Solitary Saturday

Sometimes I intentionally take a day to unplug and decompress. Saturday past was one such day. While Xmas was lovely, life is stressful for everyone, and I think we must all be feeling the strain.

I took an early morning walk on my favorite trail. We've some snow, but the trails are packed nicely from walkers and snowmobilers so it's easy walking. I almost had the trail to myself, passing just one other couple and a guy with his friendly pup. I stopped at the trickling brook just to hear the water; and I had a small conversation with the snow people about how lovely the weather was and isn't it nice to be surrounded by such beauty.

Back home I stretched and yawned and made myself a hot chocolate (with just a splash of Carolans Irish liquor) and did some coloring. I gifted myself a can of gourmet chocolate at Xmas, so it was a most delicious cup!  

I read a little, listened to lots of quiet, folky/type music, made a tuna melt and tried to ignore  Willow howling for a share. I poured the liquid over some kibble and served it to her on a clean dish. It was nap time for both of us after all that!

A rather large piece of Naan served as the crust for a great pizza at supper time. And as I ate, I got all hep up because I was going to rewatch "Cold Mountain" that evening (an essential annual event). But I could NOT find my DVD!(I shouldn't have donated all those DVDs to the SPCA before Xmas! Oops!) So, "Forest Gump" did the trick and made me laugh and cry and almost believe that there are more good people in the world than I come into contact with.

Don't forget to take care of yourself, friends.

Chill, breathe and remember, you are worth it!

(Today I went to my local SPCA and bought back my copy of "Cold Mountain"! Yay! ) 

Wading through Winter

January in my neck of the woods has been cold with a whole lot of snow without the added bonus of storm days off through the week.  Sigh! We've not had a good sunny day on the weekend so I can go snowshoeing. So, how have I spent my time off?

Well, first there's shopping for important, much-needed items like a new mattress. Then there's the shopping for no-so-much-needed items like the following:

Who doesn't love a soft, comfy pair of 'shoo-boots' in a dusty rose color for $11.00 freekin' dollars! Thank you Winners!

And who can resist discounted gourmet chocolate with descriptions like  elderberry apple Elderflower. I eat them small amounts, slowly letting them melt on my tongue. Yum!


There's also been a happy increase in my reading in 2020. I've spent many happy hours on my couch with a good book and a cup of something delicious. 

(And contrary to what the cup says, there's Inka coffee substitute in there and not prosecco.)


I've indulged in lots of Netflix as well, but I've also spent many happy hours (1/2 hours?) in my bathtub, fragrant with my homemade eucalyptus epsom salts soak, soft lighting and some folky/dreamy music. My sister gave me this battery operated mini-terrarium light at Xmas, and it sure looks pretty when you're lying back in your bath chillaxing. I find it's so important to my self-care to decompress in this way.

My music tastes will vary depending on the season and my frame of mind, of course. The music I've been listening to most lately has been Celtic: Loreena McKennitt, Capercallie and Altan. There's something about those grass-roots instruments and the soothing, lilting vocals; they make a deep connection in my spirit. 

Here's a little sample of Altan. Don't you just love the male vocals! 




The ice and snow is just starting outside my office window, so it's off home in a little while before this weekends storm hits. 

 Happy weekend y'all. I wish you peace and calm in the midst of whatever storm you may encounter.

Ow's it goin', Maid!

I had the most wonderful 45 min walk last weekend on the old railway trail behind my house: in my hiking sneakers, sun shining, up a busy thoroughfare, onto a side street and finally in the quiet of the trail. There was still snow in the middle of the trail in spots; and the melting reveals copious amounts of dog poop! But beautiful and refreshing all the same. The spring bulbs I'd planted in the fall came up in spite of the poor soil in which I'd planted them which was so exciting for me as I miss my Nova Scotia garden terribly. 


We've had a very long, cold winter. The Bay froze over ... then melted ... then refroze --- probably 3 times at least. So, an ice breaker went through a few weeks ago and crunched all the ice together and on top of each other until parts of it resembled Toblerone bars. Saturday and Easter Sunday were warm (for western NL) with 7 C (45 F); and on both days, I had a steady stream of fake icebergs that floated by my front window. It was lovely to sit outside in my lawn chair and watch them.  

Then yesterday, we had freezing rain, then rain, then snow: and today, it's -1 C (30 deg F), for Lard's sake! We don't put our winter clothing away until late May on this Island!  Oh well, it'll be spring again this weekend. 

