Poetry Saturday . . . Trees

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A Tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
~ Sergeant Joyce Kilmer
165th Infantry (69th New York), A.E.F.
(Born December 6, 1886; killed in action near Ourcy, July 30, 1918)

I have loved this poem ever since I was a girl and had to memorize it at school, it's verse tucked amidst the pages of my thick fifth grade reader. I probably didn't appreciate it half as much then as I do now . . . but I did love it's words.



Have you ever put your nose against the bark of a tree and breathed it in . . . or laid your face against it's breadth and felt the texture of it's skin (bark) against your own . . . I know . . . I'm a wierdo. I just love to experience these types of things . . . it's like you become one with the tree, and you can feel it's soul . . . it's heart beating along with your own. Trees are such beautiful majestic things . . .



In The Lord of the Rings, there were the Ents . . . giant talking, walking trees. At once beautiful, mesmerizing and horrifying! I thought they were fabulous! The idea that a forest could come alive like that and you could talk to the trees, and they could carry you about in their arms . . . how amazing a thought!!!

It the day turns out nicely today we are going to take Mitzie and go to the seaside and have a picnic. I have my fingers crossed. We've had a really rainy and showery couple of weeks, but so far today the sun appears to be shining!! We want to take her out in the car more. Jess always hated to go in the car, so far Mitzie appears to not be bothered. We want her to love it.

In any case, we are bringing her up to Cumbria with us in September and so she needs to be used to it then for the long drive up. It will be a lot longer than the short jaunts she goes in it with us now!

A friend of mine had brought me over a jar of Giardinera Pickles a while back and I had been racking my brain trying to think of how to use them, other than just as pickles. Then I found this recipe. It's fantastic! Now I want more Giardinera Pickles but they don't make them over here. I guess I will have to make my own, eh!



(from Taste of Home)

*Antipasto Picnic Salad*
Serves 12
Printable Recipe

A delicious pasta salad which is chock full of vegetables and cheese. I loved this!


1/2 package (8ounces) medium pasta shells
1 jar (16 ounces) giardiniera Italian type pickles
1/2 pound fresh broccoli florets
1/4 pound cubed part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 pound hard salami, cubed
1/4 pound deli ham, cubed
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni, cut into half moons
1 small green pepper, cut into chunks
1/2 can (6 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained

For the Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, drain giardiniera, reserving 1/3 cup of the liquid. In a large bowl, combine the giardiniera, broccoli, mozzarella, salami, ham, pepperoni, green pepper and olives. Drain the pasta well, and then rinse in cold water. Stir into meat mixture.

To make the dressing, whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt and reserved giardiniera liquid together in a small bowl. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate for several hours, covered, before serving.

Note - Giardiniera is a pickled vegetable mixture. It is available in mild and hot varieties, and can be found in the Italian or pickle section of your grocery store.



Cooking in The English Kitchen today, a delicious Summer Berry Brown Betty!

Marie's Sunday Six

Here we are again with my weekly Sunday Six Smile Maker's post. It's hard to believe we are already almost into the middle of June. Isn't the time going fast! I think it's amazing, and a little bit scary. If the next ten years flash by a quickly as the last ten have, well . . . it doesn't bear thinking about! Here's my smilemakers!



Being able to create makes me smile. I have been working on a series of seasonal watercolours, with a seasonal picture on each and an appropriate quote. I love how they turned out. I have tried to put together a collage here for you to look at. I will sell them as a set of prints. They would look lovely framed and hung together on a wall as a group. I was thinking of using them in a book, a book filled with my thoughts, and recipes, family memories, my artwork etc. all to do with the seasons . . . but then last night I thought . . .I'm almost 56 years old. I must have better things to do with my time. Anyways, I will sell them as a group of prints, so if you are interested just let me know.



