A LIFE LIVED WELL FOR ONE MORE DAY!

The other day when I was outside at the front of our property picking rhubarb for my second batch of marmalade, the most beautiful thing happened.

The Rhubarb is located right up against a Karaganda hedge that goes along the front of our property.   I walked up to the rhubarb, bent over to start picking it, my head less than a foot from the hedge and all of a sudden I was getting a very gentle lecture from a Mamma Robin.

She startled me somewhat, her chatter from inside the hedge was not loud, but it had an urgency to it.  So I lifted my head slowly and there, right in front of my face was a nest with baby robins sticking out of it, and Mamma Robin standing watch.

The first thing I thought was that she could have attacked me, or flew away screaming - but the birds in my yard know I won't hurt them.  I am always talking to them, throwing worms at them, and they are always close on the ground when I am working in the garden.

So I put my head down, continued my task and told her that I wasn't there to disturb her family, just to get my rhubarb.  I talked softly like I always do to the birds in my yard, and she started clucking away as if she was up for a chat.

I finished what I was doing, straightened slowly, peered in the hedge one more time to remind her to be careful of the cat across the street that likes to walk through the hedge, and I left.

As I walked back to the house I realized that this spring I had removed a Robin's nest from almost the same spot.  The nest I removed wasn't new, probably last years, but I have it on my landing shelf going down to the basement.

I think I smiled the whole rest of the day... what a wonderful treat that was.

The incident reminded me of what I love the most about being in the garden.  I love nature - the bees, the birds, the toads, the worms - even the plants themselves.  There is no censure, there is no stress, no fear, anger, no worries - only peace -  creatures living out their lives in harmony all around me, nature providing life for one more day.  It is after all - just as simple as that  - living a life well,  for one more day!

It's an accomplishment for everything I see in my garden and yard, and it's an accomplishment for me.

Another gardener who is not in any way religious said it so correctly - "Being in the garden is as close to Heaven as one can get." She was so very right... and until I can get to the real place - I will gladly spend my time in my garden.




That same evening I took my camera out to the hedge,  I could hear Mamma Robin and her babies,  I even set up my tripod to take a picture, and then I decided I would not.  Let them have their day, their peace.  Instead I wandered around the yard and snapped pictures of some of the beautiful things growing in my yard.

Here is my little slice of Heaven on Earth!

Have a safe and happy weekend everyone!

 

RECIPE THURSDAY AND MORE INDOOR FUN!

Before I share this week's recipe with you, I want to show you what I have been doing in my garden and kitchen.

Already a harvest and  we are barely into June!

 The Rhubarb is ready and I have been picking it for the past couple of days.

I moved my Rhubarb patch from the front garden to the back garden last year, and I thought I had completely dug it from the front bed- but apparently I did not.  Both the front patch and the back patch are giving me lots of fresh rhubarb, and so I have been making Rhubarb/Strawberry/Pineapple Marmalade ( you can find the recipe here on my blog - just look under the label section on the main page).

I ran out of Strawberry Jello for the second batch so used Raspberry jello instead... amazing taste!

While I was at it I made some cutesy little labels, because nothing irritates me more than trying to get sticky labels off of jars!

Hope to get a lot more of this made before the Rhubarb is finished for the season!

So I was thinking about what kind of recipe I should share this week.  I love the Ooey - Gooey desserts just like everyone else, but really I think we as a whole are not doing ourselves any favours indulging in these decadent treats.  And it seems to me they just keep getting more and more so all the time.  Quite frankly the older I get the less I like over-sweet treats.

But still it is very nice to sit outside in the afternoon under the table umbrella or in the shade somewhere quiet and have a cup of tea and something nice to go with it.   Something light, but with a little sweet - something summery... something you could even take on a picnic.

And most likely something that none of us has made or tasted in a very long time, but if we had, we would have thought ... AWE.... I remember that... So Good!

