Since a techie friend gave me a few tips about my blog a few months ago, and I started poking around, I found a spot where it shows the countries of the people who are visiting. I find it absolutely amazing that people that never met me somehow find their way to this blog, but to think that people in the United States, Japan, and Portugal, to name a few read this blog pretty amazing. The last few days, the U.S. is actually leading in the numbers, even over Canada, so I had an idea. When the boys were younger, if there was a place on the news that they did not know, we would pull out the globe and show them where it was in relation to Canada. As they got older, we would google the place and try to make it fun, and find out a little bit about the town, city, or country.
So a few weeks ago, my husband put the idea in my head to do the same with my blog. Why not try to find out where people are that are reading this page? There are so many diverse countries being represented in the numbers....I would love to hear from everyone who chances to read this post. Tell me a bit about yourself if you like, or just the name of the place you live. It will be so much fun to see where everyone is from, whether it is Mabou, Nova Scotia(which if you haven't been yet, you must), to Fort McMurray, Alberta(the driving force of the Canadian economy and a fascinating place to live)....or if it is a small town in middle America, or a coastal resort in Belize, please join in the fun! Leave a word or two in the comments to let us all know where you are from....of if you are from Newfoundland, where you are to! Thanks!
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Monday, December 2, 2013
A recipe to share!
Hey gang, whenever I try out a recipe and it is an immediate hit, I have to share it. Tonight I had three teenagers, a 4 year old, and a picky husband at the table, and every single one of them cleaned their plate. And to make it even better, the recipe was super easy! So what did I make? An easy pork tenderloin, with roast potatoes and easy green beans.
So the recipe for pork: cut the fat of the tenderloin, and garnish with salt and pepper(I used the sea salt and four pepper mix from Epicure), and then cover it in flour, and shake off any excess. Heat 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a skillet and brown the tenderloin on all sides. Remove from heat and put it in a baking dish that is not much bigger than the tenderloin.
In a bowl, mix one bottle of russian(I used Catalina dressing), a package of onion soup mix(I used Epicure 3 onion) and 3/4 cup of honey. Pour the mixture over the meat, covering all sides. Bake, covered in tinfoil at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, basting the meat every 10 minutes. Then remove the tinfoil and bake for another 30 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle. It would have been good with rice, as there was some leftover sauce...I did the green beans with a bit of lemon dill(from Epicure), and I did the roast potatoes with some olive oil and the cheese, chives and bacon spice from Epicure....but all these things can be done with whatever you like! So easy, and like I said, everyone loved it! Enjoy!
And I forgot a picture, but the meat did look like this with the sauce:
So the recipe for pork: cut the fat of the tenderloin, and garnish with salt and pepper(I used the sea salt and four pepper mix from Epicure), and then cover it in flour, and shake off any excess. Heat 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a skillet and brown the tenderloin on all sides. Remove from heat and put it in a baking dish that is not much bigger than the tenderloin.
In a bowl, mix one bottle of russian(I used Catalina dressing), a package of onion soup mix(I used Epicure 3 onion) and 3/4 cup of honey. Pour the mixture over the meat, covering all sides. Bake, covered in tinfoil at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, basting the meat every 10 minutes. Then remove the tinfoil and bake for another 30 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle. It would have been good with rice, as there was some leftover sauce...I did the green beans with a bit of lemon dill(from Epicure), and I did the roast potatoes with some olive oil and the cheese, chives and bacon spice from Epicure....but all these things can be done with whatever you like! So easy, and like I said, everyone loved it! Enjoy!
And I forgot a picture, but the meat did look like this with the sauce:
Monday, November 11, 2013
Another reason to write.
Tonight as I sat watching a documentary about the Battle of the Sommes I gave myself another reason for writing. I am writing for my family. My boys, my daughter, my husband...but also for my grandchildren that might be, and their children, and for their curious nature that I hope they will have.
I sat watching a story about two brothers that traveled from Newfoundland to France, in search of the final hours of one relative and where the other relative had his life changed forever. And they reconstructed the days based on a journal that the great uncle had kept. He had been a printer by trade, so a fairly educated man for his time, and he kept journals of when he went overseas and landed in France. His words, 90 years later were all that they had to go by, and what connected them all over the decades that had passed. They had a few pictures that showed some family traits, but his jotted words in old scribblers gave his family some history, some details of people who had come before them, and a connection.
