We've Got A Little Christmas

I know, it's not Halloween yet, but I just finished another Christmas painting and I thought it was really cute. I just couldn't wait to share it with you all.



I call it, "All Hearts Come Home For Christmas." She's stretching up on her tippie toes to try to get her post into the box in time for Christmas! Of course Emmeline's little friend Robin Redbreast is there to help cheer her along!

I have made the two latest ones into cards and I think they're swell. (Believe, and All Hearts Come Home For Christmas)



I've even put a cutsie label on the back of each.



What do you think?

The Meanest Mother

I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast! When others had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess by now . . . my supper was a lot different than the other kid's too!

But at least I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and brother had the same mean mother that I did.

My mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and what we were doing. She insisted if we said that we'd be gone one hour that . . . we'd be gone one hour, or less . . . not one hour and one minute.



I am nearly ashamed to admit it, but . . . she actually struck us . . . with a wooden spoon, no less. Can you imagine someone actually hitting a child just because they had disobeyed? Now you can begin to see how mean she was, and it gets worse . . .

We had to be in bed by nine each night and up early the next morning. We couldn't sleep late, until noon, like our friends could. So while they slept, my mother actually had the nerve to break the child labour laws. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, learn to cook and all sorts of other cruel things. I think that she must have lay awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.



She always insisted upon us telling her the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, even if it killed us . . . and it nearly did.

By the time we reached teenage hood, she was much wiser, and our lives became even more unbearable. None of this tooting of the horn when a lad or a friend came a calling. She would embarrass us to no end by making our dates and friends come to the door to pick us up. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention . . . when my friends were dating at the mature age of 12 and 13 . . my mother refused to let me date until I was 16 . . . and that was to go to a school dance, which was maybe once or twice a year.



My mother was a complete failure as a mother. None of us three children has ever been arrested or beaten a partner. We, each one of us, have good and responsible jobs. Who do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You got it right, our mean mother! Look at all the things we missed!!! We never got to march in a protest parade, nor to take part in a riot and a million and one other things our friends did. She forced us to grow up into God fearing, educated and honest adults.

Using this as a background I have to say that I raised my own five children in the much same way. I stood a little taller and was filled with pride when my own children called me mean . . . because, you see, I thank God. He gave me the meanest mother in the whole world . . .
~Unknown



I found this piece of writing the other day in a book I have, and I could so relate to it. I had a mean mother too, lol, not to mention a mean father! At the time it was a terrific nuisance, but, looking back in retrospect, I can see they clearly loved my sister, brother and I so very much. They cared a great deal to have put in so much of an effort to make sure we grew up to be responsible, caring, God fearing and law abiding adults, and I am so very grateful that they did.

With the price of food escalating I am really pinching the pennies these days, and making every scrap of food in the house stretch as far as I can. I made this really tasty meal the other night with some leftover chicken and a few bits and bobs from the refrigerator. That's another thing my mother used to do . . . make us eat leftovers . . .




*Saucy Skillet Chicken*
Serves 4

This is a really delicious way to use up some ends and bits you may have in the fridge the end of the week that you want to get rid of.

4 slices of thick cut streaky bacon, diced
a splash of olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped fine
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
a good handful of sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
about 1/2 cup of white wine or chicken broth
2 cups leftover chicken, diced small
1/2 to 3/4 cup of double cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 TBS freshly grated Parmesan cheese
To serve:
the pasta of your choice (I used potato gnocchi)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Heat a heavy based frying pan. Add a splash of olive oil and fry the bacon pieces in this until they are crisp. Turn down the heat and add the onion and mushrooms. Cook and sweat them until they are soft, but not coloured. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute longer. Add the peas and the wine or chicken stock. Allow to bubble for a few minutes and then add the chicken and heat through. Pour in the cream and the Parmesan cheese, and season to taste with some salt and pepper. Allow to bubble for a few minutes until the cream has reduced somewhat and you have a thick sauce. Serve spooned over your favourite pasta with plenty of grated Parmesan dusted over top and a sprinkling of parsley. Delicious!

A Fish Story

You've all probably heard them I am sure. You know the tale . . . the story of the one that got away. Anglers quite often exaggerate the size of their catches, and their stories are often met with disbelief. It's ever been so since fishing began. I found an anglers prayer that reads:

"Give me, O Lord, to catch a fish
So large that even I
In boasting of it afterwards
Shall have no need to lie."
~unknown

It reminds me of another type of angler's prayer found in a village churchyard grave down in Devon which reads:

"God grant that I may fish until my dying day,
And when it comes to my last cast, I humbly pray,
When in the Lord's safe landing net I'm peacefully asleep,
That in His mercy I be judged good enough to keep."

Now, that's food for thought on a Friday morning.



