Christmastime

Wishing everyone a happy Christmas full of love and laughter.

Let it Snow!

(A little music from one of my favourite Christmas albums! Enjoy!)

Let it Snow – Ella Fitzgerald

Yuletide

Happy Winter Solstice!

All the best of the season to you!

Remembering

I just realized that it’s been an entire month since I last wrote on my blog. It hasn’t been that I haven’t had anything to say – that’s never really been a problem for me – but with home renos on the go, I haven’t had the time. I’m very sure you don’t want to hear about my cupboard cleaning extravaganza and twice daily moppings of my floor. Anyway, it struck me when I realized that my last post was October the 11th, that tomorrow is Remembrance Day. What better time, though, to come back and say something than on Remembrance Day?

I’ve been horribly remiss this year. I haven’t even bought a poppy. So I’m hoping I can redeem myself through a few words. Since the weather will be nice tomorrow, I may even take the kids to the ceremonies here in Ottawa which are always beautiful and heartbreakingly solemn at the same time. I think the thing that strikes me the most at the ceremonies are the dwindling numbers of veterans. Those who fought in WWII and are still alive are now in their late 80’s, most of them. It becomes increasingly difficult for them to attend. To see them marching slowly toward the cenotaph, the pain of memories from long ago in their eyes, brings so many emotions to the surface. Without them there it will be…different.

I think it is a day that is going to become more and more difficult to mark as time passes. My parents’ generation lived through the war. Some of their parents fought in it. To them it was real. My generation had the advantage of hearing the tales of war first hand, from survivors. We could see their emotion, feel their fear, and rejoice in their victory. To us it was history, but recent history. But for my children, it will be wars of last century, fought by people who are gone or almost all gone. I wonder then, how we can instill in the next generation the same sense of respect that was and is felt by their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents on Nov. 11th?

I suppose we can if we continue to tell the stories and sing the songs. Please take a moment and have a listen – for Remembrance Day.

The Green Fields of France – John McDermitt

New Ring on Saturn!

Have you heard the latest? Its true! NASA has discovered a new ring around Saturn and “its the largest planetary ring seen yet in the solar system” (Reuters). Apparently the ring’s particles are barely visible but shine with thermal radiation and were picked up by the infra-red Spitzer Space Telescope. The amazing thing is that the ring starts at about 6 million kilometres (3.7 million miles) from the planet – FAR from the original rings we have come to know and love – and “partly marks the orbit of Saturn’s distant moon Phoebe”. The ring extends about 13 million kilometres (8 million miles) and, as is put into perspective in this video, “is so huge it would take 1 billion earths to fill it”. WOW!

It goes to show you that what we’ve discovered about space in our own solar system is only a small fraction of what’s really out there.

(Associated Press)

Wolverine: Stirring My Inner Teenager

Oh come on!! We all have a weakness for something that is probably not considered age-appropriate. Mine is for superheros and superhero movies. As a kid my favourite cartoon on TV was “Superfriends“. Then came the Superman movies with the late Christopher Reeve in the cinemas. And the list of lovable superheros grew, especially as Marvel and DC comics started pushing more and more movies onto the big screen. Although I never read comic books as a kid, I was fascinated by many of the characters they produced. I mean, what kid didn’t want some superpower to overcome kid problems? Actually, come to think of it, as an adult, there’s some superpowers I still covet (not to mention a transporter and a food replicator from Star Trek…but that’s another story).

More recently Marvel, in particular, has put out quite a few top grossing movies full of special effects and amazingly realistic computer animation. Off the top of my head I can think of Spiderman with Tobey McGuire as Peter Parker, Ironman with Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, and the Incredible Hulk with the incredible Edward Norton as Bruce Banner. All which fully captured my imagination and left me looking forward to the next one – because you always know where there’s one there are sequels. My only disappointment is that the superwomen, of which there are many to choose from, seem to be evading the silver-screen as lead characters. I’m hoping their time will come soon.

