tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18527787069499284962012-01-25T15:00:44.878-05:00barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.comBlogger4471100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-18505191670071491102012-01-25T08:51:00.000-05:002012-01-25T08:52:11.842-05:00

Every now and then I realize that, well, we're weird. We left suburbia for the country, choosing a small, drafty farmhouse over a large, modern, all-the-amenities home. We started making our own food, including the animal variety, thanks to chickens, ducks, and deer. The kids were, until this year, all homeschooled. R entered grade 10 this year and while she enjoys it, she has said several

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-91666257737609014852012-01-14T11:46:00.000-05:002012-01-14T11:46:34.738-05:00

A new year, and a new challenge... Maranda of Jolts & Jollies was our January 2012 Daring Cooks hostess with the mostess! Maranda challenged us to make traditional Mexican Tamales as our first challenge of the year! I have never made tamales. My knowledge of Mexican food is, well, pretty much nil. I can make nachos and fajitas. And I'm pretty sure the Old El Paso taco-in-a-box mix doesn't count

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-31401501321189595452012-01-14T10:58:00.004-05:002012-01-14T12:54:14.884-05:00

So Christmas dinner involved 15 people, and two turkeys - one cooked overnight with one stuffing, the second popped in on Christmas morning with the second.  Sound like a lot of work? Logistics aside, it was perfect and I'd do it again. The logistics involved: - two smaller birds (16lb each) versus one huge one (25+ lb) - an oven capable of only one of those at a time - one roaster pan - one

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-88208497555354280152011-11-23T10:48:00.001-05:002011-11-23T11:16:08.207-05:00

Every Christmas growing up, we had it. Thanksgivings too, I think. My first time roasting a turkey as a newlywed, I called my mom to ask for it. Every Christmas and Thanksgiving, I have made it. Without fail, if I'm making a turkey dinner, it is there.  Mom's turkey stuffing. Potato, seasoned bread, onion, and savoury - so much savoury! Likely my favourite part of the meal, I would make far more

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-83188675189144804322011-11-14T07:55:00.001-05:002011-11-14T10:53:33.839-05:00

I enjoy tea. Black, green, oolong, chai - a cup is such a nice break or a pick-me-up during the day. This month, though, I got to expand my use of tea and cook with it. Sarah from Simply Cooked was our November Daring Cooks’ hostess and she challenged us to create something truly unique in both taste and technique! We learned how to cook using tea with recipes from Tea Cookbook by Tonia George

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-13226337513082007992011-11-09T11:19:00.001-05:002011-11-09T12:26:15.770-05:00

I've been craving donairs. They were the late-night study food in university, shaved seasoned meat coated with  garlicky sauce in a pita. A real Maritime thing. Not being there, I looked up a recipe that I'm trying tonight - the meat is made and cooling - but realized this morning that the sauce called for canned evaporated milk. Of course, none was to be found on the kitchen shelf.  No problem!

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-44943081878331969402011-11-03T09:54:00.000-04:002011-11-03T09:54:30.703-04:00

 Ducks. Now there's something we'll do again. They entertained as they grew, making us laugh as they swam in their little pool or walked around shaking their tails. It's some sort of reflex thing they seem to do, and made me smile every time. They like to hang around in groups and even when they did get out of their pen (as when they realized that they could fly), they just sort of wandered

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-63466375275670788142011-11-03T09:47:00.001-04:002011-11-03T09:54:44.291-04:00

Our farm summer is over: the garden done, all the meat birds gone in various ways, the cows returned to their home farm.   Some kale and chard remain to be eaten, but it was a nice summer with the garden. Not the greatest for tomato yields, but what we got was delicious.   We raised and took two batches of meat birds to the slaughterhouse, putting 32 roasters into our freezer. In a way the

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-54403075519618260272011-10-24T11:26:00.001-04:002011-10-24T11:26:34.871-04:00

