Plant Lady in the making

You don't realize how much life an animal brings to your home until they're gone.  When you come home from a long day of work, or even running to the grocery store for 30 minutes, your pet is always there waiting for you. For 16 years, I had this sweet girl greet me when I came through the door, and when she wasn't there any longer, there was a huge void in my house, and of course, in my heart. There would definitely be other animals in my future but for now, I needed to heal.

Even thought cats are super low maintenance creatures, they still need to be cared for and loved.   Now that she was gone, I needed to nurture something, so I bought a plant.  And another, and a few more...

It's great to watch them grow and flourish! Sure, I've managed to kill some (by complete accident of course, I'm not a savage!) but some just love it here! Every year I'm learning more and more about my outdoor garden, and now I'm also learning about the indoor plants like, they have growth cycles, different watering, fertilizer and lighting needs. 

(Imagine reading the rest of this at 1.5x speed, that's how fast I'm talking/typing right now I'm so excited!)

I have a  purple Oxalis that my kitty used to love to nibble on, so I found a place that she could not possible reach, on top of my staircase Newel Post!  Which happens to be right under my giant skylight 😎, needless to say, this plant gets all the sun it could ever want and it shows!  It's still there and flowers as often as it can, even over the winter.  My husband made a comment one night (after a few glasses of wine) about the plant, that it would be great to hang it on our front porch in the summer time💥 🙌  !I love it!  I usually hang 2 pots out front, usually 2 Fuschia's, and they love it there, until autumn comes and they start to die😩  Anyway, I know the Oxalis will thrive outside in the summer and they clearly love it inside during the colder months so I figure I have a couple of months to split my existing plant and groom 2 separate plants to become our new outdoor beauties!  I'll take some snaps along the way and show them off when they're in their full summertime glory hanging outside with all the birdies and sunshine they can handle.  

Can you tell I'm a little excited about my plants? 

I also love my ZZ plant (Zamioculcas) which is SO low maintenance and the leaves are always glossy and perky.  I think I'll trim some leaves and propagate that one soon along with my Snake Plant/ Mother in Law's tongue (or real name Sansevieria) so they can make babies and spread them all over the house! 

But my latest obsession.....a sweet delicate little thing called a Pilea (Peperomioides) or Chinese Money Plant.  I'm not sure what makes me love this plant so much, and hope I can keep it alive.  People say its really easy to take care of and also super easy to propagate, so fingers crossed!  

Here it is! 

I have since adopted a dog, she definitely fills the house with joy and does not eat any of my plants (bonus!)  I'm hoping to adopt a couple of cats, and maybe another dog 😂, geesh I'm going to need a bigger home, and a bigger yard for all my animals and my gardens!  I know it won't happen any time soon, but maybe just one cat? Until then, Spring is coming and I can't wait to get outside to the bigger garden and nurture it all summer long 🌞

My doggy 

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad in Ireland

A ten day driving tour through Ireland showed my husband and I many old castles, lush green rolling hills, stunning scenery, lots of farm animals and one big beautiful Irish family wedding. 

Our stop in Dublin took us to one of the oldest pub’s in the world.  Back in Toronto, we used to live near a popular pub called The Brazen Head and we frequented it often.  When we came across The Brazen Head Pub in Dublin Ireland, we definitely had to check it out!   It was built in 1198 and I have a feeling, it was still pretty true to it’s original form.  The space was large but broken down into little rooms, most likely for heating purposes back then. 

After all of the Medieval type movies and tv shows that my husband had made me watch  and I had watched together, this 800 year old pub was what I had expected to see.  I imagined large and loud Viking men drinking ale out of animal horns and bar wenches serving them.   Fast forward to 2014,  there were no vikings, or horn cups, it was civilized (at least in the room we in) and there were gluten free and vegan options on the menu!  Oh, what would the Vikings say now!

Looking through the bar menu, I decided on a Warm Goat Cheese and Beetroot Salad.  I was really determined to have a healthy diet on the road in Ireland, and I have to admit, some day's it proved challenging with the numerous pub stops that we made.  The beet salad was really good, with so much flavour in every bite, I was totally satisfied and fulfilled.  I noted the ingredients, hoped to make this back home and when I did finally make it, I was just as excited with the flavours as the first time I tried it.   I'm not the biggest beet fan, I find they taste like dirt (sorry beets)…but roasting them brings out their sweetness, combined with  goat cheese, and all the other goodies in this salad, (not to mention how highly nutritious beets are for you) I can say I'm a beet convert.  

