A Bit of This and That on a Sunny Tuesday

 

First of all, thank you for your many kind thoughts and wishes regarding my last post. My voice is back and my throat healed. I'm still careful not to speak too much, but that's not too difficult when I'm home alone most days. Best of all, I'm sleeping through the night - isn't sleep such a wonderful gift? After a solid 6-8 hours I wake up with energy and a bright outlook on the day. 

On a grey and somewhat drizzly Sunday we took a walk. Curving pathways and overarching growth create an air of mystery and anticipation. Although the woods look dull and lifeless, a closer look reveals that much is happening. 

The yellow flowers of mahonia aquifolium (Oregon grape) are some of the first to add colour and cheer to the woods. In summer, dark blue berries form. The First Nations peoples used the roots, bark, and berries of the shrub for medicinal purposes. Although the berries are extremely tart, they make a delicious tasting jam. 

The plant is native to North America, and the botanist David Douglas took plants to Europe to use in English gardens as shady ground cover. Plants have certainly traveled around the world, sometimes for the good, other times not so much. 

Another early bloomer is the June Plum (oemleria cerasiformas), also called the Oso Berry. The leaves emerge from the stem tips and often stand at attention, while the blooms droop downwards in clusters of creamy white and green. Small fruits appear, but although edible, they are quite bitter. Like the mahonia, many parts of this plant are used by the First Nations for medicinal purposes. 

Our Iranian friends celebrated the Persian New Year (Nowruz) on the weekend, at the time of the Spring Equinox. They brought us a traditional decoration of a plate of sprouted greens, along with delicious candies and a bottle of rose water. In the weeks leading to the celebration, it's customary to do a "house shaking" - a thorough cleaning of all corners of the home. 

For Christmas, one of our granddaughters asked for bits and pieces of fabric, lace, and ribbon - "not big pieces, just small ones", she said - along with peg dolls. I had so much fun going through my stash to present a box of materials to give to her. Now during Spring Break, she created a Castle of Love and a set of characters to live there - King, Queen, Princess, and the Queen's twin sisters. Boxes, toilet paper and kitchen paper rolls, tissue paper, and a lot of imagination went into this creation. My daughter sent me the photos. 

Yesterday afternoon I was just about ready to pull on my wellies and do some gardening when the heavens opened and a very cold rain doused my enthusiasm. Later, I wandered around looking at the emerging plants and making all kinds of plans in my head. I stopped to admire these primroses, so perky in spite of the rain. 

Today I'll be baking a cake for a birthday later in the week, and doing a little shopping. Two grandchildren will be coming over for the next two days - although it's Spring Break for them, their parents need to work. I'm so looking forward to some concentrated time with them, something I haven't had since summer. I am weary of this pandemic and will be so very glad when we can gather together indoors as an extended family.

Five on Friday: A Castle, Blooms, and some Stitching

 

The other day I watched five fat robins in a tree from my bedroom window. They flitted from branch to branch with lots of cheerful chirping. A pot of spring bulbs beside the front door is filling out nicely. Hyacinths, daffodils, and scilla are in bloom just now, with tulips leafing nicely. Sunny, but cool days have been the norm until a few light showers fell overnight. 

This week I arranged to meet my eldest daughter and her daughter, Sadie for a walk around the gardens at Hatley Park. It was the day I usually take Iris, so along she came, too. Unfortunately, we were there in the morning, but were told the gardens didn't open until noon. There have been a lot of schedule changes due to the pandemic. However, there were plenty of paths to wander along, and we will visit the gardens another day. 

The girls are having a snack on a bench in front of Hatley Castle, home of Robert Dunsmuir, heir to his family's coal fortune. About the building of the castle he said, "Money doesn't matter, just build what I want." The lavish construction was completed in 1908 with an exterior of local stone and an interior with oak and rosewood paneled rooms, huge fireplaces, specially made light fixtures, and teak floors. The extensive gardens employed 100 gardeners. 

Dunsmuir was not a pleasant man, from the sounds of things - he ruled his empire with brute force, fiercely stamping out any attempts to unionize, and neglecting safety for his employees. For every million tons of BC coal produced, 23 men died, at a time when the North American average was 6 men per million tons. 

The castle and grounds are now home to Royal Roads University, and previously served as a military college. 

