Vegetarian Lasagna

I was looking through my pantry and found a package of oven ready lasagna. I won't speculate on how old it is, but I was inspired to make a vegetarian lasagna. The box even had a recipe printed on it as pictured above. It turned out to be quite delicious.  For the filling, I used our favourite spaghetti sauce and some leftover zucchini and tomatoes that I had baked up the night before.

In some sad news my 90 year old mother-in-law passed away on Sunday afternoon.  It was of natural causes.  Her 4 children will bury her quietly as soon as possible under the circumstances.

Wanda's Scones

Wanda posted a recipe for her cranberry white chocolate walnut scones and I decided to try it. I was not disappointed, they were so delicious. Thanks Wanda!  I actually used crushed salted almonds in mine as I didn't have walnuts on hand.

On Control

I really liked this meme which describes very well the things we can control and so should focus on, along with things we cannot control so that we should let go of these things.

A couple of days ago I actually did some garden cleanup for a few hours. The soil was soft and it was easy to pull out these rose campion plants that over the years were spreading everywhere out of control. It was great being outside. The neighbour came out to say hello, and I put my hand out and asked him to stand back. He understood of course. I asked him how his kids were doing, well, he said they were out of school as we all know. A couple walking by said hello from a distance. A little dog came running up after awhile but he didn't touch me. The owners apologized as they hadn't noticed me sitting out front.

We are trying to gauge the best, less busy hours to go walking in our neighbourhood. It may be around 2 pm.

Thank You

This photo of many medical professionals holding signs that say: "I stayed at work for you, you stay at home for us" is very moving. We should stay at home. Thank you to our medical professionals.

And here is a useful link that defines necessary terms for us to understand, such as social distancing, quarantine, self-isolation, and lockdown.

Social distancing means that you are to avoid non essential social activities. You can still do groceries, go for walks. avoid restaurants or parties.  Avoid physical contact with people and keep 2 metres or 6 feet apart from people.  Wash your hands and avoid sick people.

Self-isolation for 14 days is required if you have travelled outside Canada or have been in close contact with an ill traveller.

Quarantine applies to people who are awaiting test results or have tested positive

Lockdown is when the government gets involved closing borders, restaurants etc.

Paint Party Friday - Patterned vase with flowers

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! Showing this patterned vase with flowers that I had done for an Instagram challenge a few months back for @alexandrasillos.

Rain's Thursday Art Date - In like a lion out like a lamb

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art Date 'In like a lion out like a lamb'. I did an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") on cardstock of a lamb for this theme.  Welcome spring!

Haddock vs Halibut

On March 14th we popped into Allencourt Fish and Chips Restaurant for lunch. This plaza and restaurant have been around forever, evidenced by the sixties decor. I liked their coleslaw, it tasted more like a vinaigrette salad with fine strips of cabbage, compared to the creamier versions. We had the more expensive Halibut because we didn't notice the Haddock on the board that was on special. It was delicious anyway.  It seems they are equally nutritious.  We used a lot of the packets of tartar sauce, I didn't get them in the photo.

A few days later they started closing the restaurants except for takeout and delivery, to protect from the Covid-19 virus.

Egg and Ham Cups

I saw this Marion Grasby recipe for Chili egg and ham cups and made them for lunch yesterday. They were easy to put together.

My maternal grandmother was born on this day in 1903. Just a thought that came to me.

I heard in the news that the waters of Venice are clearing due to the recent lack of cruise ship pollution. It is quite dramatic as they can see through the water to the ground on the bottom. The wildlife is also returning.

Good Advice

Here is some good advice in trying times.  I was thinking that the world seems to be coming together due to this virus.  It certainly does not differentiate between the rich and the poor.

And on the lighter side:

Social Distancing

Daughter L was at her friend's bridesmaid's lunch last weekend and noticed they put these red signs on tables to close them off between tables where guests were sitting. The restaurant was not busy anyway, so a way for them to effect social distancing.  Shortly after that, all restaurants were closed except for takeout and delivery.  Oh the friend's wedding is planned for September.

And right on topic, I have another meme for you today:

Topical Memes

There have been so many funny memes coming out and I saved a few of the good ones for you here:

Paint Party Friday - Strawberry Cake

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! I first showed this strawberry cake on Instagram as part of a pattern challenge by @alexandrasillos. It welcomes spring, don't you think?

Rain's Thursday Art Date - Light and Dark

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art Date's Light and Dark theme. I did an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") on cardstock of a face outlined in a white PITT artist pen on a black background.  I think I need a white pen with a finer point if I am to do more of these.  I do like the effect.  Rain comes up with  very inspiring and creative themes.

