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Writing Prompt Wednesdays

March Journal #2

Describe the day you met your best friend, from your friend’s point of view.

It was a busy day in the dorm; everyone was moving in. I didn’t expect to be a floor coordinator but here I am. Everyone is excited and so far the “meeting of the roommates” is going well. It should be a really good year. There’s a girl who lives a few doors down and she seems weird but in a good way; fun and loves food especially Kraft Dinner. She wants to be a teacher. You can tell she’s a bit nervous but that should subside. We like a lot of the same TV shows and love to travel… little did she know almost 20 years later we’re still best friends.

What about you?

Prompt from: Piccadilly’s 200 Writing Prompts

Categories
Food & Drink

Irish Recipe: Colcannon

My all time favourite way to serve mashed potatoes is in the form of Colcannon and considering that St. Patrick’s Day is coming up it is a perfect time to share it with you all.

potatoes beside stainless steel cooking pot
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Ingredients

5 Potatoes (Yukon Gold is best)
4 Tbsp Margarine
4 Scallions (chopped)
2 Tbsp Minced garlic
1 Bunch of kale (chopped)
3/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Heavy cream
Salt & Pepper

Directions

  1. In a large pot, cover chopped potatoes with water and season with salt. Boil and cook until totally soft (approximately 12 minutes). Drain and return potatoes to pot.
  2. Melt margarine in a large pot.
  3. Add scallions and garlic and cook until beginning to soften
  4. Add shredded kale, milk, and cream. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often until milk comes to a simmer and kale wilts.
  5. Use a potato masher to mash kale mixture into potatoes until smooth.
  6. Season with salt and pepper and stir.
  7. Enjoy!
Categories
Reflections & Lifestyle

Back to the Vault: An Ode to Strong Women

Normally, we head back to the vault later in the month, however, I couldn’t resist dipping back to 2021 in honour of International Women’s Day.

An Ode to Strong Women

How are you commemorating the day?
Who are some strong women in your life?

Categories
Writing Prompt Wednesdays

March Journal #1

What is a priority for you right now?

Getting through the winter; it can be a real struggle which I am a little embarrassed to admit because so far, there have been minimal slow and fewer super cold weather days –although when it was cold…IT WAS COLD. At one point it felt like -50. I get the winter blues so bad. I really just want it to be summer when it is warm and light out for longer. The coldest part of our winter is also when the school year seems to drag or is the most tense and that takes a lot out of me. Also, I am by myself a lot of the time in the winter so if anything goes wrong it really sucks. My anxiety is an all-time high. I just wish it was fall all year long but I guess I picked the wrong province or country to live in.

What about you?

Prompt from: Piccadilly’s 200 Writing Prompts

Categories
Food & Drink

Spring Salad Recipe

close up photography of white and brown wooden container and spoon
Photo by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.com

Ingredients

3 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 Tbsp Garlic (minced)
12 cups Salad Greens
1 lb Asparagus
4 Eggs
1 lb Steak
1 Tbsp Garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp Soy sauce
4 Slices of whole grain toast
4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat a grill or broiler to medium. Whisk together olive oil, (first allotment of) garlic and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
  2. Place mixed spring greens in a large salad bowl.
  3. Fill a pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for 5 minutes. Drain water and set aside to cool.
  4. In another pot; poach eggs to desired doneness.
  5. Rub steak with garlic, soy sauce, and several pinches of salt and pepper (on both sides).
  6. Place steak on the grill or broiler pan. Cook on each side for 4 minutes. Transfer steak to cutting board and let rest.
  7. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces; add to the salad bowl.
  8. Toast bread and cut into small squares; add to the salad bowl
  9. Toss the salad mixture with half of the dressing.
  10. Divide salad among four shallow salad bowls. Place a poached egg over greens.
  11. Cut steak on the diagonal into thin slices, then arrange steak slices around each egg.
  12. Drizzle salads with the remaining dressing, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to serve.
  13. Enjoy!
Categories
Reflections & Lifestyle

The Best Things About Spring

Spring has almost sprung; and I have been so looking forward to it!! This is my top 10 list about the best things about spring.

