Townie By Electra… nice casual riding bike…

Image: bluestarbrewing.com

Let me start by saying I am not a hard core biker bicyclist, more of a pedal and visit around the neighborhood kind of gal. My husband bought me this bike for Easter many years ago, and what a treat. I was like a kid… riding the bike down the street with my pajamas on! I love the way a bike makes you feel such freedom… you’re free to go where you like, LOVE IT! If you’re looking for a good comfortable bike (well, comfy for about 30 minutes, lets be real!) check out the Townie by Electra. I have a three speed, I’m not trying to get anywhere too quickly! Since Harris Teeter opened down the street from us, I now have a nice basket on the front, so I can ride my bike to the grocery store ;) 

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Daniel Corey!

Image: CamdenFallsGallery.com

Daniel Corey… another artist to keep an eye on, his work is outstanding. If you get a chance check out his blog, full of information AND very entertaining! Click HERE to get to his blog… Dan is represented by Camden Falls Gallery in Camden, Maine, the Lupine Gallery on Monhegan Island, Maine and Coco Vivo Gallery in Charleston, SC. Links are provided on his blog. Go ahead, check him out!

 This painting entitled LEGACY is awesome. Anyone who’s been to Monhegan likely will remember this beautiful lobster boat!
 
Catch you back here tomorrow! If you get a chance, check out my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com !

Steak, Mushroom and Bok Choy Stir Fry!

Image: MyRecipes.com

Ooooowie, here’s a fantastic recipe from Cooking Light(link now goes to the Eating Well website.) and NO you will not know it’s light… THIS is FABULOUS! Having it for dinner tonight, woohoo! It’s a flexible recipe, you can use Shitake mushrooms, or cremini, or button, or whatever you have or can find, it’s all good… don’t get too worried about making sure you have every ingredient… I didn’t have a red pepper or hot pepper flakes and mine was TO. DIE. FOR. Also, I had “Fajita Meat” from Whole Foods which they sliced into stir fry size for me, and whoa… it’s was so tender I absolutely couldn’t believe it! Give this recipe a shot if you like stir fry AND do not be afraid of bok choy, trust me, it’s your friend… it’s mild, has no taste really, the stems are like celery offering you a nice crunch, where the leaves are just fantastic… I used a microplane for the fresh ginger (A MUST!) and garlic, that way you don’t bite into hunks of it. The flavors meld together and are a treat to your tastebuds. 

The recipe link is no longer available via Cookinglight.com – sigh…

 
Next time you’re out, grab the ingredients and give it a whirl. Just have everything measured out before hand, the cooking goes quickly! Also, have your rice done, or almost done, otherwise you’ll be waiting on it… hmmm, how would I know that? ha ha…  Enjoy and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!
 
Hey, check out my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com for a special birthday wish for someone very dear to us… Fred’s Dad! Happy Birthday DC!
 
 And now… for the recipe…
 
STEAK, SHIITAKE and BOK CHOY STIR FRY
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (I need to buy, had to use olive oil)
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 pound flank steak, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (about 1/2 pound)
  • 1 cup thinly vertically sliced onion
  • 1 cup red bell pepper strips
  • 4 cups sliced bok choy (about 1 medium head)
  • 1 cup less-sodium beef broth
Preparation
  • Combine ginger, garlic, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, oil, and crushed red pepper in a large zip-top bag; add steak to bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 20 minutes.
  • Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray, and add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper to pan. Cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; transfer to a large bowl. Add bok choy to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until slightly wilted; add to bowl; keep warm.
  • Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add half of steak mixture to pan; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a large bowl; keep warm. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add remaining steak mixture to pan; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add to bowl; keep warm.
  • Combine broth and remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Add to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Return steak and vegetables to pan; toss gently to coat.

Lisa Bell, Cooking Light
DECEMBER 2005

Links updated 1.26.25

Artist to watch… BRIDGET JENNINGS!

