! Ahem. When one has small, narrow feet, and they are the only shoes that fit properly, there are times when "one" is forced to resort to extremes! Normally, people with small, narrow feet shop at Norstrom's Rack in the US and get the $400 shoes for much, much less. At this point in time, I know of one little girl who will be accompanying her Mamère to the nearest Nordy's in LA!

Let's hope they have her size.
Imagine...her first Weitzmans!!!

The last Rose of summer

2011-10-25T13:17:00.015-04:00

This past weekend was the perfect one for putting a bit of the garden to bed. Peonies transplanted, shrubs relocated, trimming and putting away in the shed. I have to say The Professor did most of the grunt work to my splendid ideas :)

The last roses of summer. Fall is in the air and from time to time, heat on in the house. It's time.

Nature's palette. Such an inspiring mix of colour that will carry me through the dark winter days.

Deanna Durbin was born in Canada. This rendition makes me want to watch an old movie on this gloomy afternoon.

Untitled

2011-10-21T10:49:00.001-04:00

I just couldn't decide if this was a girl angel or a boy. I still can't. Not that it matters. It's for sure a guardian angel.

Chocabeck

2011-10-18T15:02:00.007-04:00

ZUCCHERO - "CHOCABECK"

In the Reggiano dialect "choka" means "make a noise" and "beck" means "beak".
"It was an expression my father used when I was a child. Whenever I asked him if there was anything to eat, rather than tell me there was nothing, he would say "A ghe di chocabeck" - "There's chocabeck".
"For ages I thought these "chocabecks" were really good to eat. I'm still looking forward to having some !!!"
Zucchero 2010

Luckily, there is not much chance that my doctor reads my blog. This is the Chocabeck tour that performed in Toronto last Saturday. The video is from Vienna, this is part of the world tour.

This makes me want to dance and clap and sing and learn Italian. Mostly it makes me smile. The new album is great. I downloaded it from iTunes on the way home. Straight home to bed. It was only a little chair dancing:) Our daughter always wanted to be on a stage performing and having the audience do whatever she instructed. It's not too late Jane!

Figgy Pudding?

2011-10-16T12:16:00.015-04:00

Now that the little family are just about settled in their new home in Venice, California, they find that they have a fig tree in the yard. Jane was wondering what to do about all these figs! If she doesn't collect them, the squirrels get in there and make a right mess. I suggested making jam, to which she wrinkled her nose and went on about having to get little glass jars etc. etc.

My all-time personal favourite fig recipe is one from the LCBO festive magazine.

Clearly you have to have a party to serve as many as this makes and I'm not sure they know that many people at this point. Zoë will probably like them, but she's not such a big eater yet.

On the jam front, nothing could be easier than this one...Spicy Fig Orange Microwave Jam

It should be a comfort to know that Californians seem to know a thing or two about FIGS! California Fig Advisory Board"

If you have way too many figs, you should put them all in an attractive little basket and put them at the gate with a "Please help yourself to fresh figs" sign. It's all about living in a community now. I'm going to out my rocket scientist daughter and tell everyone that she purchased Martha Stewart outdoor patio furniture, so there is yet hope of her becoming 'somewhat' domesticated:) The figs in a basket is a very "Martha" thing to do. GO JANE!

One for our side!

Do you know about Siri?

2011-10-14T17:08:00.004-04:00

I want Siri in my phone! This will be my next acquisition I think. I still have to find out how it performs in Canada, but if indeed I can use it while traveling....I'm there!

Popcorn Update

2011-10-13T20:21:00.006-04:00

Remember Lucky Elephant popcorn with the prize inside? It was all pink sugar coated and as I recall cost 5 cents a box.

Well, if you loved that crazy pink popcorn, try this stuff! Warning!!! This product may be hazardous to your health. You just can't stop eating it! It's more than 5 cents and there is no prize, but if you like salty/sweet...this one's for you!

Willow Manor Ball 2011

2011-10-12T11:08:00.053-04:00

Can it really be October 12 already!????

A very important date.
The Annual Willow Manor Cyber Ball.
As I was in such a whirl, I decided to ask Zucchero, (Zucchero is the Italian word for sugar) who just happened to be in town (he is performing later this week at Massey Hall), to be my date. This bluesy Italian was definitely sweet enough to accede to my imploring, and even offered to bring his band and perform at the ball!

Dance, dance morena (brunette)
Under this full moon
Under the moonlight
Under the moonlight

One of the other girls was in a real pout that I got to "Z" first.