Jelly Roll

3 eggs

1 cup (scant) sugar

2 tablespoons milk

 1 cup flour

 2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

grated rind of 1/2 lemon or orange

jelly or jam ( room temperature)

Sift and measure flour and re-sift it when salt and baking powder added.  Beat eggs until they are very thick and pale yellow. Gradually beat in sugar, milk and flavouring (lemon juice).  Fold into flour mixture, gradually cutting and folding but not beating.

Grease a long shallow pan ( cookie sheet is the best), or line a cookie sheet with wax paper.  Pour batter in pan -  batter should not be more than a 1/4 inch deep.

Bake 12 minutes at 325-350 degrees, watching closely as it bakes quickly.

Remove from oven and turn onto a clean cloth/ towel, quickly cut off the side crusts, spread with softened jam or jelly and roll quickly.  Wrap in cloth to keep in shape.

Work quickly or cake will crack.

When cake has cooled, remove wrap and slice thinly...

Brew your favourite tea or coffee, grab your sunhat and your favourite lawn chair, and enjoy!

HIT BY GOUT AND HATS!

Good Morning everyone, hope you are all well today!

It's a beautiful morning here in my little town, the sun is shining the birds are singing and I have my windows in my studio open and there is a beautiful cool breeze coming in.  It's not supposed to get too hot today, so it might be a good day to work outside in the yard.

I have been doing inside things for a few days for a couple of reasons.  First because it was pretty wet the past few days after all the rain we had over the weekend.  Second - I have gout.  Not the end of the world, but it is painful, and of all places it is in my hands, in particular the large knuckles of my left hand.   It has been difficult to do anything with that hand, so for sure gardening was not possible. 

But I am never one to sit and stare at a TV, so I have made use of my indoor time catching up on a few things around the house, and letting my mind have it's way with some new design ideas.

Last week I said I would share some of my new ideas with you, so here we go.

I have always been fascinated with hats.  I think I mentioned in another post that at one time, my Mother took a a course and made fancy hats - maybe that is when my fascination started, I don't know, but it has been with me pretty much all my life.

I wanted to design a new mug rug for a special birthday gift and so I came up with this.
I thought the first picture too plain, so I added flowers and hair.  But after I added the hair I didn't like the face so I took the hair off but left the flowers.

all these are 8"x9" so they are quite small.  You can't really tell the size by the picture.

 

And ended up with this - she's not perfect, but as a first effort not too bad.

I cut out another in different colours but haven't done any more with her, as you can see.

So then I switched to a different hat. Love this one but there are some challenges here too.  This is not sewn yet either.

and neither is this one, I can't decide on the back ground colour as yet...

              

Really love the hat, but not so much the hand, so I changed it up a bit and did this one - and this is the one I gave as a gift.

Hat # 3 is this one... not sewn yet - just playing with the design a bit, I lopped off her hands as well.

And hat #4 still in development is a pill box style hat with netting... it's proving to be somewhat problematic - but I'll get there.

I desperately need to hit a fabric store sometime soon as I am running out of background materials.  

There are a few more different things on the design table as well, but I can't share those quite yet - but I will soon.

Tomorrow I will show you what else I have made while being stuck indoors...

and a new recipe as well...

See you then!

JUNE WISHES, THANK YOU RAIN, AND BACK TO DESIGNING!

June 1st... can you believe it?  The year is already almost half over - how did that happen?

First of all I want to wish a special young woman a Happy Birthday - Happy Birthday Sasha!  Have a wonderful day - much love coming your way!

And while I am on birthday's - one of my longest, long-time friends ( we have known each other since kindergarten) has a birthday tomorrow.  Happy Birthday John!  Wishing you easier days, long beautiful evenings, sleep filled nights and Good Health and Happiness, my friend!

And June being the month of Graduations -  Great nieces Sinclaire and Vanessa, both are graduating from University/ College this week and this month.  Congratulations young ladies - your journey is just beginning!  Love to you both!

Scott and Traci - safe travels abroad, and have a wonderful time.  I know I will see lots of wonderful photos when you get home!

Of course sending wishes to everyone who has special days this month.  I am sure I am missing a lot of people's important days,  but the old brain isn't what it used to be.



