Friday, February 29, 2008

Bunny Update

We haven't seen too much of the bunnies lately. But every now & again there they are and I try to catch a shot or two. There's even a new one now too...a pretty caramel brown coloured one. I only saw her the one morning but I immediately had a soft spot for her cause she looked just like the pet rabbit I had as a little girl.
The funny thing is, about the bunny as a little girl, we used to keep them in a pen outside. Mine was caramel brown, my brother's was black. They had BABIES! Which when first born looked like rats with long ears. Eventually they we're all given away or ran away (they managed to dig really good holes and break out) til one day the caramel one couldn't be found :(
I always thought she just ran away and we didn't catch her in time.
A few years ago, Dad finally admitted to me that she had died and they only "told" me she ran away to spare me the grief. Can you believe that? It's like on the movies when they say the dog ran away instead of telling the child it had to be put down. I was that child!! I was shocked at first but I did see the humour in it all. Oh well...I guess no harm done....I think!?!?!?
Happy Friday & Have a great weekend!

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Scrapbook Layouts

as promised....sorry about the delay
These layouts are from my 8x8 album for our Cuba 2007 Trip
Enjoy!







"Happiness is not something ready made... It comes from your own actions." -- Dalai Lama

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Baby Sleigh

Conversation on Sunday....
Poppy Manuel: Kristen's sleigh is up on the land from when he was a baby. It even has a rope across it that his dad put there so Kristen wouldn't slip out.
Christa: Really?
Nanny Betty: Do you want it?
Christa: Yes!
Kristen: No!
Christa: WHAT?!?! Of course we want it. It has sentimental value and if it's in good condition we'll have it for our baby......
Last night I came home from work to THIS sitting in the snowbank in front of our house!

It's perfect!
Of course it has a few minor dents, chips and scratches but who cares that's what makes it SO freakin' awesome! I am so happy about this find. I have my old table/chair set and rocking chair in Nfld that I'll be putting in the nursery once we actually get pregnant and start a nursery. And now we have something from Kristen's childhood too! I've since found out that they put a little belt in them but they can still be bought/ordered from Sears. How great is that? But it doesn't matter cause now we have a classic :)
For now it's in safe keeping til we're ready to use it.
Also, in the theme of parenting, I've discovered this website through another blog that I read. I found it really interesting since it's not a "how to" per se, but more or less ideas to help things go a little smoother....check it out:

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

An Inconvenient Truth

As mentioned yesterday I watched the movie An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore. It's basically a documentary about Global Warming. At the end of the film it suggests you going to www.climatecrisis.net if you want to know more or want ideas how you can take action against global warming. It also further explains the film and so on.
It also suggests going to the website http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/
Here's a few things that website suggests we can do to help (amounts are USD):
Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
(Replace 3 frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $60 per year)
Inflate Your Tires
(keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $840 per year)
Change Your Air Filter
(Check your car's air filter monthly. Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $130 per year)
Fill the Dishwasher
(Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year)
Use Recycled Paper
(Make sure your printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled paper. Save 5 lbs. of carbon dioxide per ream of paper)
Adjust Your Thermostat
(Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer. Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98 per year)
Check Your Waterheater
(Keep your water heater thermostat no higher than 120°F. Save 550 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $30 per year)
Change the AC Filter
(Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150 per year)
Take Shorter Showers
(Showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $99 per year)
Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
(Using less water in the shower means less energy to heat the water. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150)
Buy Products Locally
(Buy locally and reduce the amount of energy required to drive your products to your store)
Buy Minimally Packaged Goods
(Less packaging could reduce your garbage by about 10%. Save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and $1,000 per year)
Buy a Hybrid or Fuel Efficient Car
(Save thousands of lbs. of CO2 and a lot of money per year)
Carpool When You Can
(Carpooling with friends and co-workers saves fuel. Save 790 lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year)
Don't Idle in Your Car
(Idling wastes money and gas, and generates pollution and global warming causing emissions. Except when in traffic, turn your engine off if you must wait for more than 30 seconds)
Reduce Garbage
(Recycle paper, plastic and glass. Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year)
Plant a Tree
(Trees suck up carbon dioxide and make clean air for us to breathe. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year)
Insulate Your Water Heater
(Keep your water heater insulated could save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year)
Replace Old Appliances
(Inefficient appliances waste energy. Save hundreds of lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year)
Weatherize Your Home
(Caulk and weather strip your doorways and windows. Save 1,700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $274 per year)
Use a Push Mower
(Use your muscles instead of fossil fuels and get some exercise. Save 80 lbs of carbon dioxide per year)
Unplug Un-Used Electronics
(Even when electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. Save over 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $256 per year)
Put on a Sweater
(Instead of turning up the heat in your home, wear more clothes Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $250 per year)
Insulate Your Home
(Make sure your walls and ceilings are insulated. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $245 per year)
Air Dry Your Clothes
(Line-dry your clothes in the spring and summer instead of using the dryer. Save 700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $75 per year)
Switch to a Tankless Water Heater
(Your water will be heated as you use it rather than keeping a tank of hot water. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $390 per year)
Switch to Double Pane Windows
(Double pane windows keep more heat inside your home so you use less energy. Save 10,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $436 per year)
Buy Organic Food
(The chemicals used in modern agriculture pollute the water supply, and require energy to produce)
Bring Cloth Bags to the Market
(Using your own cloth bag instead of plastic or paper bags reduces waste and requires no additional energy)
Turn off Your Computer
(Shut off your computer when not in use, and save 200 lbs of C02. Conserve energy by using your computer's "sleep mode" instead of a screensaver)
Be a Meat Reducer
(The average American diet contributes an extra 1.5 tons of greenhouse gases per year compared with a vegetarian diet)
Ditch the Plastic
(2.5 million individual plastic water bottles are thrown away every hour in the US. Start using a reusable water bottle and just say no to plastic)
I realize a lot of these aren't necessarily practical for your/our lives BUT I'm sure there's a few you could try or might already be doing. We can all do our part and contribute at least a little. Every bit helps.
Until tomorrow....GO GREEN!! :)

Monday, February 25, 2008

Weekend in Review - Movie Junkie :(

1 month til Peurto Plata!!! Woo-hoo!!!
Sorry I can't help myself, I'm just so excited. I even went out and bought my new bikini's for the trip this past weekend. I'm pretty much ready to go....just need to get the hubby organized now.
It was a nice weekend. Kristen didn't have hockey friday night so we watched The Heartbreak Kid with Ben Stiller. I thought it was good, but in the end I think Kristen liked it more than me. I was leaning more towards romantic comedy but it kind of wasn't it was more of a "guy" romantic comedy if there's such a thing?
Saturday Kristen was feeling better so he went to a hockey tournament in Collingwood. I went shopping (thus the bikini purchases), then watched Terms of Endearment it's an old classic from 1983 that I have wanted to watch but never bothered. I bawled my eyes out, great movie though. Blaine showed up then and we went to public skating at the arena, first time in years I'm guessing about 4 or 5 there was literally rust on my skate blades and get this the pro shop was closed so I couldn't get them sharpened. I managed to skate though and it was really nice to get a bit of exercice and catch up with the bro. Then we had a nice bbq'd dinner and that was about it.
Sunday I was supposed to have a photoshoot but it's post-poned due to illness. So hopefully this weekend but we'll see how things go. Instead I lazed around the house ALL day...seriously. Kristen and I watched Good Luck Chuck with Jessica Alba & Dane Cook...it was okay. Not one of my fav romantic comedies. And then I watched the last hour or so of An Inconvient Truth (will elaborate more on tomorrow's post) and last but not least I watched No Reservations with Catherine Zeta Jones it's another sort of drama/romantic comedy. Again, it was okay.
Then because I was complete mush from letting my brain be fried by television I went to Kristen's late hockey game (9pm to be exact) it was soooooo good to get out of the house and stop watching movies. Holy cow...I can't remember the last time I watched so much of it. And Kristen's team won so even better!
Anyway....that's it....a list of movie reviews....exciting huh? Til tomorrow...

