Thistle Garden

Mourning...

2012-02-11T11:27:00.000-08:00

I have been absent for some time....but I'm mourning the much to early death of my friend. She fought hard, for eight months, but in the end cancer won. Deirdre was diagnosed with a very rare type of cancer, small cell carcinoma in the cervix, so rare that in 2010 out of 11,000 cases in the USA of cervical cancer, only 100 women had this particular kind of cancer...scary statistics.

There are so many things I want to say about Deirdre but it all boils down to one thing, Deirdre was an angel here on earth and I will miss her forever.

She was quite often present at one of the famous sister parties...after all she was the point to the pyramid!

Rest in peace Deirdre and fly with the angels in Heaven.

The lay-about and the troublemaker...

2012-01-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is the layabout....

...and this is the troublemaker...

Simple pleasures.....

2012-01-25T08:34:00.000-08:00

In this very busy life of mine there a few jobs that I take true pleasure from but which were a real chore to me in my past life...

Really basic things like cooking a simple meal... I used to like cooking fancier meals and found simple everyday meals a bit humdrum but now that I cook for a living I look forward to simple meals. We had such a meal last night, a stir fry of leftover steak, some mushrooms, zucchini and red pepper in a black bean sauce with rice. It was really lovely!

Monday ramblings...

2012-01-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

...as the owner/operator of Magpie's Diner,almost every minute of my day it spent on the business...why oh why did I ever complain about my EASY work at home job.

You would think that working on my feet all day I would be able to loose weight or at least not gain any weight...but you would be wrong. After two years of hard work all I have to show is weight gain and really sore feet, willpower is not working for me so I'm thinking of starting PGX...thoughts?

I went to the doctor about my foot, he thinks it's a weird form of planters fasciitis so he put me on prednisone, a strong anti-inflammatory steroid, worked wonders on my back, tennis elbow, and all sorts of pain and aches but my foot although not as sore, still hurts, so back I go on Tuesday.

I know that exercise is key but with my sore feet I can't get out walking, and if I do a 90 year old can walk faster...and exercise is key and must fit it into my daily schedule. There are only two types of exercise I can think of that will not hurt, swimming and biking. I'm not a good swimmer but I figure that if I jump into the deep end, dog paddle out a few meters, I'll work so hard at staying afloat that I should get as much exercise from not drowning as I would from swimming laps. After about 30 minutes of trying to stay afloat I can make my way to the stationary bike...just love the thought of biking to nowhere...

Of course my diet plays a huge part in all this...well lack of diet...I used to eat lots of veggies and fruit...now I survive on cold fries, tomato ends, bread crusts and broken eggs...yum!

So time for a change...as I write this I'm just finishing a donut and coffee with cream...in my old life I ate the occasional donut and drank my coffee black...so my first change, no donuts and back to black...

Then ... I will stock the fridge with lots of fruits and veggies, right now my cupboards and fridge are empty except for dog food, cat food and olives (for my martinis)...

Start exercising...I know I should start today but I work from 11am to 9pm...so I'll go to the gym tomorrow...after I buy new runners, a bathing suit and some new shorts, ugh!

Well one thing at a time...Happy Monday everyone!

A doll for Mia...

2012-01-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is my first attempt at making a Waldorf type doll, I followed the instructions here. Waldorf dolls are usually made with all natural materials, mostly cotton and wool. But I decided to make this at the last minute for my granddaughter's birthday so I used what I had on hand...now that the doll is finished I know I should have used wool. I used polyfill stuffing for the body but cotton and wool for the head which makes the doll top heavy...

These dolls are very cute, very huggable and Mia loved it...many more are on the way Mia..

Waiting to board...

2012-01-19T07:36:00.000-08:00

...the ferry to Powell River and it's cold outside, -7 with a brisk wind...my face is frozen as I try to catch the waves pounding the shore.

Happy Birthday...

2012-01-17T07:21:00.000-08:00

Mia did not want to wear her birthday hat but Seiko felt very stylish with it....

Genetically modified food...

2012-01-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

Did you know that the PLU code on your fruit and veggies can tell you how they were grown? It's really very simple...

Click on the following link for the full story http://www.plantea.com/genetically-modified-foods.htm

...and I also copied it below...

Talking Fruit How to de-code the information on those little stickers By Marion Owen, Fearless Weeder for PlanTea, Inc. and Co-author of Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul While unpacking groceries, you pull out the bag of apples and decide to eat one then and there. You take it over to the sink, wash it off and -- with some effort -- peel off the little sticker. Pausing to look more closely at the sticker you wonder, "What do those numbers mean?" As much as we may dislike them, the stickers or labels attached to fruit do more than speed up the scanning process at the checkout stand. The PLU code, or price lookup number printed on the sticker, tells you how the fruit was grown. As reported by Maria Gallagher, in the June 26, 2002 issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer, by reading the PLU code, you can tell if the fruit was genetically modified, organically grown or produced with chemical fertilizers, fungicides, or herbicides. Here's how it works: For conventionally grown fruit, (grown with chemicals inputs), the PLU code on the sticker consists of four numbers. Organically grown fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 9. Genetically engineered (GM) fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 8. For example, A conventionally grown banana would be: 4011 An organic banana would be: 94011 A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) banana would be: 84011 The numeric system was developed by the Produce Electronic Identification Board, an affiliate of the Produce Marketing Association, a Newark, Delaware-based trade group for the produce industry. As of October 2001, the board had assigned more than 1,200 PLUs for individual produce items. Incidentally, the adhesive used to attach the stickers is considered food-grade, but the stickers themselves aren't edible. Do you REALLY know what's in your dinner? Today, 7 out of every 10 items on grocery stores shelves contain ingredients that have been genetically modified. In other words, scientists are using new technology to transfer the genes of one species to another, and these altered foods are in the market stream. And yet many scientists have concerns about the safety -- to people, wildlife and the environment -- of this process. That's why consumers in Asia and Europe are demanding that their food be free of genetically modified ingredients.

A gift of snow

2012-01-14T19:08:00.000-08:00

It doesn't snow in my part of the world all that much...and if it does...the snow quickly turns to rain because most of the time the weather warms up when the clouds move in.

Not today... the snow fell, the clouds moved out, the sun moved in, the cold temps remained and the snow did not melt, well not all of it, a real gift.

The bathroom can wait...

2012-01-10T10:49:00.000-08:00

I have a day off today and cleaning the bathroom is on the ...things to do... list. But guess what? After days of rain I woke to a clear and sunny day. The bathroom will still be there tomorrow dirt and all but my friends the sunshine might not be...so I'm playing hooky today and going for a long walk.

Vancouver Island snow covered peaks in the distance with Savary Island to the right.

Glorious!

