Inspired by Hope and Surprised by Joy

2012!

2012-02-13T22:38:00.000-04:00

A new year; a new list of things to do in 2012:

Preserve my photographs. I have more than 10,300 digital photos (21.9 GB) and none of them printed and put in albums or backed-up on anything else but my external hard drive. Both my computer and my external hard drive are 6 years old. This is a recipe for disaster. I'll be the first to admit that not every photo ought to be printed, but I do need to systematically begin to print my photos and put them in albums. I'll start with 2011 and work my way backwards. I also want to put together a Big/Little album of my favourite photos with the Little.
Create a home inventory for insurance purposes. We're all supposed to do this, but I'm guessing not many of us do. My plan is to take photos, and make a detailed list of electronics with serial numbers/model numbers and scan receipts. Sounds straight-forward, right?
Spend less, save more.
Go to the gym regularly. I have a part-time membership at GoodLife (which is actually a pretty great deal!), and rather than pay for a membership I don't use I want to make the most of my membership and see where it gets me.
Reduce grocery bill significantly. I spend way too much on groceries because I love to grocery shop, and I'm an optimist about cooking. I also tend to be an impulsive shopper. Yes, I love lists, but I usually find myself grocery shopping wherever I am (with my list at home on the fridge), and look for inspiration in-store. I have to get better at menu-planning AND smarter about shopping. I'm keen to buy local whenever I can, but I also need to plan meals based on sales in the flyers, and not shop impulsively. Also, I'm ashamed at how much food spoils before I get to it, or finish it. I need to be more careful about what I buy and what I have time/plans to cook. This is my goal for 2012.
Read more! I'm not reading much these days and that makes me sad. My excuse is being busy, and I've never been a before-bed reader (I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow). So I need to be intentional about reading. Also, I have so many books on my shelf that I haven't read yet - I'd like work away at those so that I can free up some space (because there'll inevitably books that I can weed from my shelves after they've been read). But in reading more, I'm not going to put any boundaries on what I read, like I did last year. I have to admit, once I got into Jane Eyre and Tenant of Wildfell Hall, they read pretty quickly, but I slogged through at the beginning. I wanted to read them because I thought I should read them. It's like what Donald Miller says about the Bible in Blue Like Jazz: "I always thought the Bible was more of a salad thing, you know, but it isn't. It's a chocolate thing." I want to read a book not because I think it's good for me, but because I crave to read it. Y'know what I mean? Of course there are also books along the way that we read because we know we should. Sidenote: I'm not a huge fan of Donald Miller, his writing style drives me crazy, so it's sort of a big deal that I quoted him just now.
Inspired by Heather over at The Book Backlist, I'd like to start a reading journal. I'm already off to a good start for 2012 having read The Hunger Games and The Virgin Cure over the Christmas holidays. I'm debating about whether to do this online or on paper (leaning towards an actual notebook). But I like the idea of keeping track of first impressions from a book, date read etc., and then second impressions when I re-read a favourite.
Go fishing! I've got the gear, might as well. I just need a fishing licence and I'll be ready to go!
Roast a bird. I've never actually roasted a chicken - it always seemed just as economical to buy one of the bbq chickens in the grocery store. I'm told it's super easy, so I should probably give it a try.
David Lewis processing - finish appraisal. 12+ boxes are taking up far too much space in my apt. and I'm ready to see them go. On the other hand, I do want to see what's in the albums. I'm nosey like that. Also, it's kind of my 'baby'. I'd like first crack at the research potential, if there is any.....and maybe eventually have something publishable out of it (an article, or a paper to present at an academic conference or something)...but that's another goal for another year. Right now I need to focus on getting the boxes appraised and into the Archives.
Visit as many of the 27 Nova Scotia Museums as possible. I have a museum pass this year and I plan to use it! I'm going to aim for visiting at least 14 museums.
Journal more. I've noticed that since the start of this blog, I've been less faithful with journaling. It's not a big deal really...but after recently going through some of my journals I did think it was a shame that I've been so sporadic in writing the last couple of years. Actually, I've been pretty sporadic with blogging too. Maybe I should work at posting more often here too.

Things I did in 2011

2012-01-04T18:28:00.000-04:00

Tis the season for reflecting on the year that's just passed, and looking forward to the year to come. 2011 was a pretty fantastic year, even if I didn't get to all the things on my To Do List. It's hard to be disappointed with not checking off everything on the list, when so many other fun things were added to it throughout the year.

Here are the highlights:

Some of my pots, pre-firing.

I took a pottery class (first time at the wheel since my first foray into pottery in 2003) and made a dozen little pots to show for it....and then gave most of them away. (Because what am I going to do with a dozen little bowls anyway?). I'm really happy with the glazes I used on bowls and hope I'll be able to replicate it when I glaze my next round of pottery pieces. I still have 3 bowls that need their bottoms trimmed and then to be fired, and will tackle those first when I start pottery again this winter.

I made sushi, twice, early in the year. Both attempts were declared a success! For the record, 10 sheets of nori + a bag of PC brand sticky rice makes a whole lot of sushi. The cream cheese and smoked salmon sushi was my favourite. The "Little" and I even came up with our own signature sushi roll - the "C" roll - carrot, crab (imitation), cream cheese and cucumber.(5b on the 2011 To Do List = check!)

I gave up paper napkins. This was my ecological challenge for 2011. Thanks to a generous donation of cloth napkins from my grandmother, and the closing sale at The Bay in Halifax, I am well-stocked in cloth napkins and have been using them instead of paper napkins for well over a year now. I'm pretty thrilled with the change and have no plans on going back to paper napkins. I'm now paper-free in the kitchen/dining area of my home, having given up using paper towels long ago for reusable rags.

I finished Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and I'm nearly finished The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte, thereby completing a trilogy of Bronte Books.Granted it's been awhile since I've read Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights (in high school) so I'm probably due to re-read that soon. Still, it's nice to have read something from each of the sisters. I only completed half of my Victorian Literature challenge (to read 4 Victorian novels), but whatever... at least I read a couple Victorian novels. I had planned to try to finish Rudyard Kipling's Kim, and then read Dicken's A Christmas Carol during the holidays, but sort of forgot during the quiet part of the season. (No.2 = half a check!)

I got lots of kayaking experience in over the summer, and now consider myself relatively skilled, or at least confident enough to stay afloat and get from point A to B.(No. 10 = check!)

Smallest cache I've found yet.

I found about 20 geocaches this year, putting my total up to 34. And a number of those were found on what I would call geocaching "adventures" (read: mishaps). One involved taking my car down a treacherous road with my grandmother, and the other involved me falling into a lake during an all-day work meeting with my colleagues standing by (I was wearing a skirt and tights at the time). Oh yes, much hilarity can happen while one is geocaching. I had planned to write a blog post about at least one of these adventures, but that never happened. Perhaps later.

A 1lb hake, before filleting.

I learned how to fish, and caught my first fish (3 tiny speckled trout) through BOW (Becoming an Outdoors Woman), and how to fillet fish courtesy of Off the Hook. And, best of all, thanks again to BOW, I have the basic equipment (a pretty pink fishing rod) I need to go on my own fishing adventure. My grandfather even contributed to my fishing gear, by giving me bobbers painted pink to match my rod. :). My mother is insisting on mackerel fishing trip in 2012, and I think it's likely to happen!

I did get my files in order this year, but as it turned out, once I had culled and shredded documents I didn't need anymore, there wasn't enough to justify getting a file cabinet. I have a few file folders organized on my desk for bills/frequently accessed documents, an accordian file folder for important documents (to grab and go in case of emergency), and a file box for the rest. (No. 7 = check!)

And lastly, I've finally become more involved in my church. I'm helping with the children's program during half the service a couple Sundays a month. It's been fun and best of all, I'm getting to know more people in my church! (No 6. of 2010's To Do List)

And there were many other highlights of the year: a trip to Toronto in June for a conference and for visiting friends, biking around Berwick with the Little (20 km in total + 2 soft-serve ice creams in one day), diving for sand dollars at Sand Dollar Beach (we found 7 sand dollars!), a proper week-long vacation at the cottage (complete with my first, and likely last, pedicure), going to the gospel concert at the Lunenburg Folk Festival, apple-picking in the Valley, and exploring new places - McNab's Island and Sambro Island.

Needless to say, all this made for a very fun year.

Now on to 2012.

Cookbook challenge #3

2011-10-24T11:40:00.000-03:00

It's been a bit hectic around these parts lately so I haven't been doing much "new" cooking lately. With limited cooking time, I've been reverting back to the tried and true meals. With that said, however, last weekend I invited dear friends of mine over for supper and tried out a recipe from the cookbook collection on them - Chili con Carne. It was a safe choice, admittedly.

Recipe #3:
Chili con Carne
from Trader Vic's Book of Mexican Cooking, p. 186-187.

2 tbsp oil or bacon fat
1 cup thinly sliced onions
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp of diced green pepper **
1.5 lbs lean ground beef (I used lean ground turkey)
1/2 c boiling water
1 (1 lb) can of tomatoes (I used a 28 oz can, because I didn't want to leave 1/2 a can unused).
1 6oz can of tomato paste
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder mixed to a paste with 1 tsp of flour and 2 tbsp of water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp crushed cumin seed
2 cans (No.300) kidney beans, undrained
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I think I forgot this last, but very important step when I served up my chili)

Heat the oil in a large heavy kettle and saute onions, garlic and green pepper until tender. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with fork, until meat is browned. Add remaining ingredients except kidney beans and cheese. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add beans and simmer, uncovered, for another 30 mins. If mixture is too thick, add small amount of beef stock or hot water. Just before serving, top with grated cheese. Makes 8 servings.

** 2 tbsp of green peppers? I chopped up 2 whole green peppers and threw in. I was wondering if maybe Trader Vic might mean jalapeno peppers, not the sweet variety.

Verdict: good, but needed a bit more salt. I don't usually complain if a recipe isn't salty enough - it's easy to add, afterall! Also, doubling the tomatoes and green peppers might have accounted for the need for extra salt.

Hook, Line and Sinker

2011-10-23T21:50:00.003-03:00

So I've been meaning to tell you, I learned how to fish awhile ago. September 9th-11th was my second Becoming an Outdoors Woman weekend and I had a fantastic time. It was a busy weekend full of lots fun things, kayaking and geocaching, campfires, good food + fun people, but the highlight of the weekend was fishing. I tried both fly-fishing and trout-fishing for the first time; I learned how to tie a "Micky Finn", assemble a rod, tie a clinch knot, bait a hook (eww!), cast a line, ethically euthanise a fish and clean it (double eww!).

Trout fishing was my favourite, but that was probably because the trout were biting. Sadly we were fly-fishing on a warm afternoon and the fish didn't seem interested at all. Not one of us caught a fish, though we could see them all lurking around our flies, teasing us. The ponds we fished at were stocked, but I'm guessing that fishing is still something you can't just pick-up in a couple of hours. You need time and patience, the right conditions and the right knack for casting and or baiting your hook.

The thrill of fishing comes when you feel a nibble on the end of your line, and then watch the bobber dip under the surface of the water, at which point (I've learned) you jerk your rod up to set the hook and start to reel in, hoping the fish stays on the line. I caught 3 speckled trout that morning and was more than pleased with myself.

PLUS! I won my own fishing-rod - a girlie fishing rod that's pink with pink line and flashy lights that flicker when you reel in (oh yes, my friends, it's girlie!). Please also take note of the fishing hat I successfully won in the silent auction + all the information and swag we got from our Learn to Fish instructor. That's one of the best parts about BOW - the instructors! They incredibly enthusiastic and love to pass on their knowledge and skills to anyone interested in learning.

I think next year's cottage vacation will also involve a fishing license.

Cookbook challenge #2

2011-09-20T22:31:00.000-03:00

Lately I've been taking advantage of the harvest season and stocking my fridge with ridiculous amounts of produce. I find it hard to pass up a good deal, so when carrots were on sale at Farmer Clem's for $1.59 for 5 lbs, I bought some (even though I still have half a 2lb bag left from earlier in the summer). I don't eat a lot of carrots, typically.

Then on the weekend, I picked up some kale at the Wolfville Market - a big bundle of kale. Later that day I arrived on my mom's doorstep and she proceeded to laden me with produce from her garden, including more kale, a lot of kale (she pulled a whole plant up by it's roots - I could barely circle my arms around it).

And then I went apple-picking on the weekend, and picked 20 lbs of apples and pears. Not 10 lbs (which would've been more sensible - but when 10 lbs is $6, 20 lbs for $9 seems like a much better deal, right??) Yeah, yeah, I know now that 20 lbs as a bit ambitious. I have a big pot of applesauce + 10 lbs of apples in the fridge to prove it.

So my fridge is stuffed with carrots, kale and apples.

I've already made a batch of carrot muffins, and have been chopping up carrots to eat raw, etc. But I needed to make something that used up more than just a few at a time. Soup!

I scoured my cookbook collection to find a recipe that looked appealing. But here's what surprised me -- there weren't many inspiring recipes for carrots (exception: the Moosewood cookbook had a number of recipes that tempted me, but I wanted to try a different cookbook this time around). In fact there were very few carrot recipes at all! And even fewer recipes for kale, just so you know!

