A Week of Winter

"Moss grows where nothing else can grow. It grows on bricks. It grows on tree bark and roofing slate. It grows in the Arctic Circle and in the balmiest tropics; it also grows on the fur of sloths, on the backs of snails, on decaying human bones. It is a resurrection engine. A single clump of moss can lie dormant and dry for forty years at a stretch, and then vault back again into life with a mere soaking of water." Elizabeth Gilbert

Winter has arrived with winds roaring down the straits. Ferry after ferry has been cancelled. The weekend was especially disruptive with passengers stranded on either side. Our Vancouver daughter had four friends stay overnight. I was called in to teach yesterday morning for a colleague who was stranded. 

Tim and I bundled up on Sunday afternoon and went for a walk around the Bog, a depression in the landscape sheltered from the wind by curving hillocks and tall trees. 

The ponds are full now, fed by streams that trickle underground and overground, between houses and under streets, thanks to the abundant recent rains. 

Green-winged Teals and Mallards quack and preen, and swim about in organized confusion. 

Later that night snow began falling, small flakes that felt like pellets that swirled up and around with the wind. Every child went to sleep with hopes of snow covering the ground in the morning. 

Our Mister F awoke early on Monday morning and quickly rushed to play outside in the fresh snow even before it was light saying, "It could be gone by recess time at school." Smart boy! 

Miss S attends another school and she told me that recess and lunch hour were extended so that students could enjoy the snow. Smart teachers! 

Snow is an event here, and there is more to come. I love the bright whiteness and the way it transforms the drab landscape into light and airiness. There is little ambivalence about snow in our city - people either love it or hate it. I'm in the love camp. 

I grew up much further north where winters can be interminable with snow lasting until March or April. That is too much winter for me now. Then I lived very near the equator for many years and winter, or seasons of any kind, were non-existent, and I missed the rhythm of the year. So I'm very happy to be in a place where seasons are mild, but definite. 

After being out in the cold briskness of winter, is there anything better than a cup of hot chocolate or tea by the fire? I think not. Saturday's puttering resulted in a clean and tidy home that makes me smile to look at it. A place for everything and everything in its place. Ahh. 

This morning a few lazy flakes continue to drift through the air. The wind has stopped for a bit and ferry passenger traffic is back to normal. Another system is blowing in and we'll see what that brings. 

Meanwhile, I'm off to school: Spanish, Foods, Spanish, and French are on today's schedule. What's on yours? 

Seasonal Eating - Friday Bliss

As the nights draw in and temperatures drop, all the salads and grilled dishes of summer lose their appeal and I long for the cozier foods of fall. 

Recently I made an apple crisp and served it, once again, with creme anglaise. I'm planning to make some Apple Pastry Bars soon, too, perhaps over the weekend. 

When my brother and sister-in-law were here in early September, I made Salted Caramel Pots de Creme from Laura Calder's Paris Express cookbook. Oh my. Rich and so good with that sprinkle of sea salt on top.

We're eating more soup again, hearty roasted vegetable soups like this Roasted Cauliflower Pear soup, and 

Roasted Tomato Soup. Oh how good the house smells! Do you save your chicken bones and carcasses to make broth? I make broth in my slow cooker, adding water to the roasted chicken carcass, plus a carrot, an onion, some celery leaves, parsley stems, peppercorns, a bay leaf, and salt. I leave it on low for 8 hours and a lovely clear broth results, which I freeze in quart jars (leaving a couple of inches of headspace).

Roasted Pear Cheesecake was popular on a recent weekend getaway with friends. Some asked for the recipe. I've linked to all of the recipes (except the Pots de Creme) on my recipe blog. 

What are you cooking or eating these days? Do you eat seasonally? Any good ideas to share?

Linking with Friday Bliss, hosted by Riitta of Floral Passions in Finland. Why don't you join us?

Spring Puttering

"Nothing is so beautiful as Spring

     When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush...

    The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush

    The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush

With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling."

                                                                                                   Gerard Manley Hopkins

Spring is not my favourite time of year. I enjoy each one of the seasons, but Spring is too capricious and moody: one day smiling with sun, the next sullen with a chill wind that drives like a knife. Still, I cannot deny the absolute delight of seeing green shoots and flowers emerge from the brown earth. Blossoms in the rain are as equally beautiful as those in the sun. 

