Very OLD recipes ~ Victory Cook Book

I have managed to gain possession of my Nanna's recipes.  They were hidden in a little volume called Victory Cook Book.  I am enjoying looking through all the recipes in the cook book and thought you might want to see a few pages.

Let me know if you would like me to post more pages.

Let's Travel Canada Challenge ~ Niagara Falls

I am making plans to do some serious travelling this year around Canada . . . especially looking forward to our driving tour from SW Ontario to the East Coast.  So I have lots of planning to do.  

Have you been to Eastern Canada?  I'd love suggestions for what time of year is best to go as well as favourite restaurants and things to see and do.  Hal and I are really interested in historical sites, art and craft galleries, really different restaurants, theatre and culture, letterboxing, and just anything odd.  

So I've found this list of 60 must-see places in Canada and a list of 50 places in Eastern Canada to see before you die.

Niagara Falls

Who hasn't been to Niagara Falls at least once?  I've lost count of how many times I've been there with family, on a school trip, or with Hal.  There is always something new to see.  I'm not a huge fan of Clifton Hill but the parks and nature and, of course, the falls are so beautiful.

I've blogged about a few of our trips to The Falls over the years.  Here's a link to those posts.  I hope you enjoy them.  https://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.com/search?q=niagara+falls

300 Books Everyone Should Read at Least Once ~ #34 Memoirs of a Geisha

I've read Memoirs of a Geisha (1997) by Arthur Golden several times in the past few years and really enjoy it.  I have no idea how "real" it is or if the author made up a lot of the things he wrote about becoming a geisha and about Japan at the time of the novel.  I did not read it for historical accuracy.  I read it for the first time because it was recommended to me by quite a few people.  I read it each time since just because it is a good read; quite a lyrical style in fact.

Memoirs of a Geisha is the story of a little girl, sold off by her father, who is trained to be a geisha.  Her life is not luxurious but rather strenuous, difficult, sad and harsh.  Reading the back story and then reading glamourous paragraphs about her as a geisha are the two sides of her story.  

The one time I read the book was for an informal book club I belonged to with several friends.  I was host of the month we discussed "Geisha".  As part of the refreshments I painted orange blossoms on little shot glasses and served sake.  The funny faces of some of my guests were photo worthy.  It also turned out that I do like sake.  Who knew?

I have watched the movie version a couple of times and, while it is pretty good, it did not come close to the depth and beauty of the book.  

Enjoy Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.

300 Books Everyone Should Read at Least Once ~ #1 To Kill a Mockingbird (1960)

Did anyone NOT read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 1926-2016) in school at some point?  This Pulitzer Prize novel has become an American classic.  

My middle grandson, who is not really a lover of reading, struggled to finish Mockingbird for school.  I challenged him and promised if he finished the book we could watch the movie together.  I was so proud when his response to the movie was that "the book was better."  A win for Grandma!

The story has a slow meandering start as we get to know and understand the Finch family, their neighbours, and friends.  The characters are wonderfully written, especially Scout Finch, a young girl living with her family in Maycomb, Alabama with her older brother Jem and father Atticus during the Depression.  

Atticus is a lawyer, a quiet man, admired by his community until the day he agreed to defend a young black man accused of raping a white woman.  The Finch family struggle with the consequences of this decision.  It is almost past the children's understanding.  Atticus takes a heroic stand for what he believes is right despite the pressures and threats against him.

I don't even know how many times I've read it in my life.  But it is a story I cherish.  Discover for yourself as you read what the meaning of the title.

The only other novel by Harper Lee is Go Set a Watchman (2015).  I have it on my Kobo.  Perhaps that should be my next read . . . 

Top 250 Movies From the Last 10 Years ~ #2 Inception

I would like a survey of the type of people who rate IMDB's top movies because I certainly don't understand how Inception (2010) could be #2.

I watched Inception.  While I enjoyed the acting and the special effects, the story itself was unnecessarily complex and odd.  My son must have thought that my cool reception to this movie was because I didn't understand it so he tried to explain it . . . LOL.  I got it, I just wasn't crazy about it.

Having said all that, I would watch it again if I had to . . . it just wouldn't be my first choice.

It seems the Academy agreed with me . . . 

Academy Awards, USA 2011

Won Oscar	Best Achievement in Cinematography Wally Pfister
	Best Achievement in Sound Mixing Lora Hirschberg Gary Rizzo Ed Novick
	Best Achievement in Sound Editing Richard King
	Best Achievement in Visual Effects Chris Corbould Andrew Lockley Pete Bebb Paul J. Franklin
Nominated Oscar	Best Motion Picture of the Year Christopher Nolan Emma Thomas
	Best Writing, Original Screenplay Christopher Nolan
	Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score Hans Zimmer
	Best Achievement in Art Direction Guy Hendrix Dyas (production designer) Larry Dias (set decorator) Douglas A. Mowat (set decorator)

Top 250 Movies From the Last 10 Years Challenge ~ #1 The Dark Knight (2008)

I love to watch movies and enjoy many different genres . . . except thrillers and horror.  My challenge for 2019 is to watch the Top 250 Movies (according to IMDB) from the last 10 years.



