by Krista | Jun 7, 2012 | Plucky Thursday
After exploring the beautiful Azure Window and Dwejra Bay on the island of Gozo (click here to see pictures), my friends and I were dying of thirst and ready for a shady rest.
Janet led us to the picturesque Inland Sea, an idyllic spot of craggy cliffs, pretty little boats, and clear water just a short walk from Dwejra Bay.
We found water-side seats under spreading umbrellas and sat back with icy drinks to rest, visit and soak in the view.
We watched boats emerge from a tunnel through the rocks, and wondered where on earth the tiny green door in the cliff led to.
I am particularly fond of brightly colored doors, and these boat sheds delighted me. Wouldn’t it be fun to have your very own tidy little fishing boat painted in turquoise, orange and purple hidden away in a shed with a bright blue door?
The pale stone buildings of Gozo can be blinding under the harsh glare of the sun, and the vivid hues of paint they use bring much-needed relief to the eyes and cheer to the heart.
We visited contentedly and sipped our drinks as we watched boaters and divers arrive, hoping fervently the shorts perched precariously on this boatman’s bottom would stay where they belonged. To our collective relief, they did. đ
All too soon our drinks were drained and it was time to leave this idyll and head into town for a bit of shopping at a Gozitan craft village.
What is your favorite body of water to rest by?
by Krista | May 23, 2012 | Plucky Thursday
Germany has long had a special place in my heart. While I love hiking the gorgeous Black Forest, exploring fabulous Berlin, and visiting historical sites all across the country, my favorite aspect of all is the people.
Whenever I go to Europe I always try to get to Germany to visit my dear friend Rita. We met years ago as nannies in Portugal and have been as close as sisters ever since.
Last summer I was so excited to visit her again, this time in BĂŒhlertal, a pristine mountain town where she lives with her husband Slawik and cute-as-a-bug little girl, Emma Joy. (Click here to view images of this pretty little town)
One brilliantly sunny morning, Slawik took care of Emma Joy so we could have a Girls Day Out. We drove down t0 BĂŒhl, a larger town about 10 km south of Baden-Baden. (Click here for Baden-Baden in the rain or here for Baden-Baden in the snow)
It was a perfect sort of day for strolling, so stroll we did!
We wandered along a sun-drenched stream that would lazily through town.
Laughed ourselves silly whilst posing ridiculously at the town park.
Searched through bins, old suitcases, and tattered boxes in search of treasures at the BĂŒhl flea market.
And moseyed past several cheery cafes until we found what we really needed: ice cream.
It was fabulous.
All too soon it was time to head home for lunch. But much to our delight, good ol’ Slawik not only looked after Emma-girl, he also made us lunch! Herbed prawns and fantastic crispy fried potatoes dipped in mayonnaise. Absolutely delicious.
I was craving them yesterday, so even though I only had one potato left in my kitchen, I sliced it thinly, sprinkled the slices liberally with salt, paprika, and garlic, and fried them in olive oil until each side was crispy and beautifully browned. Wonderful.
Each bite brought back treasured memories of adventures in Germany with beloved friends.
Do you have a favorite food that brings back good memories for you?
by Krista | Mar 8, 2012 | Plucky Thursday
After my exhilarating boat ride from Elate Island to Nguna Island in Vanuatu, I trudge my dog-tired, roasting hot self up off the beach and into the cooler shade of the dirt-packed main road of Nguna.
The walk from the beach to the Vat-Vaka Bungalows is not far, maybe 2-3 minutes. It’s a beautiful walk, wending through a bush filled with tropical flowers and the most amazing trees with trunks that tower and twist like sinews.
Vat-Vaka is not a luxury resort. It does not have air-conditioning or running water or even electricity, but if it’s simple beauty you want, it is perfect.
Vat-Vaka is a family-run and family-built establishment. Joseph, the patriarch of the clan, is the chief cook who makes my deliciously hearty dinner and breakfast. Several of his sons built the bungalows, kitchen, and bathroom hut, and his youngest son Yoan runs the business end of things via a modest website, cell phone, and weekly trips to Port Vila to check his email.