My youngest daughter asked me to bake scones (one of my specialities) and a cake for her upcoming bridal shower. I haven't really baked for 3 years and haven't baked a plain cake for even longer. But on Good Friday past, I began. The 'crown' orange cake came out beautifully! But I discovered that I'm not very good at pound cakes; it was a bit 'dunch', another great Newfie word. However, it is very tasty! So, into the freezer with it so it can be used later for trifle. 

Dunch: n' dull, heavy: v 'to get stiff with long waiting; heavy, doughy.
   Stiff; cramped or numbed from sitting in one position; to be cramped in the legs, 
   arms, etc.   For example: " You wouldn't be able to stay keeled out on the settle 
   bench very long 'cause it would be quite 'ard and yer bum would go dunch!" 

My next two white layers looked good but were very thin because I didn't notice that my cake pans were 9" instead of 8". So, those got iced and eaten at Easter dinner. Yum!

FINALLY, I baked a simple yellow cake which worked out beautifully ..... so I made two to be cut into four. They're in the freezer waiting to be iced and decorated this Saturday. Wish me luck!

Here's hoping that your weekend is warm and your cakes rise beautifully!

Searching for a Merry Christmas

This meme came across my Facebook feed this weekend, and I thought "Yeah! This is exactly what I came to realize this Fall!"

I moved home 2 years ago and have experienced 2 miserable, sad Xmas seasons for me. I told myself that last year would be my last here in NL; but not having the finances to go elsewhere caused me to rethink things this Fall. And that's when the shoe dropped.

I now realize that my enjoyment of Xmas is up to me. Of course Xmas  here in NL is not going to be like NS -- different location with different people, different traditions, etc etc. My failure to recreate Xmas MY way does not mean that I can't enjoy Xmas in NL. It just means being open to what the season has for me here in my new life AND my creating new traditions for myself. 

So, I've been busy letting go of what was while I search for what's important to me and what I can create here. My stress level is way down, my spirits have been lifted and I'm actually really looking forward to Christmas again.

I know that for a lot of people, Christmas is extremely hard and no amount of trying to create a happy Xmas will make it happen. My heart goes out to those folks.

But for those of us who are alone and seeking for ways to participate in this season and find even a modicum of joy, I hope my ideas help. I'll share them over the next couple of weeks. And please feel free to share your thoughts on the same.

Come Wander Down Yon Golden Bower...

All last week it rained; then on Friday, gentle snow flakes fell -- just enough to cover everything -- and the temperatures were low enough to sustain the snow that had fallen. But Saturday morning when I drove home from the local market, the sun came out from behind a cloud and THIS is the scene that met me. 

The vibrant orange of the deciduous trees against the snow-covered fir trees was brilliant and beautiful!

So, even before I ate lunch, I dressed and took myself out for a walk on the old rail line walking trail behind my house. 



It was so lovely! Crisp and cold enough for a head covering and gloves but oh, so toasty warm while walking. The walk up that hill to get to the trail is a difficult one as the incline is so steep. But just a few steps onto the trail, and this is what greets you. As I stood there panting, inside my head I heard the beckoning cry of "Come wander down yon golden bower". So off I went. 




As I walked, I listened to my IPod. I've been using my walking time to listen softly to whole albums rather than just favorite songs, and I've been finding some lovely tunes that I've overlooked in the past.

The whole walk takes me about 45 minutes most of which time I'm surrounded by trees and nature. The white snow and white/grey sky were the perfect backdrops for the remaining leaves and bushes. I passed no one on the trail but heard a dog bark, someone chopping wood and then smelled wood smoke from an outdoor fire ... someone burning brush. It was a magnificent day for a walk!


It rained Saturday evening. Then I woke to freezing rain early Sunday, and it rained for the remainder of all day. So, not only is any snow gone, but most of the leaves have fallen. (Winter comes early to Newfoundland.) 

The world was harsher than usual this weekend. Or perhaps I feel it was harsher because I already feel raw and this latest cut is so close to home. But my heart aches for those of you in the U.S. and with the Jewish community. My heart aches. 

I'll leave you with the Ahn Trio and this beautiful, plaintive music.

Shalom! 

Autumn in CB

Autumn comes swiftly to Newfoundland; there is no gentle easing from summer to fall -- it's more like wading in the water and suddenly coming to a ledge where you fall into the depths. It's cold out there! All those dressy capris I'd been saving to wear for work only got about a week's use as then it was just too cold to go bare legged!

