Categories
Entertainment

Party Planning: Valentine’s Day

Although my best friend is an event planner, I love entertaining. What better excuse to have a party than Valentine’s Day; especially since some restrictions are going to be lifted soon. According to Katie Sweeney of MyDomaine fame, all parties have NINE essential elements…

1. An Enticing Invitation
Normally, I just create an event on Facebook and invite all our friends, or shoot them a quick text. But I thought it might be fun to send out formal invites (mailed and/or hand delivered). Vistaprint is a super cheap place to get professionally made stationary quickly. I love sending out handmade invitations as they are a sweet and cute gesture. For this party, I picked a chocolate box themed invitation.

2. An Interesting Group of Guests
Easily accomplished because our friends, family and coworkers are awesome and come from all walks of life. I thought it would be neat to stick to 14 guests; as a tie in to the date.

3. Festive Decor
It can be easy to go overboard. I LOVE Michael’s and Dollarama; they are my first go-to stores when shopping for party decor. Fresh flowers add such a beautiful touch to any party. I selected 2 bouquets of a dozen roses each (mulberry margarita purple) to put in frosted mason jars with the word LOVE printed in gold for the dining room and living room coffee table.

And I also picked up 2 full bouquets of white carnations to put in short square clear glass vases for the side counters and tables. The contrast in type of flower and vessel is pretty. Throughout the kitchen and living room (we have an open plan home) I like to place silver and gold votive holders (Ashland brand from Michael’s) for my flame-less tealights. This creates a soothing and slightly romantic atmosphere.

In addition to the candles ‘strewn’ around the room I also placed bowls of individually wrapped candy (raspberry hearts, chocolate kisses, sweetheart candies and Valentines coloured candy corn). Bulk Barn is an incredible place!

We have a gorgeous handcrafted wood cookie table, so I never like to cover it with a tablecloth so I picked up a lace table runner from Amazon. No party is complete without streamers. I chose pale pink and white. And nothing says ‘Welcome to my Valentine’s Day Party’ like confetti balloons (which I absolutely LOVE).

4. A Lively Playlist
Spotify has become my new new favourite app; I was slow to discover it. I put a mixture of songs/genres that everyone enjoys and stayed away mushy love songs which I thought would put everyone to sleep. The music is more for background noise than actual dancing.
 
5. Thoughtful Details
Everyone loves a party favour. I ordered some chocolate rose and chocolate lip lollipops from Purdy’s (as an anchor to my invitation); for people to take home with them at the end of the night with a personalized name tag.

6. Delicious Food
Most of our friends have kids, so I figured most would like to enjoy an early dinner by themselves and then stop by for snacks and drinks at our place. I always go overboard on the food…it never fails.

According to whatscookingamerica.com, for 14-16 guests you should serve 5 appetizer. I am currently cooking my way through my newest Pioneer Woman cookbook so this party is the perfect opportunity to try out new appetizers. My menu includes: pimento cheese; served in mini red peppers and for spreading on crackers, watermelon feta bites, tortilla pinwheels, bacon wrapped dates, salad on a stick, barbeque chicken wings and a shrimp ring.

7. Potent Cocktails
We always BYOB to parties; however, I wanted to do a signature cocktail for the ladies and one for the gentlemen. I opted for easy to make recipes because I didn’t want to bartend all night. As always, I want our guests to make themselves at home and help themselves. I also make a point of serving drinks in actual glasses rather than plastic solo cups. A pitcher of watermelon margaritas and a salt rimming station will be set up for the ladies and for the gents: the classic Old Fashioned

8. An Element of Surprise
Even though most of my friends would consider the party favour as a surprise, but I wanted to do something special for this special party. I’m splurging for this! I’m ordering a cake from the Duchess Bake Shop. But I can’t decide… the Fig, Pear & Blackberry Cheesecake is so tempting, but then again so are the Duke Cake and the Duchess Cake.

9. A Group Bonding Activity
Our group loves playing games or watching hockey together and a lot of the time we do both while catching up with each other. So if there happens to be an important game on, I’ll tune into that for our guests (it’s definitely a hit with the husbands). Another much loved activity is Cards Against Humanity (especially later in the evening). Depending on the size of the guest list you can even set up a few ‘games’ stations and people can move between them throughout the night. Even picking up a silly V-Day game from Dollarama can yield lots fun and lots of laughs.

