by Krista | Jan 19, 2011 | Plucky Thursday
I have dreamed for many years of visiting the beaches of Australia, and yesterday I got my chance.
About a 2-hour drive from my home base in Allora, Queensland, the Gold Coast is a combination of exquisite white sand beaches, warm turquoise water and more skyscrapers than I’ve ever seen outside a major city.
I’m not a crowded beach type of girl, so I was delighted to discover that The Spit, part of Main Beach, was described as “uncrowded.” The description was wonderfully apt.
Although there were crowds to the left and the right, The Spit was virtually empty and my friend and I happily spread our towels and stretched out for a snooze in the hot sunshine. It was pure bliss. I couldn’t keep from smiling as I closed my eyes and drifted off to the sound of waves crashing and wind rustling the sea grasses on the dunes above us.
Before too long I was roasting! Off I went for a dip in the water, trying to quell fears of possible sharks, water snakes and lethal jellyfish I’d read about. My Aussie friends chuckled at such notions and assured me that the beaches are watched vigilantly by qualified lifeguards, and at the first sign of shark fin or jelly fish, they call everyone ashore. Since the water was being enjoyed by little kids and the elderly in addition to daring surfers, I set my fears aside and waded in. I’m so glad I did. The water was warm and refreshing, the waves perfect for riding and bobbing along. I felt like a little girl again, getting knocked off my feet now and then, rogue waves leaving me sputtering and laughing. It was great!
Do you like going to the beach? What is the best beach you’ve ever been to?
by Krista | Jan 12, 2011 | Plucky Thursday
Mornin’ luvs! I promise I WILL get back to telling you about Fiji soon, but I just had to share these photos from yesterday. My friends and I heard the bridges to town might be opening, so we piled into cars and headed out, hoping to get to the grocery store for milk, bread and such.
It was absolutely gorgeous with bright, warm sunshine and billowing clouds scudding across the sky. We got stopped at the first bridge for a short wait, but they let us through and we drove over slowly, agog at the water rushing past only a few inches beneath us.
We drove along rutted dirt tracks because the pavement (known as bitumen to Aussies) had been picked up and washed away into neighboring fields.
At last we made it to town. Cars were lined up along the highway and side streets, Aussies sitting on the grass or walking the riverbank as they waited to see if the bridge would open. We wiled away the hours picking up hamburgers for lunch and sitting under a large tree shooting the breeze. It was fun to be out there with everyone, each person with their own story of surviving the flood. After five long hours the barricades were removed and we were waved forward. We were one of the first across. I could hardly believe my eyes as we rolled over the bridge. The entire city park was under water, only the eyes of a giant plastic hippopotamus visible above the water line.
We made it to the shopping center only to find half the shops closed – their owners unable to get to town. The grocery store had half empty produce shelves – the result of farm land under water, the crops flattened, trucks unable to bring in supplies. We got two of the few remaining milk cartons, some fresh fruit, and then we headed home again.
It was an amazing day, one I won’t soon forget. The sun is out again today and slowly but surely the water is drying up, stream, river and pond levels going down. It’s good to see the sun.
by Krista | Dec 30, 2010 | Plucky Thursday
Ever since I heard the name Baden-Baden I have wanted to visit this beautiful little spa town set on the edge of the Black Forest in Germany. We didn’t have time to try out any of the luxurious spa treatments or health clinics, but we had just enough time to wander the streets still resplendent in their holiday finery and a recent dusting of snow.
This has to be one of my favorite buildings – a delightful blast of color and festivity in a line of stately but somber edifices.
As usual in German towns, the church is stunning, towering over the populace, providing a handy point of reference and meeting place for directionally challenged explorers.
We wandered happily along slushy cobbled lanes, popping into shops to peruse their wares, dashing up random stone staircases to see what lay beyond.
All too soon we had to depart. We strode past the town skating rink and I recalled with a smile my own childhood in Canada where I spent every winter afternoon on the ice playing hockey with my three brothers.
Then we piled into our cars and drove through the snow-blanketed town up, up into the gorgeous Black Forest towards our next destination.
by Krista | Dec 28, 2010 | Plucky Thursday
Today was bitterly cold as we walked the icy streets of Ulm, Germany to track down the Ulm Medieval Christmas Market.
Set on the banks of the Danube and open November 26-January 2, the market is a unique version of the traditional Christmas markets that fill the squares of cities across Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries in Europe.
You can still get piping hot mugs of spiced German Christmas wine (gluwine) and sizzling bratwurst, but all the vendors are decked out in medieval garb and you can watch them play period instruments, make candles, and hammer away at red hot metal in the blacksmith shop.
The vendor stalls hold a fascinating array of interesting items from handmade slippers, medieval dresses and intricate jewelry to hand-carved spoons, bowls, and lovely old-fashioned writing instruments.
We had a splendid time! The gluwine warmed us up beautifully and we had such fun perusing the stalls and finding little treasures to take home.
Soon it was time to drive back to my brother’s house in Boblingen and we arrived just in time for the next snow storm to hit. 🙂
by Krista | Dec 22, 2010 | Plucky Thursday
Yesterday started off deliciously lazy. We slept, had a leisurely breakfast, rested on Melissa’s oh-so-comfy couches, and visited. By early afternoon we’d had quite enough of laziness and were ready for adventures. Ry and Melissa were at work and Ev and Kendra had other plans, so Mums, Pops and I headed out to do some exploring on our own.
