MARIE'S MUSES

I was thrilled and excited to arrive home from work the other day and find a HUGE parcel waiting for me. It had travelled across half of the American continent and all of the Atlantic Ocean to get here! Yes, it was my doll made for me by my Doll Swap Partner, Donna. You remember that rabbit I showed you a while back, well this was the fine lady that I sent Belle to! Now I had received a surprise in return.

Oh, I was so excited as I carefully cut the tape open on the box and then worked my way through oodles and oodles of bubble wrap to discover to my amazement this beautiful Fairie doll!

Her name is Lilli, and as you can see, she is standing on a lovely lily pad. Look at the beautiful workmanship in every petal and leaf.

Apparently she comes from a small village called Lavithea, where her neighbour is a prince frog, who is actually a real prince who was cursed and turned into a frog by a maiden he lied to. WE must always tell the truth mustn’t we? Who knows what will happen if we darest lie and we all know that lies have consequences, some of them with a far greater price than we may care to pay!!

She has the loveliest and lightest of fairy wings and she is so beautiful . . . right from the top of her lovely silken green hair to the tips of her golden laced up fairy shoes. It is obvious that a lot of work and talent has gone into the making of her. She is so wonderfully done and stitched. I am so thrilled and the best part is that I got to make a new friend! Donna also enclosed a photo of another doll she has made called the “Gatherer,” whom Todd fell in love with right away. She is an elder from a Navaho tribe of Indians. Todd loves anything Indian and so now I have to make an Indian doll for him, which could be fun!

Sweet love of dreams and morning’s blossoms white

That from twilight comes in to its bloom

With some spear of gleams from bluish starry night

Conquer of the winter in gray and gloom

Life’s glimmer and silver frosty leaves

Show their ways when darkness again comes

Each their dream and longings that retrieves

When tone down in palpable deep winter hums

The morning of shadowed silvery moon

Ice on the river in mirroring hold

Yesterday’s retention - in memory

Flowers of winter in their midnight noon

Hallucinations of chill that now fold

Like decorations on every tree.

~Peter S Quinn

I noticed when I put Jess out this morning that the ground was heavily covered with frost! Methinks the teaser that felt so much like spring has passed and we are back in to winter here now! I knew it couldn’t last!

We don’t seem to get the same kind of frost that we used to get when I was a girl. The windows of our house would all be frosted up on the insides and painted by the brush of Jack Frost, the glass all covered in icy pictures of hidden worlds and places that would melt as soon as you dared to trace your finger upon them. Magic pure magic . . . I made Todd a lovely pan of this delicious risotto-like soup yesterday which he really loved. Ok, I confess . . . I had a delicious bowl of it too, and . . . so did Jess! Yes, she is spoiled and much loved. J

Serves 4

This delicious one pot wonder will warm up your innards on a cold winter’s day. It’s hearty and full of lovely Italian flavours. Very quick to put together it is lovely served with some crusty bread on the side.

For the meatballs:

1 poundof very lean ground beef

1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced

1 small onion finely grated

Salt and black pepper to taste

¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

1 TBS olive oil

For the soup:

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced

250g Arborio rice

1.2 litres of vegetable stock

1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

50g finely grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top of the soup for serving

First make the meatballs. Put the meat into a bowl along with the minced garlic, grated onion, parmesan cheese and season to taste with some salt and black pepper. Mix all together well with your hands and then shape the mixture into twelve evenly shaped meat balls.

Place a large deep skillet on top of the stove and heat over medium high heat. Add the oil and once it shimmers add the meatballs and brown them evenly on all sides. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook, stirring over medium heat for about five minutes until softened. Add the Rice and cook, stirring it until well coated with the pan juices for about one minute. Add the stock and the tin of tomatoes, along with the basil and oregano. Bring the mixture to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the meatballs and simmer for another 5 minutes. You may need to add a bit more stock if it isn’t soupy enough. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese and serve in heated bowls, with soup spoons and some more grated parmesan for sprinkling on top. A nice crusty bread goes very well with this. Enjoy!