Last of the Snow

Most Canadians engage in a Spring ritual: breaking apart the last of the snow on the lawn, so it melts and disappears faster.  Some, like my neighbour, take out their snowblowers and snow blow their lawn, but I take the old-fashioned approach: a shovel. Here is the fruit of my labour...

Rufus was in the backyard the whole day and as the lumps melted, he licked them like they were sno-cones.

Now that I am feeling better I'm taking advantage of the spring skiing before our local mountain shuts down for the season.  Here I am with friends last weekend...

I'm in the white, not sure why I am standing so funny though. 

It was a great day with warm sunny weather and we had burgers, fries and beers on the lodge patio at the end of the day.  Our local mountain is the only cooperatively owned ski-hill in North America - so that's pretty cool too.  We'll be back tomorrow.

Springing out of a Bad Winter

This is my first post of 2012!  I am emerging from a fairly bad winter, but am now looking forward to a better spring.  The snow is receding, rhubarb shoots have broken through the soil, I am healthy and in a much better frame of mind, AND I bought a frivolous pair of spring shoes to start putting my best foot forward!

I can't say that I'm enamoured with the new style of platform shoes, but they don't seem to be going away.  With such great floral fabric, and for only $2.50, I thought I could take a chance on these, even if I only wear them a few times!   I found them on the 80% off rack at our local consignment shop.


So I am trying to look forward and put this winter behind me.  Without going into great detail, I am facing a lot of stress at work which will likely led to an employment and lifestyle change in a year or two. The stress has affected my health.  I am now just getting over a bad cold(s) that I've had over the last four weeks, and it has taken a while to get over a running injury (from Christmastime!).  But, now that the season is changing, and I've come to terms with the changes that are coming, I am feeling more optimistic and more like myself (which will mean a resumption of blogging).

Pyrex Present

Our family often exchange used gifts.  When I opened the gift my parent's gave to me on Christmas Eve, I was happy to discover two individual-sized 'Forest Fancies' dishes!

I haven't used them yet, but I will.  I only have a small collection of pyrex and have never baked in it before!
Other kitchen goodies (new ones!) that we received for Christmas were: a heavy-duty pizza cutter, a recipe keeper binder, tea towel, filet knife, kitchen scissors, veggie scrubber, and cookbooks.  Thanks everyone!

Christmas Greetings!

Hello and Merry Christmas!


It has been a hectic few weeks with Christmas preparations, parties and the end of the semester.  We only got our Christmas tree up on Monday and I adorned it with all the garage sale and thrift store ornaments I found over the year.

We almost didn't get a tree at all. When we went to the tree lot (which is a fundraiser for the Boy Scouts) there were only 5 trees left.  At least that cut down on the decision-making!  We chose this one, and I think its spareness suits the mid-century glass ornaments.
I hope that you are all having as good a Christmas as we are.  I'll share some of the great gifts I received tomorrow.

Crafty Repurposing

Sometimes I like kitschy crafts too much.  On the weekend, I found myself invariably drawn towards this crocheted scrubby + potholder set.  Maybe it was the Christmas colours, or maybe because it was only $3.00 at a craft sale fundraiser.

But the best part was when I looked closer....the crafter used an old CD to be the rigid base of the potholder.

This seems to be one of the best ways I've seen CDs, CD-ROMS & DVDs repurposed.  Usually they end up as a sun catcher or ornament, but I like this idea better.  This set is going to be a gift for someone who recently started to host her family Christmas dinners.  Hopefully, she likes it...if not she only has to use it once a year!

Leftover Salmon

I notice that preparing for Christmas is on everyone's blogging radar.  Christmas is milestone day for another reason: frozen salmon should be used by then!  So I baked a salmon on the weekend and today we had to use the leftovers.  While I prepared individual shrimp and salmon pot pies....

...Hus mixed together and fried Salmon patties!

I just layered flaked salmon and shrimp with leftover potatoes in the ramekin dishes, added some frozen peas, capers and sautéed carrots and onion, smothered it all with a roux and topped it off with frozen prepared puff pastry.  The salmon patties are destined for the freezer; they heat up nicely in the sandwich press for a quick lunch or dinner.

Mugs

My last thrift shop purchase was this mug.

My eyes were attracted by the bold 80s graphics, and as my hand cupped it, my brain wondered "is this Waechtersbach?"  It was!  And made in "W. Germany."  25 cents.  I have never seen this pattern before.  But I am really digging the primary colours and whimsical design!


Speaking of whimsical, I bought this circa-1977 mug some time ago.

I hadn't seen these "Love is..." comics for quite a while, and the condition was too good to pass up.  Here is a little history of the comic strip.


I'm linking up to Her Library Adventures' Flea Market Finds.  Check it out to see purchases from thrift shops and flea markets around the world.