I was tempted to dip into my own cookbooks where I know there are several carrot soup recipes I'd like to try....but then that's not the point of this little cooking adventure, is it?

Recipe #2:
Carrot and Caraway Soup
from Rose Elliot's Vegetarian Supercook, p.84

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil -- I used grapeseed, because I grabbed the wrong bottle
1 onion, chopped -- I used an onion fresh from my step-father's garden - thanks G!
1 baking potato, peeled and cut into cubes -- I used a couple new potatoes.
500g (1 lb) of scraped carrots, sliced -- That's a 5th of my carrot stash. YES!
2-3 strips of lemon rind -- I used the zest from about half a lemon.
1 tsp caraway seeds
1.2 L of water or light vegetable stock -- I used Knorr vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste -- Vegetable stock already has salt, so I didn't add any.

Garnish wish natural yogurt, coarse ground pepper and parsley.

Method:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, cover and fry gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally - don't let it brown.
Add the potato, cover and cook for 3 minutes, then add the carrots, lemon rind, and caraway seeds. Stir well, athe add the water or vegetable stock. Bring to boil, cover and leave to cook gently for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are very tender.
Puree the soup in a food processor (I'm wishing I had a had blender for this part; it's just too messy to do it in my upright blender).
Ladle soup into bowls and swirl a teaspoon of yogurt on top of each. Garnish with pepper and parsley and serve.

Makes about 4 servings.
I'm quite impressed with this recipe. I must admit, I was a little concerned it was going to be too bland, but it's not. It would taste delicious with fresh garlic bread....perhaps tomorrow night.

5 years today!

2011-09-17T19:16:00.024-03:00

It's my 5-year blogger anniversary today.

And I think it's about time for an update.

I really like this image -- it goes nicely with the Louisa May Alcott quotation; it's a self-portrait (I like the silhouette); and it's one of my favourite and inspiring places to be. With that said, I think it's time for a change.

I've been considering trying come up with a "brand" for a little while now. I would love to have "InspiredByHope" cards for geocaching, as I've noticed some geocachers do. And thought perhaps I could come up with something here....If only I had Photoshop at home!

A Cookbook/Cooking Challenge

2011-09-06T21:36:00.000-03:00

Sarah over at Simply Cooked made a brilliant suggestion: why not try a recipe a week from my new collection of cookbooks? I can't think of a better way to start exploring what delicious recipes the books have to offer.

I'd like to present the first of a series of posts (hopefully weekly) where I will share what I'm cooking from Friedel's cookbook collection (now my cookbook collection). I'll try to mix it up and use as many of the cookbooks as possible, though I can't promise I won't repeat cookbooks. It'll depend a bit on what I have in my fridge to work with.

Today I had a head of cauliflower that needed to be cooked. And I've got to make something that will appeal to the 11 year old I hang out with once a week. I'm not going to have time to prepare anything tomorrow, so something cooked ahead of time would be a huge help.

Recipe #1:
Baked Pasta with Cauliflower and Cheese
from New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant, p.158-159

Bechamel Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk, heated
1 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
pinch of nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
salt and pepper to taste

Other ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil for sauteing
4 cups chopped onions (I used 2 large onions)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
6 ripe tomatoes or 3 cups canned tomatoes (I used probably half of this, but they were tomatoes from my mom's garden which are twice as flavourful as any other tomatoes around)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (or 2 tsp. dried basil)
3 Tbs. lemon juice (completely forgot to add this!)
1 pound pasta shells (I used 1 box of whole wheat macaroni)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella (I used cheddar)
seasoned bread crumbs

Prepare the Bechamel sauce: melt the butter in a heavy sauce pan on medium heat. Sprinke in the flour, whisking constantly until smooth. Add heated milk slowly, a cup at a time, continuing to whisk until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper and let the sauce thicken further on low heat. Remove from heat and cover.
Saute the onions, garlic and basil in oil. When the onions are translucent, add the cauliflower and saute for 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and simmer until the cauliflower is tender.

Cook pasta al dente and then drain.

In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, the sauteed vegetables and lemon juice (oops! forgot that one). Mix in the Bechamel sauce. Put half the pasta mixture in an oiled baking dish. Sprinkle half of each of the cheeses over top. Add the rest of the past mixture, and the rest of the cheese. Top with seasoned bread crumbs.

Bake covered at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, and then uncovered for about 15 minutes or until bubbling and golden on top.

Serves 6-8

PS. The recipe suggests you serve this with Italian greens, but I'm going to serve it with roasted kale, because the kid loves roasted kale, and the green + garlic will go so well with cheesy pasta. :)

2011 To Do List, Item #7: Organizing files

2011-09-04T08:49:00.002-03:00

One of my big commitments for 2011 was to get my personal records in order (#7). As an archivist, I'm sort of embarrassed to admit that my record-keeping practices at home are severely lacking! I let papers build up in various corners around the apartment. Every once and awhile I sort through them, but usually just sort through and make neater piles around the apartment. Ho hum. I've been itching for a file cabinet for awhile just to keep these papers all in one place, or at least keep them out of sight.

Step #1: Cull!

This involved going through file by file purging paper that builds up over the years. Do I really need power bills from 2006? Or phone bills from 2004? Income tax files from 1996? Oh my! I didn't quite realise I had them back that long. Purge purge purge! I have quite a stack building for the shredder or for recycling.

Step #2: Organize!
As I'm working my way through the files, I'm realising that I don't need a filing cabinet afterall. I already have all that I need - an accordian file folder, a desk file holder, and a plastic file box on wheels. I can condense all these stacks of paper, plus a bankers box, down to fit into these. And also I'll have better control over what I have. No more sifting through stacks of paper. Hooray!

My day-to-day files - bills, tax receipts, etc.- go in my desk file holder, so that I can easily file after I pay the bills and prevent build-up. The other personal records - banking information, medical records, vet records, etc., go in the accordian file folder. Practically speaking, if ever there's an emergency this makes the most cruicial records easy to grab-and-go. And the file box will hold all the extras - the papers I've accumulated about various subjects, or instruction manuals/receipts for appliances/electronics that I'm not ready to part with.

It's very satisfying to have all my papers in their right place.

I would still like to have a filing cabinet at some point, but I'm leaning more towards converting a storage bench for hanging file storage. The bench could be painted to match my Ikea Alve Secretary desk (an off-white), padded with a pretty fabric, and used for both seating and file storage.
Inspiration for this idea is here:

Courtesy of Martha Stewart.com

I still have a couple organization projects I need to tackle in the coming months:

1. A household inventory. Home (or Tenant's) Insurance usually asks that you inventory your belongings for insurance purposes. But how many of us actually do that? I'm going to guess, not many. I'd like to do a photo inventory + basic list of electronics, model numbers, etc., and scan the receipts to hold on file in case there's an emergency. Always good to be prepared, right?

2. Photographs (digital and prints). This has been on my To Do List for ages, and never gets done....mostly because it's a bit daunting. I have never been in the habit of printing photographs, or backing them up on CDs (they're backed up on my external hard drive which is now 5-6 years old). Time to do something about this before it's too late and they're lost.

Cookbooks Galore

2011-09-02T19:00:00.005-03:00

Did I forget to post about my exciting acquisition of cookbooks?

I think I might have.

Sorry about that.

Yeah, so, I got a whole lot of cookbooks from a dear friend, Friedel, who was downsizing her own collection. And by "a whole lot", I mean she's more than doubled my cookbook collection. In case you don't believe me, here's a before photo of my cookbook collection, and below is the after shot.

So many gorgeous books with delicous recipes, so little time. I've poked through a few of them so far, but really need to flag some recipes to try. I must confess, I've not done much "cooking" this summer. My evenings have been busy, and I've been mostly grilling things on the barbeque or foraging in the fridge, which is easy to do with so much fresh summer produce. Also, when it gets hot I don't usually feel much like cooking. That's what Fall and Winter are for, right?

I'm looking forward to doing some experimenting this Fall/Winter and will certainly keep you posted!

Thanks again Friedel! These books have found a good home!

#10: Learning to Kayak. Check!

2011-08-30T22:08:00.000-03:00

Remember my To Do List for 2011? Number 10 on that list was learning to kayak. Well, late June I stumbled on the perfect opportunity - join a paddling club!

As it turns out HRM has a number of Canoe Clubs. I signed up for the "Masters" program at Sackawa on First Lake in Lower Sackville. All "Masters" means is "adult". It by no means implies any level of competency. In fact, most of us were newbies, and spent the first evening just trying to staying afloat in the kayak, let alone actually paddle anywhere.

But confidence and experience, and maybe even a little skill, comes with practice. Sure enough, by the second evening I could get in the kayak without flipping it, and by the third evening was paddling across the (narrow part of the) lake without too much trouble. And by the end of summer, I felt pretty chuffed with the praise I received from my instructor and for my ability to not tip, even in choppy waters (and in a leaky boat, too, I might add!).

These kayaks are a little different - they're racing kayaks, which are a bit more tippy than recreational kayaks. And they have rudders (which took some getting used to). One week we did have the numbers (12-14) to try the war canoe, but holy cow it was hard! It was all I could do to keep myself balanced, let alone paddle. And all kinds of muscles were killing me afterwards (for days!). Since I'm a novice in the kayak, I figured I would focus on that this summer and maybe try the war canoe (if there's enough people) or solo canoe next year.

Kudos to R. for mastering the solo canoe in just 3 evenings!

McNab's Island Adventure

2011-08-29T19:15:00.000-03:00

Another weekend. Another island. Another lighthouse.

There is no doubt that Halifax is a military town. Almost everywhere you look there is some kind of fortifcation, either historic or modern. And they're fun to explore! What strikes me the most is that, aside from the Citadel where you have to pay admission to go in and look around, most of the others are open to the public and free (York Redoubt, Fort McNab, and the batteries at Point Pleasant Park). Sadly, and perhaps because they're free, a lot of these fortifications are getting very little attention or upkeep and are at risk of crumbling away.

Departing Eastern Passage

Well, last weekend, I finally got to McNab's Island. It's not that difficult, really, but you do need to plan ahead a little (Tip #1). As it happened, we really didn't. We called the McNabs Island Ferry about 45 mins before we arrived - fortunately "Captain Red Beard" was pretty accommodating and took us over without any complaint about the last-minute notice.


Captain Red Beard bringing us back

I have to confess, I was a little surprised at the "Ferry". I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't a speed boat. Also, this was the first time I'd been in a speed boat (that I can remember) and the ride was a bit...uh...thrilling. (ie. I was holding on for dear life.)

Captain Red Beard is pretty experienced with taking tourists over to McNabs. He rattled off safety rules, tidbits of history of the Island, and the best route to take, all without taking a breath. If you're not listening closely you could easily miss a lot.

Tip #2: Get yourself a Map of the Island. Fortunately Captain Red Beard had one to spare and marked out points and a route for us. As we only had less than 2 hours, we decided to keep the route relatively simple (but still managed a couple diversions).

Tip #3: Give yourself a good day to explore. McNab's is a surprisingly big island, and there's a lot of nooks and crannies to explore. We had less than 2 hours, which basically got us a quick look around Fort McNab, then down the Garrison Rd. to the Tea House and back. There's a lot more to see, for sure!

Tip #4: Don't wait until the last minute to download geocaches. Sigh. For some reason, 10 minutes before I had to leave, I wasn't able to download the half a dozen geocaches on the Island. Next time I shall be more prepared!

Tip #5: Take binoculars. You never know what you're going to see. Like this pair of deer. Coincidentally, we spotted these deer not a minute after we were wondering aloud if there were deer on the island. Clearly, there are! Also, there's probably some good birdwatching on McNabs.

So, I think it was decided that McNab's Island would make for a lovely fall daytrip, and the plan is to visit again soon, with more time to explore (and geocaches loaded!).

And last, but not least.....Look! A Lighthouse! :)

Sambro Island Adventure

2011-08-19T20:55:00.000-03:00

Did you know that the Sambro Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in North and South America? Well, it is. It's been operating since 1758 and has a fascinating history, which you can read for yourself. Once a year, the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society opens up the island for public tours and this year I finally managed to go!

It takes about 30 minutes by fishing boat to get to Sambro Island, and there's no wharf when you dock so you're basically jumping from boat to the rocks.

Dan Conlin from the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic showed us around the island, pointing out the buildings (the Gas House, the Lightkeepers' dwellings, or what's left of them, and of course the Lighthouse), explaining their purpose and a little bit about their architecture and history.
He also told us about the resident ghost, "Double Alex", guI'll let you look up that story on your own.

I took a lot of pictures and can't help but to share a few more. So, here they are!

As you can see, the Gas House (above, right and below) is precariously perched on the rocks. Sadly, this building is falling apart and is at risk of total demise if the Canadian Coast Guard, which owns and maintains the island, doesn't soon do something about it.

Good-bye Sambro! Until next time!

Summer Playlist

2011-08-04T22:00:00.056-03:00

I thought I'd share some of the music that has turned into my 2011 Summer Playlist with you. I've actually been listening to some of these songs for quite a while, but finally compiled them onto a CD to listen to on my drives hither and tither this summer.

