Friday Post: Baking, Books, and Other Lovely Things

 

A few minutes ago my husband said, "Just think, in 20 days, Christmas Day will be almost done."

Yikes! I don't want to think about that. This is such a special time of year and rushing it along does me no good at all. This week I've finished sewing two nightgowns for my little grandgirlies. I've begun baking - Rugelach and Peppermint Bars are in the freezer. Marshmallows are simple to make and taste better than store-bought. 

Decorating is beginning. We will put our tree up next week, but for now the tiny lights draped along the mantels and the piano brighten up the dark days and evenings we've experienced. Oh, the rain! Dark and dreary day after day. Today the drizzle let up and the sky brightened. Glorious! 

One Hellebore is blooming already, much earlier than usual. And see the sunlight creating shadows? I was happy to go outdoors with my camera for a short while. 

Christmas reading is underway. I've asked myself if I really want to read Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher again this year. The answer was quick to come - of course! Here are a few others I'm enjoying just now:

Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater

Let it Snow by Nancy Thayer (a sweet romance)

Rumpole at Christmas by John Mortimer 

(just purchased at a used bookstore)

Letters to Father Christmas 

by J. R. R. Tolkien

(new-to-me and barely begun)

There's a link to Christmas reading at the top of my home page, a list compiled a few years ago that likely needs some revision. I also have a collection of December issues of Country Living UK, and Victoria magazine that are fun to peruse. 

Sadly, one recent book didn't live up to my expectations. A Christmas Witness by Charles Todd was disappointing. Inspector Ian Rutledge is a wonderful character, and I've enjoyed the other books in the series, but this one left me feeling flat. Too much repetition and little action. 

I've been painting a little bit each evening on the Advent Calendar created by Harriet de Winton on YouTube. In the morning I open the video to see what picture will be painted and I anticipate it throughout the day until evening when I sit down and paint. I also open the Jacquie Lawson digital Advent Calendar in the mornings. A fun little treat to look forward to. 

Tomorrow we will be celebrating two grandchild birthdays, our eldest and our youngest, born 10 years apart. We celebrate midway between the two dates. For dinner I'm making grain bowls with brown rice and a variety of toppings - shredded chicken in barbecue sauce, roasted butternut squash, sauteed brussels sprouts, roasted beets, lightly pickled red cabbage, sliced spinach, and a dressing of some sort. It's a meal that everyone can tailor to their own liking. 

As the second Sunday of Advent approaches, I wish you all the peace of God. 

Friday Favourites: Baking and Sewing

 

Even on the dreariest days when rain drips constantly and electric lights are needed all day long there is still loveliness in the landscape. Tiny droplets cling to branches during lulls in the drizzle, and behind them are the muted colours of autumn.

This morning the pale pink horizon line gave way to blue sky as the sun rose. Now, mid-afternoon, there are clouds once again, but no rain. I'll take it!

I baked a cake this week, maple flavoured. The cake recipe wasn't that great so I won't link to the site. I think using maple syrup as the sweetener changes the texture and something else should be done, I'm not sure just what. The icing was delicious. Just a butter icing with 1/4 cup of maple syrup plus icing sugar and butter beaten until airy. On top of the cake I placed some apple slices preserved in a slightly spicy syrup. It all tasted very good. 

I decided to try a thin sliver of cake before our friends arrived, just to make certain of the taste. I was SO glad that I did so, for I discovered that I had neglected to pull the lining paper off of the cake. Fortunately, I was able to slide it out without disturbing the filling. There are always new mistakes to make in life, and this was a one for me. 

It's been a good week for soup. Creamy cauliflower and carrot with a topping of blue cheese, accompanied by baking powder biscuits made a delicious light dinner one evening. So cozy while the rain came down outside. 

It's young Cora's birthday today. She's having a friend party on Sunday, and next Saturday we'll gather as family to celebrate her and her cousin's birthdays. I made a camping toy for her and will give it to her at the family party. There's a tent, sleeping bags, dolls, and some extra clothing. 

One of my favourite parts is the little campfire I came up with, complete with two marshmallow roasting sticks. 

One of Cora's tasks at home is collecting the eggs from the chickens, so Tim thought I should add a couple little chickens to the array. 

Cora thoroughly enjoyed the camping trip we took last summer, and I think she will have fun playing with this. There are two of everything, because play is best with a friend or sister. 

