tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63650184445926795842024-02-07T12:13:48.152-04:00Ocean TreasuresAllihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-61152664367861556862013-06-02T10:38:00.003-03:002013-06-02T10:38:49.933-03:00Back in the water!I was able to start the weekend by enjoying the glorious weather we had on Friday (sunny and 27C even on the coast!!) by slipping under the waves into the silent underwater world.<br />
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I was training a couple of new students in the lab to count and measure eelgrass. Both had never done it before so it was a great new experience for them and gave them a taste of what it to come with this summer's field work in July and August.<br />
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The big white things on their arms are the slates with the underwater paper and a small pencil attached. These armbands are extremely convenient since they stay out of the way but close at hand for recording data and you are less likely to lose it! Writing underwater with huge mitts on is very challenging. Although the most challenging part sometimes can be reading it when your are back on the surface!<br />
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Recreational and Scientific diving are VERY different. Usually you have your hands full of stuff, catch bags with the various tools, armbands, quadrats (see next photo) and anything else you might need to collect your samples/data. So getting used to controlling your buoyancy while handling all these tools requires practice and this is why we had a practice day and we will have at least one more before the official sampling begins!<br />
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The quadrat is a marine ecologists' most used tools. It is a 3 sided square of a specific size that you use to delineate and standardize your sampling area. It is always helpful to have it in bright colours not typically found underwater so that you can easily see it. This one is in white and red electrical tape to contrast with the eelgrass and the bottom. The white areas also delineate a smaller area that can be used to collect subsamples if needed. It is a very simple but essential piece of sampling equipment. The two divers above were counting and measuring the eelgrass plants in the white subset. We are planning a lot of field work this summer. I will be sure to take a lot of pictures of us working and the various tools we use to do our work!!<br />
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We also got to test our newly repaired research vessel! It worked beautifully and is ready for another season of research. This vessel has a long history with me and I am preparing a post about it. <br />
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I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!<br />
<br />Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-71092688717473337892013-05-20T08:44:00.001-03:002013-05-20T08:44:05.552-03:00New Dresser!My parents arrived on Friday night. They are visiting for the week since my convocation is on Wednesday. I am so lucky that they decided to bring me some new (to me) bedroom furniture! We put in the new dresser and night tables on Saturday. So the bedroom went from having a <a href="http://oceanstreasures.blogspot.ca/2013/05/sewing-project.html" target="_blank">small dresser and weathered lobster crate for my orchids</a>. To having a long dresser and two small nightstands.<br />
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What a difference! Although there is more furniture, it feels more spacious and there is so much more storage space. I think it looks amazing! Thanks Mom and Dad! :)<br />
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Now we just need to paint, the light blue has got to go! We are thinking of doing colour washing but haven't decided yet on the colours...any suggestions on colours or techniques?Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-90008195437214405992013-05-18T08:00:00.001-03:002013-05-18T08:04:21.999-03:00Sewing ProjectFor years we have been struggling with roll up and horizontal binds in our living room and bedroom, respectively. They are a nightmare to deal with when there are a large number of plants, like orchids and palms, in front of the window. They always needed to be raised, not simply opened to allow enough light for the plants, leading us to never put them down...really what was the point. So, I decided to take on a medium sized (for me) sewing project and make curtains for the two rooms completely freehand...<br />
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These are in the living room and were the most complicated (and the first ones I made) because we decided to also put blackout fabric on the back so we could watch movies during the day (which happens occasionally on rainy weekends) and be in darkness.<br />
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We left enough space on the end of the rod (in both rooms) so the curtain could be drawn completely open to let in lots of light for the plants. Now it is much easier to open and close our curtains and we are no longer giving the neighbours a show! <br />
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Now that we have more time, our house is slowly changing on the inside and out. We are getting a new dresser for the bedroom today that will replace
the one you see in this photo. It is much longer and less ornate (more
my style). I can't wait to have a little more space! Then on to recovering our new (to us) kitchen chairs, the upstairs garden, painting the hallway...the list is long... I will keep you updated as the small-large projects unfold. Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-4456277639482157122013-05-12T08:15:00.004-03:002013-05-12T08:16:37.327-03:00To ALL the Mother's out there...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!! </h2>
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Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-31675731636765850262013-05-11T12:11:00.004-03:002013-05-18T08:05:40.756-03:00Spring Garden!My new <a href="http://oceanstreasures.blogspot.ca/2013/05/what-i-did-for-earth-on-earth-day.html" target="_blank">composter and expanded veggie garden</a> got me all excited for the gardening season! Feeling that it was too early for planting, I was always told to wait until after the threat of the last frost has passed (end of May in Nova Scotia), I headed to the bookstore to pick up a book on backyard composting.<br />
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We had a composter in our backyard that previous tenants left behind years ago but we were really never successful at it so what better way to learn then to read about it before getting your hands dirty. One thing I have a really hard time with is resisting books. I LOVE books and I do eventually read them all! Sitting on the shelf beside the composting book was this book...<br />
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I sat in the bookstore looking at my books thinking about all of the issues we currently have with food. My thoughts turned back to the Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food, both books my <a href="http://michaelpollan.com/" target="_blank">Michael Pollan</a> and both AMAZING. Mainly I was thinking about where it comes from and how it is grown and the environmental impacts of it all. Even though I try to buy everything local and organic, it can be difficult in the dead of winter to get local greens...so I bought Niki's book (she is from Nova Scotia!) and vowed to give some of her ideas a try. So I quickly read the relevant sections on designing a garden, crop rotation and most importantly the section about plants themselves. To my surprise, she recommended planting some crops before the last frost! There are so many cold hardy plants, like broccoli, kholrabi, lettuce, spinach, kale, leeks, carrots and the list goes on that I made a garden plan and planted it on April 27th!<br />
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With a little care, like row covers, I am hoping to successfully grow all of these veggies! The strawberries and chives have been there for a couple of years but everything else is new, much of them new to me as a gardener! The poppies come from seeds from my grandmother's garden that my mom has kept growing since her passing in the 90's. They will give the garden some wonderful colour and bring me back to my youth at the cottage by the lake at the same time. I am planning to start a fall crop indoors in July (need to get a grow light set up...) and build a mini hoop tunnel to protect them into the winter. So far I have planted 4 rows of salad greens and this weekend will be planting the rest with some broadcast seeds in between many of the seedlings that are popping up! I also have a plant for a small A-frame to get some pole beans climbing and plant some more greens underneath to keep them going through the heat of the summer. Who knows if it will all work out but I will keep you posted. Here are some promising first signs...<br />
