Month: January 2013

Simply Biscotti XV

by barbstruestories, posted in Simply Biscotti Project, Winter

We are living in the dead of winter in these parts.  While there are parts of Canada that get much colder than here, we end up defaulting to how cold it is here compared to the seasonal average as reported by Environment Canada.  I sound very much like the elder when I say “Cold!  You don’t know cold!  Why, where I grew up it was so cold that we had to chip the ice off the water in the wash basin!”    An exaggeration, but you know how it goes.

What better way to put in a sunny cold afternoon than to connect with a friend over a large mug of tea and a couple of Simple Biscotti treats.  

IMG_1580

In the background is a lemon custard tart with meringue topping.  It looked very pretty.  The lemon custard filling was different.  My friend had thought it would be the traditional lemon pie filling.  In the foreground an almond chocolate bar with shortbread crust.  There was some raspberry in the topping as well.  The “after” picture would show two empty plates.  Apology for the somewhat fuzzy picture.  User error.  

I have been trying to cut back on sugar over the last while.  Perhaps that is what made me think that both desserts were very sweet.  The same word can be used to describe a visit with a friend on a cold afternoon.  Sweet.

If I’m going for something less sweet, perhaps I should try a biscotti.  After all, that’s the name of the place.

Do you have an activity that helps you through the dead of winter?

A Mind at Work-Blogging or Dreaming

by barbstruestories, posted in Life's observations, Writing

While “modern” man knows more about the human mind than was ever known in the past (at least we’d like to believe we do), we really know very little.  How do things really work upstairs anyway?  I’d like to know where the storage facility is and how to go about purging information that’s no longer needed so there’s room for more pertinent, up to date information.  Although if you could really do that then I wouldn’t have remembered Eli Sopow’s name.  The fun thing about that ‘true story’ is that Dr. Sopow contacted me after the blog!  This proves the theory that you never know when you might need something.  This thought is particularly relevant right now as I am moving through the house with renewed purpose to reduce, re-use and recycle.   I am a woman on a mission.  But I digress.  

Blogs where do the ideas come from? I fancy myself a bit of a conceptual thinker, taking concepts or events from one context and seeing if they are relevant in other circumstances.  This blog post is a case in point.   I try to make sense of things by connecting them to other things I already know-a compare and contrast effort.  It’s not for everyone but it is, as the young folk say “the way I roll”.

Dreams, where do the ideas come from?  I had a dream recently that made me think my mind treats dreams as it treats blogs.  My subconscious puts two things together and says, hey that would be a good dream.  And here it is:

A few weeks ago my friend Al posted some pictures of his younger days. He was playing a guitar.   I didn’t realize he had a musical background (and can’t find that picture now-speaking of filing things-Al, maybe you can send it along).  Around the same time there was an article in the paper about Canadian singer Jane Siberry.  Jane now plays only in small venues or people’s homes.  And my dream?  I was in someone’s house and Al was singing and playing his guitar.  He gave a very good performance and when the evening drew to a close he passed around an envelope.  I put in $30.  Good concert, Al.  Interesting dream, there, mind of mine.

Do you find your mind strings together different things to put into a dream?  Got an example you can share?

There Is A Truth About This Blog

by barbstruestories, posted in Life's observations, Randy Bachman, Simply Biscotti Project

One of my friends uses the phrase “there is a truth” to preface some of his remarks.  It’s an unusual phrase.  I imagine the idea is to add credibility to what comes next.  It’s never been clear to me if it’s a “truth” known world-wide or just in his mind. 

Here’s my go then, at ‘there is a truth’, about this blog (the year-end stats WordPress provides follows below if you are at all interested).  I will try to be as objective as I can about the whole thing.

  1. 55 posts in 2012-not exactly a house on fire.  The first year was only 8 months and there were 53 posts in that time.  I seem to be flagging.  Question: if you read this blog routinely, is its regularity (or lack thereof) an issue for you?  People who blog daily must be very organized or full of ideas and it seems I am neither.
  2. 5800 views in 2012-not exactly viral.  Now, my husband once teased that most of those views are mine but I know someone else is reading the blog because I hear from you and I thank you.  Question: what is your taste in blogs?  Is it certain topics or bloggers, controversy, photos, hobbies?
  3. The quest to eat my way through the counter at Simply Biscotti (the reason for this blog at the onset) is moving at a slow pace.  Not because it isn’t enjoyable, it’s just there have been many other things to keep my days occupied.  Question: if you live in Ottawa, have you visited Simply Biscotti?  I’ve visited the bistro with a number of friends-from in town and out-of-town and I’ve had some great visits with Rosa, the owner as a result of this blog.  That’s a plus and a good reason to keep up the quest.  
  4. The most views of the blog in 2012 was about my friend Ella.  The title was Ella’s Tree. 
  5. Randy Bachman brings more people to my blog site than any other search.  Now, there’s some humour in that, isn’t there?  People are interested in Mr. Bachman’s marital status.  I noticed hits on the topic shortly after I did a blog about seeing him at a book launch.  And people keep asking the question about whether he is separated.  There’s no search on our garden bounty this year or many other topics that have struck me as blog worthy but lots of queries about a rock legend.  Question: Should I start writing about public figures and not expound on the value of horse manure in taking little things and growing them into big things.  Oh, wait, they may be the same thing!

And so to those of you who are good enough to read this blog regularly or sporadically, thank you.  I always appreciate feedback, whether a comment on the blog or by email.  Any comments or suggestions you have for me are most welcome.

I wish you all the best in 2013.  

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 5,800 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 10 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.