Sunday Observations

How are you all doing? Hope you're enjoying your weekend, where ever you are. I just watched the Canucks win game 4 in the Western Conference final. 5 more wins to go!

Besides watching hockey, I got up to a few other things today....

That was my Sunday. What did you do? Anyone out there watching hockey these days? ;)

Back soon!
janis

Hello Long Weekend

Have a good weekend! Back soon.
janis

HGTV.ca Original Home Tour

Hi everyone! Hope you're having a great week. If you're in Vancouver, are you thoroughly enjoying the sunshine and the Canucks? I am. ;)

I wanted to share a few images of a pretty home with you, that I shot for HGTV.ca for their "Original Home Tour" series.

For the whole story, and many more images, please check out HGTV.ca!

Have a great day! Back soon.
janis

Baked

Oh Monday, you always arrive so fast. Hope you all had a good weekend!

I picked up some fresh, local rhubarb on the weekend, so I could make this recipe. It's from a 2006 Donna Hay magazine. I did make a couple of changes...just needed to tone down the sweet factor. ;)

Rhubarb & Dumplings - makes about 6 (or 3 large ones, in my case!)

500g* (about 1 lb) rhubarb, trimmed and chopped
*(I used about 800g, as I found it to be too watery with just 500g)
2* cups berry/caster sugar
*(2 cups of sugar is too much for my taste, so I used just one cup.) ;)
2 cups water
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
150g unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup berry/caster sugar, extra
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
icing sugar for dusting

Place the rhubarb, sugar and water in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until rhubarb is tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 355f/180c. Place the flour, extra sugar, baking powder and butter in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Gradually add the milk and vanilla and continue mixing until a smooth dough forms.

Turn dough out onto work surface and break up into 6 equal portions. Divide the rhubarb mixture into 6 1 1/2 cup ovenproof dishes.

Carefully place the dumplings on top and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a skewer, inserted into centre of dumpling, comes out clean. Allow to cool. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

I didn't have 6 "ovenproof dishes" or ramekins, I just had 3 little cake pans, which worked out just fine.
Very quick to make, and easy too. Give it a whirl!

Have a great day. Back on Wednesday.
janis

Sunday Observations

Hello everyone! Here are a few things I've taken notice of today....

I hope I haven't jinxed this series now. Gulp. Go Canucks! Click here, for the pretzel recipe. Bags were just printed on my home printer. Easy.

I also checked out Marisa Seguin's Print Shop on Etsy. This girl is good. I love her city posters.

Click here, to check out her beautiful shop. 

Those are a few of the things I observed today. Oh, and Blogger still hasn't restored my missing comments. ;) What did you get up to? Let me know!

Back soon!

janis

Hello Friday!

Have a lovely, and trouble-free, weekend! Back soon!
janis

A Legendary Architect's Garden

I had the honour of shooting Arthur Erickson's garden, last year, for Canadian Gardening (May 2011 issue). He has designed incredible buildings all over North America. Two of those are the Museum of Anthropology, here in Vancouver, and was co-designer of Simon Fraser University. Personally, I would love to live in one of his homes. They are simply stunning. Arthur was still designing, right up to his death, in 2009 at 84.

Karen York, who wrote the story, was told about some legendary parties that Arthur would throw. My favourite is the one where he brought in black swans for the pond and the famous ballet dancer, Rudolf Nureyev, danced over the moss mound. Oh how I would love to have been there. Can you imagine?

If you're in the Vancouver area and want to check out the garden for yourself, they do offer tours.
Click here for details.

Have a lovely day! Back soon.
janis