As 2022 draws to a close, I send out this heart-felt thank you to all those who inspired me to create. It was a wonderful year with lots of stained glass challenges and personal growth in my craft.
I take this opportunity to announce that 2023 will be the final year for Nellyglass Studio. At the end of the year, I will close my business and retire from commissioned work.
Until then, commissions are welcome.
Monica and I wish for All of You a Healthy and Happy New Year Celebration and a Joyous 2023!
… the birthday of Ike Turner, born in 1941. It’s also the same day Japanese army generals received the command to bomb Pearl Harbor… which they did a month later.
Monica and I are having Ta-Ke Sushi in remembrance and watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain in Japan: Cook It Raw.
Monica and I got out of the house on this beautiful October afternoon for a 3-hour loop drive around central Queens County. We saw the leaves in their zenith framing two splendid waterfalls… and we were quieted.
Monica and I stole away for a 2-night escape to beautiful Grand Manan Island… in search of lobster, sea glass and some quality together time. We found all that… and had our fill.
These 48 photos highlight our 48 hours on Grand Manan Island.
Our very good friends from St. George, Glenn Ketchum and Judy Barrio-Ketchum, joined us on a foggy Saint John afternoon for a long over-due jolly of drinks and stories, lots of laughing and some deeper revelations. Monica pulled out all the stops to create a wonderful southern-themed dining experience. We ended the night with Kahlua-coffee and a promise to do this more often… a promise we are honored to keep.
Our Son-in-Law, Matt Calloway, gave us a gift certificate to Ta-Ke Sushi on King Street. Monica and I enjoyed an afternoon city walk-around to see the new container village and snap a few pics. Then home to enjoy the dynamite roll, caterpillar roll and california rolls. Domo arigato, Matthew!
Monica and I enjoyed a week away in Nova Scotia to celebrate her 64th birthday and our 38th wedding anniversary. Four nights in Eastern Passage, one night in Yarmouth and one night in Windsor were just enough to sate our wanderlust. Mixed weather didn’t stop us from exploring more than a dozen of Nova Scotia’s spectacular beaches in search of the elusive sea glass. Great food, quaint accommodations, long walks and peaceful reflections were just what we needed to recharge and reconnect. We didn’t find much glass, but oh, those beaches!! I took nearly 500 photos but narrowed it down to these 130 highlights.
It’s April and time for some spring cleaning. Monica and I spent the day in Fredericton to help Ryan muck out his apartment and put on a fresh shine. To show his appreciation, he bought us take-out dinner from J’s Asian Kitchen: Unagi roll, Crazy Girl Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll, Chicken Chow Mein and Bulgogi. Thanks Ryan, your place looks great. Love your artwork!
They say French cuisine is less about the food and more about the experience. Well, it was all that as Monica worked steadily in the kitchen for 12 hours on a dinner recipe from famous chef, Julia Child: Coquilles St. Jacques with authentic french bread and Cherries Clafouti for dessert.
What a fun day we had chatting and working together, taking photos of the process and clinking glasses with each successful step. It was a wonderful meal at the end of an epic day, all of it recorded in photos. Here is 12 Hours with Julia Child.
March 25th, 2022, marked the 45th anniversary of our first date (1977 – Mount Allison – movie King Kong). Our wonderful children, Sarah and Ryan, gave us as a Christmas gift this year; a one-night stay and dine package at the renowned Rothesay Shadow Lawn Inn. This included the master suite, a welcome bottle of prosecco and a 5-course meal called the “Flavours of New Brunswick”.
This 150 year old historical beauty was built in 1870 by James Robertson, partner in the MRA department store in Saint John. Today, its original grandeur is preserved as a 4.5 star inn and restaurant. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and raised a glass to 45 years of dating.
I will miss winter, sort of. What I’ll miss is Monica’s winter recipe adventures. And I’ll miss taking photos (I often hover about while she is creating). For my own amusement I created a Google photos album. If you are bored or interested, it’s a delightful scroll down through the 68 photos in the album. If anything catches your eye, each photo has a descriptive comment you can open and read. (otherwise, I’d never remember).
Monica dreams of travelling to Vietnam to experience the culture and food. She is practicing with this delicious salmon Banh Mi recipe from NB Chef, Dennis the Prescot. The intrigue is with the strange coleslaw and spicy mayonnaise. Keep on dreaming, Monnie… keep on dreaming!
I’m supposed to be losing weight after Christmas! That’s not easy when Monica is making incredible meals like this… homemade tourtiėre using pork, veal and venison (thanks brother-in-law Leigh). Her legendary crust is matched only by my appetite and my appreciation.
Monica is at it again… searching online recipes for something interesting to try in her kitchen. This time, she followed Andy’s East Coast Kitchen for a biscuit recipe to go with her Italian turkey soup. I’m so glad Mon loves to cook… lucky me!
It is -20° and windy on this Saturday in mid-January. Definitely a day to stay inside. Monica decided a southern meal might spirit us away to warmer places. Something with a little Cajun zip… like Jambalaya! We enjoyed our afternoon adventure to the Mississippi delta. We pretended it was really nice there.
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