New friends

Some new acquaintances from our trip down to the Okanagan.

Leaving on a jet plane

For us Saturday morning's brunch was our Easter lunch. I made all the traditional food and added country bacon and pancakes. The night before it was a turkey dinner and a movie.
The suitcases had to be repacked at the airport as one was way over weight but the ticket clerk wearing bunny ears was so nice that she made it seem as if it was nothing.
We stood on the deck and watched as TG's plane lifted into the sky and head east. But the sun got in my eyes and I could barely see. Maura makes one of her magical apple pies and we are consoled for a few minutes.

Good Earth Day Friday

Perfect day!

It was sad but I was glad to do it; making tomato sauce with the last jar of home canned tomatoes for Maura's visit home.
And for this dinner I made Stuffed Jumbo Pasta Shells - a recipe from Lucinda Scala Quinn from Martha Stewart living.
This is a keeper recipe, one that I would make again. With the shells I made a mixed green salad and calabrese buns and we toasted the day with a nice red - Dogajolo Toscano. Funny thing is I bought the bottle of wine because of the label but it turned out to be a perfect pairing with the shells.
For dessert I made a rhubarb and strawberry crisp with lots of oats and brown sugar. Just the thing to have after a hailstorm.
And just when you thought the day could not get any better, the Canucks won Game 3 over the Blackhawks by a score of 3-2.

Shouldn't have

It is still cold out even though the sun makes it's appearance every day. But perfect for those late afternoon walks, all uphill and some stairs just for the fun of it, breathing in all that cold air feeling like you're going to die once you get to the top, your knees popping and your legs going all numb and wobbly as you double over just for a second trying to get your breath which you do once you realize that it is all down hill from there. And then you walk in the door and your nose is assaulted by the sweet aroma of a chocolate caramel pie. Yes, you have a piece even though you know you shouldn't have because tomorrow those hills and those stairs are going to be twice as gruelling.

Pine at sushi bar

This is one of my favourite trees on Victoria. I walk past it so many times without even thinking about it but today I stopped and had a good look at it before I took it's picture. It looks good, lots of new growth, and the bark is a wonderful latte colour.

Lunch hour walk

Had lunch at the Brownstone two days in a row just to watch the birds feeding.
Then I head up to the cigar factory to see what has been planted in the huge baskets.

Lunchtime isn't complete without a stroll through St. Andrew's.

Quiet post

Cooking and hiking

First you have to find a 5-lb pork shoulder blade roast on the bone. (We bought ours at TRU) Then you cook this roast for 3 hours, pull the meat from the bone, refrigerate it overnight, and then cook it some more. Easy slow-cooked pulled pork.
Tira-
mi-
su.

View from the reservoir trail at Kenna Cartwright Park.
Deck with a view.

Pesce d'Aprile

Breakfast at our favourite place, a mother-of-pearl necklace, flowers, a birthday dinner that took two days to cook (more on that another day), and tiramisu and champagne to end a wonderful day. Plus we watched Knight and Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz; we laughed our pants off!