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Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-60843808967226109062013-05-03T07:59:00.000-03:002013-05-03T08:00:05.716-03:00What I did for the Earth on Earth DayI know Earth Day was just over a week ago...but it did take me a couple of weekends to finish up the project. It all started on April 20th, when the Halifax Regional Municipality was selling HUGE, AWESOME compost bins for $25 to try to encourage more backyard composting. I was so in! So I stood in line for an hour and 40 mins in the freezing cold wind and fog with my hands stuffed in my pockets and my hood drawn around my face. I so wished I had another sweater on. Did I mention I was alone? I am sure if Diego had come with me we would have bailed after 15 mins and we would have never got this awesome composter!<br />
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The weather on the 21st took a turn for the better so I cleaned up the yard and installed the composter in the sunniest spot in our backyard, without taking precious recreational space. It is easy to access and I am so looking forward to the results!<br />
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We also finally installed the rain barrel we had sitting in the backyard since last year. It will feed the side garden (see the hose?) that is always so dry and it looks nice at the front of the house. Here's hoping that it doesn't get pushed over by the drunk students that roam our streets. Speaking of side garden....you might not have noticed but we extended it another 3 ft giving us a total of 25 ft x 2 ft of full sun garden!<br />
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Here you can see the addition and the weeping hose (or whatever it is actually called) I put in to the whole garden and attached to the rain barrel. I put it in to encourage deeper roots and make my watering job easier with a lower impact on our drinking water resources. We have a backyard rain barrel in the works too... However, now that we have the rain barrel connected to the downspout... we just need it to rain!<br />
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What did you do for Earth Day?Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-74482956813027163182013-04-16T14:01:00.000-03:002013-04-16T14:04:45.671-03:00Gourmet SaladI made this salad last night and it was DELICIOUS. According to Diego it deserves the capital letters!<br />
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<u>Sauteed onion and Apple Salad</u><br />
1 medium onion cut in half and thinly sliced into half moons<br />
1 medium sized apple cored and sliced into half moons<br />
1 head of kale or lettuce of your choice<br />
Walnuts (to your liking)<br />
Maple syrup<br />
Blue cheese<br />
3 tbsp Avocado oil (you could use olive or hazelnut oils)<br />
2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar (I used the PC brand Fig Balsamic)<br />
1 pinch of salt <br />
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If you are using lettuce or another soft green, start with the next step. If you are using kale, wash it and slice it thinly. Then in a small jar or bowl combine the oil, vinegar and salt. Pour the dressing over the kale and mix thoroughly. This needs to sit for at least 30 mins for the kale to get soft. The kale will turn darker green and shiny when it softens.<br />
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In the meantime, sautee the onions in about a tablespoon of olive oil. When softened add the apples and sautee until the apples are golden on both sides and the onions are beginning to brown. Be sure to use an apple that won't fall apart (definitely no Macintosh!). I used a gala apple.<br />
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In another pan toast the walnuts on high heat until warm and golden brown. Once golden add about a tablespoon of maple syrup and turn down the heat to medium. Once all the liquid from the maple syrup has evaporated continue to toast the walnuts to get a nice sweet coating (about 5-8 more mins).<br />
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Once the onions and apples are ready, add the nuts to the pan and sautee for another minute or 2. Then add the warm ingredients on top of the kale. Crumble some blue cheese on top of the warm ingredients and cover the bowl with a plate or anything that will keep the heat in until the cheese is melted.<br />
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Once the cheese is melted, toss and serve. If you are using lettuce rather than kale add the dressing just before tossing. The tangy taste of the blue cheese is complimented by the sweetness of the apples and maple crusted walnuts!<br />
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Enjoy!Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-73219061367613416992013-04-13T08:44:00.000-03:002013-04-13T08:48:36.268-03:00Changes around our House.As a gift to himself, Diego bought a rowing machine. For about 6 months he kept having to take it apart and stand it up in a "corner" of the living room. This was a hassle and less motivating to use so it was time to make some changes in the living room to accommodate this new machine.<br />
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This was no small feat! We live in a 700 sq.ft apartment and our living room is on the small side. This machine is about 2 ft shorter than the length of our living room and requires a 9 ft by 4 ft footprint to be used! Lucky for us it can be be tucked away. For 8 years we had a large fish tank in 2 corners of the living room. <br />
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We got rid of this one about 2 years ago when I moved it to my office. It was a 75 gallon (that I have since upgraded to a 90 gallon) full of cichlids. It was actually pretty cool since we had our TV hidden in the cabinet below the tank. At the time we had <a href="http://oceanstreasures.blogspot.ca/2009/01/most-comforting-things-in-my-home.html" target="_blank">4 large tanks</a> in our house and it was time to start decreasing the number of the more labour intensive tanks in our home.<br />
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This tank was also a 75 gallon tank and house many inhabitants over the years. This is an old photo (2006) but you get the idea. As you can see it was blocking about half of the window and since it is east facing it doesn't get a lot of light because of the giant trees on our street, it was blocking a lot of natural light. Once the last fish died, the tank sat for almost 2 years with only plants in it to keep the maintenance at a minimum during my last year of PhD. Finally the light fixture stopped working which to me was a sign.<br />
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So I moved the tank to my work since I have a large teaching lab with lots of counter space and huge windows. The plants are much happier and I just bought some freshwater shrimp and fish for it. The students love it!<br />
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All of these changes made room for us to rearrange our furniture to accommodate the rowing machine. The corner with the TV had Tank #1 and Tank #2 was where the bookcase is now. The main part of the rowing machine is under the Mexican blanket. Not only has this change given us more natural light (see the plants...!) but it also makes the room feel more spacious. Now the machine is much easier to access and gives us ample space to use which has motivated both of us to do more often. We just swing the back end (under the TV) out to the middle of the room when we want to use it. You might think it looks like an eyesore, but it actually fits in okay with our decor and it can also be taken apart and moved if we need more space use to the hide-a-bed or just a larger crowd. So although, we have gotten rid of some of the more comforting aspects of our home, when a hobby starts to become more work than pleasure it is time to make some changes. Like I said I still have the tanks at work but I actually get to enjoy them more there than I did at home because they are easier to maintain so it was a good move. Not to mention, the students get to enjoy them too!<br />
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Any changes around your house lately?Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-3176526260326143512013-04-06T09:23:00.002-03:002013-04-06T09:30:17.947-03:00Easter on the road in Nova Scotia.Okay so I recant what I said in my last post. March did come in like a lion (huge snow storm on March 1) and go out like a lamb... Easter weekend was sunny and upwards of 10 degrees Celsius! Diego and I decided to take the weekend and hit the road and explore some place in Nova Scotia that we have never been before. So we settled on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Sable_Island" target="_blank">Cape Sable Island</a>. This is a small island off the southermost tip of Nova Scotia. Its really almost a sand bar for all its magnificent beaches. <br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Map from the <a href="http://www.hacsi.ca/" target="_blank">Harbour Authority of Cape Sable Island</a></span></div>
