peak

Saturday, January 21, 2012














this morning's fresh snow fall, gorgeous orange golden early light, a silly Miss D & kitten love

There is no such thing
in anyone's life

as an unimportant day

Alexander Woolcott

So ... I'm taking this amazing e-course with Beth Nicolls & Kelly Rae Roberts (it began on Monday) this first week we've been tasked to ask ourselves a huge, big, long, list of big & profound questions one of which is to think back to a peak experience or time in your life

Think back to something that has happened to you that you would describe as a ‘peak experience’. This could be a wild adventure, or a moment of exquisite happiness, or sense of true aliveness. By ‘peak experience’ we don’t mean the most amazing thing you have ever done. We mean an experience when you felt truly alive, and where your positive emotions were so strong that you can actually remember how you felt that day.

I barely had to think about my answer - a resounding NOW, Uh ! Huh ! this very moment ! Now how cool is that ? I've never felt so alive, so excited, so ready, so hopeful, so challenged, so motivated ... I'm at a big ol' sweet peak ... & there will be lots more peaks, I'm confident of that.

fetter free

Friday, January 20, 2012





















20 from mid January 2012

feeling fettered
focusing on freedom
from frustrating fetters
& foolish friday funks

;-)

Feeling also ... silly, happy, content, alive, excited, grateful (very grateful) & tres determined

purple smoothie

1 1/2 cups silk plain soy milk
2 tsps splenda (or to taste)
1 large banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
2 ice cubes

blend, blend, blend ... enjoy

I'm ok, you're ok

Thursday, January 19, 2012


big fat bee dans les garden - by the other sweet Bee my, nearly 7 year old, friend

On this day I pledge to me
to be the person I can be.
I will do my best to stretch my mind
& help out others by being kind.
Outdoors I will play safe and sound
& pick up any garbage I have found.
I will solve my problems by talking them through
& try to be thoughtful in all I do.
Our school will be happy and safe every day
if we listen to our hearts when we think, do and say.

Cyrus Eaton Elementary School Creed
recited each morning after singing O' Canada - so sweet, so great

I'm OK, you're OK
round peg ... square hole ... sigh

Hi ! I'm Susan Black and I'm an Introvert

Wednesday afternoons I volunteer at the elementary school doing art (& some crafts) with kids in grades 1-6. 2 hours. The first hour 6 children in grades 1-3 and the second hour 6 kids grades 4-6. They are all sweet, interesting little people who have a particular passion for art.

I dread it. Each week I begin dreading it around Sunday afternoon. It happens on Wednesdays. In fact just thinking about it now I feel the Dread bubbling around in my belly. What the blank ? How can you dread children Susan ? I ask myself over & over (with furrowed brow). When I'm actually there interacting with them, getting supplies ready or cleaning up after I'm not in that dread state ... but it's not thrilling me either. As much as I wish I could say I love it ! that I find it tres stimulating & rewarding - I don't. I feel like a fish out of water. I feel like a baby bird away from the nest. I feel like an introvert. Hey ! Wait a minute ... that's OK !

I was telling a friend of mine recently about this art with kids volunteering that I was up to, then mentioned how much I've been dreading it ... how it feels like I'm getting ready (every freakin' week) to go on stage - a stage my rational mind knows & reminds me is filled with an audience of keen, appreciative, even mildly adoring small people who love art) - doesn't matter. I dread it. I don't like it. It makes me uncomfortable. My friend asked then why are you doing it ? Hullo !! Now that's a good question ? I know this much I'm not going to stop doing it. I am committed. I feel happy to be helping out. I am however gonna lighten UP !! interrogating myself & beating myself up about dreading it. Wondering if you too are an introvert ? take this quiz.

Reading about Susan Cain's new book Quiet (not yet available at our library) got me thinking about all of this. I'm realizing, finally, this is the year to accept & embrace my introverted self.
halle-freakin-lujah !!

I'm an introvert ... I love being by myself,
love being outdoors, love taking a long walk with my dogs
and looking at the trees, flowers, the sky.

Audrey Hepburn


my bee ;-)

colourful

Wednesday, January 18, 2012


dreaming of lilacs ... & flowers in general & of leaves & spiders & big fat bumblebees

growing just a little bored with photographing whites, blues, greys & muddy browns ... today is very mild (hooray for that) with wet drizzle but it's also as grey and monotone as a day could be.

happiness is ...

