Leave a comment to let me know your favourite!
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Thursday, July 17, 2008
The sky's on fire!
I had the privilege of witnessing one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen during my vacation at the cottage. Naturally I grabbed my camera and tried to document it as best as I could . So now, as I post and try to decide which photos I like best, I realise it's impossible. I love them all! So here they are, every one of them, in order as I took them.
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2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Unplugging for a week
I'm heading to the cottage tomorrow for 7 days of glorious relaxation. No work. No computer. No internet access. No obligations. Only books and knitting and family and the lake to keep me occupied (and maybe a few movies). This will be the first time I've spent more than just a couple of days at the cottage since I was a child. A full week - what luxury!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
(B)logging a complaint
About Halifax.InfoMonkey.net, and here's why:
Edward of InfoMonkey, commented on my last blog entry to let me know that he posted my blog entry on his website. Now, I can't really stop this. My blog is publicly available, it's not password protected and until now, I've not really made any attempt to indicate that the contents of my blog are my own (more on this later).
What really got my knickers in a knot, was that, according to his website, the blog entry was "submitted by Inspired By Hope" (that's me!). See for your self - look at the right of the screenshot. See it?!
I'd like to make it known that I did NOT submit that entry. In fact what he did was basically lift the entry straight from my blog right into his website, without any form of permission, just a notice that this is what he did. The guy contacted me before (here) when he was trying to get InfoMonkey started - and I must admit, I didn't respond because I'm not interested in publicizing my blog. He also indicated that in order to submit a blog entry to his website you have to be logged into InfoMonkey. I haven't logged in, nor will I.
But here again, I can't really stop the sharing of my blog unless I password protect it (which at this point I'm not interested in doing). And nor do I really want to discourage the sharing - afterall, I follow several blogs with great interest, and hope this same is true with mine. But this is a relatively anonymous online journal-type of a blog. I'm not really interested increasing my site stats, or by getting more traffic. I post when I want about what I want and if anyone is interested - good! So feel free to link to my blog or share it or get RSS feeds, all that I ask is that you don't misrepresent me!
I have to give Edward credit though - I did ask for my blog entry to be removed and it was, almost immediately. Thanks Ed!
So in response, I've been checking out the Creative Commons. You can license your work through the CC to indicate what exactly people can do (or can't do) with your blog. Check out my front page to see the license I chose, and if you have a blog, consider getting your own.
Edward of InfoMonkey, commented on my last blog entry to let me know that he posted my blog entry on his website. Now, I can't really stop this. My blog is publicly available, it's not password protected and until now, I've not really made any attempt to indicate that the contents of my blog are my own (more on this later).
What really got my knickers in a knot, was that, according to his website, the blog entry was "submitted by Inspired By Hope" (that's me!). See for your self - look at the right of the screenshot. See it?!
I'd like to make it known that I did NOT submit that entry. In fact what he did was basically lift the entry straight from my blog right into his website, without any form of permission, just a notice that this is what he did. The guy contacted me before (here) when he was trying to get InfoMonkey started - and I must admit, I didn't respond because I'm not interested in publicizing my blog. He also indicated that in order to submit a blog entry to his website you have to be logged into InfoMonkey. I haven't logged in, nor will I.But here again, I can't really stop the sharing of my blog unless I password protect it (which at this point I'm not interested in doing). And nor do I really want to discourage the sharing - afterall, I follow several blogs with great interest, and hope this same is true with mine. But this is a relatively anonymous online journal-type of a blog. I'm not really interested increasing my site stats, or by getting more traffic. I post when I want about what I want and if anyone is interested - good! So feel free to link to my blog or share it or get RSS feeds, all that I ask is that you don't misrepresent me!
I have to give Edward credit though - I did ask for my blog entry to be removed and it was, almost immediately. Thanks Ed!
So in response, I've been checking out the Creative Commons. You can license your work through the CC to indicate what exactly people can do (or can't do) with your blog. Check out my front page to see the license I chose, and if you have a blog, consider getting your own.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Fog, Fog and More Fog
That's describes the weather we've been having for the past week. This doesn't bode well for Canada Day fireworks (which I'm told almost never happen on Canada Day in Halifax because of the weather). Sigh.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining about the weather. It's a delightful change from the hot, sticky, smoggy summers in Toronto, and when the fog rolls in (along the coast and where I work), you can smell the ocean. With that said, this weather is not helping my little patio garden. The lack of sun and the really damp days (sometimes rainy days) have made the soil in my planters soggy. We need a really good stretch of sunny days to dry them out a little and to encourage my veggies and flowers and herbs to grow and bloom and produce fruit!
I'm quite excited about my patio garden, actually. This year I'm trying to grow quite a bit:
Peas
My peas are disappointing me a little. Several plants have wilted and I know it's NOT because they've not been watered (if anything perhaps they've been overwatered!). I wonder if they are too crowded... though I planted them according to the package.
