Roger's Sunflower Project 2011

Roger's been busy working on a little side-project for the past couple of weeks.  It started with this:

Then started looking like this:

And today, he decided it was time to put them into the ground

 

He's been so excited about these sunflower seeds, that he's already lined up a list of "lucky" recipients that he's decided to share his seeds with.  

Spring has definately arrived in Fort Mac.  We've been having fun watching our yard come back to life.

All in the past week, our Nanking Cherry bush

Has started to look like this:

These tulips:

Have become this:

Our little plum tree that we planted last year:

Did this:

This odd shaped creature

Became this!

and....

This funny looking couple:

transformed into this!

Yup, it's definitely spring!

by the way, Mamma G, here's the seeds we planted a couple of weeks ago.

Mudda's Day

For Mother's Day I made the trek down to Calgary for a visit with the Munchkins.  Here's them at the supper table enjoying a home cooked meal by Grandma.

And here are some extra special poses crafted just for the camera.

 

I also checked out some of their artwork.  I'm impressed by the amount of detail that goes into Brendan's drawings.  They've come a long way.  Here's a shark enjoying a tasty screaming fish?

And here's a robot (I think), and also a robot diagram detailing all the important robot bits.

 

I'm not sure what's going on in this picture, but I like it anyways.

and here's an Erin original which has some nice abstract qualities.

Here's also a written cast of names and characters for our Star Wars game that Brendan drafted up.  Unfortunately, we never got too far in this game since Yoda was too busy enjoying a bowl of noodles for supper.

Despite me spending the afternoon playing with Erin and chasing Angel Bear, Polar Bear and Pink Bunny, she just about refused to give me a hug at home time!  What a stinker...

This is what I made my mom for Mother's Day.  This may be one of the few sweaters I've made that can actually be worn in public!  (yesiamproud)

Köttbullar, Prinsesstårta and mmmarvelous mmmMamma G!

We were lucky to have Mamma G visit about a week ago, and she decided to prolong our birthday celebration by making Prinsesstårta!  She transported the sponge cakes in her luggage  on the plane and  did the assembly at our house.  Boy were we ever glad she took the trouble.  Here's her in action

First you slice the sponge cake in 2: 

Then you prepare the vaniljsås.  Mamma G brought me the vaniljsås from Sweden a few years ago.  It's a bit like vanilla pudding but much less sweet.  You prepare it from powder by adding a little milk until you get the consistency you want.

 

You whip up some whipping cream

Thaw out some frozen raspberries and spread the raspberries on the bottom layer of the cake.

Then you spread the vaniljsås on the second layer

Followed by whipping cream on top of that

and top it with marzipan.  This marzipan was brought from Sweden.  They make Prinsesstårta there so often that they sell the marzipan in ready made sheets and already dyed green.  All you need to do is unroll it and place it over the cake.

 

and of course top with icing sugar, and a pink rose.  

Mamma G also taught me how to make Köttbullar (Swedish meatballs).  

First you soak the breadcrumbs in milk

Then you grate a ton of onion and mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion and seasoning (salt/pepper and allspice altogether

After forming the meat into balls, you fry them up in a pan

and serve them with boiled potatoes, cream sauce and lingonberry jam.  See!  Just like at Ikea!

by the way... if it looks like Mamma G's talking to someone, it's because she kind of is...

Her imaginary audience.  It seems that she's always wanted her own cooking show.