Feliz Ano Nuevo

As the old year comes to meet the New year, I’m a little older, a little grayer, a little rounder, but not much wiser than the year before.

I’ve found over the years that most of my New Year’s Resolutions go in one year and out the other so I’m going to skip making any this year.

Today JJ in Mexico just wants to say Feliz Ano Nuevo to everyone who follows her blog, and wishes each of you a bright, happy and healthy 2010.

Hopefully we all get a whole lot wiser next year.

They Just Keep Coming

The week between Christmas and New Years is very, very busy in Guayabitos. The only time there are more people here is the week of Easter when the population more than doubles. Here are a few pictures that will give you an idea of what it’s like out there this week. The Mexicans begin to arrive on Boxing day and within a couple of days the beach looks like this. The old guy in the next photo has found a rock to park on while he takes in all the activities. These people are just hanging out in the river estuary next to us. And the rest of the people have staked out their spots up and down the beach.

Our Anniversary Dinner

It was our anniversary a couple of days ago and I wanted to prepare something special so I paid a visit to Victor at the Carniceria to see what he had. I’ve been asking him for lamb for ages, but he always tells me that he’s not happy with his source for lamb. To my surprise and delight this timeI was greeted with a big smile on Victor's face as he informed me that he had lamb ribs and a leg of lamb if I wanted either of them. I was excited and asked to see the leg of lamb. It was about 5 lbs and looked absolutely wonderful so I paid his price and went home to make a marinade. I had the meat marinating and all my veggies prepared by 10 am so had the rest of the day to relax and watch all the people out front on the beach.

I'd never made this marinade before, but it sounded very good so I decided to give it a try. I mixed together the marinade ingredients and then popped the lamb and marinade in a bag.

I cooked and mashed my sweet potatoes with a little low fat sour cream and salt and pepper and set them aside.

Then I made a bit of sauce to drizzle over the potatoes after reheating them for dinner.

The sauce is a mixture of low fat sour cream, brown sugar, melted butter and a pinch of ground ginger.

Early evening I put the leg of lamb on the grill in a hot barbeque and turned and basted it with the marinade every 15 minutes 'til it was done.

Before the main course, I served a salad of roasted red & yellow peppers and sliced Belgian Endive and dressed it with a simple vinaigrette.

Just before slicing the lamb, I cooked some carrots and sprouts and reheated the potoatoes and ginger sauce.

I made small wells in the servings of mashed sweet potatoes and filled them with a little ginger sauce, and then plated the lamb, mint jelly and the other veggies.

I will definitely make this marinade again. It really complemented the flavour of the lamb. Here's the recipe for the lamb.

Grilled Leg of Lamb With Spiced Mustard and Rosemary

4 - 5 lb leg of lamb

Marinade:

1 tbsp dry mustard

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup frozen apple juice (I used regular)

1/2 cup Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

2 tsp olive oil

kosher salt

pepper

Combine all ingredients and place in a plastic bag with the meat. Marinate all day or better still, overnight.

This lamb can be barbequed or roasted in the oven 'til the thickest part registers 130 F for medium-rare.

Siesta Time for my Amiga

Today was pedicure day for me and my amiga, Heather. I've been telling her about the fabulous pedicures that the girls give at Uñas Sonia. When we arrived, we gave each of the girls an OPI bear for the shop, and they were thrilled. The gal in the orange dress is Christina, the friend who drops in for a visit nearly every time I'm at Sonia's, and the gal in the hat is Mary who was about to do my pedicure. Christina looks so pretty with all the decorated nails in the background.

And this is Sonia who is working away on my amiga.

There was plenty of loud chatting going on in the shop, but it didn't stop my amiga from drifting off to la la land.

Is this not one relaxed face?

I think Heather floated back to her hotel after having a pound and a half of skin and calluses gently removed from each foot. I haven't seen her this calm in a very long time.

Oh and by the way, the little blemish on the end of my amiga's nose was much larger a couple of weeks ago. Big pieces of skin got scraped off the tip of Heather's nose and bottom lip when she did a face-plant in the sand while learning how to surf in Sayulita. I bet she won't be trying that again any time soon. She's still got 5 more days 'til she heads back home, so hopefully everything will be all healed up by then.

Beautiful Butchart Gardens

Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, is less than a hundred miles from where we live on Vancouver Island. Victoria enjoys some of the country's most exhilarating scenery with spectacular ocean or mountain vistas around every corner. Victoria also benefits from one of Canada's mildest climates, which allows its residents to pursue outdoor pleasures all year round. Victoria also boasts many beautiful historic buildings such as B.C.'s majestic Legislative buildings. These Parliament Buildings were officially opened in 1898 with a 500 ft long façade, central dome, two end pavilions, and a gilded bronze statue of Captain George Vancouver.

These buildings with their 33 copper domes were designed by the same architect who designed the famed Empress Hotel.

The Fairmont Empress majestically rises over Victoria's Inner Harbour. This luxury hotel showcases the spirit and energy of Vancouver Island in grand style. With her turn-of-the-century beauty, The Fairmont Empress resort regally captures the grandeur and elegance of a bygone era, while her facilities and services meet the needs of today's traveler.

Victoria is also renowned for Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Site of Canada. The 55 acres of wonderful floral display are tucked away in a serene country estate. In 1904, Mr. and Mrs. Butchart decided to construct a garden in a worked-out quarry site on their 130-acre estate. Over the years they created Butchart Gardens. These gardens are still privately owned by family descendants and continue to delight visitors from all over the world. Today Butchart Gardens has established an international reputation for its year round display of flowering plants.

Recently, friends from back home e-mailed us some photos of Butchard Gardens that were taken this past fall.

Butchart Gardens is a wonderful place to visit at any time of the year, but these spectacular fall colours are amazing.

When autumn approaches, the leaves slowly turn to golden yellows, deep burgundies, rich fiery reds and various shades of burnt orange.

The leaves on hundreds of giant maples start to change at the first sign of cool weather.

Everywhere you look, there is another gorgeous display of deep fall colour.

The gardens offer spectacular views from the meandering paths and expansive lawns.

Look at the fabulous deep purple colour of the two trees in the next photo.

The following garden photos were taken during other seasons of the year.

From January to March, the winter gardens of snowdrops and crocuses form a beautiful carpet of bloom.

Then the Spring flowers such as daffodils and tulips appear and hundreds of flowering trees come begin to come alive once again.

When summer arrives in June, all the flowering annuals and perennials burst into an array of glorious vivid colour, and the sweet perfume of thousands of roses fills the air.

These summer flowers and shrubs will continue to bloom well into September.

The relaxing sound of cascading water, falling into ponds, can can be enjoyed in many different locations throughout the gardens.

Some sounds of falling water are softer than others.

Or louder than others.

You can take a relaxing stroll through the fragrant rose gardens, serene Japanese gardens or incredible sunken gardens.

There are so many magnificent spots to stop and admire the incredible beauty that surrounds you at Buchart Gardens.

Butchart Gardens is a truly a little piece of paradise that everyone can now enjoy.

A visit to the gardens at night is magical when thousands of coloured lights dramatically light up the grounds. Also nightly displays of fireworks are provided during July and August, and they are a magnificent sight.

During the Christmas season, from December lst to early January, Butchart Gardens is transformed into holiday magic. Every evening lavish displays of lights illuminate the sky. For our friends and neighbours in Guayabitos who may have never experienced the awesome beauty of Butchart Gardens, it is worth making the trip to Victoria to visit the gardens as well as all the other gorgeous sights and attractions that our capital city has to offer.

You wouldn't be disappointed.