Zucchini
I planted about a dozen zucchini seeds (I used an old egg carton to start them), and only 3 sprouted. Of those three, all I have is one left. Let's hope it continues to grow!
Tomatoes (3 different kinds: Scotia, SweetMillions and Tiny Tims)
These were a gift from my grandmother, who even potted them for me! Thanks Gram! They're growing beautifully and it's looking like I'll have a repeat of last year's success (last year I had 6ft tall Tomato plants).
Scarlet Runner Beans
I'm growing the Scarlet Runners, not so much for the produce (I'm told you can eat the beans early on) as for the foliage. I thought it would be nice to have a vine to give my patio a bit more privacy and hide a pipe just outside my balcony.
Peppers
Why not try peppers, I said, I'm growing everything else! And the plant was only $3.99 at the Superstore. If I can get a couple peppers out of it, I'll at least have broken even. And even if I don't, it was worth a try.
Herbs
Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, Chives, Rosemary, and a Curry plant (I always thought curry was a blend of spices. I'm not sure what I'll use it for but it smells just just like curry).
These are all growing like wildfire. Herbs must really like Fog. Tha'ts all I can say. I'm really surprised with my cilantro. Usually I kill it off right away, but it's actually thriving and growing tremendously. I have no idea what I did!
and of course flowers!
Verbena and Petunias and a hanging basket of trailing flowers and a potato vine, and a yet-to-be-potted Black-Eyed Susan.
I went with a purple/pink theme this year for colour contrast with all the green. And also because I know a certain kid who really likes pink and purple. The hanging basket is a huge success.
The good thing about my garden, it seems, is that I don't have to worry about watering it. I can pretty much count on it raining at least once or twice a week here in Halifax. This will work nicely during my week-long vacation to the cottage....which is quickly approaching! I'm really looking forward to my vacation. This is actually the first time in many years that I'll get a full week at the cottage to relax, read, knit, canoe, and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Oh! which reminds me (speaking of knitting). I'll soon have a new Finished Object (FO) to post. I finally finished knitting and seaming Sunday night, and now just have to stitch the ribbon ties on (today's project). As it is a gift, I'll have to wait to post photos a little later until after it's been gifted.
That's all for now. Time to get back to the list of things I want to do today....including a lunch with a cousin/former colleague from Toronto.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining about the weather. It's a delightful change from the hot, sticky, smoggy summers in Toronto, and when the fog rolls in (along the coast and where I work), you can smell the ocean. With that said, this weather is not helping my little patio garden. The lack of sun and the really damp days (sometimes rainy days) have made the soil in my planters soggy. We need a really good stretch of sunny days to dry them out a little and to encourage my veggies and flowers and herbs to grow and bloom and produce fruit!
I'm quite excited about my patio garden, actually. This year I'm trying to grow quite a bit:
My peas are disappointing me a little. Several plants have wilted and I know it's NOT because they've not been watered (if anything perhaps they've been overwatered!). I wonder if they are too crowded... though I planted them according to the package. Zucchini
I planted about a dozen zucchini seeds (I used an old egg carton to start them), and only 3 sprouted. Of those three, all I have is one left. Let's hope it continues to grow!
Tomatoes (3 different kinds: Scotia, SweetMillions and Tiny Tims)
These were a gift from my grandmother, who even potted them for me! Thanks Gram! They're growing beautifully and it's looking like I'll have a repeat of last year's success (last year I had 6ft tall Tomato plants).
Scarlet Runner Beans
I'm growing the Scarlet Runners, not so much for the produce (I'm told you can eat the beans early on) as for the foliage. I thought it would be nice to have a vine to give my patio a bit more privacy and hide a pipe just outside my balcony.
Peppers
Why not try peppers, I said, I'm growing everything else! And the plant was only $3.99 at the Superstore. If I can get a couple peppers out of it, I'll at least have broken even. And even if I don't, it was worth a try.
Herbs
Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, Chives, Rosemary, and a Curry plant (I always thought curry was a blend of spices. I'm not sure what I'll use it for but it smells just just like curry).These are all growing like wildfire. Herbs must really like Fog. Tha'ts all I can say. I'm really surprised with my cilantro. Usually I kill it off right away, but it's actually thriving and growing tremendously. I have no idea what I did!
and of course flowers!
Verbena and Petunias and a hanging basket of trailing flowers and a potato vine, and a yet-to-be-potted Black-Eyed Susan. I went with a purple/pink theme this year for colour contrast with all the green. And also because I know a certain kid who really likes pink and purple. The hanging basket is a huge success.
The good thing about my garden, it seems, is that I don't have to worry about watering it. I can pretty much count on it raining at least once or twice a week here in Halifax. This will work nicely during my week-long vacation to the cottage....which is quickly approaching! I'm really looking forward to my vacation. This is actually the first time in many years that I'll get a full week at the cottage to relax, read, knit, canoe, and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Oh! which reminds me (speaking of knitting). I'll soon have a new Finished Object (FO) to post. I finally finished knitting and seaming Sunday night, and now just have to stitch the ribbon ties on (today's project). As it is a gift, I'll have to wait to post photos a little later until after it's been gifted.