I want to leave my children some details of days that they might not be able to recall to their memory, and my grandchildren some semblance of who I am, where they came from, and even what their parents were like when they were young. And while my words, and my story may only be mine....it will be something for them to feel connected to me, and to Tim, and because I, especially have nothing except six or seven photos of both my grandfathers combined, it feels like a gift that I will pass on. I wish I had more of my grandfathers...some words scribbled on a paper of what their days were like, or a video that captures some of their spirit, their mannerisms to see if my dad acts as much as he looks like his father....or if my sons gesture the same way their great grandfather did, or if they have the same ways of saying things.
I often wonder if my grandfathers would have liked me...would they have carried me on their shoulders, would they have smelled of tobacco or Old Spice? They have left me little to go by, so I have been left to wonder about what they were like, what they sounded like, and even what they looked like at different ages.
What I do treasure are the stories that my Grandma shared with me before I left Nova Scotia, and she settled into dementia about how she met my Grandfather, and what their life was like. And my Nanny, well, she was something else, and I think she often tried to make up to all of us for not having a Poppa in our lives. She did do something else...she kept journals, and years before she passed away she said that her journals were her way to keep connected with the day, and with the people she saw and the people that she talked to every day. I haven't read them since the year she passed away, but those words, those stacks of plain old scribblers are something that her whole family treasures.
About a month ago one of my youngest cousins sent me an email that broke my heart...and made me think it was time to pull out Nanny's journals. Makayla sent me an email wondering if Nanny(her great grandmother) had ever spoken of her. She had some faint memories of Nanny, but she wanted to know more about her....the part that broke my heart was that she didn't have any strong memories of Nanny. I was lucky enough to have Nanny there through my birthday parties over the years, the nights that I stayed at her house with kerosene heaters, and heavy quilts. I was lucky enough to be able to call to memory Nanny's voice when she said her prayers at night, and how well she made rolls and molasses cookies. I was blessed enough to have Nanny at my wedding, to come visit my boys when they were born, and I was blessed enough to share Nanny's last days upon this earth. And so, I will go searching in her journals in the days to come and search for words that she wrote about days that Makayla came to visit, or maybe even when she was born....and I will share them.
Our words can mean more then we ever plan, and more than we ever hope, and tonight, I realized, I will write for my family. My grandchildren...my great grandchildren..and I will write my memories for children like Makayla, because we all wonder where we came from. I discovered this picture of Nanny two years after she passed away.
I sat watching a story about two brothers that traveled from Newfoundland to France, in search of the final hours of one relative and where the other relative had his life changed forever. And they reconstructed the days based on a journal that the great uncle had kept. He had been a printer by trade, so a fairly educated man for his time, and he kept journals of when he went overseas and landed in France. His words, 90 years later were all that they had to go by, and what connected them all over the decades that had passed. They had a few pictures that showed some family traits, but his jotted words in old scribblers gave his family some history, some details of people who had come before them, and a connection.
I want to leave my children some details of days that they might not be able to recall to their memory, and my grandchildren some semblance of who I am, where they came from, and even what their parents were like when they were young. And while my words, and my story may only be mine....it will be something for them to feel connected to me, and to Tim, and because I, especially have nothing except six or seven photos of both my grandfathers combined, it feels like a gift that I will pass on. I wish I had more of my grandfathers...some words scribbled on a paper of what their days were like, or a video that captures some of their spirit, their mannerisms to see if my dad acts as much as he looks like his father....or if my sons gesture the same way their great grandfather did, or if they have the same ways of saying things.
I often wonder if my grandfathers would have liked me...would they have carried me on their shoulders, would they have smelled of tobacco or Old Spice? They have left me little to go by, so I have been left to wonder about what they were like, what they sounded like, and even what they looked like at different ages.
What I do treasure are the stories that my Grandma shared with me before I left Nova Scotia, and she settled into dementia about how she met my Grandfather, and what their life was like. And my Nanny, well, she was something else, and I think she often tried to make up to all of us for not having a Poppa in our lives. She did do something else...she kept journals, and years before she passed away she said that her journals were her way to keep connected with the day, and with the people she saw and the people that she talked to every day. I haven't read them since the year she passed away, but those words, those stacks of plain old scribblers are something that her whole family treasures.
