Marie's Sunday Six

I have not done a Sunday Six for a while, which is amazing for me. I just realized that this morning, and here we are at the last Sunday for September already! Where is the year going? It's disappearing in a puff of smoke! I thought it would be fun to share six songs that make me smile here this morning and why they do, so here I go!



"Firework" by Katy Perry. It like this song because it reminds me about how very special we, each of us, are. It doesn't matter what the world thinks we are and what's on the surface doesn't matter one iota. It's the "me" that is beneath the surface that is the most important thing of all. It's not my size, or my face or anything else that people can see with their eyes. It's the "heart" of me that counts most of all.



"Getting Jiggy With It," by Will Smith. Actually anything Will Smith makes me smile. I think he's very entertaining and it is the only form of rap music that I like. He always reminds me of my eldest son in a lot of ways, not sure why that is, only that it is.



"Fifteen" by Taylor Swift. I actually like anything by Taylor Swift, but this is one of my favourites. It takes me back to my teen years and how I felt then . . . I just think it is a beautiful song.



"Everything" by Michael Buble. For so long I had that song playing on this page when you opened it and then my music player stopped working in this country. This song just makes me want to get up and twirl around. I love Michael Buble!



"When I said I do," by Clint Black and Lisa Hartman. I just love this song. It reminds me of how very much I love my husband and how special he was to me when we first met, how special he is to me now . . . and how special he will always be to me.



"The Whole Wide World," by Mindy Gledhill. I love anything by Mindy Gledhill. Her music always makes my toes tap and when I am painting, she is who I am listening to 99% of the time. Her music is just so inspiring to me.



"Silly Pretty Little Thing," Bob Geldof. It just brings a smile to my face. I love it. I fell in love with it the very first time I heard it on Radio 1. It makes me want to dance.

These are by no means the only songs that make me smile. Hymns make me smile as do anything by the Beatles or Neil Diamond . . . my list might even vary from day to day and how I am feeling. Music is very subjective and mindful of your heart . . . it speaks to your soul and the few bars of a tune can instantly transport you to another time and place. Tomorrow my list might be completely different than it is today and then on Tuesday, even different still. What are some of the songs that make you smile today? I would love to hear them!

Here's a delicious salad that is quite different than your normal type of coleslaw. It's a lot lighter than the regular kind. I don't like the coleslaw over here . . . it's far too gloopy and mayonnaisey. Even when I make coleslaw with mayo, I don't put a fraction of the mayo in it that they put in it here. It's like there is twice as much mayo as there is coleslaw! One thing I miss from home is the way most dishes you order in a restaurant or cafe come with a side of coleslaw and it's always really good coleslaw too. I guess I just love coleslaw!



*Pineapple Slaw*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

In a bid to get lighter and away from all that mayo in regular coleslaw I developed this tasty salad. Crisp veggies in a delicious pineapple vinaigrette. If anything, this gets better upon standing.

4 or 5 cups of thinly sliced and chopped green cabbage
(about 1/2 head)
2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsley shredded
3 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 cup of pineapple tidbits (drain and save the juice)
1/2 cup of chopped dates

For the vinaigrette:
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 TBS rice wine vinegar
1 TBS finely minced shallot
3 TBS sunflower oil
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Combine the cabbage, carrots, spring onions, pineapple and dates in a large bowl. Toss together well.

Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and then pour it over the slow, tossing to combine. Let sit for an hour or so before eating. If you would like to add some delicious heat you can also stir a couple of teaspoons of sweet asian chili sauce into the vinaigrette. Enjoy!!



Baking in The English Kitchen today, a delicious Lemon and Black Currant Swirl Cake.