by Susan Christensen

Although I have dabbled in art most of my life, first in drawing then in printmaking, my artistic career began in earnest in 2004. I attended a workshop and painted the Hibiscus painting shown.

I was impressed by what I had discovered within myself as a painter; it inspired me to become more serious about a career in art. I now consider the Hibiscus painting, my first acrylic painting, to be a self portrait.

In my eyes, the bud represents the artist in me before, while the flower represents the artist in me now as I have blossomed in my artistic career.

When I first began to paint, my primary subject was flowers. I enjoyed combining my new found passion for painting with my lifelong passion for flowers.

Many of the flowers in my paintings are from my mother’s flower garden. As time and my skills progressed, I began to paint the Island landscape, which is another of my lifelong passions.

I have frequented the shores and hillsides of my home, Prince Edward Island since childhood. In my twenties, I bought my first 35 mm camera and paid homage to the beauty of my Island home through photography.

Although I continue this practice, I am pleased that I am now able to celebrate Prince Edward Island’s beauty through my paintings.
I would have to say, my three greatest artistic influences have been Georgia O’Keefe,
Emily Carr, and Lawrence Harris.
It is not so much their style of work that has inspired me, although the work of all three I greatly admire, it is their spirit of exploration and determination that I admire in each one of these people. They are each able to continue on and take their art further and further down the road of discovery.

Recently, I set up a seasonal Art Gallery/Studio in Cavendish on the north shore of Prince Edward Island. Visitors to the gallery have the opportunity to watch me paint. I really enjoy talking about art with people and showing them how I approach my work. It is incredible to be able to share my passion for the arts as my career.

If you want my advice, do what you love as a career, it’s worth it!

www.susanchristensenart.com

Steeped in information 

Recent conversation with my dear Mother: 

Mom: “Don’t worry, lobster’s good for the baby’s brain!”
Me: “I thought I wasn’t supposed to eat seafood!”
Mom: You can eat *cooked seafood, just don’t fill up on swordfish, it’s high in mercury”.
Me: “Where the heck would I buy swordfish? I also heard hummus wasn’t safe either….”
Mom: “Hummus is fine, just don’t eat swordfish.”

Ok, got it…no swordfish.  Thanks Mom.  Luckily the foods I’ve been craving in my 21st week of pregnancy have been in the fruit and frozen yogurt category as opposed to strange predatory creatures with spears on the end of their faces.  This, being my first pregnancy, meant I had to start from square one in gathering information: reading blogs, studying books, quizzing family and friends, bookmarking a million web pages.  Ideally all of these facts and advice would align perfectly, but eventually one website started contradicting another and rather than finding my answers, I just ended up confused.  Everyone has an opinion on  “what’s good” and “what’s going to give your baby 3 heads”, but at the end of the day…you’re the boss, enjoy this time and only eat and drink what you’re comfortable with.

Harsh Reali-tea

There are items on the “unsafe” list  I can certainly live without for 9 months + :  alcohol, soft cheeses, raw meats, etc. However, there is one thing I definitely can’t live without….tea.   I never considered there would be restrictions on different blends of teas to drink while pregnant (and nursing).  In the first several weeks I drank anything and everything, until a friend broke the news to me.  Obviously caffeine should be cut down on as much as possible, because it’s a stimulant and an addictive one at that. It has the same effect on you as it does your baby.  While we think of Herbal and Fruit teas as healthy and harmless, there are several that are best to avoid.  Herbs are drugs and can be as potent as some medications if consumed in large amounts.  Among other things, they stimulate the uterus and may cause uterine contractions and possibly preterm labour.

Teas best to avoid:

1. chamomile
2. licorice root
3. anise
4. sage
5. rosemary
6. hibiscus
7. lemongrass
8. sassafras
9. fennel
10. rosehip

 So what CAN I drink?

Here are a few teas on the “likely safe” list that I’ve found helpful…if you’re still feeling unsure about any a good tip is to not let the leaves steep as long as you normally would to slightly dilute it.  That way you can still enjoy the flavour, without the strong potency.

Teas that are considered safe: 

1. Peppermint- Old reliable…very helpful in relieving morning sickness.
2. Ginger root- Relieves nausea, reduces dizziness and helps digestion.
3. Lemon Balm -Has a calming effect and helps relieve irritability, insomnia and anxiety.
4. Lime- High in potassium and vitamin C, also helps relieve constipation.
5. Thyme- Helps digestion and relieving headaches.
6. Barley- May help relieve early symptoms of cold and helps supplement daily nutritional levels.
7. *Raspberry leaf - Rich in iron and has been suggested to help strengthen the uterus in preparation for labor and delivery at 38+ weeks, although this has not been scientifically proven yet.

Enjoying Sweet Re-leaf 

As I sit here writing this I have a cup of tea by my side, appreciating it’s soothing smell and comforting taste.  For so many Tea is a lifestyle and understanding it’s benefits can make the experience that much more enjoyable.  What better time to sit down, relax, and enjoy the perfect cup with excitement and anticipation for the next months ahead….just whatever you do, stay away from swordfish.

Organic Peppermint Tea available here.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons pepper jelly
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• juice of 1 lime, plus zest to taste
• 2 Tablespoons hot water

Directions

Stir ingredients together. Microwave for a few seconds for smooth consistency. Enjoy on your favourite green or vegetable salad !

