Sunday, November 28, 2010

Food Bank Challenge

Recently Sam from "An Ostrich Named Sam" wrote:
”Many of us are so fortunate in being able to buy what we like at the grocery store and never having to choose between putting food in fridge or paying for rent. If you can, please give to your local food bank this Christmas. A box of pasta can make a difference to a family in need.”

and:
”Actually how about a challenge people? Give to the food bank and post your photos the month of December! Anyone in?”

Well, I’m up for your challenge Sam! In fact it was going to be pretty easy to do because donating to the food bank is something that I already do every year anyway. I was a volunteer at our local Salvation Army for over 10 years. They ran their Thrift Store and the food bank out of the same facility so I got to see some of the people who were using the services and hear some of their stories. Some of the stories were very tragic and they convinced me that I have been very fortunate in my life to be in a position to help others. So, among other things, I donate to that food bank regularly.

Also, once a year for the past dozen years or so, Hubby and his co-workers collect food donations from just about everyone in town and take them to the same food bank. I help with this too by driving Big Red while Hubby goes to the door to pick up food. We almost always bring in an entire truck load of stuff because people are so generous. The Salvation Army is always very grateful. It’s the single biggest donation they receive and it keeps the shelves stocked for months.

 The back of Big Red was full again this year.
The back of Big Red was full again this year.


 Ready to off-load.
Ready to off-load.

So Sam, here’s my response to your challenge. I’m a little early but that’s just my nature! I included lots of KD, soup, peanut butter, spaghetti and sauce, beans, sugar and Kleenex. I look forward to seeing everyone else’s donations.

Okay Sam here’s my contribution.

 Lots of KD because who doesn’t like KD?
Lots of KD because who doesn’t like KD?

 All boxed up and ready to go!
All boxed up and ready to go!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Rememberance Day Walk

We were both off work on Thursday this week for Remembrance Day and, unusually for this late in the year, it was a beautiful day. We decided to take a walk down to the stream to see how it was coping with all the heavy rain that fell since last weekend. We ended up touring around some of the farm fields back there, too. We took a lot of pictures to share with you and, just for fun, I’m including a map to show you where they were taken.

 The letters on the map corresponds to the letters at each picture.
The letters on the map corresponds to the letters at each picture.

 The privacy walls are complete.
The privacy walls are complete. (map"A")

We started off at the gazebo to check out Hubby’s latest efforts. He has completed (!) the two solid walls which face the road now and you can really see how the finished building is going to look. The white of soffits and trim nicely offsets the cedar shingles and spindles. Next we went down to the garden to talk to the pumpkins which are slowly disintegrating back into the ground. The crows are helping. There are a bunch of new holes where the birds have been pecking them.

 The pumpkins are slowly melting into the garden.
The pumpkins are slowly melting into the garden. (map"B")

We started down the path to the stream and were once again surprised at just how big the trees are getting. They have only been in the ground here for 6 years and some of them are already over 10 feet. There are lots of wild volunteers sprouting up, too. It’s always good to have some diversity.
When we got down to the stream we could see that the water level was high, almost as high as during spring run-off, but it didn’t seem as if it had flooded over the banks. It was running nice and clear, too. We even spotted some trout swimming in some of the deeper pools.

 We started our walk on the pathway to the woods.
We started our walk on the pathway to the woods. (map"C")

 The stream was very full because it rained almost non-stop for a week.
The stream was very full because it rained almost non-stop for a week. (map"D")

 A weird looking fungus was stuck to this tree trunk.
A weird looking fungus was stuck to this tree trunk. (map"E")

 Even though there has been a huge amount of rain this week the water in the stream is still nice and clear.
Even though there has been a huge amount of rain this week the water in the stream is still nice and clear. (map"F")

It was a fantastic day to walk in the woods. The wind was calm and the sun was shining. The trees still have some colour as well, just like this beautiful maple tree which was blazing in a clearing. We didn’t see a whole lot of wildlife, just some chickadees and blue jays, but we did scare one snowshoe hare out from cover. He was half way through his change from his brown summer coat into his white winter fur. He didn’t seem to be in too much of a hurry to get away. He had probably heard us crashing through the brush for an hour and knew right where we were.