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So why would we go to an island of many beaches in March you ask? It has everything to do with this little goose...</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image by <a href="http://bcadayatatime.com/2012/10/13/vancouver-island-marks-the-return-of-the-brant-geese-2/" target="_blank">Mike Baird</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Th<span style="font-size: small;">ese are<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brant_Goose" target="_blank"> Brant Geese or </a><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brant_Goose" target="_blank">Branta bernicula.</a> </i><span style="font-size: small;">They pass through the Maritimes on their way North at this time of year, so they only stay for a short time in March. I know, I am not a bir<span style="font-size: small;">der or ornithologist,<span style="font-size: small;"> so why am I so interested?...other than being a biolog<span style="font-size: small;">y nerd</span> that is...<span style="font-size: small;"> these geese have </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>a very special diet<span style="font-size: small;">;</span> <span style="font-size: small;">t</span>hey eat <span style="font-size: small;">the marine plant </span>eelgrass (<i>Zostera <span style="font-size: small;">marina</span></i><span style="font-size: small;">)</span>!<span style="font-size: small;"> Which if you have been following my blog, know that <span style="font-size: small;">I was studying this particular plant for my <span style="font-size: small;">doctoral thesis and it continues to be the subject of my research. C<span style="font-size: small;">lick <a href="http://oceanstreasures.blogspot.ca/2009/04/eelgrass-story-part-i-what-is-eelgrass.html" target="_blank">here</a> for more</span> information on eelgrass <span style="font-size: small;">itsel<span style="font-size: small;">f </span></span>and <a href="http://oceanstreasures.blogspot.ca/2009/04/eelgrass-story-part-i-b-where-is-it.html" target="_blank">here</a> for <span style="font-size: small;">information on its distribution</span>. So you might be thinking that I m<span style="font-size: small;">ust have seen a lot of these gees<span style="font-size: small;">e throughout all of m<span style="font-size: small;">y many years of research BUT in actual fact, I <span style="font-size: small;">had never seen one<span style="font-size: small;">. There was a disease outbreak in the 1930s that wiped <span style="font-size: small;">90% of the eelgrass beds <span style="font-size: small;">on both sides of the North Atlantic that in most places took more than 30 years to recover! The consequence, a collapse in the population of Brant geese and those that remain<span style="font-size: small;">ed changed their migratory route <span style="font-size: small;">inland instead of up the coast to take advantage of food in farmers fi<span style="font-size: small;">e<span style="font-size: small;">lds...<span style="font-size: small;">which means they no longer come near Halifax. So this was my chan<span style="font-size: small;">ce to see th<span style="font-size: small;">ese amazing birds that act like cows, increasing the productivity of eelgrass beds by croppin<span style="font-size: small;">g the tops of the plants but leaving the <span style="font-size: small;">roots and rhi<span style="font-size: small;">zomes intact<span style="font-size: small;">!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfvWKaKnF0zrDCdREE_9wb1OTM9GJc9CKf860koJ_EvV50CbEDBEuZwgHKRgDVL5kVBJ4A6XjMhXu80UmzsDUuOtkoi_6mHRB9o3xCCiodSI0Dpmj1NgB1Pc2q1tylCVDllu1zVnaa9BI/s1600/IMG_0253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfvWKaKnF0zrDCdREE_9wb1OTM9GJc9CKf860koJ_EvV50CbEDBEuZwgHKRgDVL5kVBJ4A6XjMhXu80UmzsDUuOtkoi_6mHRB9o3xCCiodSI0Dpmj1NgB1Pc2q1tylCVDllu1zVnaa9BI/s320/IMG_0253.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">So off we went with our binoculars, maps, hiking trail guides<span style="font-size: small;"> and food for the weekend to stay <span style="font-size: small;">at a little cottage on the ocean.</span></span> Did I say binoculars...? Arriving at<span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="http://www.nslocal.ca/results.php?hide_id=2194&hide_stylesheet=5" target="_blank">Cap<span style="font-size: small;">e Sable Island Cottages</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;">after<span style="font-size: small;"> more than 2 hours in the car I realized that we left our binoculars at home. <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">So I said; "How hard can it really be, there are supposed to be hund<span style="font-size: small;">reds.". In the end<span style="font-size: small;"> we spent 2 days looking for this elusive goose and ma<span style="font-size: small;">naged only to see them at a distance or flying overhead. I am obviously not a b<span style="font-size: small;">irder! Oh! b<span style="font-size: small;">ut the <span style="font-size: small;">beaches <span style="font-size: small;">and marshes we saw looking for them, w<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">ere</span> totally wor<span style="font-size: small;">th it!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Did I say it was 10 degrees <span style="font-size: small;">Celsius? I<span style="font-size: small;">t was when you were out of the icy wind! As you can see in the photos, the beaches seem endless and the reason is because the tide was low and the tides here are influenced by<span style="font-size: small;"> the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Fundy" target="_blank"> Bay of Fundy</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Fundy" target="_blank"> </a>which ha<span style="font-size: small;">s the highest tides in the world! Although the tid<span style="font-size: small;">al <span style="font-size: small;">range is not a large as the head of the Bay of Fundy (13-15 m), it is double (<span style="font-size: small;">2</span>-4 m) than near Halifax<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">(1-2 m<span style="font-size: small;">). So when combined with a<span style="font-size: small;"> pretty flat (or low slope) beach<span style="font-size: small;"> there is a lot of the beach that is exposed.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>We also spent some time enjoying the cottage, <span style="font-size: small;">hiking</span> and visiting the surrounding communities. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Easter Sunday Sunrise.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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Morning coffee and afternoon wine in the warmth of the sun and sheltered from the icy wind by the cottage.<br />
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Rail trail through the historic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelburne,_Nova_Scotia" target="_blank">Town of Shelburne</a>. They are mallards...not Brant geese.</div>
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Overall, we had a wonderful Easter!! In addition to not seeing the geese close up, there were a number hiking trails and beaches that we didn't get to so we have lots of reasons to go back next year...but this time with binoculars! <br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yes, we have matching boots...<span style="font-size: x-small;">and I have a smiley face!</span> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope you had a great Easter weekend! </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">***I</span> am not being paid to advertise the cottages, they were just lovely, clean and<span style="font-size: x-small;"> had a great view</span> and want you to know about them if you are ever down that way<span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></span></span></span><br />
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Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-11366121796180770272013-03-20T11:35:00.000-03:002013-03-20T11:35:45.880-03:00Spring EquinoxThe old saying in like a lion out like a lamb doesn't seem to apply to March this year. At least not in Nova Scotia! Today is the Spring Equinox and we just got 10 cm of heavy wet white stuff mixed with ice pellets and lots of wind. Sounds more like out like a lion to me...<br />
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We even got a 1/2 snow day! It is very rare for the University to close, so when it does you know it is bad...<br />
