Simple healthy Nacho supper

Mexi Dip:   layer ->   Grated cheese
                                   Salsa
                                   Sour Cream
                                   chopped tomatoes
                                   Guacamole
                                   refried beans

Refried beans:
one can of black beans + 1 clove chopped garlic + chili powder + salt + water -> cooked and mashed

Guacamole:
One avocado + 1 clove chopped garlic + 1 tbsp lemon juice (option chopped tomatoes) -> smash

Whole Wheat Nacho chips

Nachos bakes with chopped peppers, black beans and cheese!

quite healthy, tastey and filling!

New Sewing Room for Me!

Here's the first time in my life that I've had all my fabric, sewing machine, 

sewing gear in ONE room!!!  

How exciting!

 Before this, I had everything in different spots all over the house.  

It just made it harder to get going on sewing.

 

Now...

I have 2 quilts to get going on.  

A quilt for Atlin

and a quilt for a very small bean.

Who is swimming at the moment!!  

;0)

seed cataloging

I think maybe I've logged 5 hours into this baby already!  Familiarizing myself with heirloom vegetables. Reading all the mouthwatering descriptions of what they'll taste like.  Tonight I was on their online catalogue so I could see what everything looked like too!
 HOW FUN!

some of the tomatoes were just astounding.  crazy lookin things...

 Black Calabash


                                   Reisetomate

 Violaceum



                                        Zapotec




There's 20 pages of tomatoes... but somehow it managed to keep my interest!!

Heritage Harvest Seed company, out of Carman, Manitoba.

 The Seeds of Diversity claims they "One of the best selections of rare heirloom seed in North America! Over 600 hard to find heirloom vegetables, flowers and herbs. "
After looking at other seed companies, I think their close to right!   These guys have it all covered.

The Seeds of Diversity is a Canadian organization all about seed conservation and documentation.  There are 1400 members who save seeds and pay a small membership.  In turn, having access to samples of over 2900 seed and plant varieties from other members!  I think I'll join up.  Sounds kinda up my alley! 

I am hosting a Seed Talk and Swap at the Radville Library on March 6th, If you live anywhere near, be sure to come out!

I'm going to plant some wild and wierd heirlooms this summer!
What a world.   Saving seeds is where its at.

Where do you get your seeds from??

Have you found some favorite, special heirloom varieties?

Birdeeey pardy!

 

THIS baby. (2 DAYS old here!)

 3 Months

 One Year old

 I made a carrot blueberry flower cake this year

HAppy Birdeey Dancing!

 She Enjoyed her own day!  

She knew she was special, which was my only hope!

Is still singing "bir deey bir deey"

And wanting Pardys (the party hat!)

That was on February 3rd!!

Sweet pea.

Saving Spaghetti Squash Seeds

It is February and we still have about 5 spaghetti Squashes left from the garden!!

They are a great winter keeper - and delicious in all kinds of recipes,

So why not save the seeds when I am gutting them, I ask?

 Its so easy to do.
~Remove the seeds from the pulp
~place in a colander and rinse
~ Pat dry with a clean dish towel or paper towel
~ place on a plate/cookie sheet/ newspaper...  to dry

~ They need about one week of drying, but the longer the better!

And look how many seeds ONE squash gives - almost one hundred!!

~Place dry seeds in a little bag Paper is best. I use old envelopes, cut them to size...

~Label the kind of seed, origion AND Month/Year.

THis here made me happy, I sent away two packages which I've been meaning to send for MONTHS!!

Then I organizes a couple disastrous cupboards and shelves!

What a great day.

Its finally SNOWING too!!

Going to make spaghetti squash enchiladas...

Cross Canada trip 2008

Here's a little story to go with a couple journal entries.  

I sure wished there were more journal entries like these along the way, 

but I guess I was just taking it all in.

We drove from Chilliwack, BC to PEI

almost 6,000 kms!  

it was fun!

Steve had cut off his dreads a bit before and decided to leave one in each province along the way!

That's what that little picture of the river is about.

Then we stopped and wwoofed a bit at a farm I go to from time to time.

 

 

I made this map of Eastern Canada to figure out this country AND 

to make Ontario not seem SOOooo long.

Cuz its basically the size of 3 regular Canadian Provinces.

this was taken in Osoyoos, BC - in the Okanagan.

One of 2 Canadian towns with 4 "O"'s in it.

The other being Oromocto, NB which was our destination.

 The strawbale house at the wwoof farm in Greenwood, BC 

(they still graciously take wwoofers if you are ever on the #3 in South BC!)

 Falcon Lake, MB

Just starting to turn in to Boreal

 Lake Superior from the Terry fox Statue

 What an amazing person he was.

 

Earth floor beauty, Somewhere in Northern Ontario.

 T Dot. 

(Toronto)

We made it to PEI!!  This is Cavendish Beach.

What a Beautyful place.

 Picnic lunch in Charlottetown, PEI.  

We had a food suitcase for a picnic set!

Our pups were with us for part of the way!  

(Rest in Peace, my girl Freedom)

Us, Before children!!

It was a fun trip.  

:0)


For more past journal entries:

 

time to knit for heaven's sake.

 Not sure if I have ever talked about knitting... 

It has been something missing from my life, I've had a block about it.

Various knitters have showed me how, I'd start a scarf, then put it down and immediately forget how to knit.  Not this time, baby.  I'm doin' er.

Today I casted on.

Toque time.

This is serious!!!

Here's my teacher, joyous buddy and niece.  She was living with us for a while and just left today.  We will miss her dearly.  There is already an achey void in my heart.  

Attie will miss her and call her every day!   

.."saayoiaaa?  sayoiaaa? find Sayoiaa, ousiyde?"

First lesson, how to make a yarn ball where the string comes from inside.

Here is a knitting party we had before xmas:

action shot

the proud and beloved sara 

This was the first yarn she spun!  I think it is jam packed with beauty and character!

 so SOOFT.  :0)

I crocheted a toque for my niece for xmas... 

different niece.

So I pledge to you and myself to have a toque done,

inside this month of February.

Anyone else in on learning to knit?   Or crochet?

Most of you probably know how already!!