A couple of milestones, forward for recipe book, a warning and SHE

A couple of milestones I had forgotten about.  This is my 1001st post, not bad for just over two years.  Also we arrived in Canada 21 years ago yesterday, I had forgotten about that.  Gosh time flies by when you're having fun!!  And talking about time flying by, it's the end of May today, where on earth has this year gone too, we are nearly half way through it?

This is the forward I have written for the recipe book.  Any suggestions/changes you think I should make would be greatly received. 

“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” James Beard (1903-1985)


So taking that idea on board, and to celebrate the coming together/association of the three churches, St. Luke’s Rosemont, St. David’s Everett and Christ Church Whitfield, this recipe book was created.



Food is a bit like the weather, everyone always has advice or thoughts about it. Also it is another well known fact the ladies and gentlemen of the church groups always have great recipes. This recipe book would not have come together without the contributions of all the parishioners; so a big thank you to them all for kindly sharing their favourite recipes.

It is a well known fact that the heart of the home has always been the kitchen where friends and family gather for a home cooked meal, and fellowship. It is our wish that everyone who purchases one of these recipe books will take the time with family and friends to try some of these recipes together and enjoy one another’s company.



With that in mind:

Dear Lord;


We thank you for this day,


We thank you for this meal,


And we thank you for one another.


Amen

The Recipe Book Committee


SHE - Sustainable Health Enterprises  I first read about this over at Toria's blog, she has a full post about this that I think we should all pop by and read, it will make you grateful for what we have access to.

DO YOU EAT CADBURY'S CHOCOLATE?







We were raised on CADBURY'S chocolate as kids and even into adulthood but I will never eat it again!!






I hope from now on you will throw yours away whenever you are given any.


It seems as though nothing is safe to eat anymore..






This is what happens when you eat Cadbury's chocolate!






THIS IS A MEDICAL WARNING!






It could happen to you, your family and friends!






CADBURY'S chocolate can cause SMALL FEET!

I know Tracey, I forgot to tell you I had taken a photo of us the other day!! (inside joke!)

Today Flower......

We have a beautiful hedge of spirea.  The only down side of it is, that it only looks like this for a short time.  It also badly needs a haircut!!  I wonder if there is a correct time to give it a haircut?

For more Today's Flower photos, please click on this link

Gardening....

Anyone who gardens has a job they hate to do.  In my case it's weeding, I really don't like that job at all.  So I have decided to an hours worth of weeding every day to make the job a bit easier on myself.  As there is one thing I can grow with no problem and that's weeds!!

The process of cutting the grass has now become more difficult, as the baby killdeer are wandering all over the field, so I have to be careful not to run them over.  Then to add to it all, because I haven't cut the field in  a couple of weeks it's knee high with the grass and weeds, which is making even more difficult to cut the grass.  I now know why I cut the field on a more regular basis, as it takes half the time when its shorter.

Anyhow, here are a couple of photos.  The first one is looking from the front deck towards the veggie patch.

My veggie patch there is a row of peas closest to the bottom of the photo.

At the opposite end of the veggie patch.

We're in for a couple more red hot days.  At least we had a break on Saturday from the sweltering heat and humidity.

I need some help from you.......please and a trip to the dentist.

Does anyone know if there is a quote out there that sort of says how food brings everyone together, but in a more eloquent way?  I am wanting to use it in the forward for the recipe book.  That is the next big task I have to tackle, writing the forward for the book.


As for the recipe book we're up to nearly 180 recipes, so we are on the home ward stretch now.  I have a few admin. things to sort out and try and organize a guy who wants to do the graphics on the recipe section dividers.  The front cover is more or less done, just a few little tweaks here and there.  Overall I am very pleased with it all.  Would I do it again........probably not, but it's been an interesting process.