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I remember snow days as a kid in Ontario. Unlike here in Nova Scotia where they cancel school at the thought of snow, the only thing cancelled at my school were the buses. This meant that the teachers who could come in would and were paid to essentially babysit the kids that could make it to school. This meant that parents could drop their kids off if they chose but also all the kids that could walk, did. I cannot imagine all of the days off parents have to take in NS just because of school cancellations. Anyhow, snow days consisted of playing outside, board games, card games, music, fun science experiments, indoor gym, reading in the library and even music. Not all the teachers had to be there. Grade levels were combined and activities organized for everyone to have fun. They were the best days because they consisted of having fun with your friends at school ALL DAY and not just at recess. My snow day today consisted of shoveling snow and now posting here! Fun but perhaps not as exciting as building a snow fort and having a snowball fight with the English school across the ditch.<br />
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Despite the ugliness outside, there is some true beauty happening inside our house. I bought this orchid the other day because of its stunning colour! Sadly, it is not natural BUT it will have nice white flowers next time it blooms.<br />
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In the mean time I will enjoy their turquoise and dark blue hues. Another of my orchids is putting out flower stalks for the third time in 12 months! I am looking forward to the 20+ blooms it will produce in the next couple of weeks. I also discovered another nice surprise the other day...<br />
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One of my cacti was budding! This beautiful orange flower opened yesterday and there is at least one more on the way!<br />
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I noticed that the heather on campus is blooming as were the crocuses. I am dreaming of gardening season!<br />
In the mean time, I hope you are all warm and safe and enjoying the spring equinox, inside or outside!Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-80533296276180728042013-03-09T09:06:00.000-04:002013-03-09T09:06:47.088-04:00What smells like a hyacinth but isn't?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Obviously, <span dir="auto"><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracaena_fragrans" target="_blank">Dracaena fragrans</a>, </i>or commonly known as the corn stalk plant. Actually, it isn't that obvious since I had no idea until last year when my plant flowered and was hit with this amazing scent that is reminiscent of hyacinth and stargazer lily.</span><br />
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It produces on long stalk of whitish flowers with many clusters in early February. The flowers are closed during the day and release no scent whatsoever. However, once the sun starts to sink on the horizon the flowers open up and release their strong scent that fills our whole apartment! <br />
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The flowers take about a week to open up and each flower only lasts a couple of days.<span dir="auto"> Since it opens up and releases its scent at night and it native to Africa, it makes me wonder what pollinator it is trying to attract... bats, moths, beetles, some small mammal? Whatever the pollinator is, this plant </span><span dir="auto">adds a wonderful atmosphere that evokes images of being in the<i> </i>mountain forests of Africa which in the middle of winter when it looks like this outside is always welcome.</span><br />
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<span dir="auto">The corn stalk plant is VERY easy to care for. I had the plant for about 2 years before it started to bloom and so far it has bloomed 2 years in a row. It needs moderate to bright but indirect light and moist soil. I had it for the longest time in an East facing window that only gets bright light in the winter because of the giant Norway Maple in our front yard that blocks almost all the light through the summer. It was obviously getting enough light since it was growing and flowering. I just moved it closer to a south facing window because of some furniture re-arranging so we will see how it does there. It can grow up to 6 ft tall and can live up to 10 years or more! It can also be propagated from stem cuttings, so once it reaches the desired height you can cut the top of the cane and root it like a stem cutting! I will soon be cutting mine and potting it with its parent since you can grow 2-3 per pot and cut them at different heights to get a layered effect.</span>Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-52137345683528778562013-03-02T09:00:00.000-04:002013-03-02T09:56:14.407-04:00Hiatus OVER!Obviously, things have been crazy busy for me to ignore you all since September and I have so much to tell you. The most important piece of news is that I AM DONE MY PhD!!<br />
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<br />
I successfully defended my thesis on Dec 7 at 10 am. The defense is an oral exam where you present your thesis to your committee, supervisor, an external examiner and because it is open to the public...an audience. My presentation lasted 20 minutes and the question period was only an hour!! I have been to defenses where it has lasted 2-3 hours! I was lucky, I had a great committee with interesting and thought provoking questions... it was actually FUN! Not too many people can say that about an oral exam! I also had great support from friends, colleagues and family. There were about 25 people in the audience and even my parents came for the defense and the celebration afterwards! Now we can look forward to even more fun at my convocation in the spring!<br />
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The best part of finishing up was my reward. We went to Mexico for 3
weeks over the holidays! We spent most of our time eating and snorkeling
in a marine reserve in <a href="http://allaboutplaya.blogspot.ca/2011/10/featuring-puerto-morelos.html" target="_blank">Puerto Morelos</a>,
a small town of only 3 streets parallel to the beach and separated from
the main highway by a huge protected mangrove. As Frank Sinatra said
it...This is my kind of Town... Every day that we were there we indulged
in delicious food, happy hour, family and of course LOTS of snorkeling!<br />
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Who can resist this assortment of sweets brought to your table by vendors that just walk up and down the beach selling their wares from a tray that they carry on their head!<br />
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We had <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skirt_steak" target="_blank">Arracherra</a>, or skirt steak at least 5 times while we were there...if you like beef, this is to DIE FOR!<br />
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We went to a restaurant that served authentic cuisine from the Yucatan region and had <a href="http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panucho" target="_blank">panuchos</a> (the first of the 3 photos) which are fried tortillas with beans, some type of meat, pickled red onions, avocado and of course salsa. The second photo is of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papadzules" target="_blank">papadzules</a> which are corn tortillas dipped in a pumpkin seed sauce then filled with hardboiled eggs, topped with more pumpkin seed sauce and a bit of tomato based sauce. Lastly, the soup is called sopa de lima. Lima is a type of citrus that is the size of a lemon but greenish and sweeter than either lemon or lime, it is sometimes called sweet lime. The soup has chicken and pieces of fried corn tortillas and is delicious!<br />
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We also ate at a lot of street vendors that were recommended by locals...Tacos, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile_relleno" target="_blank">chile relleno</a> (stuffed chillies),<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamale" target="_blank"> tamales</a> and all kinds of other amazing street food! If in doubt, ask a taxi driver where he/she eats and you are guaranteed to get something good. When we showed up at one cart in Cancun we were surprised that there was actually two different ones...how did we know which one to eat at? When a truck load of police showed up to eat at the one cart, we knew that was the right one! It was delicious!!<br />
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The AMAZING thing about a marine reserve is that they actually work to protect large predatory fishes and other sensitive species. There was not a day that we did not see at least 10 or more barracudas that were as large or larger than me!!!! The above photo is of a school of 30!! The smallest one in the school was at least the length of my arm (or about 60 cm long!).<br />
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This is a school of snappers (predatory fishes that are very tasty so on unprotected reefs you almost never see even one and here they were schooling by the hundreds!!!<br />
