Why I Need to Take my Camera Everywhere

This morning I learned a very important lesson...

MY PHOTO

BEAUTIFUL MAMA DEER

AND HER NEWBORN BABY

Do not go anywhere without my camera. The soon to be 5 year old and I took the back roads home after dropping the kids off at school. Half way home, I had to pull over to the side of the road to watch a mama deer licking what looked to be a very new baby deer. It was the smallest deer I have ever seen...it took a few steps on wobbly legs closer to his mama to have a drink. SO CUTE! And me without my camera... it was a great moment for me and my baby boy who isn't so much of a baby anymore.

Yesterday afternoon our family enjoyed visiting a few local farms for open farm day...

we visited a local asparagus farm where we enjoyed a tasting of grilled asparagus and cream of asparagus soup (the kids all loved it and I think it will be on tonight's dinner menu).

The kids also enjoyed learning how to pick asparagus and eating their pickings raw.

My favourite moment may have been when the farmer pointed out the field of barley and I was able to listen to my 7 and 9 year olds "discuss" how much they loved barley and trying to figure out how many bowls of beef barley soup mom could make with this field. I loved watching their eyes light up at the thought. And I felt a little surge of pride (and a hint of sadness) as the farmer remarked how impressed she was that they would make those kinds of connections as most kids can't anymore...wouldn't it be great if all kids could do that!

At the pasture-raised chicken farm we were able to go for a ride on a horse drawn cart...

and watch chickens scratching around outside just like they did in the "good old days".

We saw how chickens can live and thrive outside with moveable houses and electric fence.

After a long afternoon visiting farms we headed home to play outside and cook up some leftovers...

I purposefully bought and boiled a few extra lobsters because the best kind of leftovers always involves lobster...

I put a pot of water on to boil...tossed in a box of linguine...deshelled and chopped up the extra lobsters and a handful of flat leaf parsley...

I melted some butter in a saucepan and tossed in the lobster and parsley ( I would have added a squeeze of fresh lemon but I was all out of fresh lemons)...

After a couple of minutes when the pasta was done I tossed it with the lobster mix...

pulled the leftover tossed salad out of the fridge and created the fastest, easiest, loved by all, Sunday supper...

have I mentioned yet how much I love week-ends?

Lobster Season!

I had to smile when I saw the sign at my local small grocer...LOBSTERS...one day only...preorder by May 22nd!

Normally, I like to eat local, but, I also like to eat with the seasons and I have been missing Nova Scotia this month as May is the opening of Lobster season. And so, without too much (well, honestly not any) thought I walked straight to the meat department and was the first one on the list...

I ordered a few and then after thinking about it for a couple of days, I ordered a few more...and then a few more.

I brought my two youngest to pick them up. They were so excited. It has been almost two years since our last lobster feast and even though my youngest boys are only 7 and (almost) 5, they still remember lobster season and couldn't wait to bring some home!

My daughter was upset that she missed the homecoming...so she asked if she could cook them...so she did. No squeamishness... just tossed them in the pot. In the craziness my camera was placed on the side and not picked up again until dinner...

The kids loved having a whole lobster to themselves.

I loved watching their curiosity and enjoyment.

They really enjoyed eating the lobster. But what I thought was really funny was that even more than eating it they loved asking for the shells...

to play with in the grass.

So while the adults finished up and cleared the tables for dessert, the boys played with their temporary pets and had a great time (who needs toys anyway!).

Even though we are no longer in Nova Scotia and lobster is far from local - we indulged and had a great time doing it.

Country Living

While I do not necessarily live in the country...my house only borders country... I still enjoy some of the benefits (or liabilities depending on your view) of country living. This morning while eating breakfast we looked out our back window and saw somebody looking back at us...

I am not sure who was more excited...my husband or my kids.

Actually, that is not true. I know exactly who was the most excited...the 6'2" kid sitting beside me.

The kids are having some indoor playtime for a bit this morning...then I think we will head out on a hike before we have a very YUMMY dinner to celebrate my hubby's birthday. I love Saturdays.

Have a great week-end!

signs of spring...

Two of my favourite signs of spring have been popping up all over for the past couple of weeks...

Just in case I haven't mentioned it before... I love asparagus season! And the little corner of the world where I live is known for producing great asparagus. This season I may be consuming a little more than my fair share...but it is SO good! I love...really love roasted asparagus. Although I think I may be the only one in my family who is happy that there are at least two more weeks left in the season! The same could be said for rhubarb... my kids do not share my obsession with the tart, pink, deliciousness...but I am really enjoying the flavours of spring this year and they are learning to like them...they don't seem to match my level of excitement until strawberry season hits.

The other sign of spring that I can not get enough of is lilacs!

After fruit blossoms, my favourite spring flower is definitely lilacs.

I love how lilacs perfume the air...

I love the variations in colour...

I love how simple the individual flowers are...

and I love bringing in an armful and grouping them together...

Waking up to the scents and sights of spring are one of life's small pleasures. 

and I am learning that it is the small things that make the biggest difference.

Bees and Blossoms

This past week I have been enjoying the beauty, sounds and scents of all the local blossoms...