Tuesday, January 17, 2012






white, white, white & ice - this morning - the harbour is quite suddenly filled with ice

If you're not making mistakes
you're not trying hard enough

Seth Godin

• that quote :)
• a healthy, happy Miss Winnie Dixon who turns 13 this month
• a hot steaming face cloth - my mini spa experience
• a sharp exacto blade ... sigh
• having Miss Mojo back in the 'hood - phew !
• taking inspiring e-courses - Hello Soul, Hello Business
• an hour phone chat with Deanne which felt like I took a creative energy pill
• planned bi-monthly creative get-togethers with Deanne
• banana soy milk smoothies - not sure why I'm drinking soy milk ? but I am
• +C temperatures again after a wee spell of wind chills
• coffee in bed each morning with my journal
• this video about the business of creativity by Tara Gentile
• fleece & down
• marathon Mad Men watching - borrowed from our library (I know we're very late to the game)
• pondering & scheming the streamlining of my game plan
• Oliver
• a very tidy desk & office
• craftypod podcasts
• this favourite David Gray song which skipped into my memory from out of the blue

les recipes

Monday, January 16, 2012


guilt-free, absolutely delicious pumpkin ginger pie with light topping :-( not whipped cream

guilt-free pumpkin ginger pie

1 1/2 - 2 cups finely crushed gingersnaps
2 cups pure pumpkin puree
1/2 cup Splenda
equivalent of 4 egg (egg substitute)
1 can fat free evaporated milk
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground cloves
ground nutmeg (optional)
1-2 tbsp grated fresh ginger (optional)

Put the ginger snap crumbs in a 9" pie plate & push the crumbs up the sides as well as covering the bottom (you don't need to add butter to the crumbs as the pie cooks the crumbs magically bind together to form a crust). Stir remaining ingredients together, gently pour into crumb lined pie plate. Bake at 350 for 45 mins-1 hour (until set & the top is cracked). Cool. Serve with blobs of somewhat guilt free edible oil product I know, I know the only blot on my recipe ;-)

It's absolutely delicious & no one would ever guess that it's practically fat free & low cal

chicken le noir

this is something I've been making often lately & it's one of those recipes that definitely evolves & changes each time I make it. It's easy, delicious & best served on basmati rice or egg noodles (both with butter if you're so inclined). It's one of those clean out the fridge recipes, yesterday I had 2 small zucchini that needed to be used up - so go ahead substitute with abandon !

1 large onion halved then sliced
1/2 green pepper small chunks
1/2 red pepper small chunks
2-3 cups mushrooms stemmed & sliced
2 small zucchini in chunks
1/2 cup of raisins
1/4 cup capers
1/2 cup sliced black or green olives
the peel of one orange
4-6 cloves of garlic (or more if you like)
1 large can diced Italian tomatoes
1 can condensed low salt chicken broth
1/2 cup red or white wine
1/2 small tin of tomato paste
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 chicken breasts (with or without skinned) & browned first in olive oil
2 tbsp dry onion soup mix
1 can of chick peas

Sear both sides of chicken breasts until golden put aside. Saute in a large frying pan or wok with a few tbsp olive oil mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, onions & garlic. Continuing cooking over medium low heat until onions are caramelized & mushrooms have browned. De-glaze the pan with wine. Add in olives, capers, raisins, orange peel*, tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, drained chick peas, & chicken broth. Stir well and pour mixture into a large covered casserole dish. Tuck chicken breasts into the top of mixture, dust with the 2 tbsp dry onion soup mix. Cover & bake (or crock pot) for 1.5 -2 hrs. I removed the chicken breasts, cooled & shredded them and then added the chicken back in, but you could also serve them whole.

For a vegetarian version substitute veg stock for chicken stock & roast one butternut squash cut into chunks & tossed with olive oil 425 & stir in squash chunks (instead of chicken) at the end.

* with a sharp paring knife trim away as much white pith from the peel as you can & then cut the peel into slivers. You could also zest an orange but the larger pieces of orange peel add a bigger zing & an unexpected surprise.


basmati rice, greekish salad - onion, red pepper, romaine, olives dressed with lemon & olive oil

photo tips

Sunday, January 15, 2012




take your camera everywhere
take many photos of every thing
'cause there is beauty everywhere