Rabbit Rabbit & Farewell to Summer

Summer is coming to an end in western Newfoundland; cooler nights and changing leaves are as sure a sign as the calendar. And while I love Autumn, I am reticent to say goodbye to summer. It's never quite long enough for me because I know fall will come and go in the blink of an eye and then long winter will arrive. But before that beauty sets in, let's stay focused on the beauty of this dying season. 

I took my daily walk one early evening last week just after two days of rain had finally stopped and the blessed sun came out blazing. It was at the perfect angle when I reached 'the promenade' as the sun shining on the green trees behind the tall birch and spruce created the most amazing glow. Magic!  

We had mostly cloudy nights during the end of the month when the super blue moon was to be seen. But I did manage to snap this rather inferior but still quite dramatic photo. August was a good month!

      

August was good to me at the thrift stores. Here are my top finds:

• The complete series of "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel" by Michael Scott
• This gorgeous 4 piece cannister set
• 100% cotton/linen tunic in a gorgeous golden sunflower color with really pretty detail down the front-sides.
• 100% cotton maxi dress with this lovely pink cotton-ribbon edging detailing.

And one of my favorite memories of this month was a trip I took with my oldest friend, blood sisters since we were 10 years old. She with her replaced hip, me with my crunchy knees and orthotics, both with our walking sticks, we creaked and puffed and cackled all the way round our wee hike and picnic.  

I don't know about you, but I can feel a busy September in store as the harvests come in. 

Until we meet again, keep healthy, active and happy. Namaste, y'all!

Spring in my Step!

I think it's safe to say that Spring has finally come to the west coast of Newfoundland. Although temperatures are still cool, the crocus are blooming, tulips are showing their buds and the snow is gone. (It may still make an attempt to fall from our northern sky, but winter has been beaten.)

Jack and Buddah in the garden. It's not green out there yet,
but there's no snow! 

A spring has also returned to my step. I made my last visit to the surgeon last week, and my wrist is fully healed. I still have to work on gaining full flexion, but I'm back to just automatically using my left hand. AND this morning, I was able to wear my rings again. Hurrah!

Punta Cana 

Now the excitement is setting in for my upcoming trip south for my daughter's destination wedding. I've never been to a sunny clime, much preferring Europe's old churches, museums and the sort. But the idea of sitting under an umbrella at the beach reading and sipping something cold is extremely exciting, especially when in the company of my three daughters and the happy wedding guests. And, of course, I'm over the moon at my daughter's upcoming wedding to an amazing young man. 

I splurged and bought a lovely wedding outfit at a store I always window-shop at but have never purchased. I love the flowy, beachy, natural cotton dress with a little bling on the shawl. (I'm not a traditional mother-of-the-bride kinda gal.) And the sales lady picked out the perfect necklace as it mimics the circles on the dress. Add my sparkly sandals and I'm complete. 

But what shall I pack my clothes in? My suitcases are all old, tattered and so worn. 

Voila! The local online Buy 'n' Sell came to my rescue! I happily paid $25 for these 2 pieces and later found out from my daughter that they're Heys, a well respected but expensive luggage company. 

(I just liked it 'cause it was blue!)

Another thing that always puts a spring in my step is walking; and the weather and my schedule have cooperated so I was able to walk twice in the past week, breathing in the fresh salt air of The Bay, listening to bird song (and the occasional buzz of a chain saw) and being surrounded by lovely, budding trees.

Ahhhhhh! Spring! It's like a magic elixir for my soul! 

A Month of Thrifting

Last week, the 3 Salvation Army thrift stores in the area closed for their turnover of seasonal clothes. I've been saving my pennies for their re-opening; and this weekend was it. 

$4 for a brand new pair of hiking pants;
zipped pockets on the thighs,
detachable bottom cuff.

Reiker sandals:  Usually in the vicinity
of $120-$160; they cost me
the wee wee sum of $3

When I began hiking last summer, I was fortunate to find a pair of hiking pants. But you need 2 pairs if you want to hike often. I was so pleased to find a brand new pair! 

And what does one say about red shoes? C'est manifique!

A gorgeous crushed crepe
jacket - 1/2 price day (before
the changeover) = $3

A lightweight cordouroy jacket
zip w/ toggle-like buttons and
a plaid-lined hood = $8

I have no use for this beautiful crepe jacket on the right other than the dozens of weddings I may attend over the next couple of years! It's an item of luxury!