#1 on the list is The Dark Knight (2008)

I am not a fan of superhero movies.  In fact, I really don't like them much at all.  I was "forced" to watch some Batman movies when the kids were younger and hated them; which probably has a lot to do with my dislike.  So when I saw that The Dark Knight was #1 I can't say I was really excited to watch it.  

I have to admit that I thought it was okay.  The story was actually complex, dramatic and interesting.  I didn't like Batman's voice though.  Would I watch it again?  Probably not.  But if I HAD to watch it I probably could do it.  Sorry, that's as excited as I can get about it.

Academy Awards, USA 2009

Won Oscar	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Heath Ledger Posthumously. The award was accepted by his father, mother and sister. Ledger is the only actor to have won an award in this category after death.
	Best Achievement in Sound Editing Richard King
Nominated Oscar	Best Achievement in Cinematography Wally Pfister
	Best Achievement in Film Editing Lee Smith
	Best Achievement in Art Direction Nathan Crowley (art director) Peter Lando (set decorator)
	Best Achievement in Makeup John Caglione Jr. Conor O'Sullivan
	Best Achievement in Sound Mixing Lora Hirschberg Gary Rizzo Ed Novick
	Best Achievement in Visual Effects Nick Davis Chris Corbould Tim Webber Paul J. Franklin

A Taste of Canada Challenge

Some of these Canadian delights are well-known, others not so much.  Some of these foods originated in Canada and some were brought to here and became part of Canada's culture.  

My challenge will be to try as many of these foods and beverages as possible in 2019.

Acadian Meat Pie
Akutaq (Eskimo Ice Cream)
Alberta Beef
Alberta Steak
All Dressed Chips
Arctic Char
Arctic Prawn
Baked Beans
Bannock
BC Smoked Salmon
Beaver Tails
Boston Pizza
Bridge Mixture
Bumbleberry Pie
Butter Tarts
Caesar Cocktail
California Roll
Canada Dry Ginger Ale
Canadian Club
Caribou
Caribou Stew
Chalet Sauce
Cherry Blossom
Clearly Canadian
Cloudberry
Cod Au Gratin
Cod Tongue & Scrunchion
Coffee Crisp
Craft Beer
Cretons
Crush Cream Soda
Dill Pickle
Dill Pickle Chips
Donair
Double Double
Duck Poutine
Fiddlehead
Figgy Duff
Fish and Brewis
Flapper Pie
Flipper Pie
Game Jerky (Moose, Deer, Elk)
Game Meat
Giant Jos Louis Cake
Gibelotte
Ginger Beef
Green Onion Cake
Halifax Donair
Hawaiian Pizza
Hawkins Cheezies
Hickory Sticks
Ice Cider
Ice Wine
Inuit Herbal Tea
Jiggs Dinner With Figgy Duff
Joe Louis Cakes
Ketchup Chips
Ketchup Popcorn
Kraft Dinner
Labatts Blue
Lobster Guédille
Lobster Mac N'cheese
Lumberjack Breakfast
Mae West
Maple Bacon & Perogies
Maple Bacon or Sausage
Maple Butter
Maple Cookies
Maple Fudge
Maple Syrup
Maple Syrup Pie
Maple Taffy
Maple Walnut Ice Cream
Maple Water
Maritime Grilled Oyster
McCain French Fries
Milk in a Bag
Molson Canadian
Montreal Bagels
Montreal Smoked Meat
Moon Mist Ice Cream
Nanaimo Bars
Newfoundland Snowballs
Nova Scotia Lobster Roll
Oka Cheese
Oreilles De Crisse
Pâté Chinois
Peameal Bacon
PEI Lobster Mash
Pemmican
Persians
Pickerel Cheeks
Pig's Feet Stew
Ployes
Potato Candy
Pot-En-Pot
Pouding Chomeur
Poutine
Poutine Râpée
Prairie Oysters
Ringolos
Saskatoon Berry Beer, Wine, or Liquor
Saskatoon Berry Grunt
Saskatoon Berry Pie
Screech
Seal Meat
Seawater Lobster
Seaweed Pie
Second Cup
Shish Taouk
Shreddies
Sleeman Beer
Smarties
Sourtoe Cocktail
Split Pea Soup
Spruce Beer
Sucre a La Creme
Thrills Gum
Tiger Tail Ice Cream
Timbits
Tire D'erable Sur La Neige
Tourtiere
Toutons
Ungava Gin
Whippets
Wild Chinook Salmon
Wild Game Served With Saskatoon Berry Chutney
Yukon Sourdough