A little love for music

Today's post is simple:

Soothing songs for the reader's heart.











Three of my favourites these days.

Happy listening.

The Mini Chocolate-Chip Cookie

Hello friends!

Today I wanted to share with you my favourite Chocolate-Chip cookie recipe.

It seems that everyone has their own recipe for Chocolate-Chip cookies. It's probably because they are the most popular (and one of the easiest) types of cookies to make. They are really designed for the novice baker to succeed at. So clearly the cookies are something even I could handle.

What you'll need:

3/4 cups margarine (I use Becel's Olive Oil margarine.)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Chipits bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup Chipits mini bittersweet chocolate chips

Optional: 3/4 cup walnuts or dried bananas. I have made these cookies with both.

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

On your laptop, put on an episode of Grey's Anatomy.

Mix margarine and sugars until mixture is fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until creamy. I used a fork, but you can also use a handheld blender.

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together thoroughly. Then add to the wet mixture.

Add chocolate chips, walnuts, and/or banana peices.

Using a teaspon, place dough on ungreased cookie sheet, spacing them apart evenly. Do not flatten.

Bake for 8-10 mins.

I used a really large cookie sheet, so I got 20 cookies on it. The recipe should make 3-4 dozen depending on the amount of ingredients you use (ie. the recipe will go further if you add other tasty things: dried cranberries, nuts, etc.).

If Grey's Anatomy isn't your thing, I suggest listening to these songs whilst waiting for those cookies to bake.



And...





Happy Baking, friends!

#HamOn: "The Morans"

It's always humbling to come across former classmates turned indie-hipster superstars (could there be such a thing?).

Meet the Joe and John Moran. Or, as I have affectionately blog-titled them, "The Morans."


 

Feature Friday: Coming Together

Reintroducing: Miniver Sail.

Simon Fallon. Chrissy Hurn. Sam Kamminga. Cory Hoogsteen. 

Featuring: Joe Moran of The Good Hunters.

Miniver Sail is currently working on the official release of their independent debut album. Release date is yet unknown, but I know Simon Fallon fairly well, so I can keep details coming if any of you lovely readers are interested.

Feature Friday will happen at once twice per month, and will seek to feature Canadian talent that isn't quite as recognizable as Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne, or Chad Kreuger. Now, I promise it won't be so Canadian that you'll vomit maple syrup and Degrassi reruns, but I do think there is great merit to recognizing rich Canadian talent - be it creative writing, music, art, or fashion. I would like to start focussing on emerging Canadian culture.

I hope you enjoyed Miniver Sail and Joe Moran's cover of the Beatles. I feel pretty lucky to know these guys (and girl).

Miniver Sail: A new sound

These guys are a new and very talented group of musicians coming out Redeemer's halls. They call themselves Miniver Sail.

I know them as Chrisy Hurn, Simon Fallon and Cory Hoogsteen. You should know them too.



Word of the Day: Rejoice

Quote of the Day: "Leeks and Rubbing Alcohol excite me!" Abigail

Sunday sounds

New music obsession: SHEL.



They are a group of sisters who have incredible talents. I hope you enjoyed.

Word of the Day: Propagate

Quote of the Day: Amanda's Laugh.

Let Hope Rise

Praise.







Erica comes home from France for Christmas.

Christmas is coming.

Let Hope Rise. Let Darkness Tremble.

Happy Weekend.

Word of the Day: Predictable

Quote of the Day: :You drive on the other side of the road in Alberta?!" Corey Van Huizen

Have you Heard the Bells?

I can't decide which version of this song I like better.

You don't really need to pay attention to the clips in the second one. I'm interested in the song, not the pictures, persay.





The first version is by Casting Crowns, the second by MercyMe. They are very different. Yet they are both awesome!

Also, a poem I have written. It snowed in Ancaster. I hold to the hope that the weather is making up for last year.

The days be bitter and the nights be cold

As flakes fall softly on the streets alight 

And window’s corner be they new or old

Bid fog and frost in panes’ winter delight.

There, ministry seeks frost’s cold design

Of stained glass mirrors and candle’s light show

The frozen tears and journey thus here shine

Against warm breath or eyes with golden glow.

