Happy February

Flowers in Wimbledon Village

I love February. It whispers sweet memories of California tulips waiting on my Florida bed, letters in my mailbox and phone calls late into the night. It's the month that Kurt and my relationship first began to bloom. New love does crazy things to people, and we were no exception. I love thinking on those times, even if I do get a good laugh out of myself. 

More recently, February also brings memories of my grandfather, tall and quiet. A man I never knew as much as I wish I had. I do know he loved his yard, raking or shoveling it into piles. He loved the lake in back. He often took me on boat rides or fishing from the dock. He liked familiarity - dinner at 6pm, reading the newspaper in his red leather chair and ice cream as often as possible, even from McDonald's (I, of course, didn't mind those stops). But most importantly, I know he loved his wife and his family. It was always evident. And he was one of the most generous men I've ever known.

Today Kurt and I kicked the month off with a late morning in and then took a walk to Wimbledon Village for a bit of thifting. I've been pleasantly surprised by thrift stores here. There are so many and unlike Goodwill, they actually sell quality stuff for cheap. Kurt found a couple ties and I a pair of jeans. The weather is so cold today though so we cut the trip short and went back to the flat for some hot chocolate instead. 

Tonight I made stew tonight and it totally hit the spot. Incase you're looking for a winter pick-me-up, here it is:

Easy Veggie Beef Stew

4 cups water

1/2 pound ground beef 

1/2 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes 

1/2 onion, chopped

2 potatoes, cubed

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 (16oz) bag of mixed frozen veggies

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 cubes beef stock

Brown the beef in a frying pan; drain.

Then in a large pot over medium heat, combine all the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes (and other veggies) are tender - approximately 40 minutes. We enjoyed ours with a fresh baguette. :-)

What are your favorite February memories?

Michaela Rae