A friend gave me some Italian Geraniums (if there is such a thing), given to him by another friend (who is Italian). I clipped back the plant before putting it in a cool spot for the winter, and plunked the clippings into a jar of water on the kitchen windowsill. I've been rewarded with several lovely bright blooms. Now I think I need to pot up the stems with their roots and I'll have more geraniums to enjoy. 

I'll begin pulling out the Christmas decorations soon. Sunday is First Advent. December is such a beautiful month. 

Thoughts While Hiking

 

Fog covered the landscape on Sunday morning, but by midday it had burned away into intermittent sunshine. Clouds moved in batches across the sky for the rest of the day, with bits of bright light here and there. A spur of the moment outing was planned.

We stopped and picked up some sandwiches on our way to East Sooke Park. There are many trails to choose from, but our favourite is the Coast Trail that winds along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Seascapes and forest scenes provide a wide variety of views to admire. 

Mushrooms are rampant just now. All sorts of fungi dot the forest floor, from the tiniest little buttons to enormous spreading ones. I know little about fungi other than I find their shapes interesting.

Our hike took about three hours, including a stop on a rocky cliff overlooking the water while we ate our sandwiches, and other, shorter stops for photography or simple admiration of the views. This is not a casual walking trail. There's a fair bit of scrambling on rocks, ups and downs, and one must watch out for tree roots sprawling across the path. Or, as in the case above, to duck one's head under a fallen tree.

I was very conscious of my senses as I walked on Sunday. The scent of the decaying forest floor mingled with resinous fir and salty air. Wind whistled in the trees and waves slapped against the shore. Up went my legs as I clambered on rocks where my hand, seeking balance, felt its cold smoothness. I felt strong and very alive. 

Life is a gift. I believe that beyond this life there is another life, rich and full. But what I now know is this fleeting existence on our beautiful Earth. And it is precious. Last week one of our neighbours, a lovely, friendly man who chatted with everyone, was working on his roof, lost his balance, fell, and died three days later in hospital. It's been a shock. His wife is reeling, as are his grown children. Life can change in an instant. I've been thinking of them and praying for them often, as well as offering what practical support we can.

So. Life is precious. And full of curious things, such as the heron in the photo above, standing perfectly balance on a tangle of bull kelp some distance from shore. 

It was good to be outdoors on Sunday. Today, on the other hand, has been a dreich day, dreary and wet. How cozy to be indoors with the fires going, the lights on, and pleasant work to do. I'm puttering away on a few projects for Christmas and hope to begin baking soon. 

Wishing you lovely days of warmth. 

 

Friday Favourites: Sunny Days

 

On an afternoon walk one day this week a raucous honking of geese caused me to stand still and look up. An enormous skein, or perhaps several skeins trailed across the sky in wavering lines. Many geese stay here for the winter, but every autumn they still form their V-shape lines and cross the sky, heading who knows where. 

When I was a child, we lived in a small town with minimal shopping. For the clothing that my mother did not sew, she relied on the Sears catalogue. The volumes arrived several times each year and from it my parents made orders, mailing cheques and the order form to the company. In a week or two the phone rang and we went down to the small office to pick up our purchases. Then for many years we did not order anything, but purchased everything locally.

I was reminded of this one day this week when several boxes of varying sizes arrived at our door. A new phone for me, a Christmas present for a grandchild, some bedding, and an enormous box containing a new mattress. We have never purchased a mattress without trying it out. Have you? It's made in Canada and is a hybrid - part foam and part coils. Tim wrestled the box upstairs and we opened it in the guest room. It took a couple of hours to spring to its full form. Interesting. 

It seems that everyone is buying more and more things online, much like the old mail order we used to do. Buying locally is still preferable, but often I cannot find what I want in a store. I try to order directly from the company rather than from that online store beginning with A. 

We've enjoyed some sunny days between the rain. Both kinds of days hold their own delights, but my heart gives a little leap when I'm outside under blue skies, especially in November. I took myself to Island View Beach where puffy clouds ringed the horizon, but overhead was a great bowl of clear blue. 

On my way home I admired the view from the hill overlooking fields. I identified purple cabbage, brussels sprouts, and leeks as I drove by. This week I helped my daughter plant 300 garlic plants. And I've been sewing a rather fiddly project that I had hoped to show you today, but it will have to wait for next week. 

Last year I painted an Advent calendar along with Harriet de Winton on her YouTube channel. She's doing one again this year and I've prepared my blank calendar. They can be ordered from her, and are much prettier than my plain lines and numbers, but I can't print on watercolour paper on my printer, so I just drew my own. 