Last weekend, I exchanged most of my summer clothes for fall, welcoming my 'old friends' back into action (and those surprise, forgotten thrift store and garage sale purchases made over the summer). I've lost 16+ pounds since I last saw most of them, so they either fit perfectly once again or need to be replaced. But that's okay: I'm sure I'll find what I need at tomorrow's big yard sale and the Sally Ann shops when they re-open with their winter stock. 


What I miss most about wearing a summer wardrobe is sandals: my feet rebel dramatically about wearing shoes. Poor tootsies! But now I get to wear my red Converse, my silver, sparkly Ugg sneakers and my lovely fall boots. And it is ever so nice to put on my warm fleece hoodies and soft leggings and walk in the cold, crisp air. I'm ready for this change of seasons.

The leaves have only begun to change color here. And I'm hoping to get in at least one more big hike before the snow flies. 

In the meantime, I'm enjoying this season where life slows, food is richer and TV viewing picks up again. 

Ciao! It's time for a chai latte!

When it's okay to be a Lady Camel!

Last Sunday morning, I took part in a "Wild Edible Plants" hike with our local environmental group. They did a hike in the spring, but of course, there's a different 'crop' in the woods now. And with Fall fast approaching here in Newfoundland, we only have another month before things will begin to die off quickly. 

It was a beautiful morning and about a dozen people showed up. We began with a little show-and-tell lesson on the various wild plants that we can find anywhere in NL such as: 

    

Plantain:  The young leaves can be eaten raw, and the seeds can be dried and ground into meal or flour -- good to know for when the apocalypse comes [AND the only time I'd ever try this]. As well, you can chew the leaves and apply the spittle as a poultice that is good for burns or stings.

Also, apparently wherever you live and whatever pests, bugs and/or irritants you have around you, you will also find the remedy nearby in nature! There's a fine, hairy leaved thistle here in NL that burns and stings if you touch it; the pain can last all day and over the counter creams, etc do little to quell the pain. But growing next to this thistle is usually Plaintain; and this will immediately take away the burning and pain. Mother Nature provides all that we need!

Pearly Everlasting:  This pretty little plant always reminded me of wild chamomile but when compared, I can easily see the difference. The young leaves and plant of Pearly Everlasting can be cooked and eaten.           

Clover: This is a pretty versatile plant. The flowers themselves are very tasty; you can pull out the 'fronds' of the flower and add them to your salads. Any part of the above ground plant can be eaten raw. And the creeping roots and stems can be cooked. However, one site I check out says not to eat in the Fall as it contains more alkaloids and can cause bloating. (At my age, I'm well familiar with that problem!)

And this is Newfoundland's "Crackerberry" plant, otherwise known as a Bunchberry. It's rather tasteless and kind of spongy but harmless; we used to eat them all the time as children. I was pleased to find out that the berries contain a lot of pectin and can be dried, ground and added to jams and jellies to help them gel. The berries can also be lightly chewed and pressed over a burn as a poultice.

We discussed a few other plants and bushes. But for most of us, the real jewels of the day were the wild mushrooms.

This is a Coral Mushroom. White to soft yellow in color, these are pretty, frilly little things and are extremely fragile. So, it was suggested that they be added to a dish once the dish was cooked and just before serving.

And these are Chanterelles. (My Ex loved them but they didn't grow where we lived in NS so I never got to try them.) These are quite small and dainty looking, but Chanterelles can be much bigger. There are lots of recipes online for this much sought-after wild mushroom. 

After the workshop, a few of us walked along the river trail until we met up with the Yogi Trail, about a 2 km hike. It was a warm, sunny day and a good opportunity for us to search for more edible plants. 

I really enjoyed myself. But although I don't think I know enough to ever eat wild mushrooms, I loved the information about the healing properties of these plants. 

You can bet that from now on, I'll be chewing and spitting as needed in my own back yard! 

Happy weekend everyone. 

The Passing of Summer

August is going by so quickly and summer is flashing before my eyes as we speak (type?).

Earlier this month, I spent a few days with my brother at his cabin. Oddly, most residents don't spend summer weekends at the cabin;  they travel around the province and go to the cabin in winter! Well, that was fine with me as it was so peaceful and quiet. It was warm but overcast on this late Saturday morning; so after our huge brunch, Bob suggested we take the rubber boats out on the pond. Sure, I thought! I'd love to learn to row.