That's all for now. Time to get back to the list of things I want to do today....including a lunch with a cousin/former colleague from Toronto.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
I'm counter-cultural ....but that's okay.
I have to admit, I take a little pride in being counter-cultural. It's not necessarily that I like to be different or go against the flow, but I like being my own person and I like knowing that I am able to resist the pressure to give in to fads, trends for my own best interests. I like to think that I'm not easily influenced by marketing strategies, and that I make informed decisions that suit my needs rather than giving whatever is most popular.
Take iPods for example. Everyone and their dog has an iPod these days. They're almost as ubiquitous
as cellphones. But why are they so much more popular than other models of mp3 players? This is what I don't understand. I have a cheap mp3 player I bought at FutureShop on sale for $60. It has all the memory I need (2 Gigs) for music, it acts as a flash drive with a built in USB, it has a voice recorder and a built in radio (no need for a transmitter). I can tr
ansfer files from home to work, listen to music, or podcasts, or live radio and also record a busker on the street or the really interesting conversation someone is having on their cellphone next to me on the bus (Hey! Don't get indignant with me about that one. If you're talking loud enough for me to hear, you can't be too concerned about your privacy!). My mp3 player does what I want it too (and more). If I had gone with an iPod I would've have to carry around my USB adapter, and radio transmitter and had a whole lot of features that I really don't need.
Anyway, this little diatribe has come out of some research I've been doing into cellphones.
This is another example of how I'm counter-cultural. I don't own a cellphone. I never have. And part of me would like to say I never will. But the truth is, I really should have one. Now that I have a car I'm doing more highway driving and driving in some rather isolated areas, often taking 2 hour+ trips here and there. For the most part I'm fine with it, but there has been the occasional time when I have felt the need for a cellphone. Like last January, when I witnessed a collision on the highway. Both parties were alright, but I was completely unprepared to make an emergency call and ended up having to ask one of the drivers if I could borrow their phone. And I'm constantly being chastised by family and friends for not taking my own security serious (as a single woman) and getting a cellphone to have on hand when I'm walking/driving alone at night. Neither of these were strong selling points for me, albeit valid arguments. The crux of the matter is really this: recently I've been travelling with a child in the car, and I see it as part of my responsibility to be prepared for emergencies (should they happen, heaven-forbid). If it's just me in the car, that's one thing, but with someone else - a child - I'd feel better, and more responsible, if I was equipped with a cellphone in case of an emergency.
The thing is, I don't like cellphones. I don't like the idea of being constantly attached to a phone. I don't like all the exorbinant fees that are attached to cellphones, the contracts, the marketing of cellphones and their accessories. I don't like drivers who talk on their cell phones instead of paying attention to the road; I don't like people on the bus interrupting my quiet contemplation with their noisy chatter that I can't help overhearing. Not to mention, I'm one person! Why do I need three phone lines (home, work, mobile)?? People don't need to know where I am during every moment of the day. But really, I've answered my own question. I need a cellphone for safety, security and peace-of-mind.
So this evening I've been researching cellphone plans, and the best plan I've come across thus far is the More time for less plan through Primus Canada (who also happens to be my long distance phone provider). Basically, it's the cheapest I've seen so far, costing less than $10/month with all fees included (the actual plan is only $2.25); it gives me 20 minutes/month; and the length of contract is optional 1, 2 or 3 years (3 years gets you a free phone; 1-2 years would require me to pay a fee for the phone). I haven't found out much more than what's on the website, but I do have more questions (Do I have to buy a phone from them or can I get my own? Can I change the package as I need to (ie. if I'm in Toronto and want access to a phone)? How is the range? Do the minutes accumulate if I don't use them? How much will I be charged if I go over my 20 minutes? ....etc...
If any of you, dear readers, would like to share your cellphone experiences (good or bad), I'd be more than happy to hear them and to get your advice on packages/plans etc. Feel free to leave a comment!
Take iPods for example. Everyone and their dog has an iPod these days. They're almost as ubiquitous
as cellphones. But why are they so much more popular than other models of mp3 players? This is what I don't understand. I have a cheap mp3 player I bought at FutureShop on sale for $60. It has all the memory I need (2 Gigs) for music, it acts as a flash drive with a built in USB, it has a voice recorder and a built in radio (no need for a transmitter). I can tr
ansfer files from home to work, listen to music, or podcasts, or live radio and also record a busker on the street or the really interesting conversation someone is having on their cellphone next to me on the bus (Hey! Don't get indignant with me about that one. If you're talking loud enough for me to hear, you can't be too concerned about your privacy!). My mp3 player does what I want it too (and more). If I had gone with an iPod I would've have to carry around my USB adapter, and radio transmitter and had a whole lot of features that I really don't need.Anyway, this little diatribe has come out of some research I've been doing into cellphones.
