A tale

I was out today with my camera in search of red maples.  A  remark about their absence in some of my other photos set me on my mission.

While wandering my neighbourhood I stopped at a house to take a photo and noticed two older woman talking at the side door.  I politely asked the homeowner if she minded me taking a picture of her tree.  No problem she said.

Once done the other woman turned to me and asked if I was  Dr. H's daughter.  Yes I replied.  Turns out she had worked with my father years ago and it was her husband who owned and operated the garage at the top street near  my childhood home.   Dad used that gas station for years and enjoyed spending time talking with Joe.

Joe E's family had come from Ireland and my dad always talked about his  English father telling tales of how our branch of the family arrived in Somerset England to work and then forgot to return home. When Joe told him he and Helen, the woman I met today, were going to Ireland dad asked if they would bring him back a shillelagh.    Helen remembers shopping for it and how thrilled both sides were when it was presented.

When dad died for some reason one of my sisters returned it to Joe.   In a conversation just recently with another sister the odd returning of it was mentioned and bemoaned. 

When I told this to Helen she said she still had it and had often wondered why it had been returned. After all it had been a gift.   She invited me to her home just 2 doors away and pulled it from a hall stand holding umbrellas.

We sat and talked about Joe, who died 16 years ago and my dad who died 25 years ago.  We talked about her early years as an Xray technician and all the changes over the years,  about how as a child I had gone to the hospital with my dad when he was on call  on weekends and I was allowed to clip the corners from the newly developed films ( a job the techs were only to glad to have done for them ) and we talked about families and growing older and how something special  can happen on a very ordinary day.

Luck of the Irish?   I like to think so.

My week in pictures

Last of the leaves are raked

Stray marigold.  Last blossom growing in a crack between the sidewalk and the road.

A happy man.  He now has a snowblower and is ready for snow.

Dinner out

Cider Poached Scallop Brulee, roasted butternut squash and lime parvee, shallow fried leek hearts.  Riesling 2008

 The roasted squash was thick and sweet on a pastry square, almost dessert pie like. The lime was very subtle but you could taste it.  The scallop was perfect, crisp outside but tender and sweet inside. 

Caramel Corn Crusted Chicken leg, charred corn slaw, manuka honey-garlic sauce. Pinot Gris 2010  

yum

 Crisp outside, tender inside, we both picked up the bone and picked it clean, slaw was ok, the dipping sauce first rate.   The Pinot Gris was almost pink thanks to the use of the grape skins in the processing.  

Smoked bacon fat confrit of black cod, grilled mango salsa, vanilla dried carrot.  Reserve Chardonnay 2008

My least favourite portion of the meal.  The salsa was tasty but the fish was cold and the bacon taste stronger than necessary.  The carrot slice was crispy almost chip like.  The Chardonnay had an oak smell, first sip was not harsh like some I've had. 

Pepper Crusted Bison Striploin, strawberry relish ,arugula with almond vinaigrette, sea salt roasted almonds. Syrah 2008

Lots of stawberries

The bison was very tender without any gamey taste.  The strawberries were sweet against the pepper crust.  Ate all the arugula but left most of the almond brittle.   The wine tasted acid-y to me. I've had nicer.

Braised Lamb neck and dried cherry raviolo, smoked portobello mushroom tartar, pickled asparagus with roasted red pepper salad.  Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 

Tender shredded meat sandwiched between crisp - not pastry/not cracker  with a good serving of mushroom underneath.

This was excellent.  The crisp top and bottom were unexpected, I had been thinking soft ravioli. ( was the menu a typo? ) By the last bite I was stuffed.    The wine was better than the syrah but again not a taste favourite.

Paul enjoying the bison course.

We arrived by 7pm.  The first wine was served at 7:30. The owner of the winery gave us the background of each wine as it was served and the chef explained each course and what flavours in the wine had inspired it.    I was too busy eating and drinking to take notes and I will admit to not picking up the nuances of flavours in wines.     The amount of food was staggering and  they were generous with the wine.   

We finished and headed home at 10:30. 

In March they are doing it again this time featuring Charles Smith wines from Walla Walla Washington.   Will we go?   Not sure.  It was almost too much food and too much wine.   I will admit to spending most of Friday recovering.

Oct 7 - Oct 10

Perfect almost summer-like temperatures and clear skies for Thanksgiving and our anniversary weekend.  On Friday we headed out to Ball's Falls Conservation area for the annual craft show.  We went for the historic buildings and scenery as well as the chance to see what might be tempting to buy. Good quality crafts and interesting food samples but we didn't buy anything other than lunch.  

Out building and one of the many harvest displays.

Automatic washing machine .. driven by a small  engine.

