Blogtober 2: The Boys are Back in Town

 

We took a look at the weather and decided Wednesday would be best for a short day trip. Rain began as we drove, and continued sporadically. Weather reports are clearly fallible. 

 

"Is this my best side?"

Every year, after the breeding season, sea lion males leave the rookery (breeding ground) and move to haul-out sites along the coast. One of these sites is the Government Dock at Cowichan Bay. We could hear the barking and growling of the sea lions from at least a mile away.

One of the reasons they come is to gorge on the salmon now gathering in the estuary before entering the river to spawn. 

What fun to watch the sea lions lounging on the dock. They flop themselves over the low railing, wave their flippers in the air, yawn, and resemble huge slugs. On land they move slowly; it looked almost painful, but once in the water they dive and swim with grace. 

A number of years ago, during an El Niño season, the warm current brought California sea lions to our waters. They liked it so much they stayed. They are smaller and darker in colour than our local Stellar Sea Lions. The locals have golden fur and are much larger; some males weigh up to 1100 kilograms. 

In November, when the population is at its highest, the smell and sound of the sea lions carries a long way. They are both pungent and noisy. Today we didn't smell anything. 

After watching for awhile in the drizzle, we enjoyed lunch at the pub. The Coconut Prawn Fish Tacos were delicious. He had his with french fries and I had mine with salad. Then home for a quiet afternoon and evening. 

Blogtober 1: A Change in the Air

 

There's definitely a feeling of autumn these days. A freshness in the air, the slant of the sun, a golden hue to the light, and a coolness to the wind. 

We went for a hike down to the water at McKenzie Bight and although the sky was a mix of sun and cloud, it felt as though rain might fall. How the temperature has changed! Long sleeves and socks are the norm, not the exception. 

We don't see a lot of colour in our mostly coniferous forests, and what we do have comes a bit later. But there is plenty to notice. This tiny mushroom on its frail looking stem had me squatting down to take a photo. Only when I saw it on my computer, I noticed the miniscule white fungi growing nearer the ground. An amazing world of miniatures. 

Late Sunday night the rain began and continued throughout most of Monday. I could almost hear the ground and trees opening up and soaking in the moisture. It's been so very dry. 

The rain bowed down one of the sunflower stalks, so I cut it and brought the flowers indoors. Now they glow in the living room. 

"Dear old world," she murmured, "You are very lovely,

and I am glad to be alive in you."

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I'm joining in with Blogtober again this year, attempting to post daily for the next 31 days. Barbara from Coastal Ripples is also joining in. 

On another note, I've put the recipe for the Apple Cake mentioned in my last post onto the recipe blog. Just click the link. 

Friday Favourites: From Morning til Night

 

I slipped out of the house a bit earlier this morning just as the sun in the east reflected pink light on the clouds in the west. It was a little bit crisp out and I was glad I had pulled on my down jacket - for the first time. 

I heard the sweetest song, a long rise and short fall, of a bird I didn't recognize. Pulling out my phone I opened the Merlin app and quickly identified the song as that of the Golden-Crowned Sparrow. I didn't see the bird, but my what a beautiful song. It trilled away for quite some time. 

Nature also made itself known with the scent of a skunk somewhere in the neighbourhood. Not nearly as pleasant as the Sparrow's song. Passing a patch of blackberries I smelled their late summer fragrance, pleasantly winey. 

In the evening I snapped a photo of the glass bottles, recycled, on the windowsill. I love the abstract patches of light and dark created by the water and glass. 

A day-time photo of the same sunflower shows a very different mood. I'm filling vases with flowers all over the house because I know that cold and rain is coming. How I will miss being able to go outside and clip a bouquet or two. 

There are so many apples this year. I've made applesauce, apple slices, dried apples, apple galettes, and this week, an Apple Cake. It's a bit different than my usual apple cake, more of a coffee cake texture, and very toothsome. I'll try to put up a recipe on the other blog. 

I've mentioned several times that I'm writing a book, a memoir of 21 years in Ecuador with my husband and children. It's finally finished and I'm working with a publisher hoping to have it published around Christmas time. 

