The good old days

I thought this was funny. 

Here is another one:

 

My butternut squash fries and roasted seeds

 I made some butternut squash fries and roasted the seeds the other day.  They were both good.  Although husband M and son K don't like butternut squash particularly, maybe just in a soup.  M likes the roasted seeds though they are crunchy.  The hardest part is peeling the squash so I may not do this again anytime soon.

The 'fries' are just baked in olive oil, salt, thyme, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika for 15-20 minutes until softened.

The seeds are boiled in salted water for 10 minutes then roasted for 5 minutes until the seeds start to pop. 

A Christmas Wreath

 Husband M's sister and her husband dropped by last weekend before the Toronto lockdown went into effect.  She brought this beautiful wreath that she made for us.  It has a battery lighting system attached which is fun, you can choose between 3 twinkling light sequences!

Daughter L and her fiance came into contact with Covid as a close friend tested positive.  The friend was asymptomatic but they went to get tested.  L and fiance were fortunately negative and will complete their quarantine today.  Each day they woke up hoping not to acquire symptoms, it was very stressful.  

It is hard to tell where anyone might have picked up the virus.  We suspect L's friend went to dinner at an indoor restaurant which was allowed at the time.  One of the friends in the small group may have been unknowingly positive.  Indeed that friend developed mild symptoms about a week later and informed the group that she had tested positive.  At that point 2 others tested and they were also positive although non-symptomatic.  One of these 2 was L's friend.

Interestingly, a 4th friend had joined the group very briefly but did not stay to dinner.  She tested negative.

 

Paint party Friday - Let the season begin

Welcome to Paint Party Friday. This is a seasonal ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") to welcome the season in!

Rain's Thursday Art Date - You as a Superhero

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art Date's 'You as a Superhero' theme.  This is my ACEO interpretation of 'Me as a Superhero' haha.

Diabetes Cure 2020

 Last week I heard on the news that there is a potential cure for diabetes type 1 and 2 in the works.  Scientists in Alberta have cured it in mice using stem cells according to this article.  The process would use a patient's own blood to effect a cure.  

"The lead researcher says lack of funding is a major research hurdle.

That's why a small group of volunteers is aiming to raise $22 million by 2022 to fund further research with Diabetes Research Institute Foundation Canada."

The money will help to prove to the government that the science works.

Some fun memes

 

Here are some fun memes for your perusal today.  The first one is hilarious.  I got the cat one from Sandra, notice the ouija board.

My kale salad

 I found an easy kale salad recipe here .  It came together quickly, first you have to add olive oil to the chopped kale leaves and massage them for a couple of minutes until they soften a bit.  Then I just added some roasted almonds, lemon juice and grated parmesan cheese.  It was flavourful and delicious!

At first  I was put off at the thought of massaging the leaves to soften them, but it is only for a couple of minutes.  The benefit is this nutritious salad.  Oops, I forgot to slice my almonds!

In other news we got our first snowfall, all day yesterday.  We shovelled twice as my friend S told me it was wet and packing snow so quite heavy.  

Someday

 Denthe posts some interesting memes from time to time on her blog and this one spoke to me.

I am guilty of always saying 'someday'.  Time passes so quickly before you know it.  Maybe I have already waited too late for a lot of things.  Or maybe some things were never meant to be.

Seasonal Thoughts

 

Nice neighbourhood decorations

Thoughts are turning toward the Christmas season.    I know the Americans still have to get through Thanksgiving, however quietly they may be celebrating this year.

A lady working at the drug store said she was done weeks ago, mostly via online shopping.  Her kids are younger though so they look forward to gifts.  Daughter L also did her shopping early.  I have also done some online shopping for gifts.  Have you started your gift shopping yet?  

Paint Party Friday - Valerie's Leaves

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! Valerie kindly allowed me to paint her photos today. She has such a great eye, taking wonderful, inspiring images on her walks.   They are ACEOs (2 1/2' x 3 1/2").

Rain's Thursday Art Date - Antique

 I am showing some antique silver (ACEO 21/2" x 3 1/2") here for Rain's Thursday Art Date's 'Antique' theme.  It is on silver poster paper cut to size.  The vessel has such elegant lines and curves.

A refreshing fennel salad

 I decided to try making a fennel salad using a Martha Stewart recipe.  It was refreshing and delicious with a licorice taste.

