Quote of the Day

"All I ask of you is one thing: please don't be cynical. I hate cynicism -- it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere," he concluded. "Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen."

- Conan O'Brien as he leaves The Tonight Show

New Shoes

Let It Rain

Shields Up Cubical Smurfs

Happiness Shield from Tippie Canoe on Vimeo.

Martin Luther King Day

Through The Mist

I spent the day in beautiful Balboa Park ... but the real beauty was in my neighbourhood park when I got home!


Mist Passing Through

A Trip To The Shoe Hospital

It is Friday, Chucky T day ... and Lefty has popped some stitches.

So.... we spent lunch today at the shoe hospital

Palm Trees through the Car Wash

A much over due car wash for Wanda!

Thought For The Day

May peace fill all the empty spaces around you and in you, may contentment answer all your wishes. May comfort be yours, warm and soft like a sigh. And may the coming year show you that every day is really a first day, a new year. May you be true love.
- Author Unknown

Gardien Beefless Stew

Ingredients:
1 package Gardein beefless tips
3 tbsps vegetable oil
10 ozs pearl onions, peeled
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, 1/2 inch diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 tbsps flour
3 cups vegan "beef" broth (try Better than Bouillon brand) or roasted vegetable stock
1 cup dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon
4 medium potatoes, 1/2 inch diced
1 Bunch of Broccoli
salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:

1. Chop beefless tips in quarters
   
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium high heat, add beefless tips and brown on all sides. Remove from saucepan and set aside.
   
3. Add to saucepan pearl onions and celery to saucepan and cook for 3 minutes.
   
4. Add carrots, thyme and rosemary and continue to cook for an additional 3 minutes.
   
5. Sprinkle in flour, then slowly add broth and wine while stirring.
   
6. Add potatoes and broccoli and bring to a boil.
   
7. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. A
   
8. Add beefless tips back in and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
   
9. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
   

Original recipe by Chef Tal Ronnen here

Spring?

The ice plant is blooming ... Spring is on its' way.

One of my favourite San Diego scenes is when all the ice plant along the highway is in bloom!

Cupcake

My local Whole Foods Market makes the coolest looking cupcakes!

Wanda Gets A Tatoo

My car, Wanda is now sporting a Travel Bug Tattoo.

Fellow Geocachers ... keep an eye out for us!

Sunday Soup

Wild Rice, Butternut Squash and Bean Soup

1 medium onion
1 lb peeled and cubed butternut squash
2 zucchini, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
5 celery ribs, chopped
5 asparagus stalks, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp rosemary
1 32 oz box of low sodium vegetable broth
1 bunch of kale
1 can of small white or cannellini beans
2 cups wild rice
salt, pepper

1. Cook wild rice
   
2. Chop onion and celery. Over medium heat stir oil, celery, rosemary and thyme and cook until onion is soft
   
3. Add broth, squash, zucchini, carrots, asparagus and beans. Cook 10 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste.
   
4. Add rice and kale. Simmer until the kale is limp (approx 10 minutes)
   

Recipe adapted from here

Contradictions

Saw this on my morning run through the park.

A sea of brown fallen leaves on a bed of beautifully green grass.

Life - the beauty lies in the contradictions.

Crosswalk

Took this at my favourite neighbourhood crosswalk. Makes me smile every time I see it!

New Shoes

Friday is Chucky-T day at work.

Today we proved peer pressure is alive and well. We finally wore down my cube neighbour ... and she bought a pair of brand spankin' new black Chuck Taylors

Tippie and R- in their Chuck Taylor Shoes

Canadian Alienation - No More!

Risking Life & Limb

Today I risked life and limb in pursuit of a sandwich.

Here is the sign on the door of the local Deli

Sunday Soup

Spicy Tomato Soup with White Beans and Swiss Chard

2 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (more or less depending on you 'spicy' tolerance)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1 32 oz box of low sodium vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes
2 cans small white or cannelli beans
1 bunch of Swiss Chard
1/2 tsp thye
1 cup torn fresh basil

1. Heat Oil in large sauce pan over high heat. Add red pepper flakes and stir in onion, carrots, celery, zucchini and theyme. Cook 10 minutes or until onion is soft.
   
2. Add broth, 1 can of tomatoes and 1 cand beans. Stir. Scoop 1 cup of mixture and put in blender. Puree and then return to pot. Add remaining tomatoes and beans. Salt and Pepper to taste. Simmer 10 minutes
   
3. Add Swiss Chard and thyme, simmer until chard is limp (5 minutes)
   
4. Remove from heat, stir in basil
   

Adapted from here

Start The New Year With A Smile

Call the Nestle Crunch Hotline at 1-800-295-0051.

When you are asked if you want to continue in English or Spanish, just wait quietly for about 10 seconds and you will smile.

Promise!

Keep going and press 4.

Listen to the options...then press 7.