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We also had the pleasure of seeing at least 2-3 turtles everyday with the largest one being about the size of a smart car! <br />
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Sting rays (top photo) and spotted eagle rays (bottom photo) were VERY common, almost a daily occurrence and on some days more than one at a time!<br />
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We saw a number of lobsters hanging out under coral heads which are very rare outside of marine reserves.<br />
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We saw a lot of coral and the health of the reefs themselves was patchy. Some areas were in great shape while others were covered in algae (bottom photo). The reefs in the Caribbean have taken a beating with hurricanes, eutrophication (high nutrient levels in the water from run off and sewage) due to coastal development and climate change. The high nutrients stimulates algae growth that then either smothers the corals or prevents them from recolonizing and phytoplankton in the water shades the corals and can cause bleaching and loss due to lack of light. <br />
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The seagrass pictured here can help to act as a filter by taking up a lot of nutrients but we are putting more than it can handle so there is obviously enough for the algae too. The seagrass beds were extensive and healthy so the eutrophication has not yet started to affect them but more nutrients and the seagrass beds could disappear too since they are also sensitive to light reduction and overgrowth by algae. <br />
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Another very common sigh was this beautiful lionfish. On one day we counted seeing 12. You might think wow, what a great fish to see but in fact, it is not native to the Caribbean. It is from the south Pacific and was likely introduced by people with marine aquariums that no longer wanted them so they released the fish into the ocean. This fish is a voracious predator and is affecting local fish populations because nothing eats them and they eat everything! There is an active bounty on these fish in the Playa del Carmen region of Mexico but sadly it is not enough of an incentive to fish them and since they are underwater, they are out of sight and out of mind. You can read about lionfish control and management measures in the US <a href="http://ccfhr.noaa.gov/stressors/lionfish_mgmt.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>. Hopefully this will be a coordinated effort among all Caribbean countries.<br />
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Of course we spent a lot of time with family over the tree weeks we were there. We did all of the typical <a href="http://oceanstreasures.blogspot.ca/2011/12/feliz-navidad.html" target="_blank">Christmas </a>and <a href="http://oceanstreasures.blogspot.ca/2009/01/akumal-y-la-rosca-de-los-reyes.html" target="_blank">New Years</a> traditions with all 30 family members that were visiting this year!! So that is it in a nutshell.<br />
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I am looking forward to catching up with all of you!<br />
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<br />Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-90546948448524396842012-09-22T09:28:00.000-03:002012-09-22T09:28:03.135-03:00The Date is Set!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The title of this post makes it sound like our wedding date...although it isn't the date is just as important. My PhD thesis defense date has been set for Dec 6!!! I have one more month of spending all my time outside of teaching on making revisions (there are a few so it will be tight!) and formatting. Then I will have a month while my examining committee reads my thesis to prepare for my presentation and questions afterwards! Then I will have a 2-3 hour oral exam (defense) after which I will have a HUGE party!<br />
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See you all on the other side! Okay, maybe in November I'll have some time to catch up on some of the tasty things I have been making and fun things I have been doing. Although there aren't many fun things these days they are keeping me sane! :)<br />
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Back to my revisions! Have a great weekend!Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-1700318248786746622012-09-03T13:55:00.001-03:002012-09-03T13:55:27.623-03:00Success!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnauKiikGHQLYdp-X_12FtODHd85ktUipvmqUY2S1p3mY8wl9i0-i9pSGtLtgmGiFwomFNgzzUpbP_OorOTLSVbCR7iNcT2SQt4oPRqjyZ4zVBMGpe3i3_CGfN6meXD393yktj2cEq3c/s1600/IMGP0691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnauKiikGHQLYdp-X_12FtODHd85ktUipvmqUY2S1p3mY8wl9i0-i9pSGtLtgmGiFwomFNgzzUpbP_OorOTLSVbCR7iNcT2SQt4oPRqjyZ4zVBMGpe3i3_CGfN6meXD393yktj2cEq3c/s320/IMGP0691.JPG" width="180" /></a>I passed my oral exam and got lots of excellent feedback from my examiners! It was the most productive and enjoyable exam I have ever had. You almost never hear that! Here's to hoping my thesis defense in December will be similar! My supervisor gave me some flowers and champagne to celebrate at the small gathering we had the evening of my exam. It was an excellent night filled with food, friends and laughter. I also want to thank you to all of your kind words or support. Just 4 more months to go!<br />
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These lovely flowers on the left were a gift from Diego for my birthday. I love the colour combination and details of the petals! They also smell lovely and have lasted. He sure knows me well. I guess after almost 10 years together I shouldn't be surprised. :) <br />
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We have also had a bounty of tomatoes in our garden this year. The potatoes and garlic were small but still tasty. I have not spent much time in the garden this year with working on trying to finish up but I am looking forward to gardening next year! Now I just need to find some tasty ways to get those tomatoes into my belly!<br />
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I hope you are all enjoying your long weekend! Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-76014803158065690492012-08-24T09:20:00.001-03:002012-08-24T09:20:36.055-03:00Update!What a busy few months it has been! <br />
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Diego's parents arrived for a 2.5 month visit that was kicked off with Diego's convocation. That was a proud day. They loved Halifax in the summer and my parents got to come out and visit with all of us twice! It was a lovely visit. We even took them backcountry camping in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kejimkujik_National_Park" target="_blank">Kejimkujik National Park</a>. It was their first ever canoe adventure and we had to paddle two hours to get to our campsite. The site was glorious and the water even better. I spent most of my time swimming...and eating of course! Another highlight was<a href="http://www.raftingcanada.ca/" target="_blank"> tidal bore rafting </a>along the Shubenacadie river...such fun for the whole family! <br />
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This is the wave as it approaches...<br />
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Here is is filling the boat up after dousing us in warm sandy water! All we did was laugh the whole time...except of course when the wave hit...even though it looks like it...it doesn't taste like chocolate milk! Highly recommended! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I also got to spend some time doing field work in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passamaquoddy_Bay" target="_blank">Passamaquoddy Bay</a>, New Brunswick last week for a Masters student I am co-supervising! We were island hoping for 4 days to sample different rockweed beds. The beds there are enormous because of the huge tidal range! (see below) The weather was a mixture of fog, blazing sun and heat and torrential downpour. Mostly it was glorious sun. <br />
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Interspersed with all of this I have been working hard to get my thesis done. I finished the last two publishable chapters since February for a total of 4. I have the first of 2 oral exams next Friday! The second one, my thesis defence will be in December. This will give me lots of time to make address any comments from my committee, submit my last 2 chapters for publication and write the bookends (general introduction and discussion) for the actual thesis. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! For now, it is back to getting ready for my exam!<br />
