24 January - This and That

 

Some time ago I picked up a discarded library book for older children about Landscape Artists. The 3-year-old and 4-1/2-year old occasionally choose it for me to read. I simplify and skip parts of it. Today, after reading the book, they decided to draw landscapes. "Imaginary landscapes, Nana," they said. We first began with a horizon line. There are brown polka-dotted skies, beautiful pink trees, a mountain, and three people playing in the garden. How I love listening to their chatter. Such wonderful creativity.

Another book read today was The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore. It was first produced as an animated short film, although the book idea came first. Morris loves words and writes in his book every day, "of his joys and sorrow, of all that he knew and everything that he hoped for." It's a lovely, imaginative tale. We follow this literary gem with "Are You A Cow?" which provokes all sorts of giggles. 

This afternoon I stepped out to empty the compost into the bin and ... the sun was shining! What a delight after clouds and rain. I took a little tour around the garden, noticing green shoots here and there. The little golden spires of moss glowed in the light. 

Snowdrops are hale and hearty after the cold spell followed by snow. 

I read a bit of folklore about snowdrops. "We should be wary about bringing them into the house before St. Valentine's Day, as any unmarried females could well remain spinsters."

I've not brought any into the house yet, but may do so soon. I'm not too worried about any possible results. The snowed-upon hellebores are recovering well with plenty of new buds promising flowers soon. 

Is anything blooming in your garden? 

23 January - A Home on the Easternmost Point of Canada

 

Shall we take another look at Newfoundland? On a rare sunny day we visited Cape Spear, site of the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland and Labrador. Built in the 1830s, the square building stands on a rocky cliff overlooking the vast Atlantic Ocean. I was mesmerized by the deep rich blues of the water and the whiteness of the waves breaking on the shore. 

Lighthouses here on the west coast tend to have houses built alongside or adjacent to the lighthouse towers. Here, the lighthouse tower is in the center of the house, easily accessible in any weather. A round tower in the midst of a square building makes for some interestingly shaped rooms. 

Red and yellow paint shades were most common as the ochre used to create the colour was mined locally, and mixed with cod liver oil or seal oil. Can you imagine the smell of the paint? I wonder how long it lingered indoors? 

Damp sea air combined with days of rain meant that drying clothes was often finished in front of the fire. 

I was surprised at how large the house was, with a good-sized living room, an office, dining room, several bedrooms upstairs, and the downstairs bedroom shown above for the assistant lighthouse keeper. 

When I posed the question about wanting to be a lighthouse keeper several days ago, Granny Marigold said she would like to experience the life for about a week. I'm in agreement. A week of isolation would be lovely, months would not. 

I'm attempting to include a video taken at Cape Spear. We sat and watched the waves crescendo and fall for a long while. How small the sea makes us feel. 

22 January - A Quiet Day at Home

 

A day of quiet pursuits at home. Over the weekend I made some gluten-free cookies for my sister and her husband. There are some left and are good with a cup of tea in the afternoon. They use ingredients common in any home, without the special flours that people with celiac disease often use. 

 Food preparation of another sort. The little girls are fond of playing with little dishes and imaginary food just now, so I stitched up some breakfast food from felt. Eggs, strips of bacon, and pancakes with maple syrup and a pat of butter. I'm looking forward to listening to them play with them next time they come by. I think I will add a cluster of blueberries to the breakfast, too. 

I'm a good way through this pleasant book, a simple mystery set at the imaginary home of Agatha Christie and her second husband. Phyllida Bright and admires Christie's detective Poiret very much. When a body turns up in the library, Phyllida uses her own "little gray cells" to solve the crime. 

Once again the rain trickles through the eavestrough and it's a cozy evening by the fire. 

21 January - Clouds, Rain, and Birds

 

The rain is dripping outside this evening, melting all the leftover snow. It's a toss-up between slightly warmer weather and cloudy rainy days, or colder weather and snow with often blue skies. I'll enjoy them both.