I finally went to the dentist on Friday, only because my poor mouth was so sore.  Anyway, he took x-rays and they showed nothing wrong.  So he has put me on antibiotics for a week, to see if its an infection.  I have to go back next Friday if it's no better, and then he is going to put a temporary medicated filling in the tooth for three months.  If that doesn't work, then goodness knows what the next option is going to be.  He thinks I may have a crack in the tooth, but he's not sure.  At this rate I am going to be toothless before long and will have to eat pureed food!!

You will need to click on these photos for a better look. I have a family of Killdeer wandering around the field.  A mother, father and four babies, who are as cute as a button.

This is one of the parents pretending to be injured to distract me from the babies!

Can't decide if this is a House Martin, a Purple Martin or a Swallow.  Regardless its one of a couple who are hanging around.

Just the view of the south woods.

Thursday's happenings.........

Lots to talk about.  I finished off the new garden, have yet to take a photo of it though.  Fiddled on outside for a couple hours first thing on Thursday morning.  That also included cutting some grass with the lawn tractor.  However that also meant me wrecking another blade on the tractor.  I know I give up with this cutting of the lawn.  So I now have to order some more blades, as I dug up stones and ruined the blade(s)

I went to Sears to get some more blades, but of course they had none in stock.  Tried a couple of other places in town, but of course nothing fits. {{SIGH}}

I went to the doctors, and my arm is fine, and I am doing everything that I should be doing and it will mend eventually.  So that's good.

Dd and I met up with a dear friend and had lunch at her work.  She's a buyer for a big company and they have a huge cafeteria.  Anyhow, they were giving out sample of icecream, so of course me and dd had to taste test them just to make sure they were okay!!!  We sampled three flavours, me: mint choc chip, banans split and caramel toffee crunch.  Dd tasted the mint choc chip, the caramel toffee crunch and the sprinkle party icecream.  Here is a full list of the flavours; mint choc chip was both our favourites.  The things I do for you.....I deserve a medal!! LOL

Poor Molly is rushed off her feet as the chipmunks have materialised again, and she runs back and forward from one window to the next looking at them.

She also started to bark up a storm this morning, couldn't decide at what to start with and then I saw it up in the tree.

Here is it's bum...........yep a raccoon.

It seems that Molly does NOT like raccoons!!

Another hot and humid day here......PLEASE RAIN!!!!

Also last night's sunset:

Please rain......and some photos........

If it would only rain and then it may break this heat and humidity, and also give my garden a good water.  I am carting buckets of water with the tractor and trailer every night, but its not really enough.  A good down pour will it do it the power of good.

I played hookey from the garden on Wednesday, as it was just too hot.  Dd came up and we went shopping.  Poor dh works in a factory environment and although he is contracted to the place, he has to abide by the rules of the factory; one of them is they have to wear long sleeves at all times, which in this heat is just plain awful.  Dd suggested we get him a top called Under Armour, so we bought him a couple of these  So hopefully he'll be a bit more comfortable.

I had to have bloodwork done, as I have to have a physical at some point this summer.  Anyhow, I went Wednesday morning, and the nurse took one look at my arm and suggested I take a trip to the doctors to have him have a look at it.  So I have an appointment at 2:10pm today.  Personally I think it looks a lot better; but as I have to go to the city on Thursday anyhow, figured I'd kill two birds with one stone.

I picked up a pair of Birkenstocks on Wednesday as well.  Like these ones.  I wear sandals all summer, so I thought the extra support that these one have would help my feet.

After I finished watering on Wednesday night, I took the following photos.  Will say I didn't hang around long though, as the bugs were out and the smell from the cattle farm was "ripe" to say the least!!  All were taken towards the sunset which is northwest of the property.

I'm pooped.........

the heat is a bit too much for me and Molly.

I was out in the garden just after 7am on Tuesday and managed to get the soil moved into the new garden.  It's still not finished yet as I have to buy more edging.  I was disappointed with the quality of soil/compost mix I got.  It was full of weeds, and information stakes that come with plants, even a plastic pot and some netting.  I called the garden centre and the owner told me that they make their own compost and that it's normal to find that sort of thing in their compost???  Remind me not to order soil from there again............