Vancouver Skyline

2011-12-28T22:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve on the Vancouver Waterfront...beautiful!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2011-12-21T13:09:00.000-08:00

Are you all ready for Christmas? I don't get too crazy so Christmas for me is a peaceful time, I'm not by nature a material girl and gift giving/receiving is not high on my priority list. My youngest son and his family live in Newfoundland so it seems crazy to buy cheap crap here, pay shipping, to send said cheap crap there. I just email him some money and let them go crazy in the malls. My oldest son and his family live just a block from us and we do exchange gifts but small, preferably hand made, and we do not spend alot of money.

This Christmas is a little different because my sister and her family have come for a visit from Australia so we are all getting together for Christmas dinner, that's our present to each other, at last count there will be 28 of us around the table...perfect!

Christmas Eve will be with my in-laws and that to will be big affair, not sure how many will be in attendance but it will likely be 20 to 25...it can't get any better!

So what am I doing back? Well not blogging is killing me. I have pictures, stories, musings, crafts, cooking ....to share and I can't keep it in any longer, so you will be hearing from me, not as often as I would like but I am back.

Margaret

Can't stay away...

2011-10-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

I've started a new blog.... http://rodmayhotel.blogspot.com/ ... more in keeping with my new life!

Margaret

So long...

2011-08-31T07:57:00.000-07:00

Time to say good bye...since opening the diner my posts on this blog have become very infrequent and boring. I've really enjoyed myself and learned so many useful things by reading your blogs, it's been great!
've met some wonderful people and I'll try my best to follow your blogs. Take care and I wish you all the best.

That's all folks.

Margaret

Today's lunch...

2011-08-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

...yellow cherry tomato, chopped basil, sliced cucumber, from my veggie garden, and handmade, by my sister Liz, soft, milky white, and decadent mozzarella, sprinkled with salt and pepper and drizzled with olive oil...pinch me I think I'm dreaming...

Blackberry Festival

2011-08-21T12:37:00.000-07:00

The Powell River Blackberry Festival street party...full of music for Mia who loves to dance...

Colorful displays and people....

Thousands of people....

And a beautiful sunset to...

There were lots of food vendors and I ate my way down the street....sorry no pictures, I was eating...

Around the house

2011-08-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

Literally around the house...Art is digging up our old and cracked cement walkway and replacing it with "salt and pepper" rock. Love it...love it...love it! But deep down I hope we are not making a huge mistake...time will tell.

I love the look...I just hope the weeds keep out!

It's all about the birds and the bees...

2011-08-11T16:35:00.000-07:00

However birds are out of the question, I can't seem to focus my camera and take a picture before they fly off...bees on the other hand are a little slower and easier for me to photograph but it's still a work in progress....

This bee flew away...much slower than a bird...and it still came out a little blurry...

As some of you may already know...I love hollyhocks....when I posted about my hollyhocks last year my blogger friend Mel commented that she hated them...I didn't understand how someone could hate these tall beauties, well now I do. If you don't cut them down before the flower goes to seed you will have hollyhocks everywhere, I'm not KIDDING, they are EVERYWHERE...enough said!

Mel I should have listened...

Globe Thistles

2011-08-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

I'm not the only one to love a Thistle, bees love them to...

A toasty pot...

2011-08-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

Toasty and warm in an empty pot....

Beautiful garlic

2011-07-31T20:55:00.000-07:00

Well folks I pulled my garlic and wow...it's huge. But unlike some fishermen who brag about the size of their fish after it's been eaten I have the "before" being chopped or planted pictures of my garlic...look at these beauties.

And just as a reference to the size here is my garlic next to an IPOD...

In the garden...

2011-07-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

Despite the cold and rainy weather thus far I have been able to harvest some veggies. In fact one zucchini went unnoticed and turned into something that resembles a club. Too big to use as a side vegetable but perfect for soup. And not just a simple soup to serve at home but a simple soup to serve at the diner...

I didn't make it because I don't cook all the time anymore, ...the cook made a large pot but she put most of it in the fridge, not thinking that soup on a hot day was going to sell, but sell it did, so I only have one picture to show you...at the end of the day this is all that was left.... Dana, you make good soup!

Powell River Sea Fair

2011-07-23T19:20:00.000-07:00

aaahhh...the fair is in town and with some nice weather, some good (bad for you)

food, some great people, and some time off, we could not help ourselves but have a good time! Fireworks on tonight but way past my bedtime...maybe next year.

I am in computer....

2011-07-21T22:20:00.000-07:00

caca...or for those of you with less sensitive ears....shit...and for those of you with a little imagination and a potty mouth "F*&^^* stupid computer....%^*&^&%$#_ what the ^^%%$>

OK so let's back the bus up!

Last Friday it was suggested by an evildoer, that my life would be oh so much better with a laptop...hmmm! I agreed...and for that I deserve 20 lashes with a wet noodle...

I don't want to go into great detail, cause it's kind of boring but mostly embarrassing at my lack of computer knowledge. I paid good money to have my computer all set...all I had to do was turn it on...well I can turn it on, that's about it.

Telus tells me it's not their fault and they,the folks I bought my computer from, tell me that privacy laws prohibits them from helping further than my password, of course when I bought the computer and paid for the "full service" nothing like that was ever mentioned....here we go potty mouth...&*&*^%% them all. I wonder whose fault it is, mine I guess for being stupid!

And no pictures either....why? because this is a laptop, and because it moves with me, the thingamajig, the cord, that gets pictures from my camera to my computer is now lost, it could be anywhere...

So many other things wrong with this laptop....I just want to &&^%$

Anyway, martini number 2, a huge plate of penne with cream sauce, eaten with a spoon...well it's cream sauce you know...it's helping...the computer is not too bad, still no pictures.

Oh...I forgot to mention...I called the %%&** computer people, and gave them heck, told them they better help me or the whole thing is going back...."please come in right away, we will get this all sorted out"....I didn't go...honestly I was only thinking of their safety....

Moving onto the next book...project

2011-07-18T21:58:00.000-07:00

This summer is feeling much like winter and I'm not going to fight it anymore, I'm not going to whine anymore about the weather, there is nothing I can do about it, so if the weather wants to act like a hot winter, fine, I can live with it.

So I'm now onto my third novel in three weeks, and I'm starting another knitting project, I've watched more movies than I care to admit, my business paperwork is all caught up and my veggies have failed...

I'm still having a great summer! I hope you are to, regardless of the weather...

Grampa, Mia and the chickens

2011-07-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

How does your garden grow?

2011-07-12T16:34:00.000-07:00

Well in my world it's not so great..the sun refuses to shine for more than a day or two, most of the time it's cloudy and muggy with the odd sprinkle here and there. It's a real chore to get out there and stay on top of the weeds and bugs...

I tried a new lettuce this year, Ears of the Devil, I purchased the seeds from Seeds of Victoria. The lettuce is delicious and if you can, I encourage you to try some. I planted beets next to them and as you can see the weeds also like this bed very much.

I might not like this weather but slugs are loving it...I've not had a slug problem...until this year!

My tomatoes are coming along and I'm able to harvest some broad beans, can't see a pumpkin anywhere on the vine, but lots have fallen off, I guess it's just too wet...

