The Leaves Are Almost Gone

I've been inspired lately by all the fall images about the city. This is my latest one called 'The Leaves Are Almost Gone', it's acrylic on card stock (4.5" x 6.5").

Linking to Paint Party Friday. Please join us!
Also linking to Show and Tell Saturday at Artists in Blogland.

Food Find

A friend gave me some of her delicious Hawaiian chocolates with macadamia nuts inside.  I thought they were homemade, almost melting in my mouth. She said she got them from Costco so I checked them out when I went  there recently.   I've had Hawaiian chocolates before when a friend brought some back from Hawaii, but these are particularly delicious.  Anyway this is my food find for the week!

Speaking of homemade, I was at the grocery store with my daughter L while she was visiting the other day.  She noticed these platters of frozen seafood and said they looked exactly like the ones some lady had brought to a party she attended in the summer.  The lady had said she made them from scratch and everyone had complimented her  on how delicious they were!  Lol, I've read jokes about people doing this, but it does happen in real life!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on the weekend. I googled a nice recipe from Canadian Living. You can't go wrong with butter and brown sugar, it's hard to stop at eating just one! Well, I ate four that day!

Here is a website with lots of healthy recipes tailored to diabetics, but great even if you are not diabetic. It's in my family although I'm hoping I don't get it.  There is a booklet there that you can download.  I'd like to try the Zesty Artichoke Dip and their Slow Cooker Turkey Chili.

I enjoyed this video a friend sent me, and thought you might too.

He is 17 and she's only 15. But together, they won the
2012 Junior Division National Carolina Shag Dancing Championships.  

They're dancing to Joe Turner's "Flip, Flop and Fly."

Creative Tuesdays - News

It's time for Creative Tuesdays, thanks to MMm for hosting! The theme this week is 'News'. I was inspired by a photo on Twitter that my sister found, it was taken during the Sandy hurricane when it hit NY, New Jersey. It's watercolour pencils on cardstock (4.5" x 6.5").  After a couple of years sketching these art co-ops, I seem to do these very quickly now.  Practice makes perfect I guess!

Please visit the other talented participants to see what 'news' inspired them!

A Toilet Story

So I learned a new word last week, 'Webinar'.  That's a web seminar.  Have you ever attended one of these?  You just need your computer or an Iphone, Android phone, or tablet.  I was invited to a financial one, to teach me how to use some new kind of facility.  All I had to do was reserve my 'seat' at the particular date and time.  I wasn't really interested (didn't attend) but it's a new concept to me, being out of the work force.

Do you notice Google Ads popping up into all the websites that you browse, based upon stuff you have been searching on?  It's a bit annoying really, like an invasion of privacy.


I saw this story in the newspaper and for some reason I find these toilet stories interesting.


Victoria public loo voted best bathroom in Canada


'the stainless steel, unisex toilet provides an eco-friendly, convenient and free service that appealed to the most voters.' ...  'The finalists were selected on cleanliness, innovation, functionality, visual appeal and unique design elements.'

Sunday Sketches - Inspiration

It's Remembrance Day in Canada.  ' the date is of "remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace"; specifically, the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, and all conflicts since then in which members of the Canadian Forces have participated'

The Ode of Remembrance:
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Lest we forget.



For Sunday Sketches, I did an an inspirational  piece today, just a simple sunrise in the background! I found the anonymous quote on Pinterest.

Watercolour pencils on cardstock (6.5" x 4.5")

Please visit the other talented participants.

Low Carb Lunch

I had a low carb lunch the other day. I had been eating a lot of starchy and  sugary things and decided to try to make up for it with this lunch. It was leftover baked chicken with baked zucchini and carrot strips. It was quite filling. The zucchini and carrots are a nice combination if you haven't tried it yet.  That is just a saucer by the way, not a dinner-sized plate!

I also baked my own top sirloin roast beef yesterday. I'll use the leftovers for sandwiches instead of buying deli meat as they are loaded with nitrites and sodium. Well, it's a nice change for however long my momentum lasts! I have a good friend who has always fed her family the healthiest food. For example, they will eat salad without any dressing and actually like that. Wouldn't you know it, she has developed a high cholesterol level in middle age (due to family history)!  The irony of this story is that you can eat badly and live longer than someone who has tried their best to live a healthy life!

And Marie at The English Kitchen is having a fabulous giveaway of Jamie Oliver's new cookbook, 15 minute meals...I'd love to win that.