by Krista | Feb 2, 2010 | Spring
After our relaxing and beautiful first day in Greece, we slept soundly and awoke to another brilliantly sunny day.
We headed down to the hotel dining area, found sunny seats on the terrace and tucked into a hearty breakfast of strong coffee, yogurt with fruit and grains, Spanikopita, deviled eggs, sausages, tomatoes and cucumber.
With water bottles in hand we set out to explore the Old Town of Corfu, particularly the Old and New Forts. On our way we found a splendid outdoor market filled with artichokes, lettuces, olives, fresh fish and grapes.
I walked through dreaming of all the wonderful meals I could make with these amazing ingredients. There’s nothing quite like a farmer’s market to get the creative juices flowing!
We emerged into the blazing hot sunshine ready to tread the cobbled walkways and tunnels of the Old Fort.
The view from the fort was worth the trek up, and the breezes off the coast were deliciously cool.
Then it was time to head back through the Old Town for lunch, shopping and delighting in the shaded streets.
I love this classy restroom sign
Next week I’ll share with you our lovely lunch in Old Town Corfu. 🙂
by Krista | Feb 1, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
I have been called Anne of Green Gables my entire life, with the occasional Pollyanna along the way. I was honored by the Anne bit because she was my absolute hero as a girl, but I found the Pollyanna label was usually intended as a put down, a reference to my determined nature to find something good in everything. For a while there I was embarrassed and tried to harden myself and develop such charming qualities as pessimism and sarcasm. Neither sat well with me and I finally realized that being a Pollyanna is not such a bad thing after all, so long as I use it to highlight reality, not escape from it.
Today I’m going to subject you to a bit of Pollyanna-ish-ness. 🙂 I’ve been in so much physical pain the last couple of days that even my normally sunny nature disappeared in blinding headaches and tears of distress, and it’s time to bring her back. 🙂 While the pain was real, so too were the lovely bits, the shining little moments of happiness and delight that I’m very, very grateful for.
An absolutely wonderful visit with my rellies visiting from Canada! We met Saturday morning at my folks’ house for a fabulous brunch: fried potatoes and sausage, scrambled eggs, toast with peanut butter and jelly, and coffee. Delish! Then we were off to town for a few hours of treasure hunting in our favorite thrift and deal stores. I was so happy to find my favorite tea on sale for only $2 a box!
At the thrift store I found two darling sundresses, a funky pair of new fuchsia snakeskin flats, and a totally glam cocktail ring that cheers my heart every time I look at it. 🙂 We had such good visits and laughs and parted with big hugs and promises to see each other again soon. 🙂
That night my phone rang and it was my brother Evan who is deployed in the Middle East!! YAY! He got this handy-dandy thing called a Magic Jack that allows him to have an American cell phone number for us to call free any time. He never fails to encourage and inspire me, making me laugh AND feel like I can take on the
world. 🙂
I found an oh so cheery primrose to take home for only 99 cents! 🙂
I was able to finish a good book, play Scrabble on Facebook with my friend Tabby, have great phone chats with a dear friend, and last night I was well enough to get up and make some yummy food for the week.
I juiced apples, poured the liquid into a glass and laughed because it looked just like beer.
I gathered garlic, parsley, black pepper and diced butternut squash, tossed them all together with a bit of flour and a few glugs of olive oil and slow-roasted them for two-hours. Wow – the smell was amazing and the sweet, garlicky chunks melted into a savory gratin with a toasted crust.
I collected all the leftover bits and bobs from my fridge and made a lovely Black Bean Sausage Soup with tomatoes, cilantro, lime, green pepper, green onion, garlic and smoked sausage. Mmm. 🙂
So, I’m counting my blessings today and counting down the hours to the chiropractor tomorrow! 🙂
Happy Monday, dear ones! 🙂
by Krista | Jan 29, 2010 | Spring
I am so excited about this weekend! My aunt and uncle, Janet and Clint, are coming to visit from Canada and we have grand plans for delicious meals and girlie days and movies and popcorn and long walks and much visiting. 🙂
It’s been a doozy of a week. Pain has been my close companion. I have severe endometriosis and it’s been giving me grief this week so I canceled everything and have been resting, resting, resting. Thankfully the pain is easing up now and my world is getting brighter again. 🙂
It’s actually been kind of lovely to step away from life for a bit, to huddle under a quilt, read books, write, or just look out the window and think. While this week may have wreaked havoc on my body, it’s done wondrous things in my soul.
As I’ve been working through the aftermath of my youth spent in a religious cult, I noticed that I have kept a lot of stuff from those years. Books, music, movies, mementos, things that I used to create spots of beauty in that dark place, or allowed me to escape, if only for a brief moment, the traumatic situation I found myself in. Some things I kept as “proof” of what happened, feeling I needed them to validate myself or my past. Others were trinkets I had kept from my abusers, oddly enough. I was so starved for their approval and affection, that I clung to any little scrap they tossed me. I have them all.
But this week I realized that I don’t “need” them anymore. I don’t need to keep evidences of false love, reminders of darkness, or even my feeble attempts to make a bit of heaven in the midst of hell. I don’t need them because I have real love in my life now, I have healing and friendship and peace. I don’t want those things cluttering up my physical or emotional life.
