Food for a Nasty Day

It's -3 C (26.6 F) out there and freezing rain is falling. I'm glad I decided to cook yesterday so I can enjoy my time inside today.

Newfoundland comfort food

I baked a ham on New Year's Day and froze the leftovers. So, I made yellow split pea soup: thick, slightly salty and so comforting. Most Newfies use salt beef, but ham works just as well for me. But I didn't make the traditional doughboys (dumplings) as I have a sensitivity to wheat. I'd rather use my wheat rations for something else.

Something like these delicious Homemade Fig Bars.

Add a dollop of yogurt or cream

I'm slowly making my way through a bag of dried figs and found the perfect recipe. They are similar to a date square except the bottom is more of a shortbread. I made a few changes to suit my tastes and pantry. 

When I made the fig jam filling, I grated a little orange zest into it. And seeing I didn't have walnuts or pecans, I substituted chopped almonds, cashews and sunflower seeds.

Those were great choices! These squares are da bomb! Now ........... what shall I watch on television?

Stay warm and safe (and well fed). Namaste! 

 

A Magic Trail Walk

 

Because Newfoundland (NL) winters are so long and harsh, and because CB was so 'hilly' and icy, winter usually meant I was stuck indoors most of the time. Each spring when I could safely get outside to walk, I'd notice that my strength and endurance had lessened. 

My new community is flat which means I can walk year round. It's off the highway, tucked in the Humber Valley and surrounded by alpine forest on 3 sides and the Humber River on the other. There are so many trails to discover, some of which will have to wait until spring (so I don't get lost). But seeing as my word for 2023 is Explore,  I'm anxious to do just that. 

The view outside my kitchen window is a peaceful one, overlooking the trees (and the storage garage). Western NL has had a very mild winter to date. There's just enough snow on the ground to sparkle and just enough cold to make the snow crunch. The end of my street is a dead end which leads to a small copse of fir trees; you can hear a brook below but you can't see it and it's too steep to reach. However, there at the end of a chain link fence is a path leading downhill; this path is often covered with the footprints of small children and dogs, so today I decided to follow those footsteps.

At the bottom of the hill and around a bend, I came upon the brook. The path widened at this point and followed the water. Other than the sound of the water gurgling around rocks and icy patches, it was so quiet and peaceful. 

There were places where trees had fallen and you either had to go under or take the path around. In two places you could see the back side of other senior's cottages. But mostly, it was just me and the forest. Walking through this particular 'promenade' was magical: the sound of the brook combined with the snow laden fir boughs overhead was so enchanting!

The path eventually led to a bridge and onto the main road. And lo and behold! There ahead of me were the creators of the footsteps I'd been following - a mom, 2 children and 2 dogs. I followed them up the street, we took a right through another little senior's cottage community, and then following the sidewalks, they led me straight to my street. Thank you!

My leisurely stroll took me about an hour. After peeling off my many layers of clothing, and stretching my muscles for a cool down, I made myself a homemade chai latte in my beautiful last-Xmas mug. Ahhhh! This is a good start to a new year in a new community. 

Do you enjoy winter? What do you do to get through?

Namaste my friends!

Back from the Land-of-the-Dead Computer!

Hello my dear blogger friends!

It's been almost 2 years since I posted. Two years!!! My deepest apologies for leaving you high and dry with nary a word of farewell. But just after my last post in March of 2021, my home computer died. And almost immediately after that, Covid hit! 

With the tightening of my financial belt, the possibility of dying from Covid, my dad's death, 2 of my siblings fighting cancer, and what has been the unfolding, almost total breakdown of the world around us, I have muddled through these past 2 years using my phone for social media; Any remaining energy was put into  trying to maintain a positive outlook on life and finding pockets of blessed joy and serenity. I would read your posts sometimes at work, but I couldn't myself post. 

But I've recently gone through a number of very big changes. My long-awaited retirement happened in early November 2022; and while I was ready to sit back and enjoy this new-found freedom, within days, I got a call to say that a senior's cottage had become available for me in the next community. So, I had 3 weeks to pack up my life and move, for the 3rd time in 6.5 years! Xmas came, Xmas went; I finally bought myself a new laptop, and now that the dust is settling, I'm ready to begin blogging again. 

I'm in a new location, my time is (almost) my own, I have the necessary technology, and I have an excitement and zest to discover what my new life will be! I've never been retired before!