How is your garden growing?

Magpie's special

2011-07-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

Did you know it's hard to find blackboards? I didn't and I really needed one for Magpie's new location. How else can I post my specials? The solution, blackboard paint! It's expensive but a little goes a long way, but beware, it emits strong fumes. A small roller, a lick of blackboard paint and the specials board is done.

Birthday sweater

2011-07-06T07:16:00.000-07:00

It started out as a Christmas sweater...missed that.

I'll have it done for February, drats I don't have enough wool!

Found some in the US with free shipping within the US, 50.00 to Canada, this is turning into a very expensive sweater. But thanks to my friend Margy ,who lives part time in the US, I was able to have the wool shipped to her and she in turn delivered it to me.

Ok, back to knitting.

Mom, I need your help...what the heck do I do with all these pieces...

Yay mom!

Ok, I'll have it sewn for Christmas coming up.....I hope.

Surprise mom visit, Mom to the rescue again.....

It's now a July birthday sweater

My first finished sweater, almost by myself ....thanks mom!

Heading up the lake...

2011-07-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

After working so hard for the last two months I'm heading up the lake for a barbecue with my family. My mom and dad are visiting, my son and family are with us, and the weather is fine.

And life is very good!

Garlic scapes

2011-06-27T17:22:00.000-07:00

I've never grown garlic before but my friend Hugh grows tons of it, enough that he can sell quite a bit to the local organic produce market, and still eat garlic every day, that's alot of garlic. He was very kind to give me some garlic last year, I planted the cloves in the fall....and it grew into nice large plants...if the size of the plant is any indication of the size of garlic then I should have some really large heads of garlic.

The garlic scape, if left alone, will turn into the flower, which I don't want. I want all the energy to go to the garlic, not to the flower, so I cut the scape, which is also edible.

I grilled it on the barbeque, not the best option, it was a little tough, next time it will be much better if I steam it or stir fry it, but it still tasted very good. With the garlic scapes, I grilled some zucchini and eggplant. I chopped the scapes, quarted some tomatoes, drizzled the whole thing with oilive oil and balsamic, sprinkled it with feta and with that a salad was made...delicious!

It's a topsy, turvy world

2011-06-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

Well in my world it is....

Who wants watermelon?

2011-06-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

Need to vent...

2011-06-21T16:45:00.000-07:00

I seldom watch the news, or any TV, because I've been so busy but my husband all of a sudden has grown an interest in the workings of a computer...so now that I have to share....I had some time to watch the news. Thought I was able to catch the weather report but I missed it so I tuned in to the weather network, waited for the local forecast, mostly sunny, really? Well that's news to me...Does this look like mostly sunny?

So this is for the weather network, I will gladly work for a fraction of what you are paying the current person to report the weather...I will look out my window and call you with the very latest...I will also wet my finger and hold it up over my head, and report to you which way the wind is blowing, because right now I can tell you that your weather person is blowing it out his arse. My achy bones will also be able to forecast any wet and cold weather coming our way, I'll throw that little bit in for free, my achy bones are only right about 50% of the time...

....Not much to say

2011-06-16T14:53:00.000-07:00

....except that this beautiful little girl is related to me! I'm so lucky....

Canucks are loosing....

2011-06-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

So time to jump ship...

It's a gorgeous evening, no one is about, they are watching the hockey game, so I get this beautiful place all by myself....wonderful!

The trees are the frame...

What's 10 feet tall, with legs that never end, and looks at least 100 lbs lighter????

Me....

Looks like fun....

As you know I love sunsets but I'm usually in bed, sad I know...so I have to settle for a setting sun...

B.C. Ferries arriving in Powell River from Comox.

Sunday in the park

2011-06-11T21:44:00.000-07:00

And what do I see?

A sea of white!

Daisies, everywhere...they just make me smile.

Where has all the time gone????

2011-06-10T16:42:00.000-07:00

I can't believe we are almost half way through the year... I have not been posting much but between the garden and the diner...

So far the new location is working out beautifully, the staff are unbelievable, they give me 120%, my customers are supportive, life is good and I'm truly blessed.

Please don't stop reading, I love to read your comments. I keep forgetting my camera but one of these days I'll post some new pictures of the diner and my garden.

Thanks you all for your patience.

Pacific Spot Prawns...

2011-06-05T16:33:00.000-07:00

Words can't describe how good these prawns are. Fresh from the sea that morning, into the pot the same night...oh my!

Opening day and beyond...

2011-06-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

Well opening day at the Rodmay hotel has come and gone...which is the main reason I've not posted anything new.

I would love to say it all went smoothly but I would be lying. The last 3 days have been crazy...busy beyond belief.

I'm ready to throw my new grill out the window, if only I could lift it...but today was much better than yesterday and I'm positive tomorrow will be better than today.

Joan and Marion, the main hotel shareholders, together with many others at the hotel, were key players in getting Magpie's open on time. Thanks for all their help, we could not have done it without them.

And now....opening day video. Thanks Joan and Marion, it's lovely.

Fisherman's Warf, Victoria B.C.

2011-05-29T08:10:00.000-07:00

There are many, many beautiful places in British Columbia, and I have been lucky to have lived in several but there is one very beautiful place that I've never lived in, Victoria, B.C. Lucky for me I have a sister who lives there and I can visit whenever our schedules allow, which unfortunately is never often enough but I relish every moment while there.

On my last visit she took me to visit Fisherman's wharf. A bright and bustling area with lots of boats, some of the best fish and chips and cute, little, and I mean little, houseboats. They are colorful, artistic, full of plants, with little patios tucked in all sorts of corners. On one hand I would love to live there but on the other hand the lookiloos walking up and down the docks would be quite uncomfortable...I think.

Could you live in one of these cute little houseboats?

Facebook....

2011-05-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

For friends and family that keep in touch via Facebook...I have decided to close my Facebook account...there are only so many hours in a day....

Thanks everyone.

Margaret

Elusive

2011-05-27T17:59:00.000-07:00

Eventhough I take pictures and talk about Miss Daisy most of the time, I do have another cat, Dagwood, Miss Daisy's brother. Dagwood is very elusive and difficult to photograph because he's always on the move and not too cuddly. He is most active at night and loves to jump on either Art or I while we are asleep and meow very loudly in our ears. I'm used to it now and most nights I can sleep right through it but I won't repeat what Art says....

Anyway here he is, the very handsome Dagwood.

Hummingbird

2011-05-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to spend the weekend with my sisters. We all love good food and after a day of shopping, walking and touring it was time to relax.

While two of us were cooking dinner....

One of us was writing a paper....

and my sister Iolanda, sat very patiently at the big window waiting for the humming birds to feed, after taking many, many pictures her 3 best photos of these amazing creatures...

End of the road...

2011-05-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

Well if you are at the end of the road then you must be in beautiful Lund B.C. mile 0 on highway 101, and if you find yourself in Lund, walk the boardwalk to the Boardwalk restaurant for some fish and chips, delicious!