I've begun a SubStack account and plan to post excerpts from the book there, weekly. I'd love for you to join me there. You do not need to download any app to your phone. Here's the link to my account, LorrieOrr. Check it out, if you like. By subscribing you will get my posts sent directly to your email, something no longer possible with Blogger, and it costs nothing and never will. 

Friday Favourites: A Shift of Seasons

 

"I know fall is here, although the world is still green with summer. And I feel an urgency to gather in all the loveliness of the

past blazing days and star-cool nights and keep

them forever."

Gladys Taber

September is a gentle shift into Autumn, particularly this year as the sun shines most days, and the temperature drops gradually. One morning I put on socks to pad around the house for the first time since June. How cozy they felt. 

On the coast where we live there is some colour, but not the dramatic flaming hills that we enjoyed on our trip across Canada two years ago. Most leaves continue green, but a few trees blaze, calling attention to themselves. 

"The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everyone that 

summertime cannot last forever."

E. B. White, Charlotte's Web

Cyclamen blooms in the woods despite the continuing lack of rain. That may change this weekend as a shift in the weather is on the horizon. 

The deep harsh rasp of a crow perched in the neighbour's tree is another sign of autumn. There he sits, loudly proclaiming his presence to all and sundry. 

Yesterday, while working in the garden, I heard a loud buzzing noise just above my head. I looked up to see a hummingbird dazzling with colour - emerald and pink - hovering above me. He flitted here and there for some time while I stood and watched. 

I cut most of the Red Kuri squash and pumpkins from their vines. A few remain on the ground as I hope they will ripen just a wee bit more. Pumpkins stay in the fields here through October, so I'm not too worried about them. My tomatoes were abysmal this year, not yielding as much as usual, but the winter squash have been amazing. We'll enjoy them roasted and in soups for the next few months. The green beans continue for a bit, but will soon wither and brown. Greens such as Swiss Chard, Kale, Beetroot Leaves and more will carry on.

I clipped one sunflower this afternoon. It was falling over and I thought it would look prettier in the house, in the turquoise blue recycled glass vase. I don't mind that the sunflowers have been slow to grow this year for now I can enjoy them as the remainder of the garden slows. 

I collect bits and pieces from the garden - a few cosmos, one small dahlia, and the very last of the sweet peas for a pixie-sized bouquet. How fragrant it smells. A few remaining coloured hydrangeas were cut to grace the mantel. Most of the blooms are dry and pale now. These will dry in the vase as the water evaporates and I'll have them for the winter ahead. 

It has occurred to me more than ever this year how hard our foremothers worked to prepare for autumn and the coming winter. Harvesting and preserving the garden produce takes time. They would have worked from morning to night to ensure their families had food throughout the cold months. I've frozen vegetables, preserved peaches, made a few pickles and plenty of jam, but we would be in a very sorry state if we had to rely on what we've produced. 

Wishing you a most lovely Autumn weekend. 

Friday Favourites on Saturday

 

There we were, walking with friends along a wooded path. As we approached a couple standing very still, they put their fingers to their lips, then pointed upwards. In the middle of the afternoon (do owls suffer from insomnia?) a Barred Owl watched us from a branch just above our heads. I think Tim could have reached up and touched him. We watched each other for several minutes, the owl and I, then his feathers fluffed and he flew, low and silent, so close that Tim felt the wind of his wings. A magical few moments. 

I clipped a bouquet of Lichfield Angel Roses from the bush that keeps giving and giving. Creamy pink or salmon, depending on the light, with a delicate fragrance. They made me smile every time I passed through the dining room. Those particular blooms are now spent, and I will cut another bouquet today.

"All in all, it was a never-to-be-forgotten summer -

one of those summer which come seldom into any life,

but leave a rich heritage of beautiful memories in their going..."