A wonderful artist to keep an eye on is Bridget Jennings. You can look at Bridget’s paintings for a while and always see something fresh and new. Her Mackinac Island paintings are so happy (AND such a great souvenier, better than some old bauble that’s going to get tossed into the first garage sale pile!) and bright. Her light and almost whimsical airiness gives the store front paintings such character. Bridget lives and paints in Algonac, MI where she grew up on the river and her local paintings reflect her love of the water. There are boats everywhere in Algonac, and Bridget can paint them! Check out her website!

Below are three of her paintings, the first one is DOCKED UNDER THE WILLOWS  (Algonac, MI) the second is KILWIN’S FUDGE SHOP  (Mackinac Island, MI) and the last one is MONHEGAN MOORING  (Monhegan Island, ME), it’s a small taste of the collection that she has painted! Enjoy!

Docked Under the Willows

Kilwin’s Fudge Shop

Monhegan Mooring

  Bridget is more than a great artist… she’s my sister, and she’s the best!

Bridget painting on Mackinac Island, MI

Happy May Day!

Image: skiptomylou.wordpress.com

HAPPY MAY DAY! If you’re one of the lucky people you will open your door this morning and there will be a pretty cone of flowers tied with ribbon around your door knob. What a neat thing to do for someone… hey, if you’re up early, run out and pick a few flowers, wrap the stems in foil or something with a wet paper towel to keep them fresh, and tie it with a ribbon on your neighbors door… boy, will they ever be surprised!

Catch you back here tomorrow! If you get a chance check out my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com !

A good belly laugh is good for you! Watch this…

Image: IMDB.com

They say laughter is good for you. Not a hee hee, but a rolling hard laugh that works your abs and brings you to tears. You know what I’m talking about, right? If not, RUN to your local place to grab a movie (or via Internet for those of you who are fancy) that makes you laugh. This is one that had me in tears. Bringing Down The House with Steve Martin and Queen Latifah. LOVED. IT. What movies make you laugh…?? I’m gathering a list of movies that really make you laugh and I need your help!

 
Have a great weekend and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow… !

T-T-T-TIVO… best thing since indoor plumbing!

Image: Tivo.com

TIVO. It’s like CHER, it needs to explanation, I don’t need to say TIVO DVR, well, because TIVO is TIVO… simply the best! It is so user friendly that anyone can figure it out. It has truly revolutionized television watching for me! I can’t make it through commercials. I’m not a commercial snob, I LOVE a clever commercial, something witty and concise without being irritating (NO YELLING), but those are few and far between (think DAYQUIL commercial… “it even cures the MAN COLD”…  darn. BRILLIANT.)

With a TIVO you can set shows to record, then watch them at a later date, where you have the ability to fast forward through the commercials. You can also pause and fast forward through live TV. So if you start the show a little late you can fly past those annoying commercials, stop to let the dog out, then sit back down and not miss a thing! Our TIVO is an older model. I hope hope hope nothing ever happens to it, I treat it with care, ha ha… like an old friend! The newer ones have more features such as the ability to record more than one show at a time, ability to record and view your NOW PLAYING list (shows you’ve recorded) from your iPad… woohoo, wouldn’t that be a treat. I have the Series 2 Tivo, and I can still record a show using my Blackberry or using my computer. We also have the wireless adapter so we can rent movies, but we haven’t yet. I’m sure with my old Tivo I haven’t taken advantage of all it has to offer, but I can use it in my sleep, it is THE BEST THING since indoor plumbing. Truly! If you get a chance check it out! www.tivo.com!

Artist LEO BROOKS

Image: Artiplaq.com

Leo Brooks was an amazing artist. His paintings are so loose and fluid. According to the bio , in his later years he painted to take his mind off the worry of his health problems.

For those of you who have been to the Island Inn on Monhegan Island, ME you will recognize his style. There is an amazing piece of his work in the lobby.
Catch you back here tomorrow! Enjoy your day!

