Pierogie Party

Last night we prepared, sculpted, boiled and devoured more pierogies then one should consume in a single sitting. Potato with fresh herbs from the garden, tri-mushroom with smoky salt and blueberry with whipped cream.

"Zachwycający"
Delicious

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Friends in Bellwoods 2

Back in 2006, Sibling J and one of his Ohbijou bandmates were inspired to compile a 2 disc CD of local musicians who partied, recorded and lounged at a their home/practice space located on Bellwoods Avenue in Toronto. What came from this was an album featuring 36 Canadian artists whose sale has raised close to $12,000 for The Daily Bread Food Bank!

If you are not able to see Ohbijou perform tonight click here to see there North American and European tour dates!

Well, they are at it again and tonight marks the first of many CD Release shows for Friends in Bellwoods 2 - and this album is even better then the first!
It features rare and unreleased tracks from acclaimed artists such as Final Fantasy, Forest City Lovers, The D'Urbervilles, Great Lake Swimmers, The Acorn, Le Pigeon (aka. Mr. S), Timber Timber, Katie Stelmanis and Ohbijou. And if you listen closely enough you may even hear my strained vocals cords contributed to the song "Staten Island Waltz".

The Great Lake Swimmers - Featured on FIB 2

So if you are in the area, enjoy some of the best Canadian talent out there and giving to a good cause, please join us!

Friday August 28th - Friends in Bellwoods II Release Party Part 1 - Lee's Palace (529 Bloor Street West)

Ohbijou / Bocce / Forest City Lovers / Evening Hymns

Doors 9 PM - 19+ - $12 in advance (On sale at Rotate This and Soundscapes next week) - $15 at the door

Saturday August 29th - Friends in Bellwoods II Release Party Part 2 - Tranzac (292 Brunswick Avenue)

Short sets by : Tusks / The Acorn / Great Bloomers / Kate Rogers / Bellewoods / Kite Hill / Lisa Bozokovik / The Low Notes / Snowblink / Emma McKenna / The Phonemes / The D'urbervilles / Sebastien Grainger / Bruce Peninsula / Dinghies / Kids on TV and more

Starts 12 Noon until late - $10 at the door / $8 with a non-perishable food item

And if you are not available to come, please visit here or a local music store to pick up your copy!

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Old Soul

Found via A Cup of Jo.

I am inspired and in love with all of the accessories at the newly launched Old Soul, New Heart!

How fantastic is this beautiful necklace? ...not to mention her perfect teeth and lovely red lips!

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"na zdrowie"

The perfect midnight polish feast.

As I mention time and time again, so much about being at the cottage is about the food. I often imagine that the way I feel about eating at the cottage is the way a farmer should feel sitting down to the table each night - knowing they have worked their bodies all day and are deserving and appreciative of the food in front of them - fresh, local and delicious.

Making pierogi dough circles with our momentarily empty wine glasses

Our week of vacation at the cottage did not disappoint in the food department. It was really the one thing we planned in our day and the only thing that could convince us to stray from the solitude of the lake.
During the last three days of vacation we had our very good friends up for a badminton tournament that is now going on two years, rousing evenings of board games (Mall Madness anyone?) and of course, amazing food.

On one perfect evening with the fire roaring inside, Pani M (Miss M.) who hails from Poland, took us all through a late night pierogi making lesson.
We started by making a simple dough batter of flour, water and an egg (the texture is everything - the consistency and smoothness of pizza dough, but not sticky, more dry like pastry) - rolled out perfectly and cut into cookie sized circles.

From there we filled them with a gumball sized amount filling - ours were an amazing mix of herbed mashed baby potatoes (skins on) will a bit of cheddar for some sharpness. Fold the circle in half to encase the filling and then pinch around the edges to seal it!

Pop these little beauties in some boiling water until they float and you are all done! We drizzled olive oil on top to add a little flavour and keep them from sticking and then inhaled them covered in sour cream and friend onions.

A toast of "na zdrowie" (to good health) was all that was left as we clinked together our Zywiec cans and ended another perfect day at the cottage.

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Crying over spilled frozen milk

This morning I left the house in tears - big dew drop ones streaming down my face. Each drop rolling down my cheek a reminder of my sadness and bringing on another big drop - an endless cycle of self loathing.

When I get overwhelmed I cry and right now I feel overwhelmed - it is selfish and without merit because the things overwhelming me at not bad or sad or upsetting - they are exciting, adventurous and joyful. However, for me they mean change and unknown ...which makes me feel overwhelmed, which can make me cry...like this morning.

I should back track and say what actually pushed me to the point of crying was a culmination of events that started last night - not one worthy of tears, but alas...
I decided to make homemade ice cream sandwiches for our office BBQ tonight. I made the cookies and they were great. I added the ice cream and all seemed well. Then I opened the freezer and somewhere in between making them into sandwiches and getting them to the freezer the ice cream got too hot and melted into a swamp of sugar water around the cookies.
I was sad, real sad...and probably the most upset with myself for not realizing sooner that these would have never ever survived the trip to my office this morning thanks to humidity of bodies crammed into the subway on a summer day.

Fast forward to this morning, I opened the freezer and charging out and toppling onto the floor came the ice cream tub from last night and a few blackened bananas I am saving to make bread with, revealing behind them the mess that was my ice cream sandwiches. It was too much. I cried. I cried for no reason and through the tears tried to explain myself to a puzzled but sympathetic looking Mr. S.

