Bright and Cold

When our temperatures hover around freezing here in the temperate rainforest, we call it cold. Those in more northerly regions scoff. Cold is a relative term. 

Spring is en route, but winter continues to hold sway. Frosty nights are followed by bright sunny days. It's enough for flowers to appear, such as the Henderson Shooting Stars above. The glow of colour in the background is a naturalized lawn of crocuses and shooting stars.

The crocuses are just beginning to open, tentatively unfurling a petal or two. 

In the late afternoon, a gnarled Garry Oak stands out against the clear sky. 


We walked quickly, for we had dressed according to the sunshine, not the temperature. Brrr. It was good to come indoors to the blast of warmth. 

Our Valentine celebration was a simple affair at home, made special by the effort of setting a table with a vintage tablecloth given to my in-laws on their wedding day 63 years ago today. China, crystal, and linen lift a meal to a celebration. 

Tonight we lingered over dessert (chocolate souffle cakes), tea, and candlelight, chatting together about the years we've spent together. No regrets at all about choosing each other.

One more bit of green - I do love moss. Happy Valentine's Day to each of my readers.  

Thanksgiving in October

Eleven of us sat down to a turkey dinner with all the trimmings yesterday. Although the holiday is technically Monday (the second Monday in October), we, like many families, have our big dinner on Sunday, followed by a relaxed Monday. 

I look at this photos and see the faces of some of the people I love so very much. For now, the little ones enjoy sitting at their own small table while the adults sit at the big table. I remember sitting at the children's table at family gatherings when I was growing up. Do you?

Did you notice the top right hand photo? That's Katie, our daughter-in-law. For this particular dinner, I set the food out in the kitchen and we served our plates from their and brought them to the table to eat. After dinner was mostly done, Katie was up checking on the little ones and stopped by the stuffing casserole on the way back to the dining room. She mentioned how much she enjoyed it. She ate it from the pan.  She was there long enough that I suggested she bring the whole thing to the table and sit down to enjoy it. So she did. And she posed very nicely for a photo. Much laughter ensued.   

On Friday evening, Owen and Ashley told us stories of their recent trip to Scotland, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. One thing they mentioned were the Cardamom Buns eaten with coffee in Stockholm. I had just read the How to Hygge book and remembered a recipe for the buns. Ashley suggested we make some, so we did. We used another recipe found on the internet. Baking time was tricky; some were slightly overbaked, but still delicious. Forming the dough was also tricky. 

My children wonder what has happened to their mother. I have never liked the colour orange. I tolerate it in marigolds, planted among the vegetables, never in the flower beds. Pumpkins are okay. So there was great teasing when they noticed two orange velvet cushions on the couches. What can I say? They suit the season and I'm okay with them, for now, although I get a little twitchy if I really look at them. I stitched the covers and they can easily be zipped off and replaced. 

Lovely October. Crisp nights, a bit of rain, lots of sunshine. Plenty of laughter. My favourite month.

Linking with Mosaic Monday, hosted by Maggie of Normandy Life.  

Easter Preparations

An Easter photo from long ago. This photo is taken in front of a motel, so we were traveling. Probably to Abbotsford to visit family, hordes of family. Boisterous cousins, aunties by the dozen, groaning tables, and green foliage everywhere, a striking sight after the brown that signaled spring in the interior. 

My mother created those darling outfits for my sister and me, often sewing late into the evening. I'm the one in blue. Skirt, blouses, jackets. She's very talented. Don't we look prim and proper in our black patent shoes, little hats, and white gloves? And our brother in his miniature blazer? Just what we wore in the mid-60s for dressing up. The hippie movement hadn't caught us yet.

Easter Sunday. We attended services at my grandparents' church at East Aldergrove. I remember it as chilly, and a bit damp. The front of the church had a curved ceiling, painted pale mint green. The choir sang. The highlight of the service, for me, was when we all stood and sang, "Up from the grave He arose," the sound welling up as the notes climbed higher, joy filling hearts and space as the triumph of the Resurrection was celebrated. 

Tomorrow we will attend church and that song will likely not be sung. But I sing it to myself every year. Today, Saturday, preparations are made. Our family will gather this evening. The table is set. A vintage tablecloth from my mother-in-law sets the mood for spring. I iron it and think of her, and pray for her. 

Sometimes the little ones sit with us, sometimes they like their own table. I know they'll like the eggs on each napkin. 

