Here is Something I Like

Very neighbourly italian soap.

I arrived home today from a glorious riverside walk and a trip to the local nursery to see my neighbour hurrying out her door holding a beautiful Italian soap in her hand and and offering it to me. It was a 'thank you' from her for the loan of my trusty hole-punch. (Yes - I am the kind of neighbour who has innumerable odd tools on hand ... the result of many interests and a commitment to ongoing moodling).

She is in the throes of making giant playing cards as costumes for an 'Alice in Wonderland' themed gala fundraiser, and needed the hole-punch to, well, ----- punch holes. The offer of the soap included a tour of the costumes which are brilliant in their design and simplicity, along with a glimpse into her cushion-festooned living room where she is producing 'lounge-seating' for the gala, home-factory style.  I am in just plain wonderland at my good fortune in having such warm and generous neighbours! And fine soap is my one weakness and something I really, really like.

The Friends of Facebook Love Song Jamboree

Last week, inspired by a post from the Vancouver Observer, I asked my Facebook friends to post their favourite love songs in time for Valentine's Day.  I kicked off the request by posting two of my faves, "Dance Me to the End of Love" and "I'm Your Man" by the inimitable Leonard Cohen, who some say sounds like a week of hard road, but whose dark, gravelly forest of a voice gives me shivers (the good kind) and whose poetry simply breaks me open.

I admit it. I have a weakness for love. I prefer it to a lot of other things. Too many to name. So, in honour of Saint Valentines Day, I am posting my official Friends of Facebook Love Song Jamboree.   I offer it with a wide-open heart and a million thanks for sharing these intimate, haunting, romantic, beautiful, tender, evocative and even quirky-charming tunes. The VERY BEST part of putting together the playlist is the glimpse it's given me into the romantic musical preferences of my Facebook community. As I listen to the songs (pretty much daily since I started building the list) I find myself fondly connecting the song to the sender, and in true Valentine's spirit, getting the message.

My heart has swelled, my eyes have brimmed, and my poetic little soul has been wailing "At Last" in true Etta James style, as I connect to my deep, abiding, and often neglected, love of spoken word, poetics and lyrical renderings.

I am poet. Hear me roar.

Your songs and postings stirred a voice within me. I hear it whisper (in a voice not unlike Leonard's)...
"Be Mine".

Please visit the page Love Song Jamboree to see the Valentine's playlist. then visit iTunes and create a list for yourself.  Spend some time playing it for that special someone. You.

Favourite Re-runs: Caramel Pecan Tart

This is a recipe I published some time ago, when I started my Recipes page. Today, messing around with my blog, I realized that the Recipe page is static - I don't now how to add additional recipes to it, so I am changing it into a Recipe of the Month (ROM) page and I will transfer the 'old' ROM to the main post when I change them up. That way, you won't miss one delicious morsel.

Caramel Pecan Tart

from Chez Piggy

Crust:

1/3c + 2T unsalted butter

1-1/4c flour

5T sugar

2 egg yolks

Filling:

2/3c packed brown sugar

1/4c unsalted butter

1/4c golden corn syrup

2c coarsely chopped toasted pecans

3T whipping cream

Preheat oven to 375 F. Crust: Line the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan with parchment paper (cut to fit). Cut butter into flour and sugar until it forms pea-sized chunks. Add egg yolks and mix until pastry just begins to cling together. Press into the bottom and sides of the tart pan, to 1/4 inch thickness. Prick crust all over with fork and bake for 12 minutes. Cool.

Filling: Combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat, stir in pecans and cream. Lightly press into cooled crust. Bake at 375 F for 12 minutes. Let cool. Serve in thin wedges (It is really rich, *swoon*).

I love to serve this topped with a dollop of whipped cream flavoured with almond extract. Mmmmmm.

Something Beautiful Every Day

Hubby and I took an overnight trip up the North side of the Fraser River on the last weekend of January.  Usually a damp, murky time of year here in the Pacific Northwest, this one turned out to be unusually cold and clear. We were headed for the healing mineral pools of Harrison Hot Springs resort, so we couldn't have asked for more cooperative weather gods.

There is nothing quite as satisfying as steeping aching middle-aged bones in a steamy outdoor hot pool while the air around you is crisp and bright. Unless of course, it is following that with side-by-side massages (which, we did - of course!).

Following our self-care sojourn at the spa baths, we meandered homeward along icy side routes and were absolutely captivated by roadside waterfalls turned to ice, covering branches and bushes and clinging to the cliffsides. Such a rare and beautiful site in this part of BC, I just had to share it with you!

Icy fingers point us homeward

Ice whiskers on the granite

Crystal  branches and moss.