9 January - A Look Back to Our Trip - King's Landing, NB

 

Wind howled around the house all night long and throughout today. Ferries were cancelled, 12,000 customers lost electricity, and it was a good day to reflect back on the summer. 

After leaving Quebec, we traveled to the small village of Hartland, New Brunswick, home to the world's longest covered bridge. Built in 1901, it was first used in an emergency. An urgent need for a doctor on the opposite side of the St. John River had the construction crew lay down planks so the doctor could drive across in his horse and buggy. 

The bridge is 1282 feet (390 metres) long. Our visit was on a rainy day and it was nice to walk while protected from the wet. 

Our next stop in New Brunswick was King's Landing, a 300-acre site with over 70 historical buildings moved from various places. The village presents life as it was in the mid-19th century. 

All of the buildings were brought here from somewhere else, and the stories presented in each building are based on the families who once lived and worked in them. 

Costumed re-enactors played their parts well. They cooked, stitched, and worked as they would have done 200 years ago. It was enjoyable to interact with them and learn about the daily lives of people from a variety of walks of life. 

In one home a gardener demonstrated saving seeds. Dried flowers were available for purchase. 

We wandered up and down stairs, through houses, barns, churches, shops, and even a printer's establishment. There we were able to print bookmarks for ourselves. 

Although it was a humid, sticky day, the re-enactors baked bread, made soup, and worked as their predecessors would have. Tim enjoyed seeing the carpenters work with old tools fashioning furniture, repairing windows and doors, and also blacksmithing. 

I always enjoy seeing table settings and pretty china dishes.

This house had a beautiful view over the river. 

Meticulous care was taken in moving the buildings. In case of this stone house, each stone was numbered and removed, then reassembled just as it had been originally. 

What I like most about history is learning about the way people lived daily life. Throughout the centuries, we have always been concerned about shelter and food; only the methods and details have changed. People of the past felt the same emotions we do, and faced many of the same challenges. 

Do you enjoy history? What about it appeals to you?

8 January - A Good Day for Something Warming

 

No snow arrived, but there's been a lot of rain making the day rather dark and dreary. Fires inside, lots of tea, and a delicious bowl of warming chicken and vegetable stew with a hint of Middle Eastern flavour for dinner. It was hearty and warming, just the ticket for a wintry night. A bit of preserved lemon added a bit of zing, but that's easy to leave out should you wish. I've added the recipe to my recipe blog, found by clicking the link above. 

I spent the day mostly indoors, doing some rearranging and organizing. 

Just before Christmas I treated myself to this book - Nature Tales for Winter Nights. I love the art on the cover. The author, Nancy Campbell collected these tales at a time when she "wanted to nestle into the words of others. I would read to travel deep into winter without suffering its dearth." 

The first excerpt is from Anne Frank who wrote on the 24th of December 1943 "Whenever someone comes in from outside, with the wind in their clothes and the cold on their cheeks, I feel like burying my head under the blanket to keep from thinking, 'When will we be allowed to breathe fresh air again?'" She, hidden away for protection, did not have the luxury we have to go in and out as we please. I am very glad that I can go out into the cold and return to warmth. 

Looking at the table of contents, I see other selections from authors I know, such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Susan Fenimore Cooper, Vincent Van Gogh, along with many with whom I am not familiar, but look forward to getting to know. 

7 January - Afternoon Hike

 

Walking is a daily routine for us, but sometimes we want to go a bit further afield. Today we drove a few miles north to John Dean Provincial Park. Although cloudy skies prevailed, no rain fell, and the temperature was perfect for what turned out to be a strenuous 2-plus hour hike. 

My watch informed me that we climbed the equivalent of 92 staircases today, and 12,492 steps. I won't argue with the numbers because I can feel some tiredness in my legs even now, several hours later. 

Large white mushrooms nestled against a fallen log.

The long scars seen on the trees are strips of Yellow Cedar harvested by the First Nations Peoples. They use the bark strips to produce threads, sometimes dyed, for clothing, mats, blankets, and hats. Through long years of experience the First Nations learned how to harvest bark without killing the trees. 

A small ferry that carries a dozen or so cars travels across the Saanich Inlet. 

By 3:30 pm the light was fading, but still glowed on the long stretch of the inlet. On the right side of the photo a few buildings show where Brentwood Bay is, close to Butchart Gardens. 

The evening has been a quiet one; some television, some reading, and a simple supper. We'll sleep well tonight. 