Although this is the day between, the day when Jesus lay in darkness, a quiet day, we know the end of this chapter and so, in the spirit of hope, I say to you, Happy Easter! He is Risen!

Embracing Autumn

 One can't hang onto summer forever. Now that autumn is officially here, I'm ready to embrace all the loveliness of the season. Like these red, red apples, hundreds of them, hanging over a fence along my walk. 
 

And the grasses, taller than I am, rustling in the wind along the bog path. Moody skies that remind me of a Bronte novel.
 

A collection of bits and pieces accompanied me home. Leaves, warmly coloured, bits of bark and seed pods.

Together with candles the bits and pieces add an autumnal air to the dining room. Autumn is here in all her glory. I'm ready to enjoy her. How about you?

Mersad invited me to link up to his Friday My Town Shoot Out which features Seasonal Changes this week. There are lots of interesting shots from around the world there.

Fussing for the Two of Us

A special day. A special dinner. A little fuss. Last night's dinner à deux. A host of memories on the table alone - a pale blue damask linen table cloth given to Tim's parents on their wedding day more than 60 years ago. White linen napkins from the same era. China salad plates and later, for dessert, tea cups from the set started by my mother when I was 16. Flatware given by my parents for our first wedding anniversary. Crystal water goblets chosen for our wedding (I only have 6 for they ceased production soon after.) The table itself, built by Tim in Ecuador 28 years ago. How many people have sat here, lingering, laughing, talking?
 

Candlelight on a summer evening. White flowers and greenery gathered from the garden. All this fuss for just the two of us.  You know, it didn't take long to pull together. I started cooking and table setting at 3:00 and all the prep was done by 5:00, except for the last minute cooking after he arrived home.

I use to save "special' for company. During our years in Ecuador there were always the special treats brought down from Canada or the USA. I would hoard them in the freezer and use them rarely, then only for company. One day I read or heard, "Use the things you love on the people you love." Well, of course. 

My children remind me occasionally of the time I tried to grow raspberries in Ecuador. Our crop was very very small. I used these same china salad plates, one for each of us, and in the center of each plate I placed one single raspberry. That was dessert. How we laughed. 
 

First course, Watermelon with Feta Cheese and basil. Simple. Juicy.

Main course: Shrimp with Garlic, Parsley and Lemon, Roasted Asparagus, Sauteed Mushrooms, and an Onion Carbonara from a cookbook by Patricia Wells (The French Kitchen Cookbook) that will be going into my regular repertoire of recipes. He had a glass of Malbec, I had Riesling.
 

We like to wait a little for dessert. Tim had an exhausting day so he took a little rest on the couch while I cleared away the food and dishes. Very 1950s. Then dessert - a Flourless Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Raspberries. Earl Grey tea. The cake is from Laura Calder's book, French Taste. Dark intense chocolate flavour. 
 

I let the candles burn down even after dessert was done. We watched an episode of The Good Wife on Netflix. My sister called to wish us Happy Anniversary and we Skyped with our youngest daughter and her husband in Vancouver. There are cards on the mantel.

And so another year is marked. Today I'll be watching two little grand-people while their mother goes to an appointment. Good times ahead, always.

Giddy for Summer

Ten friends. A south-facing patio. A warm late spring evening. Good food, good wine, laughter. Conviviality. A recipe for a wonderful time. 

The practicalities involved inventing a table that would seat 10 - this involved a sheet of plywood over our round table, covered with a tarp (so any spills wouldn't mar the future project made from the wood) and a tablecloth. A mix of chairs. Meal prep was shared - we, as hosts grilled flank steak and I made a couple of Potato, Zucchini, Tomato Tians. Others brought appetizers, salad, bread, and dessert. Hospitality made easy. 

We lingered long over tea and coffee. The sun slipped away behind the hills in fading ribbons of pink and coral. We shrugged on sweaters and still we sat. Discussion topics ran the gamut - gardening, human trafficking, summer plans, world affairs, and so on.

June can be an iffy month here - often rainy and cold after hints of warmth in May. The people in the know have predicted a hotter than normal summer for us here on the west coast. Perhaps they are correct and it's beginning now. I'll take it. Gladly. It rarely gets unbearable here where the sea breezes cool the air. 

The irises are blooming in various shades of pale and deep purple. I captured the ones above reflected in the garden mirror. 
  

