Delightful day

Friday Rosanne came down from Kitchener with her daughters Brianne and Brittany and off we went to Port Stanley.We had lunch reservations at the Pineapple Room in the Telegraph House. The food as usual was very good.The girls had chicken wraps , Rosanne an omelet with ham and I had Fresh tarragon vidalia onion and mushroom quiche with gazpacho. Did we pass up dessert? Of course not. Brittany had lavender creme brullee, Rosanne mile high lemon pie and Brianne and I had fresh Blueberry pie. We all sampled each others dessert, they were all yummy. We then went to Jackson fish store picked up yellow perch and some pickerel fillets to bring home for supper. We checked out Little Beach,peaked at Lake Erie
and strolled up the street to visit
some fancy shops . For once did not find something we just could not live without. Most unusual for us.
We admired some new gardens at the Kettle Creek Inn.
On our way home stopped in Aylmer , Spicers Bakery, they were out of Date Tribly cookies(Rosanne's Favourite)
but we still managed to find some things we liked , prairie wholegrain bread for me , smiley sugar cookies and donuts for the girls and Austrian buns for Rosanne. Just across the street from the bakery is The Flower Fountain floral shop that Rosanne's friend just purchased so we stopped in for a few minutes to see the renovations. She is planning a grand opening in the fall and so hope we can go. Looks like it will be very interesting with a French flare. Heading back home we stopped at the farmers market Berry Hill Farms ,corn, melon , peaches. green beans. blueberries and the last of this seasons raspberries were purchased. Back home we sat on the porch with some cool drinks and chatted for an hour before they had to head back home.
It was wonderful to spend the time with my daughter and granddaughters, a simply relaxing , delightful day

My Cubicle - James Blunt Beautiful parody

You scored as Hermione Granger, You're one intelligent witch, but you have a hard time believing it and require constant reassurance. You are a very supportive friend who would do anything and everything to help her friends out. Hermione Granger 75% Albus Dumbledore 70% Harry Potter 70% Draco Malfoy 65% Severus Snape 65% Remus Lupin 60% Ron Weasley 60% Ginny Weasley 60% Sirius Black 55% Lord Voldemort 30% Your Harry Potter Alter Ego Is...? created with QuizFarm.com

Summer Flowers!

Summer Flowers

Here are some more pictures of my garden flowers.
All the daylilies are flowering very early .
Balloon flower is a lovely blue.The flowering Kale is huge already.
Some new asiatic lilies are not the size they should be , but still pretty.
The portulaca is doing well with the dry weather.
Bob is very proud of his acorn squash and pumpkin, hoping to show it at the Dorchester fair in the fall.

Wicked

I am trying to read this book. The operative word is trying.
This book is the basis of the broadway play Wicked so I know someone had to get through this book and must have loved it.On the new York Times Best Sellers list, too. Heard the play is very good.
Yet I find myself almost half way through and it is a slog.
Too overly descriptive for me, the characterization of
Munchkinland I just don't feel anything for.
Find I am scanning pages now.
Hate not to finish a book I start always thinking I will finally get "it".
Question will be Will I finish it?

Blogs

Found a few new food and garden blogs I like .
The garden tour pics at Empress of Dirt are very interesting makes me want to change all my gardens around. LOL.
Blooming gardener lots of info and Crafty gardener a fellow Canadian,.
The food blogs with the pics and recipes make me so hungry.
Anne's site is from Stockholm , the waffles at "Oh you tasty" make my mouth water and Desert Candy's pavlova makes me drool.

Blast from the past

Daughter Sherry went to Guelph University , her friend and roommate Ramona,
from those days,sent her this from the student newspaper. Hard to believe it was so long ago 1989.Sherry is in the middle.
This pic and story were in the University newspaper;
From the Attic Uncle Arthur's Suitcase;
This photo of Career Services Peer Helpers Jeanette Vander Zaag, Sherry Hudson, and Ramona Snyders, dressed as fortune tellers, appeared in the November 1989 issue of “Uncle Arthur’s Suitcase.” According to Uncle Arthur, Peer Helpers across the program prepared displays and presentations to assist other Peers in becoming more familiar with services offered to University of Guelph students. Seventeen years have passed... I wonder what our fortune teller Peer Helpers are doing today?