Rehearsals, rehearsals. The band has another concert date on the horizon (November 5th!) and so we are hard at work bringing the music together. This time is an even bigger musical variety than last time, and Uberguitarist has once again pulled seemingly disparate elements like Grieg and the Beatles together into what will be a fun music lineup.  'Blank Page' will debut there, too. My new song

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-45466179413398901982011-10-14T09:56:00.000-04:002011-10-17T18:48:20.021-04:00

This month I got to try a food I'd never tasted, only heard referred to in silly songs. And it was fabulous. The October Daring Cooks' Challenge was hosted by Shelley of C Mom Cook and her sister Ruth of The Crafts of Mommyhood. They challenged us to bring a taste of the East into our home kitchens by making our own Moo Shu, including thin pancakes, stir fry and sauce. A dish from northern China,

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-52422286788553296492011-09-26T11:31:00.002-04:002011-09-26T13:00:57.684-04:00

Eight years ago, JB left us. I still miss my nephew, my friend, my kindred spirit. And more than a few times in the intervening years, I've heard "won't it be good to see him again someday?" more often than I care to count. Yes, it's true. Yes, it's well meant. But selfish me wants him here, now - not there, later. But it's true. I hold on to that hope. So I got the picture of getting to heaven

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-14871397171536182832011-09-22T09:04:00.000-04:002011-10-17T19:09:22.426-04:00

I'm late in posting this, and with my camera continuing to be disagreeable, it's lacking in pictures. Which is too bad, really, because this month's challenge had some very good visuals of before and after. The challenge was to make stock and soup, with the option of making a consommé. Peta, of the blog Peta Eats, was our lovely hostess for the Daring Cook’s September 2011 challenge, “Stock to

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-44962240923100864202011-09-12T22:53:00.000-04:002011-09-22T09:05:09.170-04:00

Writing is a funny thing. And I don't speak here of those who craft plots, who create characters who draw us into their lives, their struggles, failures and triumphs. I am a pathetic failure at trying to do that. I am eternally grateful to those who do; to live among their pages for a moment is a rare and precious gift. Then again, maybe writing is funny to them too, but I just don't know about

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-27355575656104918962011-08-22T16:19:00.000-04:002011-09-22T09:05:01.312-04:00

*disclaimer* I wrote this right after the first weekend in August, then planned to add photos. My camera is being cantankerous though, seemingly has something against my computer. So, here's the plain old blog.* Our planned long weekend camping trip being cancelled, we decided to fill up Saturday with a series of things exploring our city that had been on our radar to do for a little while now.

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-19350945524080924202011-07-27T00:38:00.001-04:002011-07-27T00:38:51.928-04:00

It's D's birthday today, so yesterday I found myself thinking yesterday that some sort of cake was called for. What to make for him... so I laughingly thought, if only I could make bacon into a cake! I mean, bacon? Of course. It makes everything better. My initial thought was to make a rectangular cake, then use colored strips of fondant melded together to look like a slab of bacon. Then I

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-7741589955769494152011-07-14T22:16:00.003-04:002011-07-27T00:38:45.580-04:00

July! Summer! Heat! And, another challenge: fresh pasta. Steph from Stephfood was our Daring Cooks' July hostess.  Steph challenged us to make homemade noodles without the help of a motorized pasta machine.  She provided us with recipes for Spätzle and Fresh Egg Pasta as well as a few delicious sauces to pair our noodles with! I have an Olympia stainless steel hand-crank pasta roller. I don't

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-68739956141297442362011-07-13T12:43:00.001-04:002011-07-13T12:43:54.474-04:00

It feels like I should have a partridge here, in a pear tree no less. A trip to the co-op today to pick up my order and I brought home 16 chicks (white Cornish Rock), 5 ducklings (white Muscovy), and 4 pheasants (ring-necked). The ducks and pheasants are a trial, having never raised them before. The chicks are a regular summer feature here on the farm, one batch already done this year. They're

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-52956727868327051792011-07-12T08:41:00.003-04:002011-07-13T12:44:09.227-04:00

