Niagara Falls

Beautiful Niagara Falls from the Canandian side. Summer 2014

Faces of the Women of the Tate

To me, this is the face of a shrewd young woman with here eyes, literally, wide open to the world around her. Was she, an instant ago deep in thought until interrupted by a loud crash or a near inaudible whisper. Her hand quickly pulled away from her mouth. No doubt, she was considering her next move, the evenings conquest or how to out wit her female opposition. I have no doubt she will. My bet is on her.



It looks like her mouth is going to any moment crack into a bashful smile. I don't know that she is entirely comfortable being the center of the artists unyielding gaze. She is probably wondering the fate of the protagonist of the novel she is reading, remembering the scent of lilacs freshly in bloom in her garden that morning or craving a cup of warm tea. Such a dreamy sensualist.

The yummy mummy's dream. Who says you can't be quintessential beauty, when doing laundry. Hell, take your clothes off and chuck 'em into the pile while you are at it.




So irreverent this one. This is one knowing woman - no doubt in my mind that she knew exactly how to seduce a man, in the same way she knew how to seduce us all these years later. This picture was one of about , oh-I don't know 100 that were hanging on the wall. But the intensity of this look made it heard to look away from - lipstick, jewelry, bed in the background. Would be less suggestive if it tried anymore to be so.




A baby on the verge of womanhood. I bet only months before she was inches shorter and had her hair in pigtails. This is different than the other photos because it's not a second in time, but a month or two. I wonder what she was like as an adult, where her life went, where she lived...

These two woman were part of an exhibition about the Soviet Union. The only thing I know about being a woman in Soviet Russia that having a man was your meal ticket. So, I guess this pictures sums that up. They both are wearing masks of red lipstick and eye makeup. I wonder if they ever got their own tickets.

walk to work

walk to work, a photo by alysesterling on Flickr.

Sweet Potato Pasta Bake

Yummmmy. I had a bunch of leftover pasta so I looked around the cupboard to see what else I had lying about. This turned out to be rich, full of flavour and a perfect late lunch indulgence.

Ingredients:

2 large or 3 small sweet potatoes - peeled and diced

1 Big handful of cooked linguine (next time will do better measurements)

2/3 cup milk

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 cube vegetable stock, dissolved in 1/4 cup water

4-inch cube of blue cheese

4-inch cube mature cheddar cheese

4 tablespoons of cream cheese

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

breadcrumbs

chopped coriander (cilantro)

Method:

Cooked the cubes of sweet potato in the microwave for 4 minutes until softened. Mix pasta with sweet potatoes in a large pot. Add the creme fraiche, cream cheese, chopped blue cheese and cheddar, paprika and vegetable stock. Mix well. Put into a 9 inch casserole dish. Pour milk on top. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and coriander.

Bake in a preheated oven 200 C for about 30 minutes. Done.

Healthy Lunch.

Sliced avocado, chickpeas, santini tomatoes (my favourite), shooting broccoli shoots warmed in the microwave. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Done. YUM.

Tea For Two or Four - with Crumpets.

Vintage Serving tray with blues, greens and turqoise £2 Battersea Carboot Sale

Homemade chutney from Chichester Chutney. Yum.
Folding Pastry Display £1 - Oxfam Earls Court

Two sets of Two. Bone China. Fontwell Carboot Sale £4 for the lot.

Now. I need a teapot. Any ideas?!

Still cool, but not as good.