Here's the link if you're interested. Harriet de Winton Beginning on December 1 she posts a short video tutorial on her site for anyone to paint along. 

The days are speeding along towards Advent and Christmas, my favourite time of year. I'm making lists and checking them twice! 

Making Room for November

 

How early darkness falls these November days. Even on sunny days the light is mostly gone by 4:30 pm, and today was not sunny. Rain dripped steadily for most of the day, creating a rather gloomy atmosphere indoors and out.

Outside my window

It's Thursday evening and very dark. I've seen wonderful photos of the Northern Lights from the past couple of days, but we saw nothing here due to a lot of cloud cover. I spent some time at my younger daughter's home this afternoon and from her window I watched two deer feeding not 20 feet from the house. One looked at me, chewing steadily, very unconcerned. Ashley showed me a photo of two male deer with their antlers locked taken from the same window a couple of days ago. They are being very careful with the little girls since the deer are everywhere just now, and a bear was sighted in the neighbour's yard. 

I am thinking

about many things. Next month will be filled with Advent followed by Christmas festivities. I know that stores are filled with decorations and lifestyle bloggers have their houses already prepared for Christmas, but I like to wait. Anticipation adds to the excitement. This month is for making plans and thinking ahead. November is often characterized as a dreary month, and today's weather might have confirmed that, but there is much comfort in lighting lamps and candles, wrapping oneself in a cozy shawl for reading, and enjoying cups of tea or hot chocolate in the evening. I want to make room for this month that gets a bit of bad press. 

I am reading

or planning to read the two books above that I purchased with some birthday money. It was very difficult to choose from all the wonderful books available. Jane Austen for Every Day of the Year has a beautiful cover and a gold ribbon. What an insightful and witty writer Jane was. This year marks 250 years since her birth. 

I enjoy the cozy mysteries of Sophia Bennett featuring Queen Elizabeth II helping to solve the crimes. Lighthearted and fun. 

I am planning to read

both of the above books, also part of my birthday gift, in December, and I can hardly wait. I've been very good about not peeking, but it's difficult, particularly the Tolkien book. I'll be collecting my Christmas-themed reading together soon. 

In my kitchen today

I baked bread and enjoyed a warm slice with pumpkin soup for lunch. I also baked a panful of brownies for my husband to take to his beekeeping meeting this evening. Fortunately, not all of them fit on the plate, so there are a few to enjoy at home. 

I am pondering

these lines from Shakespeare: 

"Our doubts are traitors

and makes us lose the good we oft might win

by failing to attempt"

I wonder how many good things or experiences I have missed because of personal doubts and fears. Rather than bemoan the good I could have done, I'm letting these lines remind me to not let my doubts paralyze me, and rather pray for courage to do what I can.

I am enjoying

two types of Murchies tea. I'm always on the lookout for decaf black teas to drink in the afternoons. So far I've tried the Black Currant and it's delicious. A little chocolate along with tea is a lovely pick-me-up.

Other small delights are

* shepherd's pie for dinner

* a few last flowers from the garden

* feeling the cool night air over my face when 

I'm snuggled into my bed

* standing with my back to the fire to warm up

I am creating

a present for a young granddaughter - a play tent with dolls, sleeping bags, and clothes. It's going well. Lists for gifts are being created and items ticked off. We don't purchase a lot, but it's always fun to choose things for the littles and not-so-littles. 

And that's it for Friday's post. Tomorrow morning we're going out for coffee with friends and on Saturday there's a family birthday party for my daughter, daughter-in-law, and myself - a brunch get together. 

I apologize for the photos in this post. Once I took them off my camera and saw them here I realized how poor the light was. 

Wishing you a weekend filled with small delights.

Creatures Great and Small

 

We arrived safely home after our long drive, with enough time to stop at my parents' home for a visit before driving to the ferry. After the cold crisp dry mountain air, everything felt a wee bit damp here on our island. I thought I'd show you some of the wildlife we encountered on our trip to Jasper. Above is the cheekiest raven. He is perched on the hood of our truck, and seemed to think it his kingdom. I rolled down my window and leaned way out to take this photo. He didn't budge. Finally, when we began driving, off he flew with one last hoarse protest. 

There were Mountain Sheep along the road to Maligne Lake. How agile they are, lightly tripping down steep rock faces and jumping over gaps. These animals live in the National Park and are not threatened by humans who treat them with respect and stay the prescribed distance away. 