Jenn Grant - Dreamer
Buck65 + Jenn Grant - Paper Airplanes
Jill Barber - Oh My My
David Myles - When It Comes My Turn
Said the Whale - Goodnight Moon
Wailin' Jennys - One Voice and Devil's Paintbrush Road
Royal Wood - A Good Enough Day and Juliet
Be Good Tanyas - Littlest Birds
Elliot Brood - Write It All Down For You
Coco Love Alcorn - Compassion and Revolution

I'm also still listening to good ol' Alexi Murdoch and The Weepies on a fairly regular rotation.

What are you listening to this summer?

Cottage Highlights

2011-07-31T23:38:00.002-03:00

As promised, here are some pictures and highlights from my vacation week at the cottage:

My birthday dinner, celebrated with as many family as could be there. (The best way to celebrate family, in my opinion!). Truth is, it's not just a celebration of my birthday, but all the July birthdays and anniversaries in the family - there are many in July. But I got to pick the cake: a Lime Coconut Cheesecake. Thanks, Mom!

My very first pedicure. I don't usually go for frivolous things like pedicures, but it was one of those things I'd always been curious about. It was fun, and I was pleased with the end result. It's not something I'll do very often; the price is a bit hard to justify.

Peace and quiet with only the sound of birds, the occasionally plopping of fish jumping in the water, the wind through the trees.

Perfect spot for hulling straberries, eh?

Gorgeous sunsets that never disappoint.(Click for larger images)


And the best seat in the house

There were also some stunning sunrises...though, admittedly, I missed the first few.

I went for a few bike rides, to check out a couple spots I had never been on the other side of the lake. Like this old cottage.

There was some "communing with nature", mostly in the form of spying on a bunny that frequented the lawns around the cottage, and pestering a very large (bull?) frog under the wharf. Seriously, this frog didn't even blink at us for a good few minutes. It wasn't until we "tickled" *giggle giggle* it with a stick that it actually moved. And, yes, we are grown-ups. I couldn't bring myself to actually try to grab it; I'm okay with the baby frogs, but the big ones make me shudder!

There was also a rescue mission (well, for my mom, not me): to rescue a baby bird from certain doom where it was in the middle of the dirt road. Mom figured it had fall from his nest, and that the nest was nearby given that the parents were flying around mimicing broken-wings. We searched for the nest but couldn't find it. Also, we think the birds were yellow-bellied warblers.

There was a whole lot of reading on the porch swing, and knitting whilst watching long period dramas. Very few photos of those activities.:) And there was a visit from friends, during which we had a spectacular thunder and lightning storm. Our power went out for about 6 hours and the lightning lasted for at least 2 hours (started around 10pm, ended around 12:30am). Taking photos of lightning over the lake proved difficult, but I did get a pretty great video which is about 8mins of me narrating the storm. If you're interested, here it is.

I'm already looking forward to next year's stay at the cottage. Or, maybe, with a little arm-twisting, I can squeeze another weekend in before the summer is over?

Solitude

2011-07-19T17:12:00.000-03:00

There's something really special about having quiet time at the cottage. Since it has been so busy lately (see my earlier post), having time just to do things without being interrupted, to not have to rush to get things done inbetween commitments, to not have a day filled with routine and schedules is really, really delightful. I can do what I want, when I want and for as long as I want. Sounds rather indulgent, doesn't it?

I actually associate the cottage with family-time. And this vacation will have some of that too (friends and family will be popping in here and there through-out my stay). But for the most part, I've got the place to myself. And I've got plenty with me to keep me busy:

I brought a couple Victorian lit books to keep up with Item # 2 on my 2011 To Do List. I'm currently reading Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, and next will be A House To Let (1858) which is a collection of short stories edited by Charles Dickens.
And speaking of Dickens, I brought with me the 2009 BBC series Little Dorrit. It's got to be my favourite of the period dramas and is perfect to knit to, since I've already watched it in it's entirety twice.
I've started a Feather & Fan Shawl. This should help deplete my wool stash, but with 390 stitches to cast on and knit row by row, it's going to take awhile. Thankfully the pattern repeats are simple, and I think I might have just enough yarn, even if I did cast on with the wrong colour. (sigh!). I also brought a box of David Lewis material to appraise. I haven't made a whole lot of progress with the appraisal process of DEL's scrapbooks since my last post on the other blog but my goal is to get through the first box this week. I've got 5 of 12 volumes appraised, and with some time to dedicate to it, I think the rest can be done.
I also brought my bike and my swimsuit. I plan to use both this week. In fact, I'm considering a swim as soon as I get back to the cottage - it's been hot and humid these last couple of days and a swim would be refreshing (as long as I've got my watershoes on!). I've been hesitating with the bike as there are hills everywhere, and I'm intimidated by the hills. We'll see....
I brought my journal. I'm about as faithful to journalling as I am to blogging, and so have some thoughts to put down to paper as well as to put up here on the internet.

Who knows how much I'll get done, but I've got lots to keep me occupied should I wish to be occupied. This week isn't so much about being busy as enjoy the quiet and opportunity to not be busy! I'm not going to lie to you, the first afternoon on my own at the cottage was not spent in the sunshine by the lake, it was spent on the cot sleeping! (That other delight of the cottage!)

My solitude has been broken up a few times today, first by telemarketers (4 today! ugh!), and a door-to-door Jehovah's Witness. The latter was completely unexpected (as you can imagine), and his knock just about startled me out of my flipflops! I had my back to the door hulling strawberries at the kitchen counter when he knocked; and thought initially maybe he was a friend of my grandparents until I saw the tell-tale "Watchtower"+ Bible in hand. I politely declined his offer for literature to read on my vacation (seriously!?); and tried to shoo him away without being rude.

Well, that's it from me for today. I'll probably pop back here later to post more before the end of the week. As much as I love being unplugged, I also enjoy being able to plug in and catch-up on the blog.

P.S. Forgive any grammar, spelling mistakes. I'm on my netbook and find it tricky using the smaller keyboard. I'm also not doing my typical read-over to check for typos and edit my post (which is why this one is longer than most).
P.P.S Pictures will follow later.

Hiatus

2011-07-19T16:08:00.001-03:00

Well, life has been busy and the blog has been put on the back-burner for a bit. I keep thinking of things to post, but never really get around to it. And that's just fine; I refuse to feel guilty for my absences. Afterall, blogging is not an obligation.

So, here I am, on my vacation, sitting in a diner, eating pie and sipping ice water, overlooking the river and considering what to write first. It's slightly ironic that I'm using my vacation time to try and catch-up with blogging, considering I'm without internet access at the cottage.

It's been fun finding free WiFi in the area. Last night's spot, on a picnic table overlooking Digby Gut was by far the best yet.

EDO Monday

2011-04-11T15:49:00.000-03:00

My To Do List is long today, but I'm checking things off one-by-one.

Library returns and pick-ups - check! Picked up three DVDs, "The Visitor", "Run Lola, Run", and Deepa Mehta's "Fire".
Take recycling to the depot - check!
Exchange new, but non-functioning cordless phone for a new, hopefully functioning cordless phone - check! (Thank goodness for extended warranties!)
Take expired medications etc. to Shoppers for disposal - check! (You're not supposed to flush or trash your expired meds. Instead, take them to the drugstore where they can dispose of them properly.)
Gas up, and clean out the car - mostly check. Will have to vacuum someday when it's not raining out.
Blog - check!
Clean bbq
Meal plan for the week, then shop for groceries.
Tidy/file papers on desk.

Today, I also decided to experiment with hats.

The Bay at the West End Mall in Halifax is closing and everything is 70% off the last ticketed price. Among many things, including the 2010 Vancouver Olympics Mittens (on sale for $3), cloth napkins and table runners, facecloths and a few other items, I picked up two hats. The ticketed price on the hats was $5.99 and $10.00; that's $4.50ish total for both. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this deal may even beat out Frenchy's!

As it turns out, rainy days are perfect hat days. I didn't have to wipe my glasses once while I was out and about.

All things bright and beautiful

2011-03-30T22:47:00.000-03:00

You know how the song goes, right?

All things bright and beautiful....

Did you see the full moon a couple weeks ago? It was the largest moon in about 20 years and was quite the spectacle. I tried taking a picture, knowing full well it wouldn't do it justice, but who cares. The photograph will remind me of that spectacular moon and the lovely (albeit slightly comical) evening that was had, and that's what a photo is supposed to do, right?

Sunny Sunday afternoons at the beach also fall into the "bright and beautiful" category. Spring is here, my friends, and warm weather is sure to follow. There's nothing better than spending time with friends listening to the waves.

All creatures great and small...

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know I'm supposed to be appreciative of all creatures great and small, but right now I'm not lovin' one of God's littlest creatures...the mouse.
I've been having a mouse problem since Christmas. Actually, the problem started about in the Fall 2009 when I started hearing mice in my walls and found droppings behind my fridge. I plugged up the holes I could find with steel wool and duct tape and went on my merry way. Well, since Christmas the mice have been making appearances. Unwelcome appearances. Millie has been earning her keep - catching about 4 of them, and probably startling and letting even more get away. I've caught one in a snap-trap (ugh!), and tonight I caught another in a plastic container. This last one was particularly stupid. I found it in my bedroom beside my bed, being eyed by Millie (but not bothered); it just sat there dumbfounded while I went to retrieve a plastic container to put it in. When I came back it was in the same spot, quivering but clearly still quite alive. So now it's in a plastic container until I can figure out what to do with the poor little creature. I must admit, it's sooooo tiny and I'm feeling rather sorry for it. But what am I to do?

I've done all I can to deter these little creatures - plugged holes, put down mouse traps, praised the cat for her valiant efforts at keeping the mice at bay. I even have those ultrasonic thingys that plug into your wall and emit a frequency that is supposed to keep mice away (thank-you B!). All to no avail.
I've been hesitant to put down poison because of Millie, but I'm getting closer and closer to calling pest-control and seeing if they can do anything. Ahh the joys of living in apartments!

All things wise and wonderful...

I had a lovely visit with my Grandparents on the weekend, during which my grandfather informed me that he keeps an eye on my blog. And all of a sudden I was reminded that I'm way overdue for a blog-post. Sigh. Despite my best of intentions, I'm doing no better this year than last at posting. In fact, I'm getting this post in under the wire. No posts in February and almost no posts in March....

Anyway, back to "wise and wonderful". You know who's wise and wonderful? My grandparents, that's who. I do enjoy the time I get to spend with them and the conversations we have. I have a lot of respect and admiration for these two people, and know without a doubt that they are truly a gift from God!

The only pictures I have from this last visit are photos of some of the loot my grandmother sent home with me, which I wanted to post anyway. In her wisdom, Gram saved these glass mayonnaise jars knowing that they would come in handy later on. These jars are great - their mouths are wide and standard size to large mason jars (so large mason jar lids fit them). Gram sent me home with nearly 10, plus 1 extra large bottle (at the end), plus an old (vintage/antique) "malted milk" bottle, plus a beautiful wooden "fly paper" crate.
I spent a lovely day filling the bottles and find them new homes. It was nice to transfer dried goods into the bottles and get rid of the plastic packaging.
I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do with the crate. It's quite lovely and rustic, but doesn't really have a home yet. Any suggestions?

...The Lord God made them all.

2011 is going to be a busy year!

2011-01-18T23:57:00.001-04:00

Here it is, the (long!) To Do list for 2011:

Process the 12+ boxes of David E. Lewis papers that have been sitting in my storeroom for years. Arrangements have been made for the records to go to the Esther Clark Wright Archives at Acadia Univiersity, where DEL did his undergraduate degree and teacher's degree. However, I've committed to archivally processing the records first (being that I'm an archivist by profession). The records consist mainly of magnetic albums (remember those albums with the sticky pages? Yeah, those...) with newspaper and magazine clippings, greeting cards, correspondence, photographs, publisher's correspondence, and other bits and bobs. "Processing" will involve taking digital images of the albums, page-by-page, to record the original context of how the documents were kept by David Lewis, then disassembling the albums and rehousing the documents in archival folders. It'll be a labour intensive process and, quite frankly, not one I relish to do. The only reason I'm doing it is because this happens to be a research interest of mine, and I'd like to have first crack at the research potential. It may, or may not go anywhere, but at least I'll know what's there. I plan to keep a blog about this process, with the hope that the blog will keep me accountable to making progress and getting it done. Also, I fully realise that this project may require more than a year, though it'd be great if it didn't.
Participate in the Victorian Literature Reading Challenge. I'm going to aim for the "Sense & Sensibility" track -- to read 1-4 Victorian books. And I'm totally counting Anna Karenina as one of the four books; even though it's Russian, it was written in the Victorian time period. I know AK is a carry-over from 2010, but I'm determined to finish it in 2011. I'll save the details for another post later.
Finish knitting the sock I started knitting in 2010 + its mate.
Find 100 geocaches. I think this is a reasonable expectation. I'm up to 15 now. And there are thousands in Nova Scotia (more than 500 in HRM alone). If I find roughly 2 a week, I'll meet my goal. Keeping in mind, of course, that I don't always FIND the caches I'm looking for.
Experiment with Ethiopian cooking (5a) and learn to make sushi (5b), not necessarily at the same time.
Go on more daytrips. I should make a point of seeing more of the province. There's still a lot of places I've never explored, mostly on the Eastern side of the province. I should take advantage of having a car and do more sightseeing trips, which can work well with Goal #4.
Get my files in order. It's shameful to admit, but my paper files are atrocious (bad archivist!). I seriously need to go through them and weed out the unnecessary bits of paper and get a proper filing cabinet. Due to space constraints, I can only do this once I've eliminated about half of the 12 boxes from Goal #1 (which is why getting those boxes processed _is_ Goal #1).
Keep track of my steps. I have a pedometer thanks to Heart & Stroke's Walkabout program and I think it's a great way to measure my physical activity. I usually forget to wear it most of the time, but it would be great to get in the habit of wearing it and pushing myself to get in those 10000 steps daily, which sadly I don't usually make (unless I'm in Toronto, apparently).
Donate blood. There is absolutely no reason why I can't, and shouldn't. I just never think about it, that's all. So my thought is, if I write it down, and be intentional about giving blood, I'll actually remember to do it.
Get more experience in a kayak. I thoroughly enjoyed my kayaking experience last fall and think it's about high-time I learn to kayak properly. 2011 is going to be the year!