We saw at least 15 American Robins in the tree outside the window. They were all fluffed up keeping warm in the chilly weather. I don't know that I've ever seen so many of them together. Are they perhaps confused and migrating north already? I think they had better hunker down somewhere for a few weeks. We could easily get another blast or two of cold weather.

Our walk on Saturday afternoon took us to Island View Beach. Across the water, James Island, shrouded in cloud, still has plenty of snow. 

Gulls, and Barrows Goldeneye Ducks swam in the chilly water, unconcerned by the dull skies. 

Subtle colours in the landscape. Thank you for all your lovely responses to the questions posed in yesterday's post. It's really fun to learn a little bit more about the people who read my blog. 

In a recent post I mentioned making marmalade. Someone asked for the recipe and this BBC Good Food recipe is similar to the one I used, although I did not warm the sugar before adding it. 

We had a good visit with my sister and her husband, catching up on everyday life and also planning a trip we're taking together in June. Planning and anticipation are part of the joy of travel, I find. I don't think I'd like to be whisked away in a surprise adventure without being able to plan ahead. Do you feel that way, too? 

20 January - A Lighthouse Picnic

 

We have guests this weekend - my sister and her husband. So I've prepared another travel post from last summer. 

Part of the fun of our across-Canada trip was being spontaneous. We knew where we were headed and had a rough idea of what we wanted to see along the way. We left space in our planning for doing things we might not have known about beforehand. 

Antigonish, Nova Scotia was our stop for a Sunday afternoon walk along the water. It was hot and muggy, but very pretty, green and lush. After returning to the vehicle we noticed a sign indicating Cape George Point Lighthouse. A narrow winding road took us to a beautiful look-off over the Northumberland Strait. (In Nova Scotia, there are look-offs rather than look-outs.) 

Blue sky appeared and a fresh wind blew away the mugginess. In the distance the faint outline of Cape Breton Island smudged the horizon. What is it about lighthouses that is so appealing? I know that I am always attracted to them, beacons of light and hope standing tall in storms. 

This lighthouse was first built in 1861 and was destroyed by fire in 1907. The replacement lighthouse of 1908 was rebuilt in 1968, so this is not an old lighthouse. We were unable to go into the structure. Most lighthouses are now automated, although I recently read an advertisement for lighthouse keepers on our coastline. 

Reasons for wanting to be a lighthouse keeper included: to watch the migrating sea and bird life along the coast, and to help people. Reasons for not applying for the positions: "Because you think it's romantic, you want to run away from your past and drink yourself to death, or you finally write that novel." Further to that, no alcohol is permitted on lighthouse sites. 

I put together a simple supper and we sat at a wooden picnic table admiring the view and soaking in the warmth of the sun. In a little store in Quebec I had purchased a venison pate - something not available at home. It was delicious with crackers, cheese, olives, and crudites. Other families came with their picnics on this fine Sunday evening and we chatted with them. 

We would have loved to overnight at Cape George Point, but there were no camping facilities. We did manage to find another site elsewhere overlooking the water and witnessed a late sunset streaked with clouds and light. 

Many more lighthouses featured in our travels and I hope to share the most memorable ones with you. Does being a lighthouse keeper appeal to you?

19 January - What We Think

 

Blogging has been so much fun for me. My first post was published waaaay back in March of 2007. I was inspired by all the sewing and craft blogs I'd found and enjoyed. Hence the name of my blog. My writing soon evolved into a "slice of life" blog, but I haven't bothered to change the name. I hope it's a gentle and beautiful place, for that's what I intend it to be.

I've "met" so many wonderful people through blogging, reciprocating comments by visiting your blogs, or comments via email, occasionally. It's a wonderful community we have. But. We only share a teensy tiny slice of our lives. We share what we choose to share. 

Let's play a little "get to know you" better game. I'll pose the questions (and my answers) and you can respond (or not) in the comment section. 

1. What's appealing to your taste buds just now? These days I'm making and eating soups. I could eat soup for almost every meal. Most recently I made a vegetable soup filled with onions, carrots, celery, cabbage, and tomatoes. A vegetarian borscht, you might say. 

