October Daily 18: Help on the Fashion Front

 

Like most women, I care about the way I look. I'm no fashion plate, but I want to present my best self to the world. In June I began feeling very frumpy and felt like I needed something to jumpstart my style. 

I dress in a fairly understated way, favouring classic pieces over trends. YouTube is full of fashion consultants and advisors, many for women over 50 or 60. I looked at a few of them and nothing really resonated until I discovered Marie-Anne Lecoeur, a Frenchwoman whose style is classic and elegant. 

She has 500 videos on YouTube on a plethora of subjects. Some of my favourites include: defining elegance and inelegance, style hints, posture, eating to lose and/or maintain weight like a Frenchwoman, and so much more. Below are a few links.

7 Ways to be Elegant and Chic

10 Ways to Dress Better

French Women Don't Get Fat: The Big Diet Secret Others Don't Tell You

Marie-Anne is down-to-earth, humorous, and cares about others. She is very encouraging and knows what she is talking about. She also has a website with Masterclasses about dressing for your body shape and so much more. She offers a free course on determining your body shape that I found very useful. 

I am usually the one behind the camera, but once in awhile my husband takes it from me to snap my photo. I'm not fond of myself in photos as I can always see something wrong with the way I look, but I'm trying to get over that and just smile. Here we've been camping and my hair is frizzed and my makeup non-existent, but I'm smiling and happy and that's what's most important. I made donuts for a special breakfast treat on our family camping trip in July.

I've been inspired by Marie-Anne to think carefully about how I want to look, and how best to put that into practice. I appreciate Marie-Anne's advice about looking chic and elegant no matter what your clothing budget. 

This post is completely my own opinion, with no remuneration, but I wanted to give a shout out to Marie-Anne and encourage you, if you need a style pick-me-up, to check out her many videos and style advice. 

I'd love to know what you think about fashion.

October Daily 17: A Grey Sunday Outing along the Songhees Walkway

 

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see." John Burroughs

Today's walk along the Inner Harbour of downtown Victoria, took us along the Songhees Walkway. The path took us in and out of small bays, along raised boardwalks, past Garry Oak preserves, all set against an urban landscape of towering apartment buildings, marinas, and restaurants. 

On a day like today, with rain-washed luminous grey skies, it was a busy place. There is much to see along the way. Benches and the gazebo above provide resting spots, if needed. 

With the leaves falling, falling, falling, the wasp nest is exposed. Will someone come to remove it? 

A painted mural near the West Bay Marina highlights the boats of the past, from sail to steamship. 

We watched a float plane taxi out of the harbour, picking up speed when allowed, and up it lifted, effortless, for a short hop to Vancouver. 

A row of pilings points to the Coast Guard ship at dock across the water. 

Big boats, little boats, harbour ferries - it's a busy place, even on a quiet Sunday afternoon. 

We stood and watched a squabble between a heron and a gull. Round and round they circled, chasing each other, the heron's neck outstretched and the gull flapping wildly. I don't know what the issue was, but after a bit they flew off in separate directions. 

The rain held off during our walk and how lovely it was to return home to a cup of tea and a piece of apple cake, enjoyed in a warm home with the best of company. 

How did you spend your Sunday afternoon?

October Daily 16: Saturday Doings and Seedy Crackers

 

I woke up a bit late this morning and Tim had already come up with a plan. We walked along the water in Sidney, then enjoyed a breakfast sandwich and tea/coffee at Starbucks. It was windy and rainy, but not cold. Something a bit different. 

I read this lighthearted mystery this week and loved it. It looks like there will be more in the series - hooray! 

It's been a rough few weeks with the two little girls who have had long-lasting colds and the younger one is teething. We invited the family over for a casual supper this evening. Iris loves watching the little videos from the Jacquie Lawson Advent Calendar (yes, for almost a year!). Today I set her up with my computer and showed her how to choose the videos by touching the circles. When she finished one, she sat back and said, "That was pretty fun." 

A number of people asked for the recipe for the seedy crackers in yesterday's post, so here it is. I believe the original recipe is from an Oh, She Glows book or post, but I've adapted it considerably. 

Seedy Crackers 

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (I use toasted and salted)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (ditto)

1/2 cup raw sesame seeds

1/2 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup hemp hearts (optional)

2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon Xanthum Gum (this helps hold the crackers together a bit more. It can be left out, but the crackers are more fragile and you might want to make them thicker.)

2 Tablespoons soy sauce plus enough water to measure 1 cup

seasonings to taste - you can add garlic powder (about 1 teaspoon), or fresh garlic, minced, or other herbs

Stir everything together in a bowl and let sit for about 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly again, then spread on parchment lined baking sheets.