And the lightweight cord jacket will be perfect for cool summer nights in NL.

Tunic t-shirt $3 that will look
super with my navy capris.

Stretch denim skort $4 (built-in shorts underneath);
and what a pretty pattern.

I've been pining over my lack of a comfortable jean skirt. And then I found  this skort! It's got some stretch, and it's the perfect length for work or casual. And so as is the t-shirt tunic. I like the color combination of navy and orange too.

Gorgeous color and gorgeous back
detail. $3.50

Stretch fabric with a cute button
detail at the waist. $4

This shirt is from "Cleo" and is one I lusted over all last season when it made it's debut. But at $35, it was a tearful "no"! Every time I visited the Mall, I would sigh wistfully and blow it a kiss. The gods have smiled on me and rewarded me for my steadfast love.  And this royal blue skirt is again really comfy, the perfect length and such a great color. 

$3.50 each

The red crew neck 'Gap' sweater is in perfect shape, and it's casual and so cheerful.

With my 'ample bosom', I've always found jackets to be too confining, so I'm a big fan of cardigans. I have them in many colors. But so many of them are  showing their age; so I'm always on the lookout for replacements. Score 4 lovely cardigans!.  

$5 for this beauty.

I've been on the thrifting lookout as well for a proper hiking jacket --  warm, waterproof, hooded and having lots of zippered pockets.

"Who could resist my multi-
colored charm!"

And with my kitchen full of colorful Fiesta-like dishes, spice jars and mixing bowls, I could not pass by these cute little measuring cups for $2. 

When I left home Saturday, I had $75 hard-earned bucks in my hot little hands. I came back with a summer wardrobe, a smile on my face, and enough change for a cup of good coffee and a chocolate covered oatcake. Pretty good deal, I'd say!

Show and tell time:  

What have you thrifted lately?

Weekend Wanderings

I stopped taking Symbicort over a week ago but was (am) still experiencing side effects. One of the worse was the depression and anxiety -- something I don't experience normally. So, I took Friday afternoon off for some much needed "Me" time. And as it was a drizzly, cool day, I crawled the mall.  I still had a Xmas gift card and gifted money (whatever wasn't spent on medications!), and it was burning a hole in my pocket. And I needed socks. 

I think most of my hometown was at the grocery store stocking up for the upcoming weather. There weren't a lot of other shoppers around. So, I leisurely strolled through the shops -- Reitman's, Cleo, Ricki's, Spring, Cole's Bookstores and Northern Reflections. I only had to hold my nose twice as I scurried past the smellier shops. I spent hours and hours, touching and looking; I tried on several items and hemmed and hawed. Most items were marked an additional 50% off. So, I was a very savy shopper.

Here's my haul.

Okay! I admit that I may have gone overboard with the socks. I was aiming for 3-4 pairs and ended up with 10 pairs. The jewellery was in the $2-$3 each range. And the sweater! Ahhhh! Well, the sweater has polka dots -- on both sides so you can roll up the sleeves and have alternate colored polka dots! And who doesn't love polka dots!

On my way home, I dropped into Winner's. I wasn't looking for clothing; I was looking for food! My little (hick) town doesn't carry a lot of variety in foodstuffs. These were sale items again. 

Saturday I began taking down my Xmas decorations. And when I stopped for an afternoon break, I was very happy with my selections. I had a macha latte (with a sprinke of chocolate) and a most delicious chocolate orange biscotti. Fortification for the tedious task of undecorating the tree.  That evening, I prepared a really nice dinner for myself and (Happy gasp!) poured myself a large glass of wine -- the first since early December! "Merry Xmas, Sandy", I said with a smile!

Sunday brought news about the devastation we suffered on the west coast of Newfoundland after the warm temperatures and torrential rains all day Saturday and the resulting snow melt and runoff. The rains continued into Sunday as well. And by late afternoon, Corner Brook was one of 4 communities that declared a state of emergency.

These people lost their house, garage and truck (which you can't see because it's under water!) The smaller villages on both sides of our very long bay were completely cut off with high flood waters and washouts. Half of them are still cut off today with crews working as hard as they can.

Roads in the city as well as several areas on our major highway collapsed. For a while, CB residents were told NOT to try to leave the city. And anyone who needed emergency medical services were told to call the Coast Guard as boat was the only way to get into the city. It was (and is) a mess. But no one lost their lives, thank God.