All the fresh newness outdoors inspires me indoors to putter. I looked up the meaning of the word today:

...to busy or occupy oneself in a leisurely, casual, or ineffective manner

Today I've been puttering. It's been leisurely and casual, but I hope not ineffective. 

Puttering goes alongside housecleaning for me. The house hasn't been dusted since before I left for Mexico. Taking everything off of mantels and tabletops in order to dust is a perfect opportunity to put things back in new ways. Above is the result of the living room mantel putter. 

The kitchen mantel is narrower and I have a hard time finding things to fit. I've been craving greenery and need to replace some of my houseplants. Today I went out into the garden and clipped whatever I could stick into water - rosebush leaves, trailing vinca, and a cornflower getting ready to bloom. The light is rather dull today with grey skies threatening rain and the clear glass with greenery brightens things a little. 

You might remember my "Her Ladyship" mug I received for Christmas. For Tim's birthday last month, I looked for the matching "His Lordship" mug, but Murchie's said they didn't have any more. 
What to do?
I spied the Chauffeur mug and since he usually drives when it's the two of us, I purchased it. He thinks it's quite funny. And I confess to thinking about Lady Sybil and Branson in Downton Abbey! 

I finished reading The Nightingale on our short trip last week, and re-read the ending again this week. It's the story of two sisters in France, during World War II. A lovely, sometimes heart-wrenching story. 

Before I left on my long trip last month, I went outside to take a photo of the back of the house (bottom left). Tim was planning to do some major puttering while I was gone. He replaced the sliding glass doors with a single door with a large window, and installed a new window in that blank wall to the left. This is all part of the ongoing kitchen renovation that is going to take years rather than months. The fireplace was the first step. The window and door are the second. 

There is still finish work to do around the inside of the door and window and that is being worked on in his free time. As well, we will paint the outside once it's warm enough. This project has made a huge difference in the amount of light in what was rather a dark room. I like having the table right up against the window.

There used to be a white lattice railing around the deck, but that was removed last fall. The new deck is in Tim's shop, waiting for a stretch of good weather for installation. After that there will likely be a long hiatus in renovations. 

It's been good to get back to home cooking again. Since halibut is in season, I pan roasted a filet and served it over roasted tomatoes from our garden (roasted and frozen last summer), with sauteed kale picked fresh from the plants that are bursting with green leafiness. 

Yesterday morning, while sitting at the table by the window, I spied a flash of colour in the lemon balm stalks that need to be cut down. This Finch, probably a House Finch, stayed long enough for me to change the lens on my camera and take quite a few shots. There must have been something delicious on those dry stalks.

Speaking of the seasons, Gladys Tabor writes, "Who can say which is the most beautiful? Each has its own charm, each bestows its own blessing, and we welcome each in turn...There is a security in knowing that spring follows winter and summer comes after spring...I wish all my friends, everywhere, the joy and sweetness of spring." 

Whether you are reading this in the midst of a late snowstorm, or perhaps in early autumn in the southern hemisphere, I wish you joy.

Linking to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Maggie of Normandy Life.  

Between the Seasons

Autumn is hanging out in our neighbourhood. The first glimpse was around 8 pm one evening when a few raindrops fell as I picked a few raspberries. Temperatures dropped, more rain fell, and I listened to it softly falling during the night. We are thankful for the moisture. 

This weekend the two of us took a last overnight boating trip for the season, to Genoa Bay. Gray mist and gentle rain were the weather of the day on Saturday, but Sunday morning the mist wreathing the hills was soon burned off by the sun.

Golden light shone through paper thin leaves littering the forest floor. 

Float houses are popular in much of the west coast. At the Genoa Bay Marina, a couple of them are for sale. I wonder how damp they would be in winter, though. 

We hiked for a couple of hours on the hill above the marina. The trail began in shaded woods where ferns grow lush. We soon left the green behind for dry grassy outcroppings and the scent of warm pine. When we stood still, we heard the soft plink of dry needles falling to the ground. 

More evidence of autumn's visit combined with the dry summer is seen in the glow of orange Garry Oak leaves. 

Blue, blue water and sky signify September days to me. The earth radiates the heat stored up over the summer. Evenings cool rapidly. Shadows slant earlier. This time between the seasons celebrates the best of both summer and autumn. 

