Month: July 2018

FUN

Feel-good Friday: the Bees & the Blueberries

Have you ever…

put your hand on top of hundreds of honey bees right after digging your bare fingers into their work of art honeycomb to taste the deliciously sweet honey?  Well I have!

Hand on left belongs to Tamara. Hand on right belongs to Bill.  If you don’t freak out they won’t even bother you.  The bees I’m talking about.

I had the pleasure of visiting a boutique blueberry farm yesterday on a beautiful piece of property with two girlfriends. 

The farm belongs to Bill, a friend of Cassandra’s.  I might add he was super friendly, very knowledgeable in many areas (not only bees & blueberries) and extremely generous.  This is not your regular blueberry picking farm.  It’s a private farm. Bill supplies his organic big super sweet blueberries to top restaurants in Vancouver and several lucky select markets.  He also has an amazing garden with a variety of hot peppers I’ve never even heard the names of before.  That alone is impressive (I mean that I don’t know the names), and lots of majestic sunflowers.  I love sunflowers.

We left with big boxes each of the most delicious handpicked blueberries ever, a few jars of super sweet honey, and I got a huge spaghetti squash and a bottle of spiced honey liqueur.  Oh; and the yummiest homemade blueberry (naturally) muffin made fresh that morning by Bill’s mother.  They really are THE BEST I’ve ever tasted.

lucky women – Tamara, Cassandra & Debbie.

 

So far I’ve made blueberry pancakes, a blueberry crisp and bars.  Just plain blueberries on their own are good enough this time of year.

Next up: Blackberries

Oh it’s that time of year again.  The time where until the end of August I post sporadically and not as often.  But you probably already know that.

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Feel-good Friday: in my dreams

I had a dream. A very vivid albeit absurd dream last week.  Or was it?

Obsidian Butterfly

I told a few people about my dream and they suggested I blog about it because as it turns out, it contains quite a powerful message.  And I swear that I was not aware that apparently it could be a thing because Dennis Rodman and a few others had already done what I’d dreamt about.  You know you can’t even have a simple dream now without someone else having done it before you.

Anyway, in my dream I was getting married again….but to myself.  I told you it was strange.  I had a white dress, flowers in my hair and glass of wine in my hand (naturally) but no man in sight.  It appeared pretty clear that there was only me, myself and I.  And I was happy (key word).  Then I woke up.  Then I could not get back to sleep.  I pondered about the strange dream and what it meant. And it feels weird to even try to explain it here.

Now your first reaction could likely be how very sad and lonely she must feel and I would think the same thing had it not been for the feeling of happiness inside the dream.  Don’t get me wrong – I’m nowhere near being over the sadness of losing Don and might never get over it, but this gives me a little boost of hope in a powerful message.  Because what I believe (rather choose to believe) what the message is really saying is that through grief we still can find happiness.  Without going too deep, happiness within ourselves.

But aside from Dennis Rodman who I’m sure is extremely happy, I found out that a woman named Linda Baker was apparently the first person to marry herself in the US back in 1993 as a celebration of her 40th birthday.  And then I remembered the episode of Sex and the City when Carrie Bradshaw gave herself a wedding shower for one.  Apparently Sologamy, the act of marrying yourself, is on the rise across the globe. ???

I think that’s a great choice.

And I didn’t dream that up.

But it didn’t take a fortune teller or psychic to tell me that my dream, in a nutshell was making a commitment to myself, fully.

That there is no man, job or circumstance to make me more whole – because I already am (okay more likely I’m trying to get there).  I might be missing what I had, but I’m all I really need. I will be with me in sickness (god forbid) and in health. Besides, I will never leave myself.  I’m stuck with me for better or for worse so better to make the most of it…meaning, me (as it).  OMG… what a clear message.  Because if you really think about it….another person cannot fully complete you.  You have to be together and fairly complete yourself because you cannot expect another person to do that for you – it’s too much to ask.  So to make a relationship work you have to have a solid foundation first and foremost.

