Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Most of the time, I find poetry too hard to read. I know it's laziness on my part. I WANT to like poetry. So I've determined to stretch myself and read some poems. I have several books collected through the years; some left over from college English classes and some bought for the beauty of their covers.
This book falls into the latter category. Found in an antique shop a long time ago, I recently opened it to find the original giver's artwork decorating almost all the pages.
The inscription says, "To My Dear Roderick, Christmas 1935, From Jane.
Since it was a Christmas gift, she decorated quite a few pages with holly leaves and berries and underlined special words in red. I particularly love the sweet face she drew of Mrs. Browning, the author. Reginald must have been a pretty special fellow to warrant so much time and detail. Now I'm going to read a few. I don't think they'll take too much mental taxation.

Welcoming Summer

Summer is officially here! We celebrated its arrival by having vanilla ice cream with red sugar sprinkles topped by a sparkler. The kids loved it!
It's a small way to honor the change of seasons. Much more appropriate than running naked through the field like I threatened to do in the past. Just kidding, my children. I'd never do that. Really...probably not.

Pat Conroy and His Cookbook

This is the view from the back deck which overlooks a small lake. I'm on Fripp Island for a few days to plan, rest, read, etc.
I brought Pat Conroy's Cookbook with me. I don't usually read cookbooks, but this isn't an ordinary cookbook, and Mr. Conroy isn't an ordinary writer. Put the two together, and you have one part lyrical autobiography and one part food from around the world.
So I began reading about making stocks when he says to take a whole chicken, wash it inside and out with cold water, then pat it dry. Why on earth would you do that, when the next step is to put it into a pot of water for boiling?
I've wondered the same thing at Thanksgiving. Why wash the turkey only to pat it dry? I never do that, and mine is always moist and flavorful.
Any of you cooking experts out there have an explanation? Seems a silly thing to me, but there's probably a good explanation I don't know about.

Springing back

Last weekend was designated as a change of pace. The change was a little more dramatic than I would have liked after picking up a head cold on Sunday, which forced the cancellation of the planned full-moon ride to Binna Burra. Saturday still provided the opportunity to escape to Springbrook for the day. I have a special relationship with that mountain, but on this day I was organising a bushwalk for my local group as an 'alternative' to the Lennox Head weekend that I couldn't make.


As it was, there were only three of us able to make it after some late cancellations, but it was a memorable day nonetheless. The intention was to walk the Twin Falls circuit before lunch, followed by a trip to Purlingbrook Falls, and Warringa Pool. The storms of earlier in the week didn't bring as much rain as hoped, but there was still some water around, and the drier conditions kept the leeches away.


The Twin Falls walk was beautiful as always, but the real interest came 175 metres down the mountain at Purlingbrook Falls. The descent to the base of the falls was lovely as always, but today I was going to be walking out to Warringa Pool for the first time ever. That ultimately passed through some of the prettiest rainforest I've seen in the area, or anywhere else for that matter.



One of the people on this walk had some information about some other walks to explore at the western end of Tallebudgera Valley, which are evidently more interesting than I had anticipated. Apparently the "private property" sign at Mt Cougal Road may not be as "private" as first thought, but I'll give that further consideration later. The day finished with afternoon tea at the Fudge shop, watching the clouds roll in, in preparation for another downpour presumably. It didn't rain on me, but there was a good soaking later that evening apparently.



Another memorable day. Now I just need to shake of this head cold in time for Martin and I to go in search of the real Mt Jerusalem this weekend. More on that later.

Gifts for the paddler, part 4

Here are five ways to help your favorite paddler find his or her way this season:

Nautical charts and tidal data



Option 1: Purchase a nautical chart to a destination your favorite paddler longs to go.

Option 2: Buy Chart No. 1, the guide to nautical abbreviations and terms.

Option 3: Buy the AyeTides ap (for paddlers with iPhones), which provides buoy data on tides and currents at thousands of locations around the globe.

Option 4: Photocopy a portion of a chart and laminate it to create a waterproof deck chart. Include a grease pencil for taking notes on the chart.

Option 5: (Best of all...) Treat your favorite paddler to all four!

Mysteries

If I keep finding things like this in the yard, I may have to take up writing murder mysteries.

So far no human bones have shown up, so I might be off the hook for now. I would guess that these are from a deer, or possibly a calf.
It's really not much of a mystery who found the bones and relocated them...

(Who, me?)

French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

After seeing some great recipes for French onion soup, I decided to try my hand at the dish. The end product was a success!
The soup was actually very easy to make - it just took a while to cook the onions.
Anybody have experience with French onion soup?

InterContinental Carlton Cannes

In honor of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, I’ve decided to give you a little peak into the hotel of the stars on the French Riviera… Introducing the InterContinental Carlton Cannes!
The palace has evolved throughout the years as a timeless monument, a place which, day by day, combines refined service and well-being. This World Class hotel is located on the famous Croisette Avenue, close to the Cannes Palais des Festivals and to the shopping district. It offers breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea. Welcoming prestigious guests for nearly a century, the InterContinental Carlton Cannes is the place to be and be seen while in Cannes.

Fish Sticks & Collard Greens

Hm, not my first choice but apparently that's what we're having for dinner tonight.
How can I complain though when my bike fairy went food shopping today and is making dinner now (2 things I get very tired of doing) and he folded the gigantic pile of laundry last night (that's been sitting for a week and a half) and he's building me a new single speed.
Right now, it's raining out and the commute home over the bridge will be hellish. So I'll procrastinate a little and take some pictures of my "at work" office as opposed to my "at home" office.