My Bags are packed, I'm ready to go! Leaving on a Jet plane!

Travelling songs are playing in my head.....
Going on vacation for 10 days.
Florida..........get ready, I am on my way!
Warm days, sand and surf..........
Blog will be silent until my return , hopefully with lots of stories and pictures to share ......

Weight

When I started blogging in 2007, I was on a mission to lose weight since I was feeling so unwell. At that point I had lost 29 pounds..... I had changed my eating habits.... my goal was to lose 21 more...
Have I lost the remaining 21 pounds ?
No! Darn it.
Totally I am down 32 pounds.
Always a struggle....
I was starting to get frustrated at the bouncing around my weight has done over the last year and lack of movement to lower numbers.
Seeming to battle the same 10 pounds over and over...........
My daughter Sherry sent me pictures to remind me of the difference from 2006 to now.
2006
and
2009


So my reality check is;
Keep going.
I have learned to eat healthier.......... Veggies are now my friends, I am exercising every day be it swimming , walking or weights , buying regular size clothes as opposed to the "24" I was in, so satisfying .... best of all I feel so much better.... All to the good...........
I won't be running any marathons soon but
still aiming to lose 20 more pounds ,main goal to stay with my healthy hard earned and learned habits..
Here are some of the web sites that have helped me...........
Real Age
Spark people
Kayln's Kitchen
south beach diet plan

Cabbage Apple Salad

Back in the Fridge again, what do I have to use up?
Cabbage, yogurt and apples.........
There are lots of cabbage apple salad recipes around.
Concocted this creation to avoid using oil.
4 cups shredded cabbage
1/4 tsp. salt
3 shredded apples ( Macs in mine, use whatever is at hand)
1/4-1/2 cup raisins
200 g. vanilla fat free yogurt(about 1/2 cup)
2-3 TBSP. lemon juice

Very simple and a touch sweeter than I usually like salad.........still is very yummy.

Serves 4 , approx. 50 calories per serving.

Oh No!

Arose from my warm bed , out to the kitchen to make coffee.
Perking away such a satisfying sound first thing in the morning.
The fragrance of fresh brewed coffee..
All is right with the world............
Opened the fridge door to get milk for my coffee.

OH NO!

Mysteriously in the middle of the night this pristine delicious carrot cake is now missing a corner.......... I had baked it especially for Tuesday's " Happy Hookers" , birthday celebration...
Who did it?
Was I sleepwalking?
Could I have stumbled out in a dark sleepy daze and munched away?
Someone break into the house and just take a piece of cake?
Who?
Who did this dastardly crime?
DH wanders out and I point out the crime scene.
"Oh, was that for your ladies?"
" I ate it, mumble, mumble,
"Sorry!"
You will be happy to know DH ( I do have other names) is still alive and breathing..........
I have baked another cake which will be iced this morning.

Oh, and by the way Happy Hookers is not what you think;
I saw that little smirk ,
we knit , crochet , or whatever needlework we chose to work on..at least that is my story and I am sticking to it!

They won!

Brock's hockey team won their tournament in Simcoe over Glanbrook !

These pics are from the semi final game against Belmont.

Saturday Visit

On Saturday afternoon Sherry, Willie ,
Brock

and Brayden stopped by for a visit on their way to a hockey tournament in Simcoe. Brock's team so far has won all their games........
Go! Brock!
Sherry brought a very pretty bouquet of pink tulips,
such a nice touch of spring.
Dined on Caesar salad, mashed potatoes, turkey, creamed corn and dessert, family favourite, carrot cake, then off the gang went to hockey..........sent the remainder of the cake home with Sherry............
Was a great visit ....both Friday and Saturday.... want more!

March school break visit

What a nice day Friday,
Rosanne , Brittany and Brianne came for a visit , during school's March break.
I put together a light lunch, spinach salad ,chicken broccoli mushroom quiche and for dessert Pineapple coconut cake.