We had nine sightings of moose, including this unusual one of a bull moose (there were two cows among the trees) peacefully chewing his cud while lying in the snow. 

Later, another bull moose and cow crossed the road in front of us, taking their time before disappearing into the forest. 

It's amazing how birds stay warm in frigid water. I believe this is a Western Grebe paddling along in glacier water. 

A cow moose, one of the two who were lying in the trees the day before. The bull was nowhere in sight, but we saw both cows slowly cross a meadow just below our vehicle, stopping to chew the grasses still visible. Soon snow will cover the ground and these non-hibernating animals will rely on trees such as willows for their winter food. 

We saw several groups of female elk. They wander through town at dusk. Rounding a corner on the Maligne Lake road late one afternoon we came across two bull elk. They were feeding in the burned forest. The white trees in the background have lost their burned bark. Soon willows and shrubs will grow up among them, but the trunks will stand as sentinels to the fires for decades. 

Not many birds were about and I wondered about this small American Dipper. Accustomed as he is to cold water, he had to dodge the ice forming at the edge of the lake. Such a hardy little bird.

In 1908 Mary Schaffer and her party reached Maligne Lake and travelled its length by raft. She later wrote that at the far end of the lake, "there burst upon us...the finest view any of us had ever beheld in the Rockies." It was truly magnificent, a view that filled my own heart and soul. 

Also at the lake is a boathouse built in 1908. It's the last remaining structure of the early days of recreational boating on Maligne Lake. Behind the boathouse is Samson Peak. The day was cloudy but the mountains were mostly visible. 

I am so glad that there are vast areas preserved from development. People from all over the world come to this area and it's a delicate balance between allowing some access while preserving the wildness. If we had come during the summer, a constant stream of cars would drive along the roads where we saw one or two vehicles, and every parking lot would be full. 

Remembrance Day is tomorrow, a time to honour those who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today. There will be services at the cenotaphs, and many Canadians have worn a red poppy in our lapels for the past week. We must never forget, and always work toward peace. 

A Jaunt Into the Rockies

 

Early this week we left our island home, crossed the Strait on a ferry, and enjoyed dinner with my parents and siblings. Monday morning saw us slip quietly out of the house in the early morning darkness, and drive up over the Coastal Mountains (snow!), down into the interior plateau, winding along a river and through another mountain pass to arrive at Jasper, Alberta. The almost full moon welcomed us on our first night, glowing through the clouds. 

Jasper National Park lies next to its larger and probably more famous neighbour, Banff National Park. It had its beginnings as a fur trading post, then a railway town. The trains come and go here throughout the day, but quietly, with no whistles. In July 2024 wildfires swept the surrounding mountains, burning up to the tree line. To add to the devastation, 30 percent of the townsite burned - private homes, small business, hotels, and historic churches. There is a huge building program going on now to replace these structures. Everyone we spoke with was very positive about the future.

The smell of the burned forest still wafts through the area. Denuded trees stand as tall sentinels to the fierce winds and flames that ravaged hectares and hectares of land. 

The temperature on our first day exploring was COLD for us. -10 degrees Celsius. I layered up as much as I could, and then wore Tim's down vest over my down jacket. There was no snow in town, but when we drove to Maligne Lake, snow crunched underfoot and ice is forming on the edge of the lake. 

Such amazing scenery. We were in awe at every turn, surrounded by high peaks whose crags and ridges were highlighted by snow. 

Curves of water and rocks lead the eye to the tall peaks. Clear blue sky all day made everything crisp and bright. 

Jasper is about 360 kilometres further north than our home (and 878 km to drive). By 3 pm shadows slant long across the ground and the sun slips behind the mountains much earlier than we're used to. Above you can see the golden grasses - the first plants to grow under the burned forest. It's truly amazing how nature is rejuvenating. Beauty from ashes. 

That first day we also visited Athabasca Falls. Water levels are low at this time of year, but there was still plenty of thundering and crashing. Icicles are formed by the spray from the falls. 

And soon the sun slides beneath the hills as the water calms into the wide river. 

That gorgeous glacier green/blue water reflects everything beautifully. The fires burned right to the water. 

Tomorrow we drive home. It will take about 8.5 hours to the ferry, then 90 minutes to cross and 30 minutes from there. We've had such a wonderful time and there are more stories to tell. I'm looking forward to catching up with all of you once I'm settled again.