And now I am sitting at my desk reflecting on my selfish morning and night of tears cried over dessert of all things...and being overwhelmed...but ultimately dessert!!!
So to help heal some of my Karma and get my head screwed on right, here is a list of the things I should have been focusing my energy on instead of crying - a list of things I am really darn appreciative for:

- A Garden that is Growing, producing fresh food and being beautiful
- A cat that snuggles up my to me at night and only grunts in the most amusing way possible when you disrupt her
- A partner who is understanding, talented and endlessly funny and who seems to file away with no judgment my overwhelmed moments and selfish tears
- Friendship, Family, Music, Creativity, Acceptance...

So here is to spending the rest of of my day with appreciation instead of negativity.

And here is to cupcakes (which I managed to make after pulling myself together last night)! I will make one for each of you for being such good listeners!

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les tomates

“Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes
What would life be like without homegrown tomatoes
Only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and home grown tomatoes.”
John Denver, 'Home Grown Tomatoes'


A Rainbow of sweet cherry tomatoes lighting up our garden

We have been harvesting our tomatoes each morning, each night and pretty much any time we walk past and one is ready to be picked. Sweet, flavorful and absolutely delicious.

A mammoth beauty just waiting to be plucked, cut up and enjoyed on fresh baguette with salt and pepper.

We are enjoying our smaller tomatoes straight off the vine and straight into our mouths, but this recipe from Fresh 365 looks amazing and definitely worth trying out!

Tomato Jam with Garlic Herb Toasts - c/o Fresh 365

makes 2 pints jam

4 lbs tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
1 c sugar
1 t salt
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 t cloves
1 T red wine vinegar
juice of 2 limes
1 baguette, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, peeled
sprig of fresh herbs, chopped (I used thyme)

In a large stock pot, combine tomatoes, jalapeno, sugar, salt, cinnamon stick, cloves, red wine vinegar and lime juice. Turn heat to high, and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Uncover, and increase heat to medium. Cook 30 minutes, until much of the liquid has been absorbed, increasing heat at end if necessary. Set aside to cool.

Place baguette slices on a baking sheet, and broil 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Rub with garlic and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Spread with warm tomato jam.

Store jam in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Happy Monday - I hope it is sweet, flavorful and absolutely delicious.

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What's Growin' Contest Winner

Today is the day...the big announcement...the end to the anticipation and finally the revelation of truth ...the day I announce the "What's Growin" Contest Winner and let you know what exactly those little seeds grew up to be!

First, the WINNER!
Since there were a perfect handful of you who participated, I assigned each of you a number and rolled the die to declare the Winner to be.....

ELIZABETH!!

Congrats Elizabeth - I will gift you with your Prize and Big Hugs when you come home to visit in a few weeks.

And what exactly was I growing you ask...

Tomatoes and Chives!

This is the point where I had plans of posting copious photos of us planting those little seedlings into the garden, then showing you their growth until the moment I captured our enjoyment of them or better yet, gifting them to the contest winner.
But alas, history has repeated itself for these dear little plants and many months ago they shriveled, sagged and became fertilizer for their relatives in our garden.

While my indoor gardening skills are still seriously lacking and some may say cruel to the plants I practice on, our outdoor garden is kicking butt! More photos to come and some of its delicious treats to be shared with our contest winner Elizabeth!

Thank you all for entering and Happy Friday!

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A Renewed Spirit

Closed in the morning and inspired to open by the sunlight

Since our return from one of the nicest vacations in the history of needing time away from the office, I have been unmotivated and inconclusive about my blogging.
My header was bringing me down; even I didn't want to visit my own blog or look at the stale, muted colors. And my inspiration for writing had expired as well. The tales I would normally rush to tell as fast as my fingers would type them seemed pointless, arrogant and self fulfilling.

Amazing what can be found hidden behind the closed doors of nine petals

I don't know what happened, but this morning I woke up feeling renewed. I busted out a new header (busy but more cheerful and more me) and am inspired again to tell you those stories - still lacking in any real purpose - but ready to be told again none the less!

And to celebrate my renewed spirit for this here little blog, tomorrow I will FINALLY announce the "What's Growin" contest winner! The good news is that no one guessed correctly, so the prize is fair game to all who entered!

Good Luck!

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Glowing and Growing...

This is glowing and growing in my garden right now.
Happy Monday

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Salt Water

No I didn't get engaged or have lipo on my legs- this photo is of a lovely looking lady c/o the LA Times Blog

We are back from our vacation, but I think I must have left my mind behind.

It is still relaxing on the dock with a drink resting n the side of my chair, with my feet extended to the water and my eyes that perfect place between sleep and wakefulness.

So to keep in the spirit of vacationing, summer sun and relaxation, I thought I would post about a great pair of sandals I picked up before heading away.

These red beauties come from a company called Salt Water and were found here in Toronto at my now favorite show store Imelda.
They are water friendly, so comfortable and make you feel like a perfectly put together lady from the 60's - a Lucille Ball of sorts. And they are amazingly affordable to boot!

Here is to a day that truly feels like summer, a mind that is still on vacation and to mother nature who is hopefully interested in granting us many more perfect sandal wearing days.

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