Simply cut it up, squeeze the juice of half a lemon, salt, pepper and add some of the fennel fronds.  Optionally, you can shave a third of a cup of parmesan cheese on top.  

My Pita Bread Pizza

This whole wheat pita bread pizza came together quickly and easily.  I layered it with pizza sauce, shredded cheese, onions, tomatoes, green peppers and leftover breakfast sausages.   Then I bake it in my hotter oven at 325F for 15 minutes. 

 

Some Memes I collected for you today

Last flowers of the season

 I cut some last flowers of the season from my garden and they are really cheery aren't they?

A new tapas appetizer

 I was watching a Jamie Oliver show on TV where he featured Spanish tapas.  They all looked so delicious, including a charcuterie board he built.  But his cracker, cheese, honey and coffee ground appetizer caught my attention and I decided to try it with some coffee salt I have had in a bottle for awhile.  It was quite good, and I think I found a good use for my coffee salt!

Paint Party Friday - Waterfall Vignette ACEO

 Welcome to Paint Party Friday!  I have a Waterfall Vignette ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") vignette for you today.  It is done in alcohol ink markers and oil paint markers.

Rain's Thursday Art Date - Points and Dots

 

Here is my 'Points and Dots' piece for Rain's Thursday Art Date.  It is an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") on poster paper cut to size.  I enjoyed putting random dots on my maple leaf.

Remembrance Day 2020

 We must never forget.  I happened upon a Rick Steve's program on 'Fascism' on PBS TV recently and it revisited the horrors of World War II.  Many of us were not yet born and let's hope these times will never be repeated.  It is a real fear as history tends to repeat itself.  

The gift basket

 My Godmother discovered she had bladder cancer this past summer.  She is about 80.  Apparently it is a fast growing type of tumour they discovered from the biopsy but hopefully they caught it early.  She is doing well.  My sisters and I decided to send her a comforting gift basket as pictured above.  She was a dear friend of our late mother.  When she saw the driver at her door she thought he had lost his way, she was very pleased and surprised.  

Cute

Why English is so Hard to Learn

 Heteronym is a new word for me here, but this is a very interesting read.

Our new masks

 I ordered a bunch of new masks from Old Navy and split them among the family.  A friend of  Daughter L's recommended them.  They can be washed and tumble dried, come with adjustable clips on the ear bands.  It said triple layer cotton.  I like that they are readily available.  Costco had some nice Tilley ones but they ran out of stock.

Paint Party Friday - Observatory

Welcome to Paint Party Friday!

This image came up on my screensaver and I was inspired to paint it in this ACEO. It is the Mauna Kea summit in Hawaii where these observatories are found, they have some of the world's largest telescopes. Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano, is the tallest mountain in the world. They have beautiful sunsets and sunrises at this summit.

Rain's Thursday Art Date - Looking Down

Fall Forest

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art Date.  I did 2 ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") pieces for this theme.  The first is looking down on Heart Lake Conservation area, where there is a real heart shaped lake surrounded by forest in the area.  The 2nd piece is looking down on a forest in the fall.

My Breakfast Pizza

 My breakfast pizza turned out very well.  A packet of Hollandaise sauce was used on top of whole wheat pita bread.  Then I topped it with old grated white cheddar, sausages and eggs.  I baked it for 10 minutes at 300F in my hot oven. 

A Few Memes

 

I saved a few memes for you here today.  What's your favourite season by the way?  Mine is spring.

Sympathy Cakes

 My sister's 12 year old cat was put to sleep in the middle of October.  We sent these sympathy cakes via Uber Eats delivery service. They are mini cheesecakes, Mango Passion fruit and Belgian chocolate.

My November 2020 Calendar Page

Welcome to November!  I am sharing my calendar page for the month with you today.

Here is the quote I chose to go with the page:

“Wind warns November’s done with. The blown leaves make bat-shapes, Web-winged and furious.”

― Sylvia Plath, The Collected Poems

I happened upon Sylvia Plath's biography to learn she was a gifted and troubled poet. She suffered bouts of depression through her short life. Her husband poet Ted Hughes left her for another woman in 1962.  She became depressed and committed suicide at age 30 in 1963.  Gwyneth Paltrow was featured in a biopic of Plath called 'The Story of Plath'.  Hughes published her works leading to a Pullitzer prize in 1982.

There are always some interesting life stories out there.

Daughter L is visiting this weekend and left this candy display out front last evening for Halloween but there were no takers.