6 January - Books and Hyacinths

 

A pale blue hyacinth is beginning to bloom. It's rather stunted, but fragrant. Behind the flower the string of lights on the patio railing forms lovely bokeh. 

After yesterday's rain, today has been sunny which always makes getting out for a walk more appealing. We passed a group of people doing Tai Chi in the park. Such controlled and graceful movements. 

My current stack of books. Surprisingly, all non-fiction other than Winter Solstice which I've nearly completed. I'll be ready for some good mysteries when I've read through this stack. The Last Secret of the Annex is finished, and I've just skimmed through The Betrayal of Anne Frank as there is much of the same material. I'm reading Israel slowly, a bit at a time, in an effort to gain more understanding of the current conflict. The Last Island is a local book about a biologist's experience on one of the small islands to the north of our large island. 

There are bookshelves in most rooms of the house, and some serious shifting around is going to happen soon. Tim has built in bookcases on either side of the kitchen fireplace and I'll be consolidating books. For the past year or two the shelves seen above have made me smile when I walk by them for they are organized by colour more than anything. Whimsical and fun. I'm sure a librarian would be horrified. 

5 January - Weaknesses

 

Yesterday's sunshine gave way to a steady drizzle today. In spite of that I was out planting garlic cloves. Usually they are planted in the autumn months, but I was late last year, too, and gardening experts around here say it's fine. I wanted to get them tucked in before a cold snap arrives next week. 

One hellebore, Ice and Roses, is blooming profusely. My other two plants, both white, are still tight buds hugging the ground. A little posy of hellebores and candy tuft add life to my kitchen windowsill. 

On another blog I read The Weaver of Grass, Pat asked, "What are your weaknesses? What can you not resist?" I thought it would be fun to ask the same question of my readers. Here are a few things I find hard to resist:

1. Books - I try to borrow as many from the library as possible, but some I like to read and re-read, and so my bookshelves are full. 

2. Potato Chips - aka Crisps in the UK and Europe - An open bag of these is irresistible. I love the crunch and the saltiness. So I try not to purchase them very often.

3. Chocolate - I eat a bit every day, preferably 78% dark. Just a square signals the end of eating after dinner and is most satisfying. Chocolate desserts are my favourites. 

4. Fabric - I am inspired to purchase fabric beyond what I produce with it. This year I have a goal of using up and not purchasing more. We'll see how far I get with it. 

5. Pretty stationery - Note cards and journals (especially journals). And lovely pens and pencils to go along with them. A freshly sharpened pencil is a beautiful thing. 

Now it's your turn. Do tell. 

4 January - Sunshine!

 

To my delight, the sun peeked out for a few hours today. I took a walk through my garden and surprise - snowdrops are blooming. My neighbour has a large patch of them beside the road and I'd like to ask her if I could transplant some to increase my paltry clump. I've read that you are supposed to divide them "in the green" right after they've flowered. 

Raindrops hung on rosehips which are fat and red this year. 

I went for a walk with my eldest daughter and her daughter while the sun shone and the wind blew. It really felt like spring. However, there are rumours of a cool down to more normal temperatures and perhaps even some snow. I'd love that! 

Meanwhile, green is the colour of the day, from bright moss to lawns that look better than they ever do in the heat of summer to the weeds that are growing in my vegetables beds. 

I've been reading about bitterly cold temperatures in Scandinavia and lots of rain and wind in the UK and Europe. Whatever the weather, I hope you are warm and cozy. 

3 January 2024

 

Five energetic grandchildren arrived at 9:30 this morning. Although the eldest is 10 years older than the youngest, the cousins all do well together. First up was a craft that the younger two could get involved in - rocking paper birds. Everyone coloured and glued and cut, resulting in a small flock of unique birds. 

A walk to the playground was next. The youngest is beginning to realize that she can't keep up with the others no matter how hard she tries. "I'm coming!" is an oft-repeated refrain. These four girls and one boy are such delights. On the way home the older ones climbed a tree to "escape" from the younger ones who were fierce tigers racing after gazelles. 

After lunch the two little ones went home and the elder three made dioramas, at their request. The dining room table was awash with all sorts of bits and pieces to add to their creations - I'm happy for them to use up whatever I have on hand. 

After a movie and pizza supper, they left and I collapsed on the couch. Whew! A fun day is exhausting. I'll spend the rest of the evening reading and sipping tea. I'll sleep well tonight!

