Saturday, March 08, 2008

Look Up!


Its the Northern Lights! Wow!!!!

And then they glowed.....

I lightened this one up

Once again, contrasted to show off the display.

That was about 9:30 pm on Saturday night , looking straight across Kootenay Lake and up towards Balfour...

Joyce and I are off to see Uncle Paul and Auntie Mary tomorrow. Uncle, is in hospital now and not doing so well. I'll keep you posted.
Don't forget to spring ahead tonight... I already sprung my kitchen clocks ahead and now I need to do my radio alarm so that I can get to Joyce's at a ridiculously early hour...That will work best for us.TTFN.


"The Creator"
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Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Beiging Olymics Primer

Thought everyone could use some humour!

Prepare now for the Beijing Olympics.


Learn Chinese in 5 minutes (You MUST read them aloud) If you are under 13, you must get your mom's approval!


English - Chinese

That's not right! Sum Ting Wong
Are you harbouring a fugitive? Hu Yu Hai Ding
See me ASAP; Kum Hia Nao
Stupid Man Dum Fuk
Small Horse Tai Ni Po Ni
Did you go to the beach? Wai Yu So Tan

I bumped into a coffee table! Ai Bang Mai Fu Kin Ni
I think you need a face lift! Chin Tu Fat
It's very dark in here! Wai So Dim

I thought you were on a diet! Wai Yu Mun Ching
This is a tow away zone! No Pah King
Our meeting is scheduled for next week! Wai Yu Kum Nao
Staying out of sight Lei Ying Lo

He's cleaning his automobile Wa Shing Ka
Your body odor is offensive Yu Stin Ki Pu
Great Fa Kin Su Pa

PASS IT ALONG. DON'T LAUGH BY YOURSELF!



"The Creator"

Monday, March 03, 2008

While the cat's away, the birds will play


Could I be putting out too much bird seed?

Are the big birds coming for the little birds?

Was it one bird doing the Cha-cha-cha, or was it a dozen birds doing line dancing?
So, we woke up to a major snowstorm this morning... Just a reminder that winter isn't quite over yet!
Fortunately, it never built up more than an inch or so around the house...more on our frozen roads, but the highways were clear.
Meanwhile, up in Prince George, where Emil was visiting his buddy, John, they woke up to a foot of snow!
Nothing like north of P.G.. at Ness LAke...they were dumped on to the tune of two feet of snow!!!
So everyone feels sorry for themselves until they hear the plight of others!
Speaking of plight, Emil got the word that the plane had no intentions of landing in Castlegar...so he is stuck in VAncouver, having an imprompteau visit with Stan.
How was your snowy day?


"The Creator"
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Sunday, March 02, 2008

Pesto Aoli

I was chatting on the phone with Annette and she gave me her tasty little recipe for Pesto Aoli...a flavourful garlicly/basil cheesey dressing that is used as a base for little mini appetizers, or in my case, for my dinner tonight. You could vary the toppings, but the end result is a yummy appie that you can pop into your mouth in a bite or two. This is the time to dig out your frozen pesto and make a little tupper container full of this yummy dressing.

Mix up a couple of tablespoons or cubes of pesto that has thawed out, if it was frozen, and add a tablespoon of crushed garlic, then add mayonaise until you have a taste you like. If you desire more garlic, go crazy! if you want it more creamy, add more mayo...You be the judge. I guarantee it will wake up your tastebuds!




Next, ready some slices of baguette or french bread, or use little pitas, and then slice up a slice of cheese for each piece of bread . ( I used Mozzarella ) and had some shredded cheddar to top the Appies with. I chopped up a tomato, and a stick of beer sausage, but Annette used cooked chicken breast. Use your imagination...a veggie, a meat, a combo...anything that you think would go with the basil flavour of Pesto, and the garlic flavour of Aoli.


Pick your ingredients and get them chopped or sliced, then stack them on the Aoli that you have spread on your baguette slices..see the next pic, and below.