L. M. Montgomery (Anne's House of Dreams)

Slowly, slowly summer changes to autumn. It's autumn in the morning and summer in the afternoon. I keep a light sweater handy and pull it on when I walk. Yet it's still so lovely to sit on the patio with a cold drink and enjoy the garden later in the day. Cosmos dance in the breeze and the bees - my how busy they are - buzz about the dahlias. The birch tree leaves are aging to a dull yellow-green.

The vegetables continue to produce - green beans to share, tomatoes, kale, carrots, onions - so much delicious goodness. The basil has outperformed itself this year - huge leaves that are large enough to make into cabbage rolls. (Not that that is in the plan.) I've made pesto for the freezer and dried the leaves, shared with family, and am throwing it with abandon into any tomato dish and vegetable soups. And oh my, the apples! It seems to be a mast year. Along many streets there are boxes set out along the curb inviting anyone to take free apples. Our trees are loaded and I'm processing and sharing them as time allows. What's your favourite way to use apples?

"Dear old world," she murmured, "you are very lovely and 

I am glad to be alive in you."

L. M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables)

The world is indeed a beautiful place despite the heartaches everywhere. I am becoming more and more convinced that social media feeds the violence and nasty rhetoric so prevalent in the world. AI plays a large role in this. I'm restricting time on line more and more, and feeding my mind with the best and most lovely writing and images. 

This week I read a book by Caroline Moorehouse, Village of Secrets, about a French community who defied the Nazis and saved many children from certain death. It was not always easy reading and I wept for the little ones clutching their soft toys as they were led away to the death camps, and I rejoiced when others crossed safely to freedom into other countries. 

Other books read recently were Ann Cleeves Cold Earth, from the Shetland series, and J. L. Carr's A Month in the Country, both easier reading. Shetland is currently being reshown on our local public broadcasting station (Knowledge, available throughout Canada), and we are enjoying watching it. It's especially fun to recognize some of the places we visited during our day in Lerwick last summer. 

A small bouquet of the same Lichfield Angel roses for my bedroom. How sweet they are in the sunshine. 

With the cooler temperatures and the focus on indoor living increasing, I'm inspired to do some deep cleaning, clearing out cupboards and drawers, and rearranging things neatly. So satisfying. I began yesterday and will continue on. 

Wishing you days of golden light and sweet peace. 

Friday Favourites: Here and There

 

The deep rasping caw of a crow high in a treetop sounded like autumn this morning. When I walk into the garden I cringe at the invisible spider webs that I walk into between the tall beanpoles and the sunflowers. A few moments ago I stepped outside and saw the waxing moon glowing red from forest fires. All these things add up to a changing season. Although the days are very warm, even record-breaking, once the sun slips away, coolness descends. Summer when the sun shines; Autumn in the darkness.

We try to take a yearly camping trip, just a few days, with our family. The past weekend was the date we settled on. Tim and I went a day early and hiked to Hole in the Wall, seen above. The hole is man-made, drilled many years ago through rock to place wooden pipes to supply the nearby town with water. The pipes are long gone and water is sourced elsewhere, but the large hole is a definite attraction. We both climbed the rocky ledges and walked through the opening to the forest on the other side. 

"It was a lovely afternoon - such an afternoon as only 

September can produce when summer has stolen back 

for one more day of dream and glamour." 

L. M. Montgomery

On a hot day it was cool beside the shaded water. The air held the memory of wildfire smoke and we saw recent patches of fire damage. 

Once everyone else arrived at the campsite there was swimming, games, lots of chatting, and plenty of eating. We all take turns providing meals and it's become tradition that I make doughnuts. The deep fryer is packed when we know we have electricity, or else we use pots on the campstove. I make the dough, a couple of guys man the frying, and all the grands glaze and decorate. Our daughter-in-law keeps them under control. There is always enough to share with the neighbouring campers who can smell the donuts. 

Our youngest grand, Cora, begins kindergarten this year. It's a very gentle start, 90 minutes, then building up to all day. I collected her this morning after her short stint in school, and we went to Butchart Gardens. I laughed when she told me that the statue lady above was cold and needed a towel to wrap around herself. 