Well, perhaps others have what it takes, but I certainly didn't! Try as I might, rowing was not to be added to my list of accomplishments. My arms and hands didn't want to work in conjunction with one another; so I spent quite a bit of time going round in circles until my brother took pity on me, attached a line and rowed me to the other side before setting me free to make my own way back. I did eventually make it back to the other side, but little of my rowing was in a straight line. I zig zagged back and forth, stopping periodically to laugh at myself and refuel from my bag of almonds and juice pack as it took longer than was probably necessary! 

It was so lovely on the water! Just the sound of Bob's oars slipping in and out of the water and the occasional loon or woodpecker, the tranquility only broken by the sploshing and splatting my own oars like some drunken, anxious beaver! 

Back onshore, we changed into dry clothes (bums always get wet in rubber dingies). Then we took the radio out on the deck to listen to any Newfie's favorite Saturday radio program, "Big Tom's Shed". They play hits of the 70's and 80's; they also take song request calls from people around the province which can make for a lot of funny calls and a lot of laughs. Then just as we finished pouring a cold, frothy brew, the sunshine came out from behind a cloud as if to say "Sit. Relax. Enjoy."



There we were, sitting in our deck chairs overlooking the calm of the lake, sipping a much needed cold one, deliciously tired after our exertions, the sun warming our now-dry bodies and the dulcet sound of Neil Young's "Sugar Mountain" began to play. It was pure magic! One of those moments that I purposely ear marked.

"THIS is what life is all about", I thought. "Moments like these are what make life worth living; simple pleasures!"

Get out there and enjoy summer before it leaves again!




Footnote: This took place 3 weeks ago, but both my hands and wrists are suffering from terrible arthritis pain now after my feeble attempts at rowing. Sometimes, it's maybe better NOT to try something new. Oh well! C'est la vie! This too shall pass.

Gros Morne National Park

I'm so fortunate to live just a 1.5 hr drive from Gros Morne National Park. I've done many day visits, but this was the first time I'd actually camped there. My Nova Scotia sister and her family were visiting which more than doubled my enjoyment.

Kim and family were there for a whole week, and I got to stay with them for 4 of the 7 days. In spite of most days being a mixture of sun and clouds coupled with periodic showers, it didn't dampen our enthusiasm and joy at being together in such an amazing setting. Gros Morne is spectacularly beautiful and rugged with 'umpteen' trails and walks. At our age, we mainly stayed on the easy trails with the most challenging being a 9.5 mostly flat walk to Baker Brook Falls. 

It was the perfect time to hike Baker Brook Falls as most of the wild flowers were at their peak: Beginning at the top left and going in a clockwise direction, we had Devil's Paintbrush, fields full of wild Iris, many Pitcher Plants (NL's provincial flower), Cow Parsnip (I think) and the most amazing wild Orchids. The boardwalk wound its way through meadow, forest and 'tuckamore' until we began to first hear and then see the falls. It was a warm, muggy day, and dipping our toes in the icy water at the end was a treat. 

Clarence improvised
when there was no
room on the bench
to rest.

We visited Norris Point and took a short hike overlooking the bay. While enjoying the scenery in Norris Point, a large black luxury SUV stopped, rolled down the window and casually chatted with us about the weather and how nice it is to be able to visit occasionally. "Was that a friend of yours?" Kim asked me. "Oh! That was Mr Dwight Ball, the premier of Newfoundland." I replied. "Jeeze!" said Kim. "You have connections!" Hahahaha.

We drove around Bonne Bay to the other side and lunched in pretty Woody Point; then continued on that side past the stunning Tablelands where you can walk upon the earth's mantle. We stopped at the end of the line at Trout River and took a short hike up 136 stairs to take pictures.

Kim's favorite spot was Rocky Harbour, just 10 min from our campgrounds. It's not just cute and picturesque, but it has a grocery and liquor store and lots of great cafes and quirky souvenir shops. We ate breakfast there at Java Jack's: everything is home made and absolutely delicious! Then we followed that with a walk on the beach collecting beach glass for Jessie's collection. That afternoon, we drove down the coast road a little looking for more sandy beaches (very difficult to find in NL). We found a couple of boulder and driftwood strewn beaches (very easy to find in NL), and gave our legs and butt a good workout "walking" them and collecting other treasures. 

My driftwood dragon has built-in
scales and is sitting on an
enormous white egg (rock) w/
beautiful Sea Heather, colorful
spotted rocks as well as (my
favorites) heart-shaped rocks.

We played many, many games of cards -- Auction 45's and Cribbage being our favorites -- and laughed and reiminised about our younger days. 

And as our last night together round the fire was a special one, we drank Newfie beer and tossed on some 'magic crystals' so the fire was extra special too. 

It was a wonderful vacation.