The rain has finally hit us, and while it has been most welcome indeed - it could now stop for a few days.  Guess this is one of those " be careful what you wish for" occasions.  We wanted rain in the worst way - and so we got it.

But look what a difference a few days rain really makes...  what an incredible difference!

 

The garden is showing progress as well.  Almost everything I have planted is up ( as are the weeds) and the rhubarb is ready to pick, so this weekend I will be making some of that Rhubarb- Strawberry Jam that I posted here a few weeks ago.

While it's been raining I have climbed the stairs to my studio for the first time in months.

I have been designing some new mug rugs, and I can't wait to show them to you! 

I thought I would do one, but one has turned into almost 4 new designs, so I am playing with fabric colours and patterns at the moment, to get the best effect I can - but you will see what I mean when I share my progress with you next week.

So for now - it's back to the fabric I go - and I wish everyone that needs rain gets rain, and everyone that's had enough gets none.

Have a safe a wonderful weekend, everyone!

A QUICK PEEK IN !

Well Hello, everyone - welcome back!

I hope everyone has been keeping well, and enjoying all that spring can bring?

I have to say, our spring seemed to jump straight into summer.  The month of May has been so hot and dry, it feels more like July than May.  I started planting my vegetable garden in soil that was so dry, I doubted anything would come up.  And it didn't...

But - we had rain last Friday evening - about 2 inches of rain and almost overnight things started happening in the yard!

Grass that looked dead, suddenly turned green and started to grow.  Trees that were struggling to get their leaves out, just popped with beautiful bright green leaves overnight.  All of a sudden all was alive!

I finished planting my garden yesterday, and I can finally see some things coming through the ground from when I first started to plant almost 2 weeks ago.

Such is nature - reminding us once again who really is in control!

I have made so many changes to my main garden this year that I have had to draw pictures and journal every move I have made.  I journal anyway, but this year is really an experiment.

I did do what I said I was going to do - I planted according to the moon's cycle.... everything except the beets.  I just couldn't bare to prolong any more planting for a few more days - just had to get it all in - so we will see if it makes any difference.

Here are a few pictures of my back yard as of this morning!

It's very hard to get the whole garden plot into one picture, because of it's L shape - here's the best I can do.  This year the main vegetable garden is the large bit to the right, and the other part to the left is my tea and Apothecary garden.  I'm so happy the grass seems to be rebounding, last week at this time it was pretty much dead looking.

I am trying some vertical growing this year.  I have never done this before, so this area is one of my experiments.  I have two frames for Joe's Sweet Pea garden, then the next row is cucumbers ( where the white circles are)  and beyond that as you can see in the next picture is another row, where I have a drying bean planted that likes to climb.  We will see how this works.  Joe's sweet peas are just popping through the ground - they will take off like crazy, especially if we get more rain and heat.

This next picture is the other part of the L.  This is where I have planted my tea garden and Apothecary plants.  This too is an experiment.  I hope this works out because I really want to get into growing my own herbal tea and herbs for things like skin oils, balms etc.

I also started my new position with the Post Office.  So every evening after supper I walk downtown and do my work, and then come home again.  Our evenings are the most beautiful time of the day.  It's so quiet (except for the birdsong and lately the odd lawnmower).  Our skies are gorgeous, lots of colours in our sunsets, and I just love evening shadows.

I snapped this with my phone on my walk home the other evening.  See what I mean... doesn't that just make you want to sigh!  It does me!  That little blue haze at the back of the picture between the trees are the Riding Mountains, they sort of wrap around us here in our little town.

I still have so much to do in the front garden - I really haven't even started that one yet - but more about that next time.

Take Care everyone - till next time!

A BREAK FROM POSTING, BUT NOT FROM WORKING!

I hope everyone had a nice weekend and was able to sit outside for a few minutes and enjoy the beautiful spring air.

I did that on Friday evening for awhile.  I had spent a hard day cleaning out my strawberry bed, and tilling part of the garden.  After supper I went outside to water a couple of very small trees we planted last year, and after I was finished that, I sat on the park bench in the backyard and just listened to the evening birdsong for a few minutes.  I could just feel my exhaustion melting away to be replaced with a beautiful content and satisfied feeling.