We did get to see a few women strutting their stuff – in a superhero way – when Marvel came out with the X-men movie several years ago…well, in 2000 to be precise.  It was a big hit among the comic fans and, I think – given the fact that it spawned three more movies in the last nine years – it easily generated a fan base of non-comic readers as well. The first three movies (X-men, X2, and X-men: The Last Stand) although I thought lacking in plot, were action packed and thrilling to watch. I was particularly fond of Patrick Stewart’s Professor Charles Xavier (probably due to my undying loyalty to Capt. Jean-Luc Picard – again with the Star Trek) and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.

As luck would have it, at least as far as I was concerned, this past spring X-Men Origins: Wolverine hit the cinemas. I desperately wanted to see it but with small kids, the cinema is not a place I see very often. So imagine my excitement when I spotted it to rent at the movie store yesterday! And let me tell you, I was not disappointed. In fact, it far exceeded my expectations. Not only was Hugh Jackman exceptional, but I found Liev Schreiber as Sabretooth very…compelling. It was fast-paced, the story line was intriguing, and the special effects…well…WOW! If you like this kind of thing and haven’t seen it yet…go get it. I can not say enough good about it. There were a few instances when I squealed with delight – kinda like I was 14 – which doesn’t happen very often during a movie! (a good thing in a public cinema!)

I’ll leave you with the trailer even though it really doesn’t do the film justice. If you’ve seen Wolverine or like superheroes, I’d love to hear your comments!

Furthermore…as if it wasn’t bad enough

In relation to the artificial hymen I posted on last, fellow blogger, Kinzi, has uncovered a BBC article that makes me shudder. Not that I’m surprised, I was just hoping I wouldn’t see it. In short, an Egyptian scholar is advocating the death penalty to anyone caught importing the artificial hymen into Egypt. Oh and don’t think its for the reasons I objected to it. Oof…go read…I don’t want to say more, lest I spit.

Artificial Virginity

There’s nothing like getting all fired up on what should be a peaceful Sunday morning – but if anything’s gonna do it, its an article on virginity. But this isn’t any virginity…oh no…this is a new and easily distributed way to reclaim your virginity. Virginity in a box – seemingly a well received, miracle “cure” particularly to some parts of the world. Apparently first conceived (sorry, I just had to) in Japan, this little eliminator of any traces of premarital sex (aside from pregnancy and gonorrhea) called an artificial hymen, is basically a small disk that when inserted in just the right place, becomes moist and creates tightness. As a bonus, when it is broken, it excretes a tiny amount of fake blood. WOW! Its a Godsend! (literally) And now (surprise, surprise) the Chinese have been seduced by the technology and are now mass producing it, as only the Chinese can.

All of a sudden the chastity belt and the mentality behind it, is not looking so “old fashioned”. We, globally, have still not shed this idea that sexual behavior is bad. What I can’t understand is why? Well, maybe I do. Its mostly about control – control of women in particular. I mean, according to this archaic line of thinking, and yes I’ll be a little crude, men can go around sticking their you-know-whats in anything that moves, but girls…oh no…they must “save” themselves for these very same guys.

Oh believe me, I understand, fully, that this little “device” will likely save quite a few lives. That’s the irony here. So instead of combating the screwed up moral code that suggests lack of virginity brings about dishonour, women have been driven to find ways to mask any “previous to marriage” sexual activities. God forbid they have any experience to bring to their marital bedchambers to enhance their enjoyment. (oh yes, that’s right it was god who was quoted as forbidding it)

I think if we spent a little more time on responsible sexual behavior and reproduction and a little less time on worrying about the so called “virtues” of virginity, we’d start to eliminate a lot of problems – both psychological, and disease related. And as an added bonus there might be more people having fun – that’s right people…FUN… in bed (or wherever). But until we get to that point, I think the Chinese are going to make a fortune!