A bit of a frenzy as to what to wear, but pulled this little number out of the closet and figured it would do for the 'Under the Moonlight' theme going on.

I just hope I can squash myself into my sweet beau's rare and expensive Lancia Aurelia Spider. Must remember to wrap my brunette locks with a swath of silk for the ride. I do not want to arrive rumpled.

Upon our arrival, I shall ask the bartender to make us a classic Italian Cocktail. We will have driven for hours and been held up at the border with the endless checking of passports and identities. My word.

Ingredients
1 oz. white peach puree (if you can’t find peach puree, substitute peach schnapps)
3 oz. chilled Prosecco
1 dash of maraschino cherry juice (for color)

Method
Pour the puree into a chilled champagne glass and top up with the Prosecco. Stir until mixed and add a dash of the maraschino liqueur until the drink takes on a pinkish hue. Serve.

I'll try and locate a few fellow countrymen and women for my guest, but I do hope that Marcello Mastroianni and his date Anita Ekberg don't jump in the fountain again and come out dripping all over the dance floor.

I've heard a rumour that there were comments being made at the buffet. It will be a major effort keeping Giada De Laurentiis and Nigella from slinging caviar at each other!

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

2011-10-10T11:49:00.009-04:00

I'm normally a Tim Horton's coffee drinker, but for a while now, my sensibilities could only handle herbal tea.

Yesterday when I read Carol's blog about Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes, I just had to have one. It's more like pumpkin pie in a cup. Luckily, our new Longo's has a "Bucks" in it, so I didn't even have to search too far.

What a nice way to celebrate Thanksgiving.
I'll be using my Pumpkin Spice k-cups coffee in my Keurig and making my own seasonal drinks. I only go to Starbucks for the festive specials...much like Swiss Chalet:)

Carlsberg!

2011-10-09T12:54:00.003-04:00

Thanks for the heads up GMS

LLBean

2011-10-07T11:22:00.006-04:00

I love LLBean.
Now I love them even more. They ship to Canada and things arrive promptly at the door! So great when you can shop by catalog. This is the most wonderful shirt. It is lined with that 'minky' fleece that the RL blanket was made of. Perfect for a fall day like today.
I'll go for a little walk this afternoon and test it out. The sun is shining and it's a perfect day to start a little getting out and about the neighborhood. Slowly but surely.

Folk Remedies

2011-10-06T10:30:00.007-04:00

Everyone has their home grown remedies for colds and flu. One of our family favourites (Thanks Auntie Helen) is slathering Rawleigh's ointment all over things. The folklore in Helen's family was that her mother once used it to heal the injured wing of a little bird. Makes sense then that it can also be used on chapped lips!

The active ingredients in Rawleigh's ointment:

*Camphor - Is a ketone. Externally it acts as a rubefacient (increases blood circulation) and mild analgesic and acts in liniments as a counter irritant in fibrositis, neuralgia.
* Oil of Eucalyptus - Essential Oil used as a carminative.
* Menthol - Chiefly used to relieve symptoms of bronchitis and sinusitis. It dilates the blood vessels causing a sensation of coldness followed by an analgesic effect. It relieves itching.
* Lanolin - An emollient cream which penetrates the skin.
* Paraffin Wax
* Ceresin Wax

Made me think of this song which you will be well aware of if you ever attended camp or Woodroffe Public School.

(Tune: Battle Hymn)

John Brown's baby had a cold upon his chest,
John Brown's baby had a cold upon his chest,
John Brown's baby had a cold upon his chest,
And they rubbed it with camphorated oil.

John Brown's ---- had a cold upon his chest,
John Brown's ---- had a cold upon his chest,
John Brown's ---- had a cold upon his chest,
And they rubbed it with camphorated oil.

John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his chest,
John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his chest,
John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his chest,
And they rubbed it with camphorated oil.

John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his -----,
John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his -----,
John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his -----,
And they rubbed it with camphorated oil.

John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his -----,
John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his -----,
John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his -----,
And they ------ it with camphorated oil.

John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his -----,
John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his -----,
John Brown's ---- had a ---- upon his -----,
And they ------ it with ----------- ---.
Motions: (not done on verse 1 (do it when words are omitted (which are the hyphens))
baby - rock baby in arms
cold - sneeze
chest - slap chest
rubbed - rub chest
camphorated oil - hold nose and make a face

This will be my next "action" song for Zoë who is well up to the task after many rounds of Skinamarink!
When I stop coughing!

