Public Boat Docks in Seeley's Bay

Saturday, March 20, 2010

NATIONAL QUILT DAY

HAPPY NATIONAL QUILT DAY today!  I have been rummaging around the world wide web seeking out places that are interesting with contests and new quilt designs dreamed up especially to celebrate the auspiciousness of this day. 

IT SEEMS likely you know all about National Quilt Day but, if you don't, then here is a wonderful site that explains it all for you.  It is an important day for many quilters, and as you can tell from the numerous sites all welcoming this day its quite exciting and very interesting. 

Pat Sloan has a Contest up and running - head on over to her blog site and check it out I love the her new fabric line...."LIBERTY" wow eye popping and so creative.  Her blog and podcasts and web-site is chock a block full with so much interesting information, articles, various interests and how she does all of this is a wonder to me, I have trouble with just staying as current blogging myself never mind the 1001 things Pat gets up to.  She is my all time most prolific and favorite blogger.  

Pat Sloan
 E-How explains National Quilt Day and expresses a lot of wonderful ideas on how to celebrate with other quilters today very timely and with nifty ideas 



The National Quilting Association has a wonderful synopsis of this auspicious day too, interesting!!! 




Sherida Warner  of the DAILY SENTINEL wrote an interesting article with information, a story and interesting links including a design contest.





I too am celebrating NATIONAL QUILT DAY with the use of my sewing machine, fabrics from my stash to finish a Birthday gift I had begun the other day.  Matching seat belt covers for her vehicle.

IT is a day that is relegated to the process of Quilting and Quilters alike.  We are a united front and more in numbers than I believe anyone really knows of.  It would be so interesting to know the number of QUILTERS in the whole wide world, wouldn't you find that interesting.  

IF your reading me today then blessed are we alive and well and still above ground.  My wish for you is a wonderful and FRIENDTASTIC DAY today.  


 


  

Friday, March 19, 2010

THINKING OF SPRING

BEFORE I tell you what has been going on since I last posted, I must tell you that I believe Spring is finally just around the corner  Spring, wonderful spring!  In my garden I see green shoots of annuals showing their heads, even so, the crocuses haven't yet made their appearance, bet you by this time next week though they'll be showing themselves in their finest vivid array of colors.


starlite purple crocus

super white crocus


I am champing at the bit to get out into the garden and clear away the spoils of winter, getting all those leftover dead leaves into the composting bin.  Picking up all those tree branches and twigs up and all of the stray bits of garbage that somehow always seems to show up once the snow melts away. 

I also see vestiges of the tulip leaves making their way to the top, soon, really soon if the weather co-operates and remains in the 60's these will be in bloom in no time.  Ohhhhh I can't wait.  Tulips in my opinion are so versatile and come in hundreds of colors and color combinations as well as varieties as well as sizes and when in bloom are absolutely breathtaking. 

Fringed tulips come in a range of colors and are so very interesting and make a most beautiful bouquet once cut from the garden and taken inside.




  Images courtesy of  http://www.fotosearch.com/




More than just crocus and tulips will be showing their colors, there will be snapdragons, and daffodils, as well as narcisis and so much more I simply cannot remember the names of the many flowers than can grow in my weather and show themselves off at this time of year.  While there remain some small patches of dirty snow  which hasn't melted, but these mounds should be gone in another week and then Spring will officially have arrived.   

There is always an insurmountable amount of work to do when the advent of spring appears?  I have this whole week to myself and I will be making the most of it to be certain in and around the gardens, cleaning away all of winters debris and making the area neat and tidy ready for all of those pretties I am so looking forward to seeing. 

I can't wait, can you?  Since you and I are still well above ground, I a, truly thankful for this blessing and  wish you a very FRIENDTASTIC DAY


The task before you is never as great as the Power behind us!











Sunday, March 7, 2010

FOOD RECALLS - Here We Go Again!!!

WHEN are we ever going back to the days when the foods we bought and consumed will be relatively safe to ingest?  It seems with all of our so called technologies, foods are still being shelved onto the market place with risks.  Little time bombs waiting to explode into the population?  Time we all thought about getting back to basics.  In truth though, what are the basics anymore?  We have come such a distance in the food proscessing business since the 1800 and 1900's haven't we?  We all love those foods with rich flavours, those junk foods with artificial flavouring that make our lips smack. 

Now I am not that old that I can remember everything, truth is when I was growing up I never gave one thought as to how foods were processed.  Balogne was just that, balogne! 

 Hot dogs were mmmmm so good,

 and luncheon meats were purchased from the butcher shop, rarely could my parents afford to buy expensive foods from a grocery chain, back in the "good old days".  Yes, in our house, we began making dips with flavours in the 60's using those soup mixes (can you remember those?), but I am certain there were hundreds of new methods devised in those days for adding more zest to those plain ole foods we were so familiar with.  Aren't these food images tantalizing?  I dug these tantalizing pictures from got these from Stock Photography and Stock Footage

The world seemed ready for those new flavour changes, and as grocery stores became larger and then chains formed, the manufacturing bases also became larger and more diversified, the food industry as a whole exploded in the discovery of how to add new taste to foods we all love to eat. 