Ahhhh…Shepherd’s Pie

As a chill chases away the warm summer air, and the trees start to glow in crimsons, bright oranges and yellows, we Canadians begin to feel the urge to settle into hibernation mode. Sweaters go on our backs, scarves around our necks, and we’re all clutching a warm cup of coffee or tea as we drop our kids off at school or set off to work on these brisk fall mornings. Although not all of us do at this point, actually some never do, I’ve pretty much abandoned the barbecue and returned to my kitchen oven. So, with that change, I have to change my menu too – pork chops to roast pork, BBQ salmon to baked white fish, and grilled veggies to stewed veggies. Of all the barbecued foods I enjoy however, grilled lamb chops are my favourite and I hate to give up the taste of lamb for months on end. So I have a collection of great lamb dishes and one of my favourites is Shepherd’s Pie. Its so savoury and rich – perfect for the cooler days.

Shepherd’s Pie, according to sources, originated sometime during the 18th century in Northern England and Scotland after the introduction of potatoes to the area. This, of course, appeals to my Scottish heritage…but more so to my taste-buds!! This recipe, from The All New All Purpose Joy of Cooking (1997) cookbook, is the best I’ve ever eaten. I hope you’ll enjoy it too.

—–

Boil 1 1/2 lbs (680g) of potatoes and cook until tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Mash the potatoes adding the cooking water along with:

1 tbsp butter
Salt and Pepper

Beat with a wooden spoon until fluffy.
Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
While the potatoes are cooking, heat in a medium skillet over medium-low heat:

3 tbsp vegetable oil

Add:

1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped

Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 15 minutes. Increase heat to medium and add:

1 lb (454 g) leftover cooked lamb, finely chopped, or raw ground lamb

Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to brown evenly. If using raw lamb, cook for 10 minutes more, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Spoon off any fat. Add:

1 tbsp flour

Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add:

3/4 cup beef or vegetable stock
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, then remove to a 9-inch pie plate or cooking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top, making irregular peaks with the tines of the fork. Scatter over the top:

2 tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces

Bake until the potatoes are browned and the dish is heated all the way through, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly, then serve directly from the baking dish.

Now EAT IT!!

The Answer, my friend, is Blowing in the Wind

(CBC)

I woke up to this song this morning. I’m sorry to admit I’d actually forgotten about it – its been so many years since I’d heard it. Sadly, Mary Travers – of Peter, Paul, and Mary – passed away today after a long fight with Leukemia. This song and its words, however, live on and are as relevant today as they were over 40 years ago. (not that that is a positive commentary on the state of things)

Have a listen.

Blowing in the Wind – Peter, Paul, & Mary

Rest in peace, Mary.

Blogging Against The Production, Release, and Circulation of Hot Air

Written as a participant in the “Week of Blogging Against…” campaign.

Nope. This isn’t about global warming. This is about another kind of global disaster. In our fast paced, information based world, bull shit flies faster than green grass through a goose! No sooner has some dim-witted, sanctimonious, narcissistic, short-sighted, prick who, for whatever idiotic reason, is seen as an authority, opened his/her mouth, the hot air that escapes gets passed around through the masses like marijuana at Woodstock. Politicians, religious figures, and sales people, newspaper tycoons, talk show hosts, and Hollywood actors, uninformed estheticians, opinionated cabbies, and gossiping grocers – they all talk and the airwaves are thick with drivel, the net clogged with gibberish. There’s a mighty cloud out there people, full of noxious gases – deceit, manipulation, hypocrisy and ignorance.

How do those of us searching for cleaner air cope? Well, I say, stop listening, stop acknowledging, and for heavens sake stop repeating! The wind in their sails will die, when their words fall on deaf ears. Sure, some of the information is cleverly disguised and needs to be parsed and analyzed before being discarded, but a lot of it, you know the moment you see it or hear it that it’s stale, if not rancid. And sure, everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but I’m entitled to ignore it if it chokes my airways. So who will join me? Say it people!

NO MORE HOT AIR!