We went into Chester yesterday. It was a real mixed bag of weather. Showery and a bit cool at times, but the city was alive. It was Ladie's Day at the race track and the city was full of beautifully dressed women, in pretty dresses and hats, all showing off their finery. There were buskers all over the place. I love the buskers in the city. The city rings with music. This video is of a busker in the city, not from yesterday but from a few years ago, but I thought I would share it because you get to see a lot of the city centre, and this guy is really good! Chester City makes me smile.




This is the artwork of Kirstin Cramer (I think that's how you spell her name. If I got it wrong, forgive me!) She has a delightful blog called Tollipop. You can see it here. I have collected quite a few of her pieces of art over the past couple of years. This one here is called The Cardigan Girls. All of her work that I own is hanging in our spare bedroom. I call it the Tollipop Room. It is my favourite room in the house almost. Sometimes I have trouble sleeping and so I go into the spare room and lay down on the bed with a book to read. I am surrounded by all my Tollipop girls and it is so sweet. I feel like I am in another world. I love the Tollipop World. It makes me smile.



This is my newest Christmas Card Creation for this year, so that makes three now. I want to have at least five new ones. This one made me smile. It is done in watercolours and it just speaks of the spirit of Christmas to me. It's all about celebrating the birth of the Christ Child in your home, surrounded by your loved ones isn't it? Once again being able to create makes me smile.



Celebrating Mitzie's first birthday this week makes me smile. I just adore that little dear girl of ours. I know she is just a dog to some, but she is not a dog to us. She is our baby and we love her dearly. She is so patient to put up with me and my incessant picture taking, and cuddling and snuggling. She is so loving and has such a pleasing personality. I know she always looks a bit sad because of her eyes . . . oh so soulful . . . but she is not sad. She is a very happy dog and we love her to bits!



My little family here in England makes me smile. I love my Todd and my Mitzie. Together we are three, and we are a family, eternally bound together, and a part of the joy we were are here on earth to discover. For better and for worse and all that. It will be our 11th anniversary this year. (11.11.11 how crazy is that!) They have been some of the best years of my life. I love my life and all the crazy parts of it. Sure, I am sad sometimes. We all are, but beneath any sadness that I may experience from time to time there is a deep thread of joy, and it lives here in my home and my heart. My family makes me smile.

Well, that is it for this week. The highlights. Little pockets of joy. I hope that you had a lot of smiles in your week as well. Life is what we make of it.

"Contentment is a pearl of great value, and whoever procures it as the expense of ten thousand desires makes a wise and a happy purchase."
-balguy

Here's a tasty sandwich that is just perfect to take on picnics as there is no mayonnaise involved to cause you any problems. It's hearty and delicious. We love it!!




*Tuna Picnic Sandwich*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is the perfect sandwich to take on a picnic as there is no mayonnaise. It's delicious and hearty. Plan ahead as it needs to sit for a while before eating.

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 TBS white balsamic vinegar
1 TBS Dijon mustard
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (6 ounce) tins of oil packed tuna, drained
1/4 of an English cucumber
1/2 of a small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 (8 inch) round boule (a country style bread loaf)
3 TBS jarred black olive tapenade
1 large handful of fresh basil leaves (about 1 cup)
2 large free range eggs, hard boiled

Make a dressing by whisking together the olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. Season to taste with some salt and black pepper. Stir about 2 TBS of the dressing into a bowl and toss together with the tuna. Place the rest in another bowl and toss together with the red onion and the cucumber.

Take your boule. Cut it carefully in half horizontally. Remove most of the middle bread. (Don't throw it away. I make breadcrumbs with mine and then store them in a zip lock baggie in the freezer.) Spread the olive tapenade over the bottom of the loaf. Layer on the basil leaves. Slice the hard boiled eggs and layer them on. Season with some salt and black pepper. Layer on the tuna mixture and then the cucumber mixture. Place the top of the loaf over all. Press down lightly. Wrap the loaf tightly in several layers of plastic cling film. Place on a plate and then place a baking sheet on top. Place something heavy on top of the baking sheet and press down. Let stand one hour, or refrigerate overnight.

Cut into wedges to serve.