Anyhow, I am planting Gladioli and another annual that I can't for the life of me remember the name in that garden bed. Here is a link to a photo of the plant, it's the second photo the tall red plant.

I managed to get more grass cut before it got too hot.  Dd is coming over today, so she is going to start on the field for me.

We picked up these Emerald Cedars on sale this weekend. There are ten of them and I want to plant them on the north west side of the property to eventually make a wind break from the winter winds.  We are hoping to achieve this screening before we die, that is why we picked up four foot plants not little baby ones!!  I am willing to plant them a little further apart to alow them to fill in naturally, as on the internet they reccomend them being planted at least two feet from the trunk.  I was thinking closer to four feet apart?  I'll see, when I get them all set out.

The heat is forcing all the irises to bloom:

I finally got around to putting lemon juice on my quilt block to see if I can get rid of the scorch marks;

I just looked at it, and the scorch marks seem to be a bit lighter, so have put some more lemon juice on it.

Hot and humid around here.....

which in turn kills my head.  I ended up in bed on Monday afternoon sleeping off a nightmare of a headache.  Got up feeling a lot better though so that was good.

I saw this video over at John's blog last week and couldn't believe it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZP4Ugev82I 

I am having trouble embedding videos in my posts now, all I can add are links.  Any tips?  Also when I put a new photo on my header, although I click shrink to fit, only the top left quarter of the photo is published.  Any thoughts on that?

Got ds coming over after work to help dh carry the window air conditioner unit upstairs to our bedroom, as I can see we are going to need it if it carries on being this warm.  The poor boy never gets a home cooked meal, he eats out most of the time, so will make him something he likes for supper. 

Molly is having a hard time in this heat and her allergies have been playing up, so she is chewing herself a lot more than she normally does.  If it gets any worse I'll increase her pills.  There isn't too much on squirrel tv as the poor old squirrels are also finding it a bit warm.

As I got nothing done in the garden yesterday I may go out after breakfast and shovel a few barrow loads of soil into the new garden for a while before it gets too hot and before my head starts to pound.  Roll on the weekend when its supposed to be cooler.

Here's the link to my column this week at the Eden Valley Messenger.

Well here we go again..........

the heat and the humidity has arrived.  We are expected to reach a temperature of 33 oC (91 oF) with the humidity this afternoon.  Tomorrow is no better and it is slightly cooler by a degree or two for the rest of the week.


It was only a week or so ago when we had the fire on as it was so cold?  It's never a gradual increase in temperatures here, one minute it is cold then boom the heat and humidity arrives.


It's been a busy weekend, got a few jobs done so that is good.  Still have a lot more to do though.  Dh got the pieces all welded back together on the tractor and has got that going for me again.  Thank goodness he is so handy; it saves us a pile a money.  My dad and stepmum came over on Sunday and helped out around the place.  I don't know where my dad gets all the energy from at his age; he works non stop.  He got some more of my veggie patch dug over and another row of potatoes planted.  So now I have at least 100 potatoes planted, and still a third of a sack of potatoes left.  We'll just eat the rest in the sack.


My hand is a lot better, as I am wearing my splint on a night.  My heels are a lot better as well, which is good news.  My arm is starting to heal; though I do think I should have maybe had it stitched to close the hole up.  I have a dressing on everynight, and despite the fact I have bought ultra sensitive tape my poor skin around it is so sore and bruised with pulling off the tape every morning.

My biggest problem though is my tooth, a visit to the dentist this week is a must.  I am chewing liquid Advil like candy at the moment to ease the pain.  So the sooner I get it seen too the better.

It's a holiday today here in Canada, Victoria Day, where we celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday?  I know as far as I know they don't do that in Britain, so why here in Canada?  Regardless, for everyone who works outside of the house, its a paid day off, so no ones complaining!!

