Discoveries

This a has been a lovely month.

One full of  joyful times with family and also creative moments, as always.


We beachcombed locally, just the four of us.

I led my class (these students are 10 years old!) at the studios by the river, in painting a local icon, the Samson V.  

Here are some results:

I just discovered Lily & Madeleine...their harmonies have been my soundtrack this month.

Lily & Madeleine

At Oliver's hilltop elementary school, I spotted this lovely group project in the hallway between two classes, symbolizing student and teachers' desire to work with and respect one another.  I can see ribbons with names on them, likely woven into the mix by each individual.  Lovely both in form and function!

Art Is For Everybody

This week's discoveries...

Billie Marten: Ribbon

'Meadow Lark'  artist: Kentree Spiers

Niki + The Dove - the drummer

We worked on lily pad collages in art class...the kids made beautiful pieces!

Discoveries

This week has started to a pleasing tune.

I'm going to spend the week on my usual activities: cooking, cleaning, painting.  I feel lucky!

Some lovely, new-to-me inspirations:

I'm obsessed with Phoebe Wahl's art.  She tells such compelling stories in her illustrations.

Jamie Oliver's a fan...Paloma Faith has been getting some airtime around here too.

One morning a few days ago, I stepped outside into this.  Lucky...I feel lucky to live where I do, and do what I do!

What is reminding you that life is wonderful this week?

Summering on the West Coast

1.  Soundtrack of the summer.  Good Canadian girls...I run to their newest album, make sushi with it in the background...hoping to see them live at an openair concert to end our summer on a high note...

2. Am on the fence about presenting this cocktail to actual guests...1 finger Rose's Lime Cordial, topped up with a mediocre beer...I love it!!

3. My official summer barbecue side dish:  Green Onion Biscuits.  Don't forget plenty of sweet butter on top.

4. ***side note*** I cannot believe how much our children have grown since last summer!!

5.  Enjoying our potted garden.  This year, we're cultivating trailing verbena (both peach and plum coloured varieties), a pretty yellow mecardonia hybrid, fuchsia, trailing rosemary, and dainty purple alyssum.  I especially love the one yellow nasturtium that centers the collection: the seed was planted in my honour by our Oliver in Kindergarten as a mother's day present in May.    (Also, am unreasonably enamored with my new summer sandals, making a small appearance in this photo.)









(Last summer's faves)


Anyone else making new discoveries this summer?  Cocktails?  Plants?  Music? Food?

Buttered, Baroque, Beauty.

Buttered

At the end of this week when my friends and I gather over happy hour at my house, I'm serving these rich lovelies, with a sparkly white...

Spanish croquettes feature serrano ham + manchego cheese.

Baroque

Please tell me this neo-Baroque is as gorgeous to you as it is to me!...Anna Prohaska is a true revelation in my world.

New Baroque - Anna Prohaska

Beauty

This week I put my final touches on a piece I've been toiling over for a while now.  I wanted her to be both vulnerable, as well as strong.  Beautiful and mysterious.

Art Deco Madame

Hoping you are finding beauty in all you see, hear and do this week!

Wintering: Canadian Stylie

I feel we Canadians "winter" very well.   Some cultural highlights of the season in these parts:

1. Embrace the Flavours

They're all a delight...but oh my!  The maple-bacon donut (top right) is really the toast of the town at the moment.  
If you're in Vancouver don't miss them here.

2) Simple Sounds for the Soul

This Canadian husband-wife duo dubbed "Whitehorse" is on loop here while
I paint during these frosty months.  Am addicted to this one...oh and
 this one too...

3)  "Hey, did anyone ever think that maybe Sylvia Plath wasn't crazy, she was just cold?"
                                                                                                                              -Lorelai, Gilmour Girls

(Photo: Olwyn Hughes)
The only thing on my list of things to do this
week:  finally watch the movie!  

Hope you are all enjoying your winter days and nights too!

What new flavour/ sound/ story have you discovered lately?

Winter, Stockholm Style

Turns out the theme of my December is a distinctly Swedish one.  Nothin' wrong with that!


Got It:



Meet our new dining room chair set!   We are in good company, loving this design-y seat...

Feel It:



I miss my sister extra lots when I stream this sister duo.  Beautiful and haunting. 
My no. 1 soundtrack for gift wrapping once the kids have gone to bed.  Listen here.

Make It:



 

 

Wanna make your own IKEA meatball dinner?  I tried this recipe this week...totally amazing...don't leave out the steak sauce or the vermouth!

Scandinavian Meatballs in Mushroom Sauce

FOR MEATBALLS

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/3 cup minced onion
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1 clove garlic, minced
4 shakes Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

FOR MUSHROOM SAUCE

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken stock
3 Tbsp bottled steak sauce
3 shakes Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp dry vermouth
               coarse salt and ground pepper

For meatballs, combine ground beef with remaining ingredients  Scoop or shape small meatballs, about 1/2 inch (1cm) across and chill until ready to cook.

For mushroom sauce, heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large saue pan on medium-high heat.  Sear meatballs to brown on all sides, but not cooked completely.  Remove from pan and reserve.  Reduce heat to medium and add remaining oil.  Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and saute until tender and any excess liquid has evaporated.  Add garlic and flour and stir to coat mushrooms, cooking for 2 minutes.  Pour in about 1/2 cup of stock, stirring constantly, until it has been absorbed by the flour.  Switch to a whisk and whisk in remaining broth.  Stir in steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce and vermouth and bring up to a simmer.  Add meatballs and cover, letting simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 4

From Anna & Michael Olson Cook at Home

 

Art. Food. Music.