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Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-57799141225877198442012-02-09T20:05:00.009-04:002012-02-09T21:17:57.061-04:00Mexican Recipes and Coconut CreamWe had a deal.<br /><br />Diego would take over the cooking once he finished his PhD so that I could have more time to spend on mine. It was only fair since I did all the cooking while he was finishing up. Ever since he got back from Mexico he has been cooking AMAZING Authentic Mexican Dishes EVERY DAY! He has been collaborating with his mom on a blog of traditional Mexican recipes...they also had a deal...she would post her recipes and he would cook them and photograph them to finish off the post. The result, delicious food in my belly and a compendium of authentic traditional Mexican recipes called <a href="http://www.comida-mexicana.org/">Comida Mexicana</a>! You can use google translate, but some of the instructions get translated a little funny. Some of the recipes are photos of a recipe book from his Great Great Grandmother (dates back to 1850!). Since they are photos they cannot be translated by google so you will need a dictionary. Eventually we will make an English version but in the mean time...if you have any questions about a recipe, leave a comment on the blog!<br /><br />The only downside to it all...is that I really enjoy cooking so I do miss it. I know it takes up a significant portion of my time and I do appreciate being served and having the extra time to work. However, sometimes I just can't resist baking. Which works out great since we both have a sweet tooth and Diego has been focusing on making savoury dishes. Enter one of my favorite pies...<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCalcNsJ3N9gPOzb_Wya6irn7QR1y2xcYe5FN8GTQofUiEJ02hRKzEAwiR4ih4kp3nfxKgOYtQLKTkMM4VFteAELYiZ7_hH5rRjUFESE4Ot_DT5oKFSPazd94ZHXu9wf_JGaV3YWr7Gs/s1600/IMG_0981.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCalcNsJ3N9gPOzb_Wya6irn7QR1y2xcYe5FN8GTQofUiEJ02hRKzEAwiR4ih4kp3nfxKgOYtQLKTkMM4VFteAELYiZ7_hH5rRjUFESE4Ot_DT5oKFSPazd94ZHXu9wf_JGaV3YWr7Gs/s320/IMG_0981.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707300618411885490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Coconut Cream</span><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgft_eziV9Wyem-ZzVI7qCDs37cIw1DR3f5F5I15SY9HBn66tKc0uVzMqVQeQXFs1_rhhWg-FVprTE6b3xpEy5mnnuQWGczCY-VMJbB7C0-6AlaZ0VMVgM_BCOE7zaQI4uwpEr0k8XSScc/s1600/IMG_1130.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Diego is not a fan of shredded coconut and the only coconut in most coconut cream pie recipes is shredded coconut... so I found (and modified) a recipe that uses coconut milk for the custard and it is divine!!!<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Coconut Cream Pie (<a href="http://bakingbites.com/2008/01/coconut-cream-pie/">original recipe</a>)<br /><br />Custard<br />1/2 cup of all purpose flour<br />1/2 cup of unrefined sugar<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />2 large eggs<br />1 1/2 cups of cream<br />1 1/2 cups of coconut milk<br />1 tsp vanilla<br />1 9 to 10 inch pie crust - baked and cooled<br /><br />Whipped cream<br />1 1/4 cups of chilled whipping cream<br />1 tbsp of icing sugar<br />1 tsp cornstarch (I think I might leave this out next time...)<br />1/2 tsp of vanilla<br /><br />In a large saucepan, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Whisk in eggs, cream and coconut milk until very smooth. If lumpy, strain before heating. Heat over medium heat, whisking continuously until custard comes to a boil and thickens. Yous should be able to see the impression of the whisk in the custard when it is done. Remove from, heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour into pre-baked pie shell and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.<br /><br />In a medium bowl, beat whipped cream, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla to stiff peaks and spread onto chilled pie.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHryH9BbL6xq9HaCMwRbv0TGc8hZhmJ-u6kEg0vg5xVYtN98veydXR5kULYQlPD1Bhc7bKOdcmNhz4llAZCuIZ_17LiltTxnWiCphHmBkLiLsv8VMYR6aY6C8y4tbqf01NIs_-0jUnjk/s1600/IMG_0985.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHryH9BbL6xq9HaCMwRbv0TGc8hZhmJ-u6kEg0vg5xVYtN98veydXR5kULYQlPD1Bhc7bKOdcmNhz4llAZCuIZ_17LiltTxnWiCphHmBkLiLsv8VMYR6aY6C8y4tbqf01NIs_-0jUnjk/s320/IMG_0985.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707304991878152530" border="0" /></a>If you like shredded coconut, you can add 1 1/4 cups of unsweetened coconut to the custard when you add the vanilla. You can also toast 1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut to sprinkle on top. I LOVE coconut so I added the toasted coconut to mine. Diego added coarse cane sugar to his to add a little crunch and sweetness, his tooth is sweeter than mine! The overall consensus...this pie is to DIE for. You want to close your eyes and grunt with pleasure with every bite! Ours lasted 3 days in the fridge and that was only under extreme self control... you have been warned.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div></div></div>Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-7493850149928052892012-01-28T13:22:00.005-04:002012-01-28T13:53:31.002-04:00New Look and Giveaway!With a New Year comes some changes. In 2009 I posted about the <a href="http://oceanstreasures.blogspot.com/2009/01/most-comforting-things-in-my-home.html">Most Comforting Things in my Home</a> as part of <a href="http://twentytwopleasant.blogspot.com/">Sherrie's</a> <a href="http://twentytwopleasant.blogspot.com/2009/01/comfort-week-january-19-23_16.html">Comfort Week</a> and who can blame me for picking my fish tanks, which at the time I had 4! I am still comforted by my fish tanks but with a full time job and PhD to finish, I was doing the bare minimum to keep them healthy. So when a co-worker approached me about advice on setting up a tank, I offered to sell her my 50 gallon bedroom tank! So my space went from this...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgw1mGpAEGHFpTKdlGTMZ2gwe7atdt4aOedqLsoAyF60_e8Fh5pNcrngMQ8YNt-I7OFVMKzFeA0-5WIxmOotMF5sxONDohYTShI8NzqxCK4Upf0kY1wpKv_UUWa1HWRfy9upnHgMIo9Hg/s1600/Bdrm+Tank.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 197px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgw1mGpAEGHFpTKdlGTMZ2gwe7atdt4aOedqLsoAyF60_e8Fh5pNcrngMQ8YNt-I7OFVMKzFeA0-5WIxmOotMF5sxONDohYTShI8NzqxCK4Upf0kY1wpKv_UUWa1HWRfy9upnHgMIo9Hg/s320/Bdrm+Tank.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702736650426220930" border="0" /></a>to this..<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-F8fMOr3x581cAmBKkO4WWEBx_muANqaeuiSR7BnzKbaIaS6jf30Kv2qXqhtDpKTEegGaZJqzgTWAAcsBa6MZDs8i-zRbbR6DNr2s6Pfmquvz0MzP_01kuJ8leViuUwf5IsLgN3cOG4/s1600/IMG_0903.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-F8fMOr3x581cAmBKkO4WWEBx_muANqaeuiSR7BnzKbaIaS6jf30Kv2qXqhtDpKTEegGaZJqzgTWAAcsBa6MZDs8i-zRbbR6DNr2s6Pfmquvz0MzP_01kuJ8leViuUwf5IsLgN3cOG4/s320/IMG_0903.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702741352375700482" border="0" /></a>It is a lot quieter without the noise of the pumps and feels roomier and brighter. I am happy with the change and I hope our friends will be happy with their new tank! They are coming to pick it up tonight with the bonus of a Mexican feast! I have so many cool recipes to post...Diego made Longaniza (a type of sausage) from scratch and we have some hanging to dry! If only I had more hours in a day... I will post some recipe soon though!<br /><br />In the mean time check out<a href="http://homesteadnotes.blogspot.com/2012/01/valentine-giveaway.html"> this valentine soap giveaway</a> that Teresa organized to raise awareness of her sister's shop. What a sweety! I wish she was my sister! :)<br /><br />Have a great weekend!Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-27512880518551805762011-12-27T21:27:00.008-04:002011-12-28T01:00:42.239-04:00Fruit BatsWe saw these on the touristy Quinte Avenida in downtown Playa del Carmen on the 22nd. They are so cool I thought you might like to see them. I think they are the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_fruit_bat">Common Fruit Bat</a>, but as you can see from the video trying to get a good look was difficult. However, they were grabbing the figs and flying off with them!<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jshiwMVhjls" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><br />We also saw many <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Baltimore_Oriole/id/ac">Baltimore Orioles</a> and <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Grackle/id/ac">Common Grackles</a> that spend the summers in South-Central and Eastern Canada (and elsewhere but this is where I saw them) and winter here on the Yucatan Peninsula. On our walk today we saw a flash of iridescent blue in the forest and discovered a flock of <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=515916">Yucatan Jays.</a> We have a gecko that lives in our room.The Spanish word for gecko in Mexico is cuija and they make kissing sounds at night. We also see lots of butterflies, flowers, iguanas and gartijas (a small lizard).Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-24397185693289732962011-12-26T23:00:00.011-04:002011-12-27T01:07:49.085-04:00Feliz Navidad!Okay, so I am a day late but still I hope you had a very Merry Christmas!! We started the day at the beach and found a small reef about 800 m away and did some snorkeling.