Just home...

It's been a long day...

lots of work...

but that's okay...actually it's good.

Home now and I've made this for dinner

yum! even if I do say so myself!

Rotini pasta (one big handful per person)

cooked al dente.

I elegant red pepper, slice ever-so thin

I yellow, orange (any colour but green) pepper sliced like its red kin.

100 gr (approximately) casalinga salami

100 gr (approximately) soppresata salami

(or whatever salami takes your fancy)

bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced

any other cooked vegetable that you care to add

(I put in cucumber because it was in the fridge).

Mix this lovingly together.

Dressing:

good olive oil - 2/3

vinegar - 1/3

salt,

pepper,

 basil,

 oregano,

 garlic

big handfuls of grated parmesan cheese,

all served with warmed baguette and

a glass of your favourite cabernet or sauvignon blanc...mmmmm heaven
bon apetito

My Dream Home

would look like this

http://greigedesign.blogspot.com/

http://greigedesign.blogspot.com/

http://greigedesign.blogspot.com/

Laughing With Angels

or some version thereof...

?

Does anyone know where

Charmaine

is?

I seem to remember (vaguely)

that she was closing 

Beautiful Things To Share

and going somewhere else.

But I can't remember where.

And I miss her.

As sister V. has pointed out before,

this was the first blog she ever visited (and then sent me to)

and was the inspiration for us to begin.

I really would like to find her if she is still blogging...so if anyone knows where

she is, or Charmaine, should you happen to read this yourself...

send us a link...please!

Friday Photo Challenge

Darling Chania at Razamataz

is hosting the Friday Photo Challenge once again.

Actually it began last week

(but I couldn't get my act together in time).

So here I am, day-late-dollar-short me,

with my submission for this weeks challenge...

PEOPLE

I love to take photos of people.

This beautiful mother and daughter were participants

in our local Christmas Parade this past year.

I love the contrasts of their age,

their cultural heritage,

their height positioning,

the direction in which they are looking,

the fact that mother is lower,

daughter is higher.

I always feel a little guilty when

I take a candid photo of someone.

I feel there is a huge responsibility to treat their image with

the utmost respect.

To only represent them in truth and beauty...

and never to mock or abuse the privilege one has because you happen 

to be holding a camera in your hands.

Thank you Chania...it's nice to be back!

Going Out On A Limb...

I LOVE AMERICAN IDOL

Call me weird...I don't understand it myself,

but I love this raw talent.

I love watching these early stages,

hearing these angels sing...

unaccompanied, no training,

unconstrained ambition.

I find it so inspiring.

So here is my prediction for

America's Idol 2011

Casey Abrams

Man, can this boy sing!

V.

If she could, she would...

I know V. has been 

absent of late.

Not because she doesn't care

(NOBODY cares more!)

She's been taking care of me.

Sorry people...but I come first!

Silky Cauliflower Soup

I know I've posted this soup before, 

but this time I'm including the recipe:

Silky Cauliflower Soup:

• 1 head cauliflower

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 quart low-sodium chicken stock

• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower, coarsely chop, and reserve. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a hand held immersion blender, puree the soup, or puree in small batches in a blender and return it to the pot. Add the Parmesan and stir until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
p.s.  I always add a generous pinch of nutmeg when I add the broth.

I'll add some kind of protein and a warm

crusty baguette and this will be dinner tonight.

We are still in the grips of winter here with

snow on the ground and temperatures below freezing.

So this is comfort food

for body and soul.

What Do You Do?

Okay...right now, life is difficult...

but,  in the past 24 hours I have heard some horror stories.

If I thought my lot in life was difficult???

I just heard a story at the pub?  from a young man?  who looked like life was okay??

and it was so NOT!!!

What am I thinking?   How bad can things be?

I am healthy.

I am capable.

I have a partner who is healthy, capable and who loves me.

I have a family, a house, a car, a purpose.

What is going on here?

Okay God...I'm listening!

You have my attention!

What is going on?

Another 10cm!

The weatherman is calling for another 10 cm of snow tomorrow

so, I have decided to totally ignore

anything he has to say

and just hang around some of these

pretty pictures instead.

These are generally our first harbingers of spring...

happy, sunny, yellow forsythia

and luxuriant, elegant crocuses.

Then along come the robins to feast on the fat earthworms

slowly beginning their job of waking up the soil.

Grass turns from pale grey to lush green,

trees begin to bud, and before you know it

there's warmth in the sunshine again!