Over in The English Kitchen today, there is a delicious Strawberry Shortcake.

Friday Mish Mash and Redeeming Love . . .

I looked out the window
and what did I see?
Popcorn popping
on the apricot tree!
Spring had brought me
such a great surprise,
Popcorn popping
right before my eyes!
I can take an armful
and make a treat,
a popcorn ball
that would smell so sweet.
It wasn't really so,
but it seemed to be,
Popcorn popping
on the apricot tree!

One of my favourite Primary (Children's Sunday School) songs has always been popcorn popping. It's been running around and around in my head for days now as I look out my window at all the blossoming trees in the neighborhood. So beautiful. The kids at church always love this song. It's one of those songs that once you get it into your head, it's hard to get out, so I apologize in advance, but then again . . . maybe that's not a bad thing, to have a delightful little song like this running through your mind. Here's a version I found of a male choir doing it acapella that I thought was quite nice.



Then again, it is really lovely when you see the little ones enjoying it. They may struggle with the words, but one has to admire their enthusiasm and delight in their joy! I thought these two wee ones were absolutely adorable!



Mind you . . . it's not just the wee ones who enjoy it. Just look at these Elders (Missonaries) getting down to a reggae version of the song. This simple song seems to spread a joy about that's pandemic! It's quite hard not to catch it! I love it!



I'm afraid that Mitzie was in the dog house for most of yesterday. The little dear decided that she as going to chew up half of the bedding plants we had only planted the day before. It would appear that she's moved on from digging up Jerusalem Artichokes! She got a right good scolding twice!! And sent to her bed . . . twice!! She knew she had done wrong and so I am hoping that the lesson sticks and that she leaves them alone today! It is hard to stay annoyed with her for very long though . . . I mean . . . just look at that face!



So sweet and so innocent! I could just snuffle her to pieces and frequently do! One of her favourite games now is for me to lay down on the floor and hide my face beneath my arms. She then trys to snuffle my face out . . . it makes me laugh so much and her tail is just a wagging when she is doing it. I just love her so very much, even when she is being naughty, I cannot stay annoyed with her for very long. She is such a joy to us.

Today I will be reflecting on that great gift, the atonement of Jesus Christ. There are no words that I can speak, that can truly express how very grateful I am for what He did for us, so I will let an Apostle of the Lord speak them for me. As you go about your day today, I hope that you will be touched by them as I have been touched by them, and despite the sadness of what this day brings, you will be uplifted and filled with joy for this, the greatest gift ever given to us . . .



Easter Blessings to each and every one of you. May your cups truly runneth over during this, the most holiest of weekends during the Christian Calendar year. It's not only about the chocolate, and it is my wish that we can all feel and know that . . .

Here's a tasty sandwich that we love. You can use leftover roast beef or you can use deli sliced roast beef. I love the flavours from the mayonnaise mixture and the meaty pepperiness of the rocket. They both go so very well with the beef!



*Roast Beef Sandwich*
Makes 1
Printable Recipe

What makes this sandwich different than others? Rye bread, a tangy Dijon mustard mayonnaise spread, swiss cheese and rocket!

2 slices of dark rye bread
1/2 tsp creamed horseradish
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 TBS low fat mayonnaise
2 ounces of sliced roast beef
1 slice of swiss cheese
a small handful of rocket (arugula)

Stir together the horseradish, mustard and mayonnaise. Lay out the two slices of bread. Spread half of the mayonnaise mixture onto each slice. Lay the rocket, roast beef and cheese on top of the mayonnaise mixture on one side. Top with the other slice, mayonnaise mixture down. Press slightly. Cut in half diagonally to eat. (Note, you may also toast this if you like. Just spread the outsides with softened butter and grill on both sides in a hot skillet until browned and the cheese melts.)



Over in The English Kitchen today, a deliciously Sweet and Spicy Steak Sauce!

Poetry Saturday, Of all the things . . .