Do you have old photos or memorabilia to share with Uncle Arthur? If so, please forward scanned versions to lschnarr@uoguelph.ca and we'll be sure to include them in future issues
Previous Issue :: Current Issue February 2006 - Volume 3 - Issue 2From the Attic


© 2007 The University of Guelph | Student Affairs

Blast from the past

Back door garden

This is one garden I am happy with this year , it is right by the back door. The cannas are putting up with the dryness and the heat and the lavender thrives on it.
The geraniums are called rose star and doing well. The blue spruce standard takes only a bit of pruning each year and the little statute I picked up years ago. There is some Frosty morn sedum that should put on a good show this fall and a volunteer plant,last year I had in Tall blue ageratum , they have self seeded which surprised me but I am leaving them to see what happens.

Summer Fruit and Vegetable Season

Went to the farmers market and loaded up on lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
So what did I do with all this great food?



Made freezer raspberry jam( my fav), froze 4 bags of raspberries for use in the dead of winter.




Made a rustic raspberry and blackcap pie.


The piece of pie I had yummy with Devon clotted cream on top.


Lots of salads.
Cherries just eaten as a snack.

The best had to be the fresh,first of the season
corn on the cob, peaches and cream, so very sweet, slathered in butter.
Can hardly wait for more corn with BBQ'ed Hot dogs, yep love hot dogs!

Garlic Jelly

My husband Bob has a bumper crop of garlic this year.
To help use it up I have made garlic jelly which we like to use on cream cheese as an appeziter with crackers.
Here I have started the process.

This recipe I found at Recipezaar by Steve 1.
1/2 cup fresh garlic finely chopped
2 cups white wine vinegar
5 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups water
1 pkg. dry pectin
1/4 tsp. butter
2 drops of red or yellow food colouring (optional)
Combine garlic and vinegar in 2 Qt. pan
simmer mixture gently uncovered over medium heat for 15 minutes
Pour mixture into a 1 qt. glass jar
Cover and let stand at room temperature for 24-36 hours
Pour flavoured vinegar mixture through a wire strainer into a bowl, pressing the garlic pulp with back of spoon to get out liquid.
Discard residue.
Measure the liquid , hopefully 1 cup if not add more vinegar.
Measure sugar into a dry bowl.
Combine the garlic vinegar mixture and water in a 5-6 qt. pan.
Add pectin, stir well.
Over high heat bring mixture to a boil stirring constantly, add sugar, continue to stir until a full rolling boil.
Add butter to reduce foam.
Continue stirring Boil mixture hard for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat , skim off any foam.
Add food colouring if desired. I added 2 drops yellow and 1 of red.

Here the jars are hot and steamy.
Pour jelly into sterilized hot jars and seal with new hot lids.
Set on counter for 24 hours for jelly to set and seal.If any don't seal refrigerate and use up over 3 months.finished product jars lids have popped.

Bridal shower for Carrie

Bridal shower for Carrie

Just got back from a bridal shower for niece Carrie.
Carrie who is in her forties is getting married for the first time.
She is so excited.
The shower was put on by her Aunt Pat and cousin Christine.
Wine was plentiful as was the lunch buffet.
We got to taste test the wedding cake selections either carrot, carrot chocolate, banana chocolate chunk or plain banana. Let me just say all were so good.
Yes we played games , yes we made Carrie wear the silly bow hat.
One game Sherry and I liked and want to use sometime,nametags put on the back of each guest and that person has to ask questions til they figure out who they are , good ice breaker.
Was a good time and lots of laughs.

Daylilies

Here are the first of my daylilies making an appearance in the garden.
Daylilies I love, they put on a great show once established take the heat and dryness and relatively pest free.The red one is called Anzac and the yellow is Happy Returns.

Things I like:Stair basket,

love mine, Rosanne gave this one to me, it came from Basketville in Venice Florida. The convenience of a container to help lug little things up and down stairs ,still looks nice and I don't trip over stuff.

Bath and Body works foaming antibacterial soap and body lotion , Rosanne got me hooked on this product use it in the bathroom and in the kitchen . Love the lemon verbena scented one. Kitchen herb is nice too.

Will be stocking up on our annual US. shopping trip this fall.

