Satiated

The future husband and I indulged in a week's cooking from Gourmet Magazine which we get by subscription. Lip-smacking and simple.

Garlicky black-pepper shrimp and black-eyed peas.

Creamed broccoli with parmesan.

The Monte Cubano. 

three favourite things

1. My engagement rings.  Reflective of my personal style and taste. Crafted by a local designer from Made You Look in my former Toronto hood, Parkdale. 

2. Chicago. Public art installations. Obama's town. And it's where I 'said yes.'

3. The free bird mobile pattern from the Philly-based Spool. I just finished a third for newborn twins Claire and Madelaine. 

Fat Tuesday

With the start of Lent, the former Catholic and always Eastern European in me is craving a Polish jelly-filled donut or paczki. If I was still living in Roncey in Toronto's west end, I would stop in at Granowska's. But Sarnia's local paper, The Observer, suggests Global Donuts on London Line. Fatty? Heck ya.

Winter seed

The birds are hungry! Audbon feeder bought on sale at the Friends of the Pinery Park store just south of Grand Bend. 

Master potter

The future husband created this teapot before Christmas in Lambton College's beginner pottery class. This winter he is now in the 'Master Potter's' course. Throw, spin, pull and fire. 

Every day is the fourteenth

A weekend filled with V-Day love from the future husband and best friends. Every day is the 14th! 

Cultural walkabout

It's First Friday tonight downtown. We ventured out twice in the fall for these cultural walkabouts and they surprised us. Free wine, interesting art exhibits (including Group of Seven at Gallery Lambton) and musical acts at downtown galleries and shops. A good reason to go out at night in February.

Pretty bird

On my wish list: A spring-inspired 18 karat gold ring in the shape of a pretty bird with the Aquarius birthstone, amethyst. Handmade in NYC by Julius Cohen.

Bounce

It's definitely not trampoline season here in the Valley but these photos by Sweden's Malarky make me want to bounce. 

Colour of sunshine

Yellow birthday flowers glow on a day when it hasn't stopped snowing since yesterday at 4:00 p.m. Delivered by My Secret Garden. Thanks Dad!