Comic Con

Annie and some of Zee's family went to Comic-Con this weekend. It's something she's always wanted to do and is quite into comics. She came home with a nice stash of comic-y goodies! It was an easy costume to put together and I made the hat. She ditched her mustache idea but I still think she looks pretty cute:)

Quiet time

I feel so productive today. I have the house all to myself and after a yummy breakfast, I got right to work.

*sewed drawstring bags-I like to have these on hand for small gifts and for storing things..even for sending cookies to a neighbour for her birthday.

* weeded 3 of my veggie garden beds..they're raised beds and I'm surprised to find any weeds at all this early!

* sorted through sewing bin..assembled small zippered pouch bag that I will sew later..wishing I could find my zipper foot for sewing maching :/

* packed up winter hats etc...finally

* gathered a bag of things to donate...a good time to do this is when no one is here to stop me!

* sorted recycling for pick up tomorow..I only have one bin so I like it to be somewhat sorted.

* drew ideas for silver and copper jewelry I want to make hoping Grace has endless patience for me!

* printed off Micheals coupon...I want to get a ruler for cutting with the rotary cutter and mat.

* raked a part of the yard

* set up old swing set and netting for sugar snap peas.

I think that's about it..I'm off to make some tea:)

I vow to post regularly!

I have so many favorite blogs that I go to on a regular basis....but then neglect my own. Sometimes I feel that I have nothing going on with my life and spend too much time looking at other peoples' lives when I need to invest more in mine.

Happy Holidays 2011

It's hard to believe that we are once again nearing years end.  So much living has been lived this year, and as my 10 year keeps telling me, "Mummy this year has gone by faster than I remember any year".  I can relate to what he is saying, but wish that it were not his reality, he's too young to feel as though time is flying by.

I managed to get ten wreaths made to adorn the windows and door of our home.  the wreath on the front door has a set of snowflake lights that I picked up at Ikea last week.  They require two AA batteries, making them easy to incorporate into free standing wreaths or windows.  I'm using my rechargeable batteries,  I would have been really excited if these ones were solar like the set I have in my garden.

Christmas music is playing all day long compliments of galaxy music.  DD and I picked up Michael Buble's Christmas CD to add to our line up.... crooner he is!  I've made a place for the Bodhi/Christmas tree to go, hopefully we'll have it up by the weekend, in time for Bodhi Day and giving the kids plenty of time to make paper cranes and snowflakes to decorate it.  I wrote a little blurb about Alternative Christmas Trees at Squidoo, I've come up with a tree design to take to the "Dragon's Den", so stay tuned ;)

If the weather cooperates a little snow will help me along.  I'm saving Christmas baking until the beginning of December, concentrating on any shopping and decorating I want to get done.  The gardens are laid to rest awaiting a blanket of snow to insulate them from the cold. The water barrels are in need of emptying after this last rain fall, a must get done project this week.  It hasn't been cold enough for the wood stove yet, mabye next week.  I'm looking forward to having my perpetual cup of tea, hot off the stove, and warming up lunch with little or no thought to preheating any electric device.

Kids are ready and waiting to skate and toboggan, seeing the baby's eyes light up and hear him squeal with utter awe at the sight of a dusting of snow definitely makes my day and reminds me to stay in this moment with him.  This is my update, over and out.

Zee

Soulful Singing & Apple Butter

Friday night was our first soulful singing circle welcoming fall and winter.  Wendy's theme was "Turning", many of the songs we shared were connected to the idea of turning.... turning into a new season, or way of looking at ourselves and life in general.  Wendy Luella Perkins is a real treasure, her song "What Am I Rushing To" on her newest CD "This Very Moment" is one of my favourites. 

Among the many songs we sang was an old Shaker song by Joseph Brackett, 

"Simple Gifts"

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight
'Till by turning, turning we come round right.

It was a great transition into song after discussing the fall harvest and adventures into preserving the bounty for winter.  Being part of such a wonderful circle of womyn is inspiring and nurturing, something I've neglected for far too long.

I spent the afternoon preparing apples for apple butter, hoping to have them done before I set out to sing, no such luck!  I returned home around 11pm and spent a few hours canning before heading off to bed, I did manage to get 16/250ml jars of apple butter finished and ready to stash away. 

Tonight, Chi and I hunkered down after dinner, along with a few helpers and managed to put up almost 8 litres of salsa.  I've gone through two bushels of Roma tomatoes,  I could easily have made use of another two.  I do have 12 litres of tomatoes sauce done and will be able to do about 6 litres of canned tomatoes with whats left over. Next year I'll make sure my tomatoes are in better shape and supply so I can make more sauce and have more canned tomatoes on hand.

It's late, I'm off to bed
Night all!

Zee.. Z z z z z 

Up, up and ready for wet laundry!

With some help from the big kids, we hoisted the drying rack into the ceiling and finished the project.  It will need to be tweaked, I would like it higher up (ladder not high enough) that can wait until we are ready to paint and have scaffolding.  The plan is to do laundry in the evening to benefit from the lower hydro rates, and dry the clothing overnight while taking advantage of the cookstove heat. 

Drying Rack Loaded With Wooden Pins

I have a beautiful garlic braid to hang in my kitchen!  It's been years since I had a garlic braid, nothing this substancial.  It's only a fraction of what we use as a family for cooking and medicinal purposes, but doubles aa beautiful piece of garden art.  As I get a bulb or two of organic garlic from our CSA share, I dry it and stash it away, same goes for the white onions.  After the herbs are all settled in for the winter, my next project will be working on the cold room space.

Fish Lake Garlic Braid From Pathchwork Gardens

 

 

 

 

 

La La, La La la la.....

Bonjour!

South Facing Window

Been busy, not with anything overly exceptional unless you call living exceptional.  I'm on track with almost all the need to get done before the snow falls list, like south facing window winter ready for herbs, sprouts and wheatgrass, you can't see the whole window but there is two more shelves, one in the transom and one in the windowsill below the last shelf (5 - 33" shelves) 

Kids Stuck In The Drying Rack

Almost finished the clothes drying rack that will go up with a pulley system, just need some more rope to launch it into the ceiling (catapult?)   It's approximately 8' x 4' should be ok for  3+ loads of laundry.  I'll attack a string down the centre that will be used for little tings like socks and undies.

I told the kids I'd make them a  basket on a pulley so they can send it down for snacks, wipes and lego? 

My LEM Dehydrator

I'm trying to rely less on my freezer and more on ways to preserve foods that don't rely on good ol' hydro.

Cauliflower, Red Peppers, Tomatoes, Potatoes and Zucchini

I have many jars of organic veggies dehydrated and ready to make some tasty soups like cauliflower & cheddar soup, minestrone soup and hearty garden vegetable soup/stews.  Tones of zucchini for lasagna and muffins... and they make great chips for munching on, seriously they really taste like chips! I've got a few bushels of organic tomatoes coming in the next week or so to put up pasta/pizza sauce and salsa.  Apples will be arriving next week for apple butter and apple pie filling for Christmas and into early new year.  Fruit leather is always on the go I manage to make enough to last for three or so days, would be nice to get ahead of the kids and stash some for a rainy day.

Soup Mix, Eggplant, Garlic & Onions, Basil

Life is Good!
Zee