I can see that you're trying it :)

A few Treats

2011-10-05T10:25:00.010-04:00

Since it is verboten to drink alcohol and liquor while on massive doses of antibiotic, it is essential to find another anxiety reducing outlet.

May I suggest

See's Gourmet Lollypops are ghastly expensive, but when compared to the price of a martini these days, you have to put things in perspective.

As soon as I am well enough, all the Lollypops will be gone...(they are rather a mouthful), I will be sure to be making Carol's latest concoction.

Until then, the wonderful Vanilla, Butterscotch, Chocolate and Caffé Latté, flavours, individually wrapped in foil, will soothe my raspy throat as well as my soul.

I have only ever had See's candies (chocolates) while in San Fransisco, but I understand that the company was formed in Los Angeles! I guess this means that when I go to visit my granddaughter and her family, there will be an abundance of See's Lollypops around.

I found mine at the local Chapter's Bookstore checkout:)

Reflections from the Couch

2011-10-04T09:54:00.003-04:00

If you plan to spend anytime curled up or lounging full length this winter, you may want to investigate this blanket. It's called Micro"MINK"....I was trying to figure out what sort of softness it felt like...it's furry. It's not the sort of acrylic that attaches itself to the rough part on your heels...it just glides. It's minky and slinky and light, and very comforting if you need to feel just a little softer somedays.
The one I got is actually a twin size. It's Ralph Lauren. It works. To feel specially pampered when you're just so low is a bit of luxury.

Trying for normal

2011-10-03T13:01:00.007-04:00

I decided to start this week off "acting" more normally. When one is very ill and moving only from the couch to bed, it would seem that at some point, this boring cycle needs to be broken.

From one's vantage point on the living room couch, it's quite amazing how many ideas an active mind can conjure for an unwilling body. Needless to say, I've been watching way too much t.v., but one item in particular seemed like a great idea. As it definitely falls under the "gadget" category, I even had a thought that The Professor would like it well enough to use it.

Canadian Tire was touting the "The Shark" steam pocket mop.

The house is gleaming. The Professor went back to the ivy covered halls to pontificate and I to my bed for a nap. Benjamin Moore has an ad on currently to completely remodel your house with just a quick coat of paint.....hmmmm....

Quiet Time with Zoë

2011-09-24T09:37:00.007-04:00

It's rare to have "quiet" time with a 20 month old girl. There are many of these special moments, but either one doesn't have a camera ready, or, if indeed the camera is spotted by said "girl", there is no way that the moment remains quiet for long. After several observations of this interactive play with "Pooh and Rabbit", the Professor and I were curious as to what she was actually acting out.

We can recognize several of her own "Zoë words"....the cutest being her name for herself which is "Doey".....note to parents, if you want early speech patterns chose a name beginning with "B"!!!

Up, and Uppy are her words for climbing up, and just about everything else is open to interpretation.

There is definitely a story here. Whether it's the rendition of Rabbit helping Pooh escape from a hole he's stuck in, or just colluding to run away..there is magic in this creation.

They are on their way to Hollywood today:)

Down and Out of it.....

2011-09-21T10:57:00.010-04:00

Back from a busy summer of worldwide travel and I'm felled with pneumonia! The words "six to eight weeks of rest" are not real to me yet.

I've spent the last two weeks on the couch variously in and out of dopey codeine sleep and paroxysms of coughing. The problem is that you can't lie down, so 'propping' is the challenge. I'm not going to spend any more time on the details, suffice it to say I haven't had a head for blogging in some time. I can't talk either, no voice...only coughing.

Yesterday I had some sort of weird free associated (probably drug induced) memory of a friend who was collecting and decorating her cottage with vintage paint by numbers canvas'. I was feeling just well enough to try some small activity and remembered having seen a very inexpensive kit at Wal Mart some time ago. The Professor couldn't decide if I'd finally gone completely mad or just temporarily GaGa, but seeing it as a sign of slight recuperation, set out to find whatever it was that I wanted. To be honest, I think he is still atoning for bringing home blue jello.

Wal Mart really let me down, but just around the corner the $$$ store had a few rather cheesy kits. I'm now working on the one with the Tiger in the bushes, nothing as handsome as this one, but just to give you some intricate idea. Having painted in the past, I'm always amazed at the non-quality of the brushes one is given to perform the task at hand. The brush is rather like a too large worn out toothbrush, all frazzled and losing hair. But that's the challenge. I was going to go and find my better brushes but decided NO....THIS is the game.