I admit I am smitten when I shuffle up the ankle-deep sandy path to my little bungalow. There’s something so lovely about having a place all to yourself, no matter how small or rustic. I love the diminutive front porch looking out through the trees to my own private beach. I grin at the white mosquito netting knotted just so above the bed and am charmed by the wood and cardboard door, painted white and a cheery yellow. The walls are hung with traditional print fabrics and sunlight glints through dozens of gaps in the woven palm leaf roof. A secure fortress it is not, but I love it.
I especially love that someone has come through and carefully placed fresh hibiscus and frangipani blossoms all over the place. I like little touches like that.
After giving me a teensy rusted key for the equally tiny lock on my door, Yoan gives me the grand tour, starting with the bathroom facilities.
I should’ve known what to expect when a âWestern style toiletâ was listed as an amenity, but have to chuckle when I discover that while yes, indeed, there is a Western style toilet, it only flushes if you carry in two buckets of water from the rain barrel outside. The shower holds a similar situation. It is definitely a shower stall, but any ablutions are possible only with the aid of a second, larger bucket filled and refilled from the same rain barrel.
Yoan informs me that I can âwash in the sea, then pour one bucket over my head.â Hmm. Such situations call for a stiff upper lip and a dash of creativity. I’m already plotting a much better way to tidy myself up. đ
Leaving the loo behind, we cross the road and enter a gate through a white rail fence hung with even more hibiscus flowers. We enter the kitchen/dining area, an open-walled bungalow with sandy floor and tall trees blocking out the hot sun. It is nice and cool in here, especially with the sea breezes blowing through. We sit down at a table set with water (thank you!!) to work out the bill (approximately $35 for my bungalow and three home cooked meals), and once that is taken care of, the rest of the afternoon is mine.
I guzzle more water then don my bathing suit, grab towel, journal and camera, and head for my little private beach for a swim in the glow of the setting sun.
The warm water of the Coral Sea feels absolutely heavenly as it washes over me, easing away the aches and stresses of my journey, whisking away any memory of sweltering heat and humidity.
No matter which way I look the white sand beach is empty. Over the next island a single rainbow turns into a double and I smile in grateful awe.
I am blissfully alone on the shores of a tropical island. It is definitely the best $35 I’ve ever spent.
by Krista | Feb 22, 2012 | Plucky Thursday
Summer evenings on the island of Gozo in Malta are exquisitely beautiful. While the days are so piping hot you want to find a shady nook and not budge, as the sun goes down the air cools and lovely breezes blow in off the water. On such nights there is nothing better than sharing a bottle of chilled rosé with dear friends and watching the sunset over the ocean.
On one fine evening in August I did just that with three of my favorite cronies: Barbara, Janet and Colin. While Colin reserved a table for us on the balcony of the local football club, we girls took a drive around part of this exquisite little island.
We drove through small villages bustling with activity as local citizens hung banners and strung lights for a festival honoring their patron saint.
We puttered along the coast, stopping to admire towering stone formations along the rocky beach.
We rolled down our windows and laughed with delight as we tore along, the wind whipping our hair and whisking away any steamy remnants of the sweltering afternoon.
Stopping atop a cliff we gazed out over the sun-burnt landscape, delighting in the brilliant oleander bushes blossoming beside the road, peering down at the glistening salt pans filled with water.
The roadsides were lined with teenage boys as we trundled up the last hill back into town. They stood and sat in clusters gazing up into the sky as the fireworks chaps tested round after round before the official festivities began.
With the sun not quite set, Barbara, Janet and I found a parking spot and tracked down Colin who had found the perfect table.
We ordered a round of pizzas and a frosty bottle of rosé, visiting happily as we watched the sun sink lower and lower, casting its soft golden glow on faces and buildings alike.
I leaned back in my chair sipping my wine, eyes closed as the last rays of the sun warmed my cheeks. There was no place I’d rather be than in this tiny Gozitan football club devouring scrumptious pizza and laughing heartily with dear friends.
What is one of your most memorable sunsets?
by Krista | Feb 15, 2012 | Plucky Thursday
Looking out my window at a brilliant blue Australian sky I can’t help but smile as I read these lines:
âNor rural sights alone, but rural sounds,
Exhilarate the spirit,
and restore…â
– William Cowper –
As much as I love the rural beauties around me – weeds masquerading as wildflowers, fresh eggs nestled in golden straw, plump green bell peppers dangling from their stalks – it is also the sounds of the country that grip my heart and soothe my spirits.
