The Good....Some Not So Bad....And The Downright Ugly....

Here at home, the last of the beautiful Easter Tulips are taking their final curtain call...

I finished the shawl for my daughter while in Florida...and as you can see...she can make anything look beautiful!  ♥️

Got some baking done...delicious sour cream coffee cake sure hits the spot, with a steaming hot cup of tea...and a side order of greek yogurt and berries of the day!

Taco Tuesdays are becoming a regular around here...love these!! Quick and soooo good!!

The Birds have returned to my garden...and I couldn't be happier!

My front planter is still doing great...I plant the potted bulbs right in their pots!!! That way, I can just remove them...let them dry out...and transfer right into my garden! I cut the Pussy Willows off our huge tree at the side of our house. I need a ladder to get the few branches that are low enough. Sometimes they root in the soil...but I have never been successful when I transplant them...

 

This book was a Christmas present from my daughter Lissa.She knows that I LOVE Jann Arden, and follow her on IG...she has a very good sense of humour...and of course, and excellent singer! One of Canada's finest!
The book deals with her aging parents...very sad, and yet very funny too. If that makes any sense....I read it in Florida...I must say, I did shed a few tears...
Her Father passed away...and her Mom is now in a nursing home out West...she shares photos and visits with her Mom on IG...truly a remarkable life she has.

 

Ok......are you ready for the UGLY?????

Just look at the state of our beach at the cottage...after that huge wind storm about a week ago...have you ever seen such a big mess????????????
I guess everyones broken bits and bobs are now on our beach...
Difficult to clean up, as the stones are all wedged in between.... 
UGH!!! This will take us many weekends to clean up...and hopefully burn!! 
2 new big logs....very heavy...oh boy...
And...those dark ominous clouds followed us all the way home!!!

 

We also had SNOW last week...

GEESH....

Come on Mother Naaature...

Make up your mind!!!

It is raining...dark...damp...cold today...

Flashback to a rainy day in my garden last year...

Beautiful Daffodils outside my window...covered in rain drops...

                          I WISH IT WAS WARMER AND SUNNIER!!!!!!!


Hope you are all well...and keeping yourselves busy!!

We will be driving to the cottage on Friday...hoping that some of that junk is gone from the beach...
I am going to be optimistic...
Put the fresh sheets and electric blanket on our bed...
Call the Appliance guy and set up delivery on new fridge and stove for the following Friday...
Plan a sleepover for that night...make chili! hahaha!


    Enjoy your day...

          see you soon...

               Cheers!  :o)

                 linda ♥️

 

Second Bake With Miss V...♥️

When I picked up Miss V last Wednesday...
She brought a favorite book to share with me...
It is called "Christmas Quiet", and is really a cute book...
The illustrations are so sweet...
She is holding it there in the back seat♥️

She was thrilled that we were going to the grocery store...
We found her "car"... and off we went!!

Next stop...
Another of her favorites...
The car wash!!
Just look at those expressions!
We both laugh when the "octopus" washes the car!!

After putting away the groceries...with her help...it was lunch time!!
Another favorite...CHEESIES!!!...man oh man...she loves those!!

After lunch...it was time to bake!!
She loves my banana fruit loaves...so that is what we made!!
I use a box mix for these...adding fruit to them...
I also use Buttermilk instead of water or milk...much moister!!
Bananas come from the freezer...and I had a small container of raspberries too!!
This was a "spice cake mix...very fragrant...
I added the wet ingredients...
And Miss v was sooo excited to use the mixer!!

Added the thawed bananas from their peels...

A short intermission break...

Papa was watching the news...

Adele was featured with her new song "Sorry"...

She had to go and join in with the sing-a-long!!

So cute!

It actually gave me a chance to get the batter into the loaf pans....tee hee hee...

Ok...back to business!!

She very gently placed the thawed raspberries onto the cake...

Then pressed in a few walnuts...for crunch!!

And...finally...a brown sugar and cinnamon topping...

Just because!!

"Look Papa"...

"Nana and I made some cakes...with cinnniamanon"...

{Not the wrong spelling...I type it as it happens! hahaha! It is a hard word to say!}

Don't they look spectacular???

Into the oven...

Off for her nap...

House smells DEEELICIOUS!!






Here we are....all refreshed...and enjoying cake...with yogurt...yummy!!

