Remember tulips?
This cheery scene from our spring time backyard made me smile today as I was browsing through our photo gallery. Hope it has the same effect for you!
Add comment February 4, 2010
Bird call
When I put out this bird feeder a few weeks ago, I thought the neighbourhood birds would instantly catch on. In the summer we hear chirping in the trees and often see birds hopping around in the garden, and I had a vision of seeing their cheerful selves gathered around during the winter, too.
But the feeder and all of its delicious premium seed remains untouched. Even the squirrels haven’t been into it. What am I supposed to do? Is it just that the house at the end of our street has better grub? They have flocks of sweet little chickadees at their feeder. What am I doing wrong? How can I get the word out?
I hate being unpopular.
1 comment February 2, 2010
Simple tools for the kitchen
I own great knives. When they first arrived, as a gift, I thought they were too much. Why did I, a mere home cook chopping away in my kitchen a few nights a week, deserve these perfect, light-as-a-feather Japanese knives? They seemed like art objects at the time and sometimes still do. Nonetheless, I had them, they were mine, bestowed on me by one much wiser than myself.
These knives are a joy. I love using them. I was reflecting on that recently as I slowly sliced several pounds of potatoes into paper-thin rounds for scalloped potatoes one night. It wasn’t a chore; it was a delight. The slow, repetitive movement was like meditating, and all the while I felt such pleasure and gratitude at that simple thing of being able to glide through a dozen potatoes and effortlessly create perfectly thin slices every time. No mandolins or gadgets for me, thank you.
When I read food magazines or cookbooks, chefs and people who are passionate about food always say, “buy the best knives you can afford.” They are right. I’d actually take one step further and say that if you really like to cook, then buy the most beautiful knives you can even if you can’t afford them. I think most of us waste money on things that are worth a lot less. I’d much rather be rich in the kitchen and broke as I walk past the queue at Starbucks.
Add comment January 28, 2010
Bright citrus sunshine
People in Calgary often brag about the sunshine we get here during the winter. It is cloudy, snowy and cold outside today. I try to be an upbeat soul, but sometimes I wonder what they’re on about. It is cloudy, snowy and cold here A LOT. I’ve been trying to embrace the season by spending a lot of time curled up by a warm fire with the dog, a mug of hot tea and my project of reading through all of Virginia Woolf’s novels again. This has been enjoyable, peaceful, even restorative. (more…)
1 comment January 25, 2010
New stove!
This is the new stove in my life. Hello happy friend! Where have you been? Why did I hang out with that old dud for so long? All of your burners work. You don’t say 400F and actually mean 350F. You won’t make people keep asking, “Are you going to get a new stove soon?” Nothing about you is crusty or ugly. I can hang a tea towel on you like normal people do – apparently that idea hadn’t been invented yet when the old one was made. AND…you have a light inside that works!
Life is grand.
1 comment January 23, 2010
