by Krista | Aug 6, 2012 | Bootstrap Monday
Good heavens it’s blustery out today!! I can feel the house shaking in the wind. 🙂 Later this week I hope to take you on a tour of my little farm in Australia. AFTER I put away the laundry and tidy up the mail and hide the vacuum cleaner. 😉
Until then I hope you will indulge me in one more jaunt through the streets of London. (click to see Part One and Part Two)
My friend Olga is in London right now, and this morning she wrote:
“I fell through the rabbit hole and am in a Wonderland,
the land of hobbits, elves and fairies.
Breathtaking green hills and grey skies.
And every time I take a walk, I think I’m going to run into Jane Eyre or Mr. Darcy, or the White Rabbit, or Elijah Wood.
Just call me Alice…”
I know exactly how she feels.
Until last year, I’d only known London through my imagination, shaped by a plethora of books, movies, plays and people that made this city into something dreams are made of.
No doubt London has its seedy side, its faults and foibles like any city, but there is so much more to love.
London pubs. They were everything I had ever dreamed of with jolly bartenders, cozy places of dark wood and cracked leather seats, cute old couples sitting across the way from young families sipping tea or a group of construction workers having a pint after a long day. They are convivial and communal, and I absolutely love them.
Red telephone booths. Red double-decker buses. Even cherry red doors. Since red is my favorite color, London made me a happy girl indeed.
London Museums. I don’t think London has as many (or as strange!) museums as Amsterdam, but the ones they do have are breathtaking in their scale and scope. And best of all, they’re FREE. My friend Katy and I spent several happy hours wandering through the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, and didn’t see even a sliver of the wonders they hold.
Afternoon tea in London. I am a tea girl through and through. Though I’ll happily down espresso in Italy and cafe au lait in Paris, it is tea that I drink every single day.
My favorite tea memory in London was when Katy and I met up with my beloved brother Ryan and our dear friend (and fellow Travel Belle) Cailin and her husband who were visiting from their hometown of Toronto, Canada.
We gathered at a cafe in Covent Garden and had such a great visit as we downed pots of cream tea.
London flower stalls. I grew up watching “My Fair Lady” more times than I can count, so I admit my heart gave a happy little lurch when I saw this stall along the street. If only Eliza Dolittle would’ve popped out singing “All I Want Is A Room Somewhere” – my happiness would’ve been complete.
London institutions. I already mentioned the Victoria and Albert Museum, but we also got to see other London landmarks like the infamous (and enormous!) Harrod’s. I knew it was big, but I had no idea how big until I stood outside and craned my neck up to see the top. Wow.
More tea. After all that walking and museum-perusing, Katy and I were in dire need of another cuppa. This time we splurged on a gorgeous strawberry tart to go with our Moroccan Mint Tea, then sat back and indulged in some rather fabulous people watching.
London Underground. I love taking the Underground. Absolutely love it! And in London it’s extra special because somehow, even though I’d never been there, I “knew” nearly all the stops: King’s Cross, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden. A combination of Harry Potter and a lifetime of reading British novels made these names feel familiar and loved.
Katy and I took the Underground and trains all over London – she’s a wiz at navigating tunnels and stops – and I couldn’t help but grin when I heard those oh-so-familiar words: “mind the gap.”
If you could go to London tomorrow, what is the first thing you’d like to see?
by Krista | Jul 31, 2012 | Bootstrap Monday
I love the Olympic Games so much. The drama of combat, inspiring stories, and thrilling feats of skill that give me goosebumps and make me teary.
I especially love watching them in different countries.
I’ve watched them in my homeland of Canada, my adopted country the United States, and now I get to see them from an Aussie perspective in my new country of Australia. It’s so fun!
Each country focuses on different sports, and here in Australia I’m discovering sports I didn’t even know were in the Olympics, things like field hockey, dressage and table tennis. I love it!
As I happily watch one event after another, I thought that today we’d take a trip down memory lane to the city hosting the Olympics and revisit the streets of London.
I visited London for the first time last October, excitedly wandering along the Thames with my dear English friend Katy from Starry-Eyed Travels.
Katy knows the city like the back of her hand, and we had so much fun seeing things I’d only read about or seen on movies.
Like this statue of the marvelous warrior queen Boadicea (Boudicca) who led her people in a valiant fight against the Roman invaders in AD 61.
And the soaring Saint Stephen’s Tower (aka Big Ben).
