Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Click on the link to Fabulous Fairholme Breakfasts and Brunches in our Large Lovely Links and watch the video of Sylvia Main as she makes her famous Lemon Ricotta Pancakes for Caren McSherry on Global's "Saturday Chefs."

I have the cookbook and I've made the pancakes: simple and delicious! Now that I'm living on the farm, I substitute duck eggs for an even fluffier pancake.

Food Fashion Compassion

Last night's Freestyle Salon & Fashion event, "Food Fashion Compassion", in support of our local SPCA, held at Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, was a huge success. The three course dinner was delicious (beautiful presentation), Freestyle's Fashion show was awesome (Luscious Lucia stole the show), the music and entertainment rocked, and the money raised for the SPCA — spectacular! Generous door prizes were non-stop as well.

I'm not sure of the grand total for the silent auction items but the bids were more than generous: my donated items had collected bids totaling at least $295.00 last time I checked, and my "Coins for Kibble" (thank you all) raised $124.00...not bad for toonies and loonies.

Definitely looking forward to next year's event.

Being Me and Being You

The following poem by Douglas Malloch is from a book I am currently reading. Since Big Beautifuls® is all about being yourself, I decided to share it with you here:

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill,
Be a scrub in the valley—but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush, if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a bush, be a bit of the grass,
And some highway happier make;
If you can't be a muskie, then just be a bass—
But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew,
There's something for all of us here.
There's big work to do and there's lesser to do
And the task we must do is the near.

If you can't be a highway, then just be a trail,
If you can't be the sun, be a star;
It isn't by size that you win or you fail—
Be the best of whatever you are!

Big Beautifuls®

Va Va Va Vespa

I am done with the Big Beautifuls® web site. I never seem to get around to updating so I figure this is an easier way to keep everyone up to date on the latest Big Beautiful. I just finished a concept drawing of Big Beautiful Bicicletta (riding a Vespa, of course) for a possible commission which, unfortunately for me right now, is not a go. However, I LOVE HER, so I will definitely be painting her at some point. Ciao!

begin beautiful

"A woman cannot make the culture more aware by saying "Change". But she can change her own attitude toward herself...by taking back her real life, and living it full bore, all stops out. This dynamic self-acceptance and self-esteem are what begins to change attitudes in the culture." Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Ph.D., from Women Who Run With the Wolves

Victoria's Real Secret

on becoming a blogger

Well, this is certainly easier to set up than I thought. Although I have no fear of white space, I am fearful of my first blog. What a strange word— blogging. In my case it will be more like blurting, with an occasional rant from my inner Denise Miller whenever she is provoked. Hmmmm, this could actually be a lot of fun but very unproductive; I should be in the studio painting right this minute.