My weekend

This is some multi-grain raisin bread that I had been longing to make -it's very high on the "delish scale" - but I wouldn't make it until my kitchen machine with the dough hook was repaired. Okay, I could've make it without the dough hook, but by promising my man that I would bake him this bread if he would fix my machine was the right motivator. Happily my hubby removed the broken part for me (did you know that you could actually wear out a dough hook so that it shears off while leaving the stump in the machine's receptor?) So, repairs completed, this lovely bread was the first thing I made. I actually baked two loaves, but the first loaf didn't even get to cool much before it was greedily devoured (even my son who *hates* raisins had 2 slices - it's that good). Fortunately, this bread is filling, which meant that I was able to photograph the other loaf to show you before it too was devoured.

Anyone recognize this print???? This is part of a sheet set that I found at the thrift store on Sat. I couldn't believe my eyes! Holly Hobbie sheets in mint condition. I loved HH as a girl - I still have my HH rag doll that I got for Christmas when I was 7 or so. I also had a HH lunch kit when I was in grade 1 and I still have my HH easy bake oven. My mom even sewed my sisters and I HH costumes for a parade we were in as girls. Anyways, my fond memories of this character had me scooping up the sheet set even though I have 2 sons and no daughters - I just couldn't resist buying these sheets. So much yardage for so little $. I wish they were 100% cotton, but alas, like most fabrics from the 70's, they have polyester in them. I haven't decided what I will make from them - for once I am hesistating in cutting something up... ( are you surprised to hear me say that, Heather?) That doesn't mean I am short on ideas of what to make with them, but for now I'm enjoying the look of them and the fond memories they evoke.

Poppies and Samosas.

I love these poppies. You never know exactly what the flower will look like until they open, some are pink, some mauve, some red and last year I even got some deep fuchsia. Some of them have just a few petals, more like a typical poppy and some look more like a carnation. They are lovely and cheery and very plentiful in my yard. We save the seeds and use them in poppy seed bread or muffins too.

Yesterday we decided to make samosas...why haven't I done this before? We love eating them but don't like paying the price for them (we eat too many to pay around $2 each) and so W and I decided we would give them a try. Pretty simple really, and delicious. We had them with tofu and onions simmered with one of our few remaining jars of tomatoes and some biryani curry paste. Yum! Why is it that no matter how many times you tell a 7 year old that drinking water will not make the spicy heat go away he will still insist on guzzling water when eating spicy food?

Another life change

That's it - I knew it. Reading Ecoholic is going to mean some changes around here. I haven't put makeup on my face for years, but the nail polish on my toes disappeared today and is never coming back.

Parabens

I have borrowed the Ecoholic book from the library - I think Heather may have posted about it before - and the first chapter is about beauty products. Well, I only got to page 7 and I was already checking my shampoo, conditioner and moisturizer for their ingredients. I thought I was doing OK, buying them from the health food store, but I am disappointed to say that they have parabens in them. Apparently these are estrogenic; considering I am currently avoiding eating soy because of its estrogenic properties (so as not to encourage my ovarian cyst) I don't think I should be using products on my skin with these chemicals in them either.

I have just visited Nature's Gate's website and have emailed them to ask them why they are putting these ingredients into their products and whether they have any plans to remove them.

This issue is just another confirmation, if I needed one, that the multi-million dollar industry that is cancer research is a load of crap.......because all the wealthy companies out there who are manufacturing these chemicals, and all the people who are putting those dangerous chemicals into products that we put on our skin, know exactly what's making people sick. No research required.

Let's see - who's benefiting here? The chemical producers, the product manufacturers, the oncologists, the companies that make chemotherapy drugs and radiation machines, the researchers........all are becoming obscenely wealthy as long as people are sick. It's time to ignore the commercials on TV that tell us we have to use certain products to be happy, get some common sense, and think about what's going in or on our bodies. If a product isn't selling, it'll be discontinued.

25 years ago....

Yesterday I was in the front garden pulling weeds out of our lawn (more accurate to say I was leaving the lawn bits in our front weed patch but that's another story...) when, for some reason, it occurred to me that it has been 25 years since I became a teenager...that's right, a quarter century since I first was a teen. Yikes! What a thought, not good or bad really, just an observation. Too bad I hadn't thought of it on my birthday, I could have had a silver anniversary celebration....I guess I was too blissed out on birthday chocolate to think of such a thing. Anyway, just thought I would post about it so a certain someone I know, who will also be celebrating that "milestone", will be aware of it for her upcoming birthday. Aren't I helpful. :-)

Anyway, it is funny to think of how short a time ago that seems. I can easily remember many of my thoughts and feelings, hopes and dreams from that time. I like to keep that top of mind with my oldest nearing his teen years, in the hopes that it will keep our relationship open and filled with a comfortable ease, a simple enjoyment of each other. I remember talking to my Dad about aging once and he said something about looking in the mirror and thinking - who is this old guy? (he is very healthy and active, more so than most young people I know) I can easily see a time when I will be looking in the mirror and see a face with long white hair looking back at me and I will be wondering when did that happen...only a moment ago I was a mom with little ones, making our way through our days....a little girl pushing my cat around in a baby carriage....

Meet Tacky the Teapot

A lazy damp Sunday at home gave me plenty of time to create a little sweater for my "new" thrift store teapot. I can't say for sure what this yarn is....maybe Jiffy Thick and Quick or something like that. It was knitted on 8mm needles up one side and down the other, with a little shaping to narrow it over the lid, and I sewed up the sides leaving holes for the spout and handle. The teapot lid is very loose so this will work well to keep the lid on while I'm pouring, as well as keep my tea hotter for a little longer.




And these are some very tiny potatoes that we pulled out of our garden today. They were the rogue plants that appeared from potatoes that we missed last year. Cooked for 10 minutes with a sprig of mint and covered in Earth Balance Buttery Spread, they were yummy.