first signs of spring

Ha-ha groundhog and Snowmageddon/Snowpocalypse, look what I found on our terrace yesterday!!!

Spring REALLY will be here soon, and boy does it smell delicious! :-D

candlemas

Ok, so there is no reason to be sad that good old Phil saw his shadow today, thus granting us at least another six more weeks of winter. The more inspiring Candlemas, which marks the half-way point of our cold season, is celebrated today. And as our thoughts turn toward seedlings and the approaching season of growth, perhaps Candlemas is even more fitting a holiday than January 1 to contemplate our new beginnings and set goals we hope to achieve during our personal growing season.

We also celebrate Candlemas by lighting candles in every room of our house and having breakfast for dinner: tonight, pear-filled pancakes (with a drizzle of hot chocolate sauce, yum :-)! And this past Sunday, my husband spent the afternoon beginning to prep our garden. Because, yes, in just a few short weeks, we will start planting our summer harvests. So forget about the groundhog---light a candle and dream about the warm and sunny days ahead. :-D

sardines, tomatoes, & pasta

Is it me or has this week just flown by?! Which is why today I made one of my favorite "5 or less" meals. Not only is this one supereasy but it's also superhealthy AND supertasty---the trifecta of happy eating. :-)

While the pasta water was boiling, I opened a can of sardines packed in tomato sauce. In a saute pan, I added a little olive oil, a couple cloves of finely chopped garlic, and a diced tomato. Then, after adding the pasta to the water, I cooked the garlic and tomatoes for a couple minutes before mixing in the sardines and sauce. I prefer to remove any larger fish bones beforehand, but it's not necessary. Simmer for five minutes and then toss with the cooked, drained pasta. Voila!

Today I added some chopped olive and fresh Italian parsley as well. I also tend to follow the Italian tradition of not mixing cheese with fish, so I mixed in some fine breadcrumbs seasoned with garlic and parsley; the breadcrumbs give a very similar texture as finely ground romano. Obviously, though, if you love cheese, traditions are always made to be broken. ;-) Enjoy!

sweater blanket

Wow, do I love this idea! ReadyMade (another one of my favorite sources for inspiration) has published instructions to make this gorgeous patchwork blanket using old sweaters and a bit of satin ribbon. Have I mentioned how much I love this idea? :-) Anytime an article is repurposed, recycled, reused gets the "thumbs up" from The Happy Recessionist, and when the end product is a beautiful warm winter blanket---and you know how much these cost retail---I make an appointment to scour our drawers and the local charity shop for sweaters looking for a second lease on life. I like the idea of mixing up basic knits with textured and cabled pieces, too. Obviously, the size can be played with as well, so the kids can have smaller versions of their own. ReadyMade DEFINITELY gets The Happy Recessionist seal of approval for this creative concept. :-)

Photo by Kate Lacey.

keeping happy in hard times

Although some have declared the Great Recession officially over, for those who are still struggling, who are still without jobs, this declaration does little to ease the worry or make the rent or mortgage easier to pay. Regularly we need to remind ourselves to take one day at a time, that we are not to blame, that we still have a reason---and a right---to seek joy and happiness even during difficult economic times.

Which is why Dr. Robert Holden's article here is a must-read for anyone who has been affected by the current recession (and who hasn't!) and who is seeking to turn this time of financial uncertainty into a positive life lesson. I can say from personal experience that the rough times that affected my family during the dot.com bust of the late 1990s and the subsequent soul-searching we did then have helped us immensely to cope during the Great Recession. We were forced to examine what were the priorities in our lives; we also redefined what a happy and successful life meant for us, not for society in general or marketing executives or our neighbors or anyone else, but US.

Dr. Holden refers to this in the article under "The Real More" and "The Reality Check" sections. Other points he highlights include taking responsibility for your finances, making time for the important relationships in your life, taking stock of your blessings, scheduling time for having fun and self-care (which you still need and deserve whether you're a full-time employee or a full-time homecarer or a full-time job seeker), maintaining a positive attitude (as much as possible) and keeping the faith, and remembering to invest in yourself and others. For example, I have signed up for free courses at Creative Techs, who provide educational online webinars on subjects like Photoshop, creating iPhone apps, watercolor, and photography lighting. And did I mention they're FREE?!! :-D

Now I am off to spend the rest of this glorious day with some of my most precious blessings, my family. The husband has made a huge pot of leek and potato soup that smells amazing and is perfect for a chilly Sunday afternoon. Enjoy the rest of YOUR weekend! :-)

kitchen aid

I have been a convert to eating seasonally for many years now, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate this helpful (and cool-looking) kitchen aid from the UK restaurant Leon. And although it is UK-centric, most of the categorizations can be applied in the US as well. Check out the original posting at re-nest for a link to download a full-sized pdf suitable for printing and hanging in your kitchen. :-)

the importance of a dream