Categories
Food & Drink

Favourite Wines

“Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.”
                                                                                               ― Paulo Coelho, Brida

And with that, I present to you my list of favourite wines!…

Goddess (St. Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery)
This is a cool product; it is a wine made by women for women. It is a multi-varietal white blend with exotic floral notes including Turkish delight, lychee, sweet spices, rose oil and a hint of herbs. Best served chilled with a spicy or Asian dish.

Market White (Sperling Vineyard)
Market White is a blend of Bacchus, Pinot Blanc & Riesling. And has been dubbed as the embodiment of “Okanagan sunshine & freshness in a glass.” Which comes from the scent of yummy fruit like peach, apricot and apple. This is a great choice to go along with a spicy entree, or simply for sipping.


Late Harvest Riesling (Sperling Vineyard)
This is a perfect wine to enjoy with dessert; it is a treat in and of itself. It received the InterVin International Wine Awards 2017, Honours Medal

Old Vines Foch (Sperling Vineyard)
Country Babe is NOT a fan of red wines, however this is one of TWO red wines that she loves. It smells and tastes like black cherry, current, roasted nuts and fresh earth. This rustic wine is made for dinners of featuring red meats, desserts featuring chocolate and cheese plates.

Late Harvest Gewurztraminer (Sperling Vineyard)
An iced wine, that has a  “spicy, peach and honey nose; full-bodied, rich and sweet, well balanced flavours of tropical fruit, barley sugar and cinnamon.”

Speritz (Sperling Vineyard)
Refreshing. Crisp. With bursts of peach, melon, guava and grapefruit. It’s a really good choice for curling up on the couch with your sweetheart and watching a movie and snacking on popcorn.

Old Vines Gamay Noir (Hillside)
This is the second red wine that won Country Babe over. It is a fruity wine featuring raspberry and cedar notes. It tastes luxurious without being overpowering. Fun factoid: gamay is the principal grape of the Beaujolais region.

Voignier (Hillside)
Made in Naramata Bench, although it is dubbed as a “summer chardonnay” it is perfect anytime of the year. This wine smells as delicious as it tastes.  Think, spring blossoms, honeysuckle with a hint of Chai spice.

Pinot Grigio (Barefoot Bubbly)
A light bodied California sparkling wine with a citrus aroma that refreshes the palate. Best served chilled with fish or seafood and appetizers.

Categories
Gifts

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

red roses close up photography
Photo by picjumbo.com on Pexels.com

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching I thought that I’d would help you out with some gift suggestions…

My husband is the quintessential outdoorsman in fact that is what he does for a living and I am constantly scrambling for gift ideas for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, birthdays and anniversaries. He is the man who seems to have everything and would truly be happy with anything. However, I try to be creative and romantic when planning and shopping for his gifts but it is a struggle.

Enso Ring (https://ensorings.com/)
This is a perfect gift for the spouse who is unable to wear the traditional wedding ring at work for safety or comfort reasons. I was able to find an Enso ring that was basically a replica of my husband’s titanium ring. He has worn it to work, puttering around the house and hunting. It is comfortable and lightweight. Being inexpensive it is also perfect for the spouse that has a habit of losing their ring. I bought a ring for my husband and one for myself. I wear mine with my original engagement and wedding rings as part of the set. 

A Custom Designed Piece 
Whether you make it yourself or have a talented local designer create a piece with significance for you and your loved one; this option is always a hit. There are so many local, talented vendors in our communities. Supporting them is important, especially during such tough economic times brought on by the pandemic. A beautiful sign, picture, clothing item or coffee mug that is personalized for your loved one, always makes for a fantastic gift.

Yeti Mug (https://www.yeti.com/drinkware)
The various types of drinkware (rambler, tumbler, jug and bottle) make for the perfect gift for the outdoors-person in your life. They are not only durable but also keep your beverages at the desired temperatures; trust me, after braving the cold and wind while ice fishing or sitting in a layout blind while goose hunting; you really want your coffee to be HOT. You can also add to this gift, by including a bag of your beloved’s favourite coffee or tea.

