Yep... it's the Beach Again

I do my 5km almost every day. Cherry Beach is often the route. A few different angles of the beach.




Hut and the setting sun.










It's always there.

Easter Dinner

Easter lunch became Easter dinner, when I found out I'd have to spend the morning in a photographer's studio selecting photographs from a shoot. Three hours later I was doing my 5km Cherry Beach walk. When I began dinner, I already had several elements that I'd prepared in the previous days. The theme... was lemon.

When I was a kid, my grandmother gave me some Beatrix Potter figurines by Beswick. I realized they would make good Easter decorations for the table.




We started with Prosecco and a potted crab with lemon that I unfortunately forgot to photograph. Rats!




The wonderful Armenians brought kibbeh for my freezer and nutty pastries for treats.




We started with pea and tarragon soup, swirled with lemon crême fraiche and topped with fresh pea shoots. All was made in advance. Don't you think the swirl looks like an old map of North America?




The main course was a Nicoise salad which I served on two separate platters. I love the chervil/parsley/Dijon/garlicky vinaigrette.




The second part of the Nicoise. Olives were in a separate little bowl on the table. See the lemon?








Dessert! I made a lemon pound cake a day before, along with little royal icing eggs. A round cut out of pound cake was drizzled with pears in Triple Sec, then dolloped softly with whipped cream and topped with the icing eggs and edible petals. My inner girly girl was very happy.

Back to the Beach

Time to retire the old Sauconys.

Sunshine and Blossoms

Happy Easter!

Colourful, Almost-Spring

The lakefront walk in front of the Corus building was so empty. It had been cool and overcast all morning and Torontonians were taken by surprise by the sudden blue sky.




Willows on Sugar Beach.
















And further along Queen's Quay (the road that runs along our lake front), another beach, but I don't recall the name. Their umbrellas are yellow!






Soon, my kayak friends...

Lemony Goodness

So, I'm in the midst of preparing for Easter dinner. Every course will feature lemon in some form or other. Not because I need a theme, but the crowd loves lemon, and so do I. Spring is almost upon us with its zesty promise, and so lemon it is. I'll blog about all the dishes. Cookies are first!

Bleat

Goat stew. Like all stews, so promising at first.






And then sort of watery and awful.




But how it thickens and deepens into such levels of taste. Oops, I ate it before I took a picture of the final stage. Sigh.

Hey! Here's a heart for you. A spat of tomato paste that didn't make it. See it? Yes? Hee hee!

The Best

As if my 'hood could get any cooler, National Geographic has given the St. Lawrence Market a great honour. So deserved.

Yawn

Perseverance is our watchword as we scale the snowy heights. Will we reach the summit? We can think of nothing but success. Will there be danger? Would we have it any other way?




Far from base camp now, we pitch a tent and attempt to conserve our energies for a final attempt on the peak. I admit that my resolve has weakened as I see the pathetic state of my companions.




We are down to our final rations, and - feeling done in - am surprised at the cheerful pluck on the faces of the rest of the team. They are a capital group of chums!




I can scarce believe it. Mount Knee is conquered!

She Knows me so well

(Thanks, Mom!)

Loved and Missed

Only one year ago.

What I'm Listening to

A brilliant short film. I was lucky to hear the ARC Ensemble play this piece late last year. Catch this Grammy-nominated ensemble when you can!

Floral Crack

I'm addicted to white fresia's peppery scent and how it catches me now and again wherever I am in my home. This bunch, again from the wonderful St. Lawrence Market, was multi-budded and tightly closed when I bought it. Over the week it has blossomed so richly and generously, I'm reminded of these blossoms and how I cannot wait to be ravished by them once more.

So lucky.

How was it for you?

Earth Hour chez BPG.

CN Tower

It's always there.