The self-portrait challenge

How did you spend the last day of 2010? In our household we decided to hold a self-portrait challenge. Pick your canvas, your paint, your brushes... And paint! We gave each other 2 hours. Here are the results. Happy New Year!

I think I’m a Bibliophile...

Before you call 911, a Bibliophile is someone who loves to read, admire and collect books. Yee-ah, not as naughty as it sounds. And, not to be confused with bibliomania which is the obsessive-compulsive disorder involving the excessive accumulation and hoarding of books. I’ve seen that show “Hoarders” and I am NOT a hoarder. In fact, I only have a small collection of books which I love to share with family and friends when they come to visit me in Lakefield. There’s a small book shelf in the guest bedroom and the open invitation is “Take a book or leave a book.” C’est toute. There’s something about swapping books and watching your favourite novel become more dog-eared over time.

The whole act of collecting books has some unspoken rules for me. The books cannot be purchased at a chain book store or commercial source or online. (I can however receive them as gifts.) The real fun is finding the books at thrift stores, garage sales or used bookstores. On a lazy Sunday afternoon, you might find me wandering around downtown Peterborough walking through the used book stores along Water Street or Chumleighs - Yes, I do this for fun – scanning through titles, taking the book of the shelf, examining the cover, reading the back, flipping through the pages. It’s all part of the experience.

This past year, I’ve been so busy I haven’t been able to keep up with my reading. But, I have been collecting and adding to my books-I-want-to-read list. This list has been ongoing since college. Paul and Leah (fine art majors) were the instigators, introducing me to book lists, author readings and used book stores. Hey, I was young and naïve and attending art college. It seemed cool at the time. And, it was. Because of them I’ve met great authors like Timothy Findley and Michael Ondaatje. Experiences I will never forget. 

I miss Paul and Leah. Nearing the end of college we lost contact. They were ‘fine arts’ majors. I was a ‘graphic designer’ and my path took me in a different direction. But, I think of them often. One of the last books Paul and Leah added to my list was a book called Shakespeare’s Dog by Leon Rooke. This book has intrigued me for many years. It’s a story of William Shakespeare and how he came to bed and wed his wife Anne Hathaway (not the actress!) Told from the point of view from his dog. Did Shakespeare have a dog?? No matter, the point is Leon brings to life the possibility that Shakespeare could have had a dog and I wanted to know what that sounds like.

After all these years I was starting the think that this book did not exist. But, I found it... In Peterborough... along Water Street... For $6.99! I can’t tell you how excited I was. My little treasure. A sign of a true Bibliophile? Probably. In this day and age of movies, iBooks and eReaders I think I might be a dying breed. Who am I kidding? I’m sure I will have a Kindle one day soon. It’s light, portable, environmentally-friendly and convenient. But, nothing beats the feel of an old fashion book. I think Paul and Leah would agree with me, where ever they may be... 

My Turkey Leftover Experience

A creative outlet for me is cooking and baking. It’s like a game for me to come up with something creative to do with leftovers. My grandfather who was an amazing chef and baker told me at a very young age that you have to cook by feel. He taught me to use my senses of touch, taste and smell. My mom who is also an incredible cook, taught me to cook by sight. That not only must the food taste good but the presentation has to be great - making meals based on colours, textures and the dishes they are served in.

I don’t think I inherited their cooking talents.

Sometimes my creations are pure genius... rarely. If it’s at least picture worthy I consider it a success, although hungry tummies would disagree. This time of year leftover turkey has always been a challenge. Over the years, I’ve tried Turkey Tetrazzini. Turkey and pasta? It could work. Not so much. Turkey Congee. My mom makes this rice gruel. It might not sound like much but it’s actually quite good. Turkey Stir Fry. Disastrous! Which quickly turned into Turkey Fried Rice. Meh. Basically, my recommendation is to keep turkey away from any exotic dishes like Turkey Tacos or Butter Curry Turkey... That is the extent of my cooking creativity with turkey.

What does work quite well is Turkey Soup. Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter day. Turkey Salad. Good on a sandwich or a cracker. Turkey Pizza. Just plain fun. You can’t go wrong with pizza. A couple years ago I finally landed on Turkey Pot Pie. Comfort food at it’s finest! So simple to make and always enjoyed by the whole family. In fact, my mom emailed me today to say she made her first Turkey Pot Pie and just wanted me to know that it was really good! Haha, the greatest compliment in the world! Thank you mom, but I know somehow you will make it better!