An Adventure
Another option for a memorable Valentine’s Day gift is an adventure. It doesn’t need to be an all-expenses paid trip to a tropical locale. It could be a weekend away at a charming Bed & Breakfast a few hours away; a much needed break to decompress and reconnect. With my husband in mind, I would most likely arrange for him to go on a fishing trip whether here in Alberta or British Columbia during the spring/summertime. The unfortunate part of this option is that your partner may have trouble waiting for the adventure to begin.

A Bookworm Basket
In addition to his many outdoor activities my husband is a huge bookworm. You can personalize your “bookworm basket” to suit your sweetheart. I would put in a few cans of Pepsi, a mix of his favourite snacks (chips, chocolate bars and jujubes), a new pair of comfortable pajama pants, the latest novel by his author of choice or a gift card to Chapters and the February edition of his favourite magazine… He can sit back and relax; this would be my husband’s version of pampering.

Categories
Food & Drink

Favourite Quiche Recipe

My girlfriends and I love bonding over great meals and the cooking/baking process. We never have qualms about splurging on a culinary adventure or an ingredient. One thing we love to do each and every GIRLS WEEKEND is to make a fancy or epic breakfast. We fell in love with this quiche recipe from Tenderflake.ca the first time we made it. Then I made it for my family last Christmas; it was a hit with them as well. It also tastes delicious served cold the next day.

Ingredients
1 Tenderflake All Vegetable Shortening Deep Dish Pie Shell
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut in 1″ pieces
1 small sweet red pepper, cut in strips
1 1/4 cups sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
3 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp salt

Directions
Thaw pastry shell at room temperature 15 minutes. Place on baking sheet.
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Heat oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, asparagus, peppers and mushrooms until tender-crisp, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle half of cheese in pie shell. Spoon vegetables on top. Cover with remaining cheese.
Beat remaining ingredients together to blend. Pour over the vegetable mixture.
Bake on lower rack of preheated oven 10 minutes
Reduce temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake 30-35 minutes longer or until filling is set.
Cool 10 minutes, then slice and serve warm.

Categories
Design & Decor

Design Challenge: Guest Bedroom #1

Pre-pandemic I loved entertaining and having people stay over at our house; it is important that I create a cozy and comfortable space to make my guests feel at home. When we moved into our forever home the decor in our guestrooms have stayed pretty much the same as it had under the previous owners (in-laws). I can’t wait till the restrictions are lifted and I can have friends and family over to enjoy the new space I have created for them.

Paint: Palladian Blue (HC-144) from Benjamin Moore

Bed: Sagstua bed frame in black from Ikea

Linens: Chic Home Salvatore 10 piece comforter set in white from Bed Bath & Beyond

Chair & Ottoman: Strandmon armchair in dark green from Ikea
                              Strandmon footstool in dark green from Ikea

Art: “Misty Landscape” (Björksta) framed picture from Ikea

Decor: Cactus Trio aka Själsligt from Ikea
            8” Stockholm Bowl in gold colour brass from Ikea

Dresser: 8 Drawer Hemnes Dresser in white from Ikea

Bedside Table: 2 Drawer Hemnes Chest in white from Ikea

Lamp: Lauters table lamp in ash and white from Ikea

Categories
Reflections & Lifestyle

Country Life: The Inside Scoop

agriculture arable barley blur
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Country life can seem like an idyllic paradise to some but for others it is a nightmare. I spent the first 18 years of my life living just outside Vancouver, then five years in Edmonton before buying a house in the “country-adjacent” town of Devon. But in 2015, I moved to the COUNTRY with my better half. Let’s just say there was a steep learning curve and there are some challenges to living “out in the boonies” but overall I have to say this was the best move of my life!

The best parts of living in the country…

1. Neighbours
We live in my husband’s childhood home; that in itself is really cool. But, the neighbours and people in our community are amazing, they are kind, friendly and the mentality of helping each other out really rings true here. I feel safer here, simply because we know lots of people and we all depend on one another.

2. Summers
The summers here are beautiful, everything is green and full of life. It is refreshing and being able to spend hours outside is great, with the birds chirping and the creek rushing. Our quality of life has definitely improved. I spend summer nights star gazing.

3. Activities
My eyes have been opened to new fun and exciting activities. As well, the space we have allowed us to continue with beloved hobbies. From bird hunting in the fall, deer hunting in November, ice fishing at the lake nearby in the winter and gardening in the spring and summer or golfing on the front lawn; we are never not busy.