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Basement Update

The pictures I'm about to show you were taken last week. My hubby is VERY sick with a bad flu and hasn't been able to work on the basement. In fact, he hasn't been to work all week, he went this morning and after an hour had to call it quits and go home. What's making him so sick is a fever that he can't seem to kick. I feel so bad for him but there's really nothing I can do but tend on him when I am home. So anyway....on to the pictures....and Get Well Soon to Kristen :(
These are the latest pics....soon be ready for plastering and then painting. Looks good eh?


Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Try That!

How many times have you been watching tv, a movie or see a commercial and say
"I'd love to try that"
No more excuses...now you can!
If you live in Alberta, BC or Ontario (yay!! that means me!!) check out this website:

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

The American Dream

In general, the American Dream can be defined as having the opportunity and freedom that allows all citizens to achieve their goals in life through hard work and determination alone (as definied by Wikipedia) It also goes on to say; the newest survey in 2006 opened up to include all registered voters and found that "the respondents identified four elements as key to their conception of the American Dream:
-having a job that pays enough to support a family;
-having affordable quality health care;
-being able to ensure your children have the opportunity to succeed; and
-having a secure and dignified retirement.
The reason for me explaining all of this is because Sunday night (actually probably more like Monday morning) I had a conversation with Kristen and a friend about the lives we live and how a lot of us just do what society expects of us. So many people that I know and probably including myself (I only say probably cause I really don't know what I want most days....ha ha) just want a decent job to pay the bills, afford a nice house, and a little bit of extra to give our children comfortable lives and maybe take a trip once every couple of years. Oh and don't forget a bit of money put aside for retirement.
But is that what you TRULY desire for your life? If you won the lottery....is that the life you would live? When money isn't an issue? I think most of you would say no...I could be wrong but I doubt it ;)
Just from past conversations I know of 3 different scenarios that people would be living were $ not the issue....one friend says they would live on a boat and sail the world (not my dream but sure does sound romantic doesn't it?) another says he would definitely live in the country and live off the land. Grow his own veggies, slaughter his own cows and not have to be dependant on anyone or society as a whole (I tell him he's in love with an idea cause once he actually had to do all the hard work he'd be so greatful for modern day grocery stores, LOL ...again his dream, not mine). Another says he'd rather live up north in Yukon/Alaska permanently hunting and fishing. And how many Newfoundlanders do you know that would move home in a heartbeat, if they could?
All of which the above ramblings bring me to this....stop being a victim. Stop crying about what you don't have, be thankful for what you do have and if you really are that unhappy about your current circumstances, then do something about it. It doesn't mean quitting your job tomorrow but it might mean doing a 5 year or 10 year plan so when that time arrives you can finally live your dream. Nothing will be handed to you on a silver platter, so it's time to get your hands dirty, put in some hard work and stop whining.
I conclude with this quote:
"No matter what you are doing, keep the undercurrent of happiness. Learn to be secretly happy within your heart in spite of all circumstances." -- Paramahansa Yogananda

Friday, February 15, 2008

Flowers & Passing

I stick with my statement that Valentine's really isn't THAT big of a deal...yet....I must admit I did buy the hubby a card and some heart-shaped peanut butter chocolates. Not because I wanted anything in return, and it certainly was not an expensive gift, just because I wanted too and I did get caught up in the hype. But I really did think I was going home to a nice bbq steak (which was AMAZING....it's been way too long since I had such a good steak) and some nice Greek pasta salad. Oh and the glass of wine...who could forget the wine?? That was until I walked in the door .....
...and I saw this....

...here's another angle...
Seriously....just SO sweet! I was very surprised but appreciative. Kristen really didn't have to do this, him cooking dinner was more than enough but then he goes and does this too?? Not only does he score major brownie points. It just adds to the list of MANY reasons why I love him and why he's my husband. Love you!

I do however, have "some-what" sad news...last night we got the news that Kristen's great-grandmother passed away. And yes it's very sad that she passed, but really how can we be sad? She was 99 years old, was full of spunk and lived a great life. Thus why I only say "some-what" because her life should be celebrated...not mourned. If only we all live as long and as happy.