About a month ago one of my youngest cousins sent me an email that broke my heart...and made me think it was time to pull out Nanny's journals. Makayla sent me an email wondering if Nanny(her great grandmother) had ever spoken of her. She had some faint memories of Nanny, but she wanted to know more about her....the part that broke my heart was that she didn't have any strong memories of Nanny. I was lucky enough to have Nanny there through my birthday parties over the years, the nights that I stayed at her house with kerosene heaters, and heavy quilts. I was lucky enough to be able to call to memory Nanny's voice when she said her prayers at night, and how well she made rolls and molasses cookies. I was blessed enough to have Nanny at my wedding, to come visit my boys when they were born, and I was blessed enough to share Nanny's last days upon this earth. And so, I will go searching in her journals in the days to come and search for words that she wrote about days that Makayla came to visit, or maybe even when she was born....and I will share them.
Our words can mean more then we ever plan, and more than we ever hope, and tonight, I realized, I will write for my family. My grandchildren...my great grandchildren..and I will write my memories for children like Makayla, because we all wonder where we came from. I discovered this picture of Nanny two years after she passed away.
Monday, October 28, 2013
So Much Talent!
I knew when I stared blogging about talent on the East Coast on Mondays that I would have a wealth of artists to pick from, but I am quickly realizing there are so many that I don't even know about, so this is really going to be a fun adventure.
I had written about my first pick twice last year, for the Cape Breton Post, and was so happy that both my mother, and my mother-in-law went there for my Christmas gifts last year. You can find the Cape Breton Centre of Craft and Design online at www.capebretoncraft.com and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/capebretoncraft. And it is actually thanks to a blog by Russell Thomas, who also lives in Fort McMurray about a place for artists to gather that it made me think of the Centre today. They are now located on Charlotte Street in Sydney, and they have a pottery studio, a glass and jewellery studio, a weaving and art studio and a multipurpose room round out the lower level. On the second level, a beautiful gallery showcases all the artwork. You can even register on their gift registry if you want to direct people to some of your picks.
And yes, there is a wide variety of everything to pick from, and you might have a hard time picking just one or two things. I have received a beautiful silk scarf and some wonderful mugs...and have my eye on a few things again. What a wonderful treat for those living away to get something from a talented artist at home...and you will be supporting a local artist.
You can give an original Cape Breton mailbox, that I am sure your daughter living in rural Ontario will get lots of comments about, or an original painting to hang on your wall, or a necklace to hang on your neck. There is so much talent to enjoy in Cape Breton!
And I might as well just get my second pick out of the way, and then you guys will all stop wondering when I am going to bring up Matt Minglewood. I love him, I will always love him, and I will continue to promote him until the day I die...which will be before him, because he has to sing at my funeral. There is no greater ambassador or no one more East Coast then Matt. He has won East Coast Music Awards, the Maple Blues Award, 3 Gold Albums, a Doctorate from the Cape Breton University. But most importantly, Matt has won the hearts of Canadians from coast to coast, to coast in Canada. He has been taking the stage in every province and territory for over 40 years, and is the hardest working man in the music industry in Canada. He has been playing fiddle, piano and guitar from the young age of eight, and when he takes a stage, he has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand.
I always love introducing somewhat new to Matt's music, and that was kind of hard to do when I was still living on the East Coast, but once I moved West I had a new playing field, but it is still only once in a while when I can find, usually a younger person who will get the introduction.
For anyone in Fort McMurray, who might need a new Matt Minglewood CD, please send me a message, as I do have some available out here. Have I mentioned that I love Matt? Yep, take a listen, and you will fall in love too....the only thing is that it is hard for me to pick just one Matt song for you to listen to, so I will pick two. Enjoy!!!!
I had written about my first pick twice last year, for the Cape Breton Post, and was so happy that both my mother, and my mother-in-law went there for my Christmas gifts last year. You can find the Cape Breton Centre of Craft and Design online at www.capebretoncraft.com and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/capebretoncraft. And it is actually thanks to a blog by Russell Thomas, who also lives in Fort McMurray about a place for artists to gather that it made me think of the Centre today. They are now located on Charlotte Street in Sydney, and they have a pottery studio, a glass and jewellery studio, a weaving and art studio and a multipurpose room round out the lower level. On the second level, a beautiful gallery showcases all the artwork. You can even register on their gift registry if you want to direct people to some of your picks.
And yes, there is a wide variety of everything to pick from, and you might have a hard time picking just one or two things. I have received a beautiful silk scarf and some wonderful mugs...and have my eye on a few things again. What a wonderful treat for those living away to get something from a talented artist at home...and you will be supporting a local artist.