On the wildlife front, good news, there is activity in the Martin House.  I don't see any washing hung out yet, but I am sure the birdies are moving in.

Also the humming birds are back, so I have the feeder out, but haven't seen any birds at it yet.

So there you go a bit of an update.  Hope to be back to regular posting again.  Now I'm off into the garden while its not too to hot!

Today's Flower

Shades of purple this week.  The first bearded iris in flower.....

Purple chives flowers.......

Purple Columbine.........

For more today's flower photos, please click on this link

Having the weekend off.........

will be back on Monday. 

It's a Long/Bank Holiday Weekend here.  I'm busy running errands today and on Sunday I have three yards of soil/compost being delivered.  So I'll update you on Monday with what I have been up too.

Enjoy your weekend!

Just shoot me now and we'll start afresh.....

Lets see, where to start:

My arm - well it's still weeping, but it's not looking as red and swollen as it was.  I keep a dressing on it overnight, but find through the day, as its in the crook of my arm, it tends to sweat and so it keeps falling off.  I put an antiseptic cream on through the day as well just to keep the dirt out.

My tooth - is still aching, it feels more sensitive to hot and cold than anything else though, so brushing with sensitive toothpaste to see if that will ease it a bit.

My heels - although still sore, not as painful as they were, so I am hoping I can get away without buying the $400 orthotics.

My hand - this is a new one isn't it!!!  I had the carpal tunnel operated on a few years back on my right hand.  Well occasionally it flares up; and on Wednesday, I decided to clean out the weeds, between the paving stones.  Since then my poor hand has been killing me.  I have a splint on it now as it is so sore.  It wouldn't be so bad, but it's my right hand and I am right handed. 

Touch wood my back is fine; and I don't have a headache!!

Oh and the lawn tractor is sat by the veggie patch not going anywhere AT ALL..........the bar that connects the foot pedal to the rest of the tractor to make it go, has broken off.......suffice to say DH is not a happy camper with me at this point............where's that gun?

Photos.............

I had a busy day again in the garden on Wednesday, and thanks to dd coming over we got a couple of jobs done that I wanted done, including digging out a garden for some hostas, and making a start on a new big flower garden at the front of the house.  I'll show you photos in the next few days.

I had forgotten I hadn't taken any photos of the tulips.  To be honest they are past their best, but they are still pretty.

This is my favourite photo of them all.

Dh managed to repair the lawn tractor, the belt had slipped on it.  I tested it out again on Wednesday night, by cutting some grass and it cuts just fine.

Oh and the Cinnamon Rhubarb Muffins turned out just fine!

Busy in the garden....

Didn't get in from the garden until 8:15pm last night, so by the time I had, had a shower etc., I was too tired to write a post for the blog.

I do have a couple more jobs crossed off my list though.  All the flower gardens have been weeded.  I have planted 20 of my Gladiolus bulbs.  Have another 40 more to plant though; not too sure where at the moment. 

I got the firepit cleaned out again, as I had a fire yesterday morning, as it was nice an calm around here for a change.  It's a very windy location we live in, so having a morning where it is nice and calm makes a nice change.

Picked a pile of rhubarb, so making a double batch of the Cinnamon Ruhbarb muffins this morning, and the rest I am going to put in the freezer.

Dh changed the blade on the lawn tractor for me, but there is something dearly wrong with the poor thing.  I can use the tractor to haul things in the trailer but not to cut the grass :0(    Please say a little prayer for me, that it isn't anything to drastic that is wrong with it.......

Dd is coming up today to help in the garden.  I am looking forward to spending time with her and the couple of jobs I have planned will go by so much faster with the two of us.

Well I had better get on.  It's Wednesday morning, so I have my online banking to do.  I have a load of laundry in the washer that will be to hang outside shortly, and I have some emails to reply too........no rest for the wicked!!

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Gill

P.S.  Yes I did move to the country for a slower pace of life.........what happened???