2. What do you do for exercise? Walking is my primary form of exertion, although I've added some strength and mobility training. Lucy Wyndham-Read is an English lass with a Youtube Channel who has fun and doable workouts that I enjoy. They are short and varied. I confess that I had to get used to her voice.

3. Are you a list-maker? Definitely. I'm a much better list-maker than list-doer. I love writing things down on paper with a freshly sharpened pencil. And although I may not complete everything on my list, just making the list seems to provide focus for me. 

Your turn soon. I've written on another topic below and then added the questions for your responses at the bottom of the post. 

Further to the point of sharing just bits and pieces of our lives on blogs, I was a wee bit surprised by a comment on yesterday's post. Anonymous Beth, who has never commented before that I can see, wrote "At the risk of sounding censorious, which I really am not intending, where does the posy of gerbera and stocks come from - ie, are they grown under glass, flown in?"

I've been pondering this off and on today - why the question? Does the commenter live locally and want to know where to get them, or is it a subtle nudge to consider greenhouse gases and climate change? I'm curious, and I'm afraid that I took the question to mean the latter. Perhaps I am mistaken. 

Tone, body language, and other non-written communication devices are difficult to express in writing. It behooves us all to be very clear about what we are saying. And if people have questions, my e-mail address is in my profile for a one-to-one conversation.

I do not share my thoughts and opinions on many topics here, wanting a space free of dissent. No one knows my shopping habits or which manufacturers or products I won't purchase, nor my views on politics or environmental issues. It's personal, and not in keeping with the intent of my blog. My posy of flowers delights my eyes and nose, and adds a bit of fresh beauty to my dining room table. I make no apology for them. 

Once again, here are the three questions, put together without my answers, for you to copy and paste and respond to, if you wish. And, if you wish to respond to the other topic, I'm here to listen.

1. What's appealing to your taste buds just now?

2. What do you do for exercise?

3. Are you a list-maker?

18 January - More Snow and Marmalade

 

I ventured out this morning to the grocery store, driving the larger SUV with 4-wheel drive through the sometimes icy, sometimes slushy streets. I grew up in the north. My father taught me how to drive in the snow. Once, I drove his pickup truck to high school and while descending a hill, hit a patch of black ice and the truck spun completely around. Fortunately, there were no other vehicles on the road. I pulled myself together and kept on driving. 

Today, I drove slowly and found it rather fun to be navigating the snowy roads. Other drivers were cautious, too. 

Pink Gerbera daisies and white stock came home with me. How fragrant the stock is. A bit of an indulgence, but oh, so pretty. 

My real reason for venturing out was reading that Seville Oranges were in stock. I spent most of the afternoon making marmalade. While I chopped and stirred, I watched the falling snow outside. It snowed most of the day. By morning rain is predicted. 

I'm happy to fill up my jam shelves as I didn't make any this past summer since we were away. Store-bought jam just doesn't have the same delicious flavour as homemade. Tim had some of the new marmalade (not quite set) on a cheese scone and pronounced it quite satisfactory. 

Do you like making jam or marmalade?

17 January - Snow Day

 

A system moved in from the Pacific bringing lovely snow to our island. With temperatures hovering around freezing, snow makes a big mess here. Streets are icy and people are unaccustomed to driving in such conditions. Schools were mostly cancelled, and people were encouraged to work from home. 

I always feel like it's a holiday when snow comes. Tim and I went for a long walk around the bog while it snowed. I tried to photograph the Spotted Towhee, and so many of the images included spots of falling snowflakes. 

So much beauty in the snow. Mary Oliver writes these lines about snow falling at night: 

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

We noticed a number of branches broken by the weight of the snow. A bit of green moss clung to one, a bit of colour against the black and white landscape. 

Home again to wander around the garden. Snowdrops and hellebores buried by snow. Soft mounds indicate low plants, and everywhere, branches outlined in white. 