I've been out pottering in the garden, tidying beds, pruning rosebushes, and thinking about changes to be made. Tim built a new L-shaped raised bed in a corner of the garden that I hope to fill with flowers for a cutting garden. The apricot tree displays a few flowers; I hope the pollinators show up in time!

I'm taking part in a scrap challenge for the month of March. Very informal, it's just to deliberately sew with scraps or small bits of fabric leftover from other projects. I'm making a few mini quilts for the grandchildren to use as doll or stuffed animal blankets. There is something very satisfying about sewing these little projects. Tim often has to do email in the evenings, and since I no longer have marking or planning to do, I stitch. 

On a personal note, I damaged my vocal chords and throat when I choked on a miniscule piece of food this week. It's quite painful, and my voice is mostly gone. The doctor assures me that the inflammation will all settle down on its own, so I'm avoiding irritating foods and trying not to speak too much. I overdid the talking yesterday and am paying for it today. 

This weekend I hope to work outside again, clearing out garden beds and clipping all the dried hydrangea blossoms to make way for the new growth. Spring is such a hopeful time of year. Wishing you a wonderful weekend. 

Mid-March: Daffodils, Baking, Babysitting

 

Last week I bought two bunches of tightly furled daffodil stems from the grocery store. They didn't look like much when I put them into the vase, but in a day or so they opened up into a cheerful, bright bouquet. 

There are fields of daffodils in our area and the growers fear that much of the crop will be lost due to lack of pickers. Normally, foreign workers do the picking and not as many have been allowed into Canada this year. A callout to locals wanting work resulted in just a few replies. It's hard work, cold and backbreaking, to cut daffodils. 

Daffodils brighten up my garden just now, but mostly the tete-a-tete variety. I hate to pick them and deprive myself of the view from the kitchen window. 

Sourdough bread loaves cool on the counter. You might notice that the far loaf has the end cut off. The two of us each had a warm slice slathered with butter. Is there anything better? 

When feeding sourdough some is discarded. I hate throwing it away, and so does The Zero Waste Chef. Here's a recipe using the discard to make waffles. The sponge rises overnight, so on Saturday morning we enjoyed fresh waffles with blueberry-peach compote that I'd preserved in the summer. The waffles above are destined for the freezer and are easy to pop into the toaster for a quick treat. 

As the days lighten (isn't it wonderful?) I find myself craving more vegetables and fresher tastes. I made a cucumber-tomato-onion-jalapeno chopped salad that kept well in the fridge for a couple of days. The dressing is sour cream with minced garlic, lemon juice, fresh parsley, and salt and pepper. Easy.

My maternal grandmother died when my mother was not quite 16. She had 10 children - my mother was the eldest and the youngest less than a year old. The bowl above is one of two that remain from her dishes. I have two plates, as well. My mother recalls going with her father to the store to purchase this "breakfast set" as a Mother's Day present for her mother. It's made by J & G Meakin of England, probably from the very early 1940s. 

The gold is worn and the dishes have been well used, no wonder, with 10 children! 

My grandfather later married his deceased wife's sister, and she is the one I remember as my grandmother when growing up. 

I've made this recipe twice since I found it in the latest issue of My French Country Home magazine. Roasted carrots and radishes (I added some beets) on a spread of yogurt, topped with toasted almonds, lemon zest, and green onions (I used chives as they are coming up in my garden). Yum!

While in a thrift store I found this little pink purse. When I brought it out Iris' eyes lit up and she knew just what to do with it. Perhaps she is saying, "Nana, let's go shopping - I spilled something on my dress." 

In the cul-de-sac where we live a plum tree is bursting with blossom just now. White froth and blue sky make things feel very hopeful and spring-like. 

Today is Sunday, 3.14 - pi day, so I baked a pie. It's cooling on the countertop. It's a Kentucky Derbe Pie, a recipe given me by a friend many years ago. Rich with pecans and chocolate, a little slice goes a long ways. 

Wishing you all a very good week ahead. 

A Little Escape

 

Campgrounds are open in our area, with precautions in place, and they are already full. We took our little Escape trailer (caravan) to Nanaimo for a week of rest and relaxation. I confess that my expectations were very low. I didn't want to be cold, and wasn't certain how comfortable the trailer would be. I need not have worried - it was warm and cozy. We enjoyed mostly good weather with chilly mornings, a bit of rain, and some lovely sunshine. The view above was our view for 5 mornings - high tide where the Nanaimo River estuary meets the sea. 

