A day in October

 

Skeins

 

Washed and sun dried for winter projects.

Natural white Aran from Briggs

Five point for some Salish

something to remember

so long summer

first snow Oct 28

Linen

Evergreens

It was a delight to make this centerpiece of seasonal evergreens. A selection of cedar, yew, and scotch pines all found locally.  And a jolly garden gnome too.

Solstice

Bright mild and beautiful.
The sun around noon for the shortest day of the year.

Lemon Loaf with Raspberries

RASPBERRY LEMON LOAF


Serves: 1 loaf
INGREDIENTS
½ cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup greek yogurt. I used 0% plain
3 eggs
Zest of 1 lemon, reserve lemon for glaze
1½ cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup frozen raspberries
For the glaze
2 tbsp lemon juice
¾ cups powdered sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly coat a 9x5 pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl whisk together the oil and sugar. Add the yogurt, eggs, lemon zest and extract.
Slowly stir in the flour, baking powder and salt.
Fold in the frozen raspberries and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the loaf cool for at least an hour before turning it out onto a cooling rack.
Once cooled, whisk together the lemon juice and powdered sugar. Pour it evenly over the top.
Store in an airtight container.
NOTES
I like to tent the loaf pan with foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking so it doesn't get too brown. I missed about 10 minutes on this one - hence the dark edges. Still good!
Frozen raspberries are less delicate and won't fall apart when folding them in.

First snow of the year

Snow on lavender

flashes

finally

some blue

a touch of blue beneath the tree

sunshine

It has been well over a week since we had any sunshine.  Today is such a treat, the sun has been out for most of the morning and the weather is really mild at just around zero.  Wore my sneakers and took the poles for a long walk around the bare streets.  Most of the neighbours had the same idea too and I had lots of chats and catching up in the mild air.  Tomorrow,  though a big storm is underway. Back to boots.

sunrise

This has been a whole week of sunshine and stunning sunrises each morning.

Another beautiful sunrise this morning

sundogs in the late evening sky

oat cakes

 Oatcakes

These Scotch oatcakes came from Prince Edward Island, (called “Abegweit” by the Micmac Indians) where the recipe originated.  The Scots who settled on the island during the first half of the nineteenth century brought their oatcake recipe, which is very similar in appearance to packaged graham wafers.

Mix together:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar (I used brown sugar)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

With a pastry blender or two knives cut in:
3/4 cup shortening

With a fork, stir in:
1/2 cup water or milk (I did all these steps in my food processor by pulsing it)

(Dough should just cling together.)

Divide in three portions. Roll out each very thin on a a lightly floured surface. Cut into 2-inch squares with a knife or pastry cutter. Place 1 inch apart on un-greased baking sheet.

Bake in 375˚ oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Makes 4 to 5 dozen oatcakes.

first light

first snow this season

woke up to a light dusting of snow this morning
thankfully it only lasted a day

wolf river apples

putting up a bushel of Wolf River apples for the winter

notes on the apples

Wolf River is an American cultivar of domesticated apple, which originates from the shores of the Wolf River of Wisconsin, known since 1875. Tree is exceptionally frost hardy and generally disease resistant. Fruit is large commonly weighing over a pound and fairly sweet, red blushed over yellow. Uses primarily for cooking, keeps shape in cooking, keeps good in storage, late harvest.

early november sunrise