This is another example of how I'm counter-cultural. I don't own a cellphone. I never have. And part of me would like to say I never will. But the truth is, I really should have one. Now that I have a car I'm doing more highway driving and driving in some rather isolated areas, often taking 2 hour+ trips here and there. For the most part I'm fine with it, but there has been the occasional time when I have felt the need for a cellphone. Like last January, when I witnessed a collision on the highway. Both parties were alright, but I was completely unprepared to make an emergency call and ended up having to ask one of the drivers if I could borrow their phone. And I'm constantly being chastised by family and friends for not taking my own security serious (as a single woman) and getting a cellphone to have on hand when I'm walking/driving alone at night. Neither of these were strong selling points for me, albeit valid arguments. The crux of the matter is really this: recently I've been travelling with a child in the car, and I see it as part of my responsibility to be prepared for emergencies (should they happen, heaven-forbid). If it's just me in the car, that's one thing, but with someone else - a child - I'd feel better, and more responsible, if I was equipped with a cellphone in case of an emergency.
The thing is, I don't like cellphones. I don't like the idea of being constantly attached to a phone. I don't like all the exorbinant fees that are attached to cellphones, the contracts, the marketing of cellphones and their accessories. I don't like drivers who talk on their cell phones instead of paying attention to the road; I don't like people on the bus interrupting my quiet contemplation with their noisy chatter that I can't help overhearing. Not to mention, I'm one person! Why do I need three phone lines (home, work, mobile)?? People don't need to know where I am during every moment of the day. But really, I've answered my own question. I need a cellphone for safety, security and peace-of-mind.
So this evening I've been researching cellphone plans, and the best plan I've come across thus far is the More time for less plan through Primus Canada (who also happens to be my long distance phone provider). Basically, it's the cheapest I've seen so far, costing less than $10/month with all fees included (the actual plan is only $2.25); it gives me 20 minutes/month; and the length of contract is optional 1, 2 or 3 years (3 years gets you a free phone; 1-2 years would require me to pay a fee for the phone). I haven't found out much more than what's on the website, but I do have more questions (Do I have to buy a phone from them or can I get my own? Can I change the package as I need to (ie. if I'm in Toronto and want access to a phone)? How is the range? Do the minutes accumulate if I don't use them? How much will I be charged if I go over my 20 minutes? ....etc...
If any of you, dear readers, would like to share your cellphone experiences (good or bad), I'd be more than happy to hear them and to get your advice on packages/plans etc. Feel free to leave a comment!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Peggy's Cove at Dusk
A couple of weeks ago when a friend was visiting, we went to Peggy's Cove to watch the sunset. It was a picture-perfect evening - not cold or windy as it sometimes can get at Peggy's Cove. After stopping into the Sou'wester for gingerbread, we climbed over the rocks to get the best vantage of the sun. I've been meaning to upload these photos (and a short video clip) for quite awhile.... 
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
June is bustin' out all over....
Look how green it is!
Mom's gardens are looking lovely already and Jessie wonders why I waste my time taking pictures instead of playing with her.
Mom braves the hoards of blackflies to tend to her strawberries. Such a brave soul!
Beautiful blossoms - not exactly sure what they are.
We went for a walk Sunday afternoon and passed this duck pond. The greenery and blue water and white birch made for a perfect shot.
Oh! And there are apple trees in full bloom nearby too. So gorgeous!
More apple blossoms!
The duck pond is friendly to fish too - here's a fish jump.
Our path led us to a muddy field and I wasn't paying attention and ended up in the mud, which I later rinsed off in the brook.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Getting good mileage!
I feel it necessary to give a shout out to my 2002 Echo. I've always known it's good on gas, but this past week I put it to the test. After I filled it up, I set the Trip monitor to measure how many kilometres I could get from a full tank.
And then I drove....
I drove around the city, to the airport and back, to Peggy's Cove and back, and to the Valley and back. Not bad! I put 549 kms with all the driving I did this past week, and still had gas in the tank (about 1/8th a tank).
With gas at 1.387, and no likelihood of going down anytime soon, I'm very grateful for my little fuel-efficient car.
And then I drove....
I drove around the city, to the airport and back, to Peggy's Cove and back, and to the Valley and back. Not bad! I put 549 kms with all the driving I did this past week, and still had gas in the tank (about 1/8th a tank).
With gas at 1.387, and no likelihood of going down anytime soon, I'm very grateful for my little fuel-efficient car.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Fun with Cardboard
I have the great fortune of being able to hang around with a fun and imaginative kid on occasion. I really enjoy the excuse to do things that adults don't normally get to do unless they're entertaining kids. Our latest crafty project was inpsired by a website - its a Great Cardboard Castle.
Yes, it's a castle built entirely from cardboard and other household remnants and refuse. And I have to confess that since I found the plans online, the plans for this castle's construction have been all-consuming.