Many thanks to those of you who have expressed interest in my cards. Todd was taking a bunch down to the Village Post Office the other day to see how much it would cost to mail some off and the Post Mistress expressed great interest in them and would like to have an assortment of them in to sell from there after Christmas, so that was quite pleasant news, to say the least! I did work on another one the other day and came up with this:



Something different yet again. I just can't keep up with the pictures and words that roll around in my brain and scramble to get out! It's a pity that I can't just sit all day and play with them, but alas . . . we like to eat and so I must work. But hasn't that always been the way with writers and artists? I dare say it has!

I did the Oven Bakes Mushroom Risotto yesterday for our tea and it was lovely. Risotto can be quite time consuming when done on top of the stove. This version bake in the oven and so leaves your hands free to do something else while it is cooking. This was nice and comforting on a cold and windy day . . .



*Oven Baked Wild Mushroom Risotto*
Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side dish

Creamy al dente rice redolent with the earthy flavours of wild mushrooms and Parmesan cheese, this is a real pleaser.

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
8 ounces fresh, dark gilled mushrooms (I used Chestnut)
2 1/2 ounces butter
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
7 ounces Italian Carnoli rice
5 ounces chicken stock
2 TBS freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and black pepper to taste
To finish:
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved into flakes
1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 150*C/300*F. Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl with 2 cups of boiling water poured over them. Set it aside to soak for half an hour. Slice the remaining mushrooms about 1/4 inch thick.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the onion. Cook it over gentle heat for about 5 minutes to soften, then add the sliced mushrooms, stir well and leave to the side for the time being.

When the dried mushrooms have had their half hour soak place a sieve over a bowl. Line with a double sheet of paper towels and strain the mushrooms through this, reserving the liquid in the bowl beneath. Chop the mushrooms finely and then add them to the mushroom mixture in the pan. Keep the heat low and let the onions and mushrooms sweat gently for about 20 minutes, in order to release all their juices and flavour. Do not colour.

Put a shallow casserole dish into the oven to warm.

Add the rice to the mushroom mixture and give it a good stir to coat it with butter. Add the chicken stock along with the strained mushroom liquid. Season to taste with some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring up to the simmering point, then pour the whole mixture into the warmed casserole dish. Stir once and then place it on shelf in the middle of the oven, uncovered, and bake for 20 minutes exactly.

Remove from the oven and gently stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, turning the rice grains over. Put back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes further. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, spooned out onto warm plates and garnished with the shavings of parsley and a sprinkling of parsley.



PS - those white flowers in the post the other day are white peonies, pictures taken from the Herbaceous border.
PPS - I apologize for not getting around to visit everyone yesterday, but I was sleeping and recovering from work! I'll pop in today!

Be It Ever so Humble . . .

A Real Home

A house that's built to live in
And not just a place for show,
With growing plants on every sill,
And warmth of fire glow;

A window looking to the lake
With a wide table there,
Where one can eat a simple meal
That tastes like angel's fare;

A bedroom high against the eaves,
Where birds will build a nest;
A home where happiness is found,
And laughter is a guest;

A house where all your dreams are kept,
Untarnished and unspoiled;
A bit of land toward the lake
Where you have sweat and toiled;

A place of dignity and charm,
Shaded by age-old trees -
O God, when folks are tired out,
Let them find homes like these.

~Edna Jaques

Oh, I do love the poetry of Edna Jaques. I believe she is Canadian, but that's not why I love her. I just love her words. I remember when I was a girl my mother had a book of poetry. I believe it was called Fireside Poems, and I just loved to read it. There were quite a few poems in it by Edna Jaques and I loved them most of all.



I have lived in a lot of places in my lifetime. My ex husband and I moved quite a few times in the 22 years we were married. I got very adept at changing homes and making a house a home, even if we were only there for a short time. Home truly is where you hang your heart, for what is a home really . . . it's not the timbers and the framework, or the roof and garden. It's the people who live in it, and the hearts that beat within. It's knowing that no matter what storms may rage outside, or how ever many troubles may lay on your doorsteps . . . when you walk inside that front door . . . love covers you and holds you close.



The furniture may be old and tatty, but as long as it's clean and comfortable and you have someone you love to share it with . . . who needs anything more. Todd and I met each other so late in life, I seriously doubt that we will ever be able to actually own our own home, but wherever we are together, be it a tiny flat like we lived in when we first were married, or a spacious cottage like we are living in now, it's home to me. I can't think of anyplace on earth I'd rather be.

I am just getting home from having worked pretty much all night, so this is short but sweet, as I am wanting to get to my bed, but I just couldn't let the day pass without sharing a few words and thoughts with you.

We had the missionaries over for dinner the other night. I really enjoy feeding them up. I was always used to having a home full of young ones and their friends and I do love to show my love for others by cooking them a tasty meal. These guys are both American so I tortured Todd with some pasta, something like their mom's would make. He didn't complain too much! (Besides I did make him an apple pie and custard for dessert!)



*Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet Dinner*
Serves 8

This tasty and easy dish has all of your favourite flavours rolled up into one . . . crisp bacon, cheese, tomatoes, beef. Delicious, family friendly and so much nicer than anything you can ever get in a box! I use extra lean and low fat everything so it's also not too hard on the hips! I like to use my electric skillet for this!