Today is Skywatch Friday, click here to see more beautiful sky pictures from around the world.

Tomatoes and stuff...

2011-05-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

Our spring has so far been unseasonably wet and cold which for a gardener is not very good but with a few nice days in the forecast I can finally plant the tomatoes I started from seed.

I only found out a few weeks ago that digging oyster shells into the dirt will help with tomato blossom rot, which my tomatoes get.

Hard to see here but I did sprinkle some oyster shells in...

I watered them and then covered them with some plastic using some tent poles Art found in a dumpster..

Art wrapped some stakes on the long sides of the plastic and secured them with staples, this will keep the plastic in place keeping my tomatoes warm and dry. Luckily Art had the plastic on hand, recycled from something else so these makeshift greenhouses were free, and that's very good.

Crazy Daisy

2011-05-17T04:18:00.000-07:00

This is crazy Daisy, AKA fat cat. For some reason she seems to think that she can fit into a small tin, about 8 inches wide, that I use to store my embroidery thread.

She moves this way and that way, tries to push things around in an effort to fit in there, but poor Daisy has a fat rump...hey takes one to know one...

But all she really wants is to be close to me...which is good because I feel the same about her!

Rhubarb

2011-05-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

Lots and lots of rhubarb. Not from my garden although I was able to harvest 5 or 6 good sized stalks from my plant. This rhubarb is from my friend's patch. I'm not sure how many plants they have, but there is lots.

This is what I picked and it didn't make a dent....

I cut the big leaves off and laid them on my garden as natural weed control. Then I washed and cut the stalks....

Then into a plastic bag ready for the freezer, really it's that easy.

I'm off to get more...

Interviews today...

2011-05-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

For the first time ever I am holding interviews where I am the only one making the final decisions. If I choose the wrong candidate it will be my error, not HR's, not the boss, not Sally in the next cubicle who made the recommendation...just me, the buck stops here...

Wish me luck!

Broc

2011-05-08T22:09:00.000-07:00

I said I wouldn't grow them, really not worth it, they are a pain in the arse but those little seedlings just kept going, even with all my neglect.

So here they are in their new bed...but you can't just plant them and leave them...it seems that all sorts of little critters love broccoli, so I have to protect them...

With a row cover, and that's where the fussy part comes in. I have to pull this thing on and off every time I want to access the plants...what a bother. I sure hope I get some broccoli this time...I am unwilling to share it with any other little critters...

In the garden...

2011-05-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

I was so fortunate to get my hands on some raspberry canes, 7 to be exact, all from fellow garden club members, and all for free.

I wasn't sure where to put them so for quite some time I just had them in a big pot, sitting against the house in part shade. If you are a gardener you know that raspberries multiply, and they do that very quickly, so finding a good spot for them is essential. I decided to put them in the veggie garden, keeping them safe from the deer, and in a standalone area that is about 3 feet from any of the other veggie rows. I hope the distance from the rest of the veggies will keep them manageable.

Now all I have to do is be patient and wait for the delicious berries, maybe I'll have to wait until next year....bue well worth it.

The picture does not show the raspberry canes very well but they are there...all in a row.

West Vancouver sea wall

2011-05-04T04:07:00.000-07:00

West Vancouver is home to the richest postal code in Canada. I don't think there is one house in West Vancouver on the market for under one million dollars...and, it has the most fabulous sea wall that is open to everyone regardless of income...

So even I, a common pauper, can enjoy the stunning views of West Vancouver without spending upwards of a million dollars...

Magpie's has a new nest

2011-05-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

Time to expand...time to hire...time to move...

Magpie's is moving to a new location which will triple our seating capacity. We are moving the the Rodmay hotel in Powell River, B.C. A beautiful heritage hotel, you can check it out here.

The last date at our current location is May 20 and we will open to the public at the Rodmay hotel on June 1st.

See you there!

Seedlings...

2011-04-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

I have them everywhere. I can't wait to plant them outside and have the house back to normal. Although my house is small it has three floors and running up and down with a water mister and water bottle is not so much fun.

I can't iron anything right now....too bad. Honestly I really miss ironing!!!

Sunny downstairs window.

Germinating seeds sitting on the heat ducts in the basement.

I have quite a few tomatoes, some flowers, cukes, and zucchini. My peppers and eggplant are not germinating very well so I may have to buy those. On the good side two of my luffa seeds started and are well on their way and I have tomatillos growing for the first time this year.

Anything new in your veggie garden this year?

Granville Island

2011-04-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

I spent Saturday walking, drinking and eating at Granville Island. It's a beautiful place in the middle of the big city, Vancouver. Here you will find the public market, two theaters, the Emily Carr University, artisans, and lots and I mean lots of food.

Feeling very much like a country bumpkin I had to take a picture of this $50.00 broom. In fact this store only sells brooms, all handmade, and all very expensive. There must be some very rich witches out there.

The pea ....

2011-04-26T15:52:00.000-07:00

That fell off the plate...

I often feel like that...just a tad different than rest.

It was difficult as a child but now that I'm all growed up...

I love it.

Do you feel a little different than the rest?

Happy Easter

2011-04-22T06:36:00.000-07:00

I'll be gone for a few days, the diner is closed until Tuesday.

Happy Easter everyone.

Vintage Thursday

2011-04-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

Closed...Open

2011-04-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

Once again I don't know the name of this indoor plant, but look at the flowers...

Flowers were closed about 2 weeks ago.

Flowers opened just a day ago....

Under the firs...

2011-04-19T06:17:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung under these tall firs.

Salmon berry

Moss, lots and lots of moss

Unfurling ferns

A sea of blue

2011-04-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

These are growing all over the park and in some lawns...what are they?

Would it be foolish to plant some in my yard?

First greens

2011-04-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

Is there anything like a fresh salad from the garden? These are the first greens harvested from my backyard grown in cold frames. I also added some violets and pansies for color. You will see two radishes, those to are from the backyard, not very big, but I could not resist.

Vintage Thursday

2011-04-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

How to sprout a sprout

2011-04-13T08:01:00.001-07:00

Love sprouts? I sure do. In addition to being very good for you I have discovered that they are also very easy to sprout. I chose organic red clover seeds as my first attempt at sprouting.

I used one tablespoon of organic red clover seeds.

I placed the seeds in a 1 litre mason jar, covered it with some white tulle and secured it with an elastic. Add tepid water and soak the seeds overnight at room temperature.

Drain and for 3 days you rinse the seeds four times a day. Fill the jar with tepid water and drain through the top, which in my case is tulle. Do not use anything that might rust, like metal, or mold like cotton.

Day 4 the seeds are just starting to sprout. Keep rinsing them.

Day 5 the shoots were longer and I placed them under my growing lights because the sun was nowhere to be found. This will turn the little leaves green.