Indoors, I made tea and sipped it while looking out the window. A good afternoon for making soup and biscuits. Now, by evening, the snow is already disappearing, shaken off branches, leaving them bare and dark once more. 

16 January - Ducks, Little Girls, Woodpecker

 

On Tuesdays we pick up the little girls from pre-school and bring them home for lunch, naps, and play time. Today we took a turn around the ponds to watch ducks coming in for a landing on the ice (smooth), waddle on the ice (awkward), and gather in the open water spaces. 

They love climbing on rocks, making silly poses, and all sorts of imaginative play. 

One of their most persistent games is Owner/Pet. The pet option varies - today it was tigers, but has been kittens, unicorns, or puppies. They play so well together and make me laugh quietly to myself as I listen to their interactions. I don't want them to ever lose the imaginative way they approach the world, yet I know it is inevitable to some degree. 

Our weather is warming up and another system is moving in tonight that could bring snow, or rain, or freezing rain. One can only wait and see. 

This female Downy Woodpecker is a frequent visitor to our feeding station. I like her elegant outfit and the polka dots on her wing and tail. 

A simple dinner tonight - Beef and Cabbage Skillet, Rice, and a salad, I think. I baked a Banana-Pear Cake while the girls were playing. Then to relax for the evening. 

15 January - Ice

 

The third Monday in January is purported to be the "bluest" day of the year. Today was mostly bright and sunny and a wee bit warmer, making an afternoon walk very pleasant, with no "blue" feelings. I've found that getting outdoors is a good way to boost my mood, if needed. 

There is a low-lying area near us known as Panama Flats. It's a park full of grasses, treed areas, and paths winding in all directions, and some water. When torrential rain falls, the Flats are flooded, protecting the higher ground all around. After our cold snap, the shallow waters are frozen, enabling skaters to twirl and glide at will. We went out early this evening and watched young and not-so-young hockey players, families with gas fire rings, and skaters of all abilities enjoy this rare opportunity. 

My parents bought us skates when we were quite young. When the small lakes surrounding our town were thoroughly frozen we would pack up the car with skates, toques, gloves, and jackets, along with a thermos of something hot and spend a few hours on the ice. It was fun, but I never got the hang of feeling comfortable on the ice. My knees would stiffen up in fear of falling, which, of course, I did a lot of. I much preferred tobogganing down a snowy slope. 

Tonight Tim wished for skates. He was always much better at it than I ever was. The ice was smooth and dark and free of snow - perfect for skating. As darkness fell, I watched the graceful swooping movements of lights across the ice - skaters with their headlamps. Almost, I wished I had my old skates. Almost. 

How do you feel about ice skating? Any memories to share? 

14 January

 

Yesterday's post never happened. It was an unexpectedly busy day with guests staying quite late (a fun dinner party), and I went to bed shortly after tidying the kitchen. I'm a wee bit obsessive about not missing a day in a challenge, so I'm finding myself feeling somewhat rebellious by doing so. 

We've had the coldest temperature recorded in six decades here. Not very cold compared to other places on earth, but -11 Celsius means that gardeners will have lost some plants. Time will tell. The frigid temperatures are moving eastwards now and ours are moderating, although still below freezing. Sunset colours have been vibrant, staining large swaths of sky from orange and red to pink and violet. 

I've been perusing a new to me book, Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life. The book is set out in three parts: Part One is a gardener's biography, Part Two is a year in her gardens, and Part Three is a traveler's guide. I confess to heading straight to Part Two, but will begin at the beginning soon. 

The daffodils I purchased last week are fully open now, and this morning's fleeting sunshine cast strong shadows against the wall. 

Beatrix Potter loved the wild daffodils that grew in the Lake District, but she had many cultivated daffodils in her gardens. She had enough different kinds to have blooms in her flowerbeds for two months. 

Some housekeeping notes:

Thank you for the lovely comments about the photo of my mother and her three younger siblings. To clarify, she is the eldest of 10 children, so six more followed after the photo I showed. 