I'd love it if you would once again join me for whatever adventure and (safe) mischief I can possibly get into.

I'm back ..... and happy to be here with you.

 

The Official Canadian Pandemic Anthem

''The Official Canadian Pandemic Anthem'' from This Hour has 22 Minutes.

Hello March and lazy Thursday

Newfoundland has been back on Lockdown Level 5 for almost 3 weeks now; the East coast had a major breakdown of a Covid variant and, as always, we are extra cautious here. For me, it's meant working 'from home', but there's not a lot I have to do outside of the office. So, I've been mostly helping pack for both daughters moving -- one into a new home and the other into her first NL apartment. I've been busy! (And what a good, if somewhat tiring, way to declutter!)

But today is one of those lazy days. Snow is gently falling outside with enough accumulation to keep one inside and off the roads. I spent a few hours this morning in a zoom meeting. And now no one requires my attention until Saturday. 

Spotify is playing softly in the background, Benny Goodman's "Where or When". Milk was heated, starter added, and yogurt is in the pot for the next 8 hours. And the veggies are chopped for lentil soup. 

I'm working on a baby quilt for my daughter; So, I do believe that the remainder of the day will be spent on the couch with my needle and a little Doctor Who or some other British production. 

I hope your day is just as laid back and that you find a bit of peace and contentment in your day.

Hello February!

I like the month of February. I know it's usually the worst winter month with loads and loads of snow and blowing and icy cold temperatures. (Although this winter, global warming has brought western NL very little snow and a fair amount of rain. I can see green (well brown) out there today!) 

But February is also the shortest month. AND I've always enjoyed Valentine's Day because regardless of people or life, I treat myself that day ('cause most of the time, I love me.)

Wading through Covid can be pretty disheartening and boring. So I'm really thankful that for the second time during this pandemic, Best in the West have begun another competition to raise monies for local charities and non-profits. November 2020 was a burger competition. February 2021 is a sandwich competition. 

Being a good upstanding member of the community, I must do my best to support them! 

On Monday, my co-workers and I tried Newfoundland-Comfort-Food's sandwich: a hickory-smoked, pulled pork-rib sandwich with lettuce, tomato, tangy sauce, mozzarella and  coleslaw. It was very delicious!

Today we tried the pulled buffalo-chicken sandwich from Aromas-Plus. The chicken had just enough spice to warm the inside of your mouth; it was served on a brioche bun with mozzarella and lime slaw. The 2 deep fried pickles were divine! The kettle chips were homemade and so good ..... but I just sampled those and had an almond/mandarin orange salad instead.

There are 24 sandwiches to choose from in my local area (and 30 in total). And while I know it's for a good cause, I especially like the competition because it adds a little bit of extra and much needed lightness to this Covid lifestyle. Lord knows we all need that.

I hope your weekend is a good one and that you're eating well too!

Solitary Saturday

Sometimes I intentionally take a day to unplug and decompress. Saturday past was one such day. While Xmas was lovely, life is stressful for everyone, and I think we must all be feeling the strain.

I took an early morning walk on my favorite trail. We've some snow, but the trails are packed nicely from walkers and snowmobilers so it's easy walking. I almost had the trail to myself, passing just one other couple and a guy with his friendly pup. I stopped at the trickling brook just to hear the water; and I had a small conversation with the snow people about how lovely the weather was and isn't it nice to be surrounded by such beauty.

Back home I stretched and yawned and made myself a hot chocolate (with just a splash of Carolans Irish liquor) and did some coloring. I gifted myself a can of gourmet chocolate at Xmas, so it was a most delicious cup!  

I read a little, listened to lots of quiet, folky/type music, made a tuna melt and tried to ignore  Willow howling for a share. I poured the liquid over some kibble and served it to her on a clean dish. It was nap time for both of us after all that!

A rather large piece of Naan served as the crust for a great pizza at supper time. And as I ate, I got all hep up because I was going to rewatch "Cold Mountain" that evening (an essential annual event). But I could NOT find my DVD!(I shouldn't have donated all those DVDs to the SPCA before Xmas! Oops!) So, "Forest Gump" did the trick and made me laugh and cry and almost believe that there are more good people in the world than I come into contact with.

Don't forget to take care of yourself, friends.

Chill, breathe and remember, you are worth it!

(Today I went to my local SPCA and bought back my copy of "Cold Mountain"! Yay! )