You'll notice that I spread mine on two baking sheets - I found it easier for turning them later. Use an offset spatula to press and spread out the mixture evenly. They should be about 1/8-inch thick. 

Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. I then remove them from the oven and cut them into quarters and carefully flip them over. Bake another 10 - 15 minutes, until almost crisp. Cut them into squares and return them to the oven for 5--10 minutes until crisp through. Cool and store in a tightly sealed container. 

I use a bench scraper for cutting them and that works well. They are fragile, and there will be some breakage, but the seed crumbs are yummy on a salad or in soup. 

If you use gluten free soy sauce, you'll have a gluten free cracker for your friends that can't tolerate gluten. 

October Daily 15: Cozy Pursuits

 

Soft rain has fallen intermittently throughout all the grey day. A good day for soup. This morning I halved and seeded a butternut squash, cut a peeled onion in two, drizzled olive oil over them, wrapped a goodly amount of garlic cloves in foil, and roasted the lot for just under an hour. 

This afternoon I separated the squash from its peel, squished the roasted garlic from its papers, added the onions and a bit of water, then simmered for 30 minutes before adding a can of coconut milk and blitzing the mixture. Stir in salt and pepper and a tablespoon of soy sauce. Serve with toasted pumpkin seeds and a slice of sourdough bread. 

Seedy crackers, grain-free, are from a recipe I got from my youngest daughter. I adapted it a little and like to keep a jar full of them to eat with soup, cheese, or a spread of peanut butter. I bought something similar at the store and looked at the ingredients and thought I could make them myself for a much more reasonable cost. We're quite happy with this version. 

I spent the morning in my sewing room, finishing up a couple of projects that have been languishing for far too long. One of them was a shirt for myself that needed only buttonholes and buttons. The card of buttons is vintage and I'm not quite sure where they came from, but it was time to use them. They are mother-of-pearl, and quite uneven. It felt good to get those projects finished!

A couple of weeks ago I stitched up two little owls for Iris and Cora. They have pockets and for Iris I put in a few stickers. They are soft and squishy, and made from old wool sweaters that I felted in the washing machine and scraps of lace. 

Cozy pursuits for a rainy day. What do you like to do when it rains?

October Daily 14: Autumn Days

 

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." 
Anne of Green Gables

These are the cozy days. Temperatures drop and I wrap myself in a warm sweater. At night cold air drifts in through the open window and I pull the covers close around my neck. It's the season for copious cups of tea. 

Novels such as Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte are so full of the stormy weather that makes for good autumn reading. Sometimes I dip in and out of the stories where descriptions of gloomy woods, sighing winds, and bleak hilltops are contrasted with immense fires and the glow of candlelight. On a stormy afternoon, I have, on occasion, bundled up like a brave heroine and gone for a walk in the wind and rain, feeling very Bronte-ish. 

Other days are tinged with gold and remind me of September by Rosamunde Pilcher. L. M. Montgomery's novels of Anne often feature good seasonal descriptions - I think of the scene in Anne of the Island where she is at college and brings up a plate of crisp apples to eat by the fire. Such homey scenes are so satisfying to read.

When I studied for my French degree, I read a story by Colette - Un Soir (One Night) - describing a fireside scene into which two travelers are welcomed. It's full of sensory details that draw the reader into the scene.

"Une vieille eau-de-vie de prune, le café encore brûlant nous firent presque intimes. La lumière électrique, rare dans la région, l'odeur du tabac blond, des fruits, du bois résineux qui flambait, je goûtais ces charmes familiers comme les dons d'une île nouvelle. "

"An aged plum brandy, the coffee scorching hot, made us almost intimate friends. The electric light, rare in the region, the scent of blond tobacco, of fruit, of burning resinous wood - I tasted these familiar delights as if they were gifts of a new island."

"Is this not a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love - that makes life and nature harmonise." George Eliot

Brenda, from Life is Beautiful wrote a post about autumn reading that had me nodding my head in agreement. I'm sure you will nod, too, when you read her lovely words.

I also enjoy books that feature musings and meandering essays on the seasons - I think of Gladys Taber and her Stillmeadow books. 

An "atmospheric river" is headed our way this weekend. In regular language, that's a lot of rain. We'll be engaged in cozy indoor pursuits - books and sewing, baking and puttering, and perhaps a mug of hot chocolate as accompaniment. There will likely be a walk or two in between the raindrops, or among them.

I very much enjoyed my day of teaching and hope for more over the next months. It's always nice to know that I can say no if I have other plans. 

Do you have books you enjoy reading seasonally? 

October Daily 13: Heron in the Mist

 

"He felt himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams." (J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Rings)

Mist makes a familiar landscape mysterious. On this particular morning at Elk Lake, fog came and went, shape-shifting - now revealing, now obscuring.