I hope my friend likes Tigers.

The Grandest of Girls

2011-09-09T08:11:00.006-04:00

We miss our little one already.

As the time-adjustments fall into place some really strange things happen. I found myself happily ensconced on the couch watching the rain delayed, on-again, off-again US Open Tennis. One of my favourite sports events. I was also drifting on again and off again at one time jolting awake thinking I'd lost Zoë, and another, physically feeling cats curling up in my lap. I think I've now mastered that it is Friday, we are in North America, and I can actually close both eyes at the same time.

This photo was taken at the last meeting of the playgroup that all gave birth around the same time Zoë was born in Brussels. Jane has really captured Zoë magnificently here. She's so curious and focuses for very long periods of time. It's a beautiful age...now WHERE IS SHE????? Oh yes, did I mention ACTIVE. They are winging their way to the US with an October start date in LA. Who knows when the container of their stuff will arrive - creative camping.

Gotta go and take another nap and dream of all things Californian to go on the list.

And Finally...........We all fall down

2011-09-04T03:32:00.000-04:00

Vimy - France

2011-09-03T18:07:00.011-04:00

The Professor is starting with a new generation of historical outings. We took Zoë to France, to see the Canadian National Vimy Memorial on Vimy Ridge, the site of an important battle in April 1917. Thousands of Canadians died in the battle.

Compared to what the landscape became during the battle it is now peaceful as sheep safely graze.

There are 11,000 names engraved on the memorial. They represent Canadian soldiers who died in France during World War I and whose remains were never recovered. One of the names is Lance Corporal Robert Alexander Hood (1895 - 1917), a distant cousin of mine. He died on April 12, in 1917 during the final days of the battle of Vimy Ridge.

We found his name.

The Market in Sterrebeek

2011-09-02T03:50:00.025-04:00

We love the Kip wagon - likely the original Swiss Chalet!

There is likely some scientific explanation going on about a slushy machine...now that we know how it works, it won't be long before we want one...not right now!

A Day at the Park

2011-09-01T13:24:00.001-04:00

When you're with your grandparents, sometimes you get a new stuffed animal.

Today it was a little Raccoon. Then it's off to the park! This one is called the twirly park, because just about everything twirls, including little girls.

Technically this is a big kid ride, but when Papi is there and the big kids are not on, you can ride the big tire...so can Rocky Raccoon!

It's a long road home, and that's enough twirling for today.

See you another day park!

Report from Brussels

2011-08-30T03:17:00.003-04:00

There is barely time to take pictures. Trust me, at this age, it takes a village just to hold the fort! We have a busy 20 month old on our hands and are keeping up fairly well...so she says.

Miss Zoë is such a big girl now. She loves watching her Disney movies...getting ready for the big move to LA in the fall and Disneyland!! The Disney cruise for sure when this one is three! She is a very sweet, sweet, girl and a bundle of fun.

One Man's Treasure

2011-08-26T09:16:00.016-04:00

the old saying..."One man's trash is another man's treasure", is never more evident than in the back woods of Nervous Nellies Jams and Jellies. Most people head for the jam, but I love the shaded glade with all the RUST!

It's like a symphony of metal.
In the transportation section, we have....

And in the horn section....

All of these corroded pieces will eventually find themselves included in a whimsical sculpture. One only has to travel around the area to spy an unexpected rusty brass creation on a front lawn.
One of my favourite haunts in Maine.

I survived the 2011 Washington, DC EARTHQUAKE

2011-08-24T16:00:00.003-04:00

I had just gone down to the basement in Dana's home to put away a box of coffee, when I felt the first rumble.

They live on a very busy road, so I thought at first..."Man that's one heavy truck going by...seems like it's rattling the entire house!" Thirty seconds later, it was evident that this was no pesky traffic incident. I flew up the stairs to Dana's 95 year old Mother, who was quite enjoying the rocking and rolling and mentioned that the host on the QVC channel had never been on air when an earthquake was underway. Quickly enough the reports came in, the crowds funneled out of the city and the rest is history.

I did stand in the doorway until the shaking stopped, but we might want to review evacuation procedures with Doris! She actually would have liked the event to happen again, so she could be more cognizant of what was actually happening. Yeah Right!

The saddest part is the loss of one of the spires on the National Cathedral. I love that architecture.

I've landed from DC and Maine, and we are taking off for Brussels on Friday.

One Day in Stonington Maine

2011-08-23T12:08:00.016-04:00

How do you know you're in Maine?