We strolled past London war memorials and houses of Parliament, and gazed in delight at the beautiful old buildings standing tall and dignified along the bustling streets.
London was nothing like I had imagined. It was better.
I will show you more of this incredible city next time.
Do you like the Olympics? If so, what is your favorite sport to watch?
by Krista | Jul 23, 2012 | Bootstrap Monday
I do love a Girls Day Out, especially when it involves chocolate and jazz.
Thanks to the generosity of my friend Sue who gave us tickets, my friends Ann, Shirley and I got to go to the Like Chocolate for Women event in Warwick, Queensland this weekend.
As part of the Jumpers and Jazz festivities, it provided a much-needed respite from our hectic daily lives, and reminded us of the importance, nay, the necessity of taking care of ourselves.
Held at the beautiful Warwick Town Hall, Like Chocolate for Women started off with fabulous jazz music, first a jolly group of locals outside, jamming their hearts out, later a female vocalist wowed us with her gorgeous voice and made us swear we were at a Parisian nightclub instead of a small town in Australia.
We were seated at chocolate themed tables – ours was Cadburys – and at each of our seats was a ribbon bound box filled with delectable chocolate cupcakes, cookies, truffles, and fudge. We sipped strong cups of tea and coffee while we listened to the music, feeling the anxieties of our myriad responsibilities melt away.
Speaker Kim Morrison spoke with hilarity, honesty and intuition, focusing on this one belief:
“Self-care is not selfish – It’s essential!”
Her words were not new, but somehow they came at the right time for me and, based on the responses of those around me, for many other women as well.
She focused on our willingness to lose ourselves in the care of others, forgetting to care for our own bodies, emotions, and goals.
She listed the things that are essential for good health: gratefulness, exercise, healthy eating, solid rest, good relationships. We KNOW these things, but somehow we don’t make them a priority.
We’ll walk two miles to help a child in trouble, but we can’t find time to walk two miles to keep ourselves fit and healthy.
We’d spend two hours a night making healthy lunches for our partners, children, and friends, but content ourselves with quick fast food or ready made meals for ourselves.
We’d devote a whole weekend to attending sporting events or business functions for various family members, but can’t find time for coffee and a good visit with a trusted friend.
Again, we KNOW these things. But does that keep us from living schedules and lifestyles that leave us frazzled and stressed and sick and overweight and unhappy?
It really hit home for me when Kim explained gently that how we live our lives is a shining example to the kids in our lives of what it’s like to be an adult.
Would I ever want my friends little girls or boys to feel like they don’t matter? That their goals and hopes are secondary to others? That they aren’t worthy of good health, thriving relationships, and a fulfilling life?
Never. Ever. Ever.
I know I’m probably rambling here, but that short talk yesterday really, really impacted me.
What I loved most about it is that the goal of self-care is NOT to put down anyone else. No way. The goal of self-care is for us to thrive as human beings so that we can celebrate and support the lives of the people dear to us in a strong, healthy and loving way.
I love that. That’s the sort of person I want to be.
My friend Ann and I drove home under a glorious sky, feeling rather thoughtful and emotional after all we’d heard. It was like Kim had given us permission to look our lives square in the face and see them for what they are, no apologies, no fears, no guilt, just reality. As she said, “Sometimes you need an upper cut.”
We got one. 🙂
Today I feel quiet in my spirit. Looking around my house, the farm, my little world with new eyes. I’ve been in survival mode for so long that in some senses, I’ve forgotten how to live. REALLY live. I’m changing that now.
I leave you with this beautiful snippet from the Brave Girls Club that meant so much to me this week:
“Somehow it happens that we isolate ourselves over time,
stuck in a mode of survival,
and forgetting that there’s anything else to think about beyond how to get through the next day….
or even the next few minutes.
Life is not meant for that kind of living,
even though there are stages of life that can stretch for a long time living this way.
Try to reach out today.
Call a friend and be really honest about where you are.
Try something new….a new skill, a new recipe, a new route to the same old places….
this will help you get unstuck and begin to build a live that is about
THRIVING and ENJOYING
rather than surviving and enduring.
You are SO STRONG and you are so great at surviving and enduring, friend……
but everyone who loves you wants more for you than that.
YOUR SOUL wants more than that too…..you know that, right?
You can do this….
there are so many smiles and laughs and new friendships and new adventures ahead for you.