The basic structure is pretty simple, but the potential for creativity is limitless. And once it's built, there's the decorating (painting the interior and exterior), the furnishing (all made from cardboard and scraps of fabric etc. of course), the populating of the castle (I've got a collection of Kinder surprise toys, some of which are knights, that will do the trick) and the moat (there's talk of the need for an alligator).... and then there's the play. How fun is it to play with a castle you built yourselves!
So here's what been done on the castle this far:
I haven't taken any photos yet, but will be sure to add some when I do. If it's another rainy day tomorrow, I may do a bit more and then put it up until my next visit with the kid.
Yes, it's a castle built entirely from cardboard and other household remnants and refuse. And I have to confess that since I found the plans online, the plans for this castle's construction have been all-consuming.
The basic structure is pretty simple, but the potential for creativity is limitless. And once it's built, there's the decorating (painting the interior and exterior), the furnishing (all made from cardboard and scraps of fabric etc. of course), the populating of the castle (I've got a collection of Kinder surprise toys, some of which are knights, that will do the trick) and the moat (there's talk of the need for an alligator).... and then there's the play. How fun is it to play with a castle you built yourselves!
So here's what been done on the castle this far:
- the drawbridge cut out from the front of the "keep"(a copy paper case/box), and a pull attached so the drawbridge can be shut from inside the castle
- two holes cut out of the top castle's keep for secret passage ways
- a secret passage way and a chute created from paper towel rolls - the ends cut on a diagonal so the tube is slanted from ceiling to floor inside the keep
- the turrets cut out (a Kleenex box halved) and attached to the top of the castle, with doors cut out of the sides
- a second floor created from a box top, using a alum. foil core (they're firmer than papertowel rolls) as pillars to support the floor
- cut out windows on 2nd floor, front of keep
- cut out balcony door on left side of keep, from 2nd floor
- cut out strips of cardboard to make the turrets look like turrets [_]--[_]--[_]--[_]
I haven't taken any photos yet, but will be sure to add some when I do. If it's another rainy day tomorrow, I may do a bit more and then put it up until my next visit with the kid.
Monday, May 12, 2008
21 Skeins of Wool in one go!
As promised, here's the haul from the weekend: 21 skeins of wool in a variety of colours! Oh so beautiful. Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with it all. 
4 Skeins of Pure Shetland Wool for $5.00
4 Skeins of Pure Shetland Wool for $5.00Alice Starmore "Scottish Heather"
Colour 1250, Lot #150
Colour 1250, Lot #150
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Wool & Wine trip
Today I bought wool. Lots and lots of wool. It was Gaspereau Valley Fibres' Yarn Yardsale, and I went with a couple friends from work to check it out. I had no idea what to expect -but a trip to the Valley is always worth it, and I just love wandering around this particular wool shop because every nook and cranny is filled with fibre of some kind.
As it turned out, the yard sale was incredible!! Skeins of yarn marked down ridicously low, and bags of wool of every kind and colour going for $1, $2, $8.... I was like a kid in a candy-store, and showed no self-control. I'll post more later about my haul of wool, but I filled 2 bags and was starting on a 3rd before I pulled myself away from the tables.
Here is the complete haul. All three of us did the best we could to make the yarn yardsale a success. I think, in the end, we were glad to get there just a few minutes after the yardsale opened, because once the crowds arrived, it got very busy and things starting disappearing fast! We stayed long enough for most of the initial stock to be cleaned out, and new stock brought out.
Afterwards, to escape the madness, we visited with the farmyard creatures.
Then went to Gaspereau Valley Winery to taste some wine for an up-coming reception. Being a designated driver and a tea-totaller meant that I didn't participate in any tasting, though I did enjoy looking around. So many lovely things to buy, had I not just spent all my money in one place!
From the Winery, we headed up and over the South Mountain to Wolfville to check out the Wolfville Farmer's Market, Eos Fine Foods, and the OddBook. I found a fantastic menu planner book that hopefully will inspire me out of the cooking slump I seem to be in these days.
We ended our day with a delicious lunch at the Tempest. This was my first time at The Tempest and it certainly didn't disappoint. Here's what I had:
As it turned out, the yard sale was incredible!! Skeins of yarn marked down ridicously low, and bags of wool of every kind and colour going for $1, $2, $8.... I was like a kid in a candy-store, and showed no self-control. I'll post more later about my haul of wool, but I filled 2 bags and was starting on a 3rd before I pulled myself away from the tables.
Here is the complete haul. All three of us did the best we could to make the yarn yardsale a success. I think, in the end, we were glad to get there just a few minutes after the yardsale opened, because once the crowds arrived, it got very busy and things starting disappearing fast! We stayed long enough for most of the initial stock to be cleaned out, and new stock brought out.Afterwards, to escape the madness, we visited with the farmyard creatures.
Then went to Gaspereau Valley Winery to taste some wine for an up-coming reception. Being a designated driver and a tea-totaller meant that I didn't participate in any tasting, though I did enjoy looking around. So many lovely things to buy, had I not just spent all my money in one place!