Happy Long Weekend to the Ontario readers who get the new Family Day holiday. To the rest of you...happy Friday...til next week. Oh and the techincal difficulties are fixed so next week all basement updates and scrapbook layouts.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Happy Valentine's Day

Aahh...the holiday of LOVE
As mentioned before, not doing anything special or buying fancy gifts. We're just going to have a nice dinner and maybe a glass of wine.
I apologize for the lack of pictures as I've been experiencing some techincal difficulties with my new memory card. So next week it is....I promise :)
Some exciting news though, Kristen & I have booked our vacation to the Dominican Republic for late March....yay! We'll be going to Puerto Plata, can't wait!
Anyway, back on topic...Valentine's day...I'm going to leave these few quotes and also a link to a blog called Zen Habits which has a GREAT article today about "Love Thy Neighbour" please take the time to go read it.
"True happiness is an acceptance of life as it is given to us, with its diminishment, mystery, uncontrollability, and all." -- Michael Gellert
"Remember this, that very little is needed to make a happy life." -- Marcus Aurelius
"Relationships are difficult, time-consuming, baffling, and sometimes heartbreaking. They're also what make life worth living."--Martha Beck
And the link:
Have a WONDERFUL Valentine's everyone!
XOXOX

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Pay it Forward

The expression "pay it forward" is used to describe the concept of third party beneficiary in which a creditor who offers the debtor the option of paying the debt forward to a third person instead of paying it back (as defined by Wikipedia)
If you Google "pay it foward" you get results up to 10,100,000, including a link to a website called Random Acts of Kindess and of course the link to the movie in 2000 with it as the title. Which is one of my FAVOURITE movies and still causes me to go into the ugly cry.
All of the above brings me to this....last Thursday, the day after yet again another one of our storms. Steph got stuck trying to come down my street to pick me up for work. She asked a neighbour to help and he said turn your wheels back and forth and ignored her. She goes back to her car, very frustrated and still can't get the car out...all this time I'm in my warm house completely oblivious to the situation. When a passerby see's her, pulls over and get's her un-stuck :) She called me & asked me to walk up my street, I did, and off to work we went.
On to last night....yet another batch of snow. Steph is driving...again...we're almost home (about 10 minutes away) and the car in front of us starts to swerve, you see the break lights go on and she goes into a spin, into the snowbank. Steph pulls over, we go back to see if the driver is okay. It's an older lady (guessing 60's) and she's VERY shaken up. She's okay but upset. We tell her we're going to push her out of the snow...cause I really think she would have sat in her car all night in the snowbank crying. She's so shaken up that her car is in reverse first, then her wheels are still turned towards the snowbank instead of the road. Here's Steph and I in work clothes (not to mention me in 3 inch heels) and we're pushing. I'm thinking there's no way two of us are getting this car out (Steph is smaller than me) but the lady finally gives ample gas and I guess we found muscle from somewhere and we got her out.
She pulls onto the road and stops...she has her window down and is saying thank you, God bless. I'm pretty much yelling, you have to go there's car's coming. She listens but you can tell she's relunctant. She wants to keep thanking us but she's also VERY nervous about driving the rest of the way home. We stay behind her til we see her turn onto her street (we're assuming) and home we go.
Of course I cannot stop giggling....cause all I picture is me basically telling the lady that we're pushing her out and she doesn't have a choice. I'm laughing at Steph trying to tell her to turn her wheels to the road, and I'm laughing at her trying to thank us with the long line of traffic about to to be upon her.
We're almost home and I look at Steph and say...."Hey Steph! I guess you just did your pay it forward" To which she responds, yeah I guess I did :)
We certainly weren't hero's yesterday but it really did make us feel good to have done a random good deed. Your challenge today....do 1 act of random kindness.
Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Quiet Snow

Today we are expecting 10-15cm of snow to go on top of the 30cm we got last week. Not to mention all the other snow we had before that. It's not that I don't like snow, in fact I love snow...shh...don't tell cause most people get angry when they find that out. But I must admit I hate driving in the snow...back home in Nfld I didn't, for a few reasons, we had studded tires (which are illegal here) and you didn't have the same kind of traffic, or the city drivers that are quite truthfully.....morons. They lack something as simple as "common sense" anyway...that's a whole other post.
So today we're getting hit again....this winter seems more like a Nfld winter. We didn't even have a green Christmas this past year ...yay :)
Right now there are HUGE, fluffy, quietly falling flakes...these are my favourite. I get such a sense of "peace" from these snowfalls...I remember as a little girl lying on top of the hill in my parents front yard. It would be after supper and dark, and when there would be a snowfall like this, I would lie there feeling like the stars were falling on me. I loved that feeling along with the silence, so quiet sometimes, that it would make your ears ring.
I'm so grateful that I have childhood memories like that. I love that I live in the country that hopefully my future children will have similar memories. Today's challenge is, in the hustle and bustle of life, the hectic snowy drives, and the "yet again" shovelling of the driveway that you take a moment, look around and listen, try to enjoy the "quiet snow"