Summertime is the perfect time for salads!  Refreshing, light, seasonal, and the great thing about salads are how versatile they are.  There are no rules, no do's or don'ts, salads can be a mixed bag of whatever you crave, have in your kitchen or have growing in your garden.  

This roasted beet salad is really quite easy and quick to make and by all means, adjust it to your liking! Chop, dice or slice your veggies, roast the beets ahead of time and use cold chèvre instead of baking it if you like!   I had this salad the other night for dinner and use some leftover kale pesto that I had in my freezer along with some cold roasted beets from a few days before! 

Ingredients*
makes a large yummy salad for one

4 small beets

2 handfuls of mixed greens (washed)

1/2 cup Cucumber (diced or sliced)

 1/2 small Red Onion (sliced)

1/2 cup Cherry Tomato (sliced in half)
1 goats cheese (chèvre) wheel

2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pinch of sea salt and pepper
*Adjust quantities according to your own preference

Basil Pesto 

(or your own favourite pesto recipe will do)

 1 cup Basil Leaves

1 clove Garlic

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese (grated)

2 Tbsp. Pine Nuts (lightly toasted)
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pinch of sea salt and pepper

Instructions

• Pre-heat  your oven to 400º.  Wash and remove stems, leaves and roots from beets, place beets onto a sheet of tin foil (you can wrap them individually, or two or more if they're small).  Pour a teaspoon or so of Olive Oil over beets and wrap foil tightly.  Place onto cooking sheet and into preheated oven.  Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Beets will cook at different times depending on their size. Check by carefully peeling back foil and piercing beet with fork. If fork glides in easily, they're ready, if not, back in the oven they go! 
• In the meantime, you can prepare the pesto.  Place basil leaves, crushed garlic, parmesan cheese and pine nuts into food processor and whirl until chunky.  Slowly add olive oil while you continually whirl, until you reach the consistency you like.  Set aside. 
• When beets are ready and roasted, remove from oven and let cool. Lower oven temperature to 350º.
• Remove goats cheese from packaging and wrap loosely in tin foil. 
• When the beets have cooled, and your ready to start peeling them, place wrapped goats cheese in oven for about 10 minutes or until starting to melt. 
• Peel beets using fingers, or a parring knife.  Doing this under running water can help and help keep fingers clean as beet juice can stain.  Use disposable gloves if you have them handy especially if you have an important meeting and you don't like the idea awkwardly pink fingers all day!
• Whisk Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Balsamic Vinegar, add a pinch of salt and pepper.  
• Mix your washed salad greens, cucumber, cherry tomato's, red onion, and balsamic vinegar/olive oil salad dressing.  Place mixed salad on to large plate.  
• Drop a few spoonfuls of pesto onto salad, as well as your roasted, and halved beets.  
• Finally, remove baked melty goats cheese from tin foil and flip on to salad.  

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Breakfast Muffin in Ireland

Earlier this spring, while my husband and were packing for our trip to Ireland, I worried about two things, my diet and my hair.  I had half of my suitcase packed with hair products, hair appliances and other necessities to control my mane.  As for my diet, I had packed a few vitamin supplements, but mostly I had to trust my knowledge of food and what my body needed on any given day. When we arrived in Ireland, I was pleasantly surprised at the healthy dietary options available to me, as well as the beauty of Ireland itself. 

When we left Toronto, spring had not yet sprung, it was still cold and dreary.  Ireland on the other hand was blooming and lush. The colours of the landscape were so vibrant and the trees were exploding with life.

From our road trip, I'd say that most of Ireland was farmland, which I couldn't get enough of. My husband on the other hand, was a little annoyed with my insistence of  taking a  photo of every cow, sheep or chicken that crossed my path.   

While in Ireland, we stayed in Malahide for a couple of days, a small town north of Dublin.  On both mornings, we had our breakfast at SaomraTae, an adorable little coffee shop.  Who knew that this little town coffee shop would offer me such yummy gluten free options! And their dishes were so pretty, wish I could take them home with me!  Gluten free toast with my egg and bacon made for a great start to my first day in Ireland.  

We went back the next day just before heading out of town, and I had a different version of my day one breakfast.  This time, poached eggs with multigrain gluten free toast with tomato relish.  Yup, hit the spot! I was going to miss this place, I’d definitely come here again and again if I lived a little closer!  On the way out, I couldn’t help but eye their gluten free baked goods.  Apple pie, muffins, cookies… I decided on a gluten free breakfast muffin to go. 