And I might as well just get my second pick out of the way, and then you guys will all stop wondering when I am going to bring up Matt Minglewood. I love him, I will always love him, and I will continue to promote him until the day I die...which will be before him, because he has to sing at my funeral. There is no greater ambassador or no one more East Coast then Matt. He has won East Coast Music Awards, the Maple Blues Award, 3 Gold Albums, a Doctorate from the Cape Breton University. But most importantly, Matt has won the hearts of Canadians from coast to coast, to coast in Canada. He has been taking the stage in every province and territory for over 40 years, and is the hardest working man in the music industry in Canada. He has been playing fiddle, piano and guitar from the young age of eight, and when he takes a stage, he has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand.
I always love introducing somewhat new to Matt's music, and that was kind of hard to do when I was still living on the East Coast, but once I moved West I had a new playing field, but it is still only once in a while when I can find, usually a younger person who will get the introduction.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
16 Again!
Okay, raise your hand if it feels like you just turned 16? Okay, so maybe it has been a few years, like, 24, for me, omg, 24 years...but come on, if I close my eyes I can remember every single detail of the day. Where the hell did 24 years go? Or an even better question for me tonight, is where did the last 16 years go? You see tomorrow, my baby, my first born, my Mitchell, is going to enter into another world, the driving world, and that means that I am entering another world tomorrow too, one where I get to sit up late waiting him to arrive safely home because he is old enough to drive himself every where now.
Now don't get me wrong, I am pretty much going into this world with as much resistance as I can. I prayed at nights that time would slow, and my kids would stop growing up so fast. I watched as they grew out of their cute little work boots and overalls that I dressed them in as little boys, and their Scooby-Doo fascination seems like it never existed at all. And even my younger son, Nathanial will be joining the "I don't need mom so much crew" tomorrow, because he of course would rather go with his cooler big brother to things now instead of having his mom schlep him every where.
If I close my eyes, I can remember the first night I got my driver's license. It was snowing pretty good, and Dad had purchased a brand new car on the same day(I know, what was he thinking, right)? Actually, it was mom's car, Dad always had a truck. But I digress. On the day I got my license, it was snowing, we had a brand new car, and in rural Cape Breton that night, there was a dance in Mabou! If you are from rural Cape Breton, then you know, if there's a dance, then you have to go! I begged and pleaded with mom, but she didn't think it was a good idea, the roads weren't great, and it was her new car. Dad landed home from somewhere, and before my mother had the chance to even give him the look that said that he should say no, he had already said I could take the car and go to the dance. I don't think I ever moved so fast in my life to get out that door before mom could get dad to see the reasoning that she put out there. Now that I am in the same position, I am actually shaking my head, there is no way in hell Mitchell is getting my car on the very day he gets his license. LOL...I bet my mom is turning red and saying, "It's alright that it was my car and snowing.". Mom...you were right, I shouldn't have gotten the car that night. And here's the confession!
I didn't go straight to the dance, and home. As often happened as a teenager, it was all Tim's fault, lol. I can't remember if I went to pick him up or if I ran into him at Bobby's store that night...but he convinced me to go to West Mabou, in the snow to pick up John(Wendell) Campbell. Well, didn't I get the new car stuck in his driveway? Good thing I was a good driver and we got it out, lol...I think Carmen(John's dad) or Angus(his brother), helped. But we got out, and we made it to the dance, and eventually we made it home safely. I guess there are a few stories of nights out with friends and things we did that our parents never knew.
Maybe that is why I am having so much anxiety about this change that is coming in our lives? Teenagers will be teenagers, and they will go looking for fun, and friends, and hopefully they will just remember to do it safely. Or maybe I should just start drinking my way through the teenage years? I won't have a car to go anywhere anyways....
Now don't get me wrong, I am pretty much going into this world with as much resistance as I can. I prayed at nights that time would slow, and my kids would stop growing up so fast. I watched as they grew out of their cute little work boots and overalls that I dressed them in as little boys, and their Scooby-Doo fascination seems like it never existed at all. And even my younger son, Nathanial will be joining the "I don't need mom so much crew" tomorrow, because he of course would rather go with his cooler big brother to things now instead of having his mom schlep him every where.