I walked along the lakeshore towards the heron who stood knee-deep in the water, motionless, but very aware of my presence. The mist drained sound and colour from the landscape, turning all to muted shades of grey. 

 

Silently, suddenly, the heron lifted off the water, spreading his great wings wide, long legs dangling and neck outstretched as he flew away in the fog. 

 

I am glad to come in from the cold to a fire and a hot cup of tea. Summer days are definitely past, and autumn full here. One morning this week I looked out to frost on the roofs. I feared for the dahlias and zinnias, but it didn't touch them, and I am glad. 

Tomorrow will be a busy day - I was called to substitute teach. I just added my name to the list, and this is my first call. It will be a bit strange to be back in the school where I taught, but I'm looking forward to it. 

Has the temperature fallen below freezing yet in your area?

October Daily 12: Square Kilometres and Pumpkins

 

I found this image of the outline of British Columbia, my province, overlaid on various other parts of the world. It gives some inkling of how large the land mass of BC is. I live on the Island outlined in blue in the bottom left of the sketch. 

Our population is 5.2 million, and it's concentrated in a few clusters, particularly southern Vancouver Island (where I live) and the lower mainland, ie Greater Vancouver. In most of BC's regional districts the population density is fewer than 10 people per square kilometre. There's a lot of wilderness!

Yesterday I noticed lots of families in the pumpkin patch beside the road, choosing pumpkins for Halloween. I took this photo on that misty morning last week. The pumpkins are sometimes grown in other fields and placed here for pumpkin hunters to find. 

Isn't this the perfect pumpkin? Wouldn't it make a wonderful carriage for Cinderella? 

What do you do with pumpkins? Decorate? Soup? Pie? 

October Daily 11: On the water

 

This morning we launched the boat and rode to Port Browning on Pender Island for lunch with friends. Cloudy skies and a bit of wind gave way to blue patches and calm seas. The two-hour trip went by quickly for the six of us. 

There are splotches of autumn colour in the forests, although the evergreens continue to dominate. 

Five of our group ordered the burgers that the Port Browning Marina Pub is famous for, but I opted for the fish tacos. Everyone was happy with their selection and we ate outdoors at a picnic table with the warm sun on our faces. There won't be too many more days for that as the month goes on and the weather cools. 

We sailed home under sunny skies, relaxed and contented. This evening's dinner was turkey dinner leftovers, always delicious. 

And so another Thanksgiving holiday weekend ends. Thankfulness persists. 

October Daily 10: And there was feasting and happiness

 

I set the table the night before, and then added a couple of places in the morning when our youngest called to say that the little girls were much better and the whole family would come. Hooray! And so we all gathered around the table, so thankful that we could be together.

After dinner the five grands played on the living room floor and my heart swelled to see them all engaged - the older ones interacting so sweetly with the younger. 

I caught this little moment when Cora put her hand into Felix's. 

There was turkey and all the trimmings, and for dessert, pumpkin pie (brought by our daughter), traditional apple pie, and Apple Frangipane tart. Almost everyone had a little bit of each one, with whipped cream. 

We give thanks to God

 for family and love,

for jobs that we enjoy,

for delicious food and warm clothes to wear,

for friends to share laughter and tears,

for our country of Canada

where we enjoy freedom to worship and celebrate.

Give us hearts that are open to sharing and listening,

Help us to encourage others,

to build up and not tear down.

Give us wisdom to walk each day with purpose and intention.

Now to relax. Happy Thanksgiving!

October Daily 9: On a Misty Morning

 

Late this week wee woke up to our house enshrouded by fog,  and I thought it would be fun to visit Island View Beach, and see the views from there. On the beach the fog dissipated quickly and the sun blazed low and fierce behind me as I walked. 

Gulls making plans for the day.

The sun climbed quickly up the sky. 

I grew up in the BC interior, more familiar with lakes and rivers than the ocean. In Grade Five we learned the poem Sea-Fever by John Masefield, and I developed a romantic interest in the sea that was highly imagined for we rarely, if ever, went there. 

It was in my late 20s, when we lived in Ecuador, that I first spent time at the shore and developed a deep love for the incessant waves, the long sandy beaches, and the salt air. Almost twenty years ago now, we moved to Vancouver Island, and beach took on a whole different meaning. Here were rugged intersections between land and sea, scattered with rocks large and small, and tangles of enormous bull kelp strewn on the sand or drifting in the water. Currents and waves are tumultuous, and everywhere the deep green forests march almost to the water, making the access to land impenetrable in places. 

I love it all. There is nothing like walking a beach, be it sandy or rocky, for unraveling a tangled mind. 