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XlJ3Uf2o0oJG9OBoFidt8Y3VTg1HHJhOMy1cG2zyoCcKYV4m5qYMto9kIWF29cTlSHIvtZn8WT1vjyNjfj1K92eClLhSS11PB7MSvzBrss45qUA0bKtqnLBMkMa0GOHPQaYRNsuauhM/s1600/IMG_0477.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XlJ3Uf2o0oJG9OBoFidt8Y3VTg1HHJhOMy1cG2zyoCcKYV4m5qYMto9kIWF29cTlSHIvtZn8WT1vjyNjfj1K92eClLhSS11PB7MSvzBrss45qUA0bKtqnLBMkMa0GOHPQaYRNsuauhM/s320/IMG_0477.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690666968849144050" border="0" /></a>The party started at 8 pm and went until 6 am! I was pooped by 2 am and my Spanish was failing so I bailed early. We had a blast at the party, 10 adults and a 3 year old. This year the celebration was at Diego's sister's place to make it easier for our nephew Santiago to get to bed after opening his presents. The thing I find the most interesting is how they decorate their houses with Christmas trees, snowmen and Santa Claus. They actually import live trees from Canada and the vast majority of Mexicans have never seen real snow!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDQVSzC6tEqGkYSQlB7aIXUVx7RdUoKjsxu9k983m9XvQMmd7fLOfHWeHmDEgmIfPMa6dofjtwBfxlldgXKI0R0nGYVW-SSwizTB7KLkSc_uiH1XjYzltjjD6Yyn7k3jiHThNONlXup4/s1600/arbol.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 182px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDQVSzC6tEqGkYSQlB7aIXUVx7RdUoKjsxu9k983m9XvQMmd7fLOfHWeHmDEgmIfPMa6dofjtwBfxlldgXKI0R0nGYVW-SSwizTB7KLkSc_uiH1XjYzltjjD6Yyn7k3jiHThNONlXup4/s320/arbol.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690638724919173538" border="0" /></a> They do have Santa Claus and he does come in the night so Santiago had more present to open in the morning! I asked them how Santa got into the houses since they don't have chimneys and they have bars on all the windows... I don't think any of them had ever thought of that before, not even as children! One tradition that we don't have is to celebrate the arrival of the Wise Men so on Jan 6. On that night the kids put out a shoe and get a little gift. There is also a traditional cake that I describe <a href="http://oceanstreasures.blogspot.com/2009/01/akumal-y-la-rosca-de-los-reyes.html">here</a> when I was fortunate enough to experience the celebration in 2009.<br /><br />There were lots of gifts to go around and with each gift you have to hug and sing which just adds to the fun and celebratory ambiance. It took almost 3 hours for all the gifts to be opened and then it was time to eat (at 12 am!!!). As usual we had WAY to much food and we will be eating leftovers for at least another couple of days. I made Canadian style turkey dinner to go with the more traditional Mexican dishes and everyone LOVED IT! I even brought canned whole berry cranberry sauce to give them the real experience.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8E4AI0dt5D5uNoA-FyhpG1valiIQOQ_tnA9ImD9cknGSn0YiCpThx5q8fHqfNNL9gkS3aqXGyOV4cPr0iBbMvX-OF-cUCac1KifBuS9w7v0RPwiXEuFktYlmTA2DIzeReUztEv9xjiGI/s1600/IMG_0552.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8E4AI0dt5D5uNoA-FyhpG1valiIQOQ_tnA9ImD9cknGSn0YiCpThx5q8fHqfNNL9gkS3aqXGyOV4cPr0iBbMvX-OF-cUCac1KifBuS9w7v0RPwiXEuFktYlmTA2DIzeReUztEv9xjiGI/s320/IMG_0552.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690641898526197490" border="0" /></a>We also had <a href="http://www.comida-mexicana.org/2010/12/bacalao-la-vizcaina.html">Bacalao a la Vizcaina</a> which is salted cod fish soaked in water to remove the salt and then cooked in a tomato sauce with onions, potatoes and olives. This is a very traditional dish for Christmas in Mexico and dates back to the Spanish conquest. There is no cod fish in Mexico but the Spanish used to fish the cod off the Canadian and American coast and brought the tradition with them. The link to the bacalao recipe is from Diego's great-great grandmother! The one we ate this year (photo below) is from his brother-in-law's family.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRECmLK3HdVa_TJRtxkr6YbMRHU8wuRJ1hj25PPrhXi6bj_ygCJFhZcvHxT2s-3CEn0f3Au4jGp_UBPY5s3pOWkKwrZdu0eDymmtIz7Tdd9reVN4NJWb8by2Qj1KPMPX582xJSCWSdNkI/s1600/IMG_0555.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRECmLK3HdVa_TJRtxkr6YbMRHU8wuRJ1hj25PPrhXi6bj_ygCJFhZcvHxT2s-3CEn0f3Au4jGp_UBPY5s3pOWkKwrZdu0eDymmtIz7Tdd9reVN4NJWb8by2Qj1KPMPX582xJSCWSdNkI/s320/IMG_0555.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690658296091965906" border="0" /></a>We had pork loin stuffed with nuts, plums and grapes with a nut and red wine sauce. Although not traditional and it doesn't look very appealing in the photo below, it was DELICIOUS! I am getting the recipe for sure. There was also a lasagna with walnuts, almonds, capers, olives and ground beef...who would have thought to put nuts in a lasagna but it was very tasty!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHqPfxhDW8sxesaHqMdAru16tATeVNkke0MsKA6DvFqCNumXriH2IcAVv_lzad0Yl7db_dgm8RxNnvzWYDLmfTaoc9r99RcQAF1uh2Bw-siV5ZRE6nTe5J5lUCDCptEZurw4EFpObDb4/s1600/IMG_0553.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHqPfxhDW8sxesaHqMdAru16tATeVNkke0MsKA6DvFqCNumXriH2IcAVv_lzad0Yl7db_dgm8RxNnvzWYDLmfTaoc9r99RcQAF1uh2Bw-siV5ZRE6nTe5J5lUCDCptEZurw4EFpObDb4/s320/IMG_0553.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690661491517527026" border="0" /></a>For dessert we had ensalada de manzana (apple salad with a cream sauce - in the yellow bowl) and hojaldra. Hojaldra is very traditional at Christmas and New Years and comes from the Yucatan peninsula. It is a layer of a pastry, one of ham, another of cheese and then topped with another layer of pastry sprinkled with coarse grain sugar. Diego's sister made it and I forgot to take a photo but for New Years, Diego's mom is going to teach me how to make it and I will pass on the information because it is delicious!Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-1821437037606711142011-12-24T13:47:00.004-04:002011-12-24T13:56:47.260-04:00Noche Buena<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_z-jX1lUyz1zDEY_nVe96qLNKpONzw9Hur3i8fZyh7U7tR0fWhXuqEsXivSfgdSsid1e8RFEPlg96ejmlkUOuyRCVN_G41_PUUmKtKw6wd9Kh-3y5zrATS-IwO41dKpwIQ7_F1vpcRY/s1600/IMG_0436.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_z-jX1lUyz1zDEY_nVe96qLNKpONzw9Hur3i8fZyh7U7tR0fWhXuqEsXivSfgdSsid1e8RFEPlg96ejmlkUOuyRCVN_G41_PUUmKtKw6wd9Kh-3y5zrATS-IwO41dKpwIQ7_F1vpcRY/s320/IMG_0436.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689753838264175906" border="0" /></a>Noche Buena or Christmas Eve in Mexico...we are preparing for the family gathering tonight. This will inlcude traditional food such as romeritos (dried shrimp with a type of grass and potatoes cooked in a chocolate and chili gravy),bacalao (salted cod with potatoes in a tomato and chili sauce) with the accompanying Canadian stuffed turkey. The gifts are wrapped and ready to be opened. For now we will head to the beach since the party doesn't start until 8 pm!<br /><br />I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas filled with good food, excellent company and lots of laughter.Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-13803913295600119002011-12-10T10:07:00.007-04:002012-01-19T08:05:16.694-04:00A Delicious Twist on an Old FavoriteBeing in 2 different departments at the University leads to many holiday parties. So to keep things simple during a busy time I always fall back on an old favorite with my added twist....Banana Bread. What is the twist you ask? Well adding a holiday fruit like cranberries and to balance the bitterness of the berries a few chocolate chips for a decadent treat!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPcDYYFvVstGlL-SK9otpqHuXDc22Yk5L_v6LE0gV4mBXBSpOJK68TDKoIxY0ZxH5PqA9MLGyI8DilyZ1MKpIleqrLkx-fNPO_oCXcSnGeKxbqrAhPnN3o23LET8SUnqoQ0ZXYXgKVHc/s1600/IMG_0356.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684502245135802738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPcDYYFvVstGlL-SK9otpqHuXDc22Yk5L_v6LE0gV4mBXBSpOJK68TDKoIxY0ZxH5PqA9MLGyI8DilyZ1MKpIleqrLkx-fNPO_oCXcSnGeKxbqrAhPnN3o23LET8SUnqoQ0ZXYXgKVHc/s320/IMG_0356.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a>I made this yesterday and a friend asked for the recipe, so I thought I would share it with everyone!<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
1-3/4 cups of flour<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/4 tsp baking soda<br />
3/4 tsp of salt<br />
1/3 cup of shortening or butter or lard<br />
2/3 cup of sugar (I use 1/2 cup when I have chocolate chips)<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 tsp of vanilla<br />
3-4 mashed very ripe bananas<br />
1 cup of chocolate chips<br />
1/2 - 3/4 of a 340 g bag of fresh or frozen cranberries<br />
<br />
***Update Jan 19, 2012 - instead of white flour I used Spearville Mills' Whole White Flour and it was VERY moist! I also used 1-85% dark chocolate bar broken into chunks instead of chocolate chips and I enjoyed it much better than the sweetness of the the chips. It was heavenly to bite into a chunk rather than a chip!***<br />
<br />