On the slice of bread, spread some of the Pesto Aoli, top with a slice of cheese, then I added a tablespoon or so of chopped tomatoes, then some beer sausage, and on the very top, a bit of shredded cheddar cheese.


Toast for a few minutes in a toaster oven, so the bottoms and the tops of the bread get slightly browned,and the cheese melts.



Yum!


Pop them into your mouth and enjoy... a sunburst of flavour! Thanks Annette! They remind me of those little Sammies that I had at Quiznos the other night... little, and packed with lots of flavour!

"The Creator"

Was this the most beautiful week-end?


We tried out the Nordic Ski walkers...

Then we tried to cross country ski... more like ski slogging..

Then we gave up and just walked on the beach which is growing bigger every day,as the lake drops.

The sun and wind turned the the snow into a moonscape

My favourite shot...the cottonwoods reflected into the lagoon.

Lynn came out on Saturday for a little week-end visit...It was sunny and warm and the most beautiful day we've had...well, the most beautiful one that I have been home to witness...
We had an early brunch and then headed outdoors...first for a bit of a walk to try out the Nordic walking Stix, then on went the skis and Lynn started out first...down the hill by the garden...

A week ago, a person would have been skiing on top of the snow, but this week, the warm weather had softened the snow to the point where it was pretty much, mush. The skis sunk, and Lynn sunk, and I sunk, and all in all , the trip to the beach was a hell of a work-out for abs and flabs and pecs and tibs and fibs and one eyed jacks...ooops, that doesn't belong! Snow slogging...that is what I called it!

The nice thing was finally getting down to walking on the beach. The lake is rapidly dropping, giving us plenty of beach space...all I really need is Emil to snowblow a trail to the beach!

Shine on Sun! ( because Emil ain't doin' no snowblown trail)

Just as we returned from the beach, Joyce arrived and we all headed into the hot-tub with a Corrona in hand, that Lynn brought...Yum. We had worked up a big thirst! Iam so happy when my sister takes time out of her day to join Lynn and I for a visit. We are like three peas in a pod..make that a hot-pod We all love the hot-tub! It felt SOOOOO good on all of those achy tired muscles!

Joyce manned the BBQ ,sizzling up the last of Stan's Rainbow Trout...Yummy! It was a good to catch up with everyone's family and to enjoy a nice dinner together...Thanks to both Lynn and Joyce for coming out and helping get the dinner together and do the cleanup too...Sisterly love!

Sunday was another gorgeous day..warm enough to work up a sweat! Lynn and I walked all the way down to the ferry,then took a little ferry ride across and did a tour around Pippers Lane and then walked back home. That would be more than 3 kilometers! At least our road is showing signs of the dirt, instead of compact skating rink... It was pleasant to have a brisk walk and take in all the sounds and sights of spring...no daffodils yet, but the buds on the trees are growing larger and before we know it, the lawn will be showing in larger patches than just around the septic tank!

Lynn left after lunch and then I brought out the bucket of water and started on the exterior sides of the house windows I could reach... a little of Shell Buzzy's CV9 in the hot water and it leaves the windows pretty much streak free...just using the spongy side of a BEE-MOP. In warmer weather, one first rinses the window with the hose, then scrub over the window with the CV9 mixture ( a capful to a gallon of H2O) then another rinse with the hose. No need to squeegee or rub dry with a cloth. The windows dry streak free..especially on a warmer day!

I got carried away and did the all the windows out front, then as many as I could reach without a ladder ,out back, plus some of the glass on the balcony railings... I just kept washing down everything... and changed my water three times in the bucket. You can't wash the outside of the windows without doing the inside windows..well, at least some of them...and then there was the matter of the mini blind in the kitchen...pure filth. I cleaned that too... By then, it was time to call it a day.
HAve a good week, in case I don't get back at it!








"The Creator"

My Sweeties...


And here they are....MY Grandaughters...Ms. K and Ms. M...

Looking more and more teenagerish.. oh right, KAleigh IS a teen already!

It was so beautiful out that my primulas all bloomed!

Lynn cam out and spent the night...tried some Ski walking...


"The Creator"
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