1911 Military Band Organ

the works

Side of the mill, the front is currently under renovation.

They still mill flour and it is for sale $3.00 a bag

The falls.  At the base we could see salmon spawning in the shallow rocky stream.

me

The Ball family home is open to tour.  I liked these birds ( pheasants? ) staring down at the dining room table and the muted wall paper.

Interesting linoleum pattern in the kitchen and pantry.

After getting lost but happily stumbling on a winery where I purchased Cranberry fruit wine, we finally found Jordon and had coffee on the patio and then dinner inside at  Inn OnTthe Twenty.  

Photo doesn't do justice to my dessert.  Lemon tart with blackberries and blackberry sorbet.

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Saturday Paul cut the grass, I did some laundry and hung it outside to dry and made a quick grocery visit for brussel sprouts (I never serve turkey without them) and whipped cream.

Sunday was turkey dinner at our place with my sister Barbara, Stephen and Chawana.

Monday our actual anniversary and we have been doing small chores around the-.   Paul is currently outside watering the grass seed he put down on the front lawn and as soon as I post this I'm going to join him outside to enjoy this weather.    Sunny  28C. 

It's catch up with Elizabeth time

Learned how to make Pavlova from the girl next door.  She's originally from Perth Australia.  Sept. 16th 

Paul decide if I could take photos of food he could too.  His self packed picnic in the park.  Sept. 18th

British Car Day in Bronte Park.   I like the reflections. Paul liked the cars.  Sept. 18th

On the landing, sun coming in the side window.  I like the shadow on the wall.  Sept. 24th.

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I've been on a cleaning and recycling rampage.    The Salvation Army has benefited.  I've sold some items on Kijiji and I've put out my max garbage allowance several weeks running.     I feel so much lighter now.

Today I went through multiple boxes and have sorted and repacked, in new rubbermaid bins - there was a 2 for one sale - certificates, school stuff, family photos, cards etc. Each new one now labelled and ready for a final sort.    I found out after Paul made his feelings known that I need to let each person decide what to keep and what to toss.    I apparently have the boys a little scared with my  level of purging.

It's our 41st anniversary this weekend as well as the Canadian Thanksgiving.  After days of wet weather we are now having sunny skies and warmer temperatures and it promises to stay this way so we can enjoy my favourite time of year ... Autumn. 

Been awhile

Paul and my cousin Ross

View from the outside deck

The other two boats

View of the shoreline

We played tourist in our neighbourhood yesterday with my cousin Ross and his wife Pat.    They suggested we take the Grand River lunch cruise .  We've know about it for years but never gone.  

There was heavy  rain when we got up and during the 30 minute drive to the dock area but by the time we'd been entertained and we went out to board our boat ( one of three ) the sun was out and shining.   I'd taken my umbrella, a waterproof jacket and sunglasses.  Used all three!

The entertainment was excellent.  The food typical for the type of venue but it sure was nice catching up on family news while being served a meal and cruising down the river.

We covered only short area of the long river in the Caledonia/Brantford area.

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Still playing with my crochet crafts.  I have a full bag of yarn and really should decide on my next project.  I've finished a shawl but it needs a little fiddling with so both ends are the same width .. I have tension issues.. and I've made 4 simple mug cozies and have plans to make more, this time with bottoms that act as coasters.     

Guess it's official

Last night Stephen took his pillow.   He has never taken his pillow before.  

I thought it real with the signing of the lease Sunday, the moving in her stuff on Wednesday and the shopping for and buying a couch yesterday, not to mention shopping for a toilet plunger, broom and a dish rack, but taking his pillow off the bed and leaving the pillow case behind made me realize he has his own place now.

     They met, they clicked, they found a 2 bedroom apartment in a great central older neighbourhood.   

       How can I not appreciate a girl who makes my son happy and brings me sunflowers, just because.

Elizabeth and Catherine in Victoria June 2011 part 2

C and Emily

 Wednesday June 15 -  Our day to visit the Royal BC Museum to see The Other Emily . Catherine is a real fan of Canadian painter Emily Carr and was not overly impressed with the exhibit but I learned more then I knew before, probably because C. was so will versed  and filled me in.

We considered wandering into other galleries but we seemed to have picked school trip day and the place was full of noisy children.    We went to lunch instead at Sam's Deli sharing a sandwich and salad headed to  -

 Murchie's again, this time for tea (C) and hot chocolate (me). 

We made our obligatory stop at Munro's "Canada's Most Magnificent Bookstore", then once more wander the shops on our walk home.  

do click to see the detail larger

 On Fort St. we passed a dressmaking store with this dress in the window.  Every time we went by we'd pause and admire the elegant simplicity of it's  design.  Catherine decided it would make a perfect wedding dress.