Is autumn peeking into your neighbourhood?

Linking with Mosaic Monday, hosted by Maggie of Normandy Life. 

I think Summer's over

I worked in the library at school today. The rain poured down accompanied by thunder and lightning. Most unusual for our region. The library was stuffy and I opened the windows. What lovely, fresh scented air blew through. Flowers are looking bedraggled with rain. 

Now that I'm home, the skies have cleared and there's some sun. Still, I think that summer is packing her bags and leaving. I hope she vacillates a little more, don't you?
 

Some sewing of couch cushion covers - the easiest way I know to change up a living room. I made a big cover from the blue fabric that shows the bird print to advantage, but alas, the photo also showed that I hadn't pressed the fabric very well. Tsk, tsk.

And it's our son's birthday today - one with a zero on the end! I look at this photo and cannot believe how the years have flown by. Such a cliché, but nonetheless true. Now he's the father of our Little Miss A. Oh dear. I have to stop here before I get maudlin and teary. Too late. Happiest of Happy Birthdays, Travis with much, much love.

Summer's Siren Call

Summer's siren song called again this afternoon, prompting another excursion, this time to French Beach. Waves rushed upon the shore, splashing upwards, then receding in long sighs. 
 

A small fishing boat pulled up crab traps (we think) as the sun lowered. A long line of distant fog obscured the far shore, leaving the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula groundless, floating on the water.
 

September's here and I wonder how many more such afternoons we will have before dull skies and rain take over. This month bridges summer and fall with warm sunlight and cooling breezes. The garden still blooms, but things are beginning to look tired. Soon it will be time to draw indoors and pull the coziness of autumn around. Change is in the wind. Do you feel it?

End of Summer Melancholy

This has been a strange summer for us. Family issues have weighed heavily on our minds. We had house guests for three months (Tim's nephew who had the accident in May, and his wife.) As of last Monday the house was back to just the two of us and it's taken me some time to adjust to cooking less and to embrace being alone. 

I am reminded of how ephemeral summers are. We anticipate them throughout the year and plan the hikes, the barbecues, the picnics, the gardening and house projects. Then, like the scattering of seeds from wind blowing on a dandelion globe, poof, the days are gone. What remains? Memories of laughter, of tears, of the first sweetly warm tomato eaten straight from the vine, of raspberries red and ripe, of bushes loaded with blueberries, of toddler giggles and a baby learning to walk. 

But it's time to lay aside melancholy. There are days of sunshine still ahead and I mean to make the most of them. I love autumn, but summer's short season holds a special place in my heart. 

What's your favorite season? Is it approaching or ending? 

Barn Study

August. A barn in a wheat field. When I saw it, we stopped so I could take a photo. I wanted to compare it to ...

this photo, taken mid-September, last year. What a difference!

Maybe we could return in winter, and early spring, to complete the study of seasons. Maybe. Or maybe not.

Note Card Party - Four Seasons

Autumn Reflections

Vee is once again hosting a Note Card Party in which we choose four photos previously published on our blog that we think would make a fun card set. For this month, I chose the four seasons. 
 

 A Winter's Walk

 Sea Side Spring Blossoms

Summer at the Beach

Pop on over to Vee's Haven to check out more fun virtual note card sets. Vee is featuring some delicious things to eat - so I think I'll have myself a piece of cake, real, not virtual.

 

Mantels and More

Kari and Kijsa are hosting a mantel open house! We all get to show what we're doing with that wonderful ledge above the fireplace. It's perfect for displays of all sorts.


For Christmas I use lots of greenery, candles, pine cones, and some paper cut trees made years ago.


In the fall I use a bit of orange and brown although they are nowhere in my decorating scheme. But natural things, like pumpkins and leaves, fit in everywhere. I change the artwork above the mantel to reflect the season as well. Sometimes it's hung, other times I like to prop up pictures. Our mantel is fairly high, so the space above it isn't expansive. Propping the pictures brings them down into the whole fireplace scheme of things.



And here's the current look. You'll notice that we painted out the dark blue. I was sad to see it go, but wanted more light for the summertime. In the winter it was cozy, but I like the light. I stacked a couple of paintings one in front of the other. Tall branches, trailing ivy and a bit of crystal provide a contrast in textures and shapes.