Halloween Safety
Halloween is nearly here and kids big and small are all trying to figure out just what they are going to “dress up” as, or what character they will be for October’s Fright Night. The possibilities are endless, and I’m sure that the young ones will change their minds at least a dozen times or more. What shouldn’t change though, is the need for safety, while our kids are out there having their ghoulishly good times. Safety doesn’t have...
Baked Brie Cheese
It’s the holiday season and we are in full swing for a Christmas that will just be the best one ever. Who doesn’t love all the food and friends, the excited chatter and family rekindling old times as the new times are happening. It is the best part of the whole “Christmas Scene”. The other best part is all the food that is brought by friends and family to share. Food has to be one of the best ways of telling people that you love them....
Christmas Plants and how to care for them
Christmas Plants and how to care for them. Christmas is a wonderful time of year and I’m sure that as your company comes to visit, they may also bring you a gift of flowers or plants. Plants make a beautiful hostess gift and they are certainly a seasonal gift. But once you have it, what do you do next? Well let me help you just a wee bit. First off, you want to take it out of any wrappings of cellophane, get a nice dish to put under...
Elvis and Hawaii
Two years ago, my mother, sister and I were headed off to Hawaii. It was a dream trip that I never in my whole life expected to make. But it was a time of healing and renewing our shrinking family’s bonds, that made this trip what it was. My brother had passed away earlier that year. During the many site seeing expeditions along the way, I can remember thinking to myself, that these islands truly are paradise on earth. Everything was...
Curried Butternut Squash and Pear Soup
You will think you have died and gone to heaven after tasting this soup. For our Thanksgiving meal, my son called to say ‘Mom, don’t make any soup! Amy and I will bring it already made!’ Well, I never pass up an opportunity to try something new, so I accepted their offer graciously. To say it was delicious, is an understatement! This soup was a knock out! It presented beautifully and tasted divine. I’m thinking that my son...
The Red Cross
There isn’t a symbol more recognizable in the world than that of the Red Cross. Today we have the Red Cross and the Red Crescent but both of these formidable institutions all started out under the banner of the Red Cross. In 1864, Jean-Henry Dunant, a Swiss national, and humanitarian began what would become the Red Cross. But the start of the Red Cross was much earlier than that. Dunant was a business man and he travelled throughout...
Ben E King: Another Great is Gone!
Ben E King: Another Great is Gone! The music industry has lost another one of it’s great artists. If you were ever in the market for a song about friendship and love, then you know you would have to include Ben.E. King’s Stand by Me, in your repertoire! Ben E.King was born Benjamin Earl Nelson, on Sept 28, 1938. When he was a young lad his family moved from North Carolina to Harlem in New York. At the tender age of 20 Ben Nelson and...
A Tribute to my Father In Law
Fathers-In-Law: A Tribute to Mine. You don’t hear too much about Fathers In Law, but I must say that mine was one of the best! What made him so special in my eyes, was that he was the father of seven children and each one of them looked up to their Father with respect, love, and admiration. That’s not to say that they didn’t look up to their Mother in the same way, but, there was something different about how they...
Dr. Frances Kelsey
It was the 1950’s and everything was becoming safer and easier in many areas of our lives. The end of the Second World War saw a prosperity that hasn’t been matched since. While life was getting easier, the after effects of the war were still being felt. Many people who lived through terrible bombings, night raids and such were having trouble falling asleep and getting a good night’s rest. Drug companies were doing a great business...
To the Moon
To the Moon. When you mention the date: July 20, 1969, most people in North America will remember right away that this date had a significance that made the world stop and take notice. The late 50’s and early 60’s were possibly one of the most prosperous times in the century and because the world was currently at peace, the attention of our scientists, physicists and engineers (of all stripes) had turned to the prospect of harnessing...
Did You Know? The Matterhorn
July of 2015 was a very special month for the town of Zermatt in Switzerland! Why? Well let’s just put it this way, when men/women are asked why they do “risky, dangerous, mind thrilling, crazy, physically draining and exhilarating” things, most of the time the answer starts with…..”Because”, and ends with, “it was there…….and no one had done it before!” So it is with the sleepy town of Zermatt in Switzerland, home...
Antoni Gaudi i Cornet
June 10th, 2016 marked the 90th anniversary of the death of one of Spain’s most controversial architects! Even though he has been gone 90 years, his work and the mark he has made on Spanish buildings, makes it seem like he is still alive today. Gaudi was a sick child and because of his many ailments spent much of his childhood indoors. Though he didn’t get out much, he watched and learned many lessons by observing the world around...