From the Winery, we headed up and over the South Mountain to Wolfville to check out the Wolfville Farmer's Market, Eos Fine Foods, and the OddBook. I found a fantastic menu planner book that hopefully will inspire me out of the cooking slump I seem to be in these days.We ended our day with a delicious lunch at the Tempest. This was my first time at The Tempest and it certainly didn't disappoint. Here's what I had:
Caesar Salad
Our citrus-zesty Caesar salad with romaine hearts,
Our citrus-zesty Caesar salad with romaine hearts,
pumpernickel croutons,
crispy proscuitto and parmesan frico
with Grilled Martock Glen Chicken Breast
ian trifle with sweet mascarpone,
espresso and kahlua soaked lady fingers
Heavenly Tiramisu
The classic Italespresso and kahlua soaked lady fingers
The salad was delicious and a was more than a meal - there was so much lettuce, I couldn't eat it all. And the tiramisu made me very happy - not because it tasted good (though it did!), but because it tasted exactly like the one I had made a few months ago. *Yay for me!*
Monday, May 05, 2008
A sign of spring!
I was home for the weekend and was treated to the sounds of Spring - Peepers! It's so wonderful to be close enough to home that I can pop by for a weekend and enjoy a weekend away from the city sounds.
If you look carefully, you'll also see bats flitting through the video.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Peas, please!
Hooray! I have pea sprouts! And in a week I hope to have zucchini sprouts.
Growing things makes me happy.
Like a kid in a candy-shop!
That's what I was like in the Bulk Barn tonight.
Quinoa and Couscous are on sale this week.Tuesday, April 29, 2008
ABCs
I was tagged with this little exercise and decided to take up the challenge and go through my bookcase.
Here's what I've read, from A to Zed:
Alcott, Louisa May, Little Women
Buck, Pearl S., Imperial Woman
Carr, Emily, Hundreds and Thousands
Diament, Anita, The Red Tent
Eliot, George, Middlemarch (does it count if I skimmed most of this one?)
Frye, Northrup, The Bush Garden
Golding, William, Lord of the Flies (o.k. so I'm digging back to high school for this one)
Hosseini, Khaled, The Kite Runner
Itani, Frances, Deafening
Johnson, E. Pauline, Flint & Feather: The complete poems of E. Pauline Johnson
Kogawa, Joy, The Rain Ascends and Obasan
Lewis, David E., A Lover Needs A Guitar
McKay, Ami, The Birth House
Naipaul, V.S., Miguel Street
Ondaatje, Michael, The English Patient
Poe, Edgar Allan, The Tales of (for my "Tales of Terror" class)
Q
Rutherfurd, Edward, London
Snicket, Lemony, A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginnings
Theone, Bodie & Brock, The Zion Chronicles and The Zion Convenant series
U
Vanier, Jean, Becoming Human
Winchester, Simon, The Professor and the Madman
X
Y
Z
I tried list the most recent books read, though I seem to have read a lot of books by authors with names starting with L, M, and R.
This reminds me, I'll be in the Valley this weekend, and will have to make a point of going through some of my boxes of books. My mother is anxious to see some of the boxes gone. Little does she know, I'm actually hoping to target some of the books from her boxes that I read and are my favourites.
Here's what I've read, from A to Zed:
Alcott, Louisa May, Little Women
Buck, Pearl S., Imperial Woman
Carr, Emily, Hundreds and Thousands
Diament, Anita, The Red Tent
Eliot, George, Middlemarch (does it count if I skimmed most of this one?)
Frye, Northrup, The Bush Garden
Golding, William, Lord of the Flies (o.k. so I'm digging back to high school for this one)
Hosseini, Khaled, The Kite Runner
Itani, Frances, Deafening
Johnson, E. Pauline, Flint & Feather: The complete poems of E. Pauline Johnson
Kogawa, Joy, The Rain Ascends and Obasan
Lewis, David E., A Lover Needs A Guitar
McKay, Ami, The Birth House
Naipaul, V.S., Miguel Street
Ondaatje, Michael, The English Patient
Poe, Edgar Allan, The Tales of (for my "Tales of Terror" class)
Q
Rutherfurd, Edward, London
Snicket, Lemony, A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginnings
Theone, Bodie & Brock, The Zion Chronicles and The Zion Convenant series
U
Vanier, Jean, Becoming Human
Winchester, Simon, The Professor and the Madman
X
Y
Z
I tried list the most recent books read, though I seem to have read a lot of books by authors with names starting with L, M, and R.
This reminds me, I'll be in the Valley this weekend, and will have to make a point of going through some of my boxes of books. My mother is anxious to see some of the boxes gone. Little does she know, I'm actually hoping to target some of the books from her boxes that I read and are my favourites.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Dear Rodney...
Dear Rodney,
On Friday, in response to the rising gas prices, you said: "The most important thing that we as a government can do, and all Nova Scotians can do, is to purchase more fuel-efficient vehicles and to take up the opportunity for transit." (CBC, Chronicle Herald).
