Today's thoughts

Fall Skies

I heard on the radio the other day that you should sleep with your bedroom doors closed in case of a fire.  The doors will hold back the smoke as they have discovered in tests.

Husband M has discovered that white rice is really bad for his blood sugar readings.  Two slices of rye bread has such a different (better) effect, something to keep in mind if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic.

My sister found this most romantic true story from the New York Times
'She Answered His Ad for a Roommate, Moved In and Never Left'.  I enjoyed the read.

Sunday Sketches - the Moon

Welcome to Alexandra's Sunday Sketches! This piece is entitled 'The Moon', done on an index card in watercolour crayon and pencil. Happy Sunday, hope it's not too cold where you are. I have a cousin in Florida who was saying how cool it was at 72F the other day (she called it a cold front). I just said 'ya, really'.  I think she was actually glad to have a break of the humidity!

Las Vegas 2015 - Bacchanal Buffet

It would be remiss if I didn't tell you about the Caesar's Palace Bacchanal Buffet where we did a weekday lunch on our recent visit to Las Vegas. I took photos of what I ate, there had to be 300 items to choose from, so I did my best to do it justice!

Caesar's Palace

Bacchanal Restaurant Glass Chandelier

My first plate

Lobster chowder, oyster shooter, pork belly plate, lobster ravioli, crayfish, paella, prime rib, mussels.  The chowder was a bit salty so I just tasted it and had a bite of the ravioli.  There were 2 oysters in the oyster shooter which sat in a Bloody Mary type of mix. The pork belly plate was to die for,  the pork belly sat on some kind of sauce and was topped with a tiny piece of apple.

Caesar's Palace Washroom sink

My Second Plate

poblano chicken, mini zucchini and tomatoes, corn, kale salad, baby spinach salad, tortillas, guacamole, pico de gallo, truffled scalloped potatoes

My Dessert Plate

I have to say their desserts were the best part of the meal, superb, incredible chocolate!  Buttercream stick, raspberry coulis, tiramisu in a chocolate cup, creme brule, watermelon.  Husband M said they had a large selection of sugar free desserts as well.

And that was my Bacchanal Buffet gastronomic experience!

Paint Party Friday - Angel Wings

Welcome to Paint Party Friday, faithfully hosted by Kristin and Eva! I did a seasonal piece entitled 'Angel Wings', modelled from a photo of a duck in flight! It's done on an index card in watercolour pencil.

Las Vegas 2015 - The Strip

Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends!

Here are some photos I took on the Las Vegas Strip during our trip:

Luxor Wedding Chapel

It seems as if every casino has a wedding chapel.  Our hotel had long lines of people waiting to be married!

Luxor Ladies Washroom sign

I thought this was an interesting sign warning pregnant women about the dangers of alcohol.

Paris Las Vegas

Arc De Triomphe Las Vegas

Bellagio Fountains

We saw a pretty fountain light show one evening at the Bellagio.

Casino Washroom

I thought this display was interesting on the washroom faucet!

Las Vegas 2015 - Fremont

On this trip to Las Vegas, we took a cab to the downtown Fremont Experience area. It is the original, older casino area.  It was quite cold and windy that evening, we didn't hang around there for very long.  I played a 1c slot machine and ended up with $20.00!  But that was pretty much the full extent of my gambling.  It was fun to hear the machine go 'bing bing bing' quite loudly.

Binion's Casino

Iconic Glitter Gulch

Golden Nugget Casino

Las Vegas 2015 - The Illusionist

We had a family vacation in Las Vegas last week. Husband M and I, Son K, Daughter L and her boyfriend were able to go.  It was L's first time to Las Vegas and she loved it. We stayed at the Luxor Hotel and were very happy with our rooms in the pyramid and with the hotel.

David Copperfield the magician was playing in town so we were able to see him perform. It was a fabulous show, he is very talented and clever.  According to wikipedia he is the most commercially successful entertainer in history. Well, he is obviously a genius. There is an interesting story years back when he and his party were robbed, he claims to have used sleight of hand to avoid having any of his valuables taken!

Chinese Long Beans

I was pleased with how easy and quickly these Chinese long beans were to prepare and cook and will definitely make them again. Here is a simple recipe I found, I decided to add some onions as well.

Sunday Sketches - Fallen Apples in the Shade

Welcome to Alexandra's Sunday Sketches!  This piece is done on an index card in watercolour pencil based on a photo I took.  I call it 'Fallen Apples in Shadow'.  I think it's time to start holiday sketches.

Felt Pig

I bought this little felt pig for my mother-in-law either as part of a Christmas gift, or maybe for her birthday in early January. She is 85 years old,  hopefully she will be around when the time comes! 

Paint Party Friday - Leaf Art

Welcome to Paint Party Friday. I have some leaf art to share with you today based on a photo I took of the sidewalk pavement. It's done in watercolour pencil on an index card.  Soon it will be time to start holiday sketching!  Thanks so much to Eva and Kristin for always hosting. 

Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars

Gather the Leaves

A little over a week ago, I had to drop husband M to the GO train station early one morning, it was about 5.30 am.  We are not usually up that early, it was still dark.  But stepping outside the garage for a little while, I was treated to a wonderland of twinkling stars, it was such a clear night.  I was in awe, it made me sure we are not alone in the universe.  I wish I could have lingered but we had to get going.  It proceeded to rain a lot that day, and into the night.  I tried to peek outside but of course it was all clouds that night.

I was reading this caregiver magazine a friend gave to me, there was an article on '100 ways to feel better right now.'  One in particular stood out in my mind and I tried it.  It said to just smile at yourself in the mirror.  What do you think of that one!  Another way would surely be to just go outside on a starry night and look up!

Danube water levels

The city re-planted some new trees in the neighbourhood. They are to replace trees destroyed in the ice storm 2 years ago. They wrapped these irrigation bags around the new trees. Apparently they are topped up with water to get the new trees started.

I was at the gym a few weeks ago and met an acquaintance.  I asked her if she had booked her European river cruise that she had been planning.  She said she had, but was concerned about the currently receding water levels on the Danube river.  Apparently they are so low that the cruise ships cannot sail.  They are in fact transporting people from port to port by bus!  I told her not to worry and that it  should be okay by spring next year when she is travelling.  This conversation took place before the Paris attacks.  Hmm.

Internal Decapitation

These are some morning shadows from my garden one morning:

At the drugstore, I saw the newly retired church secretary.  I asked how she was doing in retirement.
She said she was busier than she ever was.  She was helping out with a wedding in the younger generation and was heading out to help with the upcoming church craft sale.  She helped both my kids with Holy Communion lessons when they were little.  Well, I think I also attended the classes with them.

I happened upon this news story from Australia.  This little boy was in a terrible car accident where his neck was broken.  Doctors called it an internal decapitation where the child's head was pulled away from his neck but miraculously his spinal cord was intact.  'The surgical team reattached Jackson’s vertebrae with wire and a bone graft. The tot will wear a medical halo for the next eight weeks as his neck heals'.  What a talented surgeon and a lucky boy.

Automation

I thought this view through the curtains was a pretty picture one morning.  It's in the room where I do my blogging posts. 

At Walmart the other day, I noticed the cashier didn't seem very busy.  She told me that a lot of people are using the self-checkout more as they are getting used to it.  I got an email from Costco recently that says you can now do a lot of administrative functions by yourself online, such as renewing your membership.  Then a relative sent me a video of the garbage truck in California automatically emptying the curbside garbage.  It uses a robotic arm.  This is all wonderful, but people do need jobs!

Sunday Sketches - Leaf Art

Welcome to Sunday Sketches! Just a quick leaf art sketch in watercolour pencil on an index card for you today! It's based on a photo I took of the sidewalk pavement.  Hope your Sunday's going well!

On Sprout Bagels

I had this post ready to go but I just wanted to send prayers to Paris, shock and horror at the incomprehensible terrorist attacks.

I mentioned having a sprout bagel a couple of days ago and there was curiosity on what these might be.  They are a new product from Panera bread.  Here is a good article explaining more about them, it says Panera uses sprouted grains from rye, spelt and rolled oats in this particular creation.  It results in a bagel with more protein, less starch and calories.  We are talking about whole grain goodness!  Husband M is going to switch to having these instead of a croissant.

Paint Party Friday - Street Sunset

This piece is called 'Street Sunset' based on a photo I snapped down the street a few weeks ago. It's done in watercolour pencil on an index card. Happy Paint Party Friday!

Estate Sale Continued

Stoneware Vase

So on Sunday my girlfriend S came by for a walk.  It was sunny and cold, but you didn't quite need a winter coat.  We passed by the estate sale I had gone to with my other friend the day before and were invited in to have another look as everything was half off from the previous day.  I bought a baking tray and a stoneware vase.  S found some jam jars.  I also decided to take an old wheelbarrow for $2.50.  S knew the estate sale ladies, retired kindergarten teachers from her kids' former elementary school.  They have formed a choir and sing at the old people's homes in the area.

Then we went to have coffee and a chat.  S insisted on sharing her  sprout muffin with me, it was pretty good with butter.

The Estate Sale

How is this for some newspaper art, compliments of the sunlight and shadows at my front door one morning. 

I went on a nice walk with a good friend Saturday morning.  The weather was sunny and bright for the most part.  We stopped off at an estate sale down the road.  It made me sad to see someone's treasured possessions being sold off.  Some of the items were so nice.  It is time to declutter as the saleslady said, it will make it easier when the time comes.  My girlfriend did buy a couple of good knives for a dollar.  After dropping the knives back to her car, we went for a nice cup of coffee and a chat.