1 pound of uncooked pasta (I like to use rotelle as all the sauce collects nicely in the grooves)
2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 pound bacon (I use back bacon, chopped up)
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 fat clove garlic, minced
1 (10 1/2 ounce) tins condensed tomato soup
1/2 - 1 soup can of water
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I use half fat cheddar)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, rinse and drain again. Set aside.

Spray a large skillet with some non-stick cooking spray and add the chopped bacon. Cook until crisp and then scoop out and set aside. Cook the onions in the drippings, adding more cooking spray if needed. Cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, then add the ground beef. Cook, stirring, until nicely browned. Stir in the Italian seasoning and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Stir in the bacon, tomato soup and water. Cook and simmer for about 15 minutes, adding more water if it gets too thick. Add the pasta, and stir until well coated. Hear through. Sprinkle the cheese on top and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Spoon out of the pan to serve. Enjoy!

Everyday Epiphanies

“Today a new sun rises for me; everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion, everything invites me to cherish it.” ~ Anne De Lenclos

When I was a girl I used to be afraid of graveyards. A good friend of mine lived in an old farm house, just beyond the edge of town, about half a mile away from my own home. In order to get to her house, I used to have to pass by a graveyard that seemed to stretch forever on both sides of the roadway. My heart would quicken and I would race past on my bicycle as if the hounds of hell itself were after me. This was in broad daylight. I would never have dared to attempt it at night!!

As a adult, I love to wander through graveyards. They are so peaceful and restful. Funny how that goes. Time and experience has taught me that the dead cannot hurt me and I love to walk on the pathways amongst the headstones, reading them and pondering on the people that lay beneath them . . . what sort of lives did they lead, were they rich or poor, happy or sad, did they achieve all that they started out to achieve, or did they leave this plane of existence too soon without having ever reached their goals . . . Life here on earth has lost it’s meaning for them. The toils, and struggles and joys from this lifetime are gone and over.



“For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn/or busy housewife ply her evening care . . . The paths of glory lead but to the grave.” ~Thomas Gray

How many days of our own lives slip away from us, unnoticed and un-appreciated? Some days it seems that we are aware of our inner poet and take note of every precious moment we experience, but then again other days we allow to rush by in a tumult of activity and frenzy, never stopping to appreciate or even register the special little moments that are only ours for the taking. And still yet again, it takes the risk of losing something that we hold dear, to jolt us into awareness, to make us take note of all that we have been taking so very much for granted. These are everyday epiphanies. These little awareness’s of all that we have and should be grateful for, of tragic near misses, a myriad of blessings not counted, these little things that go un-noticed until we risk losing them, or have already bid them farewell, these are the true treasures of our life.



Let us take holdof them before it is too late. Let’s give thanks for each morning that we wake up, and for the rain that sometimes falls. Let us never forget that “there but for the Grace of God go I,” and take hold of the blessing that is simply to be found in being, and in being healthy and alive. Lets us give thanks for our work and for our play. Let us rejoice in the accomplishment of a task completed and the tired feeling that comes at the end of a day, and for a day well lived and used.

In short . . . let us cherish our lives for what they are, every little scrap of them, the good and the bad, for they are only ours to cherish and they all too soon pass away. Let us live as if each day were our last. I think if we thought it could all end tomorrow, each of our today’s would be full of more of a sense of all that we hold dear . . . the flowers would smell a little sweeter, birdsong would dance upon our ears with more breathtaking beauty. It should not have to take our losing it for us to appreciate it all . . . take hold of today and live it, enjoy it, cherish it . . . make it count.



My Todd likes him some meaty porkchops once in a while. He's a real meat and potatoes man. Myself, I am happy with a piece of chicken, but I do like to make my Todd happy and he would rebel if I tried to serve him chicken every night of the week! (What man wouldn't!) I made him these delicious pork chops the other day and they went down a real treat!




*Pork Chops Romano*
Serves 4

Crunchy, spicy and delicious these are real family pleasing pork chops. Really quick to make as well! You can easily cut the recipe in half if there are only two of you, as I did, or you can double it to make more!

4 boneless pork loin chops
1 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano Cheese
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs (I use Italian ones)
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 TBS vegetable oil for frying
lemon wedges for serving

Take your pork chops and trim all the fat from the edges. One at a time place them into a large plastic baggie and pound them with a mallet or the edge of your rolling pin until they are about 1/4 inch thick, being very careful not to tear the meat.

Take three shallow pie plates. In one put the flour. In the next, beat together the eggs. In the third, mix together the cheese, bread crumbs, Cajun seasoning and the lemon zest.

Coat each pork chop in the flour, patting it in and shaking off the excess. Then dip it into the beaten eggs, again letting the excess drip off. Finally, dip it into the crumb mixture, coating each side well and pressing the crumbs in to stay. Set aside on a plate until you have them all coated.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry the chops in two batches, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Keep them warm in the oven until you have them all browned.

Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over. Yummy!