The week (or so) that the blossoms are out is one of my favourite times of year...

Looking at a group of trees blossoming is so beautiful! I love standing under a tree and really looking at each blossom...knowing that they are the promise of fruit that will soon come.

I love being surrounded by the subtle sweetness...

But, I think what I love most is the sound...

I love the humming of the bees.

I love watching hundreds of bees at work.

I think I could sit and watch them all day.

Each year I fall more and more in love with bees...

I think I may need to get my own hive... I just need somewhere to put it!

Yes, my *imaginary* farm definitely has a few hives!

and lots and lots of blossoms!

For now, I am enjoying the efforts of others... and loving what I see!

First Novels

I am taking an advanced writing course this semester.

Yesterday, I finally sent in the first chapter of my first novel. I have written some short stories, memoir pieces and other small works but this is my first attempt at something big...

I am a little nervous waiting to hear back from my professor.

What I have enjoyed most is sharing my writing experiences with my daughter. When I started writing I was having some difficulties with the creative part. I find that writing creative non-fiction comes pretty easily to me, but fiction is much more difficult. To help me with my creativity I asked my daughter to help me by playing a character sketch game. In our game, we take the first person we see and tell who they are. Name, birthdate, where they live, hobbies, job, family, where they are going...whatever comes to mind. I find it much easier to be creative when I have something concrete to start with. We have come up with some pretty fun stories and we have had a few good laughs on the drive to school.

A few weeks ago I went to a used book sale and picked up an old book for my daughter...

Inside the front cover is an inscription that reads...Love to Gail, From Mum and Dad. For fun the other night I asked my daughter "Who is Gail?". In the past two days, she has written three chapters of "Gail's story". She has three pages of short character sketches for all of Gail's friends and family. She has been researching on the internet to discover what life was like in the 40s and 50s. She knows almost everything about Gail and is writing her story in the first person. Her story is really good. She is only twelve. She has inspired me to write more.

Our conversations have really helped me get to know my characters and I have learned that knowing your characters makes writing fiction just as easy as non-fiction. I'm not sure if my novel will be any good when it is finished, or what grade I will get or if I will ever get published; but, the time I have been spending with my daughter is something that I am so grateful for and will never forget.

Where will U go next?

As we were loading up our Uhaul preparing to leave Vancouver in December, I walked around the side of the truck, smiled and had to take a picture...

I wasn't sure how long we would be in the Okanagan or exactly where we would be in a year. We have moved so many times in the past 14 years (9 times to be exact ~ 3 provinces, 2 cross country moves, and 2 cross province moves and that also included a 5 year stay in one house).  Everytime I look at this photo I am not sure if the attitude of the quote is a curious...here comes an exciting adventure kind of question or if it is just mocking me.

This week I have been wanting to unpack all the boxes of items that are not really necessary to our day to day lives; all the well loved "luxury items" that have not been used in awhile - primarily a lot of dishes, books and craft/art supplies. I have been looking around the rental house desperately wanting to paint/change light fixtures/rip out carpet, etc. but I can't. My internal "must be time to move" alarm has begun to ring. This is usually where I start packing up essentials, and dreaming of a place that I can make my own, that looks and feels the way I want it to. Where I can be surrounded by all the stuff I love, where I can get organized and finally settle down a little. Maybe even get a pet for the kids.

Our intended move to Nova Scotia this summer is not working out the way we planned. We are all getting a little restless...

Instead of packing up and looking for our next new place to live...

I registered my youngest son in Kindergarten at the neighbourhood school for September and my hubby has been talking to the landlord about painting the house...

I'm feeling a little out of my comfort zone, but interested to see how this adventure turns out.

Fresh, Local Beef

Today I had a very fun, informative and unusual day.

My dad raises cattle and I was lucky enough this year to split a steer with my brother. Today, I was invited to watch the butcher cut and wrap our beef.

This guy was huge! Each quarter weighed in at over 275lbs...

I love getting beef from my dad. I watched this steer out in the field many times and I know that he had a relatively happy life. I know that he was drug free. I know the fields he grazed and was raised in.

He was a little fattier than normal because he was 2 1/2 (my dad usually has his steers butchered at 2). But, he was hung for about 3 1/2 weeks and he looks delicious.

Now, for many people, four and a half hours watching someone cut meat may not be considered fun; but, I loved it.

I loved seeing how each cut of meat came off the animal and I loved being able to choose the cuts I wanted while looking at the piece of meat. 

I loved choosing the unusual cuts and making the butcher do a bit of extra work that he usually doesn't have to do.

While watching I kept thinking about how my kids were really missing out. They would love to watch and see how we get our meat. So I took over 200 photos so they wouldn't miss out on anything...I am very grateful for digital cameras!

While watching, my hubby and I discussed all the many ways we would cook our beef...

we became very hungry.

This year, I am hoping that I will be able to not only eat in season, local (and organic when possible) but I am also hoping to store up enough food for winter so that we can continue to eat great, flavourful food all year long! Starting with my year's supply of beef...I am off to a great start. Although, I think I think I may need to buy a second freezer...