Despite being wrapped up in my own crocheting, school-lunch-making, bulb-planting, and general homefront-peacekeeping, I've made some cool discoveries this week. 


Art:



a Ryo Takemasa illustration

Food:



Chef Rachel Khoo -  any girl with Austrian/ Chinese
 + Malaysian roots born in England who dreams
up noodles with french sausage for breakfast is an
uncontested superhero in my world...and hello??... 
how foxy is she in her dots + heels picnic?!

Music:



Lianne La Havas. Neo-soul-indie-folk?  Yes, please!

It's fun keeping track of new loves.  New discoveries keep us spicy...hope you are all feeling spicy too!



 

Summer 2012

My summer has been lovely so far...these highlights make the top 5 (starting top left, clockwise):

...geraniums thriving in our container garden...the "it" book d'ete enjoyed with a long-sought-after treat from a local bakery (romantic mr. hausfrau surprised me with it!)...our herb box in the lane...THE soundtrack chez moi (good enough for Christian Dior at Fashion Week?...good enough for me!)...the provencal lavender we are cultivating along the path in the lane...

These little things make me happy to be homesteading here in the woods this summer!

New. Calm. Shins.

This week is shaping up well.

New:

Stitched daisies...

    


  



Calm:

Found the most amzing new tisane at one of my favorite purveyors:

The chamomille mint blend is just the right balance.  Perfect for ending the day.


Shins:

Life is good when good bands produce new music!


Hope the little things are bringing you joy too...

Going Dutch

My newest little project:

'Velo'

I was inspired by this magazine spread:

The models for the spread were all members of the Trio Zazi from Holland.  They were modeling the most amazing folk-froks!  I imagine heaven to be place where I could dress like this everyday.

Trio Zazi's music inspired the colours I used in 'Velo':

Enjoy!

Stadt Musikanten

During these inbetween days, I've been making and listening.


Stadt/ City:



Pen Drawing/ Paper Collage



 Musikanten/ Musicians:

This has been my favorite song during 2011.  Wonder what will trump it in 2012?!

Anybody else willing to share their absolute favorite song of the year?

And Peace to All...

Wishing everyone peaceful, healthy days ahead...

What Are The Germans Up To?

I think I like this song.  The video features excellent bermuda jeans with knee socks on a bike which is kinda awesome...and a foodfight which might be romantic in Germany.  I don't know.

Local. Proper. Canadian. Wine.

Some random discoveries and bits:

Local:

Heard a new band today...East Vancouver boys, the Boom Booms:

Proper:

A friend (who is also a known oenophile) came over for dinner not too long ago and brought a nice bottle of Cline wine from a recent trip to the States.  We served the Cline with dinner that very night.  This q & a from Martha Stewart (November 2011) made me glad we did!

(From an article entitled See, Sort, Savour: Here's how to get organized and start pouring when guests bring a jumble of bottles to Thanksgiving dinner.)

" Truly Special Reds

These typically arrive with a story attached and should be accorded an extra measure of reverence.  As a courtesy, open them (and taste them in the kitchen to make sure they fit in and to find out what the fuss is about), and then place them on a silver wine coaster within arm's length of the donor."

Canadian:

Leah McLaren made me laugh when she wrote about Kate Middleton in a recent Chatelaine:

" Like Kate herself, Canada is young, clean-cut, uncontroversial, solvent and staunchly middle-class.  A bit of a goody two-shoes, perhaps, but we make up for it with upbeat small talk and unfailing good manners"

Ha!

Wine:

Then to celebrate the same oenophile friend who brought the Cline, we went to Chambar in downtown Vancouver on her 40th birthday.  There, we discovered a new wine.  It's my new favorite...

Buzzing

...with new energy since having started a bootcamp class at a nearby park twice a week.  Here's what I've managed in the last while.

• work on Oliver's Christmas present: the alphabet pillow

• using nectarines in as much as I can (nectarine freezer jam coming soon!)

• discovering "new to me" music
• exhausting children by playing and eating outdoors:

• visiting the new favorite playground/ tugboat often:

Little O running up the deck to HIS wheelhouse

Pipers, Picnics & Projects

Pipers:

Sunny days this week were spent watching the SFU bagpipe team lead the way for a new group of graduands receiving their degrees.  We sat in a grassy patch near the pond, watching and listening.  They're so great!

Picnics:

... then an impromptu picnic with neighbors at the park.  On the menu: havarti sliders, strawberries, watermelon, perogies + sour cream...

Charlotte at the picnic

Projects:

...and in between naps and tantrums, a new math project underway:

Discoveries

Love this:



Michelle Armas


....and this:

I also discovered that I had all the ingredients for a turkey dinner today, the first day that actually feels like summer (and very much NOT conducive to turkey dinner) around here.  Whatever...it was GREAT and my people had no complaints!

Hausfrau Anniversary

This week my man and I celebrate 5 years.  Wowzah!  Seems like yesterday that we got married with the drunk guy sleeping outside the church and the community carnival carrying on across the street...sigh...

Our playlist:



I love you BIG!

Winter Songs

Adaquately occupied meeting with friends, ordering dinner in, getting to know the baby girl, birdwatching with our little boy,  looking for recipes to make next week (time to dig into my Jamie's America book, methinks),  listening to tunes...