Of all the meals you can buy for money,
Give me a meal of bread and honey!
A table of grass in the open air,
A green bank for an easy-chair.



The table cloth inwrought with flowers,
And a grasshopper clock to tick the hours.
Between the courses birds to sing
To many a hidden shining string.



And neither man nor maid be seen,
But a great company of green.
Upon a hundred thousand stalks,
Talk to us it's great green talks.



And when the merry meal is done,
To loiter westward with the sun,
Dipping fingers ere we go
In the stream that runs below.



Of all the meals you can buy for money,
Give me a meal of bread and honey.
~Richard le Gallienne


Not long now before picnic season will be upon us. There is nothing I like more than for Todd and I to take ourselves off for the day with a picnic hamper and a few drinks . . . and our much loved dog of course! Some of our finest meals have been picnics laid out on the grass under a warm sun! You can picnic anywhere though . . . I've had some pretty special ones laid out on a blanket in the lounge while the rain pelts against the window glass too!

This is the perfect picnic sandwich. It is one of those sandwiches which tastes even better upon standing! I had a very enjoyable experience munching down on these with a bunch of girlfriends up on Beachy Head in Eastbourne on one warm spring day. We all munched and chatted and had a wonderful time together!



*Muffaletta*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

The perfect picnic sandwich. Layers of meat and cheese and a delicious olive relish! You do need to plan ahead with this one though as the olive relish must be made a day ahead so the flavours marinate.

1 large Loaf Italian Bread
1/3 pound Hard salami, very thinly sliced
1/3 pound Ham, very thinly sliced
1/3 pound Provolone, thinly sliced
thinly sliced ripe tomatoes
shredded lettuce

For the Olive relish:
2/3 cup of Green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2/3 cup of Black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Pimiento, chopped
1/4 cup drained, chopped cocktail onions
3 Cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Fillet anchovy, mashed
1 tablespoon Capers
1/3 cup Finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Make the olive relish by mixing together all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill overnight.

The next day, cut your bread loaf in half horizontally. Scoop out some of the insides and use to make breadcrumbs with. (You can store these in a zip lock baggie in the freezer for future use.) Layer onto the bottom slice of bread, the meats and cheese and at least half an inch of the olive relish. Layer the tomatoes and lettuce on last. Place the top piece of bread over top and press down lightly. Wrap tightly in clling film and allow to sit for several hours before cutting into wedges to serve.



Over in The English Kitchen today there is a delicious Lime Drizzle Berry Cake!

Marie's Sunday Six

Welcome to my weekly Sunday Six Smile Makers post . . . the day where I get to share with you some of my smiles and the things in my life that make me happy. Since this is the first Sunday of the summer, I thought it would be fun to share with you my Sunday Summer Smile Makers!!



Days out in the car make me smile! When the sun is shining and the days are long, it's fun to go out driving on a summer adventure. Sometimes there may be a destination, other days you just go where the mood and inspiration take you! The fun part is doing it together . . . the "Are we there yets!", the "I have to go . . . 's", the "I'm bored's, " all add to the fun of the adventure. It's just a great time to do something together as a family.



Playing outdoor games in the sun and warmth. Croquet, badminton, frisby . . . it doesn't matter what the game is . .. it's just fun being together and playing a game out in the fresh air and sunshine!! That makes me smile big time!



Days at the seaside! Sun, sand and surf! This makes me smile. Donkey rides, piers, seagulls, fish and chips, sand between your toes . . . happy holiday makers. It's all good!!



Relaxing afternoons . . . a place to lay down, a good book, some shade in the sunshine . . . nothing to do but just be . . . there is something pretty special about having nothing to do on a summer's afternoon, don't you think? That thought makes me smile!



Picnics make me smile!! There is something about eating out of doors, stretched out on a blanket in a park, in your own little patch of shade, with the people you love, that is so very special!! It doesn't have to be elaborate . . . even a sandwich from Marks and Spencers and a cold bottle of water can be a feast, just so long as you are with the people you truly care about. Heck, it doesn't even have to be outdoors and in a park. Some of my nicest picnics have been spent on rainy days on a blanket in the living room, with my little chicks all gathered around me!