  1. More daylight!
    *The “dark” months are really tough on me; so being able to wake up to the shining sun –there is nothing better!
  2. Snow is disappearing
    *Depending on how harsh winter was, there is usually some kicking around. Although the grass is still brown and dead, the fact that its visible and starting its process of rejuvenation is exciting!
  3. Easter
    *Spending time feasting with my family is awesome!
  4. Strawberries
    *They are in season, and so tasty!
  5. Carrots & Beets
    *They are in season –bring on the delicious salads!
  6. Tulips
  7. Spring Break
    *A week off of school to relax and reset so I can make it to summer break after toiling away on report cards!
  8. Moderate weather
    *Perfect for spending more time outdoors and resuming my walks!
  9. Turning the furnace off
    *Just another indication that we are getting closer to summer
  10. Animals
    *Of course, baby animals have to be on the list! Because, duh!

What do you love about spring?

Categories
Writing Prompt Wednesdays

February Journal #4

Are you making the world a better place?

I like to think so. Maybe that sounds conceited. I’m not doing anything large or on an international scale, but I love my students and I hope every day I make their day a little better. Things like making them breakfast, donating money or supplies to community events directly benefit them, planning fun activities and simply being there for them when they’re struggling. I just try to be on their side. I tried to model kindness and help them learn and get good marks so they can realize their dreams in the future and I love to cheer them on. I hope that if they feel cared for they may be more likely to care for others. I also do my duties as a citizen so hopefully I can say I make the world better not worse at least.

What about you?

Prompt from: Piccadilly’s 200 Writing Prompts

Categories
Entertainment

Book Club: February

Last month, I read quiet a few books; however, I didn’t decrease my TBR pile very much.

  1. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell

We meet the bold, Lucrezia di Cosimo de’Medici, who is forced to marry the Duke of Ferrara at age 15 after the death of her older sister (who had been the intended bride). After her marriage, her husband, Alfonso takes her to his court where she is subjected to totalitarian surveillance where she could potentially meet an unfortunate end.

2. Enola Holmes and the Mark of The Mongoose by Nancy Springer

Rudyard Kipling seeks to find his friend, an American book publisher who has gone missing in London. He initial goes to Enola’s office but upon discovering she is a woman; he wants to enlist Sherlock instead. Enola works the case regardless on the downlow.

3. Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict

In this modern take on Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, former police officer, Roz must solve the murder and prevent others from happening while the train remains derailed in the snow.

4. Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder by Catherine Lloyd

Caroline Morton finds herself back at the home of her Aunt as a guest at her cousin Mabel’s birthday ball. This go awry when a butler goes missing and a Great Aunt is found dead. She must solved the mystery plaguing the house and forge a future for herself.

What did you read this month?

Categories
Food & Drink

French Onion Soup: Slow Cooker Version

Ingredients

12 white Onion (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp Italian herb seasoning
Salt and pepper
100 ml red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves (minced)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire saue
1 bay leaf
1000 ml low sodium beef stock
2 cups mixture of Provolone, Swiss & Gruyere cheese
6 slices sourdough or French bread (toasted)

Directions

  1. Put all the ingredients (except for the into slow cooker except the beef broth, cheese and bread).
  2. Cook on high for 4 hours
  3. Remove the bay leaf
  4. Add beef broth; stir and simmer for about an hour
  5. Stir again
  6. Add bread and sprinkle with cheese; then cook on high for 8 minutes until the cheese is all melty
  7. Enjoy!
white onions
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Categories
Writing Prompt Wednesdays

February Journal #3

Should kids be allowed to have personal cell phones and tablets in school?

100% NO!! If you need to get a hold of your child, call the office and they will relay the message to them at the appropriate time. They are in class; learning and don’t need any interruptions, they have enough of them. Or better yet, call or text them on their break. Even if you expect them to wait and check their phones at break once they feel the buzz or see the notification they just can’t help but stop and check it. You think they may have control but they don’t. They are addicted to their devices and your flagrant floating of the rules makes it hard to enforce our cell phone policies. Kids do not need the extra screen time they have enough. One time a kid told me he is on his phone 18 hours a day.. WTF! Also, the amount of cyberbullying and privacy violations are insane! (This prompt definitely hit a nerve!!) It is sort of fitting that I am responding to this prompt now; considering that the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia have made moves to quash phones at school –we shall see how it all shakes out.

What about you?

Prompt from: Piccadilly’s 200 Writing Prompts