Your best years have not even been lived yet…
you have so much to look forward to.
Decide to LIVE BIG!
You are so very loved.”
by Krista | Jul 16, 2012 | Bootstrap Monday
On June 29, 2012 my friend Barbara Harris died after a long and painful fight with cancer.
We met online a couple of years ago through her blog, winos and foodies, and became virtual friends. As soon as she heard I was in Australia, Barbara and her husband Bryan drove down from Brisbane for a visit. It was like we’d known each other for years, and once we got talking we couldn’t stop. 🙂 Before lunch was even over, they invited me to stay with them, so we made a date for December.
As the date for our visit drew closer, we laughed because they found out they would have to suddenly move apartments on the day of my arrival. Our plans for a leisurely visit went out the window and instead we spent the weekend packing and hauling boxes in the pouring rain. 🙂 We had a marvelous time chatting as we packed, taking breaks to indulge in pastries from Barbara’s favorite French patisserie, and to take in the stunning views of the Brisbane River from their new apartment. They dubbed their guest room “Krista’s Room” and said that it would always be open for me. 🙂
Throughout all this Barbara was suffering terribly from the effects of her cancer treatments. She could hardly breathe. Her voice was only a whisper. She could no longer taste the food that she loved so much. But she wouldn’t dream of putting her life on hold while she recovered, she simply adjusted her schedule to accommodate naps and rests and wrote to her friends instead of talking with them. Barbara was not a martyr, she didn’t push herself past her limits or take risks with her health, but she was brave beyond measure, and I felt stronger just being with her.
She taught me so much, helping me work through painful things from my past. She shared stories from her life, urging me to trust my own heart, to not be afraid, to press forward with hope. She also gave me courage to be myself, and inspired me to live as beautifully as possible in the time I am given.
My last visit with Barbara was a week or two before she died. Her perky silver hair was gone, and even eating was painful for her. Yet she insisted on providing lunch, spreading the table with scrumptious bread, antipasti, and cheeses. Although she felt terrible, we had the jolliest visit, discussing food, books, music, shared acquaintances, travel and family. I never dreamed it would be the last time I’d see her.
One of Barbara’s greatest blogging legacies is her creation of LiveSTRONGwith a Taste of Yellow, her tribute to Lance Armstrong for the courage and strength he gave her in her own fight against cancer.
This month Meeta from What’s for Lunch Honey? is dedicating her Monthly Mingle to the memory and legacy of Barbara. It will be hosted by Jeanne from Cook Sister, and the theme is Taste of Yellow.
That makes me smile because when I think of Barbara, I think of yellow.
Near my house are fields of yellow sunflowers, and Barbara was planning to drive through them so she could take heaps of pictures with her beloved camera.
Barbara grew up on a farm in Australia, and she always peppered me with questions about life on our farm – Citadel Kalahari – wanting to hear all about our chooks, goats and gardens. She had planned to celebrate an early Thanksgiving with us here next month, and I know she would’ve loved these yellow leaves, the yellow dish towel drying in the sun, and the yellow tail on our windmill.
My contribution to Monthly Mingle’s Taste of Yellow is a recipe for Irish Potato Pancakes with Garlic Cottage Cheese. It is pure comfort farm food and when you make it with yellow Yukon Gold potatoes, they fry up a beautiful golden yellow. I call these pancakes Irish because the recipe for the potato mixture was shared with me by an Irish friend who made them regularly on the cold, rainy days Ireland is so famous for. They pair beautifully with creamy cottage cheese mixed with garlic and scallions.
I’m so grateful for the chance to know Barbara, to see her love for her husband and children, her passion for food, music, and travel, and her kindness and genuine care for the people she loved. My life is so much better because she was in it.
Irish Potato Pancakes with Garlic Cottage Cheese
Ingredients:
6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 can green beans
4 garlic cloves, minced
salt
1/4 cup (or more) olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup creamed cottage cheese
1 tsp minced garlic
1-2 scallions, sliced
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
Directions:
- In saucepan place potatoes, green beans (including liquid), garlic, and salt, cover with water and bring to boil. Lower heat slightly and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes mash easily with a fork.
- Drain well and return to pan. Add olive oil (add more if needed to make mashed potato consistency), salt and pepper to taste, and mash well. Set aside to cool.
- In small bowl mix cottage cheese with garlic and scallions. Set aside.