Ginny’s Everyday Meatloaf Recipe…

Sometimes a good comfort food meal can do wonders. I’m thinking of making this recipe one day this week… haven’t had it in quite some time… a GREAT recipe for meatloaf with a super tasty sauce on top, an all time favorite! Sometimes I’ll make it half the size, but keep the same amount of sauce.

Ginny is the lady that lived next door when we were growing up. She had girls my age and around my age (HI DAWN, JACKIE, LINDA, LAURA, GINNY!!) and I had the absolute best time with them. With summer nights spent sleeping on their wonderful screened in porch, making dinner most nights, we just had the best time… and shhhh, keep it a secret, here’s the recipe!

GINNY’S EVERYDAY MEATLOAF

Meatloaf Ingredients:

2/3 cup bread crumbs

1 cup milk

1  1/2 pounds ground beef (nowdays I use the lean stuff)

2 beaten eggs

1/4 cup onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sage

dash of pepper

Topping Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon dry mustard

SOAK the breadcrumbs in the milk. ADD the ground beef, eggs, onion, salt, sage and pepper. Form into a loaf and put in an 8″ (I spray with canola oil) loaf pan. BAKE at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes+ (or until almost done – internal temp 160F)

Then I spoon off any fat, and spread on the ketchup mixture topping. Bake 10 more minutes (check temp again), and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

You won’t believe how good this is! Trust me… extra tasty with mashed potatoes and some sauteed fresh spinach with olive oil, garlic and lemon!

Artist to watch… Don Stone!

Image: CavalierGalleries.com

Don Stone. Many of you have heard this artists name. He is extremely talented and among all his paintings, this is my all time favorite. My husband and I have loved this painting for what seems like ever. I love the pop of orange! This painting makes you feel as if you’re standing on the boat right next to this man. This painting is at Cavalier Gallery. The artist also has his own website http://www.donstone.com – if you’re on Monhegan Island in the summertime and Don is there, stop by his studio, what a treat!

 
Catch you back here tomorrow… if you get a chance visit my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com!

An angel and a prayer…

Image: WillowTreeStore.com

Today someone very special to me is beginning a battle… today is surgery with a long but promising road to follow. If you could take a moment and say a prayer for strength and courage, for healing and happiness, I would be forever grateful. Prayer really does make a difference…

This is the Courage Angel by Willow Tree. I can’t tell you how many I have purchased over the years, there is always one to fit an occasion where nothing else seems appropriate.
 
These prayers are for you mom… I love you… me

Happy Birthday William…

Happy Birthday William (and that’s not will.i.am.)! It’s William Shakespeare’s 447th birthday! So… it’s a good excuse to eat cake today ;)

A notable quote from William Shakespeare:

“This above all: to thine own self be true”.

– Hamlet (Act I, Scene III).

Personally, I think that’s excellent advice! Enjoy your day… Catch you back here tomorrow! Visit my Photo Blog if you get a chance!

Click HERE for image source…

Pledge an act of green – Happy Earth Day!

HAPPY EARTH DAY! Pledge an act of green by clicking HERE. Whether it be planting a tree, conserving water or recycling, the choice is yours. If everyone does SOMETHING it will make our planet a better place. Even if you don’t click to make the pledge it still counts if you just do it anyway! Switch off your computer monitor when not in use, turn off the water when brushing your teeth, it’s the little things that add up…  spread the word… it’s Earth Day… there’s only one Earth and we have to keep it healthy!

Catch you back here tomorrow! If you get a chance, check out my photo blog !

Image Source, click HERE.

Artist to watch… NANCY HOERTER!

What a beautiful painting! This is EVENING PEONIES by artist Nancy Hoerter. Nancy is so talented, her work is stunning. For those of you who read my blog you know that we like to buy art from artists we actually LIKE. Those with a lofty attitude, hmmm, I lose interest in their paintings. Nancy is one of those people you like from the moment you meet her, you simply cannot help it! She’s hilarious, kind and oh so talented. Her work is at the Horton Hayes Gallery, stop in and check out her work! You’ll be glad you did!

Catch you back here tomorrow! Check out my photo blog if you get a chance!