2 January, 2024

 

Dull weather outdoors, with a fine mizzle falling. A good day for indoor pursuits and cups of tea. A decade or so ago I received a pottery teapot that I used every day and loved. Alas, it cracked, and I replaced it with a more modern looking pot. Flat lid with no handle that fell out often, and it dripped terribly. A poor choice. 

For Christmas my husband gave me a new teapot from Murchies - a local tea emporium. The lid stays firmly on even when I pour the last dregs of tea, and it doesn't drip at all. It's so pretty, too. It's the little things that make everyday life run smoothly. 

While out for lunch one day, I ordered a Waldorf Chicken Salad and it was so good that I've made it at home twice since then. Just a Granny Smith apple, cubed cooked chicken, two stalks of celery, a few toasted pecans, and dried cranberries. Today I substituted pomegranate seeds for the cranberries. Then a simple dressing of yogurt, mayonnaise, a bit of vinegar and honey, salt, and curry powder. So refreshing after a week or more of heavy food. 

More of Christmas is being tidied away each day. Tomorrow the grandchildren are coming over for a day of fun. It will be busy!

January 1, New Year's Day

 

How has this first day of 2024 treated you? Well, I hope. It was a quiet day here. The two of us did stay up until midnight, then fell asleep listening to distant fireworks. A slow morning followed by a long walk. 

Our visit with my parents and siblings on the mainland was a lovely time. While there, the two of us took another walk, around Mill Lake. Common Mergansers glided along so smoothly. 

Northern Shovelers made us laugh. They scoot across the water, beak just barely submerged as if sweeping the water for anything good to eat. A lot of time their heads were completely below the water and they turned in circles so fast that I would have been utterly wretched with dizziness. 

Today I also went out to the garden and took a look around. Picked some lettuce and spinach for a salad, and discovered some lovely looking turnips. They are washed and ready to cook. 

There has been some puzzling - a rather large 1500 piece puzzle that I hope I can finish. This evening I'm seated by the fire finishing off this post before pulling out Nigel Slater's Christmas Chronicles and Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. Old favourites that I love to re-visit. 

Barbara at Coastal Ripples is beginning a blog a day for January, so I thought I'd join her and see how far I get. Day One is done!

A Week of Memories

 

In no particular order thanks to Blogger this morning, a few memories of Christmas week. Enjoying Cardamom Buns and coffee/tea while we open gifts in the morning has become a recent tradition. Not too sweet and fragrant with cardamom, the platter disappears in a hurry. 

Early on Christmas Eve morning Tim and I drove to the beach to catch the sunrise. We were not expecting much due to the cloud cover, but WOW, what an amazing gift to see Mount Baker and other peaks across the Strait of Georgia glowing in the light. Intense colour and form. 

Twinkly scenes at home with angels proclaiming the good news of Christ's birth. Soft lights gleaming on the mantel. A host of Christmas memories seen in the various ornaments on the tree. 

Evenings with hot chocolate for two. A Christmas feast of various appetizers and goodies contributed by all of us meant that no one had to do a lot of work. Gales of laughter. Shining eyes of littles and bigs as they opened their gifts.

Dinners with friends. Glow of candlelight sparkling off crystal. Walks on beaches and hills. Memories of Christmas to tuck away. I've been pondering some of the moments in these quiet days between the years, and I hope you are enjoying yours. 

Off today on a ferry for another celebration with my parents and siblings. 

The Eve of the Eve of Christmas Eve

 

Friday evening. No snow at all this year, rather, it's been unseasonably warm. Some rain, and I'm glad for the fires that keep us comfortable indoors. 

My teaching gig ended today around noon, and I handed over my keys, skipped out of school, and headed out to finish the last little bit of shopping. All done now, other than a quick grocery run early tomorrow morning. 

I spent a few hours this afternoon wrapping gifts. They are stacked on the dining room table and tomorrow I'll pretty them up with tags and embellishments. That's the fun part. 

There comes a point each year when the lists are set aside and what's still undone is left undone. I sent off Christmas cards to a certain point in my address book, but ran out of cards, purchased more, but never got back to writing them. I'll send notes in the new year. It's time to enjoy. Preparations are mostly finished - there will be a final tidying up of the house and some last minute cooking. Then, Christmas Eve, full of quietness before the joyous hullabaloo of gathering on Christmas Day. 

And so, I wish you all a most merry and festive Christmas. 