And welcome to the first day of Spring 2020!

Unprecedented times

I wanted to share this very comforting meme with you today.

Husband M and I decided to stop going to the gym for the next month to help fight the spread of this covid-19 virus then the gym closed anyway. We will go on walks. We have still been going to the odd restaurant, then these closed except for takeout and delivery. The public schools are on a 3 week closure, people have been panic buying with long lineups at Costco and the grocery stores. They are buying toilet paper, bleach, and hand sanitizers. The stock market crash is worrying. It seems that the spring break travel at the airport was way down. Our prime minister Justin Trudeau's wife contracted the virus after a trip to the UK. He is in self isolation. Many people who can are working remotely.

These are unprecedented times. Disneyland and Disneyworld in the US is closed, the NBA, NHL, MLB sports leagues are suspended. It came to me that this virus affects the whole world, rich or poor it does not discriminate. Let us try to stay positive and smart in fighting this.

A Canadian Shoe Company

I guess I have been living under a rock, but I went into this shoe store called Shumaker at the mall the other day and discovered it was a Canadian shoe company.  Indeed, they even have their own shoe brand called 'Stepwell', launched about 5 years ago.  They also sell other shoe brands.

The saleslady in the store told me about Stepwell as the brand was new to me.  I asked how busy the store was these days due to the coronavirus scare.  She said it was on and off.  Then she mentioned going to the grocery store the previous evening looking for a can of kidney beans and they were all gone.  She laughed in disbelief but as the days wear on, things are just getting more scary.

And a Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone!

Broccoli Udon Noodles

I have been making this dish recently and am very happy with it. I thought I would share my recipe with you here:


2 heads of broccoli cut into small pieces
2 x 200g pkgs of udon noodles
2 cloves garlic minced
1 onion chopped
canola oil

sauce:
2 tbs light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/4 c oyster sauce
1 tsp chili garlic oil (optional or can use any hot sauce)
1 tsp corn starch mixed with half cup of water


bring some water to boil in a pot, soften udon noodles for a few minutes, drain and set aside

saute onions in oil, add minced garlic.
add broccoli and stir fry for a few minutes until tips turn bright green
at this point, cover with a lid for 3-5 minutes until fork tender but still bright green
mix in softened noodles and sauce
and you are done

Rescuing overcooked pork chops

I overbaked some pork chops by about ten minutes the other day. Instead of leaving them uneaten and having to eventually throw them out, I discovered a solution.  Cut the chops into small slices and simmer them in some stock, barbecue sauce and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil for maybe 5 minutes.  It restored them and they ended up being delicious after!

It seems that when meat becomes dried out, it has lost  liquid and fat.  You can replace what has been lost by adding some liquid and fat.

The Charity Gala

Daughter L was invited to a charity gala by one of her good girlfriends. It was to raise funds for the Yellow Brick House, a shelter for abused women and children. She had the best time. There was good food, a live band and a silent auction. One of the Shelter workers came up to make a speech. She told of a common story of an abusive husband, where the wife and children became victims. It turned out to be her story and she wanted everyone to know that she was doing okay now. L immediately made a small donation. It turns out she is compassionate like me.

L said the live auction and bidding was so fun. It is something I have never experienced, although I did see a cattle auction up north once. The shelter raised a lot of money that night. Two local mayors were in attendance along with a lot of well heeled people. L said she wanted to fix her hair at one point and did not dare raise her hand in any way lest they thought she was bidding on something!

L said the lady sitting beside her at her table told her she worked at the local hospital. In her line of work she said she saw so many obviously abused children coming in with injuries. She said they are the bravest kids, often injured trying to defend their moms. It is very sad.

This gala was certainly a worthy cause.

Paint Party Friday - Santa Catalina Arch

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! This piece (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") on cardstock in permanent markers depicts The Santa Catalina Arch in Antigua, Guatemala. It was displayed on my laptop screensaver and made me curious to learn about it. It seems Guatemala has a rich Colonial history full of baroque style architecture. This arch built in 1694 is one of them. It sits on front of the Agua Volcano which is breathtaking in itself. The nuns lived in a convent on one side of the arch. They needed to teach on the other side but were not allowed to be seen in public. It seems a footbridge was built inside the arch so that the nuns could cross over to the school on the other side of the arch.

