Returning Home

Well, I'm back home for the festive holiday season after traveling in beautiful old Europe for two amazing months. I got to experience life in jolly London, England, spend a few delicious and picturesque days in gorgeous Paris, and travel quite a bit in Italy, where I spent time in Verona, Lucca, Pisa, Venice, and a couple other little spots of beauty.

London was such a lively, buzzy city full of culture and infinite things to do. It's an extraordinary city and since it's so very old and has been written about in many, many books (Victorian mystery anyone?), walking through it really feels like walking through the best, most energetic museum ever :) I made sure to go to as many performances as I could, including two operas (Rigoletto and Turindot), a ballet (Sleeping Beauty), a play (Breakfast at Tiffany's), and two musicals (Phantom and Chicago). The air was electric and I was glad there were also some beautiful parks to go and unwind in.

Italy was absolutely gorgeous and Tuscany's rolling green hills and sunshine were delightful. While I could imagine living somewhere like London, Italy felt like a completely different and very alien planet. The culture was a great contrast to the busy rush of what I was used to - people were never in a hurry, they talked a LOT in any context, they enjoyed people watching and promenading, the food was quite different, and just the pace and priorities of everyday life were completely and utterly different. And I don't mean to say different in a bad way, it was really fascinating to experience it, but Italy definitely felt more like a holiday destination than a place where I could feel at home. For one thing, I missed whole grains, nut butter, and vegetable soup :) All in all though, it was like a wonderland full of natural and architectural gorgeousness, warm people, and a deep appreciation for the truly important things in life.

Being back at home means I get to do much more cooking, and I have been making plenty of soups and stews to keep the chilliness at bay. Having a warm bowl of slow-cooked deliciousness is sensational, especially when you can share with those you love.

I will now try to post regularly, and perhaps throw in some book and film reviews. This is a great time of year to do a bit of reflecting (burrow that brow!) and figure out what to focus on in the coming new year. It's all very exciting!

Travel Time!

Well, tomorrow is the day! I will be leaving the house at 5.30 in the morning to catch the flight to London, England, and then there will be plenty of adventuring to be had :) We all live on this one planet, but it always amazes me how different all the corners of the world are. Each place is completely unique and could be an entire world of its own. I will try to keep this blog somewhat up to date (if that is technologically possible) while I'm traveling. Hooray for new beginnings and adventures!

In a new moment

My, has it been a long time! And yet, this being Summer (for a little while longer at least), it still feels like the same sunny, relaxing moment it was during my last entry. Even more relaxing actually, since I am now finished handing in case studies and writing my final exam at school, hooray! I love the feeling of relief, freedom, and excited energy that I get whenever a big project/assignment/exam is completely done and finished with. Whew. And then it's on to the next thing :) It is fantastic that we are always able to grow, expand, learn new things, and find new directions to go in no matter where we happen to be in life. The opportunities are literally infinite.

My next adventure will involve some traveling, hopefully in Europe and California. I have always loved traveling. It amazes me how differently people live all over the world, and really brings a new perspective on life seeing that the way you grew up is completely not the only way, but just a tiny option in a sea of possibilities. Getting immersed in a new environment, experiencing new sights, sounds, tastes, interactions makes me feel very alive and it forces me to live in the moment, discovering everything in the now as if I was a child again. I love the history, architecture, deeply rooted culture, and slower pace of Europe. The food isn't bad either :)

Now that Summer is slowly coming to an end, it is a great time to make some plans and goals for a brand new year. During Autumn we will begin to go inward and gather everything we need like little squirrels preparing for a long winter. My preparations this year will include much packing and trip-planning. How we prepare sets the tone for what is to come, and I hope this coming time will be filled with passion, growth, beauty, and eye-opening experiences :)

Peaks of Summer Fun!

Here we are, blessed with another gorgeous weekend of birdsong and sunshine! Yesterday when I went raspberry picking I saw (and ate) the biggest, reddest, juiciest raspberries of all time. Three days of rain followed by sun made for the most wonderful, healthy berries! Needless to say, they're going fast in my house and I keep having to remind myself to savour every bite rather than stuff myself like the berry addict that I am. 

This picture is from the lavender festival I went to last weekend. Yesterday I went to a U-Pick flower spot for the first time ever and picked seven lilies, some pink, some white. It was such a neat experience to pick the flowers myself from a small garden rather than buy them from a store, not knowing their origin or what kind of chemicals they had been subjected to. On the way home, I felt a little sad that I had cut the flowers rather than letting them grow and flourish. I suppose the important thing is to just take a little bit and enjoy it completely, knowing that the flowers will keep growing, as long as we don't take too much (as with every resource). 