After our walk, we went to a restaurant for a lovely Japanese bento box lunch.  My friend paid the bill when I went to the washroom, so I didn't have much choice but to thank her for her kindness!

Fall Colour

Here is some local fall colour for you today, I took this photo last week.  Everyone is now gathering all their leaves and cleaning up their lawns.

I was at the gym the other day and ran into a lady I hadn't seen in awhile. She has knee problems, she showed me how swollen one of them are and told me she has to wait 2 and a half years for knee surgery. She has already waited 6 months.  This made me think of an aunt who kept postponing her knee surgery.  It turns out she died of a heart condition and never got it done.  Such is life.

Seagulls

Last week, I zoomed in on these seagulls happily frolicking at a construction site that seems to want to be a pond.  They looked so carefree and happy.  It's too bad that within a short time the space will be full of new townhouses and condos.  A lot of them hang out in the mall parking lots too.

Sunday Sketches - Lest We Forget

For Sunday Sketches, this is a tribute to Remembrance Day, done on a journal page (8 1/2 x 11") in watercolour crayon.

Winnings

It's the time of year when McDonald's restaurant runs their Monopoly game. Certain items you buy will have stickers to help you complete their Monopoly gameboard.
The problem is that only certain pieces will complete the gameboard and they are few and far between. There are also instant win prizes. So if you read the fine print, you could win a million dollars if you have the right sticker on your Big Mac sandwich! It is more likely you can win a free sandwich like we did, or a small pop.  Well, it's fun anyway.

Paint Party Friday - Fall Scene

This is a fall scene I did for Paint Party Friday.  I am also linking to Art Journal Journey.  The sketch was done in watercolour crayon on a journal page (8 1/2" x 11").

Crispy Onion Quinoa

I made this crispy onion quinoa dish recently and quite liked it.  I found the recipe in a magazine.  You baked thinly sliced onions with some olive oil, salt and pepper for 20 minutes at 350F.  Then I cooked a cup of rinsed quinoa in a rice cooker with 2 cups of water, some salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.  I then mixed the baked onions in with a handful of chopped parsley.  You need a fine strainer to rinse the quinoa.

Have you made or eaten quinoa before?  It's thought by some to be a complete food with all the essential amino acids.  This is a great dish for the vegetarians!

October Sky

I took this photo one beautiful morning in October, and in fact we are having such mild, gorgeous temperatures this week.

I don't usually watch a lot of TV but lately have watched the first 2 episodes of the new Supergirl series thinking it embodies 'girl power' for young women.  It has been doing well in the ratings.  However, it is quite the action movie and I am finding it a bit too violent for my taste.  Hmm, so much for 'girl power'.  As a kid, I loved reading the superhero comic books, Superman, Batman, The Flash, you name it.  I also enjoyed the Archie comic books and tons of others like Richie Rich.  Were/are you a comic book reader?

Wine and Cheese Party

A few weeks ago husband M and I were invited to an art, wine and cheese party to celebrate the promotion of one of our financial advisors.  It was held in their offices.  The company has original art hung on their walls and a small tour was given to introduce some of the choice pieces.  I took home a few art catalogues from the gallery they deal with.  They served good wine at a bar and had tasty cheese appetizers.  I had 2 glasses of white wine and accepted a latte just before I left.  It was a lovely evening out, with good conversation and we met interesting people.  Here are some photos I took for you:

Ivan Eyre

This original art piece is at least $35, 000.  But art is subjective, so whether you could easily find a buyer is another matter.

Butternut Squash Shepherd's Pie

I saw a recipe for butternut squash shepherd's pie in a magazine, and decided
to try it.  It is great if you are watching those carbs.  Here is my version of the recipe:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium butternut squash
1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 can tomato paste
1 plum tomato sliced
1 carrot diced
1 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs olive or canola oil
1 tsp dried thyme or basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheese (optional)

Pre-heat oven 350F

Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper.

Heat oil in a skillet, add oil, onion, garlic, carrots, ground beef, corn starch, tomato paste, tomato, dried herb, salt, pepper.  Stir together until the meat is browned for about 5 minutes.  Add a cup of water, cover and simmer 15 minutes until carrots are tender.

Meanwhile put a few cuts in the skin of the squash.  Microwave squash on high for 10 minutes and let it cool.   Cut the squash open, remove the seeds and skin.  Microwave for about 10 more minutes and mash it with salt, pepper, a tablespoon of butter.


Spoon the meat into the baking pan.  Spread the mashed squash over top.  Optionally top with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.  Bake 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Sunday Sketches - Out For a Walk

Halloween came and went.  We had 12 kids last night, quite early on in the evening and that was it!

Hope you remembered to set your clocks back before you went to bed last night. We are on standard time again in Canada and most of North America.

Welcome to November and Sunday Sketches!  This piece is called 'Out For a Walk' done on an index card in watercolour pencil. It was inspired by a photo I saw in a magazine.