And this was the afternoon view at low tide (from a slightly different angle) where the river and sea curve their paths through the mud flats and grassy banks. In the distance several large cargo ships lie at anchor, perhaps awaiting loading at one of the local sawmills or pulp mills. 

The river estuary is home to many, many birds. On a gravel bar, a group of young bald eagles, watched over by an adult, were tearing at some unknown prey. A very brave crow looks like it is scolding the impassive eagle who looks as though he could make short shrift of the saucy crow. 

Early signs of spring were everywhere. Tiny unfurling green leaves, catkins, and even early pink rhododendron blossoms acted as harbingers of the season. 

We took a number of hikes during the week - twice to the Cable Bay Trail and Joan Point to see the current at Dodds Narrows. Once at slack tide when boats can safely pass, and once when the current raged. We sat on a rock with our thermos of hot tea and watched the water boil and churn. Several groups of sleek sea lions had a wonderful time riding the current, then diving and swimming upstream again to do it all over again, just for fun. You can just see the head of one sea lion in the photo above. 

Out of the main channel, this quiet cove looks almost tropical. Don't be fooled - the water is extremely cold, and a sharp wind made us glad for gloves, wind-proof jackets, and toques. We saw a Great Blue Heron standing motionless on the rock there. We were as quiet as could be and watched him for some time, but then he caught wind of us and lifted off with a slow beat of his wide wings to a more remote perch. 

We read books, ate well, drank tea, and came home rested. This week is also a vacation week for my husband, and we were planning a trip to the mainland to see my parents, but the restrictions are still in place and we are staying home. 

I'm looking forward to catching up with my blogging friends over the next few days. 

Friday Five: Home and Garden

 

This morning I looked out of my bedroom window at 6:30 am to see the fat gold full moon shining over the Sooke Hills. Each day is a bit longer and a bit brighter. 

My seed order arrived recently. In a week or two I'll start some seeds indoors, but most will have to wait for a month or two before planting. I love looking at these packages of potential and I think about working the soil, and the warm days of summer to come. 

This week I pruned roses and then dug the last of the winter carrots and beets from the garden. Although the tops mostly disappeared, the vegetables are fresh and crisp. From the carrots I made a smooth ginger-flavoured soup with coconut milk and froze enough for three meals for the two of us. 

Quick pickled vegetables - here radishes, red onions, and carrots - add bright crispness to salads and sandwiches. A simple 1-1 vinegar water solution with a bit of sugar and salt is the base. I add peppercorns to the jars, the onions also have a clove of garlic, and the carrots are good with a sprig of fresh rosemary. A couple of days in the fridge and they are ready to go.

These two darlings have been staying with us for a few days while their house is being painted. We've all restricted our contacts and it's positively delightful (and delightfully chaotic) with a 20-month-old and a 3-month-old. There are have been songs and games, tower building and books, cuddles and giggles galore. 

I picked up these tulips at the grocery store this week. Our garden tulips are weeks and weeks away; they are just now poking sharp leaves up from the ground. Bright colours are mood-lifters as we wait for spring to arrive. 

February is almost over and March will follow. Will it come in like a lion or like a lamb? We'll have to wait and see. 

Our weekend involves family and more home keeping. A walk is planned, and there will be good food to enjoy, and the busyness of two little ones. I am grateful for the time I can spend with them, and that I can help out in small ways. 

What does your weekend look like? 

Beacon Hill Park on a Sunday Afternoon

 

Late this morning we received a text from our daughter-in-law inviting us on a "rain or shine" walk in Beacon Hill Park. We agreed with alacrity as meeting outdoors is what's recommended these days. There was a sharp wind, but most of last weekend's foot of snow has disappeared, other than piles of it due to plowing or shoveling. 

In the flower beds the earliest flowers are blooming - primulas in bright shades of yellow, purple, and white, and the hellebores are magnificent. In our own garden they are not nearly this far along so I admired them greatly.

How surprised I was to see a couple of peacocks standing like statues in a bed along the path. They barely moved when I stopped to take a photo.

As we continued walking we saw many more peacocks and peahens. Such a brilliant blue colour. And the detail of their headdress is amazing. We saw at least 40 of them, especially near the bandshell where a number of them perched on green benches as if waiting for a concert to begin. 