Thanks for all your help Miss V...
As you have said...many times..."I am the best helper"...

Yes....indeed you are...indeed you are...♥️

Hope you all had a great weekend...
Ours was B.U.S.Y....with a capitol B... 
Went to the cottage on Friday...still very breezy out there...
Got to have a bonfire...and an indoor fire, by the light of the moon!! 
Enough about that...I have pictures to share...

We picked up Miss V on Saturday...on our way home...and we had a sleepover!!
She had been to see Santa that afternoon, and she was thrilled!
We kept her until Sunday night...
Tired Nana and Papa...we are definitely not as young as we used to be!!
We did some more baking...
Not so successful this time... :o(...but Miss V loved it!!
Will share later in the week... 

My new dishwasher was installed this afternoon...YIPPEE!!
Boyfriend and I have dishpan hands...
Apparently the "Mother Board" was shot...$400 to replace that!!
New dishwasher...please! hahaha!
We are all ready to go...geesh...why do I use so many utensils and bowls?

Tonights dinner...
Boyfriend has a cold...so some comfort food is in order...
Baked Pork Chops with mashed potatoes and gravy...yum!
Green and yellow beans....

We had a few wee snow squalls yesterday...nothing stuck...
Very chilly today...
Time for a cup of tea...and some crochet...need to finish a few things!!

Enjoy the rest of your day...

                    Cheers!   :o)
                       linda   
        

Come On In Out Of The Cold.....

Come on in from the cold...

Very cold here today....and blustery North winds....brrrrr!

How about a hot bowl of Turkey soup...with some toasted bread...salad...

Or...a slice of Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake...with fresh Berries...

Or...

A big bowl of Summer Fresh Pasta....

Perhaps a big mug of steamy Apple Cinnamon Tea and some fresh crispy Apple slices may do the trick...

Or a slice of Spicey Coffee Cake with BLueberries would do...

5 fruit pie with butterscotch ice cream may be what you are looking for...

Or...

A piping hot bowl of Potato Leek Soup....

Perhaps some homemade whole wheat bread...slathered in homemade strawberry jam is more to your liking...

Or...

Homemade Split Pea and Ham soup would hit the spot...

With some fresh Bruschetta alongside...

If none of these are what you fancy...

Perhaps some Tomato Chicken Vegetable soup would warm you up...

Or a big plate full of my Greek Salad....yummy!

And if all that doesn't warm you up...

And make you feel all cosy and warm inside...

Perhaps the simple Poached Egg would suffice...

If you are not warm yet...

Well...

I give up!!

Oh...

How about this shot of my boyfriend and I in Florida?

Ahhhh...now I got your attention!

Won't be long now...

Hope you are all having a great day...

Is it cold and blustery where you are??

We have Miss V for a sleepover tonight...and then a drive to the cottage tomorrow...

Having Homemade Pizza tonight...and greek salad...yummy!

I think red wine goes with that...don't you??

Enjoy the rest of your day, and have a great evening...

Feeling full???  hahaha!

Cheers!   :o)
linda

Bits & Bobs.....

                            Guess who's shadow this is???

                                            Yup...Red himself! Love this shot!


             Hope you are all having a great day...

                 Sun shining...wee bit of wind...not a bad day at all!

     Miss V slept 'til 7:45...had her juice and cheerios...watched a bit of Zack and Quack...

                   We built a few towers with her blocks...got her dressed...

                                Papa took her down to her school♥️

                              Then....Nana got busy!! hahaha!

                    Made egg salad sandwiches for  lunch...

                                  Put on a pot of chicken soup...

Sliced the beef for dinner...marinating in soya sauce and cajun seasoning, and freshly ground black pepper...

               To make Pepper steak, over no-yolk noodles for dinner...

                         It is one of my oldest and most favorite recipes...

The fresh green peppers...sliced spring onions and grape tomatoes give it such a rich fresh taste...

            Got out with my boyfriend for a nice brisk walk...very nice in the sun!

                       I did some groceries, as I think we will take a drive tomorrow...

                            Supposed to be a nice day...sunny...YAY!!!

                                  What were you up to today??

                                     What is cooking in your kitchen??

                           Sunny for you?? But...still cold??

                           Enjoy the rest of your day...and your evening...
  
                                       Cheers!  :o)
                                             linda