4. Peace & Quiet
No sirens, car alarms, yelling, traffic. Restful.

5. Organic Food
And this doesn’t come with a hefty price-tag from a grocery store. Being able to grow lots of our own fruits and vegetables gives us a sense of pride but also peace of mind that we aren’t eating pesticide-laced produce. We harvest our own meat in the form of goose, duck, moose, deer and fish. It reduces food costs, gets us off the couch and allows us to spend time together.

The drawbacks of living in the country…

1. Isolation
I’ll admit it took a bit of getting used to being so far from family and friends. I find it most difficult to be here on my own when my husband is gone to work for weeks at a time (especially during winter but I will get to that next). Occasionally I miss the hustle and bustle of the city.

2. Winters
The sheer amount of snow we get and the LONG driveway we have to clear is daunting. Luckily, my husband does this and our neighbour helps us out with his tractor but when I am on my own I feel overwhelmed. Plus, winter road conditions sometimes keep us more home bound than we would like.

3. Amenities
Being so far out from the city in a small hamlet, we don’t have the amenities that I enjoyed in my youth and sometimes feel nostalgic for, like fancy restaurants, movie theaters or certain beloved stores. Plus, many places, for example Sears won’t service our area so when something breaks down it can be quite the mess around to find someone to come out. Oh, and the internet is pretty sketchy out here too!

4. Chores
There is a lot that goes into the upkeep of our home and land; for example mowing acres and acres of grass, maintaining fencing, weeding, cutting trees (again, I am spoil my husband does this) and  it is time consuming. It isn’t all play…mind you it isn’t all work but I wasn’t prepared for how long our to-do lists sometimes are. You can’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.

5. Mosquitos & Wasps
They can be INSANE…need I say more?? I spent a lot of time applying bug spray, Afterbite and ingesting Benadryl as well as swelling and itching. We have wasp traps up everywhere, bug zappers and a mosquito vacuum…It hardly made a dent. Sometimes it makes it hard to live an outdoor lifestyle or sit on the deck to enjoy the view.

Categories
Writing Prompt Wednesdays

Writing Prompt Wednesday

I was gifted an awesome journal for Christmas this year; Picadilly’s 200 Writing Prompts. I thought it would be fun to spend a few moments each Wednesday working through this journal and then sharing them with you.

What about you??

Categories
Entertainment

Book Recommendations

books in black wooden book shelf
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I have been a bookworm from an early age; every time there was a Scholastic book order or book fair at school my mom overindulged me. I spent summers devouring book after book. Even now my husband and I have five full bookcases and books squirrelled away elsewhere. When I first thought about doing a blog post about my favourite books I felt a sense of panic…which ones should I choose? How many books are too many for a “short list”? I am not quite sure how I managed this, but I was able to pick four from my extensive collection.

Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie

I am an Agatha Christie superfan. I have ALL of her novels and I watch ALL of the television adaptations of them. This particular novel was the first of her’s that I read; and it got me hooked. The setting which is described in painstaking detail transports you to Iraq. Christie’s meticulous crafting of the character of her Belgian detective will excite and intrigue you. In this 1936 Hercule Poirot mystery, Amy Leatheran realizes that there is something malevolent happening at an archaeological dig to Dr. Leidner’s wife, Louise. Louise has become plagued by awful hallucinations while tensions mount between members of the group. It is up to Poirot to figure it all out and prevent further devastation.

Coppermine by Keith Ross Leckie

This book was recommended to me by a former student of mine who was participating in a book club. She thought it would be right up my alley because it tells the tale of North West Mounted Police officer Creed and his interpreter, a Copper Inuit McAndrew who spend a year traversing the titled Arctic region to investigate the disappearance of two Catholic priests in 1913 and their eventual trip to Edmonton. I fell in love with this novel and couldn’t put it down. This novel has something for everyone: it has adventure, mystery; the twists and turns keep you turning the pages. Coppermine is based on true events and as a former Edmontonian, I couldn’t help but enjoy reading about Edmonton in the 1910s.