Moving along the pathway, we stopped to watch ducks in the water. Lots and lots of ducks, mallards and wigeons, and they all came running at the first glimpse of birdseed. Five great blue herons perched like grumpy old men in a tree above the pond, motionless other than for their feathers blowing softly in the wind. 

The grandchildren ran ahead and climbed trees and rocks, fed ducks, slid down playground slides and ziplines, and used up far more energy than we adults. Such delight.

How perfectly lovely it was to come across these prunus blossoms, a sign that spring is well and truly on her way. Hooray! 

We ended our walk at the iconic Beacon Hill Cafe where ice cream has been served for over 25 years. The children stuck with the traditional fare, while the adults opted for coffee or in my case, hot chocolate. A warming end to a windy, but fun walk. 

Travel Memories - Godollo

 

Rudbeckia in full bloom at Godollo Palace

Are you in a heat wave or a cold snap? I thought we could take a little trip to the town of Godollo, just 25 minutes from Budapest today. 

The summer of 2019 was blisteringly hot in central Europe. In a bit of serendipity, the double booking of our first vacation apartment had us eventually finding a really lovely brand new and air-conditioned apartment southwest of Budapest's city centre. We thoroughly appreciated the coolness after walking many miles each day around the city. 

Every day during our stay we walked several blocks toward the Danube to catch a yellow tram into the city. It was a straight line to the centre and we became quite comfortable with it. On our last full day in Hungary we booked an excursion to Godollo, a home beloved by Sissi, also known as Empress Elisabeth of Austria during the late 19th century. Godollo is one of the largest examples of Hungarian palace architecture. 

As we waited for the tram we chatted about our day and when the bus arrived, hopped on without a thought. 

But wait, this tram had newer seats and looked different. Were we on the correct bus? When the tram took a turn up Haller Street instead of going straight, we knew we were not. At the first stop we hopped off. This was the only day we had a deadline to meet - our tour. Tim pulled up Google maps and we decided that we could walk quickly and avoid waiting for another tram. We did make it to the tour bus on time, in fact, in plenty of time.  

The bus to Godollo contained both English and Spanish speakers, with a guide for each language group. The strongly accented "English-speaking" guide was so difficult to understand that we decided to go with the Spanish-speaking group. (We both speak Spanish, although guides look at us and try to shoo us into the English group wherever we go.) Our guide was very knowledgeable and shared interesting stories and information about the palace, a summer residence for the Austrian royal family, and about Sissi's life. Like Marie Antoinette, Sissi found the public scrutiny of palace life in Vienna difficult and she often retreated to Godollo where things were simpler and she could ride her beloved horses.  

The palace is beautiful and filled with light. Construction began in 1733 in the Baroque style. The public area of the palace comprises just 23 rooms of this vast complex. During the second World War the palace was used to house Soviet and later, Hungarian soldiers. During the excessive cold of the winter of 1945 flooring was removed and burned for fuel. In Vienna, American soldiers did the same to the Schonbrunn palace. It was a desperate time.  

Our tour director led us up these stairs to the first floor location of the tour. No photos were allowed at this point, but there are various photos around the internet if you are interested. 

After the tour we wandered around the extensive gardens. Did I mention how hot it was? This statue of Empress Elisabeth highlights her tiny waist. She was obsessed with her appearance and reduced her waist, after having four children, to 20 inches, with the help of corsets and extreme dieting. Her hair was a source of pride and she often complained of headaches because of the weight of it piled into braids on top of her head. Her beauty regimes were interesting and often bizarre. You can read more of them here. 

Although excessively interested in her looks, Sissi also played a role in the political sphere and influenced (or tried to influence) her husband Archiduke Franz Joseph I to consider the rights of the Hungarian people, and helped in the formation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the end, after 44 years as Empress, Sissi was assassinated in Geneva. 

Before going to Budapest, I read The Accidental Empress and Sisi: Empress on her Own, both by Allison Pataki. These are fictionalized accounts of her life, but with many details taken from history. 

Snow Days

 

Snow has fallen for two days, at times lightly, at times heavily, with fat flakes that splat against the window. I don't know the official accumulation, but in our garden there is at least 12 inches. Children (including our grands) are ecstatic: snowmen and snow-forts appear on many front lawns. Hills, even slight ones, bear evidence of gleeful sliding and trudging back up to do it all again. On my walk today everyone I met had a big smile and commented on the gorgeous snow. I know there are those who detest snowy days, but I believe they are huddled in their homes and not out enjoying it. It is treacherous to be driving - with so few snow days each winter, our area is not equipped with sufficient plows and removal equipment. People stay off the streets as much as possible. 