Ice creams!! There is something about a summer ice cream cone that you just can't experience any other time of the year. Soft, cold and melting . . . and studded with a chocolate flake, it is the ultimate summer pastime! The rush to get it eaten before it melts all down your arm . . . that cold sweetness on your tongue . . . sharing with the one you love . . . it's all good!



Ice Cold Lemonade!! Nothing is more refreshing or tasty than a tall frosty glass of Ice Cold Lemonade on a hot summer's day. It makes me smile, and the colder the better!!! Somehow it doesn't taste the same at any other time of the year . . . it has to be summer for a lemonade to taste really, really good!




It's been quite a few years since I have done this, but can anything be more exciting or wonderful than running through the sprinkler on a hot summer's day??? I don't think so!! I think this afternoon when we get back from church, I am going to get Todd to hook the sprinkler up and I am going to run through it. Maybe he will even join me, now that's a happy thought!! Why didn't I think of this before!!! Happy days!!!



Long walks together in the evening . . . after the heat of the day begins to dissapate, and a cooler breeze starts to blow . . . holding hands as we walk along the sun dappled pavement . . . there is nothing more heart swelling, or a more pleasant occupation I don't think . . . the perfect end to perfect days . . . can you feel my smile? I sure hope so.

When it all boils down to it, I just think that summer makes me smile full stop!! No matter how hot it gets, or how dry . . . it's just nice to see the warmer, sunnier weather . . . and it special to share it with my Todd, and with you. I hope my summer thoughts brought a smile to your faces today!

Another great thing about summer is the barbeques!! We finally got our barbeque put together yesterday and it was the perfect day to grill some chicken. This tasted some good beneath our outdoor umbrella last evening . . . sitting together at our outdoor table with the sounds of summer playing around us . . . mmmm . . . mmmm . . . good!!





*Barbeque Chicken with a Sweet Chili Glaze*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

You can do this with chicken pieces or with a whole chicken which you have spatchcocked**. The end result is a deliciously moist chicken with a finger licking spicy glaze that will have them coming back for more. Plan ahead as it needs to marinate for a bit before cooking.

8 pieces of bone in chicken (thighs, drumsticks, quarter breasts)
or 16 wings (trimmed) or one (1 1/2 pound) chicken, spatchcocked**

For the marinade and glaze:
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
4 TBS soy sauce
4 tsp dark sesame oil
2 tsp freshly grated gingerroot
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all of the marinade and glaze ingredients and mix together really well. Divide the mixture in half, using half to marinate your chicken and the other half for when you cook it.

Place the chicken pieces into a non-metallic, non-reactive flat dish and pour half of the marinade/glaze over it all, rubbing it in and making sure it is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.

Fire up your grill and remove the chicken from the fridge. Place the chicken pieces on the grill, cooking over medium heat, until the skin begins to crisp, about 10 minutes, turning once or twice during that time. Brush with the remaining glaze and continue to cook, until the meat is no longer pink at the bone, turning and brushing with the glaze as required for at least another 15 to 20 minutes. Serve.

Sometimes I get a head start on the grilling by pre-cooking the chicken in my oven for about 15 minutes. Just preheat your oven to 160*C/350*F/ gas mark 4 and place the chicken onto an oven tray. Cook it for 15 minutes before removing it and finishing it off on the grill. If you don't have a grill you can still cook this delicious chicken in your oven. Once you have finished the intitial cooking, continue to cook it in the oven, brushing it with the glaze occasionally for a further 30 minutes or so longer, until the juices run clean when the chicken is pierced with a fork and the skin is crispy and sweetly glazed.

