Spring Energy and Dreams of White

With the sun my energy returned!
Outside, nature was steaming in the sunshine. Everything is growing now, one can really see a difference. My newly sown grass and my spinach is visible!

Our new lawn!

Spinach is growing too.

Since it was too wet do garden-work I redecorated the "Red Room" on the second floor.
The former owner had a preference for "loud" wallpapers.

My dream of a bedroom.

I like more subtle colours and can imagine the whole room in white and cream.
When I aired my ideas hubby's commented: " But I like the red wallpaper. It is a nice room. I don't want it painted, and by the way, white is so sterile".
Well,well, since we also have to sand down the floor, some day in the future, I didn't argue further. First the sanding and painting of the floor. After that, we will see.
I didn't like the room as it was. Lots of unpacked storage containers and cardboard boxes everywhere, and the bed sat in the middle of the room, very dominant and with not much space to walk around.

before and..

So, I got J.P. to cut the headboard down a notch. Now the whole bed fit under the slanting wall, and this new arrangement gives more space to the room. I even got a dresser and a desk set up as well. The ugly containers are gone and there is still of room for a nice recliner. Another future prospect, I guess, but now the room shows potential.

after I was done..

After working on this all day long there was not much energy left for the cooking business. I hastily prepared some carrots and peas, and grilled some of the pork loin for J.P.

Mit der Sonne kam auch die Lebensenergie zurück. Draußen sprießt und grünt es. Der neu angesäte Rasen und mein Spinat zeigen die ersten Blätter!
Da es draußen zum Arbeiten viel zu naß war habe ich mich auf eines der Schlafzimmer gestürzt.

Having a cup of tea

Contemplating the last 48 hours.
Philosophically seen I would say, this is part of live, like a river: slow flow and white waters. 

View of St. Stephen, NB

Yesterday, while being in St. Stephen, I bicycled around town and checked out the local garden centres and other interesting stores. 
One in a while I enjoy window shopping, especially when I have plenty of time and nobody is rushing me. I was having a nice cup of coffee at Tim's when J.P., coming from St. John, finally caught up with me. At that time the sun had disappeared, and rain drizzled out dark clouds. Time to go home.


If yesterday drained all energy, the grey, rainy weather today was not better. 


Projects were balling up, with stress level high, and temper fuses short. 

Fog, view of a neighbour's house

No good at all for the peace of mind.
J.P. was  worn-out  and choose to retire early.


While thick sea fog is rolling in over the island, I am sitting in the quietness...






...sipping a cup of tea and listen to the dogs gently snoring, catching up with reading the blogs.























Dinner today was a "man" made composition: a pasta casserole. Comfort food. No vegetables.

Sparrow, Salmon and Strawberries

In the morning we had an involuntary little guest. A birdie that hit the window sat for a few minutes dazzled on the porch. After a heated discussion we found out it was a white throated sparrow.

White Throated Sparrow

Closer you cannot come to take a photo, I guess.

J.P. went shopping today and came back with a piece of fresh 
salmon and strawberries. In Norway we were used to have 
salmon and have strawberries with cream for dessert. 
True to tradition wrapped the salmon in aluminum foil 
and J.P. put it on the grill. Meanwhile a salad was prepared 
and the strawberries hulled.

When we sat down for supper hubby said: "Dette er et Kongemåltid!" which means that we dined like Royalty.

salmon seasond...

...wrapped in aluminum foil, ready for grilling.

grilled salmon and a crunchy salad

Ingredients: for 2
1 lb salmon filet
1 lemon, sliced
1 garlic wedge, sliced
salt, pepper, dill to taste
1 tblsp sour cream
Instructions:
The salmon was seasoned with salt, pepper, dill. Small pieces of garlic and lemon slices were place on top of it. Before the foil was closed around the fish a dollop of sour cream was added. Grilling time about 20 minutes.
Served with potatoes and a nice, crunchy salad.
Dessert: fresh strawberries, the "cream" was substituted with yoghurt.

Rocks & Pork Chops

I thought I had published my banana muffins posting yesterday, but obviously that didn't go through. I remember checking it on "preview" but maybe I forgot to press the "publish" button. Therefore I have two postings today. "Delicious banana muffins" and "rocks & pork chops".

Signs of spring are not only the budding flowers and green grasses, but also that more and more summer residents arrive. It's like migrating birds. One after the other find their way back to their summer residences.

the ones we have already in our garden..

and the new addition, nearly as big as a cabbage.

Hubby went on a photo safari and gathered another round rock for our garden. There is something magical with these nearly perfect rounded rocks. It is amazing what waves can do to a rugged piece of stone. Rolling and rolling for an eternity up and down the beach until they are round as a ball.

Exposed to lots of fresh, salty air and sunshine he came home pretty hungry. Time to get some food on the table. We divided the chores of preparing supper among us.
J.P. grilled some pork chops and I cooked the side dishes. There was a particular apple-orange salsa that caught my attention.
For the recipe see here.

apple-orange salsa

It tasted very good in combination with the pork chops, and the rest of the salsa disappeared as dessert when hubby mixed it in his yoghurt.

Pork chops with apple-orange salsa

Delicious Banana Muffins

Done what? Not much.
After a night with a gentle rain the garden was too wet to work in.
Instead, I tried a banana bread that a fellow blogger recently mentioned.
Bob is a Canadian who lives in Vienna, Austria for the time being. He was so kind to share his recipe with all of us readers.
For the banana bread recipe read here, at the end of his input of April 5th.
Since I didn't find my bread pan we got muffins instead.

Add all ingredients, except flour

fold the flour in last

bake, and 

Banana Muffins!

They turned out very delicious, indeed!

Supper was a quick affair. A leftover grilled chicken breast, some vegetables and pasta was turned into a nourishing stew. For the stew recipe read here.

Was haben wir heute wieder angestellt?