HAPPY FAMILY DAY!!!!!!

Today we are celebrating Happy Family Day!!!!

This is a fairly new statutary holiday that we are celebrating.....South of the border it is President's Day.

I found this funny because on the evening news they were asking people about this Happy Family Day and nobody seemed to know what it was for and some had even forgot this was a long weekend. I guess their jobs don't require to be closed or have any kids that are to stay home from school.

Family Day is the third Monday of February and observed as a public (or statutory) holiday in the three Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. (Manitoba celebrates Louis Riel Day and it's Islander Day in Prince Edward Island.)

In 2012, Family Day falls on Monday, February 20.

Most workers, public or private, are entitled to take statutory holidays off with regular pay. Some businesses remain open on holidays, such as medical clinics and some stores, restaurants, and tourist attractions.

Banks, schools, and provincial government offices are closed.

Public transportation may run on holiday schedule.

Tourist attractions, stores and restaurants in designated tourist areas, movie theatres, live performance theatres, many museums, galleries and other family-friendly attractions are open.

To all who is celebrating "HAPPY FAMILY DAY"!!!!!

Fortune-Telling-Bunnies

These two Bunnies have a job...that's right they are working Bunnies.

In Istanbul these Bunnies can be found in some more touristy areas on the corners. You pay the lil' man a handful of Turkish Lira and the Bunny will pull out a piece of paper with your 'fortune' on it. These Bunnies  are  Fortune- Tellers- Bunnies.

There is a board with all sorts of lil' folded papers and the Bunnies will sniff around and pull one out for you. These Bunnies are quite well trained. It's not the man who will tell you the fortune but the Bunnies.

You can see the man holding a piece of paper, it was my daughter's fortune that the Bunny had pulled out. It was in Turkish, but we were lucky my husband was there so he translated it for us. Can't remember what the fortune was though????

These Bunnies in no way are abused...they are well fed I noticed with fresh lettuce and have this comfy cage to go home in. Nice and clean.....

Today I'm showing a BLUE shirt for Blue Monday.




Linking to; /http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

TORTILLA PINWHEELS

I know the Tortilla Piwheels have been around for a long time...but they are still a crowd pleaser.
I have been making these for years and they are always the first to be devoured.
They can have cream cheese, veggies. olives, chilies.......hey what's not to love. Even with ranch dressing, ham and cheeses whatever you fancy they always taste great.

I personally love these becase they are so versatile and these guys are pefect for parties, potlucks, get togethers, TV sports whatever you like....great finger food. I like to use the spinach tortillas and tomato for some colour and flavour.

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup green bell peppers, chopped

1/2 cup red bell peppers, chopped

1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp Garlic Salt or to taste

1/2 tsp Season Salt or to taste

1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

5-6 Large 10 inch flour tortillas

Mix together all except the cheese and tortillas. Lay a tortilla on plastic wrap and spread mixture thinly over the entire tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese....your choice.

Roll up tightly and wrap the one roll with the plastic wrap.Continue until all the filling is used up.

When all are done being filled, rolled and wrapped put the rolls in refrigerator until ready to serve.

They will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator.......

When ready to serve, cut the roll into 1 inch pieces.

I added some cucumber slices and carrots for colour and decorations.

Thanks for stopping by......today I'm linking to;

Designs By Gollum

Snow in Niagara Falls

"Happy White Wednesday"........ Today I'm sharing some "white" snow or I should say ice in Niagara Falls. You have to see it in person it looks amazing. This year there is not too much snow, I guess due to Global warming........Sometimes when there is fresh snow and it's clinging to the branches and rocks the whole place look like you are in an Ice World, so beautiful with the sparkling ice.

These pictures were taken on the Rainbow Bridge crossing the border into Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. The right side is the Canadian side....there is a lot more to see on that side. Not because I'm Canadian but trust me there is way lots to do and see.

 The left is the USA side.

 See the people on that bridge.....they must be brave because it is absolutely freezing standing there with the wind blowing and minus temperatures.

I'm linking to..........    /http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/  for White Wednesday.

Turkish Blue Eyes Pt. 2

This week I'm doing Part 2 on the Turkish BLUE Evil eyes for BLUE MONDAY.

An assortment of Turkish BLUE Evil eyes........here you can see different colours. But the BLUE ones are everyone's favoutite.

These BLUE Evil Eyes can be bought in separate beads and made into bracelets, necklaces etc........

 My Sister in Law shopping.

 Little stores all filled up to the brim with the Turkish BLUE eyes.

