Hi there, welcome to my blog! As the title suggests, it's going to be about everything and the kitchen sink. I am as they say, crafty, or artsy fartsy if you will - I make jewelry, I sew, I cook, I write, I do all kinds of cool crafts - and this is going to be my forum for that. The plan is that once a week I will do a post about a new project that I have done. My hope is that "going public" like this will keep me motivated. I wouldn't, after all, want to disappoint my many fans.
If you should happen to run into this fearsome bugger in our neck of the woods tonight, DO NOT BE AFRAID!!
He (or...she...) and a pack of his (or her) friends are just keeping watch on the neighbourhood, greeting the littles at the door when they come along.
Tonight marks the first Halloween since both Husband and I moved away from home as young pups, that we have had the opportunity to meet the kiddies at the door and toss some yummy treats into their bags. We've both always lived in apartments, and in my nearly twenty years of it, have never had a Trick-or-Treater! So we're stoked. I MAY have gone overboard at the dollar store today to get decorated and spooky. Put it this way - I left with a bag of rats big enough that I had to cab it home.
Tomorrow we have a grown-ups Halloween party right here at our house, but tonight, it's all about the little ones. I've already had a tiny, tiny dragon toddle up to the door and emit a ferocious "RRRRR!!" when I opened. I can't wait to see what other monsters and ghouls make their way over!
Husband and I had a date night after work last week. We had a nice, slow supper at Estia, the greek restaurant on Spring Garden Road, and then headed home for some snuggling on the couch with Dexter Morgan, haha. Anyway, we'd both bussed it to work that day because it had been pouring rain when we got up, so after our meal, we strolled down to the bus stop to await our ride. That's when I noticed this:
In case you don't know, and I didn't as it's the first time I've ever seen such a thing, this is a bicycle repair post! There are a bunch of appropriate tools to fix your bike if you are downtown and get stuck with a busted something or other, plus a pump if you've got a flat! How cool is that? Is Halifax suddenly and finally getting more bike friendly?
Another hint that it is, is that a couple weeks ago, they extended the bike lanes on Windsor Street, to go almost all the way from one end of it to another! You know what this means? It means my ride to and from work is 75% in a bike lane! And THAT means I get to worry just a little bit less while I'm cycling. Mind you, it seems as though it's going to take a few slower people a while to figure out they can't park in the bike lane, but hey, baby steps.
Keep it up little city! The more people we've got traveling on two tires instead of four, the better!
About a week ago, we had the pleasure of attending a reading at The Carelton, by local author Stephanie Domet, of her newest work, Fallsy Downsies.
Fallsy Downsies is Stephanie's second novel - the first one, called Homing, came out a few years ago.
Homing was great, a story about missing people you love, getting over a slump and figuring out what's next. Also, it was set in Halifax, so it was really cool to read a novel that constantly referred to places I know and have been to. The above is a special edition cover. I owned another copy of Homing that I gave to my friends C and M to take home to New Zealand with them when they visited last year, and hopefully pass around to as many of their kiwi friends as possible. Husband joked to Stephanie at the reading, to watch out for a spike in sales in Wellington.
Fallsy Downsies is about an aging Canadian musician on the road with a couple mismatched friends and hangers-on. Since we just got it the night of the signing and I just finished the book I was reading previously, I am only a few pages in, so I will quote the back of the book: Fallsy Downsies is a novel about aging, art, celebrity, and modern Canadian culture, told through the lens of Lansing Meadows, the god-father of Canadian folk music.
Stephanie read chapter 18 in her novel.
It was a funny scene in which Lansing Meadows, the main character, plays a show in a restaurant to a fairly inattentive audience until he gets some accidental help from a few unlikely guests. Stephanie's captivating and animated reading was met with appreciative enthusiasm and afterwards, she greeted her friends and fans and signed books for everyone who wanted.
I can't wait to get into this one - in fact, friends, I think that'll be the plan for the afternoon!
This summer, as usual, was great for live shows. Holy smokes we were lucky - Old Crow Medicine Show, Dr. John, Xavier Rudd, Hey Rosetta!, Barney Bentall, Dustin Bentall and the Smokes, Ron Sexsmith, Rush....whew! And just a few days before our wedding, back in the middle of September (oh how time flies!), we got to see The Avett Brothers at the Rebecca Cohn.
Having been a fan for a few years now, I was really excited about this one. Husband, D and I got tickets the morning they went on sale, and waited somewhat patiently until the night of the show. The Rebecca Cohn is a theatre venue, and often the audience remains fairly reserved, staying seated even when they want to dance their butts off, and clapping politely as each song ends. Well the Avett's blew that trend right out of the water.
Everything about this show was lively and exciting, from the lovely background and light show, to the incredible energy the band had, to the raucous song performances. The Avett's have a lot of sweet but very slow, quiet songs, but even these often got a rocking treatment at this show.
One of the few times it did get quiet, Scott Avett got up and played a solo song on the guitar. The stage was dark except for him standing in the spotlight; I wish I could have gotten a better photo!