Poppies sprawl in front of the peonies. I love this pale pink version. The orangey one, glimpsed behind, is a little too orange for me. It will have to go. We're beginning a bed of plants-that-have-to-be-moved along the lower fence. So far, just one hydrangea bush is there. Perhaps the orange poppy would like to keep it company. 

And so summer begins. Oh, I know that technically we're not there until June 21. When the sun shines and the garden flourishes and we can eat outside - that's when summer really begins. It's short around here and I'm planning to make the most of it. Hooray, I say, for summer! Are you looking forward to summer? Or perhaps you dread it, or just endure it?

On a Winter's Night

OK. So it's not winter quite yet. However, the weather around here belies that fact. Chilly wind and below freezing temperatures have us bundling up to venture outdoors, and upping the cozy factor indoors.

Six of us gathered on Friday evening for dinner. One couple brought appetizers, another brought a salad and beverages. We provided the main course, paella, and bread, along with spiced wine poached pears for dessert. We laughed, we ate, we drank, we talked around the table as the candles burned low and the pearl garland in the light fixture overhead gleamed. 

Simplicity of white and red. Gathering together in the warmth of friendship is an age-old defense against the cold outside.

Linking to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary of the Little Red House. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

The turkey is roasting in the oven. For now, the house is quiet. But in an hour or so, it will be filled with the sounds of people talking and laughing, and the chatter of little girls. The table is set with a warmly colored runner, red napkins and a few fall leaves. Candles, of course. The Give Thanks tag was on the centerpiece of yesterday's Thanksgiving dinner, hosted by our eldest daughter and her husband for the "other side" of the family. Unfortunately, some of their number were ill and unable to attend, so we were invited to help swell the numbers. I don't mind two turkey dinners on Thanksgiving weekend!
 

Little Miss A spied these two mini-pumpkins at my house the other day. "Please, Nana," she said, "can I hold one?" She carried it carefully around the house and said in the most heartfelt tone, "Thank you, Nana, for sharing your pumpkins with me." Then, later, "they are SO cute." When Little Miss S showed up, she needed a pumpkin, too. Such cute little pumpkins themselves, they are.
 

We're doing things a little bit differently this year. Soup and salad will be served beforehand, but not at the table. We'll feed the little girls and eat Asian Summer Rolls while we do so, and sip Garlic Leek Soup from cups. Then, after the little ones are in bed, and hopefully asleep, we'll sit down and enjoy the rest of the meal. The parents are looking forward to a meal of adult conversation and relative quiet. We'll see how that turns out.

I know that only Canada celebrates Thanksgiving this particular weekend, and that much of the world doesn't have a particular day to give thanks. It should be a regular part of life, anyway. Today I express my thanks to you, my readers, for the friendships you offer, the comments you make, the lessons you teach, and the inspiration you are to me.

Linking with Mary for Mosaic Monday. 

Celebrating

Our family got together over the weekend to celebrate Tim's birthday. The actual day is later this week. Family gatherings are lively these days, with two little misses around. I wouldn't trade the busyness for anything. Tim's cake was Black Forest - a recipe received years ago from one of my best friend's mothers who came to Canada from Germany after WWII. I cannot make my cake look as good as she could, but it tasted wonderful.

The Little Misses tried on their Easter dresses. This is Sis Boom Fabric, designed by Jennifer Paganelli. Last summer I won the yardage for the girls' dresses in a giveaway. Little Miss A is learning to pose for the camera - in split second intervals during which she says "cheeeeeese."

 Little Miss S in her bubble dress, sucking on her lower lip. The Sis Boom Fabrics are so happy you can't help but smile. It's getting harder and harder to take good photos of these little ones who wiggle around so much. I've used several settings and will keep experimenting. It's easier outdoors.

The biggest celebration in the Christian calender - Resurrection Sunday, aka Easter, is just ahead. I added a few bits to my china cabinet. The egg plate was a gift from my daughter several years ago, purchased at an antique store. I do love the colour. 
 

 

Tim was away for a couple of nights last week. Evenings can be long, but I spent a happy couple of hours folding linen napkins into Easter Bunny ears for our dinner on Sunday.

I herded the bunny ears into a basket where I think they look like a colony huddled together with just their ears poking out.

To fold the napkins I used Martha Stewart's tutorial, with a few alterations. Instead of tucking one side into the other at the end, I tied a ribbon around the "head."  

The weather forecast for this week looks pretty good - we may even hit 12 degrees (about 54 Fahrenheit) on the weekend. Today the sun is shining and I'm off to run errands. How is your week shaping up, weather or otherwise?