Right now I can hear my chooks (chickens) clucking contentedly as they peck at apples and cucumbers I tossed onto the grass for them. Every now and then one of the little goats gives a plaintive bleat and I look up to see them all trying in vain to stand on the same log at the same time.
We’ve had some ripping thunderstorms lately. How I love watching the storm clouds build, seeing the massive streaks of lightning and hearing shuddering booms of thunder before that first whoosh of wind blasts through the gum trees and huge raindrops clatter on the tin roof of the back porch.
I thoroughly enjoy exploring cities, delighting in the mad hustle and bustle, having a marvelous time attending concerts or plays and discovering great restaurants. But it’s in the country where my soul finds rest.
Whether floating along canals outside Amsterdam…
…wandering deserted cliffs on the island of Gozo…
…or sitting quietly in the courtyard of an Italian farmhouse.
On such sunny, peaceful days in the country, I crave comfort food like homemade bread slathered with butter and honey. My favorite country, comfort food is a Shredded Beef Pie. It’s basically a savory beef stew tucked in pie dough and baked until the crust is flaky and beautifully browned. I admit I’ve been known to eat all the stew first then linger happily over the salted pie crust. Sigh. đ I like making personal pies in little ramekins. They go perfectly with a glass of chilled sparkling Shiraz (summer) or your favorite red wine (winter) or good stout beer (anytime).
Where do you go to restore your spirits?
Shredded Beef Pie
(Adjust amounts to suit your needs. This makes enough for two regular pies or eight small ones.)
Ingredients:
small beef roast
2 onions, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped
3-4 potatoes, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, sliced
fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
flour or cornstarch
favorite pie crust dough (I love Julia Child’s blue ribbon pie crust recipe), enough for two double-crust pies
1 egg, beaten
Directions:
- Place roast, vegetables, rosemary, salt and pepper in crock-pot, cover with water and cook 8-12 hours until meat shreds easily with a fork.
- Prepare pie crust. Press into pie pans and chill until ready to use.
- Remove roast and let rest a few minutes. Shred roast and cover until needed. Pour remaining contents into a colander, saving juices for gravy. Cover vegetables until needed. Allow juices to cool 10-15 minutes.
- Pour juices into saucepan. Taste for seasonings and add salt or pepper as needed. Make roux of flour (or cornstarch) and water. Add to juices and turn heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1-2 minutes until it thickens to the consistency you desire (a thick gravy). Remove from heat.
- Combine shredded beef and vegetables in a bowl, pour enough gravy over mixture to coat. Should be like a thick stew.
- Remove pie pans from fridge. Pour stew into each pan, mounding it slightly in the center. Roll out top crust and place on top. Pinch edges to seal (use a bit of water if it doesn’t stick properly). Cut slits in top crust for steam to escape. Brush with egg and dust with salt.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Serve hot.
by Krista | Jan 25, 2012 | Plucky Thursday
I am so happy to be able to celebrate Australia Day today. It’s an incredible gift to be in this wonderful country that has been such a haven for me, a place of real love, kindness, friendship and LIFE.
As I celebrate in the glorious sunshine with my dear ones, I leave you with the words of one of my favorite Aussie songs, complete with English translations of Aussie terms as supplied by my Bear. đ
Australia Day
Waltzing Matilda
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me
(swagman = an unemployed man traveling Australia in search of work with his bedroll – a swag, billabong = a water hole or lake, coolibah = type of gum tree, billy = usually a tin can with a wire handle, used to boil water over the fire for tea.)
Down came a jumbuck to drink at the billabong
Up got the swaggie and grabbed him with glee
And he sang as he stowed that jumbuck in his tucker-bag
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me
(jumbuck = a young sheep, swaggie = same as swagman, tucker-bag = a corn sack or sugar bag used to keep tucker (food) in)
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me
And he sang as he stowed that jumbuck in his tucker-bag
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me
Down came the squatter mounted on his thoroughbred
Up came the troopers One Two Three
Who’s the jolly jumbuck you’ve got in your tucker-bag?
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me
(squatter = a rich land owner, troopers = mounted police)
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me
Who’s the jolly jumbuck you’ve got in your tucker-bag?
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me.
Up got the swaggie and jumped into the billabong
You’ll never catch me alive said he
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me
What country are YOU celebrating life in today?