 This maple tree was a beautiful splash of colour in the darkness of the woods.
This maple tree was a beautiful splash of colour in the darkness of the woods. (map"G")

 The birch trees have really taken over in this section of the woods.
The birch trees have really taken over in this section of the woods. (map"H")

 The dog wood bushes make a nice contrast to the golden colour of the grass in this fallow farm field.
The dog wood bushes make a nice contrast to the golden colour of the grass in this fallow farm field. (map"I")

Once we got to the top of the hill we to the opportunity to look back and see the house from a distance. The gazebo looked good at the side; its white trim really stood out. I just hope it doesn’t start falling apart like the grape arbour down in the fruit tree meadow. That poor old thing has lost almost its entire upper arch and the grape vines were long ago eaten by the mice. We found a couple of ripe pears on the ground under the pear tree. I had no idea that it had matured enough to actually produce fruit. Maybe there’s hope for my peach trees after all. After all they’re doing much better than the cherry tree which is not only dead but is now playing host to a weird fungus, too.

 Looking back from the dog woods you can just make out the gazebo to the right of our house in the distance.
Looking back from the dog woods you can just make out the gazebo to the right of our house in the distance. (map"J")

Back in our own yard now you can see just how much the arbour has failed in the last year or two.
Back in our own yard now you can see just how much the arbour has failed in the last year or two. (map"K")

While we were checking out the trees in the meadow we discovered that the pear tree had actually produced some fruit. Who knew!
While we were checking out the trees in the meadow we discovered that the pear tree had actually produced some fruit. Who knew!" (map"L")

Right beside then pear tree the fox den was showing signs of recent activity.
Right beside then pear tree the fox den was showing signs of recent activity. (map"L")

 This tree apparently died a while ago and now this interesting fungus has colonized it.
This tree apparently died a while ago and now this interesting fungus has colonized it. (map"L")

We had a great walk, got some sunshine and exercise, had an opportunity to remember just how lucky we are to be living in this wonderful country and appreciate the sacrifices others had made to allow us to do so. I’m very grateful.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

A Perfect Guess!

Another Halloween has come and gone but it was great fun while it lasted.

It’s always tough to figure out how many treats to buy as you all know. We’re lucky that because we live out in the country however many trick-or-treaters there’s going be it is still going to be a pretty small number. The past few years we’ve had just 4 or 6 kiddies so this year, just to be safe, I made up 10 bags. Each bag had a couple of packs of chips and some chocolate and candies. We also had some loose stuff just in case we had a flood of customers but it wasn’t needed. Ten kids were what we planned for and ten kids were what we got. Perfect guess!

 Designing the treat bags is a lot of fun.
Designing the treat bags is a lot of fun.


 I like to add handmade tags, too.
I like to add handmade tags, too.


 Picking out the treats.
Picking out the treats.


 Making ten piles to fill the bags.
Making ten piles to fill the bags.


 The treats are ready!
The treats are ready!


How many kids came to your house? More than you planned for or less? More importantly, what did you do when you ran out of goodies?

Ten for ten
Ten treat bags and ten customers, perfect!


I also decided that we would only carve two pumpkins this year mainly because they take so long to get done that the whole day can slip by while the designing and carving operations are processing. Hubby apparently had other ideas and slipped in a third one completing it just a half hour before the first kid arrived. At least it kept him out of my hair while I did some baking. I made a big batch of Devil’s Food cupcakes and iced them with an orange cream cheese frosting decorated with black and purple sprinkles. Used my KitchenAid, too. I also roasted up some of the pumpkin seeds for snacking at TV time.

Devil Seeds are easy to make
Devil Seeds are easy to make.


Halloween cupcakes
Devil’s Food cupcakes with orange cream cheese frosting, mmm.

Just before the kiddies arrived we rushed around pacing pumpkins and getting the lights set up. It was a lot easier with just the three; we even had time to dig out the giant blow-up spider and set it up on the front lawn. I don’t think anyone was scared or impressed with it though at least no one mentioned him.

Giant purple spider.
My blowup spider finally made it out of storage.


So, as Halloween 2010 fades into memory here is a few pictures of this year’s pumpkins. How many days until the next Halloween?


Mad Farmer pumpkin in the daylight.
The Mad Farmer pumpkin in the daylight.


 The Mad Farmer pumpkin at night
The Mad Farmer pumpkin at night.


 The Beaver on Halloween afternoon.
The Beaver on Halloween afternoon.


The Beaver at night.
The Beaver at night.


 Stars and Moons is becoming a classic here.
Stars and Moons is becoming a classic here.


 The front yard just before curfew.
The front yard just before curfew.


 Good job, guys!
Good job, guys!