I agree.
In Halifax, today, gas prices are $1.321/L; and of this $1.321 we are being taxed 0.155/L. I'll be the first to admit that, as a driver of a subcompact car, I take full responsibility for the consequences of driving. I understand the need for gas taxes to improve our aging roads and highways infrastructure and offset the environmental impact of driving. And, though I strongly feel Nova Scotians are over-taxed, I know I must pay the price for this luxury.
What concerns me is this: your comment seems inadequate when it addresses less than half the province's polulation, and even less of the geographical area of the province. So, I have to ask, when you spoke about taking up the "opportunity for transit", is it your plan to establish reliable and efficient transit systems in towns across the province where no such system exists? And, are you aware that these towns are paying the highest gas prices in the province? To name a few: $1.386/L in Parrsboro; $1.379/L in Barrington; $1.372/L in Yarmouth; 1.339 in Truro (source: Nova Scotia Gas Prices).
To my knowledge there are only three transit systems in the province - Halifax Metro Transit, Kings Transit, and the Cape Breton Regional Transit Authority (source: www.transitaction.ca).
As one who has relied on my own 2 feet, and the Toronto Transit Commission for nearly 7 years to get me around the largest city in Canada, I know the value of transit. A reliable, timely and frequent bus and subway system that was convenient and cheap (despite rising rate increases), was a viable alternative to driving a car in Toronto.
Here in Halifax, my experience has been quite different. Sure, the bus system works well getting to and from work (7am-5pm), but if I want to do anything after work (volunteer or night classes, etc.), the busses are less frequent and unreliable. I've been left stranded for an hour even though I live on a highly accessible route. As a result, I drive. As do many other Nova Scotians.
And, as you know, there are very few transit options for travelling outside of the city to rural areas of Nova Scotia. You yourself have been criticized for your expensive travel arrangements from Mabou to Halifax ($2,240 for a helicopter ride paid for by Nova Scotians).
Telling Nova Scotians that the government is going to focus on transit, is all very well and good, but how well does it (or can it) serve rural Nova Scotia, particularly when it's the rural communities that are the most economically stressed. That's what I want to know.
On Friday, in response to the rising gas prices, you said: "The most important thing that we as a government can do, and all Nova Scotians can do, is to purchase more fuel-efficient vehicles and to take up the opportunity for transit." (CBC, Chronicle Herald).
I agree.
In Halifax, today, gas prices are $1.321/L; and of this $1.321 we are being taxed 0.155/L. I'll be the first to admit that, as a driver of a subcompact car, I take full responsibility for the consequences of driving. I understand the need for gas taxes to improve our aging roads and highways infrastructure and offset the environmental impact of driving. And, though I strongly feel Nova Scotians are over-taxed, I know I must pay the price for this luxury.
What concerns me is this: your comment seems inadequate when it addresses less than half the province's polulation, and even less of the geographical area of the province. So, I have to ask, when you spoke about taking up the "opportunity for transit", is it your plan to establish reliable and efficient transit systems in towns across the province where no such system exists? And, are you aware that these towns are paying the highest gas prices in the province? To name a few: $1.386/L in Parrsboro; $1.379/L in Barrington; $1.372/L in Yarmouth; 1.339 in Truro (source: Nova Scotia Gas Prices).
To my knowledge there are only three transit systems in the province - Halifax Metro Transit, Kings Transit, and the Cape Breton Regional Transit Authority (source: www.transitaction.ca).
As one who has relied on my own 2 feet, and the Toronto Transit Commission for nearly 7 years to get me around the largest city in Canada, I know the value of transit. A reliable, timely and frequent bus and subway system that was convenient and cheap (despite rising rate increases), was a viable alternative to driving a car in Toronto.
Here in Halifax, my experience has been quite different. Sure, the bus system works well getting to and from work (7am-5pm), but if I want to do anything after work (volunteer or night classes, etc.), the busses are less frequent and unreliable. I've been left stranded for an hour even though I live on a highly accessible route. As a result, I drive. As do many other Nova Scotians.
And, as you know, there are very few transit options for travelling outside of the city to rural areas of Nova Scotia. You yourself have been criticized for your expensive travel arrangements from Mabou to Halifax ($2,240 for a helicopter ride paid for by Nova Scotians).
Telling Nova Scotians that the government is going to focus on transit, is all very well and good, but how well does it (or can it) serve rural Nova Scotia, particularly when it's the rural communities that are the most economically stressed. That's what I want to know.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Back again!
Yes. I'm very glad to have my laptop back. I use my laptop for a lot of things - recipes, knitting patterns and help, facebook (of course) and email, banking, blogging, general household tips (ie. how to revive a crispy-dried-out plant), shopping, planning activities for my "Little" visits, renewing library books, managing my photos and music .... etc. etc. etc.