Book Review : Jodi Picoult, Change of Heart
Book Review : Jodi Picoult, Change of Heart Anyone who has read or seen the movie My Sister’s Keeper, will remember the author Jodi Picoult. She has a way of making you look at things from a different perspective. Just when you thought all things that had two choices were simply Black and White choices, along come Jodi to shake you up. Just as she did with My Sister’s Keeper, she has done so again with Change of Heart! I started to...
Samuel Morse
Dot, dot, dot, dash, dash, dash, dot, dot, dot. Who does not know what that stands for? Whether you are in the information gathering line of work or not, I’m sure that everyone knows that this is Morse Code for S.O.S. But did you know that April 27th is also the birth of the inventor of Morse Code, aptly named after him. Samuel Morse born in 1791, helped to develop this system of communication. Yes you read that right. 1791 a mere 225...
The Most Amazing Pound Cake Ever!
The Most Amazing Pound Cake Ever! If you are looking for an easy, quick and versatile recipe for cake that can be made to look ordinary or extraordinary, this is for YOU! Not only is this recipe one of the easiest to follow, it also lets you add almost anything to it to make it different or special. My family has been baking a variety of this cake for the last 50 years or more and they always ask for it again and again. Maybe because...
Is it too Early for Spring? Never!
Is it too Early for Spring? Never! What do you do when there is two feet of snow in the yard and it’s February or March? It’s never too early to start thinking about the season that is coming up faster than the snow is melting. Spring with its longer days and slightly warmer temperatures will have most die hard gardeners just chomping at the bit. For some avid gardeners, the end of one season does not mean that the...
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day We are fast approaching that day where some people either look forward to early signs of spring or they are dismayed by the forecast that they are about to hear. In North America, we have this February holiday called Ground Hog Day, falling on the 2nd and causing usually normal people to act in ways that are to say the least peculiar! Canadians wait for Wiarton Willy and our American Neighbors look for Punxsutawney Phil...
Just a little musing for the last day of the year
Just a little musing for the last day of the year. Well it has arrived just as expected. We are at the last day of the Old Year and just at the Cusp of the New Year. I was thinking of all those things that we seem to do on the last day of the year, many of them steeped in old traditions that we are really not sure about anymore. We seem to remember the meanings, but not really…. I know my Best Girl Friend has to make sure that...
Planning your garden
Planning your garden with Grammie Olivia Well Christmas has just passed and now we look forward to the New Year. No one looks forward more than Gardeners… Especially if you live in the North, where everything dies back and nothing is growing except the plants you brought in before the first frosty nights of October and November arrived. What a great time for gardeners, either experienced or not, to sit back and pour over the...
Card Playing Day
Today is officially “Card Playing Day” and it’s a good thing too. I am worn out from all the visiting, eating, drinking, laughing and just all around merriment of the Christmas season, to need a “day off”. One where I can play cards without feeling guilty or to have that itch to be doing something worthwhile. If you are anything like me, Card Playing Day is just coming around at the right time. It’s a time to sit back, relax, grab...
Christmas Bazaars and Bake Sales
For anyone who belongs to a group, be it of seniors, church groups, ladies crafting clubs and the like, you know as well as I do, that Christmas is a time when people are not only out shopping for handmade items, but they are also on the look out for Classic Bake Sale Goodies. I think one of the reasons this is so, is because everyone get invited to house parties or some sort of get together and we all feel the need to “bring...
It’s a Beautiful Life – if we want it to be!
It’s a Beautiful Life – if we want it to be! Christmas time is right around the corner and for most of us it will be a time for family, friends and neighbours. There will be people rushing around, buying last minute gifts, baking those cookies that are always a special Christmas treat and the anticipation of giving and receiving gifts from our loved ones. Christmas is also a time of emotional ups and downs, with many...
Bug Jewellery
Bug Jewellery has been fashionable for many years. Everything from bees to dragonflies, cicadas, grasshoppers and bugs of every kind. I personally love butterflies, lady bugs and bees. Bug Jewellery is not for everyone, but I happen to really like it. Red bug bejewelled jewelry box In ancient times, Bug Jewellery was worn not just by women but by the men also. In Egypt, the Scarab Beetle was worn by the army as a talisman of...
Adult Coloring Books, A Gift for All Ages
How many years has it been since you grabbed a handful of color pencils, markers or crayons and sat quietly coloring? Personally for me, this was a pastime that I really enjoyed as a child. I would sit quietly coloring and making each outline in a coloring book my own. When there weren’t enough lines in the drawing, I would add my own and color until my fingers were almost numb. I had the most intricate patterns drawn into an...