If I close my eyes, I can remember the first night I got my driver's license. It was snowing pretty good, and Dad had purchased a brand new car on the same day(I know, what was he thinking, right)? Actually, it was mom's car, Dad always had a truck. But I digress. On the day I got my license, it was snowing, we had a brand new car, and in rural Cape Breton that night, there was a dance in Mabou! If you are from rural Cape Breton, then you know, if there's a dance, then you have to go! I begged and pleaded with mom, but she didn't think it was a good idea, the roads weren't great, and it was her new car. Dad landed home from somewhere, and before my mother had the chance to even give him the look that said that he should say no, he had already said I could take the car and go to the dance. I don't think I ever moved so fast in my life to get out that door before mom could get dad to see the reasoning that she put out there. Now that I am in the same position, I am actually shaking my head, there is no way in hell Mitchell is getting my car on the very day he gets his license. LOL...I bet my mom is turning red and saying, "It's alright that it was my car and snowing.". Mom...you were right, I shouldn't have gotten the car that night. And here's the confession!
I didn't go straight to the dance, and home. As often happened as a teenager, it was all Tim's fault, lol. I can't remember if I went to pick him up or if I ran into him at Bobby's store that night...but he convinced me to go to West Mabou, in the snow to pick up John(Wendell) Campbell. Well, didn't I get the new car stuck in his driveway? Good thing I was a good driver and we got it out, lol...I think Carmen(John's dad) or Angus(his brother), helped. But we got out, and we made it to the dance, and eventually we made it home safely. I guess there are a few stories of nights out with friends and things we did that our parents never knew.
Maybe that is why I am having so much anxiety about this change that is coming in our lives? Teenagers will be teenagers, and they will go looking for fun, and friends, and hopefully they will just remember to do it safely. Or maybe I should just start drinking my way through the teenage years? I won't have a car to go anywhere anyways....
Monday, October 14, 2013
Awesome Monday!
I am continuing my series of wonderful East Coast talent with two photographers that I have come to love. Jack Ronalds hails from Port Hawkesbury, Cape Breton, and his photos highlight the beauty of the surrounding areas, the events that happen there, and the people that live there as well. I fell in love with his photos many years ago, but I think now that I live so far away I appreciate his talent even more. I love when he goes out for a day to a different area and posts his photos on his Facebook page. Here is the link to his page so you can have a look for yourself. https://www.facebook.com/jack.ronalds?fref=ts. His pictures are on many walls across Canada, and make wonderful gifts for loved ones who have moved away from Cape Breton, or those who have been there and fell in love. Here are two favourites of mine.
And Steve Rankin also hails from Cape Breton, and is actually from the same small village that I am from, Mabou. I am not sure how long he has been into photography, but I only just discovered him about a year ago, and he had me as a fan from the very first pictures that he posted on his Facebook page as well. I love his play with light, and the way he can take a picture of an area that I have seen 1000 times, and make it look different. He has a real talent, and I am so glad he now shares it with the world. Here is the link to his photography page on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/SteveRankinPhotography?fref=ts And here are two of my favourite pics that Steve has taken.
I hope if this is the first time you have seen their work that you will fall in love as much as I have. Enjoy!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Nothing like soup when it gets cold!
I love my soup, and I love it even more when the weather turns cold. Today I had a craving for some French Onion soup, so now my house smells rich of onions and garlic. Here is the recipe!
In a large soup pot, heat 1Tbsp of butter, and 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Add five large onions and cook for about 10 minutes, until they start to turn brown. Then add about 4 cloves of garlic(depending on how much garlic you like), a tsp of sugar, and a half a tsp. of dried thyme. Continue to cook over medium heat for about a half hour.
Sprinkle 2 tbsp. over the onions and stir until blended together. Stir in a half a cup of wine, and nine cups of beef stock, and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises and then reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.
Toast some French bread slices(about 3 minutes on each side), and then float them in a cup and a half of soup. Top with Gruyere or Emmenthal cheese and heat in oven until the cheese starts to bubble.
Great for a cold fall night!
In a large soup pot, heat 1Tbsp of butter, and 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Add five large onions and cook for about 10 minutes, until they start to turn brown. Then add about 4 cloves of garlic(depending on how much garlic you like), a tsp of sugar, and a half a tsp. of dried thyme. Continue to cook over medium heat for about a half hour.
Sprinkle 2 tbsp. over the onions and stir until blended together. Stir in a half a cup of wine, and nine cups of beef stock, and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises and then reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.
Toast some French bread slices(about 3 minutes on each side), and then float them in a cup and a half of soup. Top with Gruyere or Emmenthal cheese and heat in oven until the cheese starts to bubble.
Great for a cold fall night!
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