Early Sunday evening took us back into the deep freeze. So today, although it's clear and at times sunny, my city of hills is a skating rink. 

But as happens everywhere on this beautiful planet, at times like these, people come together to help others. We will rally and smile and sing and survive!  

THRIFTING ON THE ROCK.

Newfoundland is an island:  a veritable rock in the north Atlantic where the people are known to be cheerful, generous, fiercely proud and extremely resilient. History shows the extreme hardships that we have overcome and how tough life continues to be for many in this fair isle. Winters are long and harsh: not much of fall is seen and spring is often by-passed. And then comes our short summer season, or what we like to call black fly and Nipper weather! 


I still wake every morning rapturously happy to be where I am. And I often feel a mixture of awe-struck surprise and perplexity at some of the other differences between my 41 years in Nova Scotia and my new life here. So many changes! Most are wonderful -- the proximity to family, my new job, my wee little apartment, the scenery, little chubby hands holding me saying "You okay, Nanny B, you okay?"  My new life is grand!

But one thing that makes me sad is the lack of thrift stores, especially here on the West Coast. Newfoundlanders are not "happy thrifters" like Nova Scotians. Many of the people I know would not be caught dead in "someone else's clothes"! I think it comes from years of Newfoundland being the "have-not" province and the pride that people feel at not just making do here on this literal rock in the Atlantic but at prospering. But I've got a few friends as well as my eldest daughter who love a good bargain. And although the local Salvation Army Thrift Store is not a large one, donations are large and it's well attended. I try to check it out once a week (just so I won't lose my thrifting mo-jo!).

They closed last week for 2 days to pack away summer and put out the fall/winter inventory. I visited a couple of days later and scored big time AND I only spent my allotted amount!

I bought this pretty black & yellow blouse (Northern Reflections) as well as a 3/4 sleeve teal, black and white cardigan (Ricki) and a navy blue with white polka dot cardigan (Old Navy). 

       

 I also bought a pair of brown dress pants and a fantastic cream and yellow Colombia jacket, perfect for fall. (Just needed an Oxy super-soak and a wash in hot water and it's looks good-as-new.) 

 (PS - The color is not true in these pictures. Sorry!)

The Sally Ann here as well as the 2 others in a 50 km radius have helped me replace things I sold before my move like my rice cooker, mason jars and jigsaws & paperbacks. My sister and I purchased most of the incidentals for her very small, informal upcoming wedding. I found a really cute, opalescent glass boudoir lamp for $2 (with just a temporary shade on it at the moment).

But the thrifted item I most love is this fantastic lamp from the early 70's with an antique brass filigree foot and an amber globe with black felted pattern. Now, I've been searching for years for a colored glass globe-style lamp base; and although this is not exactly what I had in mind, it kept calling to me until I paid the $5. I proudly marched out of the store, while the locals stood mouths-agape in shock and horror. "Wass dat daft woman totin' outta here, for da love a God? Das h'ugly as sin, my dear!"  But beauty is in the eye of the beholder; and this beauty has won a place in my heart as well as on my end table.

$30 for the shade (EGAD!), another $4 for the tri-light; not as thrifty as I'm used to but still an excellent price for this sized table lamp.

Plus, when you turn the switch, you hear the sounds of angelic voices. 

Ahhhhhhhhh!

How's your thrifting been going?

Thrifty Tuesday's got the Blues

It's going to be a beautiful day here on the South Shore.  I started my day with a short walk. My massage therapist says short 10-15 minute walk 2-3 times a week would be good for me and shouldn't bother my hip bone spurs.  What a relief to hear that! And it felt so good to get out there in the crisp morning air and "Breathe, breathe, breathe, for Lord's sake!"

Thrifty Tuesday today is featuring the only piece of clothing I bought at Sunday's 50% Frenchies run -- this gorgeous 3/4 sleeve linen top.  It's sort of a last run at summer, if you will, while still being suitable enough for fall, n'est pas?

Purse (new from The Shoe Company), linen floral shirt ($1.75) and blue cotton pants ($4.25). Not shown are my yellow ballet flats ($5.99 Value Village) for an extra punch of color.  
Take that, Autumn!

An early morning walk, a colorful shirt and a good breakfast.  Makes a body forget about their minor aches and pains and glad to be alive.  Now -- Hi ho; hi ho; it's off to work I go!