On the Map: A Mind Expanding Exploration of the Way the World Looks by Simon Garfield

This is definitely a throwback but I read this book and I LOVED it; so it is always on my list of MUST READS. I saw this novel featured on the Colbert Report years ago and as a Social Studies teacher it really fascinated me and made me think about maps and the world in a different way. The author took me, “on a journey outlining the history of maps from the early explorers’ maps and the awe-inspiring medieval Mappa Mundi to Google Maps and the satellite renderings on our smartphones, [he] explores the unique way that maps relate and realign our history—and reflect the best and worst of what makes us human,” (Garfield, 2013). I look forward to reading some of his other works such as Timekeepers (2016), Our Hidden Lives (2004) and Just My Type (2010).

Sanditon by Jane Austen and Kate Riordan

Jane Austen is one of my favourite authors and I read all of her novels by the time I was in grade 8. Recently on a trip to Indigo I saw this book and I knew that I must have it. I had no idea that there was an unfinished manuscript. And, I am so thrilled that it was finished (and of course turned into a mini-series on Masterpiece). Sanditon is set during the Regency era, the plot follows the young and naive Charlotte as she navigates the new seaside resort of Sanditon.

Categories
Travel

Flashback Friday: Sacramento

This time last year I was in Sacrament for four days with my husband at the International Sportsman Expo at Cal Expo. We were supposed to attend again this year, but COVID-19 had other plans.

This incredible facility features eight buildings, lagoon, an entry bridge and outdoor brick plaza with a total of 58,870 square feet of indoor space. Our booth was located in the hunting section of building A. I couldn’t get over how many booths there were and how many people attended (I am told around 33,000 over the four days); at some points during the day you couldn’t see across the bridge to other building because of the wall of people. You could hear the murmur of the crowd getting louder as they approached and came up the stairs! It was my first time attending and working a show like this. We met some awesome people and heard their incredible hunting and fishing stories and of course sold a few hunts. I am sharing with you some helpful tips I learned as a vendor.

1. Comfortable shoes… 
Over the four days I stood for 33 hours. I realized that this was not a time to wear anything but runners or the dress shoes I wear to work as a teacher. I did rent a chair to sit in but I must say… when you stand you look approachable and ready to interact… potential clients seemed to talk more to people at the booths who were standing rather than those who were sitting.

2. Purell…
I lost track of how many hands I shook… they probably number in the hundreds. Last year my husband ended up with a nasty cold. I was sure to have a lots of hand sanitizer nearby.
 
3. Treat basket… 
People love their treats… we found Werther’s were “the best candy around.” There were lots of kids as there was also a youth fair going on too. When the kids would come over to grab a treat we were able to engage their folks in a discussion about hunting in Alberta. Plus, it is an inexpensive gesture for the crowds.

4. Food/Snacks… 
If you think you are getting away from your booth for any length of time to get lunch or dinner or a snack you are sorely mistaken! You may be able to if you have someone working with with but you just can’t afford to step away and miss a sale. We stocked up on chips, granola bars and water from Walgreens. We also saved a TON of money since we didn’t pay for expensive concession food.

5. Deals… 
In addition to treats, people love deals! They definitely go for packages where you give them their bottom line… no additional costs and you also tell them how much of a deal it actually is.

6. Contact… 
It never hurts to have a sheet on your table and get your potential client’s information. Following up with them can yield additional sales to those you make at the show. Plus, it gives people a chance to shop around, organize their hunting group, get organized, come up with more focussed questions and make final decisions without feeling pressured to close the deal the day of. Making anecdotal notes about prospective clients after meeting them provides a nice introduction or segue when you call or email them.

7. Dressing up your booth… 
Trade show facilities will have vendors that you can get a wide variety of items to outfit your booth with. However, they are ridiculously expensive! For example for a basic (uncomfortable) chair was $70, a TV can run you $500 and we are just talking RENTALS!  Bring as much of your own stuff you can or source your own items from rental places yourself -you save on the mark up! A must have is a TV though; it really pulled people in to our booth!

8. Booth location… 
The money you save on rentals use to buy a premium spot. We were the first booth as people came in and they STOPPED! And they also had to pass by on their way out.

9. Have a map… 
With a large expo centre we got asked a lot about where things were located. It is always nice to be able to assist guests.

Categories
Writing Prompt Wednesdays

Writing Prompt Wednesday

I was gifted an awesome journal for Christmas this year; Picadilly’s 200 Writing Prompts. I thought it would be fun to spend a few moments each Wednesday working through this journal and then sharing them with you.

What about you???