Rain's Thursday Art Date - Lucky

photo

Scanned Version

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art Date. Her theme is 'Luck' as we head towards St. Patrick's Day I am thinking. I decided to do a lucky wishbone charm as an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") on cardstock using a silver Sharpie Water based Marker. I took the first photo above at an angle to show the shine of the silver, so it may not look quite centred.  The second photo shows the scanned version.

Since I was a child we always saved the wish bone from a chicken. After making a wish, we would pull it apart to see who would get their wish to come true. The winner would have the larger piece in their hand. So the wish bone charm would be a promise of good luck, it would have to be broken for the wish to come true.

Truth Be Told

I had this book 'Truth Be Told' on hold at the library for many months. It is Beverley McLachlin's autobiography. It finally came available. I was not disappointed, I really enjoyed the book. What a strong lady, and of course, former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. We learn about her family, the complicated cases she dealt with and I was moved for hours after I read her book, what can I say. She is also a talented writer.

Turkey Salad

If you ever have a lot of leftover turkey, you can always make a turkey salad. It is great with crackers or on a sandwich.  To be honest, my turkey breast was a bit dried out and you wouldn't notice after making this salad from allrecipes, with mayonnaise and the other ingredients.

A Story

I had some overripe bananas and made 'banana banana bread' from allrecipes. For once, I did not burn it and it was fantastic! It did not last long.

My friend S has a good friend who lives on her own.  She doesn't drive so she walks ten or fifteen minutes to the grocery store.  This winter, she happened to be walking across a field on her way to the grocery store. Well, she slipped and broke her ankle in four places.  To make matters worse, she had forgotten her phone at home, which she never does.  After awhile, someone eventually came walking by and was able to help her.  Because she now lives alone in a townhouse with lots of stairs, she has to go to a rehabilitation facility after she leaves the hospital, to recuperate.  Of course paying for TV and wifi is expensive there ,so she may opt not get that.  Hopefully friend S can visit her soon.

A book

This book was passed on to me from a friend. It was written by a senior Trump official. What it reveals about Trump's character does not surprise me. We have all watched CNN commentary. Here is a review of the book if you are interested.  I may not finish reading it as politics does not interest me.  It is up to the people who vote who will make the decision.

Veggie Burger

Don't forget to set your clocks forward tonight if your area is affected by Daylight savings Time.

I got this package of Beyond Meat clearing at Walmart and decided to try it. I formed 4 burgers and cooked them for 4 minutes a side. They tasted good, very much like real meat. My sister thought they were still expensive at the clearance price, agreed.

Paint Party Friday - Violet Eyes ACEO

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! I did this 'violet eyes' ACEO on cardstock in permanent markers for you today.

And Happy 9th birthday PPF!

Rain's Thursday Art Date - what do you see ACEO

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art Date, thanks for hosting Rain! Her theme is 'what do you see'. I went literally with the theme and this is an eye, a brown one highlighted with purple eyeshadow. It is a small ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") in permanent markers on cardstock.  The eye is slanted upward for an exotic look.

I imagine this eye sees hope, inspired by this quote from Martin Luther King:

"We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope" - Martin Luther King.

Signs of Spring

I caught sight of this chipmunk in a tree a couple of weeks ago (Feb 24th) when the weather had been springlike. Then it froze up again.

Daughter L said her dentist called to confirm her upcoming appointment.  They asked her to verify that she had not been in contact with anyone who had recently travelled to China or Iran.  Furthermore was she in contact with any relatives of such people.  Fortunately she was able to say 'no'.  Everyone is scared of the new coronavirus and are taking all kinds of precautions.

Something New

My brother-in-law in Miami shared this photo of something new from Kentucky Fried Chicken. It is a chicken and donut sandwich. They enjoyed it. It doesn't look very appetizing to me, maybe a heart attack waiting to happen.

Urban Dictionary

We stopped by a fish and chips place the other day called 'Granny's Fish and Chips'. The haddock was not greasy, the coleslaw was creamy and delicious and of course we had tartar sauce with it. When was the last time you had fish and chips, it is nice once in awhile.

And I am sharing some urban dictionary words with you today. The younger generation will use these words, forcing me to go googling.

Juul - 'A highly concentrated nicotine vaporizer which underage kids use to get a buzz. It is commonly mistaken for a USB stick which makes it easy to take use in class.'

Wolo - We Only Live Once

My March Calendar Page

Welcome to March, I mean that!

Sharing my March calendar page with you today. I chose this quote to go with my painting of a basket of tulips.

'The deep roots never doubt spring will come' - Marty Rubin