Also, Anonymous, from Victoria, wrote that she had found a good hairdresser here. Thank you for your kindness. You can email me by going to my profile and clicking on email. However, the day after my disastrous haircut I had another cut at a salon recommended by my daughter, and I'm so very pleased with it. Bad hair can be a bit of a trial. 

I'll conclude with Beatrix Potter's comment on winter - "There has been some lovely weather--to look at." 

12 January - A Bit of This and That

 

It's been a day of pottering about. Laundry this morning, some cleaning. Making soup - broccoli and ham this time. The photo above is from our hike last weekend. I'm certain that water is frozen today. A deep freeze arrived and it's colder here than I can remember, -10 Celsius, which isn't all that cold relative to other parts of Canada. I ran a few errands and found the wind to be the worst part of being outdoors. 

Spending time with a seed catalogue is a good way of ignoring the cold, especially when huddled by the fire with a cup of tea. Seed catalogues are lovely for dreaming, and in those dreams I have all the room I need for all the plants that appeal to me, and of course, they all grow beautifully. If only. 

Up in my sewing room I'm going through my scrap fabrics and cutting them into squares and rectangles. I love making scrappy-style quilts and I'm hopeful that this process will both inspire and keep the scraps under control. I've only begun with the scraps and I expect those piles will be quite tall when I'm finished. 

A photo from 75-80 years ago - my mother with three of her younger sisters. She is in the top right. Sadly, these younger siblings have passed away into heaven before her. Don't these little ones look sweet in their dresses and cute haircuts? 

I wonder about photos in the future. Yes, we all have hundreds or thousands of them in digital form. But will anyone see them? Will they ever be retrieved? What do you think? 

11 January

 

Our snow event has been a non-event. It was fun watching the snowflakes come down for a short while, but they were few and far between. Temperatures are dropping and we'll have a couple of very cold (for our area) sunny days. 

I drove up to Sidney-by-the-Sea today for a haircut. The stylist I loved moved to the mainland and she recommended someone else. I'm not convinced. I came home, wet my hair, and did it my way! 

Before coming home I stopped by the water for a short walk. Chilly wind blew in off the water and the clouds were gathering.

At home a brightly coloured House Finch visited the feeder. Normally, they are not quite such a vibrant red. So pretty. 

Daffodils are field grown in our area for shipping around the province and beyond. I bought a bunch yesterday, tight buds that are opening beautifully. Such a bright cheery flower. 

I'll leave you with a quote by L. M. Montgomery - "It was one of the nights when the storm wind hurtles over the frozen meadows and black hollows." A sentence to make one draw closer to the fire. 

10 January - Sun and Bookshelves

 

This morning's sunshine streaming in through the big window onto the plant table in the living room was a tonic. How bright and beautiful. How energizing. I'll take cold and sunshine over milder temperatures and dark rain any day. Clouds rolled in a bit later, but the day was generally bright. 

Tim completed the work on the kitchen last spring before our long trip, but the end wall, where we planned to put bookshelves, had to wait until December. It's now done and I spent several hours filling the shelves with books and deciding how to place them. They are not organized according to colour, but like authors are together. Mysteries, English authors, cookbooks, non-fiction, etc. 

That wall was always a big blank. We put the fireplace in several years ago and had some furniture alongside, but having these bookcases and cupboards adds such coziness to the room. Now the renovation has moved to the staircase. Fortunately, my live-in contractor cleans everything up at 5 pm so the construction mess is minimal. 

In the photo of the kitchen there is an image on the wall; here is a closer look. It's a print on canvas of the Atlantic Ocean taken from a cliff top in Newfoundland during one of our hikes. A bit of the grass shows in the bottom of the photo. I wanted something with movement and colour, and I like that it's a bit abstract. 

This evening's sunset from my bedroom window. This evening I'll be reading Helen Rebanks "The Farmer's Wife - My Life in Days". 

Tomorrow the temperature is expected to drop dramatically. We may even get snow on Friday. Here's hoping!