The Sound of Silence

In the stillness, icy drops cling to the needles' edge

On sabbatical since the end of October; to return in the new year with a fresh start.  See you then.

Image D. Sleziak

Saturday, In the Park

The Big Bean

As autumn slowly unfolds and the trees dip themselves in gold and red, the desire to explore new places and new spaces takes hold.  Recently, it was Chicago's Millennium Park and The Art Institute of Chicago.  In the park, it is impossible not to be fascinated by Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate, a 110-ton elliptical sculpture of polished stainless steel, and the Frank Gehry-designed pavilion.  Highlights from the Art Institute include an Edouard Vuillard painting; a Van Gogh self-portrait; Georgia O'Keeffe's Sky Above Clouds IV painting from 1965, so perfectly presented on a staircase landing; two contemporary chairs, Honey-Pop Armchair by Takujin Yoshioka, and the pleated paper Cabbage Chair by Oki Sato that is shipped to the consumer as one compact roll to be open, cut and rolled back into shape upon installation (How cool is that?); a close-up of a must-see-to-believe Jackson Pollack drip painting; and the intensely beautiful stain glass window by Marc Chagall, one of three.  Finally, no weekend visit would be complete without a viewing of George Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. 

Click on images to enlarge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images by D. Sleziak

Crisp

With crisp evenings, leaves turn colour seemingly overnight

While on a walk, you know it's autumn when delightfully warm days fringed with cool nights bring a touch of bright colour to the foliage; when the shadows lengthen to ghostly delight and trees fill with the trill of song birds migrating south; when a forlorn leaf clings to newly barren branches; when the silky tufts of milkweed burst forth from their pod.

 

 

You know it's autumn when the fresh and light tastes of summer are replaced with a longing for a not-too-sweet yet substantial treat; when what seems perfect is fresh dough rising in a cosy kitchen and baking for a three-hour period is where you find your bliss; when after a walk you return home to a slice of warm Cherry Cheese Sweet Bread.

Softening cream cheese and thawing sour cherries

combine on a rolled yeast dough.

Rolled and placed on parchment then into the oven

followed by cooling, glazing, slicing and serving.

 

 

 

 

 

Images D. Sleziak

Autumn's Gift

It all starts with this

Jam-Making Time

Autumn brings its own gifts of the season, including juicy and sweet plums.  To capture this fruit's essence for enjoyment through the coming cold, prepare a shockingly simple preserve: lekvar.  Well not exactly jam (it is so much easier to make), this classic plum spread is thick and chunky, tart and tangy.  Use it as a spread for buttered toast or to fill cookies, sweet rolls or doughnuts.  For a finer texture than the recipe below, a quick grind of the plums before cooking will give you a smoother more delicate spread that is perfect for baking.  Either way, it is just one of the the simply delicious tastes of autumn.

Plum Preserves

          
             Two 11-quart baskets of ripe Italian plums
           
      Wash, pit and cut plums into quarters.  Place into enamel-ware roaster and cook in 225-degree
      oven overnight. 

      In the morning, raise heat to 250 and stir every hour.  The mixture should cook slowly and juices
      will evaporate.  If leaving unattended or overnight, turn temperature down to 225 degrees to avoid
      burning.  It will take 48 hours before the mixture cooks down to a thick, dense spread.  If making
      a smaller amount, it can be ready in 24 hours.

      Once the spread reaches the desired consistency, prepare the jars: immerse clean and sterilised
      canning jars in a pot of boiling water.  Let boil for four minutes.  Boil lids and screw tops in
      a smaller separate pot.

      Remove one jar from the pot and fill with hot spread.  Top with lid and screw top, turning to
      secure firmly.  Place filled jar on counter to cool and fill remaining jars in the same manner. 
      As the jars cool, you should hear a popping sound indicating that they have sealed.  Test by
      pressing the centre of the lid with a finger.  If it pops, the seal has not taken.  Place any such
      jars in the fridge for eating.  Sealed jars will keep in cool storage through the winter.

 

 

Images D. Sleziak

Mellow Yellow

Harvest gold

Yesterday at night, the full-bodied glow of the harvest moon; today in sunlight, a riot of golden yellow dances through the garden.

