Gingerbread House Simplified

Throughout my childhood we had a fun tradition of making a gingerbread village - complete with church with stain glass windows, lights, skating pond, people and several houses.  It was all set up on a large board that covered the entire top of our piano. And, to my candy-loving young self it was Divine!  I loved it.

And so most years I have tried to make sure my boys have had the chance to have their own gingerbread houses.  We've never had a whole village but we have at least had one handmade house and sometimes a couple of them.  This year, while discussing ways to simplify the holidays (with the purpose of freeing up more time to spend doing the things we really value - time with friends, family and nature), we had talked about gingerbread houses and the boys had decided that they liked the plain old candy (a rare treat around here) as much as they did the gingerbread house making and so we had concluded that we wouldn't do gingerbread houses this year. 

Then one evening I was sharing this information with a friend as we talked about how different the holiday season felt compared to when our kids were younger.  After she left I went and talked to E a bit more about it and he decided that it was, after all, important to him to make a house.  So we decided we would simply buy an already cut and baked gingerbread house (instead of spending a few days making the dough, rolling it and cutting out house patterns and then baking)  thus meeting our want for this traditional treat as well as our need for simplifying. 

The next afternoon I quickly put the bought house together with melted sugar and then the boys spent an hour filled with laughter, royal icing, sticky fingers and taste-testing while they decorated their house.  Gingerbread Houses Simplified...leaving more time for a walk in the winter woods with friends - lovely.

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Fall Fashion....for Dogs?!?

One of the things that has been keeping us busy is this family member.  We came home from a weekend away of mountain biking and hiking to find that he needed surgery.  Thankfully he has nicely healed.  Instead of having him wear a plastic cone around his neck (to keep from scratching or licking his stitches) he wore soft cotton short-sleeve  t-shirts. 

The last two days he has had another wound and so, in keeping with the cooler temps., we outfitted him with one of W's outgrown flannel shirts.  Doesn't he look lovely? You can tell that he isn't too pleased with me taking his photo though.  Poor fellah, he's had a rough month.

Ah, Summer

Somehow time always gets away from me in summer.  One minute it is the first weekend in August and the next thing I know it is somehow nearing the end of August.  It is at times like this that I am ever so grateful the boys have never gone to school and that the end of August doesn't feel like the end of summertime for us. 

We've had all sorts of things to enjoy lately.
A trip (for all of us except one of use who went on a fishing trip to Haida Gwaii) to visit with lots of family where there was creek time, beach time, good food, garden time, Rummoli night, games and, of course, visits from Russel the Crow (he much prefers when we're not visiting and our dog isn't there).

A crazy rain storm with lightning, thunder and hail.  We watched as the lightning made its way across the lake towards us and then were amazed by the amount of rain that came down in only half an hour or so (at least 3 inches possibly 4) - we felt like we were immersed in the rain clouds.  We also had hail and some of my veg here are showing a little damage but nothing major at all and my garden in town is fine.  E was quite happy that this time we were able to just watch the lightning and not have it strike a tree right outside the house.  This sunroom looking over the lake makes this house spectacular for storm watching.

(Mother Nature washing the windows for us)

(you can see my solar fruit dryer just at the bottom of this photo - not a lot of solar drying going on just then)

We've been eating cucumber everything.  Cucumber sandwiches, cucumber salad, Greek salad, cucumbers straight up while standing in the garden...

The cukes are so plentiful that I've been drinking cucumber juice each day in an attempt to use up the ones that grow to enormous sizes when we are away.

And I was excited to pick my first-that-I've-ever-grown cauliflower.  I've always avoided the Brassica family because I didn't want to worry about the bugs but the cauliflower were absolutely pest free, easy to grow and delicious.

I've also managed to get another batch of comfrey oil made and a small batch of calendula oil.  I think even when the kids are grown and we don't have as much use for calendula salve I'll still make at least one batch each year just because I think it is the prettiest oil to make.

And now as we realize the summer days are winding down we're making plans for how we want to spend the rest of it and...canning like mad.

A Weekend in the Woods

We spent the weekend with friends in one of my favourite campspots (I can never commit to calling any of the campgrounds my favourite because I love so many so I have to say one of my favourites).  The things I love most about this spot is the absolute peaceful, quiet feeling of it, the call of the loons each morning and this - the water pump.  This campspot is considered pretty "rustic", no running water, no toilets...just quiet - I love it. Last year when we were there the weather was unusually cold and this year it was delightfully hot - just right to make one want to go for a swim in a mountain lake.

There were a few hikes, campfire time with s'mores and games (no luck this year getting the teens to do a sing-a-long), time to learn a new game (Farkle - which I somehow managed to win in spite of my "slow and steady" low risk method of game playing) and even a tiny bit of time for reading in the hammock.