I find the snow incredibly beautiful. I love the way it transforms the landscape into something magical, blurring hard lines and reducing colour to contrasts of black, grey, and white. There's great conviviality as everyone clears off sidewalks and driveways, and takes time to lean on a shovel and converse with the neighbours. It's a jolly time. 

I'll leave you to enjoy these snowy scenes from walks taken in the past two days, and a few from my garden, accompanied by some favourite snowy day quotations.

A snow day, literally and figuratively,

falls from the sky

unbidden,

and seems like a thing of wonder.

Susan Orlean

Winter came down to our home one night

Quietly pirouetting in

on silver-toed slippers of snow

And we, we were children once again.

Bill Morgan, Jr.

Out of the bosom of the air,

out of the cloud-folds of her garment shaken,

Over the woodlands brown and bare

Over the harvest-fields forsaken

Silent, and soft, and slow

Descends the snow.

Longfellow

But now she loved winter. Winter was beautiful "up back" - almost intolerably beautiful. Days of clear brilliance. Evenings that were like cups of glamour - the purest vintage of winter's wine. Nights with their fire of stars. Cold, exquisite winter sunrises.

L.M. Montgomery

Snow was falling, so much like stars

filling the dark trees, that

one could easily imagine

its reason for being was

nothing more than prettiness

Mary Oliver

And since it's Valentine's Day, what's better than coming home to a cup of tea and a pretty cupcake (created by a daughter) to savour in front of the fire. 

Five on Friday: Chilly Days

 

Living on the west coast, I really can't complain about cold temperatures. Family in other provinces and regions would laugh themselves silly at our bemoaning temperatures just below freezing. Be that as it may, it's much colder than normal, with a wind that drives to the bone. 

Late Wednesday morning I looked outside to see fat flakes of snow drifting down. The snow flurry continued throughout the afternoon, but only a light coat remained on the ground overnight. I took a turn around the garden and found this first anemone drooping in the cold, but such a rich colour that contrasted beautifully with the bit of snow. 

During the night the wind rose and I awoke in the wee hours with it howling around the corners of the house. The breeze from the open-just-a-crack window was fresh indeed! 

We have a Meyer Lemon Tree growing in a sheltered spot. It's covered for more than half the year, and a string of old-fashioned Christmas lights (the ones that emit heat) are wound about the branches and connected to a timer that comes on when temperatures read just above freezing. The lights cycle off and on during the cold weather. This is our second lemon tree, and in its second year, so quite small. We uncovered the first one too soon one spring and unexpected cold temperatures killed it. Tim put an extra covering over the tree this week as a bit of extra protection. 

Indoors, there's been a little sewing. Some experimentation with the new serger, and continued work on a red and white four-patch quilt. I gathered a collection of scraps and stitched up a new pin cushion with a matching scissor keeper. The embroidery scissors were a Christmas gift from our youngest daughter and her family. Such a pretty pair, and so sharp and pointed. I love using them. 

There's been considerable reading, as well. I discovered Cynthia Harrod-Eagle's novels set during World War I, and raced through all six of them. They are easy-to-read, and give a picture of life in England during those terrible years, and of the weariness of the war that went on for so long. "Raisin Wine" is the story of one of our Governor Generals and I'm just beginning it. The others I've not yet begun. "Jedidiah Days" is about living on an island that we hope to visit this summer in our boat. 

Sometimes it seems there is a dearth of good reading material and I can't settle to anything. That is NOT the case lately, as I've found so many good books to read in my library. They have to be ordered online, and after I get the email notice of their arrival I pop in to check them out. "The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman was good, although not as good as some of the reviews indicated. A good premise for a book, though. 

One of my co-workers gave me a vase of purple tulips on my last day of teaching. They've been in the front hall and are now done, but I love the way the colours intensify, and the petals thin like aging skin, and curl and twist so artistically. Tomorrow they will go on the compost heap. 

Tonight again the wind races up and down the street with great gusts. Tomorrow night and into Saturday snow is in the forecast. We'll see how much we actually get. I hope enough to cover the ground and make everything pretty for a day or two. 

Is is spring-like where you live, or is winter having a last blast? Or perhaps you are in the southern hemisphere and enjoying the last days of summer.