I did NOT have a good day on Monday....

Dh put the blade on the brush cutter for me, so I tried it out and this is what happened to me:

I caught the blade on something and something flew up from it, cutting my arm, there is a hole in my arm now.  I was lucky it didn't hit the vein where the butchers nurses draw blood from.  It's sore {SIGH}.  That bloody brush cutter is dangerous, I think I need to wear full body armour next time.  So I obviously gave up on that job!

I managed to wreck the blades on lawn tractor by running over a stone, so as you can guess dh is just thrilled about that {{SIGH}}!

I made steak for supper on Saturday night.  I am not a fan of steak and have a terrible time chewing it for some reason?  Anyhow, I have ended up with chronic toothache in the back tooth next to the one I had out.......{{{SIGH}}}  I refuse to have the tooth out, as that will mean I will have no back teeth on my right side of my mouth and I will have to start and eat flipping pureed baby food next..........give me strength.....

I called to make an appointment for my feet to get my orthotics.  They are going to cost $460 {{{{SIGH}}}} I did ask if they were gold plated at that price!  Oh and the earliest appointment I could get is for the 25th of May, so I guess I'll keep wearing my crocs.

I also called Sears on Monday to schedule an appointment for my yearly maintenance on the fridge.  I only have it done, as I get a free filter for the water dispenser.  Anyhow, they are coming on Wednesday between 8am until 8pm.  I asked them if they could narrow it down, but no they couldn't.  I told them I would be in the garden all day, so the guy would have to look for me, as I wasn't sitting in the house all day waiting for him.  It took me nearly 20 minutes to sort this out, they are painfully slow {{{{{SIGH}}}}}

So all in all I will be glad to see the back of Monday!

I am thinking of joining the circus this week in my column at the Eden Valley Messenger, just in case you're interested.......

I was banned from the garden on Sunday....

It was me who banned myself, as I had some sewing to do, and it had to be done by Tuesday.  I did manage to get it done and was finished by mid afternoon.  However I did end up scorching the white material with the iron :0(  Does anyone have any ideas how to remove scorch marks from material?

So after supper I went out in the garden and I planted my tomatoes and peppers in the new garden, and planted my broccoli plants in the main veggie plot.

I then cut some more grass......yes it's a never ending job!!  I then took some photos of the view from the back of the house.

Notice the monarch butterfly on the lilac bush; I couldn't get a close shot.

My goal's in the garden this week, are to plant another row of potatoes.  Plant the rest of the veggies I have started from seed.  Cut more grass.  Weed the flower gardens.  Dh put the blade on the brushcutter for me, so I want to tackle the more overgrown parts of the garden with that.  I have the peony beds to sort out as well.  The list is a mile long but I guess it will get done at some point!

I also wanted to thank you all for continuing to come by and commenting.  I really appreciate it.

Today's Flower..........

This is an old lilac bush we have on the property and has been there many years.  It's planted beside/under a big tree, and I find it only flowers on the front of the bush.  Any tips/suggestions on what I should do to get it to flower all over?  The scent from this bush is heavenly, making it a pleasure to be around.

For more Today's Flower Photos, please click on this link

Black Gold and lots of photos........

I dug and prepared this garden on Saturday afternoon.  It's in a sheltered place by the patio door, and I am going to plant my peppers and tomatoes there.

It was free black gold day on Saturday.  Black gold being compost.

I went first thing in the morning and filled the two recycling boxes.  Then when dh came home we went and again and there was still a pile of compost left, so we got the pile below.  It was 3:30pm by this time, so we knew that most people who wanted it, would have got it by now.

I took the rest of these photos on Friday.  This one is taken from the bottom of the field.

This is looking over at the field, where the Black Angus cows are.

Further up the field looking towards the front of the house.

Looking at the front of the house.  Those are the blackcurrant bushes in front of the house.

Dh put up the clock for me outside.  It looks good doesn't it?