Then we came home to a feast of garden-fresh corn from a generous gardener and Greek salad and, of course, zucchini from our own garden.  And today...an X day (plus some apricot preserving) after last week's busy-ness.

And yes, it was as delicious as it looks.

A Long Time Ago...in a Home, Not So Far Away...

A Long Time Ago...in a Home, Not So Far Away...my talented husband rescued a walnut tree from its fate as firewood.  He brought it home in the back of his truck and he has been using bits and pieces of it to make all kinds of beautiful things as gifts - jewelery, bread boards and butter spreaders.  He has several gorgeous boards that he is saving to make our dining room table but in the meantime...

he decided to make us an outdoor dining table. 

It's gorgeous.  He cut one of the boards in half lengthwise and then used a piece of granite that we've had sitting around for years (picked up for free from a shop that was getting rid of it).  He put these both on a table frame that had long since lost its glass top.  I love the live edges on it.

We're looking forward to the weather drying up a bit so we can continue to enjoy dinners outside on it.  I sometimes tease my boys that they'd better learn to build/fix/make things the way their Dad does if they want to get a good wife...and I'm only partially kidding. ;-)  I have a huge amount of respect for people with the ability to make and fix all sorts of things and while I may not have been consciously looking for that in a mate I have to say that it is something I really admire about him.  The boys also know how much I love it when S brings home flowers that he has picked for me too.  Dads can be such great role models.  I feel very grateful that my boys have such a Dad and I'm also feeling very grateful and full of admiration for my own Dad.

Priorities

Another weekend, another hike.  This time of year weekends often include lots of hiking time for our family (it's nice to get out there hiking before the full, dry heat of summer hits) but this year we've decided that we really will make sure our priorities are our priorities. 

We love time outdoors and so we are scheduling it in just the same way we schedule work hours in - it is a priority in our lives and we are determined to treat it as such.  This weekend's hike had us hiking along a trail we went to for my Mother's Day hike last year - a beautiful spot.

We enjoyed our hike, the boys enjoyed having a friend along, there was time for a packed lunch, flower photos and, once we were out of the park, there were roadside spots for rosebud collecting (I collect these every year and this ritual is such a simple blessing to me).

 

Every time I go for a hike I feel so grateful to live in this area, there are so many beautiful places to hike that are easy to access. 

On this hike (which has a very steep climb for the first while) we saw some members of the local naturalist club out on a bird count.  These women always inspire and impress me - some of them are 30 years older than I am and I love to see how fit they are.  They are also gracious outdoors people and always take time to engage my boys on the trail and encourage them. 



Once we got home we decided a home baked treat was in order and, since it is rhubarb season, rhubarb cake seemed a good choice...especially with whipped cream!



We also enjoyed a delicious fresh salad with dinner, not from my garden yet but from a beautiful garden I've been noticing for the past few months whenever we are in town.  It is a home on a city lot  that seems completely filled with beds of greens.  It looks beautiful - like a living quilt(you can see what I mean if you click on that link and see the blog header photo).  When I first saw it I felt sure that someone must be running a market garden there and I was very curious.

I LOVE seeing whole yards used to grow food.  And, from my understanding, the greens are then brought to our farmers market by bike.  I love being able to tell my boys about people like this - very inspiring.  We bought some of his greens at the market this weekend and they are fantastic.

Through My Child's Eyes

W went for a hike down the bank today with his camera.  He sent me this picture when he returned.  I love getting to see things through the eyes of my boys.  When my boys were little I came across this quote:

A mother focuses the lens through which her children view life.

I've always found that to be quite true and wonderful - and it can also feel like a beautiful, huge responsibility at times too- and now I find it so interesting to have a chance to view things through their lens...literally too.

Easter Eggs

There is just something I love about traditions - the constancy, the stability, the...comfort, I suppose of knowing that each year around the same time you will take part in the same thing.  Whether it is making heart-shaped somethings, planting seeds, dyeing eggs, going camping, beach days, harvest celebrations, Solstice fires or Christmas gift making there is a rhythm to our lives that I love.  I look forward to each of these things and, in good times and trying times, I know that these things will occur...and I feel a sense of comfort in that.

I have coloured eggs every year of my life that I can recall - actually my family often came up here to the very city where I now make my home to dye eggs with our extended family.  I happily recall Easter egg hunts with cousins and delicious meals made by my aunt (with Amazing mashed potatoes).  My mom made traditions an important part of my childhood and I am extremely grateful for it.

My boys have also always dyed eggs.  I expect (and hope) we will always do so (yes, I am picturing them bringing their children to "Gramma's" house to dye eggs). 

We've had a trying couple weeks here - unexpected news of cancer and major surgery in our family.  Feeling very unsettled and uncertain.  Feeling very grateful and relieved to get good news Monday that all had gone well.  Counting our blessings.  And...on Wednesday...having a last-minute visit from a dear friend and deciding to dye eggs with her and her littles.  Using brown eggs because that is what we had (I usually make a point of buying white for dyeing) and enjoying the difference the shell colour made in end result. 