It Comes and Goes

 

I love this season of the year. Advent, with all its heart-focused preparations for Christmas, is deeply meaningful. Then there are the physical plans - considering gifts to make or buy for loved ones, filling the freezer with cookies and other treats, and decorating the house with lights and festive greenery. All this can add up to overly busy days.

On top of all the preparations, I want to feel Christmassy. I want to be excited about the season, to revel in the glow of lights, to find myself smiling throughout the day. I've learned, however, that feelings come and go, and to be okay with that. Christmas doesn't mean that frustrations, difficulties, and sorrows disappear. Indeed, sometimes hard things are magnified by the expectations of the season. Walking under the stars (or in falling snow), sitting quietly by the fire, hearing Christmas music in the stores, or just being content puttering away in my home are moments when that elusive "Christmas spirit" fills me with a measure of happiness. I am learning to be content with those moments, knowing that they will pass, but also that they will come again. 

This week I made Almond Crescents, a recipe from my mom. Not too sweet, but nutty and buttery - a lovely treat. Last night I packaged up cookies and treats and put them into small tins to share with friends. What fun that was!

We decorated the Christmas tree this week, always a real one. It's on the small side so I chose the most meaningful ornaments to hang on it - "Remember this one," he or I would say?

I'm mindful of the BeeGee's song lyrics 

"When I was small, and Christmas trees were tall..." 

"Now we are tall, and Christmas trees are small..."

And so the years are counted in stories told and memories cherished. And the happiness comes and goes. And that's just fine.

Christmas Inside and Outside

 

A recent walk took us to Tod Inlet where fog crept wraith-like along the shore, swirling up into the forest and down again. Sparse light filtered through the clouds, just enough to make silvery reflections on the old moss-covered pilings in the inlet. 

Nature's decorations - red berries touched with crystal-like water droplets. 

The new fireplace surround and mantel

Inside, a little bit of decorating is happening. We are having some work done on the house this next week and I don't want to put up a tree and other decorations only to have them coated with dust or have to remove them. By Wednesday we will be able to put the house back together. 

The old fireplace surround and mantel, last year at Christmas

Tim finished the fireplace update, diminishing the profile a little and putting in a more neutral porcelain tile in place of the black marble. Just now, as I sit in my chair, a fire glows and the lights shine in the gathering darkness. Red velvet cushions on the sofa add colour and coziness. 

It's a busy time of year - students are becoming restless, eager for the Christmas break - and teachers are not immune, either. School goes late this year, right to the 22nd. 

Here at home the baking has begun, with rugelach, shortbread, rum balls, and marshmallow roll in the freezer. Every day I read a little - this week I finished SJ Bennett's All the Queen's Men, a cozy mystery that takes place at the royal estate in Sandringham at Christmas. A great way to relax in the evening. 

And with you? How are things? 

Welcome December

 

December begins, and with it, preparations and celebrations. A week ago we attended a performance by The Tenors, a wonderful spectacle of music and light. It was fun to get dressed up a little and go out for the evening. 

Last month the family got together to celebrate a few birthdays. Our eldest granddaughter is cooking all kinds of delicious things these days and she made the cake for the party. It tasted even better than it looked. How grown up she is. This weekend there will be another get together to celebrate her birthday and that of her youngest cousin who just turned three. 

In the garden a rose bud slowly opens. We've had a mild and sunny November. Today, however, the sun has been elusive, peeking out once in awhile, but mostly hiding behind grey rain clouds. 

Teaching four days per week (that will end on Dec 21) is causing me some concern about getting ready for Christmas. I've decided that doing a little something every day will get me there. I've pulled the red and white dishes in the dining room, and will add some greenery in the next few days. 

There's a bit of sewing going on - the traditional pajamas for the grandchildren - and a wee bit of crafting. Much of the shopping is complete. 

Outside, I've filled the pots with greenery and holly sprigs from our garden. A wreath base is made and I'll hang that this weekend after adding some holly and rose hips. Baking is beginning - shortbread and rugelach to start with. 

I love this month of the year and want to savour the moments. Advent begins on Sunday, a time of waiting. Little by little the month opens towards Christmas, the celebration of Christ's birth. Longing, anticipation, quietness, joy, and busyness mingle in this month. I leave you with a quote by Diane Ackerman "December offers a banquet for the senses, and many chances to lose oneself in the plain deliciousness of life - all the sights and smells of the season, from wood fires to baking."