Post Valentine's Update

 I love these vintage valentines. Really fun.

There seem to be a lot of chicken references.

 This one was my favourite.

Richard gave me a big, red sock monkey with a pink heart on his chest. He has been adopted by a big sock monkey family.

Here's my annual valentine for Richard. His head is on Jim Ed Brown's body; mine is on his sidekick. We saw them perform at the Ryman in Nashville a few years back.

Snow Valentine

Walking in the woods the other day, there were a ton of footprints in the snow.

It looked like a mini-highway under the spruce trees. But then I spotted the oddest detail.

Under a big spruce, just off the beaten track from the highway of footprints, there it was.

A heart in the snow. I expect that it was rabbits or deer or something digging for vittles. Or was it a love letter between two critters?

Precious Cargo Cake

For Valentine's Day this year, I decided to make Richard and me a cake. I got inspired by the one I made for Natalie and Gordon's shared birthdays last month. I love those cheap, silly hearts with cute sentiments and used them like packing peanuts with all of us as precious cargo.

Inside the delicious corrugated box was red velvet cake.

 What can I say? It was yummy. And pretty too!

All that I'm left with are the memories, lots of cake in the freezer and some cute fondant characters of Richard, me, and Percy, Barney, Nutmeg, Oreo and Cookie. Happy Valentine's Day!

Cinnamon Girl Stuff

I was lucky enough to spend the other day with the clever and talented Knatolee who helped me set up my very own Esty shop. Yippee! It took the better part of the day but I'm up and running. And all it cost me was some butternut soup and tuna fish. Thanks Nat. I'm tickled!

To get to my brandy new shop, click here: www.etsy.com/shop/CinnamonGirlStuff

Lonely Heart

At our monthly production meeting the other day at work, there was one lonely heart-shaped donut in the box. Just sitting there. No one seemed to want it.

So I took it. It turned out to be a raspberry filled jelly donut. Haven't had one in years. Very sweet, just like every heart should be at Valentine's Day, right?

Bite Me Sandwich Shop & Deli

In beautiful, downtown Alexandria, not far from where I live, a new deli and sandwich shop opened up in a Victorian brick house.

Lots of hot and cold choices. I can't wait to go back and try them all.

 Finally, a place to get real Montreal bagels! There's also a selection of homemade pickles and relishes.

And knishes and latkes and various salads and cold cuts. Almost like being back in Montreal!

 Richard had a smoked meat on rye...Lots of meat. Delicious!

 I had the sliced turkey on Russian black bread. Yummy!

I just love the way they had the salt pepper and hot sauce ready to go. Cute.
Can't wait to return to Bite Me!


Bite Me Sandwich Shop & Deli, 126 Main St. S, Alexandria, ON K0C 1A0
Tel. 613-930-1061
E-mail: bitemesandwichshop.deli@hotmail.com

Winter Woods

 In the woods on the weekend, the trees are starting to bud.

I always wonder what the little woodland creatures manage to eat and I noticed in several places in the field, lots of munching going on.

I also noticed lots of wild grapes still on the vine and evidence of grape eating too.

We came upon lots of old trees, this one looks like it might be lived in. My flying squirrels home perhaps?

Richard was pretty happy with a dead tree he found, chopped down and lugged in for splitting this spring.

Happy Birthday Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock, the father of abstract expressionism would have turned 100 years old on January 28.

He was an amazing artist who led an interesting life. He died at the age of 44 in 1956.

I decided to celebrate his birthday by making cupcakes.

I went a little crazy with the icing.

Happy birthday Jackson!

How about abstract expressionism meets pop art?

Snow Rolls

Over the weekend it was just about 0C, the snow was damp and the wind was howling.

 

 Perfect conditions for what are known as snow rolls.

They popped up all over the countryside. You couldn't help but notice them everywhere.

Also known as snowrollers, snow bales and snow doughnuts, this phenomenon requires a precise balance of air temperature, ice, snow, moisture and wind. They are essentially a wintry version of tumbleweed.

Kind of like Mother Nature was playing in the snow...

...or something like that.

License to...

Dalkeith Winter Carnival

I was the judge at the Dalkeith Winter Carnival parade last Saturday. Here's the Carnival Queen leading the way.

Since it's the 200th anniversary of the war of 1812, there was a float honouring Laura Secord and the Glengarry Fencibles, along with a PVC cannon!

 Here are the soldiers waving or saluting or something...

 The winning float in the parade was the Greyhound Long Haul bus...

...powered by the passengers! Check out the legs under the bus. Richard called it the Fred Flintstone bus.

 Our town council had a float. There's our mayor in blue and our deputy mayor throwing out candy to us.

There were all sorts of horses in all shapes and sizes. These had riders in Scottish gear.

 I loved this mini-horse! He got second prize.

This mini-horse looks sad now and I suppose maybe he should have gotten second prize. Or third?

I loved this burro and gave him the "special horse prize" even though he's not a horse. (That's what you get when you ask a city girl to judge horses!)

This third place float for the Queen's 60th Jubilee was a winner because her scepter is a toilet plunger. Great attention to detail I'd say!

Here's Richard along with Wendy who was covering the parade for The News, and Jean who is the Dalkeith correspondent.

And here's Ian, the organizer of the parade, paying off the judge with a Tim Horton's donut. Will work for food!