It has become such a food mine field, nowadays you have to have a degree in food additives, food preservatives, food this and food that - scary stuff!  How much time do you spend at your local food store deciding what to buy for the week in the food line?  Concievably you could spend 4 to 5 hours just reading labels, asking the produce people where the fruits and vegetables came from, do they have preservatives sprayed all over those pretty coloured foods that are termed perishibles?  Does the meat for school lunches have preservatives, well, of course they do!  On and on it will go, until exhausted you have finally made your food purchase choices and gone through the check out to take some of those tiny little time bombs home to your own cupboards and refrigerators.   I am so glad I'm not a food store owner, these recalls cost a fortune to take off the shelves, and the costs of reclaiming and destroying all of the recalled food, well, I wouldn't like to have to pay the bill, but I know in the end, I will pay, higher food costs will be implemented once again.  There is always a cost.   

What began this morning as a fine sunny day turned out a tad cloudy because I caught a news release about foods being recalled again, and this time on a massive scale.  To ensure I had heard correctly I went to check it out, found the information online and have copied it in its entirety for you below.  Just to be safe I also gave you the link to go and see for yourselves.  There are other sites and other countries involved in this one, so if this site doesn't suit you there are plenty of other sites with the same information.

I hate hearing all about Food Recalls, I love eating, I enjoy junk foods, and I now wonder whether or not all of the enhancements these lip smacking good tasting foods have is worth it, I don't think so!  A person the reporter in the newscast I heard this morning, asked someone their thoughts on this latest outbreak of food recalls, and that person said ....
"I think people will just forgive and forget until the next time".
Sadly, I think he is absolutely right!

Consumer Advisory - Salmonella in Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein (HVP)


The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) are closely following an investigation by U.S. authorities into possible Salmonella contamination of Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein (HVP) in the United States.

HVP is used as a flavour enhancer in many commercially processed foods. These can include soups, hot dogs, sauces, and seasoned snack foods. Products sold in Canada that contain the affected HVP and pose a risk to consumers will be removed from the Canadian marketplace.

Here is what you should know about the investigation:

There have been no reports of any confirmed illnesses in Canada or the US linked to the food product containing this HVP. Public health officials are looking at previously reported cases of Salmonella to determine if there are any links.
The risks related to this contamination are considered to be very low. However, consumers should ensure they cook their food properly to avoid any risks of Salmonella. Some ready-to-eat foods, like chips or dip, may contain the affected HVP manufactured by Basic Food Flavors Inc., and these may represent a higher risk. Please consult CFIA's Website for the list of products that were recalled. Products that you would cook or heat after you buy them are unlikely to pose a risk as long as they are cooked and handled properly.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is investigating what products on the Canadian market may contain HVP manufactured by Basic Food Flavors Inc. A number of food recalls have already occurred.

What can you do as a consumer?

•Be aware of the list of recalled products. You won't necessarily be able to tell from ingredient lists if HVP is in the food because it is often a part of a flavour mix. You can get a list of recalled products from the Government of Canada's food safety portal. If you have recalled products in your home, don't eat them.

•Use proper safe food handling practices and carefully follow the cooking instructions as ready-to-cook food in your home could potentially contain the recalled ingredient. More information can be found on the food safety portal.

While all Canadians can get sick from bacteria like Salmonella, older adults, pregnant women and those with pre-existing medical conditions are more vulnerable to long-term complications from Salmonella. If you belong to one of these groups, it's particularly important to be aware of this advice.

•Main Page - Potential Salmonella Contamination - Certain products manufactured in the USA and Canada containing Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein (HVP)

Today its recalled food flavouring ingredients, wonder what it will be tomorrow, or next week.  Stay safe, make yourself aware of what it is your eating and wash those hands, cook the food properly, and cross your fingers the rest will all turn out okay!

I guess if you've made time to read my rant today then like me we're both blessed and above ground, so have yourself a totally FRIENDTASTIC day today.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

"With Glowing Hearts" - The Paralympians!

While the world was mesmerized by the games of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver this year the PARA OLYMPIANS  were making ready to kick  off the 2010 Paralympic Games scheduled in Vancouver on March 12.

On March 3rd, 2010 three days after the Olympic Games Torch was extinguished in Vancouver, the 2010 Winter Para Olympics Torch Lighting Ceremonies took place with Five-time Paralympic athlete Arnold Boldt sharing the flame of hopeful paralympians in the Chamger of  our nations capital, Ottawa and also unveiling as a first,  Paralympics own distinctive emblem.   No longer do the winter paralympians have their logo's piggy-backed with the olympic winter games logo.  

The Torch Relay has already begun and will be followed the 10 days to Vancouver which began yesterday in Canada's capital, Ottawa.  Today, March 4th in Quebec City........making its way to Vancouver.

I hope the media coverage is as extensive and as well carried out as it was for the first set of games we were all thrilled by.  The more extensive the coverage the more the world becomes ever more familiarized with these olympians whose achievments are as monumental as those of any other olympic medal hopeful.

Brian McKeever is one such Olympian!   The thought of his racing in the Canadas' four man team at Whistler was so exciting and I for one was looking forward to coverage of the event so that I could cheer him on.  Sadly, and it was sad, that he wasn't included!  I for one thought the team couldn't have done any worse if Brian had been included.   Lets hold onto hope that in 2014 he will be among the team members on the podium to receive a team medal then! 

I am hopeful that through the media,  this 2010 Para Olympics will gain noteriety and that more and more of us will stay tuned and as glued to our television sets or in the stands, or on the slopes to watch as many para olympic events as the camera's and sports reporters will capture.   I so applaud these men and women who overcome all obstacles to join in on the sport of their choice.

GO CANADA, GO PARA OLYMPIANS!!!!!!