I did have the name of the shop and the designer but I lost it so I can't credit the maker.  She was a young woman who said the dress was inspired by the material.  Pure romance.

We arrived home at 3:30 having left at 10:30  and having been on our feet for most of the time took the opportunity to rest  until Emily joined us after work for coffee on the porch of the Moka House giving B-A a chance to ease her headache and Dom the chance to make our dinner.   Italian Eggs with Spinach Marinara over Polenta.    I should have taken a picture. But I did get the recipe.  



Recipe: Italian Eggs with Spinach Marinara over Polenta  with Dom's changes in red
My favorite way to make eggs is to poach them because of all the creamy egg yolk. If you don’t
like your eggs soft, all you need to do is cook it twice as long. Another option, after cooking the
eggs softly, place the entire mixture over the pan of polenta and back into the oven for 3 minutes

– sprinkle the cheese at the last minute.

Recipe Adapted From: Cooking Light.com Yield: 4 Servings Time: Total 15 minutes
Ingredients:

1 (16-ounce) tube of polenta, cut into 12 slices (About 1.5 cm ea)

2 cups tomato-basil pasta sauce (I used roasted garlic sauce, it mixes well with the taste)

1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

4 large eggs 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Asiago cheese (I use old white cheddar)
.....................
1. Preheat broiler.

2. Arrange polenta slices on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat tops of polenta with
cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. (I cook the polenta for at least two to
three time as long as above (6 to 9 min), it makes it crispy.)

3. While polenta heats, bring sauce to a simmer in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Stir in spinach; cover and cook for 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Stir to combine. Make 4
indentations in top of spinach mixture using the back of a wooden spoon. Break 1 egg into each
indentation. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until eggs are desired degree of
doneness. Sprinkle with cheese.

4. Place 3 polenta slices on each of 4 plates; top each serving with one-fourth of spinach mixture
and 1 egg.

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 Thursday June 16 -  Slow day.  I went out for groceries and had a wander through some of the shops on Cook St.    One new addition since my visit in 2008 is a  fresh seafood and butcher store.  The alleyway fruit and vegetable man is still there and seems to have added more flowers to his stock  and there have been some changes in the fast food vendors.     We spent time sat out on the balcony  reading.

The girls picked us up after work and we drove  to Capital Iron and then we walked to lululemon to exchange a shirt Cath. had picked up earlier in the visit for her husband.    Drove to  Fisherman's Wharf where Dom joined us for dinner by the water. Interesting fact: Cath. is the only one of us who has never seen a seal when visiting the wharf.      It was almost cold by the time we had finished eating our fish and chips so we we headed back to B-A and D's for some decadent hot chocolate.  It had lavender in it so I was told.  I did appreciate the real whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top!

a real treat

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Friday June 18 -   In a historic house behind the legislature is the Queen's Printer. A shop filled with maps, nature books and locally made crafts.   Certainly worth the visit.  From there we walked to the harbour front with the idea of doing something really touristy...visit The Undersea Gardens.  We arrived at the ticket booth only to discover we would have a 15 minute wait and there were no toilets in the building.   It was suggested we head to the ferry terminal and then return.   We headed to the Information Centre instead and after walking by a restaurant decided lunch was a much better idea.
We went to the Rebar for lunch in Bastion Square  and did a little shopping at the outdoor street market.

Movie night at Emily's.  We got subs and settled in to watch Narnia, Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

No photos today.  Sometimes the doing is more important than pulling out the camera.

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Saturday July 18 -  The girls had arranged a treat for us in advance ordering tickets for the theatre in Chemainus.

Emily, Beth-Anne, Catherine

View from the main st

Salads- including a seaweed one

Salmon main course

Little fang with dessert

After the buffet lunch served in the restuarant right in the theatre we went in to see Fiddler On The Roof.  The theatre is small so every seat is close to the stage.   I knew the songs but had never seen the show before.  The show was very professional with a multi-talented cast.  Most played more than one instrument and all had excellent singing voices.    Chemainus Theatre Festival

As was typical on our trip we headed off to the nearest coffee shop after wandering some of the shops.  We all bought something at the candy store stop.

Unfortunately Catherine developed a tooth problem yesterday that while slowing her down today  didn't stop her.   By the time we returned home she was ready to take another pain killer and crawl into bed.      I joined the others for a spaghetti dinner that Dom had ready for us.  

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Sunday June 19 -  Late morning wander downtown to do some

shopping with the kids.    Beth-Anne and Dom waited patiently outside one of the souvenir shops while C. Em and I browsed.