And I was thinking…what kind of person would I like to attract? Okay; truth be told, someone kind of like me.  AHA moment. Someone solid, with a sense of humor, who likes to cook or at least enjoy food,  a non-smoker, non-drinker (I mean someone not excessive), animal and shoe lover, likes to go for walks and enjoy travel.  Is that too much to ask?  Maybe. So I will be all I need – at least for now.  It’s nice to dream right?

Thoughts?

 

 

 

STYLE

Summer style: Sac du marché

Off to the Market…or not.

Perhaps the beach instead, or an overnight stay with a friend.  In any case the oversize straw bag is an essential to have in your collection. 

I think you need at least one good market bag even if you don’t plan to go to the market.

I’ve always loved the original plain French straw tote with leather handle.  Roomy enough for carrying groceries and fresh flowers.  They always seem to have some in stock at L’Occitane.

Although the colorful and embellished bags are nice too.

d. king
Basket bags embellished with pom poms and tassels by The Happy Beach. (Photography: The Happy Beach via Instagram)

So many choices.  Not enough room to store them all.  They all scream SUMMER IS HERE.

upcountry living

Do you have a favorite?

 

 

 

Food + Drink

Dressing up for lunch or dinner

with Creamy Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing

photo: d. king.

AHA – a healthy alternative to bought salad dressing

Easy to make and soooo delicious!  I think you’re going to LOVE this one.  Plus it looks pretty, especially in a pineapple bowl.

INGREDIENTS

  1. ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil.
  2. ⅓ cup rice vinegar.
  3. 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (about ⅔ cup)
  4. 2 tablespoons peeled and roughly chopped fresh ginger.
  5. 2 tablespoons lime juice.
  6. 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey.
  7. 1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil.
  8. ¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste.

    Photo: d. king

INSTRUCTIONS

In a blender (I use Vitamix), combine all of the salad dressing ingredients as listed. Bend until completely smooth. Taste, and add additional salt if the dressing doesn’t make your eyes light up. It should have some zing to it but you can always blend in a bit more honey if need be.

Serve over greens and add toasted sesame seeds (optional) to top it off and some shaved carrot.  TIP: you can have it as a main course if you toss in some cooked salmon or chicken.

Adapted from Love Real Food cookbook

Enjoy

 

 

 

News

Happy 4th of July

Some Quotes:

If our Founding Fathers wanted us to care about the rest of the world, they wouldn’t have declared their independence from it — Stephen Colbert

All people are born alike. Except Republicans and Democrats – Groucho Marx

Ninety eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hardworking, honest Americans. It’s the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity. But then, we elected them – Lily Tomlin

I see Americans of every party, every background, every faith who believe that we are stronger together: black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; young, old; gay, straight; men, women, folks with disabilities, all pledging allegiance under the same proud flag to this big, bold country that we love. That’s what I see. That’s the America I know! – Barack Obama

 

 

 

 

News

Happy Birthday Canada

Still young at 151!Some quotes past and present:

In a world darkened by ethnic conflicts that tear nations apart, Canada stands as a model of how people of different cultures can live and work together in peace, prosperity, and mutual respect – Bill Clinton

When I’m in Canada, I feel this is what the world should be like – Jane Fonda

Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies. Those whom nature hath so joined together, let no man put asunder. What unites us is far greater than what divides us – John F. Kennedy, 1961

When I was crossing the border into Canada, they asked if I had any firearms with me. I said, Well, what do you need? – Stephen Wright

Canadians are generally indistinguishable from Americans, and the surest way of telling the two apart is to make the observation to a Canadian– Richard Staines

Canada has never been a melting-pot; more like a tossed salad – Arnold Edinborough

Your majesty, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and Madame Houde thanks you from her bottom too
– Montreal Mayor Camillien Houde, in 1939 to King George VI