We wandered at will, turning down this street and that alleyway, finding all sorts of lovely spots like The Begijnhof.
It was originally a BĂ©guinage, a home for lay sisters of the Catholic Church. They were women who desired to serve God and made vows of chastity like nuns, but who lived in the world and were free to leave the facility at any time to get married.
Founded in the Middle Ages, The Begijnhof is the only inner courtyard in Amsterdam and has one of the oldest wooden houses in Holland. When the Protestants took over in the 1500’s, The Begijnhof was the only Roman Catholic Institution allowed to remain open, and became one of the few safe havens for Catholics in Holland.
Today the private courtyard is home to single women only, a quiet, safe and peaceful haven in the midst of Amsterdam.
Our next stop was the Bloemenmarkt – a floating flower market in the heart of Amsterdam. It looked much different than any of my previous visits. Gone were the lush flowers of summer and the berry-festooned garlands of autumn.
Instead the stalls were filled with evergreen wreaths and cotton pods and lined with bins and baskets full of gnarled bulbs that in the spring will turn into gorgeous tulips and amaryllis.
After a couple of hours wandering hither and thither Mums and Pops were ready for a coffee break in a warm cafe, so we bid farewell and I entered the Royal Palace which only recently reopened after extensive renovations.
It is rather a somber and austere edifice, but much has been done to bring warmth and color to the cavernous rooms and square lines.
My favorite bits were the lights. How lovely is this fixture against the cold gray marble?
Don’t these exquisite chandeliers do wonders in both brightening and warming this space?
It was a lovely day of discovery and by the time my palace tour was done, I too was ready for a rest. I found a corner cafe whose windows were filled with greenery and fairy lights. I couldn’t resist it. Inside the Cafe Kalkhoven Christmas was in full swing with lavishly decorated swags trimming window frames, mirrors and chandeliers. I found a seat on a plush, red-striped velvet bench, delighted at the ample people-watching opportunities my view of the tram station provided. I had a Kalkhoven toasted sandwich stuffed with old cheese (honestly, that’s what it’s called!), thinly sliced ham and a honey dressing. It was simple yet filling fare and at a mere 3.50 Euros suited the budget perfectly.
As dusk was falling I strode home, stopping briefly at an enticing little chocolate shop where I indulged in one cocoa-dusted truffle. Evan and Kendra made us scrumptious Rosemary Chicken for dinner then we got all dolled up and Ryan treated us to Handel’s Messiah in a gorgeous concert hall. Our seats were right behind the choir so we got to see the antics of the ancient conductor as he teetered precariously on stage, watch the mezzo-soprano and wonder if the seams on her skin-tight dress would hold when she hit the next high note, and observe the organist as he manipulated the massive pipe organ. It was glorious, inspiring, and loooooong. We all concurred that one complete Handel’s Messiah is more than enough for one lifetime. From here on out we are content with the highlights. 🙂
That night we fell into bed exhausted but happy and slept like logs.
by Krista | Dec 16, 2010 | Plucky Thursday
Hello luvs! Phew. What. A. Week. It’s been good but golly, I’m tired! Tomorrow cannot get here fast enough. Normally the idea of a 9 hour flight seems a bit daunting, but right now it sounds like pure bliss. 9 solid hours of just sitting there, sleeping, reading, watching movies, someone else doing all the cooking and clean-up. Ahhh, I can’t wait!
In the meantime I’m giving my frazzled self a visual break with these wondrously peaceful photos of a pond near my house.
No matter what time of year I stroll past, it is always beautiful, utterly serene, an oasis of calm just minutes from downtown Lynden. I love it.
After leisurely rambles on chilly afternoons, I love coming home to something hearty and savory like Chicken with Bacon Gravy. This is by no means a low fat dish, but it is delectably salty and delicious, something you don’t mind indulging in after a mile hike.
I’ve always made it with bacon, but this time I tried it with crispy bits of prosciutto instead and oh my! I think I’ve been converted. While bacon is marvelous, it does lose its crispness if you don’t eat it all right away. I’m a big leftovers fan, and I prefer cooking things that reheat beautifully. Using prosciutto does the trick nicely AND it’s much less fattening than bacon yet with all the flavor. It can be served by itself with some veggie sides or over mashed potatoes.
Do you have a peaceful spot you like to walk to when life gets crazy?
Chicken with Bacon Gravy
Ingredients:
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh, chopped
4 chicken breasts, cut in 1/2 inch strips
1/2 package bacon, sliced in 1/2 inch pieces (I used 1 package of prosciutto)
Gravy ingredients:
Left over flour mixture
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Directions:
- Shake flour, salt, pepper and thyme together in paper bag. Add a few pieces of chicken at a time, tossing to coat. Save remaining flour.
- Add bacon to saucepan and cook 1-2 minutes, add chicken and cook over medium heat until bacon is crispy and chicken browned.
- Transfer chicken to platter.
- Add flour to very crisp bacon in saucepan, stir until white color disappears. Add chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen any bits. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens.
- Serve hot.