So, I've been planning to post more photos and links to go with this list, but haven't gotten around to actually doing it yet. I'm going to post this already and get started at working towards checking off some of the items on the list.

2010's To Do List

2011-01-06T20:23:00.001-04:00

Wow. It's been a while. The last couple of months have been busy, but mostly I fell out of the habit of blogging. That happens, I guess. I actually have a 2011 To Do List to post, but figured I should probably report on the progress I made with the 2010 To Do List first. Don't get your hopes up, my progress was minimal.

1. Print digital pictures and put them in photo albums. Didn't get this done, however I did back-up my photos and sort the digital files/folders. That's a start right?

2. Knit a pair of socks. Thanks to Aunt S., I have a pair started - toe-up socks, even! I love the toe-up concept. You tackle the hardest parts first - the toe, then the heel - then the rest is clear sailing, plus you don't have to worry about running out of yarn! I've got the toe of one knit, when I get to the heel, I'll have to arrange another visit with Aunt S. to get good instructions.

3. Buy a GPS and go geocaching. Done! GPS purchased and 14 geocaches located by the end of 2010. It's very fun and there are caches in just about every corner of the province. I foresee getting a lot of use out of this gadget!

4. Make a fabric/ribbon memo board. Scratched this one. I haven't forgotten about it entirely. I'd like to have one at home and even at work, but it's not a high priority.

5. Read Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina Started! As of the end of 2010, I got to page 237. I stalled after part of the second section due to life (actually, due to another book I was reading for my Small Group Bible Study).

6. Get involved in my church in Sept. Haven't yet, but will. I'm ashamed to admit that I've held back this long from getting involved. That's not exactly a good example of "living in community" is it? Part of the problem is shyness of all things. For some reason I find myself extremely timid at church. This is weirdness I have to overcome, and I'm sure it'll dissipate the more I get involved.

7. Frame my gerbera print. Scratched from list. I still love the gerbera print, but noticed that it's starting to lose some of the colour. The cost of framing just isn't worth it. Instead, I've repurposed it as a background image on my desk, which seems to work quite well.

8. Buy a headboard for my bed. Not done. I couldn't settle on any one bedframe, and also found them to be overpriced . I've been surfing Kijiji for potentials and have even considered making my own. Again, it's not a huge priority, just another one of those things it would be nice to have.

9. Attempt a pie crust (again!). Didn't do it. Should've done it. But do I really want to be trying to master pie crusts? Is that really a good idea??

10. Become a Host in the YMCA's Immigrant Host Program. Not done. I've held off from this because I'm a little concerned about the commitment. I don't want to sign-up for something and find I can't follow-up with it. Already I have the Big/Little commitment + pottery lessons this Winter. I still like the idea though.

11. Learn to kayak. Check! This was an unofficial item on the To Do List. Actually, I added it in the summer. I was so pleased to have the chance to learn to kayak at the Becoming an Outdoor Woman weekend. It was definitely a highlight of the year, and I'd definitely like to get more practice in a kayak.

One last thing to add: While these were all things I aimed to do in 2010, I'm not terribly disappointed I was only able to check a couple things off the list. This year was a big year for other reasons (conference planning took up a good 6 months of it!) and mostly these are just things I'd like to get to eventually. Even still, my priorities shift from the beginning of the year to the end. Some of these just aren't really that important to worry about. Next year's list may be a bit more focussed, you'll have to wait and see. ;)

Two for two!

2010-10-05T20:04:00.006-03:00

Two in two weekends! Last weekend was Hells Gate Falls, this weekend was Mills Falls at Kejimkujik National Park. We were there, the whole family, for a special occasion. It's a beautiful spot, perfect for weddings as it turns out, though perhaps more so when it's not raining.

It wasn't difficult to get some nice shots of the falls.

Can I make it three for three?

Hell's Gate

2010-09-27T23:45:00.014-03:00

Sadly, this post is not going to demonstrate my new-found prowess as an outdoors woman. In fact, it may do just the opposite, and reinforce the obvious - that I have a lot to learn and should probably equip myself with some basic tools (ie. compass, map, water, whistle, matches, etc.) before going into unfamiliar territory, because who knows what kind of trouble I could get myself into.

Destination: Hells Gate Falls, aka "Three Pools", which technically isn't a public hiking trail as it's on Nova Scotia Power property. With that said, it's a popular trail and as long as you're careful and not stupid (ie. climb on the slippery rocks, or jump off the 70 ft cliff into the shallow water below), you'll be fine. Also, we felt slightly justified trespassing as our grandfather used to work at Hells Gate at one point in time.

Estimated hiking distance/time: 4 km /1 hour. Time spent: 2.5+ hours.
If the hike was only 1 hour, why did it take us 2.5 hours to get in and get out you may ask? Well, we may have lost track of where we were going a few times. In our defense, we (my cousin and I) were mainly there to chat and catch-up; finding the falls was really secondary or, rather, it gave us an excuse to get out of the house and enjoy a nice afternoon. If we were truly focussed on the task at hand we would've looked up Hells Gate Falls on a map and planned our route.

The entrance we took that would, in a round about way, lead us to Hells Gate Falls/Three Pools.

Instead, our approach was to start at the entrance (a wire gate that had been vandalised) and follow the path to see where it took us. I figured it's a popular spot, it should be pretty obvious what direction we should take. This is sort of what got us in trouble a couple times - there are many, many paths in the area, none of them had signs that helped to point us to our desination. Good thing, after a bit of aimless hiking, we stumbled upon Marvin (Marvin #1 on the map), who proceeded to give us directions... which neither of us paid close enough attention to.

So here's where I think a map might be helpful. It's sort of hard to tell where the trails are on GoogleMaps, but I did my best. The pink line is our route, the blue line is Marvin's recommended route.

He said something about following the pipeline (the greyish line running from the surge towers to the dam) till we got to an ATV trail. We caught that much. So we started to walk until we reached a dam, at which point we realised we must've missed the ATV trail, so when we doubled back we took a couple side trails on the wrong side of the pipeline (duh!). Both trails took us into a pit, which clearly wasn't where the Falls would be. Unbeknownst to us, we were being watched. Marvin had seen us go in the wrong direction and knew we were "misplaced" (not lost!). He laughed when we ran into him again (Marvin #2 on map) and then proceeded to walk us to Hells Gate Falls, which was less than a 5 minute walk away.

Okay, it was a bit embarrassing how close we were and yet how far off track at the same time. Also, it was more than embarrassing when he assumed we were city girls. I mean, I am, but it's not exactly the image I was going for. Sigh.

Marvin left us at the 2nd pool, and told us how to get to the 1st. He also mentioned something about climbing down the steep hill where we would find a decent trail where he sometimes brought his 4 wheeler. Now this is where we sort of lost him again. He was telling stories about how kids would get lost in the woods all the time and find themselves in predicaments because they didn't know the terrain. His directions were basically just repeating the routes these kids would take and get themselves lost, but he did say the trail would take us out. Where "out" was wasn't clarified.

So we carried on. Have I mentioned this is a gorgeous spot? Not only are there waterfalls, but absolutely stunning woodland with moss-covered forest floor and rocks. The rock formations make it look like an ancient forest, actually. The terrain is pretty treacherous though, if you're not careful. The path starts out high, and involves a very scary descent down a steep moss-covered cliff, with loose needles and dirt that make it hard to get good footing (below). Climbing down involved a combination (for me) of grabbing roots and scooching down on my bum. The pictures are really unflattering!

This picture really doesn't do justice to the height of the cliff. Once you're at the bottom, it's a spectacular sight. Also, once you're at the bottom the walk is easy. The path follows the river and takes you right out to Hell's Gate. This is where we got confused about Marvin's directions "out". Did he mean the trail would take us here? We told him our grandfather used to work at Hell's Gate so maybe he thought this is where we were headed?

There was a road/trail to our right and we started up it (the blue line from Hell's Gate to the Surge Tanks). We got about half way up when S. started to question if it was wise to keep going up a road we didn't know (not knowing that in fact it would take us exactly to where we wanted to be), and suggested it might be best to double back the same way we came. So we did, which added an extra 4 miles (according to Marvin) onto our hike. Also, it meant having to climb up that scary cliff we had just climbed down.

Needless to say the hike was more of a workout than we had anticipated, but a fun time just the same. Best of all, it's time well spent when you get to have a good visit with family, plus enjoy the outdoors!

View of the surge towers from a distance, close to our starting point. If you look closely, you can see the red of Hell's Gate at the base of the towers inthe second picture. It gives a bit of perspective to the height of the path we started out on (same level as the surge towers) to where we ended up (at Hell's Gate).

YouTube is addictive!

2010-09-24T22:39:00.003-03:00

This week has been all about YouTube.

First of all, an amazing collection of Nova Scotian film has been uploaded to YouTube which includes fascinating footage dating from 1917-1957. One of my favourite films is the 1928 footage of the Cherry Carnival in Bear River. But there's hours and hours of film footage I've yet to see.

Speaking of hours and hours, if you have that much time, you should also check out a BBC series on YouTube called "The Supersizers Go....". It's all about food and it's completely addictive. Once you start watching, you won't be able to stop. Each episode focusses on a different era in British history, from Ancient Roman times to the 1980s, and everything in between. But the episodes aren't more specifically focusses on the food and the culture of eating from each of these eras. It's fascinating and hilarious as the two leads (a food critic and a comic) act the part and find out for themselves what life was like in that week's time period. Oh, and at times it's revolting - sooo many pigs heads were eaten, and grotesque fish dishes, and so much gross concoctions! Each episode is 60 minutes, but broken up into 10 minute segments on YouTube and I challenge you to watch just one episode! When I discovered this, I was glued to my computer for hours!

Becoming an Outdoors Woman

2010-09-17T18:24:00.010-03:00

...That's what I was doing last weekend.

I found out about BOW at the beginning of August and signed-up immediately. If you ask my co-workers, they'll tell you that I was bouncing off the walls with excitement the day I registered. If you haven't heard about it, BOW is short for Becoming an Outdoors Woman and is an international, non-profit organization which aims to educate women in outdoorsy skills and activities. They offer a wide variety of workshops from hunting and fishing courses to basic skills for hiking/wilderness survival, to sports like mountain biking, and kayaking and hobbies like geocaching and birding. There's something for everyone! More information and a full list of the workshops they offer is available here.

So much was packed into this BOW weekend, that it's taken me this long to digest everything. There's really so much I want to share, that I haven't quite figured out where to begin, and how to keep this post manageable without going on and on about how much fun I had, and how much I learned. Also, I wish I had more photos from the weekend, but sadly I was to busy to take pictures and only have a couple dozen to share.

I was really happy with my workshop choices this year:

1. Wilderness Navigation: learning how to read topographical maps, how to use a compass, and how to use both of these together, learning the difference between true north and magnetic north, how to calculate distance travelled. It was really, really fun and really quite empowering to learn these skills. I'm by no means an expert but it's confidence building to know that you have the skills to get yourself in and out of the woods with these tools. I'm definitely putting a compass on my Christmas list this year, if I can wait that long!

2. Mountain Biking: learning about the gear and parts of the biking, learning how to shift gears properly and use the gears for different terrain, and how to change a flat tire. I learned that I won't shy away from biking through the muck and puddles (that's the fun part about mountain biking), but that I quickly lose stamina going uphill, even in the lowest gear, and have to do the walk of shame up the hill.

3. Kayaking: This was a close tie with Wilderness Navigation for my favourite workshop of the weekend. We learned about the kayaks, paddles and the gear that goes with it all, body positioning and movements, paddlings strokes, how to recover from a capsized kayak (including some entertaining demonstrations). I started out in the tandem with a partner having never been in a kayak before and close to the end got to try out a single. I was not very stable in the single and was sure I was going to tip. It's a miracle I didn't actually!