**To Spatchcock a chicken: Spatchcocking a whole chicken is an easy way to impress your guests. You basically butterfly a whole fresh young chicken. You wil want to buy a chicken that has the cavity cleaned out, if not, you will first clean out all the giblets. Take your chicken and using a sharp pair of kitchen shears, cut down all along the side of the back bone on each side from front to rear to remove it. Once you have the backbone removed, place the chicken on the counter, right side up and give it a sharp tap down with the base of your hand to flatten it out. Your chicken is now spatchcocked.



There's a tasty Broccoli Salad over on The English Kitchen today!

Marie's Sunday Six

Here we are again at another Sunday and it is time to talk about my Smile Makers of the week! I had ever so much to smile about this week with guests being here and what not! To be honest though, there is much to smile about every week, if you only take the time to think about it. Even what seems like the worst of all weeks is bound to have at least a few smiles along the way!




Last Sunday I was called in to Primary. This is the children's Sunday School Organization. They have a Presidency, consisting of the President and two counselors, who over see it and make sure everything is going smoothly, and a whole lot of other stuff. I was called as first counselor. I have served as a counselor in Primary for many years during my time in the church, so I guess I have a lot of experience. Once a year the Primary puts on a special presentation during Sacrament Meeting after the Sacrament has been passed. I have been put in charge of organizing and planning the one for this year. A bit daunting, as I only have 3 months to do it in and I don't know most of the children and also haven't even been in the Ward for most of this year, but I shall do my best!! If any of you have any ideas or is facing the same challenge, any input or suggestions would be much appreciated! The Primary Children make me smile. These are the future leaders and members of our church and they are so special. Children were very precious to the Saviour, and so they should be to us!



Old stone walls and history make me smile. This beautiful country is so very rich with them. This is a picture I took of an ancient church ruin in Chester the other day, St John the Baptist. Made of sandstone, not much is left now, except these glorious arches and this is only one of them, there are quite a few. I like to walk amongst them and think of all the secret trysts and prayers that have been spoken underneath them . . . it dates back to Saxon times I believe and I just love it. It is also reputed to be haunted . . . but then again, isn't everything that's more than a few hundred years old?



I love the way life springs up in unsual places in this country. It, too, makes me smile. It is not at all unusual to see flowers and greenery, springing to live on old stone walls and cliffs, even old stone buildings. This is a plant that was growing atop of the base of one of the arches in the old church, and the church was covered with many different varieties of plant growth. Very beautiful and a reminder to me that beauty often comes from out of what seems like ruin and despair. Life emerges even from what seems like the most awkward positions and is so very beautiful . . . there is hope, there is always hope.



Happy times spent with loved ones and friends make me smile. We drove up into Wales yesterday and spent a few hours in Llangellon wandering about and drinking in all the beauty. We then drove up to the Horseshoe Pass and then down to the Coast to Prestatyn. It is so wonderful to be in the company of people you care about and to see things you have seen many, many times through new eyes and hearts! Beauty shared is beauty doubled!



Bumble Bees make me smile. They are so clumsy and endearing . . . so fat and . . . well . . . bumbling!! How can you not love something so sweet as that!



Mother Ducks with their baby ducklings make me smile. We spent a long time watching this mother and her babies yesterday. There are five ducklings in this picture. Can you spot them? I know it is hard! There were six altogether and they were so sweet, clambering over the rocks and swimming in the little riverlets in the River Dee in Llangellon yesterday . . . so very cute. Boy, they could really jet across that water though when they were in a hurry. We all laughed at their antics and were completely smitten. It is nice when you can share a great love of nature with good friends. That is something the four of us have in common! We had hoped to see possibly some kingfishers along the river banks, but alas . . . we didn't!



Impromptu picnics in waterside parks make me smile. Don't you just love this picture of Colin in his hat? I do! We were driving down towards Prestatyn and saw a lovely park beside the river with picnic tables and decided to stop there and have a picnic. Oh how wonderful it was, sharing and laughing together beneath some shady trees, which the water of the river trickled alongst side of us! Happy times, precious times . . . golden times. How very special these hours together have been!