Speaking of better photos! Augh. Near the end of the show, after the band had whipped everyone up into a bluegrass loving frenzy, the two Avetts, Scott and his brother Seth, jumped down from the stage and played their way up the middle aisle, just a few feet away! By the time I realized they were right beside me and it was a good opportunity to take a snap, they were on their way back, but man was that a cool moment!
They actually really surprised me with how much they rocked out. Husband admitted after the show that he'd been nervous he'd fall asleep if they played as many quiet songs as they have on their albums, but there was NO chance of that. Seth Avett never stood still once, dancing his way through every song, Scott jumped up and down in place, landing on the pedal for his own kick drum every time, and cellist Joe Kwon ties Romesh Thavanathan of Hey Rosetta! for most rockingest, enthusiastic cellist ever.
It was one of those shows that you just hoped would keep going and going, but as all good things do, it eventually, of course, came to an end.
I hope they come again! In the meantime, treat yourself to this:
When I was a kid, my Dad used to say I was "stubborn as a mule," referring to my adamant refusal to feed the chickens, to stop trying to convince the parents to take us kids to the beach, or to turn down the blasting music in my room. Some things never change, but nowadays it's poor Husband who has to put up with it. My latest challenge that I'm having a hard time giving up on is particularly tough for him, and yes, I'll admit, a bit goofy. The challenge - not turning the heat on in our house yet.
The first thing that inspired me to try to wait as long as possible is the bills for oil that we got when we first moved in - terrifying. Husband and I are, luckily, both healthy and gainfully employed, so we can afford to heat our home when we need to, but I can't even imagine how hard it must be for some people who aren't as lucky as we are.
The second thing that inspired me was simply just the test of how long we could go without it. I mean clearly, people used to just live that way, how hard could it be? I've got lots sweaters! And I always sleep better in a room that's a little chilly, so you can really snuggle up under the covers.
Well, we've made it this far. Husband says it's like living in the 19th century.
The mornings are tough, but then again, even when it's warm mornings are tough for me. But getting out from under those warm, cozy covers to get ready for work is particularly hard when it's freezing cold in the house. Changing from sleep wear to biking-to-work clothes is scary cold and the floors are a nightmare. Yesterday I bought slippers.
But, it's kinda fun, in a way, when it's winding down time in the evening. We snuggle up on the couch with some blankets - good thing our Grammies were such skilled knitters - and watch a movie or show....
...and then head to bed. That first skin-to-sheets contact is difficult, but soon things are toasty.
I know I'm gonna have to give up the game soon; it's getting to the point where even I am wishing for the sound of the furnace coming on. But in the meantime, what better excuse could you have to say, "hey, come snuggle!"
We've had the opportunity to get outta the city and see the season change over the last month, and boy, is it worth the drive, if you can do it. Even though it means the summer is over and winter is coming and it's soon time to pull out the Sorels and mittens, Autumn sure is a gorgeous time!
Couldn't resist a drive-by.
Barney's River
The cornfield beside my folks' house.
I <3 fall.
Although I sometimes wish I lived in a land where I could wear dresses and cute shoes all year long, I, at the same time, can't imagine living in a place where you couldn't watch the seasons change every year.
Hope you're been able to play in the leaves this fall!
You know how it is when you get home from work and the very last thing in the world you want to do is cook? It's so much easier just to order in or pop a crappy frozen pizza in the oven. Well I'm here today to let you know that's just not necessary. Especially this time of the year.
Husband and I, on out way home from Thanksgiving at my family's home, stopped at a farmer's market and picked up a bunch of freshly harvested squashes - spaghetti, acorn and my favourite, butternut. The next day, when I came home from a tiring day at work, I made a soup.
It's very, very simple. You take your squash, (I used the butternut) peel it and chop it. Grab an onion, a few potatoes and some garlic. Slice, chop, mince.
I put it all on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, ground some salt and pepper on top and put it in the oven to roast at 375 degrees for about an hour.
This is when you can do other things - catch up with the hubby, watch that episode of Glee you missed, add another layer to that paper machier project you've been working on, throw in some laundry - you get it.
When the timer rings, bring those roasted veggies on out. Can you poke a fork through them really easily? Yeah? Ok, done.
Don't worry, that white haze in the right corner is neither smog, nor a ghost, just those veggies giving off the most delicious smelling steam. So let them cool for a few minutes. Now's the time to try to beat your Candy Crush score.
Then it's simple. Pull out your food processor. Dump it all in. Press the button.
As it's pureeing, pour in some stock - I used chicken stock but use whatever you have - until you get your desired consistency, OR run out of room in the processor. I like a pretty thick, hearty soup myself, seems more like a meal.
I would normally try to jazz a food photo - foodto? - up with some garnish and better lighting but hey, I was hungry, so you'll just have to forgive me.
The resulting soup is pretty rich and sweet and I have been known to sprinkle a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar on top to cut that and give it a little bit of an edge. But whatever you like, just make sure you take good advantage of the seasonal produce where you are - it'll be the best, I promise!
