Saturday was a beautiful fall day. Chores were on the agenda, along with lots of cooking. I started a pot of pea soup using the leftover bits of ham. I prepped dinner and made an apple crisp with some apples that needed using up.
Oh, the kitchen smelled delightful, pea soup simmering and apple crisp baking!
Sunday while I was having my weekly chat with my friend in a retirement home, John cooked bacon for delicious BLTs, using the Living Lettuce. I finished making the pea soup, cut the meat of the lamb leg and then put the lamb bone in a soup pot with onions, celery, some lamb meat that was a little too pink to make stock for lamb curry this week.
Monday I cleaned up the lamb soup pot. I also cut up the remaining meat and froze it for curry.
I decided to return the pasta attachment that came yesterday. As John was reading the instructions yesterday I realized it only made sheet pasta, so I ordered a 3 in 1 which includes spaghetti and fettucine, twice the price.
It did pi$$ me off, that I was charged $10 to return it. I dropped it off in Royal Bank Plaza.
Then on impulse I checked if I could do a walk in flu shot and got one. From there I went to Longo's where I remembered that their chickens were on sale at $3 a pound.
While I was out John booked our remaining accommodations for February.
Tuesday John headed out to golf with his new golf bag.
Yesterday and today the temperatures broke records at 25C.
I went for a haircut and some errands. Once home I cleaned the chicken and put the carcass in a soup pot.
For 100 years, the “Canadian Niagara Power Company generating station” harnessed the powerful energy of the Horseshoe Falls and turned it into a great source of electricity. Now, years after its turbines came to a halt, the wonder of this hydropower pioneer is coming back to life in an entertaining and educational experience that highlights both the remarkable history and unique architectural features of this 115-year-old engineering marvel.
I had bought our tickets and parking online. I had bought them before we saw the power station on the first episode of Amazing Race Canada.
John and I generating electricity!
No, thanks, I get enough static shocks.
A Tesla coil is a radio frequency oscillator that drives an air-core double-tuned resonant transformer to produce high voltages at low currents. Tesla's original circuits and most modern coils use a simple spark gap to excite oscillations in the tuned transformer.
Once you are in the tunnel, it is a good 20 minute walk to the viewing platform. Water drips are everywhere.
There is light at the end of the tunnel!!
WOW what a way to see the Falls!!!
Look at the people on the American side overlooking the Canadian falls.
Bridge to the States and the American falls.
While we took the elevator back up he showed us the ladders that the workers used. It was eeither freezing cold at the bottom or roasting hot at the top!
Next stop! This is what prompted this visit, a WagJag discount coupon for a wine tasting at the Monastery! We had driven past this monastery a few years ago and I learned it had a winery!
Mount Carmel, the first residence for the Carmelites in Niagara Falls was originally a simple rectory for those priests serving the parish community, Our Lady of Peace. The monastery was then constructed in 1894 as a training center for young Carmelites, as well as a hospice to welcome pilgrims to the majestic beauty of falls to encounter God’s creative presence.
In 1925, the chapel and another section of building were added to accommodate an increasing number of Carmelite students. The chapel, in its elegant simplicity, contains many symbols of the Carmelite tradition.
Surprisingly for me, I didn't really go into the chapel for more photos.
The winery is in the gift shop, strangely.
Monastery Cellars focuses on small lot vintages of premium VQA wines with the first vintage of wines from the on-site vineyard planted in 2012. Planting predominantly includes Vidal grapes, perfectly suited for the production of world renowned Icewines. The first recorded Icewine harvest dates back to 1794 in Franconia, Germany, when local monks were faced with winter much earlier than expected. The monks, facing the adversity of mother nature, are credited as being the inventors of Icewine by pressing juice from the frozen grapes. At the time, these new wines were touted to be nothing short of “nectar from the gods,” or so the legend goes.
We sampled the pinot, cabernet and syrah, bringing home two of the syrah.
Friday and this was our view. The shadow on the right is our building. It was chilly as John headed out to golf.
John's new Nexus card arrived.
Interesting, as I waited for the bus.
I ran into one of our concierges who is on maternity leave, and we had a good chat.
Pics from the golf course.
COOKING
Saturday roast leg of lamb, roast potatoes, mashed turnips and carrots, cauliflower. Apple crisp with raisins.
Sunday lamb leftovers, gravy, mashed potatoes, carrots and turnip
Monday leftovers liver roast chicken, roast potatoes and orange cauliflower
Tuesday lamb curry
Wednesday chicken (leftover) Alfredo
Thursday chips eggs beans
Friday steak, Greek roast potatoes and fried onions
WATCHING
Matlock cute
I finished season 2 of Sorry for your Loss and am disappointed that there won't be a season 3.
I started watching The Great Canadian Baking Show.
Catastrophe - During a business trip in London, an American named Rob meets Sharon, an Irish teacher with whom he shares incredible chemistry. While the two plan to have some fun with no strings attached, things go awry when Sharon learns she is pregnant. The unexpected news inspires the recent acquaintances to try and make it as a couple, despite nonstop complications that include hailing from different countries and a pregnancy that is not without risks. Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney play the starring roles and write the series. Rotten Tomatoes 100%
Fun, entertaining while I am in the kitchen. Plus Mark Bonnar is in it!
Stage Fright
We started the series Special Ops: Lioness - CIA operative Joe attempts to balance her personal and professional lives as the tip of the spear in the agency's war on terror.
Caught up on favourites.
READING
I read Long Island and I preferred it to Brooklyn. I thought Brooklyn, the movie was better than the book, which is very unusual for me. My problem is that I never felt any empathy for Eilis in either book. I realize she is a complicated character and I recognize her mother in my memories of my paternal Irish grandmother. The ending is a cliff-hanger, so I am guessing there will be a third book.
Funny aside, Brooklyn was an answer on Jeopardy the other night.
I was in Toronto and Niagara Falls once. I enjoy seeing all your photos of life in Toronto. The fall trees are spectacular and I like the steps in the museum. Beautiful photos.
My husband makes soup every week, all year round. Chicken rice soup to be specific. I haven't been to Toronto (yet) but would love to go. The pics of Niagra Falls are just beautiful.
I am eager to make some soups here, if the temperatures ever get down out of the 80s F. So hot and no rain.
ReplyDeleteI like how the stairs are decorated. I want to go to a museum. Hopefully I will soon.
Seems like a busy week! I don't know how you have the energy, haha.
ReplyDeleteI was in Toronto and Niagara Falls once. I enjoy seeing all your photos of life in Toronto. The fall trees are spectacular and I like the steps in the museum. Beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteYou always have such an amazing number of interesting photos! Love the Titanic pho selfie.
ReplyDeleteI would have loved to take the power station tour.
ReplyDeleteFriday night steak always reassures me that all is well.
My husband makes soup every week, all year round. Chicken rice soup to be specific. I haven't been to Toronto (yet) but would love to go. The pics of Niagra Falls are just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSo much cool art!! Looks like you guys have a lot of fun. And that purse is adorable! I have a coworker who would absolutely love that!
ReplyDeleteBig WOW. On all!!!!! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought of Tesla at once,I have him today, too :-)
Those colours of autumn are amazing!!
ReplyDeleteAnd that is such an amazing experience at Niagara Falls!