And this is E's favourite - his dragon's egg.  Beautiful.

Handmade Wooden Jewelery

Well...that was a bit of a break I had no idea I would be taking.  ;-)  Funny how time gets away on you and before you realize it, it is almost the end of the first month of the new year. Yikes.  We've been busy with decluttering and doing some packing and also with fun stuff like the boys learning to downhill ski and S and I re-learning to ski (after many, many years not skiing - almost 30 year for me!).  I'm thrilled we have another activity to enjoy as a family.

I did mean to show you all the wooden delights my talented boys (the big one too!) gifted me with this Christmas - and since it's a month past I guess I better get on with it.

W made this beautiful spoon out of walnut wood for me.  It feels just right in my hand and I am determined to use it even though it feels too "good" to use in many ways.  I know he wants me to put it to proper use instead of saving it so I will - just not with tomato-y things (or blueberries, grapes, elderberries or anything else that might stain it).

E made these gorgeous wooden holders for our cloth napkins (also out of walnut).  They're beautiful and...I just happened to find some lovely linen napkins at the thrift store that look just right with them (although they also make even our everyday cloth napkins look good - shown below) .

He also made me this handy pen holder for my desktop - he knows I LOVE things made from wood.  It holds 3 pens (or pencils) and helps to keep me organized (a habit I am working to develop even more this year).

And S made me all sorts of good things - another beautiful board (that I can't bear to cut on so I call it a cheese board instead of a bread board) and a knife to go with it.

And...five wooden (not golden) rings.  I had been looking through a book on handmade things earlier in the month and had shown him some wooden rings that I thought were beautiful so you can imagine my delight when I found that my talented husband had made some for me!  This is one of my favourites.

And then I think he got on a roll with jewelery making and decided I needed some bangles to go with my rings

and also some necklaces.  He also made my mom some beautiful earrings that I don't have a picture of but I can tell you that all the females in our family were delighted with him.  I do so love handmade gifts!

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

What I Did on My Summer Vacation: Part 2

Even though we crammed a lot of travelling and a lot of hiking and exploring into our time away we still managed to find time to relax.  This creek was right by our campsight and we spent some time there because E wanted to fish.

S was happy to oblige him

And W and I traded off turns with his fishing rod and reading.

We saw a few people go by us on kayaks and so W and I decided to try that too.

Then we convinced the boys to try the Highline Trail with us.  Our boys have hiked with us since they were babes in our backpacks and started hiking parts of trails when they were toddlers.   We've upped the length of trail time over the years and they are both great trail companions.  They called this hike the "Uber Epic Hike" (because it was 11.6 miles) and they both thoroughly enjoyed it - in fact, it was the favourite part  of our holiday for all of us.

First we had to make hiking sandwiches - peanut butter, banana and maple syrup - and pack the chocolate bars. 

Then off we went. 

There is a wire handrail here because it drops straight down (waaaay down) to the Going-to-the-Sun road.

Love these flowers.

Lots more Mountain Goats - walking right along the trail.

Don't look down W!

We were very happy we had brought our rain gear.

This was our destination - the Granite Chalet.  We were planning on eating our lunch there.

I had to take a photo of this clothesline (even though the ranger had a bit of a laugh at me) - a clothesline with a view.

Then we headed back down the Loop trail to where we had left our truck.  A wonderful thing about Glacier National park is their shuttle bus system.  You could take a bus all along the Going-to-the-Sun road if you wanted, we drove to a parking lot then took a shuttle up to Logan Pass so we could do a hike one way.

Beautiful.  A hike we will all remember and one we'd like to do again.

The next day, after a stop at a thrift store in Eureka, we were leaving Montana and back to British Columbia and some old favourites places - Wasa Lake and Fort Steele.

I adore Fort Steele and would like to live there.  Each time we go there I wonder if I can somehow convince them to let me move in as a caretaker.  This is my favourite house and I would love to take over the gardens. In the meantime we just enjoy getting to make homemade icecream (cinnamon, this time) and look forward to the next time we can visit.

And, even though we are camping, we still like to make sure we get some fresh, local food.  There is a greenhouse just a bike ride away from the campsite at Wasa lake that has delicious tomatoes and cukes.  S came up with this simple concoction when we were heating up corn tortillas in the fry pan.  He took some garlic/peppercorn bread and heated it in olive oil.  Then he put some mayo and asiago cheese on it and topped it with a slice of tomato.  Delicious.  The flowered plate is another thrift store find, I love old melamine plates for camping and couldn't resist these flower patterned ones.

And I made sure that I got a little bit of hammock time too (while reading Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Way We Eat).