Christmas Countdown: Advent Calendars For Children of all Ages
I know that some of you may already have turned off your curiosity because you feel it’s just too early to start thinking about Christmas. Well I must disagree with you. After all Christmas is not just a one day holiday, it is a whole season holiday starting with the first Sunday in Advent. Even if you are not religious, you can follow along on twenty four days leading up to Christmas. For years, I made Advent Calendars for my...
A Classic Must See: Phantom of the Opera
A Classic Story That Many Still Love. The Phantom of the Opera is a movie that must be seen! The stage performances of this classic has been seen world wide for years and years. I know that when it was playing in my city, it had a run of at least 5 years. In that 5 year time span I managed to go and see it 3 times and I would have gone 3 more times if anyone had asked me……. The Phantom of the Opera has been one of the most...
Ahava, Love in Hebrew!
I’m not big into cosmetics that you put on your face and I’m not knocking anyone who is, but for me, I prefer to keep things simple. To that end, you won’t find me wearing a whole lot of makeup on a daily basis. I just don’t have the time or the talent to use some of the millions of products out there. I would rather not wear any make up than wear it incorrectly! There is one thing though, that I cannot do...
Sesame Street
Today is a day that everyone under the age of 100 will be able to relate to in some way or another……what has lasted this long or made such an impact that almost everyone has heard of it? None other than your favorite characters on Sesame Street! Today is the anniversary of the very first episode of Sesame Street that aired on November 10, 1969. On that day, Cookie Monster, Ernie and Bert, Big Bird, Grover and Oscar the...
Willow Tree Figurines
One of my favorite gifts has to be the Willow Tree Figurines! There is a beauty in their faces that makes them universally appealing. So many emotions are played out in their rather simple stances and a little bouquet of flowers in their hands makes one understand right away, that they are appreciated by the sender of the gift. Whether it’s a mother and father, boyfriend, girlfriend, or grandparents with children, the way the figures...
The World’s Easiest Almond Bark
Dark, Milk and White Chocolate Almond Bark. At Holiday time, everyone is rushed and time is one thing that everyone doesn’t seem to have enough of! Having said that, I love recipes that are easy, look real nice, are flavorful! It’s a bonus when it doesn’t take up too much of that precious time, and still lets your friends and family know that you care about them! This recipe fits all those categories to a “T”!...
Howl at the Moon Day
I know many people who last month waited and waited to see the Blood Moon and some of them were awestruck with the beauty of the moon that night and then the eclipse that followed. Others weren’t so lucky. The clouds came in an ruined the evenings attraction sending many to bed earlier than they had expected. But wait just a minute! Here is another chance to go out and howl at the moon, like you have never howled at it before! Why?...
Unusual gift ideas
I don’t know about you, but age and growing up mean two different things to me. The growing up part, I would like to leave right where it belongs…….somewhere back there! The Aging stuff, well, no one really gets away without doing some of that…… The problem is that most of us get caught up in the Growing Up and forget all the fun that could be had along the way. There are so many fun things that should be...
Fire Boy Cookies
Basler Leckerli/Laeckerli. This cookie comes from my native country Switzerland and it is delicious. The picture does not do justice for the flavour of the cookie when you take that first bite. It is a little bit of heaven when you are able to indulge in this specialty cookie and a hot cup of coffee or tea. Save Print Fire Boy Cookies Rating 5 from 1 reviews Ingredients 450 grams honey (16 ounces) 300 grams of sugar (10.5...
Thanksgiving in Canada
Canadians from coast to coast are gearing up for Thanksgiving 2015 to be held this year on October 12th. While Canadians will celebrate this holiday much earlier than our American Cousins, we will probably be feasting on many of the same food items. After all, that is what Thanksgiving is all about. We are thankful for the great summer months and the produce that farmer’s fields everywhere have grown. We delight in what Mother Nature...
Star Wars Gifts
It doesn’t seem to matter that 30 + years has gone by since the beginning of the Star Wars epidemic! It doesn’t seem to matter that the little boys, that were so taken with the likes of R2D2 and C3PO, Luke Skywaker and all the rest of the crew, first catapulted onto the Silver Screen are now in their 30s and 40s. By Christmas of this year, there will be a whole new generation of kids, who love Star Wars and won’t be able to get enough...
Teddy Bears
Uncle Klaus’ Bear Family: Every Family should have one Uncle Klaus! My uncle Klaus, is a one of a kind, but I’m sure others have someone like him in their families too! Our history goes back quite a long way, and every once in a while, I get a note in the mail (snail mail) with some old pictures and a little story attached to it. It always has something to do with our time together and is a memory that he holds dear. On my part,...