For in the flakes a grace it doth now fall

To mittens, rosy cheeks and childish faith

Where peace be yours and goodwill to all,

Chime voices sweetly, the world to bathe,

And the street suns bid the white guided down

Upon grasses green and cement walks brown.

Word of the Day: Scrupulous

Quote of the Day: "Advent means coming to understand what it is to be in expectation of the Life of Jesus, and living thus." Pastor John

F Sharp

F Sharp isn't a particularly nice sounding note. I never liked playing it on Flute because it always had this awkward sound which screamed "I don't belong here!" On Piano, it just gets caught up in the nice sounding Bb major, or F major keys. And if the finger accidently hits it, the F Sharp just sounds all wonky and uncalled for, thus screwing up an entire song, and causing an over-all annoyance to all listeners.





See what I mean? It's just a terrible note. It sounds awful. All I want to do is have it diminished into an F.  Especially on the last note. I just want it to be a good sounding note.

Word of the Day: Soup

Quote of the Day: "I'm always waiting on Dorm 17!" Amanda, quoting God.

The City Harmonic

Nice sounding name, isn't it.

Well, this is an introduction for The City Harmonic. The band is made up of a bunch of guys. The drummer is a friend of mine, Josh VanderLaan. So, because I think they are pretty fantastic, I'm asking you all to watch this video.



Amen. Amen. Amen.

Word of the Day: Clandestine

Quote of the Day: "Nice socks!"

Heaven-song By Phil Wickham

This video was shown to me by Jenny, one of my lovely girls. Listen to the lyrics. Revel in God's glory and power.

Word of the Day: propellant

Quote of the Day: "I want you to tell me who decided that blue was the boy colour and pink was the girl colour!" Ezra Branderhorst

Take-Home Exams

This weekend, I decided to come home. Going home is fun, because it means I can revamp my iTunes library. So, following an afternoon of going through top 100 lists for the last 20 years, my iTunes is now considerably better looking. My favourite is the wide selection of 90s boy-band music which made a cameo back into my life.

One song, in particular, brought me back to my thirteen year old self. It was my shower anthem (oh, don't laugh, everyone has one). Seriously, I learned all the words (or, what I thought were the words) and belted it out when my rubber ducky and I had a date.

Ladies and Gentlemen, put your hands together for Wave.

Oh yeah. Everyone secretly loved this song. Of course, its close second was a Backstreet Boys song that hit the music scene in 2000.

And if that isn't enough classic 90's (slash early 2000s) music for you, please welcome the Spice Girls back into your heart (and for a live performance, this is really well done).

Really, my take-home exam is going well.

Word of the Day: procrastination

Quote of the Day: "I hermitize myself." Joel Sjaarda

Summer's Pending Playlist

Nope, no Mozart.

Here's my list of summer's tunes.

20. You found Me- The Fray
19. If I had a Million Dollars- Barenaked Ladies
18. I'm Still a Guy- Brad Paisley
17. Viva La Vida- Coldplay
16. Nowhere with You- Joel Plaskett
15. Boom Boom Boom- Venga Boys (thank you dorm 10 girls!)
14. Right Round- Flo Rida
13. First Day of My Life- Bright Eyes
12. All Summer Long- Kid Rock (making a come back from being overplayed last year)
11. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)- The Proclaimers
10. Love Story- Taylor Swift
9. Waiting on the World to Change- John Mayer
8. Sweet Home Alabama- Lynard Skynard
7. Follow You into the Dark- Death Cab for Cutie
6. Lollipop- Mika
5. Everything- Michael Buble
4. I Want it That Way- Backstreet Boys
3. I'm Yours- Jason Mraz
2. Live your Life- T.I. ft. Rihanna
1. Africa- Karl Wolf ft. Culture

Also, it has been a long time since I could open my window and fall asleep to the rain.

Songs of the clouds and stars and symphony of the dewdrops.

Playlist subject to change.

For Your Enjoyment

This is a tribute to Redeemer's Coffeehouse. The videos you are about to watch are the last acts of this year's last Coffeehouse of the season.

Guitar: Nate Smit
Keyboards: Kyle Reid
Bongos: Brent Schinkel
Drums: Devon Forbes
Vocals/Rapping: Hendrik Vlaar
Shakers: Julia Bokma

Part One.



Part Two



What a fantastic end to a great year!