Advice Foodnote -- Always wear your glasses when you prepare your morning museli and repeat after me:  Unshelled cardamon pods are NOT sunflower seeds!

Weekend Update

It rained and rained and rained all weekend in my neck of the woods. No lovely autumn drives in the country for us. 

My organizational skills this weekend took the form of changing  out the seasonal clothes. My goodness! I have a lot of clothing; but there are still a few summer-ish things in there that will get put away later.

Frenchies had a 50% off sale today, so I took the girls for clothes and me for anything but clothes! So I stuck to books and things for others. "Cooking Light" cookbook and "A Moveable Feast" for $1.45 each, Madhur Jaffrey for $1 and the "Food" magazine for 50 cents.


I also bought this costume -- Woody from Toy Story -- for my grandson to wear in a couple of years for $3 (similar to this one but not exact). He's already the cutest little buckeroo in town!




I made a delicious Japanese soup with squash, kale, tofu, udon noodles and a touch of red chili paste. Really tasty.


But my favorite meal was our Sunday night dinner -- Rasam -- from my fairly new-to-me "A Taste of India" cookbook, $4 at Value Village. (Recipe to the left if you're interested.) It was a lot of work: toasting and grinding spices, chopping, frying, baking.  But well worth it.

The dish was marvelous! Really quite spicy (so we cooled it down with Greek yogurt) and served with mixed veg and rice. Lena was content with an egg instead of the Rasam.

Then Lena taught me to make Weckmann or Stutenkerl which are traditionally made in Germany for St Martin's Day.  They are a sweet bread dough shaped into a man; and Lena's mother's version has the addition of gently heated water with mashed apple. 

It's a sad, sad day when I have to make my own man!

Lena made the traditional fat guy at the far right; mine is the slender gent in the middle with the debonair moustache and goatee; and Nagisa's man is actually a Japanese cartoon character.  


They tasted very, very yummy: golden and crusty on the outside but soft and tender on the inside.

Now it's off to bed to catch up on some cookbook reading.

Yup, if I'm not cooking or eating, I'm thinking or reading about cooking and eating.

Seasonal Dressing

I ask you:  exactly what season is this?  

• Fummer?
• Sprall?
• Stauttum?

I wake to 4 degrees Celcius (39 F).  Brrr!  I need to turn on the little box heater in the bathroom when I shower; I need to defog the car windscreen as I pull out of the driveway; and my little pasty-white legs complain by raising their little hair nubs.  (My lungs, however, love the nip in the air.)

By mid morning, the temperature has risen to 14 degrees, and the sunshine is streaming in the side window in my office, warming my back (and making it difficult to read my computer screen).  By afternoon, it's 18 degrees -- perfect for a walk to the post office to pick up the office mail (and maybe a quick scoot into LaHave Bakery for an iced coffee and an oatcake).  

By the time I get back home at the end of the day, I can notice the chill once again in my house; the girls and I wear our slippers and may need a sweater.

It sure is difficult to know what to wear when dressing for work in the morning! 

Do I go more summery?

This forgotten skirt gets paired with a cap-sleeved white blouse, dark pink 3/4 sleeve cardigan and pinkish jewellery. (All thrifted except for the necklace - Reitmans - and bracelet - 5th Avenue.)

Or should I be transitioning into more Fall like colors?

Here's the same skirt with a gorgeous tangerine blouse, black long-sleeved cardigan and coordinating jewellery. (All thrifted except for the blouse - Northern Reflections.)

Well, I'm not ready for Fall yet.  We've another week before it's officially hits.  So, I'll go for the pink and white ensemble.

What are you wearing this Sprall?  

Have you dug out your autumn clothes yet?  Are you itching to wear those boots or more scarves?

Glimpses of my Weekend

Baptist Church yardsale finds:  jewellery box ($1), beautiful beaded chain necklace ($2), hats for summer tea parties ($1 ea), tea tray ($1), 2 cookbooks ($0.25 ea) and a pillow for Nagisa's room ($2).

Al fresco dinner on the deck and my first gin and tonic of the season.

Multi-cultural event in Lunenburg:  beautiful saris; beautiful people; culture, history, dancing and delicious food.

 Chai concentrate -- which smells divine.  Thank you so much Goody (Eat the Blog).  
(She left the recipe in the comments section of my last post.)

Cooking for the week:
curried carrot lentil soup and spatchcock chicken (both from The Perfect Pantry) and baked falafal.

My kitchen smells delicious right now!