Family Histories, the Good, the Bad and the Beautiful
Family History. Sooner or later, everyone has that desire to know where they came from and how they ended up being where they are today. Now, for some of us, the desire ends up being a desire and it will never move any further. Others, will try to find out where they actually did come from, and start tracing back their family history. What is certain, is that everyone of us has a family history, whether we know what that is or not!...
The Wizard of Oz
The year was 1939 and Hollywood was still a small town that was just starting to grow. Film and movies were already a favorite pastime, and inroads were being made to make films even more interesting and stimulating. Produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, The Wizard of Oz was breaking all kinds of new frontiers in story telling, especially in the film market. A fantasy, based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank...
The Best Ever Tuna Casserole
My other half has started to do most of the cooking on weekdays. Simple cooking, but really good cooking too! He is retired and I’m still working so some of the cooking duties fall to him. Tonight we just had the best ever tuna casserole, it really beats anything I have made in the past, hands down. Ready in a pinch, good for you, and it uses us some of the pantry goods that might otherwise overlooked. The kicker is the topping that...
Pic of the Week: Hula Hoop
When it comes to family photos, are you more likely to pose people in the pictures or are you more likely to take some random shots and see what happens? Personally, I tend to like the less posed pictures. They in themselves tend to tell a story that you fill in the the looks on people’s faces. Sometimes it’s the surroundings that make it special, or the others in the picture that lend some weight to the whole story. This is one of my...
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Mediterranean Tuna Salad. I can’t think of anything that scares people more, than the thought of getting cancer…..doctors, nutritionist, and a host of people are convinced that diet plays an important part in reducing your risks of becoming another victim of this hideous disease. To that end, I get several different recipe sources that are supposed to be good for you in any and every situation in life. Some of these recipes...
Piradzini: Latvian Bacon and Onion Stuffed Rolls
A Canadian Treat given to us by the Latvians. Who doesn’t love bacon? I have just come across a recipe that pairs two of my favorite flavours and foods. Bacon and onions….In Canada we are looking at a long weekend coming up Aug. 3rd. So to make the weekend really memorable, I try to find something that takes a little longer to make (because now I have the time) and something that my family will really enjoy. Enter into my...
Prince Charles and Lady Diana tie the Knot!
For many years, the world was wondering when and if the Prince of Wales was ever going to marry and give the British People and the Monarchy some good news. Prince Charles was the most eligible bachelor in the world, and rumours were all around about who might be the “lucky” lady, that would be the next Princess to be and be with her husband the next in line to the throne. Well on this day in 1981, Prince Charles indeed had the whole...
I Love My Dog and My Dog Loves Me!
Walking a dog should be a joy and a good way to get some exercise for you and for your pet. It should not be a pull and push match between the two of you! Choke collars, prong collars (not nice at all) and any other type of collar that sits at your dog’s neck, will hinder your dog’s ability to walk nicely, without stressing him/her out! If you don’t believe me then listen to what some dog owners and people who are in the “KNOW” have...
Memories of Woolworth’s
Memories of Woolworth’s. What does the name Woolworth’s conjure up in your mind? Could it be that it was Friday and parents were doling out allowances to their young ones? They in turn could hardly wait to go to Woolworth’s to see what treasures could be had with their hard earned pennies. I know that this was part of my childhood, finding that special scarf or pair of shoe laces, skipping ropes and yo-yos or spending hours...
Things No One Tells You About Getting Older!
10 Things No One Tells You About Getting Older! Everyone is getting older every day! Aging is a Fact of Life! So many times I can remember looking at older people and wondering what it was going to be like when I was their age, and guess what? I’m there now! The funniest part of this whole scenario, is that when I was younger, I probably thought those “older” people I was looking at, were maybe in their 40’s or...
Once: The Musical
Toronto has been host city to a number of world class musical productions and it just doesn’t stop! The musical “Once” was also filmed in Toronto and that is where I was introduced to it. The story is one of music and the meeting of talented people trying to forage out a living on the corners and streets of many cities the world over. Hoping of course, that enough people will drop some change into your bag while you play your...
Magic in the Air!
While most birds do not have any difficulty finding food for themselves in the spring, summer and fall, there is one exception to that rule. Our everyday (I won’t ever call them ordinary) birds, the ones that frequent our gardens throughout the year, know very well how to forage for seeds, nuts and bugs. However there is a bird that frequents us in the nicer months and I’m sure that everyone would love to have them in their gardens...
Awesome Potato Pancakes!