When the leaves are green, which happens really fast, for me it was at the end of day 5, you can start eating them. I used mine in a cheese sandwich and I have some left to add to my salad tonight for dinner. I don't know how long they will last in the fridge but I think they are quite fragile and should be used within a day or two after the leaves have gone green.

Magpies

2011-04-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

I am lucky, so so lucky to have some of the best customers in the world. I hate to admit it but I don't know these customers names which is a tragedy because look what they gave me.

P.U.S.H.

2011-04-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

This post is about faith and a little about religion. I'm not preaching and I will likely not speak about it again but I thought this important. My mom is very religious and from when I was born to when I left home we went to church, every Sunday. I moved out and forgot about church. I had kids and church came back into my life. Kids grew up and I left the church, then went back ... but through it all I always had faith. As with many people life seldom turns out the way you want it to. My adult life was not easy ... please don't get me wrong, I have no regrets, I lived each moment the best way I knew how ... I won't bore you with details but I will tell you that for 30 years I prayed, every day for strength, for change, for guidance, for help, for serenity. Every day for 30 years I had faith...and then one day about a year ago that change came, all of a sudden it happened. My life changed, for the better. God heard me and He gave me peace. And I pray everyday that through His grace, my life will continue to be blessed. A few months ago my parish priest was talking about prayer and faith. He said when life is hard PUSH. Want to know what PUSH is?

Pray

Until

Something

Happens

I didn't know that for 30 years I was PUSHing but it worked for me, maybe it will work for you.

Margaret and Art's day off

2011-04-10T19:53:00.000-07:00

Usually when our day off rolls around we are both busy with stuff around the house, a great day off is when we have stuff to do at the cabin. However we seldom take our day off as a true day off...well on Wednesday we had a true day off. Art and I headed off for unexplored areas of which there are many around Powell River. This time we decided to explore Haslam Lake which is also a protected water shed. Art drove to the very top. He tried to get some fishing done but knowing what I know I had a pork tenderloin waiting for us back home.

Vintage Thursday

2011-04-07T07:43:00.000-07:00

Veggie Casserole

2011-04-06T06:59:00.000-07:00

I finally finished a book I could not put down so all is back to normal...well my normal. Now don't go thinking it was a great literary novel...just a good old spy novel...

Anyway back to my real life ... which today is veggie casserole. Forget the hamburger helper... this is real.

Cut an assortment of veggies, whatever is in your fridge. If all you have are mushrooms well then this would be a mushroom casserole. I sauteed the veggies in about a teaspoon of butter and 2 tablespoons or so of water, you can use more butter, which will taste better but I have a cholesterol problem...

Cook some pasta according to the directions on the package, I cooked about two cups of bow tie pasta in lots of well salted water.

While the pasta is cooking and the veggies are cooking make a bachamel sauce...I know fancy right? Well it's really just a white sauce, which is substituted for condensed soup. Homemade without the can and it tastes much better.

I made the sauce by melting 2 tablespoons for butter, then I added two tablespoons of flour, over low heat, I cooked that for a few minutes, then added 2 cups of milk, some salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. Stir constantly, bring to a boil, the sauce should be like gravy, if it resembles wallpaper paste add some more milk.

OK, so now you have your bachamel sauce, oh sorry I forgot I added about 2 oz of shredded cheddar to mine and some dried basil, you don't have to but I had it on hand. You have your cooked veggies and you have your cooked pasta, al dente and drained. Just put it all together and pour it all into a casserole dish, top with parmesean cheese or any type of cheese...I didn't use too much, again the cholesterol thing...

Bake at 350F until bubbly...

I made enough for 4, add some buns and a salad and you have a delicious and thrifty dinner, of course there are only two of us but I can't seem to cook for just two...

This is a simple basic casserole, want to make it tuna casserole? Add tuna. Chicken casserole? Add some cooked chicken. There are no rules so make it whatever you want it to be...

Sunset and Sunset Park

2011-04-03T15:59:00.000-07:00

I know, I know... more sunset photos but I'm a sucker for sunsets. These pictures are taken from Sunset park, good name for a park as you will see, and it's just a few blocks from my house. Lucky me.

Sunset Park

Sunset through the trees

And the show begins...

Come on let's go, I've seen this show a million times...

The End!

Vintage Thursday

2011-03-31T15:58:00.000-07:00

Perfect French fries

2011-03-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

I am lucky to have a very good Irish friend, actually a whole family, but today my post is about just one of the family, Deirdre, a beautiful Irish lass, with bright blue smiling eyes, and she adores potatoes. I mean adores potatoes. She has been known to have fries and a baked potato, at lunch, on the same plate.

She makes the best roast potatoes ever, well Deirdre tells me her moms are better, but I've only had Deirdre's and they are fantastic. But again, today's post is about French fries, and it was Deirdre who showed me how to make them perfect. And it is thanks to Deirdre that my diner, Magpie's, is quickly getting the "best fries" in town reputation.

Some of you may know the secret already but if you don't, the perfect French fry is double fried.

First take a handsome guy to cut the fries.

Soak the cut fries in cold water for at least 30 minutes.

Drain well and fry them at 325F for a few minutes, you don't want to change the color, you just want them to cook through.

Then when you are ready for them you increase the oil temperature to 375F and fry the potatoes until golden brown and crispy, toss with sea salt right away, and serve.

My sister always says that if she is going to eat something "bad" it better taste really good and be worth the calories.

So remember this .... a fresh cut double fried French fry has the same calories as a frozen for who knows how long, over processed, stored in a plastic bag french fry that has been fried just once, so which would you choose?

Wrap around skirt

2011-03-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

This super simple skirt that should have been done in two hours took me the better part of 3 weeks...why? 24 hour days are just not long enough...

It's very comfortable especially with the soft corduroy fabric I picked.

My husband can't take a photo to save his life so I want to mention that it looks much better than this picture might lead you to believe but then again I can't take a great picture either ... even with the help of the awesome camera we own, a Nikon D90... that neither of us really knows how to use it...

Flower bouquet

2011-03-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

I received the biggest bouquet of flowers on Saturday for my birthday. It was so big that I didn't have a vase to fit it in so I broke it down into three bouquets.

Sunshine yellow for the kitchen.

Red rose for the living room.

And white for the bathroom.

The night ended with a wonderful seafood dinner at the Laughing Oyster.

I wish it was my birthday every week!

Vintage Thursday

2011-03-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Herbal tea

2011-03-22T17:30:00.001-07:00

I have great ambitions of making my own herbal tea but reality has set in and chances of me growing enough of anything to make my own tea are slim to none and slim just left town...

So I buy my tea, whatever is on sale, I'm not fussy. This time around Lipton was on sale, their tea bags are a pyramid shape, not sure how that will make the tea taste better but that's their claim. Now I always throw my tea bags and coffee grinds into the compost but guess what, these stupid little triangular bags are made from something that looks very much like plastic netting. I could be wrong but these bags are indestructible, have any of you tried this tea?

I am so mad...but cheap...so I will use these teabags but I will never, ever buy them again.