- Add eggs and Parmesan cheese to cooled potatoes. Mix well.
- Heat 1-2 Tbsp olive oil in large skillet and add tablespoons of potato mixture, spreading to make even discs like small pancakes. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until crisp and browned. Transfer to plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat until potato mixture is gone.
- Serve warm with garlic cream cheese and sprinkle with additional sliced scallions.
by Krista | Jul 2, 2012 | Bootstrap Monday
Although I grew up in and near the Canadian Rockies, there is something majestic, gorgeous, and wonderfully Old World about the Italian Alps that I never experienced in Canada.
Perhaps it’s the ancient stone cottages that dot the emerald green meadows, bordered by old fruit trees and covered by thick, rambling vines.
Or maybe the wonderful old church yards whose crumbling crosses are enhanced rather than dwarfed by the soaring peaks.
I absolutely love the profusion of flowers that spill over balconies and stone walls, making even the most imposing home cheerful and welcoming.
It’s the old alpine barns I love most, with their weathered timbers and lofts overflowing with golden hay. I long for afternoons spent cozy up there on an old quilt, reading about Heidi and WWII smugglers and hardy farmers eking out a living in these forbidding mountains.
I loved seeing these beautiful spots on a drive through the Italian Alps with my dear friend and editor, Margo, from the Travel Belles.
What fun we had driving wherever the mood took us, laughing when twisting lanes turned into tracks so precarious there was no way on earth we could traverse without endangering ourselves and anyone unfortunate enough to meet us. With 12-point turns aplenty we explored this gorgeous region near Vogogna, Italy. Our jaunts marked by frequent screeching of brakes as we took turns crying out, “STOP!”, then hopping out to take pictures of grazing cattle with huge bells around their necks, or simple picturesque villages.
We started our day with our traditional Vogogna breakfast: ugly eggs. They were my specialty, made in a wretched old skillet that turned any egg into a muddled mess no matter how much butter I used. We didn’t mind though, cuz they tasted great anyways, especially served over spinach stir-fried with sun-dried tomatoes. Perfect pre-road-tripping food. 🙂
Where is your favorite place to go for a drive?
by Krista | Jun 25, 2012 | Bootstrap Monday
I love when a rather uninteresting day turns into something special through a simple twist of fate.
It was a dark and cloudy day in Amsterdam – rather like today in Australia – and my brother and sis-in-law were in dire need of light fixtures for their new flat. So we piled into the car and headed waaaaay out into the country to a spot that boldly proclaimed itself as having the largest selection of chandeliers in Western Europe – the Kroonluchter Atelier De Rode Hoeve.
Fully expecting a gray, austere warehouse filled with gaudy lights, we were absolutely delighted when we turned down a tree-lined country lane and pulled into the prettiest little spot plucked right out of a scene from the English countryside.
The “store” was a collection of beautiful old homes and cottages connected by winding stone paths, overgrown gardens and all manner of unique odds and ends.
I left my sibs to their shopping and spent a very happy couple of hours wandering and photographing.
Everywhere I looked was a treasure trove of delights: a cast iron stag head mounted on a wall, lichen-covered statuary almost hidden in the bushes, and lovely old urns and pots holding carved boxwood.
I loved the many clever containers used to hold the numerous flowers: rusted cast iron baskets, stone boxes, and battered old pots that looked perfect on the mossy pavers.
There’s something nice about being “forced” to stay in a place for hours on end. Often when I visit a garden, I motor on through, retaining only a cursory memory of loveliness. Not here. While my siblings hemmed and hawed over styles of lighting, I really got to know this garden. And I loved it.
The exquisite hodgepodge of manicured hedges and wild undergrowth made my heart happy and gave me all sorts of ideas for a garden of my own.
This ivy-covered arbor and gate-way was so wonderful it made my heart ache a little. Can you imagine traipsing through that to get home each day? Bliss.
On such a day I would love one of my brother’s famous brunches.
We’d start off with a bowl of fresh fruit: kiwis, plums and oh-so-ripe peaches, followed by perfectly toasted grainy bread, and scrambled eggs studded with sun-dried tomatoes and topped with luscious slices of smoked salmon.
Afterwards we’d linger over steaming cups of strong Dutch coffee topped with froth so thick you can spoon it up like cream.
I can’t wait to show you more of this gorgeous Dutch garden.
Where is your favorite garden?