On the road to Galway, our next destination, I was getting a little hungry.  I remembered my muffin and had a nibble.  I couldn’t stop just there, it was really good!!  I tried to slow down so I could break down the ingredients and maybe save some for later, I had to try and make this when I got back home.  I saw shreds of carrot, nuts, a taste of cinnamon?  Yeah, I had to figure this out.  The muffin was gone in no time and for days after, it was on my mind. 

Home a few weeks later and settled in, it was muffin time.  My first attempt was pretty bang on.  SO good!  A few adjustments to the recipe and I think it’s a keeper!   

Gluten Free Breakfast Muffin:

Makes about 12 large muffins

3/4 cup brown rice flour

3/4 quinoa flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

3/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts (extra to garnish tops)

1 cup chopped raisins
2 eggs
1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
2 tbsp almond milk
2 medium over ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed)

1 cup grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots)

-Preheat oven to 350˚

-Prepare muffin pan with paper muffin liners. 

-Mix Brown Rice/Quinoa flours, baking powder/soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl, set aside.    

-Add almond milk to smaller bowl and beat in eggs.  

-Add mashed bananas and coconut oil to dry ingredients as well as milk/egg mixture.  Mix until incorporated. 

-Fold in carrots, raisins and walnuts. 

-Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan, press the reserved chopped walnuts into top.  

-Bake for 16-19 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 

-Enjoy! 

Wall Paper

Digging through some old photo's in an attempt to clean out my computer, I found some images from an old renovation project. 

During this project, we discovered some pretty neat things that the previous (previous, previous, previous, and maybe even previous) owners or renovators had left behind. 

Although drywall has replaced the once common plaster and lath, what we found might not have been such a common practice. These plaster walls were covered with paper, perhaps to keep the paster from crumbling or cracking. 

Sure, old newspapers with the date on it would of impressed me, but this was something else! Carefully selected photo's cut out of magazines.  Colourful, interesting, even strangely bizarre images were covering the plaster walls!  I though about keeping a souvenir, a chunk of the wall covered with the eccentric paper, but I decided that a photo would be more hygienic.  

Maybe this will inspire you with a really great way to cover your existing walls!  Find some images you love, get some glue, and go to town!  Yeah, maybe way too much work ;) 

The P.G.13 rated version ;) 

I wonder who the crafty person was behind this clever wall paper job? 

The Panorama

Love this one!  Maybe this is one that will make it to my wall. 

Life for me has taken a different turn these days, but I'm really looking forward to my next renovation project and I'm building up my idea bank in the meantime.  Inspiration can come from anywhere.  Sure, home decor magazines make it easy, but can be expensive!  Look around you, what inspires you most?  Where does it come from? From the fashionista's walking around, the view from where you sit, something from childhood?  What's most important to you?  For me these days, it's about having a little more fun.  Life can be way too serious some times, why bring that home with you?  A jolt of colour with paint, or pillows, a quirky vintage find, hidden amongst the serious. Maybe even a little fun on your walls with your favourite quirky art?  Have some fun!  

Autumn in Paris

When my good friend Norma Thiessen was working on an autumn update for her amazing website My Beautiful Paris, she had asked me to send her some pictures from our autumn trip to Paris a few years back.  It quickly took me down memory lane and I'd love to take you there with me!  Below are some photo's I had taken while in Paris, and on this trip, all I needed was my camera, a warm jacket and a beret!   

If you have never been to Paris and are dying to go, or even if you have been there before,  you must check out My Beautiful Paris!!  You'll see most of my photo's from below, plus tonnes more that I had shot when Norma and I had travelled to Paris this past Spring.  It's an amazing site with so much information from a girl who's been there a million times, in love with the city of lights and is eager to share her experience and knowledge with you.  She is always happy to hear from you and help you plan your trip to Paris!  I have been so fortunate to have travelled to Paris with Norma three times and have seen it through her eyes.  The photo's below were taken while we travelled on our second trip to Paris.  It was cold out but the weather was the perfect environment for me to capture the photo's below! 

I took all of these photo's below using my Nikon FG20 35mm SLR film camera with a standard 50mm lens, a  few rolls of Colour and  few rolls of Black and White film.  I knew that the less film I had with me, the more I could be creative and use my knowledge and education in photography before I snapped the picture! I was always so anxious and excited to get home from a trip, get into my darkroom and finally see what I had actually captured!