Monday, February 11, 2008

Monday Musings...

Busy busy....I apologize for no post on Friday (I try to do one every day during the work week)
The weekend was good...I started and completed my 2007 Cuba album (8x8 mini album)...Saturday night I had the girls come by to do some scrapbooking and I have this checked of my "to do" list...yay! This week I'll post pictures of some of the layouts.
Only 3 albums to finish (2006, 2007, and our wedding...yes I'm THAT behind) and to start my 2008 album :)
I'll also post pictures of the progress of the basement...it's really coming along.
Since my photography post on Wed I have another photo session booked...woo-hoo!! That's 4 in total...for now. Hopefully more to come.
Tomorrow I'll be attempting a new slow cooker recipe.
And Thursday is Valentines....which isn't a big deal since Kristen and I aren't into buying gifts and wasting money on a holiday created by Hallmark (well it's not, but it's still not a religious holiday with significance) so we'll be staying home and cooking dinner (well maybe a special dinner....hey I'm not a completely scrooge about the day!!)
Also...it's SUPER freezin' cold here today....windchill is close to -30 brrrr.....which makes me want to book our down south trip much sooner....April won't get here soon enough :(
And that will conclude today's ramblings with this quote...
"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love" --Goethe
Happy Monday!

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Mashed Potatoes

Tired of the same 'ol mashed potatoes? In the words of Emeril, why not "kick it up a notch"
I have a few things that I do with potatoes when I mash them instead of adding the usual milk & butter. I add fried bacon bits or fried onions....see below:
Potatoes boiling
While they're boiling fry up some onions in butter

Mmm...looks good doesn't it?
Then pour onions & the butter right into your mashed potatoes. Mix well...YUM!!
I do exactly the same with bacon I even add a bit of the bacon grease for flavour (just a wee bit) and voila....a bit of a twist on a regular weekly sidedish ;)

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Exciting News

Remember one day last week I said I "possibly" had exciting news? Well.....it's been confirmed....I'm pregnant! No....I told you already I wasn't pregnant!!
The real news is, I was asked to be a photographer for a wedding this summer. I know...me!?!?! When I started out doing this picture taking business...I said nope, NEVER doing a wedding...that's what I get for saying never.
The truth is, I don't take pictures to make money, I don't take pictures in hopes that down the road I will quit my job and photography will be my full time job (though it wouldn't be a bad thing), I take pictures because I love it, and I love people....thus why most of my pictures are of people :)
So when the offer came, it's in August for a small wedding of a girl I knew as kids growing up in Nfld. Haven't seen her in years (if you don't count Facebook....lol) I thought about it, talked it over with Kristen, did some research on packages and prices, and here we are. I'm booked and really looking forward to it. Am I nervous? absolutely...but I know it'll be good experience and the bride to be is fully aware of my abilities. I look at it as a win-win situation.
I'm just so surprised how things are working out for me...I shouldn't be because I should be more positive about these things...but when I posted on this blog that I was booking sessions, I didn't get ANY feedback. Yet....in the past two weeks, I have a booking for the end of Feb, a possible booking for May and now the wedding. It's seems to be going along with everything I've been hearing and reading lately...if you think positively and see things that you want for yourself and your life, eventually it will come to you.
In light of all this, I was reading on Oprah's website today about the book called The Secret (on my list of books to read) which is basically about living life by a philosophy of emphasis on positive thinking and living your best life through the idea of the law of attraction. Kind of a "I think therefore I am" and the laws of the universe will bring back to you what you put out there. You put out negative, you'll get it right back. So I'm embracing my passion for photography and putting out a positive vibe and whatever comes from it, so be it.
I leave you today with this challenge (also taken from the Oprah website):
Write three things on a sticky note that you would like drawn into your life and look at it daily.
It goes on to say "You don't have to look at it too hard, but just look at it every day. Then notice how long it takes for at least one of those items to show up"
If you do this...think about your life and your deepest wishes if "whatever" wasn't holding you back....and try not to put "material" items...this isn't the point of it.
Good Luck....let me know when something shows up :) you never know unless you try....