1 pound meat or vegetables cut into bite sized pieces
1 Tablespoon cooking oil
1-2 Tablespoons Biryani Sauce
1/2 cup water
1 cup natural yogurt or sour cream
slivered almonds, raisins and caramelized onions (optional)

Directions

Brown meat/vegetables in large skillet in oil.  Add 1-2 Tablespoons of Biryani Sauce.  Add 1/2 cup of water and up to 1 cup of natural yogurt or sour cream. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add a little hot water during cooking only if required.

Serve over Basmati rice, or serve meat/veggies in layers with the rice.

* A nice option is to garnish with a combination of slivered almonds, raisins and caramelized onions.

Painter Stephen B. MacInnis lives and works in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, where he was also born and raised.

His work is distinctive for its bold use of colour and playful reliance on humour. His figurative paintings are surrealist, allusive, and deeply narrative. Stephen works primarily in oils and watercolours. He paints prolifically, sometimes working on up to four works at a time. His work does not shy away from surface ornamentation or from sheer lush colour, often built up in transparent glazes. Stephen’s work is distinctive for its bold use of colour and playful reliance on humour.  For the past several years he has been exploring abstraction, and recently completed a 3 year project entitled Long Series, a series of 1000, 12×12 inch mixed media paintings. His figurative paintings are surrealist, allusive, and deeply narrative. His work over the past year has shifted away from figurative painting, and moved towards abstraction and assemblage. He continues to try to expand his creative process through experiment and study.

He invites viewers to rely on their imaginations and to trust their own interpretations; hence Stephen is reluctant to comment on his paintings’ meaning.

Stephen formally trained as a commercial designer at Holland College in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island but left commercial design to apply his graphic sense to more imaginative works.

His work is represented in public and private collections in Canada, the United States, and overseas.

Stephen B. MacInnis’s work has frequently been selected for book covers and has featured frequently on the cover of The Buzz. Prince Edward Island’s leading arts and entertainment monthly.

From time to time we will be showcasing Island artists and musicians on our blog.

We are so pleased to offer Stephen’s “Black Hearts” as a prize for our Valentine’s Day 2011 draw; click here to enter.

Interested at looking at items Stephen has for sale . Enjoy. We like Stephen’s work, but then again we appreciate all Island artists who are true in working their head, hands, and heart! Congrats Stephen, you go it!

If you enjoy tea and wish it to have a pronounced flavour with a pleasant smokey after taste this tea is for you. I imagine those who like a nice cigar and port would call this one of their favourites. I personally like this tea a lot. The souchong, smoked teas with a distinctive flavour are sometimes described as “tarry” and are a special product of the Fujian province in China. The Fukienese word “souchong” means “sub-variety” that is, a sub-variety of the black teas from the Wuyi mountains of Fujian.

Legend claims that the smoking process was discovered by accident. The leaves are first withered over fires of pine or cypress wood. After pan firing and rolling, they are pressed into wooden barrels and covered with cloth to oxidize until they give off a pleasant fragrance. The leaves are fired again and rolled into taut strips. Then they are placed in bamboo baskets and hung on wooden racks over smoking pine fires to dry and absorb the smoke flavour. When finished they are thick, glossy, black strips and produce a dark red beverage with a unique aroma. Lapsang Souchong is drunk with or without milk and sugar.

Lapsang Souchong is available in two sizes here.

1 head cauliflower
olive oil
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
parmesan cheese
1 and 1/2  cups buttermilk, or more
milk or cream ( optional)
1 cup Curry and Cream Sauce
3-4 tsp. Greek Yogurt or sour cream (optional)
chopped fresh or dried parsley (optional garnish)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets and place in a single layer on a rimmed rectangular baking pan. Drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place  in the hot oven, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned. ( depends on floret size) Test with a fork for desired doneness. Fork tines should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower. Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese.

Heat buttermilk and the Curry and Cream Sauce in a medium sized saucepan until heated, but not boiling.  Add the cauliflower florets and heat gently to allow flavours to blend.

In blender, puree mixture to the desired consistency  – additional milk or cream can be added if mixture is too thick.

Reheat pureed soup, if necessary.    Serve with a spoonful of yogurt and a little chopped fresh parsley.

Every year between late early November and early December we bake Pecan, Butter and Chocolate Chip Shortbread as well my favourite; the Oatcakes. A big Thank you  must go out to Lynn and Darlene who do all the festive baking in our restaurant kitchen. Hard to believe but we have had cookies available for over 15 years and have thousands of fans all across North America! We so grateful for those who continue to order them year after year during the limited time the cookies are available. We are also grateful to have many companies who request personalized labeling for their gift giving; just another way of being of service that we enjoy so much!

We use only local butter in our cookies and no oils or lards are used. Our handmade cookies come in packages that include one bakers dozen or two bakers dozen. Order now.

cooked chicken, cut into pieces or shredded
grated carrot
thinly sliced grape tomatoes
cucumber, cut in slivers
shredded lettuce
tortilla wraps
salad dressing or mayo
your favourite cheese, shredded
Sweet Lime Pickle

Directions

Assemble  ingredients in the centre of the wraps, using the salad dressing or mayo of your choice along with a drizzle of Sweet Lime Pickle.  Have more of the Pickle in a ramekin for dipping.  Enjoy.