Skeletal flower

2011-03-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

While spring cleaning my flower garden I came across what I believe is a bell flower...it's skeletal remains.

Sunday sunset

2011-03-20T19:52:00.001-07:00

After a wonderful meal of ham, scalloped potatoes, carrots, asparagus and mousse cake the night ended with a beautiful sunset.

Summer in a bowl

2011-03-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

...even with the longer days summer seems a long way off but with a little bit of this and little bit of that I was able to capture the essence of summer in my bowl.

I had a scant cup of dried chick peas that I wanted to be rid off, so I soaked, boiled and cooled them, then into the bowl. Half of a tomato which I diced and tossed into the bowl. Half a yellow pepper, sliced and into the bowl. About a quarter of a long cucumber, peeled, diced and into the bowl. About a cup of cilantro, to lazy to chop it so I used it as salad greens, just the leaves, and it went into the bowl. Toss the whole thing with olive oil, vinegar, but I think fresh lime would have been better, salt and pepper and there you have it, summer in a bowl.

Vintage laughs

2011-03-17T17:23:00.001-07:00

Around the neighbourhood..

2011-03-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

...on a wet afternoon.

An empty park...

With so much rain the worms are making their way to the top..the robins are happy!

Crocuses on a soaked front yard.

What's up with this weather?

2011-03-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

Spring refuses to spring....the wind, the low temps, the sideways never ending rain, it seems to be going on forever. The ground is drenched, so going outside is not an option. I walk the dog because he begs me with his eyes and I come back drenched, ugh!!! very depressing. The only thing to do in this weather is sit inside, eat copious amounts of food and watch a movie or better yet watch moviesss.

As much as I like to eat, I'm not always in the mood to cook but eat we must. I had some leftover bits of this and that like black beans, sour cream, cherizo....

I think nachos and movies sounds just about right as the rain beats against the windows.

On the way home I stopped for tortilla chips and the rest I had on hand, leftover nachos....

I topped the chips with chopped cherizo, shredded cheese and black beans, served it up with a side of fresh salsa and sour cream and dinner was served.

The fresh salsa I make is also called "Pico de Gallo" and it's really easy, here is how I do it:

3 tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 small purple onion, finely chopped

1 seeded jalapeno, finely chopped

1/2 cup firmly packed cilantro, finely chopped

the juice of one lime

salt to taste

1 teaspoon chili powder

Mix all ingredients well and serve.

Are you coming for a visit????

2011-03-10T14:40:00.000-08:00

Picture courtesy http://www.muditajournal.com/archives/434.php#

Then there are a few things you need to know.

First, you are always welcome...

...and now here is the rest of it...

1. My floors are not so clean that you can eat off them...I have a very good kitchen table that we use for eating.

2. There is a 50/50 chance that my kitchen table is cluttered, if it is, sit down, clear yourself a spot and get comfortable, coffee and warm conversations await.

3. Help yourself to anything in the fridge...but be warned...stay away from the back. I have not visited the back part of the fridge for some time.

4. I'm cheap, so those yogurt containers may in fact not have any yogurt in them and again avoid them if they are at the back of the fridge.

5. I am not vegetarian, my husband is not vegetarian, neither is my dog, cats or chickens and I will not cook two separate meals.

6. I'm not Dr. Doolittle but I do speak to the animals...relax...I'm the only one doing the talking.

7. Oh yes the animals...they are of utmost importance to me and I love them dearly, best you get used to it. The dog will smell your crotch, the cats may walk all over you or they may never make themselves known to you, that's just the way it is.

8. The animals shed, all the time, but not to worry, you can keep the fuzzy slippers once your visit is done.

9. The bathroom is cleanish...

10. And finally I am thrilled you came for a visit, I really am. Can't wait to see you again. Ciao for now.

-----------------------------

***PS. I almost forgot about the dust bunnies...they are gentle, very gentle but look for them and they attack...please let them lie in peace.

New gate post

2011-03-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

Last summer Art found an interesting piece of wood washed up on the shores of Powell Lake. We were not sure what we would use it for but it was worth keeping. It's use became very apparent after a wind storm...the rotten gate post fell over so this interesting piece of wood is now the new and improved gate post. Can you see the perfect spot for hanging basket? And won't the honeysuckle look wonderful as it winds it's way around the post? I can see it so clearly....and I can't wait for summer.

Shrove...Fat...Pancake... Tuesday

2011-03-08T20:32:00.001-08:00

Final chance to finish off all that butter and cream before lent...well that's how the story goes...

So how did I celebrate Fat Tuesday??? With banana, chocolate chip pancakes and blackberry syrup...at the diner and at home, yum!

Start with your typical buttermilk pancake recipe...buttermilk, egg, brown sugar, butter...

Add flour, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips, mix, but not too much, lumps are fine...

Melt some butter into a frying pan or grill, pour pancakes, slice some bananas and place on top...and flip when bubbles start to show...

Serve banana side up, add a dollop of butter, a dusting of icing sugar and some warm syrup....

These are so yummy...give them a try, fat Tuesday or not!

Snowdrops

2011-03-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

We seldom have big snow storms out on here on the West Coast. We get a dusting here and there and sometimes we will get a foot of snow, for a day, then slush and muss for several days as temperatures rise. So instead of snow we are blessed with snowdrops. These little beauties show up very early, sometimes even late January, cheering us up with their cute little white flowers promising us that spring is just around the corner.

I have never had any but that has now changed. Wendy Devlin, a fellow garden club member, passionate gardener and farmer, has snow drops all over her farm. She kindly invited garden club members out to her farm to dip up snow drops...several of us took her up on her offer.

Snowdrops do multiply but stay in clumps so they are very easy to manage. I took several clumps, divided them up and dug them into my garden, I think I might now have about 20 clumps.

Here are some pictures from Wendy's farm.

Three preagnant goats

One of two calves.

Snowdrops

More snowdrops

And another early bloomer but can't for the life of me remember it's name.

Tough...

2011-03-02T16:50:00.000-08:00

This little iris is quite amazing. It came up a little early because the beginning of February was quite mild and we were all fooled ... but it all changed on Feb. 15th, since then this little iris has withstood -8C temperatures for a few days, several windstorms, snow, rain, rain and more rain and all in the last two weeks and still it shines.

This little iris is tough but oh so beautiful!

seed starting

2011-03-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

If you are a gardener and start your transplants from seed you have already started some or you getting your seeds and seed starting supplies in order.

I mentioned before that I started broccoli seeds and I wanted to share how I did it without buying new supplies, except for the seed starting soil.

At the diner I'm always buying plastic boxes of spinach, berries and lettuce. I noticed that some of the plastic boxes have holes in them, usually the berry boxes, while the spinach and lettuce boxes don't, all have lids. I was recycling the boxes until the light bulb switched on last November...

Why not place a box with holes inside a box without holes, this would allow for watering from the bottom and allow for drainage. I started collecting boxes.