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Peterborough Visit

As previously mentioned, Blaine & I went to Peterborough on Sunday. My cousin Vanessa lives there with her husband and kids and her sister Heather is up visiting from Nfld. So Blaine and I figured, might as well kill two birds with one stone :) I must say I didn't realize how much I missed them until the drive back home....next time shouldn't be as long okay?
Now a warning....the girls will probably be VERY upset with me for posting these pics of them on my blog BUT I know you readers are just dying to see what they look like...I will let you know before hand that they look MUCH better in person, and in Vanessa's defence, she's sick with a cold too. With that...here goes....
Vanessa's husband Dave with the two youngest kids, Caitlynn & Austin

Austin & Josh (the oldest child) playing a game...looks like Austin is explaining something to Josh :)


Heather....and again, I apologize :)

Vanessa, or 'Ness as some of us call her....I apologize for you too....hope you're feeling better :(

And last but not least....Jasmine or Jazz for short...the family dog. Who's probably the most mellow, itchy dog I've ever met. She just lies around or scratches :) Vanessa explained it's due to a change in her food but it's sure entertaining to watch...poor thing...so much humour at her expense. Oh and I've decided she doesn't like getting her picture taken, she closes her eyes cause she know the flash is coming and for a female dog looks an awful lot like a grumpy old man...another reason why I immediately loved her :)

Also, would like to mention that Dave (Vanessa's husband) is soon releasing his first CD...very exciting. Will post more about that in the near future.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Exhausted....

...is how I'm feeling today....had SUCH a busy weekend. Friday we got hit with a snow storm, so up extra early to get to work on time, then a very late hockey game for Kristen. Saturday I shovelled the driveway while Kristen was working VERY hard at the basement, then I went grocery shopping and then off to Cambridge for my Uncle's 40th Surprise birthday party. Sunday Blaine & I went to Peterborough to visit my cousins Vanessa (who lives in Peterborough with her husband & kids) & Heather (who's up visiting from Nfld). Today I feel like I haven't even been to bed yet...guess the travelling and busy schedule caught up with me. I'm actually sipping a really strong coffee as I write this.
So today's post will be pictures of the Saturday birthday party, tomorrow will be the Sunday visit.
This is the card my Aunt Bernice bought for all the guests to sign:
Guests in the living room watching Uncle Bert open his gifts
More guests in the kitchen

My cousin Dana with Nikki (Aunt Bernice's & Uncle Bert's family dog) Isn't she cute?

Some of my Mom's family....Left to Right:

Sister Grace, Sister Georgina, Sister Bernice (Uncle Bert's wife, if you haven't figured that out already) and Brother George.

Uncle Bert about to blow out the candles on his Birthday cake :)

Here's to the first 40 Uncle Bert & hopefully to many many more :)

Friday, February 1, 2008

Pomegranates

The pomegranate...the "in" fruit these days it seems.
Dictionary.com explains it as:
pome·gran·ate:
- A deciduous shrub or small tree (Punica granatum) native to Asia and widely cultivated for its edible fruit.
- The fruit of this tree, having a tough reddish rind, and containing many seeds, each enclosed in a juicy, mildly acidic, red pulp.

Well....Kristen decided to buy some,....and LOVES them...but there's a trick to eat them. Here's how Kristen does it:
Cut off the top

Put in water

Soak

Scoop seeds from pulp
Empty pulp will look like this


Rinse

Enjoy :)

To be truthful, I liked pomegranate flavoured things but not the actual fruit (like most fruit). Yet when I see this I always picture it in a sort of simple syrup (water & sugar) and poured over vanilla ice cream....maybe I'll try it some day.