4. Birding: This wasn't my first choice (I wanted to do the geocaching workshop as I still haven't figured out how to do certain things with my GPS yet), but I quite enjoyed it just the same! We learned about migration patterns of birds, about different species of birds and about the bird atlas for Nova Scotia, we learned about identification techniques and how to adjust binoculars (adjust the left lens first, then fine-tune the right), and we learned a great technique for attracting birds ("phish"ing: shpish-psh-psh). We spotted a couple species of vireos, grouse and finches, and of course were visited by curious chickadees. Also our instructor had a rather neat gadget that she uses to call birds - a tiny little speaker that plugs into her mp3 player and will play mp3s of bird calls! How neat!

The workshops were the main focus of the weekend, but in the evenings we had the opportunity to learn fly-tying or knot-tying. I chose knots and learned how to five knots: the bowline knot, the reef knot, the clove hitch, the handcuff knot and the monkey's fist. Now I just have to be sure to practice, so I will remember them when I need them.

On the second night the plan was to have an astronomy lesson but the weather wasn't cooperating (did I mention it rained the whole weekend?), so instead we had a demo of really neat software called Stellarium. You can type your location into the program and it will pull up the night sky, which you can then click and drag so it matches what you see from your exact location. Then, with another click the program will show you the constellations and the artwork that goes with the constellations. Really cool, eh?! And here's the best part - the software is free!

And, of course, no outdoorsy weekend would be complete without a campfire or two. Here's a picture of our second campfire, complete with planked salmon cooked by the fire!

If you're interested in hearing more about what the weekend was like, CBC's Phlis McGregor was there interviewing folks and here is her spot about BOW on CBC NS's Information Morning.

2010-09-06T23:06:00.007-03:00

I can check one more thing off my 2010 To Do List.

Last month I finally stopped waffling and purchased a GPS with the help of a little birthday money from my grandparents. I'd been comparing different models, researching advantages and disadvantages of Garmin vs. Magellan for quite awhile; reading local geocaching forums for advice etc. And then finally decided it was time to quit with the indecision and buy one! I went into BestBuy, found one on sale, and bought it. It was a Magellan Explorist GC, a GPS specifically designed for paperless geocaching (that is, all the info for a cache gets downloaded to the GPS, not just the coordinates). It took me a little while to figure out how it worked, to play with the features (because it didn't come with a manual, only a pamphlet illustrating some of the features but not providing any instructions) and then took it out for a couple test-runs.

At first it was pretty disappointing - I wasn't finding any of the caches. Granted, the first two times I was thwarted, first by darkness and second by hot & humid weather combined with a frustrated 10 year old. But then, finally! I found my first cache, and my second cache, and then two more caches....and I was on a roll!

I'm finding out that geo-caching is actually pretty addictive. There are caches just about everywhere - over 8000 in Nova Scotia - and I'm constantly impressed by the ingenuity of geo-caches to find/make great hiding spots, often in plain sight. And, of course, there's the allure of finding "hidden treasure". Who doesn't like a good ol' treasure hunt! And I've found pretty great swag so far too...

For those of you who have never tried geocaching (aka "muggles") it's highly likely you walk by a cache daily without ever knowing it. I've been dragging anyone who is even remotely interested along for a geocache hunt - co-workers, friends, family - and I've got a much better success rate now. It's one of those activities that's more fun with other people anyway.
I'm hoping to get into it more with the Little. I think it's the kind of activity that would be really great with kids AND gives a little purpose and motivation to going for walks or hikes. Geocachers are sort of like explorers going on an expedition to find a treasure afterall...right? And very few kids will turn down an opportunity to explore or go on an expedition or an adventure.

For anyone who is interested in learning about geocaching, you're best bet is to check out geocaching.com. Go to "Hide & Seek" and see how many geocaches are in your area - I bet there's at least a few! I first signed up 3 years ago when I decided I wanted to give it a try. It's taken me 3 years to actually commit to buying a GPS (they're not cheap, and I hadn't actually gone geocaching before buying a GPS) and now that I have I'm really glad I did! I can see this being a fun activity for years to come - not just in finding caches, but also in hiding them too.

How to be Alone

2010-08-08T14:39:00.004-03:00

Have you seen this short film? It's been floating around the internet for a couple weeks now.
It's a lovely piece with a lot of wisdom, not just for those of us who are single but also for those in relationships who find themselves lonely when they're alone.

Being alone doesn't have to be synonymous with lonely...
...."'cause if you're happy in your head, then solitude is blest and alone is okay."

Poem written and perfromed by Tanya Davis.
Filmed in Halifax.

Reading Anna Karenina

2010-08-06T21:34:00.005-03:00

Remember my update a week ago about how little progress I've made on my 2010 To Do List?
Well, I'm happy to report that, thanks to a new friend (who lives as far away as Hong Kong!), I'm finally making some progress now. It's amazing how a reading companion can make all the difference and offers exactly the motivation I needed to get started and (hopefully) get through the book!

So here's our approach:

The book is broken up into 8 sections, and each section is about 100 pages. We're going to read one section a month. It's a very manageable goal and there's still lots of time for you to join in if you are interested. In fact, we'd love for you to join us in our
Anna Karenina read-along.

The hardest part I've found about reading this book is keeping the characters straight - there are so many names, patronymic names, surnames that are similar. But Sarah has outlined them nicely (without spoilers) in her Anna Karenina Read-Along blog post, which is an enormous help. And once you get into the story, it gets easier to keep the names straight (or so I'm finding now that I've made a bit of progress).

So, what do you think? Has Anna Karenina been sitting on your shelf for years, like mine has, just waiting to be read? Or, have you always wanted to read Leo Tolstoy but never had the time or courage to delve into his books? Want to give it a try? There's no time like the present!

Run Fatboy Run!

2010-08-02T20:53:00.004-03:00

With permission, I'm posting this picture and video of a dear friend competing in the Dartmouth Natal Day Race. He did a fine job!And here he is crossing the finish line 6 miles (or 9.656064 km) later:

In case you were wondering, the title of this post is meant to be ironic. It is also a reference to a movie of the same title, which I'm told is hilarious and a 'must see'.

"No two sunsets are the same..."

2010-08-01T19:48:00.012-03:00

I'm a little late posting a few pictures from my latest trip to the cottage. I debated about posting at all since my last visit was just a month ago, and only 3 posts ago. I mean, how many sunset photos can I post, before it becomes just more of the same? Well, as my grandfather says, no two sunsets are the same ... and this last weekend visit seemed especially lovely and worthy of it's own post.

I'm going say this particular weekend was especially lovely because of the company. It was the big July birthday/anniversary celebration and most of the family was able to get together (missed you uncle D. + cousin E.) . And we know how to celebrate in style...

...with a feast of lobster. And huge lobster at that! These crustaceans must've been about 2 lbs each. And wow, was it delicious!

After supper, G. and I went canoeing to check out a brook neither of us have noticed before that feeds into "the cove". We canoed past this derelict cabin, that's been abandoned for as long as I can remember.

There are so many nooks and crannies to be explored at the cottage. The lake is small, but the possibilities for exploration are endless. Such is the advantage of being in the backwoods. Here are a few pictures of the brook G. and I wandered along for a bit (there was even a little falls!).

And this year, for the first time in ages, I even went swimming in the lake. When I was younger, I didn't seem to be as bothered by slimy rocks, and underwater growth (lilypads, etc.) or creeped out by anything swimming under the surface that I couldn't see. But this year, after a rather sweaty canoe-ride, swimming in the lake seemed like a good idea. The water was incredibly warm and with water shoes I managed to forget about the bottom of the lake and concentrate on actually trying to swim.

And at dusk, we did something we haven't been able to do in ages because the summers have been either too dry - make a fire outside and roast marshmellows. Yum!

Last but not least, one of my favourite ways to waste away an afternoon at the cottage is with a book, in the quiet stillness of the day.

I picked up Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King from the library and quite enjoyed it. The novel is not structured in chapters but is a single account from Dolores Claiborne about how the events in her life unfolded. It was riveting and hard to put down (and not just because there weren't any chapter breaks!).

And that was the weekend! A delight as always.

Checking in....

2010-07-28T23:48:00.005-03:00

I'm well past the 6 month, mid-year mark for my 2010 To Do List and I'm sad to report I've got very little of it crossed off. The conference planning took a great deal of my time from January to June and now from July to December I'll be playing catch-up. Of course, there really isn't any pressure. This is just a list for the sake of making a list and a goal to work towards. Okay so what progress, exactly, have I made....

2010 To Do List:

1. Print digital pictures and put them in photo albums. No progress at all. Except I've taken more pictures that will need to be printed off and put into albums. Sigh. I think to make this task a little more manageable, I'm going give myself a smaller target - Big/Little photos (that is photos of my Little and I doing things). This actually spans 2.5 years, but I've already got the digital images organized and can probably easily select the good ones to print, identify and put in an album.

2. Knit a pair of socks. Oh dear. I've failed miserably at this one, for the 2nd year in a row. In fact, I abandoned knitting almost entirely during the busy-ness of conference planning. It wasn't until after conference that I picked it up again...and then I finished one project and started and finished two more: fingerless gloves and a hot water bottle cozy. I'm not going to give up yet though. I still have a few months. And I've found a pattern that looks simple enough. Now I just have to get started!

3. Buy a GPS and go geocaching. I'm happy to report that I DID buy a Magellan Explorist GPS, but still haven't tried it out yet. I've heard conflicting reports on how well it works in the woods, and the quality of maps (Garmin are reported to have better maps). But I'll give it a try. I'm hoping to have a chance to take a geo-caching course in September (that's a whole other blogpost!), so I may actually be able to check this one off my list.

4. Make a fabric/ribbon memo board. Uh. Yeah. Haven't started this one either. Sigh.

5. Read Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. Started. Got 30 pages in and couldn't get any further. It's not exactly a light summertime read. This one may actually take years for me to check off the list.

6. Get involved in my church in September. Haven't looked into this, but I'm sure there will be areas where I can help - there are always are in church!

7. Frame my gerbera print. This has been low on the priority list, but really ought to get done. Framing is so expensive and the print is good quality, but not exactly worth the $100 + it would cost to get a frame made for it. It's an odd shape but I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a frame at Wal-Mart or Zellers that will work. I can think of other places to put my money.

8. Buy a headboard for my bed. I've been scoping out Kijiji Halifax, but haven't seen anything. I've had a couple offered to me from family and I may take them up on it, provided I'm allowed to paint them first.

9. Attempt a pie crust (again!). Okay, it's too hot to fuss with pastry in the summertime so I'll save this for the fall/winter season. Apple pie, pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie......

10. Become a Host in the YMCA's Immigrant Host Program. I need to contact the organizer and get myself on the training list for the fall. Hopefully I'm not too late.

I guess I've got a lot of catching up to do. Oh, and I meant to add one more thing to the list. Give kayaking a try. And this one is looking like it's entirely possible! Yay!

Delicious!

2010-07-27T20:12:00.002-03:00

I'm out of the habit of blogging. I have lots of lovely pictures to post, but keep forgetting to do so. Maybe this will get me started!

Last week I made a delicious summery salsa and I wanted to share it. I'm not even sure if anyone is following my blog anymore, where I've been such an infrequent poster!

The original recipe is from Whole Foods, one of my favourite sources for recipes. Almost every recipe I've tried has turned out perfectly and is delicious and full of flavour!

The following is copied directly from Whole Foods's Recipe website. I didn't do much measuring. I chopped up about 3 tomoatoes and 2 nectarines, and added more cilantro and lime than was called for, just because I love cilantro and lime. :) I served the salsa on top of pan-fried haddock (which you can't see for all the salsa in the picture above). Also, I don't have the patience to cube everything so neatly as Whole Foods did....but it still looks delicious.

Fresh Salsa

Makes about 2 cups

Salsa has lots of advantages: It seems indulgent, but it's actually a healthy choice, fat free and loaded with flavor and vegetables. It's inexpensive, especially when the ingredients are home grown or in season. It's versatile because you can make it hotter with more peppers or make it sweeter with fruit. And it's easy!

Ingredients

2 cups chopped tomatoes (or a combination of tomatoes and fresh peaches, nectarines, mangoes or grapes)
1/3 cup chopped yellow or white onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
Salt to taste

Method

Put all ingredients into a bowl, toss well and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 4oz/1/2 cup/116g-wt.): 25 calories (0 from fat), 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 150mg sodium, 6g total carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 1g protein

Phew!

2010-06-22T22:07:00.006-03:00

I'm done! The conference was a success - or at least the reports I'm getting suggest it was. And now I'm free to enjoy the summer. It's surprising how something can really consume every waking moment (and even some of my sleeping moments too!). I hadn't quite realised what I was getting myself into when I agreed to chair the Local Arrangements for a 3 day conference for about 250 people. It was a big job - much bigger than I expected! But everything worked out well, and ran much more smoothly than I expected. Even the weather cooperated. At the beginning of the week the forecast was calling for 70% rain on the two nights we had weather-dependent activities planned....and both days the weather turned completely around and really couldn't have been better!

After the conference I took some time off to escape to the cottage. Knowing that after a full and busy week of being "on", I knew I'd need some time to be "off". I booked the cottage for the week immediately following the conference figuring that would be the best way to shut down and reboot. I guess this defines me as an introvert, eh?Ahh, the cottage is so wonderful! Peace and quiet, no routines, no obligations or responsibilities or rules. I slept when I felt like sleeping, read when I wanted to read, ate when and what I wanted to eat, watched movies, and listened to CBC Radio almost constantly. Such luxury!