This picture does not show it but I did add some pebbles in the box without holes to allow for drainage. I filled the box with holes with seed starting soil, watered it, and planted groupings of 3 seeds about 4 inches apart, 18 in all. Put the box in a warm spot and when the seeds germinate I moved the box to a bright window and/or under growing lights.

I'm going to keep the seedlings in the boxes until it's time to harden them off and then transplant into the garden. I'm trying to avoid potting them into little 4 inch pots...hope this works.

A little bit of a splurge...

2011-02-28T06:14:00.001-08:00

I'm not one to spend money on "stuff". If I really need it I buy it and I mean dire need. For example, I'll replace my girly underthings only when the elastic is done, white becomes gray and only when material is threadbare and holes start to appear. That goes for clothes as well ...

But on Friday, Art and I made stop at a local second hand store, and I found something I absolutely love, which has no functional use, it just makes me happy to have it and see it everyday. But then again it might just have some function...if I can find inspiration in it and get my creative juices flowing...

In addition I purchased a pair of jeans and a vintage yellow dress, made of 100% silk and fully lined. It's a large size so lots of material to work with, not sure what I'll make, thinking of a skirt...

My furry family...

2011-02-25T19:03:00.000-08:00

I never thought of myself as a cat person, dogs were my thing. Dogs will do almost anything just to be with their owner, their love is never ending, they are always happy to see you. Their silly grins and antics will turn any frown into a smile. I look forward to taking my dog on a walk after work and no matter how tough my day was, my laugh can likely be heard a block away as my dog, in all his excitement, trips and stumbles off the side walk, really he can be quite silly.

And then one day, a visit to the vet with our dog, brought us face to face, with two tiny, little critters, the future Miss Daisy and Dagwood, litter mates, looking for a nice home.

That was then...

This is now....Miss Daisy helping me in my office. No matter how many times I push her off, if she wants to up there, she will be up there, end of story!

...and Dagwood waiting for a little morsel of something, anything, from my dinner plate. He is a much bigger moocher than his pal Seiko. He meows for " I want out", "I want in", "make it stop raining", "I want a snack", "I'm just meowing to piss you off"... No kidding, he can drive me to distraction. He is the most vocal cat I've ever come across...

And let's never, ever forget my pal Seiko, keeping guard and ready for a good chase, especially if you are a bear, raccoon, squirrel or chipmunk.

Braised pork

2011-02-24T06:15:00.000-08:00

These boneless loin chops are an inexpensive cut of meat but boy are they bland and tough. I tried to just fry them but that did not work so well unless of course you are want to strengthen your jaw, chew, chew and chew some more...

Braising these gives them some flavour and makes them tender enough to eat with a fork.

All you need are some pork loins, salt, pepper, rosemary, sage, garlic, white wine, and broth.

Salt, pepper and brown the pork on medium high heat.

Remove the pork, lower the heat and add the chopped garlic, sage and rosemary. Stir for a few minutes being careful not to burn the garlic.

De glaze the pan by adding the wine and broth (water will also work), stirring up the brown bits, bring to a boil and boil for a few minutes. You want enough liquid so the pork is almost covered.

Lower the heat to simmer and put the pork back in the pan, cover and simmer for about an hour, until the pork is very tender, flipping the pork a few times during the process.

Remove the pork and keep warm under foil. Turn the heat on high and reduce the pan juices until thick about 20 minutes...did you let it reduce to much? just add a little more water, nothing to worry about. Lower the heat again and place the pork back in the pan, turn once or twice to cover the pork.

Serve with mashed potatoes and veggies.

Easy and delicious and this method also works really well with chicken, just remember that it has to simmer really, really low. One word of caution...careful with the salt at the beginning of the dish because as the juices reduce the flavour concentrates and can become quite salty if you added too much at the beginning. You can always add some salt at the end if needed.

When man...

2011-02-23T08:08:00.000-08:00

...plans, God laughs.

A little while ago I posted that our February weather seldom gets long periods of sub zero temperatures. Oh sure, we have had snow in February, quite a lot sometimes, but it usually passes quickly. Not this year. And this is the year I "planned" on early planting in my new cold frames. Well that is a no-go. Nothing is sprouting and the ground is slightly frozen....I guess I'll start again when this Arctic air heads back North. And more bad news, the broccoli seeds I started, which I said I would not do, sprouted but I didn't check on them yesterday, and I guess yesterday was the day they decided to bolt and look for light, so in just a day, they are long and yellow, I guess I'll have to restart those to.

And now for the good news. This sunny but cold weather is beautiful and lifts my spirits. The bright skies seem to stay brighter a little longer and afternoon walks in this crisp cool air are invigorating.

Everything just seems a little brighter, look at these snow capped mountains on Vancouver Island, just gorgeous!

Luna

2011-02-20T06:28:00.000-08:00

Art took this picture yesterday at 6:30am. Neither of us are very good with our camera but this shot of the moon taken from our backyard was an effort to show how big the moon was. Sadly it does not look nearly as big in the picture as it did in real life but I like the shot all the same.

The week....

2011-02-18T17:57:00.000-08:00

...I would like to say, is almost over but for me it's just starting. Regardless...it's been a crazy week and I'm glad that today was quiet and I had a chance to sit, drink some coffee, read the paper and oh happy days, I got bathroom breaks to.

It's been busy, really busy, top it off with the dinner event I had on Feb. 14th and my feet are just now starting to feel somewhat normal.

This post is really about last weekend, I'm just now getting to write about it. It started with chaos and ended with chaos! Run Margaret run. See how Margaret runs? Will Margaret blow a gasket? Oh yes...

Then a small miracle, a customer comes in with a brown paper bag full of sewing patterns. She read my blog and knows that I like to sew. My customer, Lee Mackenzie, a local artist, used to sew professionally but decided some time ago that painting was her artistic passion. It was time to clear out some of her sewing patterns...and... I got them. Lee. together with two other local artists share a storefront studio on Marine Drive in Powell River. You can view Lee's art at Monkey tree Studio.

Now you might ask yourself what a bag of patterns and a busy weekend have in common. Well... I did not have any time to look through the bag when Lee first dropped it off but I knew the contents, and the anticipation alone got me through the weekend. I was thinking about what I would sew, what materials I might use and how I would fit the patterns. That bag of patterns got me through a very chaotic weekend, Monday and Tuesday and into a blissful Wednesday, my day off.

I quietly sat in my craft room, with the snow falling outside, a cup of coffee in hand, and slowly I went through the bag of patterns. It was wonderful. Thanks Lee.

Oca

2011-02-16T07:06:00.000-08:00

Ever heard of it? Me neither...until I read the "The 0 mile diet" a book about growing veggies year round. The reason I really like this book is because it's specific to my growing region. Of course bits and pieces of information can be taken from it and other books for any growing region but I really like that I can open this book and take the information on any given page and apply it to my backyard.

Anyway oca (Oxalis Tuberosa), aka New Zealand Yam, can be grown in my back yard.