 BLUE evil eye wagon wheel......




This is just one of the places that make those BLUE Evil Eyes.

 Such a hard and tedious job producing these BLUE Evil Eyes.

"WISHING TREE"....beautiful BLUE sky.

This is a tree outside a village where girls come and make a wish and hang a BLUE Evil Eye.

Hoping that she will find 'love and marriage.'

Thanks for stopping by.........

Today I'm linking to

BLUE MONDAYS.

Romantic Home

Show and Tell Saturday

Carrot Fritters

"CARROT FRITTERS"

 I personally am not a fan of 'raw' carrots. When they come around the veggie and dip tray I pass them over........but bake them, roast them stick them in a casserole I love them. Weird as it sounds. This is my favourite fritter, these carrot ones. They are so delicious that you just can't eat one. I know, I know fried foods are a 'NO NO ' now a days, but if you eat in moderation it's all right. Well...that's what Dr. Oz always said and the good Dr. knows well I guess.

Carrot Fritters

(source; my good friend gave me this recipe.) 

2 cups carrots, finely grated

1 onion, grated

1 green scallion, chopped finely

2 eggs, beaten lightly

1/2 cup bread crumbs (I use the Italian seasoned ones)

1/2  tsp. cumin (optional) OR 1/2 tsp. dry thyme (optional)

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 Oil for frying (I use canola oil)

In a large  bowl, mix all the ingredients together until well mixed. (I like to use my hands).

Make about 13 to  15 flat, round, fritters from the mixture, about 1 cm thick. I used my medium ice cream scoop.

In a pan heat oil, enough so that it comes half way up the carrot  fritters.

Fry fritters until golden brown, on both sides. About 2 to 4 minutes on each side. We like ours more cripsier.

Put on to paper towels to absorb the excess oil.


We like to serve ours with a dollop of yogurt or some prefer sour cream or just plain.
Also any kind of herb can be added to taste.

 Sauteing away. 

 Ready to munch on.......

Thanks for stopping by:

Linking to

'FOODIE FRIDAY"

http://gratefulprayerthankfulheart.blogspot.com

Turkish Blue Evil Eye

Turkish Blue Evil Eye

I took this picture a few years ago at a Fair......

When I first got married to my husband and he took me to Turkey to visit his Family about 24 years ago.......he did not warn me about these Blue Evil Eyes. They are everywhere and on everything. This was the first time I had ever seen them. Anywhere we went to visit  all his friends would give me some bracelets or dishes or mugs with that Blue Evil Eye. After I learned the meaning of it .... I felt so relieved that nobody could have an evil eye for me. :-)

Now it has become like an obsession.........I have hundreds of jewelry items that I have collected. Well most times anywhere I go and if someone likes it I just give it to them....I only have a few hundred at home . Really it started out as I would go to Turkey and when I visited any bazaar or shopping mall or any tourist area they were selling them bracelets or necklaces or mugs, plates, etc........so naturally I would buy them. They are dirt cheap........so in the end when I came home and unpacked I noticed I had a lot of them. Just didn't pay attention when purchasing them I thought this one is pretty, etc., etc.,  Then when my husband's sister visits she also stocks me up on them......You are probably thinking that my house is covered in them.....well not really I have them all boxed. But I do wear my necklaces and bracelets sometimes and I do use the mugs and some plates and I also have some towels and sheets and a small area rug.

My husband laughs......he said I have more then any Turk he knows. He's always telling me go on Ebay with my vast collection.....hey I'm a collector. Maybe one day I will part with some of them.

     


     The Turkish Evil Eye Pendant or the Nazar Boncugu, which literally means the "evil eye bead", is actually a stone bead, which is worn to protect oneself from evil looks. The stone is an amalgamation of molten glass, iron, copper, water and salt. This particular combination of minerals and metals is believed to provide a shield from the forces of evil....the old saying said.

     So the idea is to protect yourself, your house, your office or the beloved ones.

If you want to use it in your house you should hang it in the entrance of the house, so any visitor will see it. If you want to wear, the most common one is a small amulet that can be hanged on your cloth, your bag, your wrist or your neck.

     The evil eye pendant is attached to anything and everything that, it is felt, will attract envy and greed. Thus, you will find a Turkish man attaching the evil eye pendant in front of his house or office, hanging it from the neck of his newborn child, or his farm animals and even on his newly acquired machinery.

Bracelets.

  A wall hanging.

Magnet from the city of Bodrum.

Thanks for stopping by today I'm linking to;

Blue Mondays