The next few weeks are going to be spent outside getting everything ready for planting in a week or so.  There is a lot of work we need to do in the yard before we plant, so you won't be seeing me on here very much.

I might pop on once or twice to let you know we are still alive and well, and maybe share a picture or two, but that will be all.

I will resume regular posting and Recipe Thursdays once the garden is in and I can catch my breath.

In the meantime I hope everyone stays well, and is able to enjoy the beautiful spring days, before summer hits us for real.

Take Care everyone... see you soon!

A MEMORY FOR MOTHER'S DAY - AND A SPECIAL DESSERT!

When I was a child, my Mother and I had a "girls" day out about twice a year. It is the only time I can remember as a young child, going somewhere with my Mom, where the whole family didn't tag along. It started when I was quite young, maybe around 8 yrs old or so, and continued for a few years.

We would walk to Corydon Ave, get on the trolley bus ( yes Winnipeg had electric buses back then) and we would head downtown to the beauty school to get perms in our hair. It was a big deal to be in a place where there were only females, especially since our home was mostly males. For a couple of hours we were pampered, fussed over, and treated like queens, and when we left there, we looked just like the girls and women in all the papers and magazines.

After our hair was done, we would walk down Portage Avenue until we came to Woolworth's Department Store. It was the place to go for so many things - my Mom loved shopping there, but I loved the big lunch counter along the back wall - the one with the stools that twisted around and around and around.

After Mom finished her shopping, we would go to that counter for a bit of a treat before heading home.

I always had a glass of milk, Mom had coffee, and we both shared a slice of Icebox Cheesecake - something that had yet made it into recipe books or household kitchens in our city.

It was exotic, so refreshing, and left you wanting another piece, because you could only get it at this particular lunch counter, and only when you were on a girls day out, with Mom!

In later years, Mom began making a cheesecake much like the Woolworth's Icebox cake, but it never quite tasted the way the one did in the store - where we sat just the two of us, having a special treat out together.

It's a Memory I cherish, and with Mother's Day this coming weekend, it it particularly wonderful to sit and remember that special time we had together.

The recipe isn't a secret anymore, so make one this weekend, and share it with your Mother, if you are lucky enough to still have her with you.

If like, me you will be missing your Mother this Mother's Day, make it anyway, and remember those special moments you shared with your Mom.

HAPYY MOTHER'S DAY to all the Mom's out there!

Enjoy!

Woolworth's Famous Icebox Cheesecake.

• 1
  (12-ounce) can Carnation evaporated milk, well chilled
• 1⅔
  cups graham cracker crumbs
• ½
  cup confectioners' sugar
• 6
  tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
• 1
  (3-ounce) box lemon Jell-O gelatin or any flavor you like
• 1
  cup boiling water
• 1
  (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• 1
  cup granulated sugar
• 4
  tablespoons fresh lemon juice or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

To begin, shake the can of evaporated milk and refrigerate until well chilled, at least an hour.

In a small mixing bowl and using a wire whisk, dissolve the Jell-O in the boiling water, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and melted butter. Reserve 1/3 cup of the mixture for the topping. Press the remainder firmly into the bottom of an 11.5x7.5-inch or similar dish. Refrigerate or put in the freezer until needed.

In another large mixing bowl and using a mixer, beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and lemon juice or vanilla until smooth and creamy. Beat in the cooled Jell-O until well blended. Refrigerate mixture for now.

Shake the can of chilled evaporated milk again and pour into another large mixing bowl. Beat on high speed of mixer until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. It should have the consistency of beaten egg whites. Beat in the cream cheese/Jell-O mixture.

Pour mixture over the chilled crust. Sprinkle top with the remaining crumb mixture. Refrigerate for several hours before cutting into squares.

NOTE:

You can use a larger pan, like 9x12-inch and the dessert will be thinner. If you have too much filling for the smaller pan, pour it into small bowls and refrigerate for a quick and creamy snack.