The following information is taken directly from the book " Oca has ornamental oxalis-like leaves that make an attractive ground cover. During summer, the swollen stems (stolons) grow above ground and spread; when the days shorten, they go underground and swell into plump little tubers. There are many different species of oca around the world. prepared in different ways. In North America they are enjoyed as potatoes, as the fleshy tubers a good source of carbohydrate. They can be drizzled with olive oil and roasted for 25 minutes, or tossed into winter soups and baked in veggie casseroles. These tubers can multiply like mad. Oca tolerates cool weather; the tubers can stay in the ground without freezing over mild winters, but the foliage dies down as soon as hard frosts appear. The tubers don't shrivel in storage, but actually stay firm and can be eaten as needed through winter."

Sounds good to me!

Dumpster diving....

2011-02-12T20:12:00.001-08:00

Although I live in a relatively mild area of Canada, if I want to start veggies early I need a cold frame. I asked Art what the cost would be...about 100.00 he replied...yikes. Well Art, you have about 20.00, and this is what he has come up with.

The wood for this cold frame was salvaged from a demolition about a block from our diner and the plastic is a left over piece from my son's renovations. The lighter color wood was originally a raised bed Art made for me last year. Art found that wood washed up on Powell Lake.

In it I planted some mesclun, butter crunch lettuce and radishes.

Tuesdays Art takes all the garbage and the recycling to the dump and on this last dump run he found some old windows. Using an existing raised bed, Art will add some wood cut at a 45 degree, then attach the window with some hinges. He still has one more window to use. Wow, three cold frames, dollars spent? 0...

He found these pieces of plastic in the Walmart dumpster. They were used for a tent of some sort. My thought is to place row covers over them to protect some of my veggies from bugs. Not sure if it will work...the row covers might be too narrow. If that doesn't work then I'll likely make them higher and use them as temporary green houses for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.

And finally here is my garlic. It's about 4 inches high. This is my first time growing garlic and I'm hopeful that it will grow well for me.

Pants

2011-02-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

Remember the post about the pants I was going to sew? Well they are finished, and I'm wearing them.

They were very easy to sew and I'm mostly happy with the way they turned out. The crotch is not quite right, it's a little too long even after cutting away what I thought was a significant amount, thus making the waist a little high. I'm not sure I'll make any more pants, I think I'll just stick with skirts and tops. All the pants I've made over the years have never been quite right...and I can't sew a fly zipper to save my life so I think I'll just leave it.

Next on the cutting table is a wrap around skirt made with soft hazelnut corduroy...this one should work out quite well...

Leather...leather and more leather

2011-02-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

My dear brother in law asked if I wanted some leather samples he no longer needs from his furniture store...of course I do, I said.

I don't really have any great ideas but I must be able to use these somehow. They are all different colors and all are 17 inches square and I think I must have about 200 samples.

Purses, wallets, slipper bottoms, patches....

Any ideas? Anyone? Patterns.....

Thanks JJ, love the leather, now I just have to get busy with it.

seeds, seeds and more seeds

2011-02-02T06:22:00.000-08:00

It's time for me to make an effort to organize my seeds, well at least figure out what I have so I know what to buy...

If I was a real gardener, rather than the pretend one that I am, I would catalog my seeds and make notes on how well they grew....I would keep a garden journal and fill it with useful information about this and that and the other and maybe even a pressed flower or two, hmmmm!

I have two recurring problems, actually I have many problems but in the seed department just two.

I forget what I have and buy more of the same seeds and forget to start seeds in the summer for fall crops. That's it, just two.

So...I now have a list of the seeds. I will perform seed germination tests, oh yes I will. How you ask? Super easy...place some seeds, about 20, between damp paper towels, then into Ziploc bags placed on a warm surface, like the top of the fridge, they should sprout in a few days, if most of the seeds sprout I'm good and if they don't, I'll have to toss them. See easy!

And now onto problem number two...I mustn't forget to start the seeds. And my solution for this second problem? I researched each vegetable to determine the start date for summer and fall harvests, and put that date in my Outlook calendar. Outlook will give a reminder on the due date and all I have to do is do the deed...and not dismiss the reminder.

I won't bore you with a list of my seeds, but honestly, do I need six different types of chicories?

In the the kitchen

2011-01-27T16:35:00.000-08:00

I'm having a Valentine's special dinner event at Magpie's Diner so into the test kitchen...

I made homemade ravioli, pasta and filling for the first time and definitely a keeper.

The filling is made with ground chicken thigh meat, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and nutmeg. When I make it at the shop I will saute the whole thing and then put it through the processor which I didn't do this time. Having a smooth filling will make it easier to fill the ravioli. If you want to try this make sure you make your pasta quite thin, I didn't and the ravioli took too long to cook and the filling did not really stand out.

I had every intention of taking a picture before I ate.....

but I went back for seconds.... here is my homemade ravioli on a dirty plate.

I also made a Belgian endive and sliced apple salad with a honey and Dijon vinaigrette, topped with diced beets, toasted walnuts and crumbled blue cheese. Again very good but I will make a few changes. I think a tart apple and toasted pecans will taste better. I used a gala apple which was a bit too sweet with the dressing and beet and the walnuts were not crunchy enough, but it was still very tasty.

Stay tuned for the rest of the menu....

Thistle Garden

Mourning...

The lay-about and the troublemaker...

Simple pleasures.....

Monday ramblings...

A doll for Mia...

Waiting to board...

Happy Birthday...

Genetically modified food...

Talking Fruit

A gift of snow

The bathroom can wait...

Vancouver Skyline

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Can't stay away...

So long...

Today's lunch...

Blackberry Festival

Around the house

It's all about the birds and the bees...

Globe Thistles

A toasty pot...

Beautiful garlic

In the garden...

Powell River Sea Fair

I am in computer....

Moving onto the next book...project

Grampa, Mia and the chickens

How does your garden grow?

Magpie's special

Birthday sweater

Heading up the lake...

Garlic scapes

It's a topsy, turvy world

Who wants watermelon?

Need to vent...

....Not much to say

Canucks are loosing....

Sunday in the park

Where has all the time gone????

Pacific Spot Prawns...

Opening day and beyond...

Fisherman's Warf, Victoria B.C.

Facebook....

Elusive

Hummingbird

End of the road...

Tomatoes and stuff...

Crazy Daisy

Rhubarb

Interviews today...

Broc

In the garden...

West Vancouver sea wall

Magpie's has a new nest

Seedlings...

Granville Island

The pea ....

Happy Easter

Vintage Thursday

Closed...Open

Under the firs...

A sea of blue

First greens

Vintage Thursday

How to sprout a sprout

Magpies

P.U.S.H.

Margaret and Art's day off

Vintage Thursday

Veggie Casserole

Sunset and Sunset Park

Vintage Thursday

Perfect French fries

Wrap around skirt

Flower bouquet

Vintage Thursday

Herbal tea

Skeletal flower

Sunday sunset