One of my tomato plants now has little green tomatoes which I hope will ripen nicely. Having never tried growing any vegetable before I have no clue what's happening but I'm trying to be observant and diligent with the watering. 

Next weekend the BC Renaissance Fair is on and I will be there in all my Renaissance and theatre loving excitement!! I highly recommend attending this fun event :)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Catching Up

Here I am! With a summery update at last :) It's funny how the hotter and sunnier it gets outside, the less I find myself in front of the computer (which doesn't bode well for my stack of schoolwork!). It the last week, some of the things I've been doing are...

- delectable raspberry picking! it was especially fun on Canada Day, when there was also a pancake breakfast at Krause Farm and so many people turned up to celebrate and feast on these delicioius little berries. I ended up eating so many through the week I got a stomachache, agh! Irresistible I say, they're just sooo good!

- reading on the deck. Summertime is my favorite for lounging in the sun, surrounded by bright flowers, and reading a good book. My reading material tends to be a bit lighter and funnier at this time of the year, and often includes a lot of historical fiction. I'm not a big fan of stories set in contemporary times, but I love the past.

- visiting the Lavender Festival at Full Bloom Farm. The aroma of lavender is extraordinary and never ceases to delight me. The flowers themselves are gorgeous, vivid, and glowing with life. There were so many bees frolicking in all that lavender, including lovely bumblebees. The photo for this post was also taken at this festival.

- visiting other little spots in the countryside (there are so many gems out there waiting to be discovered!) and picking up some freshly baked artisan bread from Fieldstone. Best bakery I've ever been to on the West Coast!

- planning which show to go to this summer at Bard on the Beach...so many great choices!!

- making a first attempt at raspberry cordial - a fermented raspberry drink made from whey, grated ginger, raspberries, and water. 

- going to the beach! 

Happy belated Canada Day and enjoy the rest of this gorgeous weekend!

Here's to the end of June!

Ahhh, how time flies when Summer's in the air, bees are a-buzzing, flowers are blooming, and birds are sing-songing! My days have included going to farmer's markets, more berry picking (get your strawberries before they're all gone!), lounging in the sun, getting a few more pots of plants for the deck (including some deliciously fragrant herbs!), experimenting in the kitchen, and finishing up at nutrition school, the end of which saddens me quite a bit. It's so important to find a community of like-minded individuals, and when people share a hopeful, nurturing attitude towards the earth and our future on it, it's deeply inspiring and feels absolutely wonderful! I hope we can all start connecting more in our efforts to make life a little greener, a little simpler, a little more compassionate :) 

One place that reminds me of this simple, old-fashioned kind of life is Fort Langley, a small historical town that is always fun to visit and stroll around in, soaking up the atmosphere and feeling any stress melt away. It's the perfect place for wearing big flowery hats, long dresses, and anything with ribbons :) There's some tasty gelato to be had also, and several antiques shops if that catches your fancy. 

Coming up, there will be lots of raspberries to pick and eat, as well as tomatoes, cherries, more nugget potatoes, and leafy greens. I had some delicious spelt pancakes yesterday, with jam and honey from Krause Farms. It was a bit of a sugar overload, but delightful and delicious nonetheless :) 

Oh, and another festive event going down this weekend and other days to come is the Vancouver Jazz Festival. There are plenty of free outdoor performances, mainly on Granville Island and in Gastown this weekend, and this event is always fun if you're a fan of music or summer festivals. 

Here's hoping everyone's end of June is full of joy and light!

Happy Father's Day!

What a great day to honour our dads and show them some much needed appreciation :) One way of doing this is to have some delicious buttermilk pancakes! Some farmer's markets offer these up, but you could also make your very own in the comfort of the kitchen. Then maybe take them outside to savour in the fresh air, surrounded by some greenery :) Here is a recipe for buttermilk cornmeal pancakes:

1 cup flour

1 cup organic cornmeal

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

  1/2 tsp coarse salt

   3 tbs sugar

   2 large eggs, lightly beaten

   3 cups buttermilk

               4 tbs unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 tsp for griddle

1. Place skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tbs melted butter, and whisk to combine. The batter should have small to medium lumps. 

2. Using a ladle, pour the batter in pools two inches apart. When the pancakes bubble on top and are slightly dry around the edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on the bottom, about one minute. 

Have a wonderful, festive day!

P.S. This photo is from UBC Farm - simply gorgeous!