So this EDO weekend was spent travelling. I visited the family on Sat., and then took some time to explore the Halifax Regional Municipality a bit more. I really haven't seen much of this part of NS and I figured this was a good opportunity (despite gas prices being the highest they've been - 121.7/L). Soooo.....I drove to the Dark Side (aka Dartmouth), and explored Eastern Passage, Colby Village, Cole Harbour, downtown Dartmouth, and then Dartmouth Crossing. I kept thinking as I drove into these villages/neighbourhoods/whatever they are, "Is this it?" I was never quite sure where I was until I circled around a bit. Of course, I wasn't really following a map either. I just drove and drove and drove. On the Halifax side, I ended up following the St. Margaret's Bay Rd. through Beechville to Timberlea and Hubley. I always kind of thought Timberlea was a larger village with a shopping centre, but if there was I didn't find it. Just rows and rows of houses.
The more I drive around, the more I appreciate where I'm living - so close to the city and all its amenities. Though I see the advantages of living further out (being removed from the busy-ness of city-life), the landscape seems so desolate and I think I would feel too isolated being so far away from the city-centre. I don't like the idea of a longer commute than what I already have.
And one more observation before I go and do my taxes:
Dartmouth Crossing is just a little big creepy. It's a lot like Bayer's Lake - a sprawling shopping district of big box stores and restaurants and an Empire Theatre. But the part that creeped me out was the cobblestone storefront shopping district. For those who are "from away" and don't know what I'm talking about....in the middle of nowhere (and I mean NOWHERE!), they've developed this false downtown shopping area where you can walk from storefront to storefront, like you would in any downtown. The creepy bit, is that this ISN'T a downtown. You don't wander down to Dartmouth Crossing to window-shop; it's not a community or a neighbourhood with any kind of identity or history. It's an outdoor mall, really in the middle of nowhere. You have to drive down a relatively new highway for 10 minutes, with no development as far as the eye can see. The highway itself is deceiving because it's not finished so, in several places, it's actually going nowhere, except into a quarry of cut granite. What makes me a little bit sad, is that all the commercial/retail development is moving into this one area, and downtown Dartmouth (and probably downtown Halifax) is going to become more and more depressed. Dartmouth makes me sad - the roads are terrible!, the city planning is terrible, there's a lot of neglected and depressed buildings and the businesses seem to be hidden away off the main roads (Did I see a Sobeys or a Superstore at all? I can't remember.). I think I'll be sticking to the Halifax side for awhile, until I explore the Darkside more.
So this EDO weekend was spent travelling. I visited the family on Sat., and then took some time to explore the Halifax Regional Municipality a bit more. I really haven't seen much of this part of NS and I figured this was a good opportunity (despite gas prices being the highest they've been - 121.7/L). Soooo.....I drove to the Dark Side (aka Dartmouth), and explored Eastern Passage, Colby Village, Cole Harbour, downtown Dartmouth, and then Dartmouth Crossing. I kept thinking as I drove into these villages/neighbourhoods/whatever they are, "Is this it?" I was never quite sure where I was until I circled around a bit. Of course, I wasn't really following a map either. I just drove and drove and drove. On the Halifax side, I ended up following the St. Margaret's Bay Rd. through Beechville to Timberlea and Hubley. I always kind of thought Timberlea was a larger village with a shopping centre, but if there was I didn't find it. Just rows and rows of houses.
The more I drive around, the more I appreciate where I'm living - so close to the city and all its amenities. Though I see the advantages of living further out (being removed from the busy-ness of city-life), the landscape seems so desolate and I think I would feel too isolated being so far away from the city-centre. I don't like the idea of a longer commute than what I already have.
And one more observation before I go and do my taxes:
Dartmouth Crossing is just a little big creepy. It's a lot like Bayer's Lake - a sprawling shopping district of big box stores and restaurants and an Empire Theatre. But the part that creeped me out was the cobblestone storefront shopping district. For those who are "from away" and don't know what I'm talking about....in the middle of nowhere (and I mean NOWHERE!), they've developed this false downtown shopping area where you can walk from storefront to storefront, like you would in any downtown. The creepy bit, is that this ISN'T a downtown. You don't wander down to Dartmouth Crossing to window-shop; it's not a community or a neighbourhood with any kind of identity or history. It's an outdoor mall, really in the middle of nowhere. You have to drive down a relatively new highway for 10 minutes, with no development as far as the eye can see. The highway itself is deceiving because it's not finished so, in several places, it's actually going nowhere, except into a quarry of cut granite. What makes me a little bit sad, is that all the commercial/retail development is moving into this one area, and downtown Dartmouth (and probably downtown Halifax) is going to become more and more depressed. Dartmouth makes me sad - the roads are terrible!, the city planning is terrible, there's a lot of neglected and depressed buildings and the businesses seem to be hidden away off the main roads (Did I see a Sobeys or a Superstore at all? I can't remember.). I think I'll be sticking to the Halifax side for awhile, until I explore the Darkside more.
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