"Summer is dressing herself in showy dahlias 

and splendid marigolds and starry zinnias."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Dahlias are the stars of the garden just now with so many varieties. Both Cora and I liked this pink one with the bee on it. We rode the carousel and enjoyed a little lunch in the coffee shop. A fun outing.

Other activities this week included blanching and freezing 5 pounds of green beans, making pear marmalade, and a peach galette. How delicious it was to enjoy a piece still warm from the oven. Next up is apples. Our trees are loaded this year, with plenty to share. 

I plan to make the most of these golden days, enjoying the fleeting days of warmth. How about you? 

Friday Favourites: August Ends with Sunshine

 

I don't need the calendar to tell me that the end of August approaches. The patch of bright Rudbeckia under the birch tree is a sure sign that autumn is just around the corner. While I love that beautiful season, there is a corner of my heart that wants to hang onto summer. The bees are so busy among the flowers these sunny days. I wonder if there is a hive nearby for they have been so plentiful recently. 

We wait all year long for deliciously sweet Okanagan peaches. Last year we had none because of unexpectedly cold weather in January, but this year there is a bumper crop. How sweet and juicy they are. I wanted to use peaches for a cold beverage to serve to guests. After searching online, I put together this most refreshing drink. 

Peachy Mint Lemonade

1 cup water

1 cup sugar or honey

1 cup fresh mint leaves

4 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into chunks

1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 - 3 cups water or club soda

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add the mint leaves and let cool completely. 

Place the peaches in a blender and process until smooth. Press through a sieve, getting as much peach pulp through the sieve as possible. 

In a large pitcher, combine the mint syrup, peaches, and lemon juice. Add water or club soda. Taste to adjust the lemon juice and water to your liking. Chill well and serve over ice, if desired. 

Makes about 6 generous tumblerfuls. 

Best enjoyed outdoors on a summer evening.

Cosmos are blooming like crazy just now. Mostly this medium pink, but a few dark ones and I spied some white ones just opening. I love to watch the flowers dance on their delicate stems when a breeze passes through the garden. They remind me of ballet dancers swaying to the music. 

The garden is producing abundant green beans. I cut, blanch, and freeze most of them to use in soups throughout the winter. My zucchini is not producing as well as it has in the past. Some years are like that. The other day I made Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and Avocado Sandwiches (shall I call them BLTAs?). There is absolutely nothing to compare with the sweet taste of a garden ripened tomato blessed by the sun. 

Sunflowers were planted late and I wondered if I would get any flowers at all. I'm watching the flowers forming now and think that in a few weeks they will open. Warm temperatures last through September here, so I'm confident I'll see some of those cheerful faces. I've noticed that it's not just the flower that turns toward the sun, but the entire plant. Throughout the day the plant shifts, following the path of the sun overhead. 

Another delicious dish using peaches is this Chickpea Peach Salad. It makes a lovely light lunch served along with bread. I substituted basil for the mint called for in the recipe, added cucumber chunks, and used lemon juice in place of lime because that's what was in the fridge. Leftovers keep well, too.

This week I've spent time with my two eldest granddaughters, on separate days. One wanted to sew a new book bag, and the other wanted to jazz up a pair of jeans. They both learned to use the rotary cutter and did very well. I neglected to take a photo of the book bag, but remembered for the jeans. Do they not have a 70s vibe? They just make me smile. Both girls enjoyed sorting through my stacks of fabric to find just the right ones for their projects. 

The jeans reminded me of my college days. Tim and I attended the same college and one day he asked me to mend his jeans. My roommate Carol and I decided to embellish the jeans with all sorts of floral embroidery. Oh, we had fun. Tim's face was a sight when he saw his jeans. He said he spent hours unpicking all of our hard work - he wasn't about to wear them in public! When I reminded him of the incident today, he said he would definitely wear them now. 

Labour Day is this weekend, followed by school starting on Tuesday. It's summer's last hurrah in many corners, and we've planned some family events to celebrate. 

I wish you all a most lovely end to August and a beautiful beginning in September.