My list of 'accomplishments' during my week of solitude:
1. Started & finished "The Secret Life of Bees"
2. Started "Anna Karenina"
3. Watched: "I've loved you so long", "Slumdog Millionaire", and "Everything is Illuminated" - three lovely movies for the cottage.
4. Also watched: Anne of Green Gables and the Sequel...because it's hard to knit and read subtitles (for 2 of the movies in #3)....and because it's also a perfect movie for the cottage.
5. Finished the strangling vines lace scarf I've been working on for far too long. And started & finished a pair of handwarmers from Joelle Hoverson's "Last Minute Knitted Gifts".
6. Went to the Annapolis Royal Farmer's Market bright and early on Saturday morning and came back only with a loaf of brioche.
7. Saw a beaver swimming in the lake and startled it (by accident, I promise) which made it slap it's tail on the water and then dive under out of sight.8. Kept the wood stove going on the one damp chilly day I had while I was there.9. Slept!

Now I'm back in the city, back to work and back to routine. After spending such an extended time planning for this conference, I'm actually really looking forward to getting back into my actual work. The question is....where to start!

Thank you Queen Victoria!

2010-05-24T20:40:00.010-03:00

....for the long weekend!
It was a glorious one! We had perfect weather all three days, and I did my best to take advantage of it.

On Saturday, R. and I went to Mahone Bay. We took the long route, Hwy #3, and made a few stops along the way. As it turned out Mahone Bay was hopping this weekend due to the Mussel Festival (who knew?!), but we still managed to find the a super quiet spot to enjoy a delicious picnic lunch of brie + artisan bread + tomatoes and carrots.

The neighbours were very quiet, needless to say!...but we enjoyed their company, particularly Sophia's.
Mahone Bay really is a perfect daytrip for a sunny Saturday. I wish I had taken more photos. It's such a pretty little town. We wandered through some of the shops. I had gone with an idea of finding a pair of shoes at the Mahone Bay Trading Co., but didn't find what I was looking for. It's a little surprising that in this tiny little town, you'll find a HUGE shoe store. It's largest shoe store stocking Clark's I've ever been in (even in Toronto!). All I bought in Mahone Bay was an ice cream (from a new ice cream shoppe and was having a 2 for 1 sale), and a rhubarb custard square. Yum!
Sunday was an eventful day, not so much for me, but for a dear friend who was running the Blue Nose Half-Marathon. Personally, I can't imagine running 21 km, even if I was being chased by someone/something, so in my mind this is really an accomplishment to celebrate.Her fan club wandered around the city to cheer her on, and after it was all said and done, we enjoyed a feast at the Mongolie Grill where you pick your own ingredients for a stirfry. It's a pretty fun concept and delicious too! Afterwards we went back to my place to relax and catch-up and later enjoy a dinner together. I love having people over because it's so much more fun cooking for other people than for just me. I made a moussaka with Greek salad and served pita & roasted red pepper dip with it. And for dessert, inspired by the treat I had in Mahone Bay, I made super decadent rhubarb custard bars. Wow they were good....but you don't want to eat too many of them, that's for sure. They are rich, rich, rich!

Rhubarb Custard Bars

Base:
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Cold Butter or Margarine

Filling:

2 Cups Sugar
7 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 Cup Whipping Cream
3 Eggs, beaten
5 Cups Finely Chopped Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb, Thawed and Drained

Topping:

2 Packages (3 ounces each) Cream Cheese softened
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Whipping Cream, Whipped

In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar; cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Meanwhile for filling, combine sugar and flour in a bowl. Whisk in cream and eggs. Stir in the rhubarb. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 F for 40 - 45 minutes or until custard is set. Cool.

For topping, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Spread over top. Cover and chill well. Cut into bars.

Yield: 3 Dozen

After a game of Dutch Blitz, everyone went home and I went to bed.

And here we are, today, the last day of the long weekend! After such a busy Sat. and Sunday, I was in no rush to do anything this morning. I enjoyed a slow morning with lots of CBC radio and dozing and not much of anything. Stupidly, I saved all the hard work for the heat of the day - and whoa! was there heat! It was 29 C in Halifax (33 w/ the Humidex). But the sunshine was nice, and I'm not complaining. Even when it's hot Halifax is still waaaay better than Toronto in the heat. There's hardly any smog, and being so close to the ocean means that the evenings cool down nicely. I love Halifax in the summertime!

This afternoon I bought some plants and got my patio garden started. I decided to forego with vegetables this year. For the amount of produce my little garden yields, it's hardly worth it. Especially since I can raid my mother's garden for delicious things! ;)

So this year I've decided to go with flowers and greenery. I want a lush, pretty garden this year, rather than practical. The problem is, I'm not sure I know what I'm doing. So today I just bought a few things that looked nice and planted them in my planters. We'll see how they'll do. I did plant a 'salad' box of romaine lettuce and an herb box with parsley, chives and basil.

I still have a little more to do - I want to pick up a hosta and I need to plant another hanging basket, get my scarlet runners planted, and add a couple more plants to my railing planters - but most of it is done now. Soon, I'll be able to sit back and enjoy the greenery and pretty flowers. I hope.

Well, that's it for me. I'm going to sign-off now, and maybe go to bed. The sun and the activity has left me a little wiped.

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend as much as I did!

Mentally packing

2010-05-13T22:45:00.003-03:00

For the last 6 months my time and thoughts have been consumed by a conference I'm helping to plan. It's been pretty much all-consuming, in fact. And now we're down to the wire. Only a few short weeks left before it's go-time and all the planning has to come together. It's mentally and physically exhausting and I am so grateful for such awesome people on my committee who have helped so much.

Here's the thing though....I'm ready for it all to be done! I'm nervous about all the details I haven't thought around yet and all that will come up last minute that are guaranteed to throw me into a tizzy. But these things are to be expected.

So what is getting me through it all?
I've booked the family cottage the week immediately following the conference to relax and be reclusive. Some think a week is too long to be reclusive, but I'll argue that it'll be needed after such a busy week of networking, and coordinating, and trouble-shooting.

And now, whilst all the planning is happening, I'm also mentally packing my bags.

What books do I want to read? I'm thinking a book or two, or four, that will be light, but engrossing.
What movies do I want to bring? Something that I've been meaning to watch, but haven't had the time + a few old standbys (BBC's Pride and Prejudice anyone?)
What knitting project/s do I want to start? And which skeins of wool should I bring?
What comfort foods and treats should I plan to bring with me?
And should I tackle on of the projects in my 2010 To Do List while I enjoy the free time?

As crazy as it sounds, I'm actually considering pulling out a bag and literally starting to pack. I think it may help keep me grounded while all the craziness is happening.

If you have any suggestions for any/all of the above, please feel free to share them.

Sunset at Peggy's Cove

2010-04-27T23:57:00.003-03:00

April in Pictures

2010-04-27T23:17:00.004-03:00

Because, once again, I don't really have much time to elaborate on all that I've been doing lately.

First, there was a trip to Peggy's Cove with friends to watch the sunset. It was a little overcast, but such a lovely evening to hang out on the rocks. I never tire of this spot - it's one of my favourite in Nova Scotia. And it's great to go before the tourists arrive....
Then there was a trip to Shubenacadie Wildlife Park with the "Little" where we were entertained by various species of foxes...

Some were active...Some were not!

And then there multiple trips to Two If By Sea to indulge in what is possibly the best pastry I've ever eaten. Those pain au chocolat are huge and buttery and delicious, and best enjoyed with friends.

There was also some beach exploration. It's such a treat to have such warm, sunny weather in April - and what a perfect way to celebrate an early spring by going to the beach to watch the waves!

And that's about it. I will try to do better at blogging in May. Maybe.

Obligatory post for March.....

2010-03-31T22:57:00.004-03:00

Phew! I'm getting in my March blog post at the very last minute. I've been intending to post for awhile, but haven't really much to say. That's not to say that things haven't been busy, and I haven't done much in March - because nothing could be further from the truth. March was certainly jam-packed with fun of all kinds.

But rather than try to catch you up, I'm going to post what I was working on tonight:
Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt clues!
I'm hoping this will be a hit with the Little tomorrow night. I thought it might be a fun after-dinner activity that will also celebrate Easter (well, the chocolatey-side of Easter anyway).
Each clue leads to something that the Little is familiar with. I hope they're not to easy or not too hard.

Okay, I've posted in March. Now on to April....
I fear if I don't try to get at least one post up a month, I might give up blogging altogether until life quiets down. I shall try to prevent that from happening.

2010-02-25T20:37:00.005-04:00

Finally! I figured out how to upload photos from my new digital camera. Apparently all I had to do was download the software. So now I can actually share some pictures from the last week. Here are a couple highlights:

We had a big snowstorm a week ago this past Wednesday, and Halifax got a lot of snow. The most I've seen in one storm since I moved here, I think.

So, what do you do when you get a lot of heavy, wet snow? You build a 4 ft snowman! That's what!
My "Little" and I built this awesome snowman the day after the storm. He was a sight to be seen. But you would've had a very short time to see him, because no sooner had we built him then the miscreants in my neighbourhood demolished him. (Within the hour he was built, actually. Jerks!). I was livid, but also thankful we got a few pictures and also thankful the "Little" didn't see him destroyed before she left for the night.

Another great thing to do when it's cold outside, is to eat hearty foods, like mashed potatoes while taking advantage of a good deal! That's what a few of us from work did on Friday - we took advantage of Seasons' (the restaurant in the Atlantica Hotel) potini Friday!. What is "potini Friday", you ask? Well, it's mashed potato served in a martini glass with about a dozen different toppings that you load onto your potini. Like this work of art:
I can't take credit for this masterpiece. It was not mine. I stuck to the fried onions and mushrooms (which were delicious!).

Well, that's pretty much it. I could post more, but I'm pooped. It's been a long week with lots going on, and I've got a busy weekend ahead. I'm actually considering going to bed early, maybe even now, at 9pm!

Soup is served!

2010-02-20T23:49:00.003-04:00

I made the most delicious soup today and had to post about it. I found the recipe on another blog, Alice in Paris Loves Art & Tea, and was thrilled to see that I had all the ingredients already. No shopping required - I like that! I'd post a photo if I could figure out how to download photos from my new camera. For some reason the program launches, but won't download. Ah well, I'll figure it out.

Here's the recipe:

Jamie Oliver's Spicy Parsnip Ginger Soup (adapted)
2 T olive oil or coconut oil
knob of butter
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon garam masala ( Optional, an Indian spice)
6 parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks
1 litre vegetable stock or chicken stock
500ml milk or coconut milk (2 cups)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
OPTIONAL:fresh red chili, deseeded and finely sliced
OPTIONAL: handful of fresh coriander leaves
crusty bread, to serve

Heat a splash of olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, ginger and garam masala. Gently fry for around 3 minutes, until fragrant. It will stick to the bottom of the pot a bit but don't worry, when you add the broth you scrape it up.
Drop in the chopped parsnip and stir together so that everything gets coated in the oil and flavours.
Pour in the stock, season well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on.
Add the milk at the end and if you don't want to that's ok, it's fine without:) I didn't add it.

After half an hour, check that the parsnips are cooked by sticking a knife in. If you’re happy, remove them from the heat and carefully whiz up using a hand blender or liquidizer. Taste the soup to see if it needs a little more salt or pepper.

Serve with a sprinkling of sliced red chili, a few coriander leaves if you like, and a good chunk of crusty bread.

A treasured gift!

2010-01-20T18:28:00.006-04:00

I'm in the midst of a very hectic week, slowed down at first by a head cold that has caused me to sneeze non-stop for the better part of three days. The cold is abating, and I have a moment to breathe (literally and figuratively) and post a quick note.

I've been intending to post this since Christmas, but as you can tell, I haven't spent much time on blogger these past few weeks. Here is one of the treasured gifts I received this Christmas, from my grandfather.
I expect you'll have to click on the image to make it bigger to read the text. It's a poem titled "A Plant That You Cannot Kill", written entirely by my grandfather. You must read it!

So here is a little context: Every year before Christmas I'm asked for my "Christmas List" and every year I try to comply. Usually I can produce such a list easily as I tend to write things down as I think of them throughout the year. This list is not specifically for Christmas; it's more to keep track of what I want and why. I tend to like to give things great consideration before buying and by keeping a list I can watch for things to go on sale, or consider alternatives. It's sort of a way of maintaining a little self-control when it comes to shopping. But I digress....

This year I've had a miserable time with houseplants. For some reason, they keep dying! Now, I've never really had a good track-record when it comes to plants, but this year was particularly bad. I killed a spider plant (who kills spider plants???), an umbrella tree, an aloe vera plant and my thai basil. Now, arguably, Thai basil is not a hardy plant, and it's time came and went. The aloe vera became too top-heavy and when I tried to transplant it into a bigger pot, it protested by dying. The umbrella tree was fine for well over a year, but then last August it started dropping it's branches (umbrellas?) one-by-one until there was nothing left. Observe Exhibit A. (right). If you look closely (or click on the image to make it bigger) you will see a few of the limbs that dropped at the tree's base, in the plant pot. You'll also see my rather scraggly aloe plant. So sad.

