Garden Update: The Birds in April
April has seen mixed weather, from those teasing days of being lovely and warm mixed in with rainy days when it feels really chilly. It is so lovely to listen to the birds chirping away, all singing their spring mating … Continued
Birds: Leucism or Leucistic
Leucisim is a partial loss of colour/pigmentation in birds. It causes white spots or splotches. In birds it does not effect the colour of eyes therefore the birds are not considered albino. On the rainy days this month I have … Continued
Recipe: Gluten Free Soda Bread
Finding a tasty bread when you are gluten free can be a challenge. I’ve tried so many kinds, all of them small, all very expensive compared to regular bread, and frequently hard to find. One thing I learned is to … Continued
Crafts: Boots and Bumbershoots
Bumbershoot is the old fashioned name for umbrella. I love unusual words. I decided to turn that umbrella upside down, add some spring things and make a bumbershoot display instead of the traditional wreath. I have several umbrellas but didn’t … Continued
Plant Profile: Marsh Marigolds
Marsh marigolds, cowslips or caltha palustris are lovely yellow blooming perennial plants that grow in shallow water near marshy or swampy areas. A few years ago we ventured into the swampy, mucky area close to our house to dig a … Continued
Birds: R for Robins
We always await the return of the robins, sometime in mid February … a sure sign that spring is on the way. Spring arrives on/or around March 20/21 but we all know that the first day of spring isn’t always … Continued
Recipe: Scalloped Veggies
A delicious recipe with naturally gluten free vegetables topped a gluten free white sauce (seasoned) and cheddar cheese slices. Ingredients: Dill, parsley and Italian seasoning were added to the white sauce. You can choose to add what you like or … Continued
Plant Profile: Trillium
The white trillium has been the provincial flower of Ontario since 1937. The name ‘trillium’ comes from the Latin for ‘three’. The plant has large, often white, three-petaled flowers above three broad bracts that look like leaves. They are members … Continued
Recipe: Veggie Frittata
Make a delicious broccoli, carrot, cheese and egg frittata. Naturally gluten free and delicious. A frittata is an egg dish similar to an omelette or crustless quiche with veggies added. I love the farm fresh eggs I get on a … Continued
Birds: Hawks
Hawk is the common name for a medium sized bird of prey. We frequently see them flying overhead scanning the fields for food. There are times when they will swoop into the garden in hopes of capturing a small songbird. … Continued
Recipe: Delicious Parmesan Roasties
These are the most delicious roasties you can make. I’ve seen a few different recipes to make parmesen roasted potatoes and this is the way I chose to make mine. Ingredients: Wash and dry the mini potatoes. I prefer red … Continued
Birds: D for Doves
There is always an abundance of mourning doves in and around the garden. They are year round visitors and it is lovely to hear their wooing or cooing call in the spring and summer months. In winter they settle down … Continued
Sewing: Upcycled Bags Completed
I’ve now completed two upcycled bags with crazy quilt blocks with both hand embroidery and machine embroidery stitches. The green bag, started a week ago, is stitched and stands perfectly. The purple one has both types of stitching too. The … Continued
Crochet Covered Coathangers
I have a huge collection of coloured, plastic coat hangers and wanted a way to cover them. I’ve seen a few different versions of this hanger and have adjusted the pattern I was given to suit myself. A lovely lady … Continued
Recipe: Deconstructed Cottage Pie
One of the meals I like to keep in the freezer is mince/veggies/potatoes or my version of a de-constructed cottage pie. The potatoes are cooked and mashed and frozen in portions in muffin tins. When fresh veggies are in season … Continued