Peace at Christmastime
you are never alone if you have a loyal bear
Marmy and I have darkened the garret and we are listening to Loreena McKennitt on the record player. Harp, viola, and mezzo soprano fill the garret with music.
Merry Christmas to one and all.
Love to all here.
~
jack collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
Christmas will soon be upon us
pray that Santa has clear skies
Scenes on Sunday ~ Bear
you don’t always want to be around Big Bear
~
~
~
~
~
jack collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
Big Bear Boulevard
and a little bear
Food on Friday ~ Lockdown
now that I’m in enforced lockdown I’ll be eating canned goods for another week
None of these following recipes are unhealthy canned goods.
First this week from Jessica Merchant at How Sweet Eats we have delicious Parsmesan Pistachio Pork Tenderloin.
Parmesan Pork Tenderloin
Now from Tiegha Gerard at Half Baked Harvest we have Skillet Chicken Broccoli Pot Pie with a Garlic Butter Phyllo Crust. That looks wonderful. Me I’m eating pie out of a can!
Skillet Chicken Broccoli Pot Pie with a Garlic Butter Phyllo Crust
From Diane at In Dianes Kitchen, how about these Asian Pork Meatballs ~ I wish.
Asian Pork Meatballs
Chungah at Damn Delicious gives us her Best Ever Beef Stew.
Best Ever Beef Stew
Amanda at Chez le Reve Francais has a wonderful recipe for her Quiche Lorraine with Shortcrust Pastry.
Quiche Lorraine with Shortcrust Pastry
And Finally for this week, Garlic and Herb Sweet Potato Nourish Bowl, from the Minimalist Baker. I would make this if I was allowed out to the store.
Garlic and Herb Sweet Potato Nourish Bowl
~
jack collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
Marmaduke and I still have a little fresh food left
Marmaduke Monday
though soulmates aren’t looking for you, they will find you
~
~
~
~
~
~
jack collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
home at last
Marmaduke is an adventurous bear
Vacation Hiatus
vacations are a break from our usual activities
~
As you get to read this I will be preparing to get aboard an aluminium tube that’s going to take me a couple of thousand miles from Newcastle upon Tyne to Dalaman in Turkey.
The chances are I will be too busy doing nothing to write anything on this blog until my return to the garret.
I will be taking some cool photographs I’ll post later.
Have a great time while I’m away.
~
jack collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
in my absence Marmaduke will be looking after the garret
Scenes on Sunday ~ Free as a Bird
a bear, seeking freedom, the open air, and two tickets to adventure
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
jack collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
on a day like today
he would blow his cares away
with the wind, the sun, and the sea
Scenes on Sunday ~ Marmaduke
he wandered lonely as a cloud
~
~
~
~
~
~
jack collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
Marmy never says much,
But, what’s he thinking about
Distressed and Depressed
you have to be at your strongest when you’re feeling your weakest
staring into nothingness
A few days ago I decided to stop following the news. It isn’t so much the hard news of current events which I find distressing and depressing, it’s the rather one-sided and left-liberal commentary, opinions, and spin that goes along with the news. I can form my own opinions concerning the facts and truths, I do not need to be told what to think.
The unvarnished news is bad enough; the economy has tanked, the coronavirus is still making people ill, routine heath care and dentistry has ceased for the duration, there is no formal education for most, people are rioting in the streets, restrictions on personal freedoms continue, and nobody can go anywhere. If I did take a train to somewhere there’s little to do when I get there, and certainly nowhere to eat or stay overnight.
This COVID-19 lockdown has cost unimaginable billions. It’s obvious that it’s going to take decades to pay off all the money the UK government has borrowed to support this country during the current medical crisis ~ some say as long as it took to repay all the borrowing that resulted from WWII. That took decades, in fact about a half a century. That means Great Britain is entering a new era of austerity. Most in this country are going to be financially much worth off for the foreseeable future.
Add to that the disgraceful riots and violence that has infected our town and cities, and you can see that this country has become a distressing, depressing, and unsafe place to live. The lawlessness is particularly distressing for the average ‘person in the street’ ~ there is a feeling that nobody and nothing is safe.
Perhaps it is time that the 1715 Riot Act, repealed in 1967, was brought back into English Law. Although, the Death Penalty for being part of a tumultuous, riotous assembly of 12 persons or more is a little harsh for this day and age. And transportation is out of the question, you don’t have to be a criminal to go to Australia any more.
Selfishly, the thing that is distressing and depressing me the most is that I first got sick just about 3 months ago, and I’m still suffering. Weariness, lassitude, lack of energy, shortness of breath, coughing, and confusion to name but a few symptoms. I’ll get over it and get better sometime ~ I hope it’s sooner rather than later.
~
Jack Collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
doom, gloom, death, and depression
Scenes on Sunday ~ The Adventures of Marmaduke
there are a lot of adventures out there, waiting for us to live them
~
~
~
~
~
jack collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
Marmaduke is upset about Mr. Trumps travel ban.
I’ve told him we will go to America soon.
Food on Friday ~ Healthy and Easy
the basis of all happiness is good health
It’s all very well my trying to eat a very healthy Paleo diet, but face it, if the recipes are too difficult or too time consuming I’m just not going to make them. There is a limit to how much time a chap living alone is prepared to spend in the kitchen.
All of these recipes are healthy and easy, so enjoy.
First up this week, from Ali at Gimme Some Oven we have chicken and wild rice soup. May as well face it, it this viral epidemic gets worse we may all be glad of some chicken soup. This is real comfort food.
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup.
Next, from Joy The Baker we have a roasted lemon chicken soup. This looks and sounds fabulous. I’ll bet this is a great pick-me-up too,
Roasted Lemon Chicken Soup
From Well Plated by Erin there this great looking but deceptively easy salmon wellington, (although I would have called it salmon en croute). I’d serve this with roasted asparagus. What a fabulous and fabulously easy meal to serve for dinner, or for a dinner party
Salmon Wellington
Another salmon dish, sheet pan chipotle salmon with cilantro lime special sauce, this one from Tieghan Gerard at Half Baked Harvest; . I like sheet pan cooking, a lot.
Sheet Pan Chipolte Salmon with Cilantro Lime Special Sauce
With St. Patricks day coming up what about trying this Irish Stout beef stew with herbed dumplings? This recipe is from Jessica Merchant at How Sweet Eats. (To be honest, St. Patricks day is a non-event in most of English England. And right now the last place I want to spend any time is in a crowded bar.)
Irish Stout Beef Stew
And finally for this week, from In Dianes Kitchen we have a really simple recipe idea for sugar snap peas and bacon. What a smashing side dish, or with rice it would make a good light lunch to take to work, perhaps.
Sugar Snap Peas and Bacon
~
jack collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
even on his little boat, Marmaduke is quite the chef