Tulips

Yesterday was my turn to be spoiled. My spouse brought home a lovely bouquet of tulips. They brighten up the room - bringing thoughts of spring indoors.



In March I always start to need more colour indoors. I have flowers all year round (my orchids and cyclamen) but none with the vibrant colours of spring flowers. My primula has picked up with its bright yellow flowers. Now I have bright orange to add to the sunny feeling.



I am always fascinated by the interior of flowers - the many ways they have adapted to attract pollinators.

Outdoors there have been spring-like temperatures. I love the times when seasons change - the first snow of winter, the first days of shedding heavy coats and venturing out in shoes in spring, the days the leaves begin to appear later in spring and  then begin to change colour in autumn. My indoor tulips are giving me a glimpse of what is to come.

Winter is Running Away

Winter is running away, chased by the above average temperatures. Our winter that almost wasn't has left little snow to melt.



It is now melting quickly leaving puddles. Near every drain you can hear the rush of water.



Newly uncovered gardens reveal shoots, ready to grow under the warmth of the sun.



Outside cafes tables and chairs spring up. Although the air is still chilly, like bears out of hibernation, people come out to bask in the warming sunshine. The ice cream stores have re-opened after their winter hiatus. Spring trying to take over early this year.

Goat and Sheep Cheese

I have shared my spouse's passion for cheese before - always goat and sheep cheeses. While I prefer mild cheeses, he likes those with lots of flavour. I like to surprise him with new discoveries - a cheese with truffles, or a new Quebec cheese.

This is his favourite breakfast. My trips to Atwater Market always include a stop at La Fromagerie Atwater. I get great advice on the many cheeses available there. One of his favourites is an ash covered cheese, Charbonnier made by a Quebec cheese maker - Ruban Bleu. We stopped at their farm a few years ago and, though we weren't able to visit the goats, we were able to sample a variety of their products.

Dinosaur

I like a company with a sense of humour. This dinosaur came my way along with an order from Photojojo. They offer quirky camera related products for sale and every order comes with a dinosaur. While I don't order often (the Canadian dollar and customs fees keep my impulses in check), I do visit their site to see what crazy gadgets people have dreamed up.

Meanwhile, this dinosaur has taken up residence in our kitchen, perching on bowls, checking out our meals and guarding the salt and pepper shakers. It adds a smile to my day.

Evening

I bought a new compact camera. I hope I like this one better than my last one, which, after only 1 1/2 years decided to act up. The light meter caused my photos to be over-exposed. So I am experimenting, trying out different settings. So far I am pleased. It is easier to set in manual (an issue I had with my  (not so) old camera.



Here is another night shot - not bad for no flash and from across the street with a zoom. The new camera is a Sony. The plusses include a viewfinder, small size, easier controls. I was also able to purchase a battery charger so I don't always have to charge the battery while it is in the camera. Now that I am taking a photo a day, I like having a camera with me (not just my phone). Although I get decent photos with my phone, there are times I get frustrated with the limited control as well as the lack of a viewfinder in bright light. This photo a day challenge can be expensive!

Fair Trade Chocolate

I have to admit to an addiction - dark chocolate. My spouse shares this "problem" with me. While I don't eat it in large quantities, I do eat it almost every day. We try to buy only fair trade chocolate. While chocolate is my "guilty pleasure," I don't want to feel guilty about abuse of others while I indulge. You can read about the dark side of chocolate here.

80% dark chocolate is our chocolate of choice, but we often begin our evening treat with a couple of squares of flavoured chocolate. We recently tried maple (too subtle - maple deserves to be more dominant) and  cinnamon (not bad at all). Mint is frequently in our repertoire with raspberry and ginger as other favourites. I love to let the chocolate melt in my mouth - slow eating, time to savour.

We never eat chocolate too close to bedtime, not because of the caffeine content, but because we would have to brush our teeth too close to eating the chocolate, thus washing out the last remnants of this ambrosia far too quickly!

Matches

I am very frustrated with matches. I remember a time when you could easily strike the match against a rough surface and it would light. I seem to be stymied by these. Despite the slogan on the box they act like "strike nowhere matches". Though I don't use matches often, I do like to light candles occasionally. I strike on the box, I've tried striking on bricks, on sandpaper - to no avail. The only thing that seems to work consistently is the side of a very old small box of matches that came from a restaurant. They don't give those out any more.



I've been thinking of buying a lighter to use to light my matches. Sigh...