October Daily 8: Thanksgiving Preparations

 

Harvest celebrations have been marked for many many years. First Nations peoples, European villages and towns, and cultures around the world have celebrated the harvest for many years, giving thanks for good yields and food that would see them through the winter. 

The first Thanksgiving celebrated by Europeans in Canada was initiated by the English explorer Sir Martin Frobisher, in 1578, with a meal of salt beef, biscuit, and mushy peas, in gratitude for having safely arrived at what is now Nunavut. 

We'll be enjoying turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and all the trimmings, and giving thanks for God's goodness throughout this past year. 

The family is gathering here - 13 of us, we hope, as one family may not be able to make it because of colds and congestion in the children. 

Today I polished the brass and ironed the linen napkins. As I worked, I thought of Riobamba, Ecuador, where we bought the brass many years ago, and of the linen napkins that once belonged to my mother-in-law and are well over 65 years old. She didn't use them often, but I do, so I doubt they will be in any condition to pass down to my children, should they want them. 

Pie crusts will soon be chilling in the refrigerator, and I made a couple dozen pumpkin-shaped dinner rolls. They are in the freezer and will be warmed before serving them. 

Although the holiday is Monday, we almost always have our dinner on Sunday and Monday is delicious and easy leftovers. 

I love Thanksgiving as it's a wonderful and relaxed time to get together with family. From my experience living the USA for a short time, and living with American ex-pats in Ecuador, I think the US Thanksgiving is imbued with greater significance, more like our Christmas, it seems. Canadians celebrate more during the Christmas season. 

Sir Martin Frobisher's chaplain preached a sermon back in 1578, "exhorting them especially to be thankefull to God for theyre strange and miraculous deliverance in those so dangerous places (sic)."

Certainly, we have all been through much these past 18 months, and can give thanks for so much abundance and protection. 

Tomorrow will be more cooking and a bit of cleaning before everyone arrives on Sunday. 

What's your favourite holiday / feast day?

October Daily 7: Apples

 

Every autumn when I was a child, my parents purchased a box or two of apples. They came in wooden boxes that later made fine storage boxes for garden implements and tools, or beds for dolls. They were stored in the basement cool room, a small room with a vent to the outdoors to allow the cold air in. 

The pale yellow Transparent apples went soft quite quickly and were used for making applesauce. I loved the MacIntosh variety that was better for eating. Biting into one made a satisfying crunch with sweet juice filling my mouth. 

As I grew older, I craved the sour green Granny Smiths, so good for pies. Gala, Pink Lady, and Ambrosia apples are the ones we see in the stores now.

Several years ago we planted a couple of small apple trees, a Liberty and an Akane. We keep them well trimmed so that no ladder is needed to pick the fruit. This year the harvest is plentiful to overflowing. Neighbours and visitors, even the technician that came to work on our Internet connection are all offered a bag of apples. I've filled the fridge drawer with them to keep them crisp longer, but there are still more apples. 

One recipe I make every year is Danish Pastry Apple Squares from the cookbook above. They freeze well and I cut them into squares and freeze them in the containers Tim takes to work.

Of course, we eat them fresh and warm from the oven, too, and that's when they are at their very best. I adapted the recipe slightly and you can find it at my recipe blog by clicking the link above.  

Hooray for apples! Here are a few apple sayings -- 

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Just because you find one bad apple doesn't mean you should give up on the whole tree.

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree. (Martin Luther)

Do you enjoy eating and baking with apples?

October Daily 6: At Hawthorn Time

 

Hawthorn trees in the bog where I walk are thick with berries round and red. I expect the birds will be devouring them over the next month or two. 

I recently finished Melissa Harrison's novel At Hawthorn Time. She skillfully weaves the hopes and trials of four characters into tale that is as much about the countryside setting as it is about the people. It's a slow-paced and thoughtful book with beautiful observations about the natural world of Britain and how nature has nurtured, challenged, and supported humankind through the centuries. 

The book is set in the springtime, when hawthorn trees bloom profusely. The ending is ambiguous, leaving the reader to imagine how the story will finally finish. 

Do you like reading nature books? Any recommendations?

October Daily 5: Scuffling in Leaves

 

When I went out to run some errands just before noon, the wind began to blow, tossing leaves from trees and confounding the maintenance man in the parking lot who attempted to collect the leaves in a tidy pile. Not today.

When leaves collect along the curbs where I walk, I succumb to temptation and scuffle along in them. My husband laughs. There's something about the dry rustle that appeals to the child in me.

This poem, by Rose Fyleman, says it well:

October

The summer is over,

The trees are all bare,

There is mist in the garden

And frost in the air.

The meadows are empty

And gathered the sheaves --

But isn't it lovely

Kicking up leaves!

Is kicking up leaves in your list of autumn delights?