But I digress again....

So I kill plants. Or so it seems to me. I have one houseplant that's survived the carnage of 2009, and I'm hoping against hope it survives 2010. So, on my Christmas plant I was hoping to re-green my apt with something so hardy, it would survive my neglect or black-thumb. And apparently my grandfather knew of just the thing! As you can see in the picture at the very top his creativity knew no bounds. Not only did he find me a plant i could not kill, but he wrote a poem to go with it! My grandfather is not usually the poem-writing sort. He's a story-teller, yes, and a genealogist (the two sort of go hand in hand), but the poem was definitely a treat and a treasure! I will safely care for this plant so that in the years to come, at Christmastime, I can put it on display without having to worry about it dying over the holidays due to lack of watering, or worry about poisoning Millie (because we all know poinsettas are poisonous for cats).

Thanks Grampie!

*** PS. To my shock and horror I thought I almost killed this plant too when I lifted it out of the box I had it in and one of the branches pulled out of the foam. Fortunately it went right back in place, without any permanent damage. Phew!

2010's To Do List

2010-01-11T19:09:00.009-04:00

2010 is here? What???? When did that happen?
How is it possible for time to pass so quickly?
Sigh.

Every year I try to set some goals. Not resolutions, but things I'd like to accomplish throughout the year. There is a difference, right? I think of resolutions as long-term, indefinite goals like eat better, exercise more, etc. These are more definite tasks with a tangible outcomes. Anyway, I like lists and I especially like to check things off my lists.

So here is my list for 2010:

Print digital pictures, label them, and put them in photo albums. Sort and back-up digital files. I've had my digital camera since 2006, or was it 2005? and I rarely print any of the photos. Not good! This must be rectified.
Knit a pair of socks. Emphasis on pair. One sock won't count, because I know if I stop at one, I'll never move on to the second. I think it's called "second sock syndrome". I have a lot of wool, particularly fingering weight wool that would be perfect for socks. I see this as the best possible way of depleting my stash. *This was on my 2009 list, but didn't get done.
Buy a GPS for geocaching. This is another goal for 2009 that didn't get done. I'm thinking about getting The Magellan Triton 200. But if any of you have any other suggestions, feel free to let me know.
Make a fabric & ribbon memo board, like this one.
Read Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I've had this book on my shelf for a long time, but am somewhat intimidated by the commitment it will take to read it. Time to get over that!
Get involved in my church. Up until this point I've been adherent and little more. I'd like this to change, but probably not until September after the big event I'm planning in June.
Frame my gerbera print.
Buy a headboard for my bed. I've been looking for one for a little while, but keep putting it off because I can't make up my mind what I want. Ultimately though, I'd like to sit up in bed and read, without having my bed rolling away from the wall when I lean up against it. Hmm...maybe there are brakes on the wheels. I should check that first.
Attempt pie crust again. I did this a couple of years ago and it didn't work, but haven't really tried since. Well, that's no good. I can't just give up. I'm up for the challenge again!
Volunteer for the YMCA's Immigrant Host program. This is where you are partnered with a new immigrant and help them get orientated to Canadian culture and the city and also just be a friend. Plain and simple. I had planned to do this back in 2008, but then I began my commitment to my Little and felt I wanted to concentrate on that before committing to something else.

I think that's a pretty good list for now. I reserve the right to change it, of course :D. We'll see how well I do next time I check in on my progress.

EDO Monday: A day of productivity

2009-12-14T08:24:00.003-04:00

I have much to do today and figured the best way to get it all done is to make a list, and tick things off as I get them done.

Sweep patio + put up lights & wreath (again!) + move all my balcony furniture back out onto balcony. (Last week my building super replaced my balcony, which meant I had to move my BBQ + planters + bistro set inside, where it's been taking up all the space in my dining room for the better part of a week.) Done! 8:30a.m.
Chase cathair (ie. clean the floors).
Finish Christmas shopping. I have 3 people left to shop for now. And I think I can get at least one done today.
Take recycling to depot.
Make a quick trip to work to pick up something I left in my office on Friday. Sigh.
Make a trip into Big Brothers Big Sisters to drop off the child car seat I borrowed and no longer need; drop off a form; and pick up a 2 For 1 Coupon for the Putting Edge for Saturday
Set up sewing machine again and finish project#1, pin and cut fabric for project#2.
Work on project #3
Pack up parcel for friends in TO and mail.
Finish remaining Christmas cards and mail.
Start Christmas baking.
Plan crafts to make for Big/Little Christmas party on Friday. (ie. How to entertain 9 year olds for 3 hours +).

Okay, so that's all the list-making I'm going to do for now. I hope to update as I go along and get things done.

A few thoughts on studying the Bible.

2009-11-29T22:58:00.006-04:00

I had an occasion, recently, to enter into a theological discussion about a "hot topic" in some of the more conservative churches. I have no intention in getting into the meat of the matter here, but I did come to some interesting conclusions.

First of all, we make a lot of assumptions. We assume the translations are accurate. We assume that what we are taught is right. And we assume we understand everything. We tend to let things we're taught go without challenging them, or without finding out for ourselves. We get confortable with what we understand and resist being unsettled.

So this discussion I mentioned before, it unsettled me. It challenged a my understanding of the Bible in a way I'd never been challenged before. My reaction? Find out the truth for myself by going back to the source, in it's original form in as much as I can. The problem is, the original form of the New Testament is Ancient Greek, which I've never studied. HOWEVER, I just discovered a fantastic resource available online, that does just that - it takes each and every word from the Bible back to it's original Greek or Hebrew origins. Not only that but each word is linked to its reference in Strong's Concordance; AND it also shows the passage in comparison with the various English translations. In case you're wondering, the website I'm referring to is: bible.cc. If you're the Bible-studying type, you'll want to check it out!

While I realise it's incredibly geeky to confess that I've spent hours doing this kind of study lately, I'm not ashamed to admit that it's been incredibly rewarding. If there's ambiguity in the translation, the original text can provide some clarity. This kind of study is really much richer and deepr than I had ever expected. I've learned so much! For example, in many cases, the gender-neutral pronoun used in the original text is replaced by masculine pronouns by Bible translators. Or, when a pronoun could have more than one meaning (gender-neutral or masculine), masculine becomes the default for translators. Interesting, eh? Ha. Or maybe it's not interesting at all. But it certainly has been enlightening for me.

The resources we have at our disposal in these post-modern times is unfathomable. And it's all at our finger-tips! We should consider ouselves privleged not only to have access to these reources, but also to have the freedom to use them.
...And that will be the final conclusion I leave you with tonight.

It's music monday!

2009-11-09T21:47:00.009-04:00

So much for my plans to have a handmade Christmas this year. I have been so busy that I've not spent any time at all on my knitting, and so have nothing to present to family and friends for Christmas. I do have a plan to make something for my Little, but that will be the best I can do this year.

And what has been keeping me so busy? Conference planning. That's what. Phew! It's a big job but I have a great team helping me and it'll all be worth it when it's all said and done.

What else? Well, I had a little fun too.

Last week a friend from work had 2 tickets to the Rose Cousins CD Release in Halifax, and I happened to be the lucky recipient of the the 2nd ticket! We had 2nd row seats and were treated to a fabulous concert. I've listened to Rose Cousins on CBC Radio 3 (and she gets played frequently on CBC Radio 1, too), so I knew I'd enjoy her music. I will say this, the entertainment isn't just in the music; Rose Cousins has a great stage presence and knows how to get the crowd in stitches. She's quite the entertainer. Oh, and of course her new CD is fantastic! Buy it as soon as it becomes available! Afterall singer/songwriters need nice shoes too.

The opening act was also a pleasant surprise for me. I wasn't as familiar with Royal Wood as I was with Rose Cousins, though I know now that I've heard his music on CBC Radio 3 fairly often (I just couldn't put a name to the music). But I came out of the concert with both in my head, and CDs from both artists in hand. You should buy his CD/s too. Now my biggest problem is deciding which to listen to!

In the meantime, while you're waiting to get the CD, go to CBC Radio 3 and add their music to your playlist. They're so delightful!

And since I'm on the topic of music, I thought I'd share this with you:
Yes, yes, I was one of the many who waited in line for a looong time to get Anne Murray to autograph her new book for my grandmother. Now, I'm not much of a fan, though I do appreciate her music and find her quite easy to listen to. Afterall, she is a Canadian music icon who helped to put Canada on the music map. So, all in all, this was an errand I did not mind doing for my grandmother. And, though I was completely unprepared for the signing (no knitting to keep myself occupied during the long wait, and no camera document the occasion), the woman next in line kindly offered to take a photo and email me a copy (turns out she knows folks at my workplace). So here it is, evidence that I'll do just about anything for my grandparents...and came within 2 feet of a Canadian icon. ;)

I've spent far too much money on music lately. Between concerts and CDs (I also picked up another kids CD to mix it up a little in the car with the Little; and in Toronto I found a Taize CD that's alright, but not quite what I was hoping for). I will stop music shopping for now, and instead start compiling a list of CDs for my Christmas wishlist.

Hmmm... In the time that it took for me to write this, I've eaten about 7 clementines. Is that too many? Sigh. I'm fighting something, so perhaps I can hope it's not too late to up my Vitamin C and kick the bug! By the way, Clementines are on sale at Sobeys - $3.97 for a 4lb crate! Go buy some!

Ho hum, I'm in a slump.

2009-10-05T01:33:00.003-03:00

I'm in a knitting slump at the moment and don't quite know how to get myself out of it. I've spent the better part of a good 2 hours surfing Ravelry and find all sorts of patterns that are lovely, but none that really jump out at me. Also, I'm determined to use up some of the yarn in my absurdly large stash before buying anymore yarn. Sadly, most of the patterns that catch my eye require more skeins of yarn than what I have already in my stash. What to do, what to do.....

Suggestions?

Cafe Aroma Latino

2009-09-29T20:26:00.003-03:00

A couple weeks ago I had dinner at Cafe Aroma Latino for the first time. I had heard it was good, but was pleased to have an opportunity to find out for myself. First of all, I was impressed and more than a little thrilled to find pupusas on the menu. One of my favourite stops in Kensington Market was always the Central American grocery where you can get pupusas freshly made. And now I know where to find the same Salvadoran 'street' treats here in Halifax!

There are all sorts of delicious things on Cafe Aroma's menu from all over Central America. And it's relatively cheap (most menu items are $2-4 ea.). You pick and choose what you'd like to order and end up with a plate of tasty treats. I ordered a bean pupusa (bottom left), a tamale wrapped in a banana leaf (top) and a beef taco (bottom right). The tamale was new to me - I'd never had one. It was okay, but more mild than I was expecting. It would've been nice with something especially spicy. The pupusa was a little different from those I'm used to from Toronto. I don't remember bean pupusas being made of beans like these were (I remember them being filled with refried beans instead), but they tasted the same and were just as delicious. The taco was also delicious and maybe even my favourite of the three; the beef+sauce was especially tasty.

And if you're looking for any Mexican-type groceries, you should check out the little grocery next door that sells all sorts of things from that region of the world. You can find all sorts of things to make your next Mexican theme night more authentic.

So there's my little review of this place. Check it out for yourself. We want to keep this restaurant in business for a long time!

Checking in

2009-09-08T22:09:00.006-03:00

It's been awhile and I thought I might just post a note about my progress with my short To Do List. I am pleased to report that there has been progress, so that's a good start.

1. Compost more consistently. Check! I've been composting since January. There's not a whole lot of enthusiasm for composting in my building, and up until this Spring, I hadn't ever seen the compost bin emptied. Evidence of this: the lobster shell I put in the bin in Feb. was still there in June. Sigh. I think I single-handedly managed to fill an entire bin with my own food waste. I guess my next "to do" item should be waste less food. Anyway, I managed to convince property management to arrange for regular pickups, and they're starting to encourage other tenants to also compost.

2. Get new glasses. Check! Not sure what I think of them, but I've got them and that's the most important thing. Here are the glasses - mine are brown and gun-metal grey. I have some lovely photos with my eyes open, however they're almost all photos with my Little and I'm not comfortable posting her picture online without permission. So no photo to show off the new specs.

3. Invest in a used GPS & go geocaching. Fail. Sadly, GPSs are expensive and this was a low priority for this year. I still love the concept and I think it would be A LOT of fun with the Little. If I didn't have other things to save for, I'd for sure get one. Alas, there ARE other things to save for.

4. Knit a pair of socks. Fail, for now. I've kind of set aside my knitting over the summer. I've got a scarf on the go, but that's it. My shawl didn't progress very far. I made far too many mistakes and the black was too hard to work with a complicated pattern. BUT I have a lot of sock wool and everyone loves handknit socks, so I still hope to learn before the end of the year. Maybe over Thanksgiving?

5. Read at least a book a month. Check! Well, so far anyway....I still have 4 months to go. Most of the reading this year has been non-fiction, but still all good. Of course the highlight of all the books I've read this year (and perhaps ever!) has been Uncle Tom's Cabin. If you haven't read it, I strongly encourage you to pick it up at your library or bookstore and give it a try.