Jo and Colin are such lovely people We truly treasure their friendship. In the seven years that we spent down in Kent, they were the only people we became friends with outside of the church, and we have spent many happy times together. We have so much in common. Colin has a wonderfully dry wit and makes me laugh . . . Jo is so very caring and kind, and has a heart as big as the world. She is also very common sensical and I can always trust her to give me wise and well thought out advice on any matter. We just love them to bits! It was so nice to have these few days with them, and the time went far too quickly. I know though, that there will be other happy times in their company to look forward to in the future . . . special texts and phone calls to share . . . visits . . . and just the pleasure of sharing a special bond of friendship, this is a real blessing to me, and this really makes me smile.

I hope that you had some special smiles in your life this past week. I would so love to hear about them!



As it is Father's Day I would love to take this opportunity to wish my father a very Happy Father's Day! I love my dad. He is very special to me and I am so lucky to still have his presence in my life. We do not get to see each other very often now because I live so far away, but he is always in my thoughts and is a very strong presence in my life. I truly treasure the relationship that we have. He calls me "The Apple of his Eye." I do not know if he says the same thing to my brother and sister, and it doesn't matter if he does . . . when he says it to me, I can feel his love and that is what counts. Dad, you are one of my life's most precious treasures!


Children do not realize
How deep is father's love, how wise . . .
They do not fully understand
The strength that's in his guiding hand,
And yet he's always held above
The childhood things that children love,
And as they grown the long year through,
That love for him keeps growing . . .
Until they learn the full extent
Of what a father's love has meant,
The worries he's concealed within,
How really wonderful he's been,
And here's to one beyond compare,
The Dearest Father Anywhere!

Here's a delicious salad, that is so easy to make and yet, at the same time very different than most salads. I could eat a plate of this and nothing else at all. It's just wonderful!



*Gazpacho Salad*
Serves 2, but is easily multiplied
Printable Recipe

This salad is full of wonderful flavours that compliment each other in a most delicious way. Each mouthful brings you the fresh and tasty flavours of ripe tomatoes, onions, cucumber, roasted peppers, lovely black olives, crisp celery and savoury herbs. Perfect for lunch on it's own, or used to accompnay some grilled fish or chicken for supper!

1/2 ciabatta loaf
a drizzle of olive oil
1/4 of an English cucumber
4 to 6 really ripe tomatoes, quartered and deseeded (or use a punned of cherry tomatoes, halved)
(I used a mixture of red and yellow santini plum tomatoes and some green stripe heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved)
1 roasted red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 stick of celery, trimmed and sliced
1/2 of a small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
10 to 12 stoned black olives (I use the dry cured)
a good handful of fresh basil leaves
a good handful of fresh flat leaf parsley

For the dressing:
2 tsp sherry vinegar
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 drop of tabasco sauce

Preheat the oven to 160*C/350*F/Gas mark 4. Cut the ciabatta into 1/2 inch cubes. Scatter them onto the baking tray. Drizzle them with a bit of olive oil and toss. Bake them for about five minutes, just until they are beginning to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Make the dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients in a small glass jar with a lid. Secure the lid and shake them together really well. Peel the cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon or cut them out with a sharp knife. Cut it into chunks and place them into a bowl along with the tomatoes, roasted pepper, celery, onions, olives, basil and parsley.

Toss in the ciabatta croutons and add the dressing. Toss everything together and serve. If you are not serving it right away, refrain from adding the ciabatta and the dressing until just before you are ready to eat. The croutons become really soggy if left too long, but if you are like me, you won't mind soggy bread at all, especially if it is combined with so many other delicious flavours.

Note - to roast a red pepper, place the pepper under a grill for 10 to 15 minutes, turning it every few minutes, until it is charred and blackened all over. Remove from the grill and place it into a plastic bag. Seal the bag and let it sit until it is cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes or so. Remove from the bag. It should then be easy to peel the skin off and remove the seeds.



Over on The English Kitchen this morning, Light Brownies!! Yes, light, only 130 calories per brownie. Unbelievable? Check them out and see!