 

Dinner with Dessert

We invited some friends over for dinner on Saturday evening. I knew the weather would be great all day and planned to spend most of the day in the garden, not the kitchen. On Friday evening I prepared as much as I could. 

I made the marinade for the flank steak, readied the Potato Splats, made the salad dressing, and set the table. Then I lit the candles just to see what it all would look like, and took a few photos. I used votive holders at every place to hold a few bluebells, a linen tablecloth and napkins, and ended up with mostly monochrome. Blue and white is a winning combination for me. 
 

We had guests for dinner quite often while living in Ecuador. On one such occasion, as we sat down at the table with our children and our guests, our son, probably 8 or 9 at the time, said, "Oh, good. Company. That means we get dessert." 

I found the recipe for this gluten and dairy free sorbet (since some of our guests can't have those ingredients) on Tartelette's blog. Do check it out. It's a berry sorbet that captures the very essence of summer. I made a few changes to the recipe; using frozen berries, and strawberries in place of the raspberries. I've done it with raspberries too, and prefer it that way. In fact, I've made this recipe at least three times in the past two months. And I plan on making it a lot more as summer arrives.

I have one of those hand-cranked ice cream makers that you place in the freezer for 8 hours before using. I purchased it at a thrift store about 8 years ago. This year, I'm just storing the thing in the freezer so it's handy at a moment's notice. 

With everything that was done ahead, I spent the day in the garden and came in to shower at 3:00 and had plenty of time to prep the rest of the meal - roasted asparagus, carrots with onion butter, salad, plus the steak and potatoes. 

Do you have guests for meals often? Do you make dessert? How do you prepare ahead?

Royal High Tea

Laura, from Decor to Adore has been doing a weekly focus on the Royal Wedding, coming to a television station near you on April 29. Her posts are fascinating glimpses into facets of royal life and procedure.

She's hosting a blogging tea party today. If you pop over to her site you'll find links to all sorts of wonderful tea parties taking place all over blogland.

I'd like to invite you to tea chez moi. I've set the table with English bone china, from Paragon in the Romance design. 

When I was about 15, my mother, my sister and I were downtown and spied a wonderful collection of teacups. That day, mom told my sister and I to each pick out a pattern. This was mine and I've loved ever since. 

Unfortunately it ceased production quite soon and my pieces are limited. All the pieces I do have - salad plates, tea pot, cream, sugar, tea cups and saucers were gifts from my mother and mother-in-law. All the pieces but one. A friend gave us a cake plate for our wedding.

In keeping with the royal theme, here's the back of the plate showing the coveted "By appointment to H.M. the Queen" warrant on the back.

"Royal warrants are a mark of recognition to individuals or companies who have supplied goods or services for at least five years to H.M. the Queen, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh or HRH the Prince of Wales. Warrants have always been regarded as demonstrating excellence and quality and are highly prized." There are about 850 royal warrants.

Around the time of our marriage I also chose this crystal pattern. I found it at the Hudson Bay Company. It's name is, fittingly, Prince Charles, however I do not know who made it. And like the china, production ceased soon after I started collecting it. 

Since the tea is partially to celebrate the upcoming nuptials, I thought it fitting to place a piece of romantic sheet music under the place.

The linen napkins are vintage, over 50 years old, and a wedding gift to my in-laws. There is small tablecloth to match. I love thinking about the history of linens and dishes and of all the people who have sat around tables enjoying food, conversation, and laughter. 

Let's keep the centerpiece simple - a bouquet of pink roses, in a crystal vase given to me by my husband on our second wedding anniversary. Softly textured roses glowing in the sunshine are the prettiest things.

For a little light entertainment, let's play a word search with all the words having to do with the wedding.

It's often common, around these kind of celebrations, to look at the past and ooh and aah over the bride and groom. I have no photos of the bride's past, but a book of the groom's. 

Here is William's mother, Princess Diana, beautiful and glowing.

William going home from the hospital with his parents.

And of course, there must be good things to eat. How about blueberry scones?

This raspberry meringue roulade is delectable, and there's plenty for seconds.

Or some cucumber radish nibbles?

For tea, let's be sure to have something English, like Twining's Earl Grey. Twining's also holds a royal warrant.

Crystal servers for sugar and milk (not cream and NEVER the powdered chemical stuff) for those who want it.

The best part of this tea table would be the conversation. How fun would that be!

Be sure to check out the links at Decor to Adore.