We ate lunch at the Irish Times Pub.   I had the Seafood club:Bacon, lettuce, tomato, smoked garlic aioli, apple chutney, grilled salmon on panini with prawn garnish that came with a side bowl of clam chowder.  Tried a Lime Shandy, beer and lime juice.  I'd order the meal again but not bother with the drink.

Cath. likes to read local news

After visiting and buying at the Sunday Market at Centennial Square  we ended up at the coffee shop the girls frequent  after yoga classes.  Is there a shop in town these kids have missed?  Wild was totally different with it's rustic furniture.  The arms of the chairs were the perfect size for holding cups and saucers.  Good coffee.

Playing with some settings on my camera ...

...so I could find the self-timer

Cath. and I left the others at a grocery store buying supplies for dinner and after getting a little lost ( first time for everything ) headed home.

Light salad meal for dinner, cantaloupe and prosciutto ham served with fresh bread, once again put together for us by the young ones.  It really was nice being so well looked after.  No meal planning, no cooking, no cleaning up.

Our girls holiday easily opened up to include Dom.   Didn't take me long after Emily arrived to start calling us- The Four Hers and a Him. 

Monday June 20 -  Thanks to an online search by the girls Catherine saw a dentist this morning. His office was just around the corner from the apartment and after he checked her, took some X rays and wrote her a prescription for an antibiotic we sat in yet another coffee shop waiting for her pills.    It all went smoothly and cost far less then we had expecting.

Tucked C. into bed to rest, grabbed my phone, my water bottle and my camera and headed to Beacon Hill Park.   This poppy had caught my eye every time I walked by the house next door.   I bought some seeds at the Moss Street Market and hopefully I'll have some growing in my garden next year.

A block away from home and into the park

One of the larger water areas. 

Pretty flowers always catch my attention,

as do cute baby ducks

There are quite a number of peacocks in the park and they are tame enough to get quite close.

This doesn't begin to show the brilliant colours.  

The park borders Dallas Rd where we sat earlier on our holiday.  This time I took a long walk along the paved path stopping often to admire the views.

Clouds over the Olympus Mountains across the water in Washington State

Looking down the cliff to the shoreline

do click to enlarge for a better view

Whale watching boats passing.   Lucky shot with the sailboats also in the frame.

Filling our faces.

Walked the park again later in the day with the others.  Time for dinner at the Beacon Drive Inn.  The medication seems to be working for Cath. already.  Burgers weren't the best but the company couldn't have been better!

 

Sisters on holiday.

As impressive as the front view

More peacocks.  This one gave us quite a show. What we discovered as we got closer were the ducks trying to steal it's dinner.

After much fluttering and advancing on the peacocks part, the ducks retreated.

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 Tuesday June 21 -  Our last full day.   Catherine never misses a trip to Craigdarroch Castle when visiting her girls.   She is quick to notice changes and additions.  I was wowed again by the wood work in the hall and staircase.  Do visit the link for pictures better than I could have taken.

Now this was worth a shot.  I wouldn't mind a toilet roll holder like this

We picked up a soft drink  and a Rogers Chocolate treat each in the gift shop and found  a bench in the shade in the Government House gardens that are open to the public before our walk home. 

Neither one of us wants to leave yet but holidays can't last forever.   The girls were surprised at how few tourist attractions we visited but both of us have been in the city before and this trip was about spending time together doing different things.     We tried on hats at one store, C. tried on glass frames in a funky little retro shop and after rejecting ones that were more suited to Elton John bought an attractive pair that she will use with her next prescription. We laughed, we talked, we walked...oh how we walked.    We shopped.   We ate out, we spent time with the girls.   I spent more time in coffee shops than ever before and still didn't learn the proper ordering language.     We discovered that even after all these years we can live together easily.

Emily came over to help us sort and pack all the things we bought.  Some for ourselves and some for family waiting our return.    We managed without having to borrow any extra cases.    Beth-Anne made us a curried Chicken dish for our final dinner.

 Catherine and her girls were a delight and I'll happily repeat this kind of holiday given half a chance.

 

           

                                             

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  Wednesday June 22 -  After breakfast we pulled our suitcase to the front hall then headed out for a last walk around the neighbourhood.   We had become quite comfortable, loving the ability to walk everywhere and the pleasant weather.    Picking up a last frappaccino  we sat on the balcony of Em's place and waited for Dom to come pick us up for our flight home.   

It went quickly as all holidays do but thinking back there is nothing I missed doing or a place I wished we had visited.    It wasn't the kind of holiday I would have had with Paul but that was the point.   I am so glad we went together and that Catherine's girls were so welcoming.  You too Dom.

Catherine has been to her own dentist and all is now well.