2011-08-22T16:34:00.012-04:00

When you get to the right road, this is what you'll see ahead.

Jemima Puddle-Duck will look like she's not interested, but she's guarding the lane!

Then you'll spy the big house.

...and just off to the side, the guest house..or the "Tree House" as we call it.

Think we'll have LOBSTER rolls???

Oh my, there's "Sea Squirt" waiting in the gleaming water. We'll be along soon squirt!

The best sight of all...the Maine Oak. Made even more majestic in the fog.

There's a harbour around every bend in Maine.

But how you REALLY know you are in Maine, is when you are surrounded by THIS family!

Off to Maine

2011-08-11T08:07:00.004-04:00

ROAD TRIP! I'm flying off to Washington DC and then driving to Brooklin, Maine. Dana, her Mum Doris and I are off like the band of gypsies in the song. The iPod is loaded and I can assure you that upon leaving the driveway, THIS is the song we will be belting out.

"On the road again
Just can't wait to get on the road again
The life I love is making music with my friends
And I can't wait to get on the road again

On the road again
Goin' places that I've never been
Seein' things that I may never see again
And I can't wait to get on the road again

On the road again
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends
Insisting that the world keep turning our way and our way"

Willie Nelson

I'll post from our destination. Bye for now!

It's Official -

2011-08-10T08:29:00.000-04:00

The little family is coming back to North America! Jane, Michael and Zoë are moving to Los Angeles in the fall. It's almost as far away as one can get, but it IS on this side of the pond and only a three hour time difference, albeit now we'll be counting backwards :)

The Professor and I have never been to Hollywood, but look forward to exploring the best parts of LA and surrounding southern California. They just need to have a big enough house with an extra bedroom.

Turns out this video is appropriate. Lucy is the Professor's cousin.

43 Years Ago Today

2011-08-09T15:47:00.001-04:00

Hint Number THREE

2011-08-09T11:30:00.001-04:00

Getting closer, but all will be revealed tomorrow!

Hint Number ONE

2011-08-08T08:47:00.004-04:00

We've been pretty much on pins and needles around here for most of the summer. What with publishing books and traveling the globe...then a big decision.

Hint Number TWO

Summertime treats

2011-08-07T10:13:00.010-04:00

This sight always makes me jump for joy!

BECAUSE....these are two of our favourite things!

This is the best sign of all...OPEN!

Here it is in writing. In upstate NY they call it SODA. May the discussions end. Soda..Pop..Coke..Soft drink...it's SODA here! Too bad we didn't have a Harley:)

May I take your order??

Be right back

It's only a small wait

Clearly the best burgers in town go along with the best legs in town. I think I need to get me some roller skates!

Searching for Joy

2011-08-06T10:07:00.018-04:00

Lest the title has you thinking we were on some sort of cultish spiritual mission, it was actually 'JOY' detergent that was the object of our trip off the grounds while in Chautauqua. The annual trip to Wegmans to find the biggest bucket of 'Joy' detergent made. I don't know why we don't have 'Joy' in Canada. Pity.

I happened to wonder out loud if the Professor had ever seen "The Lady in Glass" at the Jamestown cemetery. He had not. I had learned about her one other summer while touring Dana's childhood haunts in Jamestown.

Here she is. The story?

Unveiling The Mystery Of The Lady In Glass In Lakeview Cemetery

By CHERYL MASON
The myths about the Galloway "Lady in the Glass Case" memorial in Lake View Cemetery in Jamestown grow bigger with each passing generation. Speculation ranges from the untimely death of a young bride, to the '50s version of the untimely death on a prom date, to a forbidden love between a rich heiress and her chauffeur.
Some embellish the tale with reports that she roams the cemetery on dark and foggy nights, crying for her lost love. The more creative version is that the body of the young woman is encased within the statue itself.

When Rebecca Jo Rosen of Jamestown contacted descendants of the Galloway family in the course of her research on the cemetery, they were all amused to hear the myths that had grown up around the family monument. Elizabeth G. Smith, great niece to Grace Laverne Galloway, who is buried at that site, offer the family history.

Grace Laverne Galloway was the only daughter of three children born to a wealthy family. Her father, John Galloway, had made his fortune in oil in Titusville, Pa. They lived in a mansion that is now the Moose Club in Jamestown. because she was a promising opera singer who frequently appeared at Chautauqua Institution, her family chose to send her to a Boston institute to study music. She was a young woman with career aspirations and little time for romance.