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add bananas and mix well. I sometimes freeze my ripe bananas to get enough for the recipe, if you do this too thaw them first and not need to mash them before adding them to the mix. Add the vanilla and mix well.<br />
<br />
Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and powder and add in 4 portions to the mixture. Mix until smooth after each addition. Pour into a well greased pan and bake at 350F for 50 mins or until a knife comes out clean from the centre.<br />
<br />
This tastes AMAZING right out of the oven with a little butter and a tea (or coffee)! The cranberries add extra moisture making this cake feel dense but the cake itself is light as is the flavour because of the bananas.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-41972380523035137082011-12-06T17:19:00.004-04:002011-12-06T17:25:09.039-04:00Diego's Big Day!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJ6b5guVehdhbSdb08WwWfHM6bgZdrD8vljcmC63wIDq4Ghv_3NH8feN_XxvXzWK8XcLK0TJ7WBymY3Gfd82dbvuJ9KG3QiC8DMMrGAl4X4vgHwWAaK8qa3qs0HFhDhukcu_xmLmtqvw/s1600/Fireworks.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 183px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJ6b5guVehdhbSdb08WwWfHM6bgZdrD8vljcmC63wIDq4Ghv_3NH8feN_XxvXzWK8XcLK0TJ7WBymY3Gfd82dbvuJ9KG3QiC8DMMrGAl4X4vgHwWAaK8qa3qs0HFhDhukcu_xmLmtqvw/s320/Fireworks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683129257332918546" border="0" /></a>Diego successfully defended his PhD Thesis today!!! He is now Dr. Diego in Biological Oceanography! His defense was 2 hours long and he did GREAT with all the questions. I am very proud of his success! One down, one more to go in the family! But now, it is time to celebrate!Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-6483799556814547202011-11-26T17:15:00.002-04:002011-11-26T17:21:50.682-04:00Brave New World!"What we are experiencing at the moment seems to be very exceptional…. This means that we are entering into the world which has no equivalent in the past."<br /><br />If you didn't hear about it, you should read about it here... <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/11/22/science-arctic-sea-ice-loss.html">Arctic Sea Ice Loss Unprecedented in 1,450 years.</a><br /><br />The fact that the ice is melting faster than the worst case scenario in climate models can be: 1) a testament to scientists conservative estimates OR 2) they were missing a piece of the puzzle OR 3) both. Either way, it doesn't look good...Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-70551739421301233202011-11-05T11:00:00.006-03:002011-11-05T11:12:17.445-03:00Big FIND and my Pumpkin.Last week <a href="http://twentytwopleasant.blogspot.com/">Sherrie</a> came to Halifax for a visit and as usual after dinner we headed to Value Village and what did I find....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-04xAZTzUMgYZn9IktwCVdh1Yu6cTQZe4nBA90EmD31QWZENLpnmSdZiAsBDoBAMaZwvs3ceVADhW2zDWOPl8lNcBLonnYUUFtCOni9wHakIZbqvRuymfZteTDm5qzMlGkFy42qKWnY/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-04xAZTzUMgYZn9IktwCVdh1Yu6cTQZe4nBA90EmD31QWZENLpnmSdZiAsBDoBAMaZwvs3ceVADhW2zDWOPl8lNcBLonnYUUFtCOni9wHakIZbqvRuymfZteTDm5qzMlGkFy42qKWnY/s320/IMG_0289.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671511904611566114" border="0" /></a>12 Nancy Drew Books!!! I loved reading these as a child and am now in the process of building my collection. I already had a few from childhood (still in my parent's basement...) but most I borrowed from the library. I just couldn't pass them up and I already finished my first book! They are great stories.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyp0zxJ8H9PVhbIlLhbgvVYnlrjXlHe2QpQo2_zbrJP4lWF-B2HBjaLDAYzxwgtN0IoMKFYqLKL6W03fhZlm2wSYK5gESWABum9jMXfiLvvQoRL8YNn4k2p_pLH9nPYZqimsfmBSha7xo/s1600/IMG_0291.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyp0zxJ8H9PVhbIlLhbgvVYnlrjXlHe2QpQo2_zbrJP4lWF-B2HBjaLDAYzxwgtN0IoMKFYqLKL6W03fhZlm2wSYK5gESWABum9jMXfiLvvQoRL8YNn4k2p_pLH9nPYZqimsfmBSha7xo/s320/IMG_0291.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671513177614097938" border="0" /></a>This year for Halloween we decided to stay home and hand out candy. So to let the kiddies know to come on over, I carved my very first pumpkin that doesn't have the traditional triangle eyes and toothy smile. I had a BLAST carving it and enjoyed it's glow all evening.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOR5d_zLkQ6-zQTx1xz3BAEfF6jIfrnbBB6J3iimCzU0s6qhQZsr2pMiqvaYTPfFC6fFNMWiEQNzSLM2Eq2pDdgQNj8s6p0q6NToMMpKqUoJnIMm8_xtl-zR6t1qh6GQ__uvy_PX_I8Fo/s1600/IMG_0297.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOR5d_zLkQ6-zQTx1xz3BAEfF6jIfrnbBB6J3iimCzU0s6qhQZsr2pMiqvaYTPfFC6fFNMWiEQNzSLM2Eq2pDdgQNj8s6p0q6NToMMpKqUoJnIMm8_xtl-zR6t1qh6GQ__uvy_PX_I8Fo/s320/IMG_0297.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671512708136200242" border="0" /></a>Now I just need to get the evil tree's eyes and the moon to glow next year. I also made roasted pumpkin seeds and they were a delicious and healthy snack that I enjoyed all week!<br />I hope you had a great Halloween!Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6365018444592679584.post-60752997361752268252011-10-26T14:00:00.000-03:002011-10-26T14:00:05.130-03:00More Good News!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HK-yjrzMpGR6SWtlliFO2NAKXSNSA9IRRgplW-MiqXmqA8k5bNVk9T37JF5hboMyFy8J2kZpNVTKyCeZowQLIR27KGfCdbXDRNHvhOP5XYb6I_bzzx0S78Gh4cYKxkr2ljmm4FTi10g/s1600/IMG_0272+%25282%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HK-yjrzMpGR6SWtlliFO2NAKXSNSA9IRRgplW-MiqXmqA8k5bNVk9T37JF5hboMyFy8J2kZpNVTKyCeZowQLIR27KGfCdbXDRNHvhOP5XYb6I_bzzx0S78Gh4cYKxkr2ljmm4FTi10g/s320/IMG_0272+%25282%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667845633321488114" border="0" /></a>In the early morning fog on what was a beautiful Fall day I quietly celebrated getting another thesis chapter done...well almost...I am waiting for comments back from my committee members before I submit it for publication! For those of you who may not be familiar with graduate school and how it works I will give you a quick overview.<br /><br />Once you have been accepted into a Doctoral program and you have a project you have to select a committee of 2-3 people other than your supervisor who will be there to help guide you and evaluate your work throughout your program. You want to choose people with a range of expertise that you can draw on but that can offer you insightful comments on aspects that you are learning and that your supervisor may not be an expert in. Once you have selected your committee you have to defend your proposed project. After about a year of classes and literature review, you write up a 5-10 page document outlining your project, its goals, how you will do it and why it is important. Then you have an oral exam (Admission to Candidacy Exam or ATC) starting with a presentation of your proposal then you answer 2-3 rounds of questions from your committee and can take up to 3 hours. This is a pass/fail type of exam and if you pass you move on to actually being a PhD candidate and doing your research. If you fail, you start again with another proposal but if you do not pass the second time you are kicked out. You typically meet with your committee once a year to keep them updated on your progress but are able to see them anytime for particular issues or one on one discussions. One year before you finish your thesis you have a Preliminary Exam. This is an oral exam that prepares you for your thesis defense (another ~ 3 hr exam). This exam is based on one of your thesis chapters. This exam is designed to be on the broader topic of your thesis not some particular data you collected, it is supposed to put your work into the broader context of the field and it meant to evaluate your ability to see the bigger picture and synthesize your work. Again, it is an oral presentation with 2-3 rounds of questions from your committee and an new examiner from within the University but external to your committee. Another pass/fail event and if you fail twice you are out. The last hoop is the biggest, the thesis defense. This is your last (~3 hr) exam and the one with the most riding on it! You are there to defend the work you have done for the last 4 -8 years (average at Dalhousie is 5-6, they kick you out with or without a degree after 9). For this event you have another external examiner but this time they are an expert in the field from outside the University, for example Diego's is coming from France! After the thesis defense then you have a BIG party! :)<br /><br />You are not required to publish your chapters as you go but it does make it easier in the end. Most students who don't publish as they go have a hard time doing so once they have completed and moved on to the next thing. It is also nice to have all those publications on your CV right away, you are more competitive for the positions that do come up.<br /><br />Now that I have 2 down...just 2 more to go! On to chapter 3!Allihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18387430912583880104noreply@blogger.com5