Stone Lady with Eiffel Tower

Waking up that morning to see an overcast sky with a light sprinkle of rain in the air, really put a spring in my step!  This is my favourite type of day to photograph the outdoors--and especially while away from home!! This grey and overcast sky eliminates any harsh highlights or shadows from the sun, softens everything and even with using the colour film (last photo below of Monmartre), it really makes the colours subtle and soft giving the image such a different feel!  Almost eerie but SO focused!   In this photo of the lady and tower, the sky was so overcast that you couldn't even see the hundreds of people and dozens of cars below the tower!  Gone!  And who say's a grey day is all that bad??

One of my favourite photo's I have taken in Paris and it was almost by accident!

Believe it or not, there were many people on this bridge on this day and I was waiting for a quick moment to capture it without any pedestrian interference.  Unlike the lady in the first photo with the Eiffel Tower, who was not in any rush to go anywhere, this woman above, was certainly in a hurry  and came in to my frame just as I snapped the photo!  Because I was shooting film and I had a limited amount,  I wasn't sure if I had captured her, but I thought I would just crop her out if she happened to be in my frame.  When I was back home and in my darkroom, I was surprised with what I saw on my processed film. I realized that the woman and her quick walking, had in fact made it into my frame, and had actually made the photo!  Thank you, lady on a mission! 

Just another amazing view over the Seine River...

Jardin du Palais Royal is probably my favourite place to be in Paris!  Something about being in this garden (jardin) that makes me very happy!

And this is me, being "happy" in Palais Royal! 

View from Monmartre

Norma and I stopped for a little break behind Notre Dame Cathedral

More from Monmartre, this time with a little bit of colour!  Kinda retro, don'cha think? 

I hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane, not only the trip to Paris itself, but of my memories of shooting with film!!  Those were good times, the anticipation, the wondering what you will end up with.  I'm sure most of us remember those days, not only to the professional photographers but even the amateurs who rushed to the camera store after a holiday to see your holiday once again.  As a professional, it was a chance to really use my skill, the years of education and experience were put to the test and it was so nice to think before I hit the shutter.  Of course, there's still a lot to think about when using my Digital SLR, but the anticipation and excitement is gone.  It was definitely a different time in the world of photography, and that was only a few years ago!  Change comes quick in this day and age, you've got to be ready for it and don't fear it!  If you do, get out, take a holiday, get re inspired! Change is always a good thing :)  

Don't forget to check out My Beautiful Paris!  

all photography above copyright Joanne Tsakos Photography©

Paris (sneak peak)

I've had a bit of a mental block or maybe more of a flood since I've been back from Paris.  Being away  (among other things) even for just a few days, had been enough to push me into a  motion forward.  I've been inspired to move ahead, to keep going and not look back. 

I've been home now for a few weeks finalizing the edits of the hundreds of photo's I took in Paris.  This was my fourth time in the beautiful city, but this time, I was there to work on a very special project for my good friend Norma. 

Norma and I had travelled to Paris together two other times before, and this time, the seed was planted as two old friends sat in a Toronto cafe one morning a few months back, catching up over brunch.  We talked about the website that Norma was hoping to launch soon after her return from her next trip to Paris a few months later.  Her website, dedicated to  her love of Paris, was all about her travels, tips and suggestions regarding anything to do with Paris.  Even though her website had not officially launched yet, people from all over the world had already discovered it on-line and she was busily making travel plans for their visit to her favourite place in the world!  So as we sat in this cafe, and talked about her next trip over, we couldn't help but reminisce about the times that we had shared in Paris.  She mentioned that she would love some new photo's to put on her website, and I had reminded her of what I do for a living.  The seed was planted, and by our 4th coffee, we were booking flights and planning our 3rd trip together to Paris!  

Our itinerary was set, appointments were made with various hotels around the city and reservations were booked for some of the more interesting spots in town.  I got my gear together, bought some comfortable shoes, did my homework and was ready to have the experience of a lifetime!

Here's a sneak peek at some of the spots we visited and things we saw while in Paris this past spring. 

 

I can't wait to show you all of my favourite things about this trip including some of the beautiful architecture, great cafe's, and the flowers....OOOH, the flowers!!   
I am just ripping at the seams to introduce to you the beautiful website that Norma has been working on so excitedly for months!  You'll soon see why I'm excited too.