Although she was said to be very friendly, outgoing and generous with her time and money for charitable work, the fact is, to the best of Elizabeth smith's knowledge, Grace Galloway was never seriously involved with anyone before her death at the young age of 26. When she died in 1898, it was from a case of tuberculosis contracted during her stay in Boston, not from a broken heart.

Her parents eager to find a cure, had sent her to North Carolina in the hope that she would recover. She died a year later in Pittsburgh, on her way back from a visit home. all of the Galloway money could not buy the life of their only daughter, Grace.

Later, the family commissioned an artist in Italy to sculpt a statue, modeled after the likeness of Grace, in a dress they had chosen at random. It was a monument to be built in living memory. The rest of the monument was constructed by John Galloway and his father.

When it became evident that the statue would eventually be destroyed by the elements, it was encased in glass.

"In the next 100 years, maybe people will know that she was Grace Laverne Galloway, who lived and had hopes just like everyone else," says Ms. Rosen.
It's as simple as that.

We did find the 'Joy' and had even more joy cruising the area around Jamestown, NY.

Credits:
Mason, Cheryl. "Unveiling The Mystery Of The Lady In Glass In Lakeview Cemetery," Jamestown (NY) Post-Journal, 16 August 1997.
Photos: my own

Gershwin does it again

2011-08-05T17:38:00.000-04:00

Just down the road and across the border for three days.

The good old Carey Cottage Inn

Story goes that Gershwin penned a few ditties in this room, in between entertaining the ladies, and being told to either cut the noise by 10 p.m. or out!..."don't matter who you are!"

Pretty hard NOT to relax in an environment this speed.

I was told that Gershwin wrote part of a symphony in the "Gershwin Room" at Carey Cottage. "Summertime" seemed like a much more appropriate choice given the circumstances.
Summertime - George Gershwin

Here we go again...

2011-08-01T17:28:00.007-04:00

Can it be a year ago that I was fretting about this packing thing??? I've packed so many times between then and now, yet every time I pull out a suitcase it astounds me that this chick was able to do this...underwear aside :)

For the record, I cannot go, even for 3 days, in a carry on. Too many variables, and hey...WHY should I ??? I am facing a tremendous amount of travel this month and I have decided that Leslie Jane Moran does not travel in a carry on. That's that. My case is the middle one. Expandable.

Lucky Number 7

2011-07-30T12:02:00.010-04:00

The drama of the 5th. Edition has now ended. The book has gone to print, and I will be "grandfathernapping" the Professor for an imposed 3 day holiday early this coming week.

This is NOT recommended for light summer reading, but you can probably still sign up for his Molecular Evolution course in the fall :) You can click on the image to "embiggen". I love the new cover, except for the lizard which I voted against :)

It's difficult to imagine what goes into publishing a University text book. This has been going on since 1986..starting, in the old days, in Chapel Hill, NC. - Seven books ago and the fifth edition of this one. Congratulations to the Professor, and to all of us for surviving this long :)

Spanish Fountain - The Essence of Summer

2011-07-29T13:28:00.005-04:00

Yet another reason to visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art

John Singer Sargent (American, 1856-1925)
Watercolor and graphite on white wove paper.
This makes me want to get out my watercolor paints...great idea for a summer afternoon.

Now where did I put that.......

2011-07-26T13:13:00.001-04:00

It all started in an effort to find a bag of fibres that I wanted to use.

Not in the basement storage, BUT...now, all the boxes harbouring this-and-that are duly marked and inventoried. One box for cross-stitch, one for recycled fabrics, one for unfinished quilting projects (that might someday resurface), one for odds and sods of wool, one for "curiosities"...for lack of a better explanation.

Upstairs the rooting continued and ended up in the purchase of a new shelf
Pier One...the 'goes anywhere shelf'. It tapers toward the top and was therefore the perfect size and shape to fit in a small hall area between the bedroom and bath. It now stores a vast array of magazines and books.

The hamper (which the shelf replaced) had to be emptied and sorted and redistributed into the linen closet, where happily a new space was found to house the vacuum cleaner. The contents of a small three tiered wire basket on wheels were dispersed and now live in a new little cabinet in the bathroom. The cart will be used in the studio.

Ah yes, in the "Studio" the shelves in the Ikea cupboard needed to be altered. Now heavier boxes housing fat quarters and wool can be pulled out like drawers and tipped as opposed to overhead deathly removal.

What was it I was looking for????