Potato pancakes recipe. Well last week was a bit of a challenge for us. We spent Tuesday in the hospital from early in the morning till about 3 in the afternoon. “Sweetling” was undergoing a procedure that required someone to be there before, during and after. So when we got home, there was nothing prepared for dinner and I was exhausted (even though I didn’t do much), I guess worrying will do that to you! Anyway,...
Elder Cats and Dogs Need Grooming Help
Elder Cats and Dogs Need Grooming Help My cat is OLD! But we still love him to bits. What makes it difficult for him in these, his latter years is that he isn’t quite as fastidious a groomer as he was in his earlier years. Being long haired means that he gets knots and tangles in his fur that he just can’t seem to work out by himself. We also find that he is now shedding so much more than when he was a young kitten. Now...
Snow Days, Rain Days, I Can’t Go Out and Play Days
Snow Days, Rain Days, I Can’t Go Out and Play Days Snowy and Rainy Days are not necessarily Days that you can’t go out, but there are times when you won’t want to go. I can think of times when it was snowing and it was so cold out that in less than 15 minutes, even if you bundled up well, your toes and nose and fingers would get so cold that you just could not stay out any longer. I also remember days when it was...
Books, Books and More Books!
Books, Books and More Books! Did you know that there is a place to go and find all those wonderful old books that you never thought you would see again? One place where you can search for that book or movie, that you were sure had gone out of print or that never really made it to the “A” List, and was sure to be forgotten….. Alibris is a company that searches out those rare forgotten or lost books! Just looking at their Book...
Rainy Day People, Spring is Coming! Let’s do it in style!
Rainy Day People, Spring is Coming! Let’s do it in style! Name one accessory that can be used both when it’s raining and when it’s sunny? Why it’s the bumbershoot of course! Now you are probably thinking you haven’t heard that word in a long time, and you are right. Bumbershoot is an Americanism that was thought up in the early 1800’s and didn’t last long. Umbrella is the word that has been...
An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth
Have you ever come across a book that makes so much sense, you just know that you have to buy it and share it with those you love? I found this book and was immediately taken by not only its title, but also by the person who wrote it. Col. Chris Hadfield was being interviewed after his return to earth from a six month engagement on the International Space Station, as the Commander of the Space Station. During his interview, I could...
Movie Review: The Book Thief
Movie Review: The Book Thief Have I ever told you that neither I or my other half pay too much attention to movie ratings? I guess for many years we have and been so disappointed in what was considered 5 stars and enchanted with some that only rated 2 or 3…. The Book Thief is based on a novel written in French “La Voleuse de Livres” , and takes place in Germany before and during the Second World War. This movie though is unlike...
Quebec City Winter Festival
Quebec City Winter Festival It occurred to me today that while the Movie and all the other paraphernalia that goes along with the latest Disney offering of FROZEN, has made a snowman named OLAF a household name for many, there is a Snowman that has had the spotlight for much longer. In Quebec City, there is a Snowman that is named Bonhomme. He is the central attraction for the Winter Festival that takes place every year in the Old...
Can Anyone Say SWOON!
Can Anyone Say SWOON! Having grown up on the early 60’s and 70’s bands, I can honestly say that one of my favorite singers had to be Elvis Presley. If I close my eyes, and listen to him sing “Love me tender, Love me true, all my dreams fulfilled” I still get that soft woozy feeling in the pit of my stomach and the soft sway of the music subtracts all the years that have since passed. I am a teenager again, and...
Kitchen Sink Soups On! Come and get it!
Kitchen Sink Soups On! Come and get it! There is nothing better than a hot bowl of soup when the temperatures outside start dipping into the minus categories……..Be brave, go outside and enjoy the cold air, it’s good for you. When you are done enjoying that part of the day, come inside, put the mits, hats, coats and all that other winter paraphanalia away or set them on the heat registers for the next trip outdoors,...
New Year’s Resolutions
New Year’s Resolutions So this first week of the New Year has already become for many people a real “pain”! Like many others we have become conditioned to make New Year’s Resolutions that are for the most part unattainable or unsustainable. But we make them with full knowledge that we probably are going to fail! Why do we do this? Instead, stop this insanity and make goals that are attainable! You will feel so much better in the long...
The Teddy Bears’ Picnic
Before the words “Teddy bear” were ever coined, I’m sure that these cuddly stuffed animals had a place in many a child’s heart. Certainly after 1902 when the President of the United States Teddy Roosevelt, refused to kill a bear, the stuffed “Teddy Bears” became an even bigger fad. For that matter “fad” is probably not the best way to describe what happened with these stuffed animals, because fad suggests that the interest after a...
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