field study

our junior naturalist was thrilled with florida's variety of shrubbery



and majestic palm trees!

south of the border

our family took a very important journey recently;

we joined david's extended family on a cruise-ship holiday

to mark his parent's 50th wedding anniversary year.

we had decided to drive down to meet up with the rest of the clan.

 marg and dennis, being great sports, elected to join us on our road-trip.

perhaps childhood impressions made while visiting my own grandparents in niagara falls

influenced my morbid love of roadside attractions and tourist traps,

but this one would have been compelling none-the-less...

pedro's south of the border.

(and the place was practically deserted, which enhanced the surreal atmosphere)

the highway billboards for this place started beckoning with lurid

colours and clever puns long before i realized we would really need to find a rest stop...

pedro's offered the food, gas, and well,

the toilets we were looking for.

the menu listed, alongside the usual burgers and fries, a pound worth of hot dog.

(which, of course david chose, then topped with chiili)

the girl seemed to really "get" the flourescent concrete figures and the kitch factor 11,

edgar?  maybe not so much.

~

we did return to pedro's on the trip back north...

sadly, the reptile zoo we had planned on investigating there was closed due to power outage,

and we didn't stick around for the hotdog.

pleased to meat you

scene from a meat department.

edgar:"am dat ticken?"

me:"no, it's..."

edgar (interrupting); "am dat beef?"

me:"no, it's..."

edgar, (very excited now); "am dat carrion?"

humus?

the girl loves helping out, but doesn't seem to be a big fan of garlic...

pirate pei's birthday

the kiddies attended special birthday last week...

pirate theme!!!

 the invitation noted that costume wasn't required,

but c'mon!  a dress-up birthday?  the best thing ever!

edgar decided to be a skeleton pirate,

while esther sported the scurvy knave look.

don't let the gentle gaze fool you;

she is brandishing a sword, after all!

blackberries

well, i broke down today and purchased a tablet computer "for my husband".  truth is, i knew i would be hooked.  line and sinker, baby.  such a reasonable price, this one; i even voluntarily entered the big box store (we all know the one...) and approached a hunching bunch of post teen associates to enlist service...ugh.  i felt like such a maroon. 

and yet here i am, attempting a post on this new (to me) tech-gadget, and rather enjoying it.
 reel me in. 

sunshine slaw

my favourite winter vegetable may just be the simple carrot.  

sure, it is a veg'n'dip staple, but carrots also add sweetness to a simmering stew,

crunch to a stir-fry, hidden goodness to a muffin, and noses to snowmen.

(not to mention googly eyes for children in the kitchen!)

i don't often use them in salads, though...

perhaps put off by the memory of

vinegary shredded-carrot/bloated-raisin salad once served by via-rail

in the complementary snack pack...

well call me crazy, but my carrot salad days may have returned.

i challenge anyone to shred a firm carrot, pile it into a stark white bowl, and not think of sunshine.

~

in fact, into that bowl:

 shred four carrots,

mince one scallion

toast 3 T sesame seeds

and toss the whole mix with a dressing of:

1T tamari

1 T roasted sesame oil

1 T rice vinegar

1 t miso paste

1 t finely grated gingerroot

dig in, or chill to mingle flavours.

tonight, a side for brown rice and salmon,

but it would sing in a sandwich,

or serve as a fresh topping for baby spinach, or other tasty greens.....

i think i'll make eight carrots worth next time.