This cake is from Canadian Baker ,too . My sister Donna tried it first and raved, just had to bake it. Very good!
We then went off to see the swans returning
we saw Canada geese but only 2 swans flying.With the mild weather perhaps the swans have gone on to the Arctic.
Toured the little shops on Port Rowans main street.
'
Some cute places but did not buy a thing!
Rosanne surprised me with a welcome spring gift, inside were some card making supplies, gardening books, Rosanne's handmade spring card with a pocket inside holding a package of nasturtium seeds and a lovely little notebook;

decorated with silk flowers that I will use for my garden journal.
What a fun day so good to spend time with my daughter and granddaughters.

The first day of spring!

"Spring - An experience in immortality."
- Henry D. Thoreau

"First a howling blizzard woke us,
Then the rain came down to soak us,
And now before the eye can focus -
Crocus."
- Lilja Rogers

"Spring would not be spring without bird songs."
- Francis M. Chapman

"Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil."
- Reginald Heber

"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."
- Margaret Atwood

Roasted Broccoli

I have made this dish twice now and love it.
First of all you do need to like broccoli.
It is a simple
recipe from Ina Garten's , Back to Basics cookbook, with my adaptations.
The flavour is terrific and this is relatively lower in calorie.
4 to 5 pounds of broccoli(about 8 cups)
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Olive oil extra virgin
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 TBSP. lemon juice
2 TBSP. pine nuts(optional)used pecans that is what I had but sesame seeds would be good too
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP. julienned fresh basil leaves (optional)omitted just did not have in house.
Preheat oven to 425.
Cut broccoli from the thick stalks leaving an inch or two of stalk.
Place the florets in a large sheet pan. Toss with about 5 TBSP. olive oil, sprinkle on garlic, salt and pepper.
Roast for 20 -25 minutes.
Remove from oven toss with lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts and Parmesan and basil.
Serve immediately.
With only 2 of us did not make this huge batch but cut the recipe by three quarters and it was still fantastic.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today March 18, 2009

Outside my window- dawn is just breaking.

I am thinking-why am I awake so early , for heavens sake I am retired!

I am thankful for-being able to be up this early.

From the kitchen-coffee is brewing.

I am wearing-cream housecoat, blue and cream slippers,my hair needs brushing.

I am creating- this post for my blog, obsession it has become.

I am going-clean the house, make pie crust and a carrot cake, and if I have any energy left do some laundry.

I am reading- recipes for above.

I am hoping-this lovely warm spring weather continues and we don't get a late winter snow storm.

I am hearing- news on the TV.

One of my favourite things-lilies, tho a flower of any kind makes me happy.

Around the house-planning on putting the wicker set out on the front porch today, just in case this warm weather lasts.

Plans for the rest of the week- Rosanne, Brianne and Brittany are coming Friday for lunch , the girls are on March break and Sherry ,Willie, Brock and Brayden are coming on Saturday for dinner on their way to a hockey tournament, Brock is playing .
Now you know why I am reading recipes........not a mystery.

A picture to share-a touch of spring.

This plan is from The Simple Woman's Daybook...created by 'the simple woman'.
She is encouraging all of us to
linger on the simple things of life...If you want to join her in taking a little look into the day plans and thoughts of those of us who are focusing on simplicity...the beauty of the everyday moments around us. Check out the link.

Happy St Patricks Day

Your Leprechaun Name Is: Dirt-foot O'Shamrock

Top of the mornin' to ya, Patty!

What's Your Leprechaun Name?

Life

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.'

Green Thumb Sunday-Signs of Spring

Saturday was a warm sunny early spring day with highs of 6C. Decided to try to find some signs of spring.
Just outside my own front door peeking thru the ground I found
Crocuses

Tulip

Heuchera

Took a short drive to Long Point Bay marshlands hoping to see some tundra swans on their return migration journey , they fly 6 000 km between the Canadian Arctic to their wintering spot in the United States. The swans use the marshes of Long Point Bay for a rest and a staging area after flying over Lake Erie.


When first arrived all there one could see was one lonely Canada GooseCan you spot him in the middle of the pic?

All of a sudden up from behind a row of trees rose flock after flock of white swans filling the bright blue sky with their v formations.
The warm air was filled with their honking.
A small group then more and more.















So exciting to see these regal birds.
Still wanting to find more signs of spring , drove further and by a Bed and Breakfast called Green Valley, they are tapping their huge old maples.

3 positive sights of spring in my area!
Any in yours?