 

Images D. Sleziak

 

Taking the Waters

A beautiful tile mosaic decorates a pavilion at the spa in Sliac, Slovakia



If you ever find yourself in a place with a name like Therme Vals (Switzerland), Chaudfontaine (Belgium), Bains de Dorres (France), or Wiesbaden (Germany), be sure to take full advantage of all these spa towns have to offer and "take the waters."    From Britain -- think Bath, England, once a holiday stop for Roman soldiers assigned to the far reaches of the empire -- to Greece and all spots in between, Europe abounds with natural springs heated by the earth alone.  These mineral-rich thermal waters are tapped for rehabilitation purposes and aid in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and a wide variety of other illnesses, including circulatory, digestive and skin aliments.  Enjoyed since ancient times, they are also popular for relaxation and recreation.  Soaking pools, mud baths, steam rooms and saunas, massages and wraps are some of the options that can help soothe your muscles, reduce your stress and improve your health.  For a sampling of one such site, come along on a journey to a spa in the town of Sliac, where, although you are not in Rome, you can still do as the Romans did and take the waters.

  

To Start, Let's Walk 

 

Essential to the spa experience and treatment -- daily strolls. 
Under century-old trees, benches positioned along the main promenade
encourage one to linger in the dappled sunlight

 

The main tree-lined path leads to cobble-stoned walkways

that eventually take one to footpaths that wend through

the forest.  

 

 The entire property sits high in the hills above

town, and guests can indulge in walks that range from

a few hundred metres to several kilometres.

 

 

The park-like setting outside your door

 includes mature trees and groomed yards,...

 large-scale plantings...

 

fountain courtyards, and...

 

groovy benches. 

 

Everywhere you hear the pleasant sound

of flowing water from the natural

springs running underground.

 

 



The source: numerous springs are accessible
on the 42-hectare property.  This one offers the warmest
water for drinking.  Effervescent on the tongue with a hint of
the minerals it contains, it is the best water you'll ever taste.
The water constantly flows, and guests stroll the property
with glass in hand, sampling the various waters.

 Each spring has its own identification marker.

 



 

Another fountain, another design.  This one

is popular with locals from town who hike

or ride up the hill to fill numerous bottles

for personal consumption.

The stains on the fountain speak to
the high mineral content of the water.

 

 

Let's Stay

 

Accommodations vary: Here is the grand staircase the links

the upper promenade with the lower level gardens and cafe.

To the left is the main reception area, the Palace Hotel,

and a popular indoor/outdoor cafe; to the right,

one finds the dining halls, shops and an incredible banquet facility

completely intact with original decor including banquettes,

a bandstand, dance floor, chandeliers, and etched

glass murals.  A closeup of one is pictured below. 

 

 

Influenced by the Russian futurist style of the 1920s,

this main building features wide terraces and 

marble floors.  During the evening, this space

transforms into a dance floor with live nightly entertainment.

 

Every detail is in keeping with

the modern, clean aesthetic, even the trash bins!

 

Inside one finds old-world glamour.  For instance,

women can retire to a suite of rooms that

houses facilities to iron or make small repairs

to one's clothing, a powder room and sitting room,

and water closets.  It is grand.

 

 

 Another choice of hotel, the Polana, is a Victorian-era

structure.  With a marble staircase, fourteen-foot

ceilings and spacious suites, it has a slight air of

elegant decay.  Notice the exquisite grill-work of the balcony.

A view from within.

 

 

Let's Relax

 

For serious spa treatments, book a session here at the Kupelny

Dom, or Bathing House. 

Up these stairs...

and through these doors you'll have access to

this hallway.

Private rooms for individual treatments are

behind each door.  Whirlpool baths and

deep tissue massages are popular.

You can consult with a physician who will

develop a treatment plan for you in this

sanatorium-like setting.

 

For simple relaxation, consider a 45-minute

session in a 36-degree mineral-fed

soaking pool followed by a body wrap. 

 

If you prefer more active recreation, try the

spring-fed swimming pool.  The dark opaque

colour is the result of the high iron content in the water.

Frequented by families on holiday, it provides cabanas

for changing, an outdoor cafe and lots of space for lounging.

 

Across the way, the clay tennis courts, here begin prepped

for play in the early morning.

 Afterwards, consider sipping tea on the terrace before

heading off to treatment in the Salt Cave.

 

Finally, end your visit with a memento of your 

holiday -- a picture-perfect postcard:  

Sliac Spa, established 1244

 

 

 

 

 

Images D. Sleziak