So last night, when my pain miraculously ebbed for a few hours (yay!!), I became a One Woman Clearing Machine!! I went through boxes and bookshelves and bins and sorted my little heart out. I filled box after box with books and movies, decorations and clothes, linens and, mercy, who knows what all! The “bad” stuff I tossed immediately – shuffling outside in the dark, in my slippers and pjs to the apartment dumpster because I didn’t want them in my house one moment longer. 🙂 All the good things I’m going to take to a Woman’s Shelter. I hope that they will bring comfort and solace to another hurting heart, and perhaps give her light in a dark place like they once did for me.
Afterward I eased myself down onto the couch, surveyed the stacks of boxes by my front door and had a little weep. Understanding, awareness, change, they’re all good things, but they hurt like blazes along the way. Then I sighed and smiled and felt like a huge weight had been lifted. And golly, is my office ever clean! 🙂
So dear ones, in the spirit of new beginnings and fresh starts, I thought I’d share some peaceful and oh-so-green pictures of the area around the Italian villa my friends and I stayed in last spring. I hope they delight your hearts as much as they do mine. 🙂
Lane wending through the trees to an olive grove.
Battered and buckled old church door.
Hazy look into the valley at Perdifumo, Italy.
I could spend a happy hour sitting here.
I’m exceedingly fond of this door. And the little stone bench.
I dearly wanted to fix up this little place.
Sure would love to know the story behind this.
The wall, the path, I love it all.
Just because he’s cute. 🙂
Happy Weekend, dear ones!
by Krista | Jan 28, 2010 | Winter
I am related to some seriously good cooks. On my Dad’s side of the family, every birthday, anniversary or holiday is spent around tables laden with Danish specialties, family favorites or dishes featuring the fruits of my uncles hunting and fishes trips.
But there’s one dish that has no Danish roots whatsoever, and it most certainly does not feature salmon, trout or moose steak.
We grew up calling it Nigerian Stew, though I have no idea if it really is Nigerian. Oz, perhaps you know? 🙂
Whatever it is, I love it! 🙂 It’s the strangest concoction of meat, fruits, vegetables, rice and peanut butter. Yep, you read that correctly. 🙂
It’s the perfect dish for large groups since everyone can pile on what they like and skip the bits that make them squeamish.
When my cousin Nina invited me over for her birthday dinner this month (Happy Birthday, Nin!!), I was thrilled to hear she was making Nigerian Stew. She did a fantastic job, spending ages chopping everything beautifully. 🙂
The meal starts with a rich stew of hamburger, tomatoes, onion, peanut butter and cayenne pepper.
This is ladled over fluffy Basmati rice.
Then the fun begins!! You start to pile on whatever topping suits your fancy. Me? I like them all – except mushrooms. Blech. 🙂
You can choose from cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, strawberries, honeydew and cantaloupe…
…and don’t forget my absolute favorite ingredient: bananas. It’s just not the same without them.
Finish it off with a sprinkling of Golden raisins…
…ground peanuts and coconut, and you’re all set.
Now there’s nothing left to do but sit back and dig into the mound of strange deliciousness on your plate.
Nigerian Stew
Ingredients for the Sauce:
1 pound hamburger
15 ounce tomato sauce
15 ounce canned diced tomatoes
1/2 – 3/4 cup peanut butter
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt
Directions:
- Fry hamburger, mix in rest of ingredients and simmer until ready to serve.
Remaining Ingredients:
basmati rice, cooked according to instructions
fresh tomatoes
cucumber
onion
green pepper
shredded coconut
mushrooms
ground peanuts
bananas
pineapple
honeydew
cantaloupe
grapes
raisins
Directions:
- Chop all fresh ingredients and assemble in small bowls with spoons.
- Spoon rice onto plates.
- Top with sauce.
- Add whatever ingredients you like.
by Krista | Jan 27, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
I’m in a summery frame of mind, looking at pictures of Greece and Italy, dreaming of beaches and sundresses and long, hot afternoons. I may be shivering on my couch under two quilts, but it’s summer in my heart. 🙂
Mumsy’s fairytale flower garden
I was too sick for CEC this Monday, so I can’t share with you the lovely Pub Food they made, BUT, I can share photos from some of our fabulous grilling parties this past summer. 🙂
Don would start our evenings off with one of his fabulous concoctions. This one was chocolatey and icy and smooooth. 🙂
Cameron would hike out to the woods for some poplar to smoke salmon straight from the docks. We all swooned and swore it was the best salmon we ever had in our lives.
Darren grilled kabobs until the prawns were beautifully smoky and the vegetables lightly charred and sweet.
I made grilled prosciutto-wrapped haricot verts with a caper lemon sauce. I think I could quite happily eat this every week for the rest of my life. 🙂
One afternoon Kat made us the prettiest tea I’ve ever seen…
…then read aloud to us while we nibbled on desserts from the bakery. It ended up being one of my favorite nights as after dinner we all got cozy in the living room under quilts and blankets and took turns reading aloud from “Politically Correct Bedtime Stories.” Toby had us doubled over with laughter as he did all the voices for “The Three Codependent Goats Gruff.” 🙂
Now it’s time for a hot cup of tea. 🙂 Happy Summer Dreaming!
_logo.svg){kind=logo}