6. Shop smarter and better: fair trade, handmade, local, and natural. Fail. I'm actually not doing much shopping these days (in an effort to save $$), and when I do, I have to confess that I usually shop for the sales and these are not usually the best option quality-wise. For produce lately I've been doing all my shopping in my mother's garden and I'm committed to buying local produce whenever it's available. I will always choose local over imported, when local is available.

7. Sitesee more. Visit more museums and galleries in the HRM. Check! I'm getting out more around the city. I finally got to Pier 21 and was blown away by the exhibits. If you haven't been, you should go! And then there was my trip to York Redoubt and several other parks and sites around the city. Oh, and I got a MacPass, so I'm gradually venturing more and more over to the Darkside (ie. Dartmouth).

8. Stargaze more & learn a handful of constellations. Check! Sort of. I'm gradually learning the constellations, but seem to forget them almost as quickly as I learn them. Being the International Year of Astromomy, I had hoped to attend the Astronomy Nova Scotia events. There's an event on Oct. 1st that I plan to attend with the Little.

9. Stop using plastic grocery bags. Check! In fact, I've gone through my stash of plastic grocery bags for garbage and now have to consider what to use for garbage. Do I buy or do I just use the pail itself? Afterall, most of my garbage isn't terribly messy after composting and recycling. I'm also saving all the small plastic bags that dry goods come in (pasta bags, bags from frozen peas, rice, etc. I used to throw these bags out because they were too small for garbage, but now I use them for kitty litter bags and they work perfectly.

So I'm considering what to add to my To Do List. I've got a few ideas. I'd like to learn how to kayak and become a member of my church, and organize my photos (which have been piling up for years) in albums and on my harddrive. These are just a few that come to mind.

I don't want my 2010 list to be too long though. I'm committed to a big project for 2009/10 and it's going to take a lot of my time. I don't want to set myself up for failure.

Be still and know that I am God.

2009-08-27T21:38:00.006-03:00

You know how there times when you crave to hear certain kinds of music? It could be the season or the mood, the need for energy or relaxation, but whatever the reason there's just the right kind of music for that particular moment in time.

Lately, for me, it's been the songs of Taize.

Taize is actually a very modern ecumenical monastic order in Taize, France (founded in the 1960s). But what is distinctive about this Christian community is its meditative style of worship that combines silence with sacred choral music and short readings that are intended to calm the soul so that you can experience a moment with God. It is prayer without words. And yet it is also not prayer in solitude or isolation. The Taize experience is actually built around the community, a shared experience, even in silence.

My church in Toronto practiced Taize once and awhile, as the part of the worship during our Sunday services. It was incredibly refreshing, albeit often much too short. We'd sing a Taize song, read a prayer, and sit in silence for a while. But then the service would continue on and the busy-ness of life would pick up again.

I guess right now I crave silence and meditation because life has gotten pretty hectic for me and I've had a lot on my mind. While I like being busy and having things to do, checklists to cross off and tasks to accomplish, I also enjoy quiet times. Unfortunately, when life gets busy like this, my quiet times often turn into wasted down time, either in front of the TV or puttering about while listening to the radio or to music. I don't actually take time to be silent. I guess this is why Taize has been on my mind lately. Silence is a very hard discipline to practice. You have to be intentional about it, and set aside time and energy (because sleeping doesn't count) to practice silence. And you have to stop talking.

I really like what the Taize website says about the value of silence:

Sometimes we are apparently silent, and yet we have great discussions within, struggling with imaginary partners or with ourselves. Calming our souls requires a kind of simplicity: "I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvellous for me." Silence means recognising that my worries can’t do much. Silence means leaving to God what is beyond my reach and capacity. A moment of silence, even very short, is like a holy stop, a sabbatical rest, a truce of worries.

Read the whole article here.

I know that a lot of my friends who may follow my blog aren't the churchy type, and that's fine. I still think there is a lot of value in taking time to be silent and for meditation in whatever form you may see fit (introspective, retrospective, or maybe even extrospective).

I close with this last thought, again from the Taize website:
When words and thoughts come to an end, God is praised in silent wonder and admiration.

A weekend in pictures

2009-08-11T23:06:00.005-03:00

I went to the Valley this weekend, and enjoyed a 24 hour vacation in the countryside. So much got done in that short period of time: I did a few loads of laundry and hung out on the clothesline, G. replaced my brake pads and rotors, I went to the Wolfville Market with Mom for lunch and got my hair cut (3.5 inches and still most people don't notice it's been cut *sigh*).

I dipped my toes in the brook, which most years has dried up by this point in the summer. As you can see, there's lots of water in it this summer.

I did my produce shopping for the week in Mom's garden: beets, carrots, green beans, waxed beans, kale, Thai basil....did I miss anything?

And then I went up the road and picked 5 pints of raspberries at the U-Pick, and mashed them into this delicious sauce, perfect for my yogurt in the morning!

When I got back to the city, I decided I needed to find my way to Lawrencetown Beach. I've promised a certain 9 year old (The Little) to take her to a beach and I haven't quite decided which one we should go to. Suggestions are welcome. I'm leaning towards Lawrencetown because they waves are just plain fun, but there beach is actually pretty rocky and not conducive to playing in the sand. Queensland or Cleveland Beach might be better for that.

I had fun in the waves while I was there and managed to get soaked. But what would you expect when you stand in the water waiting for waves daring the waves to crash into you! :) I have to say, the water was really cold! It took a little while to get aclimatised (read: numb).

Afterwards I found a spot in the sand and watched the surfers while the feeling came back to my legs.

It was a beautiful weekend. Perfect in almost every way - a good mix of fun and productivity, of exploring new places and visiting the familiar.

Oh, and I'm over my obsession with the "dream house" in Berwick. Having a realtor stand-you-up for a viewing will do that to you. In the end it's probably better this way. The likelihood of loving this house even more after seeing it in person was pretty high, and yet it's still too far away. The message was clear: the house is not for me. I can move on now.

Home is where the heart is. Right?

2009-08-01T20:46:00.005-03:00

As many people close to me know, I've been spending far too much time lately obsessing about a particular house on the market. It's a beautiful house, with character and charm, and a spacious but private yard, and it's certainly within my price-range should I want to buy it. In fact, this house is pretty much my dream house. The problem? It's 1.5 hours away from my job, and my job is not really one that would allow me to work from home. And I'm nowhere near being prepared to walk away from my job for something else closer to this house. I won't give up one dream for another.

Still, this makes me a little sad. I'm not uncomfortable where I am right now and quite like my current living space (for the most part). But I'm really looking forward to the day when I will feel finally settled into a home of my own. I realise that renting right now is actually pretty dumb, considering how low the interest rates are for mortgages and I had to be throwing good money away on an investment that's not my own. I also know for a fact that my mother is tired of storing the remaining bits (bits may be an understatement) of my stuff and would happily repatriate it with the rest of my things the first chance she'd get.

But here's the other problem: it's difficult to buy in the HRM on a single-person's salary. Interest rates are low, but housing prices are not. Even most condos are above my price-range. Now this is where I could bemoan my single-ness and wish I were in different circumstances - because there is no doubt that buying would be much easier with two incomes - but this I refuse to do! All told, I'm okay with being single. Sure, it's not quite where I thought I'd be at this stage in my life, but I'm determined to not let it stop me from doing the things in life I'd like to do - the things in life I'm supposed to do. Like own a home, rather than rent for the rest of my life. Afterall, I need to be sure I have a place to live in my retirement, right?

So now comes the fun part. Preparing. I'm still a long ways off from buying. I've got a bit of work to do. I have to carefully evaluate what it is in a home that I'm looking for: location, features, amenities, etc.; and I have to squirrel away more money for a downpayment and for "the inevitable emergency" fund.

In the meantime, I'll try and tear myself away from the idea of living in this picture-perfect house and of the quality of life it inspires. Sigh. Here's hoping for something equally as lovely here in the HRM when it comes time for me to buy.

Answer: 10

2009-07-30T00:57:00.001-03:00

You were dying to know, weren't you?? :D
Actually, truth be told, we collected far more than 10 frogs in this container, but by the time I took the picture I think several had already escaped. Wise little frogs!

Feasting in style

2009-07-30T00:47:00.002-03:00

Delighting in a good read

2009-07-28T21:35:00.010-03:00

This is the view I enjoyed for a long afternoon at the cottage. And these were the sounds - a light breeze and the rippling lake against the wharf:

One of the delights of the cottage is the luxury to sit down with a good book and not have to get up for anything. It's a perfect place to shut out the world and immerse yourself in the world of your book. In my case, the book I was reading took me back to pre-American Civil War times in Kentucky. I finally finished reading Uncle Tom's Cabin, and I have to say this book shot way up to the top of my favourites. First of all I was completely caught off guard by the underlying themes. Yes, I knew the book was an indictment against the injustices of slavery and was very forward-thinking of its female author. In fact, Harriet Beecher Stowe has become a sort of hero to me now. The text, the language, is very pointed to particular social groups and at the time it was written in 1851 it had to have been very shocking to its readers. HBS was very counter-cultural and I dig that! But what I didn't expect was the message of hope and forgiveness in the midst of some of the worst kinds of treatment a human could endure by the hands of another. Uncle Tom's heartfelt desire was not really for his own earthy freedom, because he knew he would receive freedom in Heaven one day. No, his heartfelt desire was for his Master's freedom - freedom from that which has separated him from God, and freedom that comes from being released in forgiveness.

This is a long post, but I have to share these passages from the book with you. I hope they give you as much food for thought as they did for me. AND, if you haven't read Uncle Tom's Cabin - do!

On the abuses of slavery, the author writes to the reader:

"Patience! Patience! ye whose hearts swell indignant at wrongs like these. Not one throb of anguish, not one tear of the oppressed is forgotten by the Man of Sorrows, the Lord of Glory. In his patient, generous bosom he bears the anguish of a world. Bear thou, like him, in patience, and labour in love; for sure is he is God, "the year of his redeemed shall come." (Ch.12)

And when George, a slave who doubts the presence of God, finds refuge in a Quaker home:

"This, indeed, was a home, -- home, -- a word that George had never yet known the meaning for; and a belief in God and trust in His providence, began to encircle his heart, as with a golden cloud of protection and confidence, dark, misanthropic, pining, atheistic doubts and fierce despair melted away before the light of a living Gospel, breathed in living faces, preached by a thousand unconscious acts of love and good-will, which, like a cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple shall never lose their reward. (Ch.13)

And from St. Clare, on the hypocrisy of the church's support and justification of slavery:

"Religion! Is that what you hear at church religion? Is that which can bend and turn, and descend and ascend, to fit every crooked phase of selfish, worldly society, religion? Is that religion that is less scrupulous, less generous,less just, less considerate for man, than even my own ungodly, worldly, blinded nature? No! When I look for a religion, I must look for something above me, not for something beneath."

A glorious week at the cottage!

2009-07-27T21:22:00.008-03:00

Well, I'm back from another glorious week at the cottage. There was sun, there was rain, there was plenty of reading (I finished Uncle Tom's Cabin, but more about that later...) and relaxing, there quiet times and there were games played and fun times with family.

My week started with a family gathering - all 15 of us - to celebrate the July birthdays (mine included!) and the recent marriage of one of "the granddaughters". Happy times, all of them.

It was a beautiful day, perfect for entertaining a certain 6 year old with a cottage past-time that kept us "granddaughters" busy when we were little girls -- catching the little frogs (or are they toads?) that are so easily found this time of year on the cottage road. We spent hours collecting those little critters, along with all sorts of other critters - caterpillers, ants, etc. -- and building homes for them, terrariums of a sort. We weren't afraid or squeamish by any means.

"How do you find them?" someone asked. "Just stare at the ground long enough!" The ground is hopping with them. You'll have trouble walking along the road afterwards for fear of stepping on the little guys.

There was a whole lot of glee from the 6 year old over her cookie-tin full of frogs - so much, in fact that the tin got passed around to all the adults for inspection and admiration.

Here's the tin in all it's glory (click on the image on the left for a larger image). Any guesses as to how many are in the tin?
(I kind of like the image on the right - mostly because the focus is on the pointed finger. Also I haven't asked permission to use this photo but as it is blurred and the faces aren't shown I hope it's okay. Let me know if it's not.)

You'll be seeing one or two more posts about my week at the cottage. There' s just too much to put in one post.

Going Offline

2009-07-18T13:48:00.003-03:00

I need a vacation. So, I'm going to spend a week at the cottage in Digby County. It's been a rough week, so I'm really looking forward to some down time.

So, what do you do with 9 quarts of strawberries?

2009-07-06T19:27:00.005-03:00

You make strawberry rhubarb jam!

Here's the recipe:
About 10-12 large stalks of rhubarb (2½ cups when cooked)
Ripe strawberries (1 cup when crushed)
5½ cups of sugar
Juice of ½ lemon (optional)

OR....

...You make cake.

Two layers of white cake with strawberry-rhubarb jam in the middle, cream cheese icing and topped with sliced strawberries. I still have lots of strawberries left, which might mean more experimenting with jam. Fun!
And definitely some strawberry shortcake (made with biscuits, of course) is in order very soon.