Sherry suggested this product from the Body Shop . I have very dry skin especially in the winter. The fragrance of cocoa butter is a favourite. Works so well just after a warm bath to slather it on damp skin.

I have 5 of these little candles Shirley my cousin uses these in every window in her home I use them in the bedroom windows ,kitchen and to light a dark stairway. I love to come home on a dark winter night to see these little lights brightening up my home and welcoming me back .

Don't use them in the summer months except one, in the guest bedroom,which is kept on day and night in memory of my father and my daughter Nicci.

A light in the window.

You Belong in Summer

Energetic, creative, and very curious about the world... You're not going to let anything hold you back, especially a cold day. Whether you're chilling out at the beach or partying all night, you live for the warm weather.

What Season Are You?

Your Blogging Type is Entertaining and Happy

You are a fun, giving blogger who makes others feel good. You often post things that make your friends smile. At the same time, you expect the same blogging spirit from others. And when it's not returned, you tend to feel a bit hurt.

What's Your Blogging Personality?

This week:
worked 12 hours Monday
worked 12hours Tuesday
Wednesday day off worked at home
Thursday had to go shopping on the way there to pick up bridal shower gift a gravel truck passed my car threw a stone up and shattered my windshield so now need a new one $300 deductable.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday- -- working.
No play time , garden is burning up before my eyes 34 C. today outside, making me sad.
Daughters are away camping with their families , no news there.
Routine, life is routine this week!

July Garden!

July Garden

Here in southwestern Ontario we have been experiencing a dry spell , rain for the month of June really non existent . May rain was minimal.
There were 2 days when it tried to rain in June but the thunder showers missed this little bit of earth.
The only rain just wet the ground and not even under the trees.
So hand watering has been the daily routine.
Not the grass just the flower beds, the grass is brown.
In early spring one gets carried away with the joy of planting up many pots and flower beds , now the lack of rain, the constant watering makes it seem like a chore with out reward.
Poor shrubs are even drooping. Not good when shrubs need watering.
The temps have been into the high 30's with a drying wind , just this last week the temperatures returned to near normal around 24 to 25 and our nights , coolish at 9 to 12.
Finally we have had a bit of rain today .Not nearly enough but at least something.
So here are some of the pictures of the garden with raindrops on the petals of a lily , one of the very brown grass and one sad daylily flowering amidst some Asiatic lilies, tho that should be August. By August I don't think I will have a flower left.
The polyanthus rose called The Fairy is usually a mass of small pink flowers that surround my porch is a tough rose, poor thing is also hurting.
A picture of my bunnies "the cement kind "the only good kind in my opinion.
Still I do have happy clematis, no wilt , and no black spot on the roses.
Always a bright spot for a gardener.

A Year in Bread

Rosanne found "A Year in Bread" blog, a blog devoted to making bread and the pleasures of homemade.

The 3 bakers are Susan , Beth and Kevin.

Rosanne made bacon buns from their recipes.

Loved what she did so checked out the site myself.

Found a recipe
June 7/07 for Susan's Savory Cheese and Scallions Scones.

These are my results. Loved the flavour , ease of prep and the tips. YUMMY!

I will be trying more of these recipes especially Kevin's butter Popovers and Kitchen Mage's Quick and Flaky Biscuits.

Check out their blog it is a great stop.

Happy Canada Day

Sherry and Brayden

When we were walking down the street in Aylmer I caught these pictures of Mom and son . Simple pleasure of walking hand in hand.

Lunch

On Friday Sherry, Brock , Brayden and I went to Aylmer to Victorian Elegance tearoom. On the way we had to stop at Spicers bakery to pick up some of their specialities. Date Tribly cookies , smiley face sugar cookies , sprinkled donuts and some 8 grain bread and rolls. Sherry picked up some sugar bread which is new baked with sugar cubed inside. The bread is to be toasted and served with butter. Should be interesting to try.
Off then to the tearoom combo shoppe. We sat on the outside deck shaded by a canopy of big trees with a creek running beside.
For lunch we had a variety of sandwiches , and the best part was dessert Brayden and I had fresh strawberry pie and Sherry and Brock had peanut butter chocolate clutter. Very good.

Then we browsed the shop tho Brock kept trying to show us where the door was LOL.