July has pounced out of the bushes, leaving poor June far back in the distance as we race through summer. We spent a wonderful week in the Maritimes, reconnecting with family and reminding our kids that even if they were born inland, they still have the ocean in their blood. We relaxed, played with family, the kids hit the pool, I kayaked, D golfed, and we ate many marine creatures - mussels,

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-76784632288624081882011-06-14T08:17:00.056-04:002011-06-14T08:54:45.866-04:00

Summer is here, and this month's cooking challenge was one that for our family is closely tied to warm days of eating outside, enjoying food off the grill: potato salad. The one I make and grew up with is a creamy combination of potato, egg, onion, and mayo, along with a few other flavourings. The twist on this challenge, though, was to make it healthy. Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-69583881455367422032011-06-06T18:34:00.001-04:002011-06-14T08:52:55.259-04:00

D took him to the vet who confirmed not only the diagnosis, but that it was very aggressive and one of, if not the largest such tumors the vet had ever seen. Our hard decision, while still painful, was confirmed and as planned if that was the case, D had him put to sleep while there. He brought Samson home and we buried him down by the creek, beside Tasha's grave. He had run along that stretch

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-34250086857788851182011-06-05T23:56:00.002-04:002011-06-14T08:52:55.255-04:00

Samson. Archie the Wonder Dog. Sam the Mighty Hunter. Our pretty boy dog, whose goofiness and occasional idiocy have been cause for laughs but who has been such a good dog, has cancer. An aggressive form that has, quietly and insidiously, grown on his spleen. We had no idea until he couldn't walk this evening and we made an emergency trip to the vet. Spleen hemangiosarcoma. It's in constant

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-89754594211733352682011-05-25T18:30:00.000-04:002011-06-14T08:53:04.845-04:00

I've been pondering a phrase I came up with a few years back. On trying to think just when, it was in our old house, so that puts is back at least 8 years. I'm not sure I was the first to come up with it, but it was new to me and summed up perfectly that certain 'aaaahh' I get as a reader when words are put together in just such a way that it rolls off the tongue, flits happily around your mind,

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-90782593960460965572011-05-05T10:24:00.000-04:002011-06-14T08:52:48.295-04:00

As we sit here in the annoying limbo that is spring coming, almost but not quite, the snow gone and the sun warm but the wind still chilly, I find myself again pondering the question: what to do with this place? While the cows have returned each year, I am aware that at the farmer's age and the fact that his kids have no interest in farming, this source of use and income will not be a forever

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-88722208832793104882011-04-25T10:58:00.000-04:002011-06-14T08:52:48.291-04:00

Spring is here. I know because the flies have been emerging from the windows, buzzing around in their dopey hey-I-slept-in-a-window-frame-and-just-woke-up manner. I know because I can hear the waterfall from the house. I know because the crocuses, and now the daffodils, have dared to poke their heads up and start blooming. I know because the grass has green shoots peeping out. I know because the

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-75341208934893168132011-04-14T21:49:00.000-04:002011-06-14T08:52:20.500-04:00

This month brought a fun new challenge - edible containers. This was a fun challenge, as it was a little more about taking flavours I knew and combining them into a bowl that could be eaten, rather than trying entirely new cuisine. I have loved the journeys through Peru, Japan, and France these past months, but this month's was enjoyable in its own way. Renata of Testado, Provado & Aprovado! was

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-3923632272162246252011-03-20T22:40:00.002-04:002011-03-20T22:48:46.181-04:00

Sometimes my kids amaze me. Sometimes it's with their ability, their perseverance, their intellect, their hilarious senses of humour, their achievements, their faith and integrity. Of course between all those times we have the clothes not picked up, chores not quite done, homework half-attempted and given up, bickering over little things, and those sorts of things that make us all human.

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-42698171903229963712011-03-18T11:35:00.000-04:002011-06-14T08:53:17.467-04:00

It's the time of the school year when for a couple of weeks everything else is shelved and the girls get to work taking all their research of the months before and putting it into presentation-ready form for the Historica Fair. They learn about a specific area of history but also learn research, organization, and presentation as they described their project and answered questions for the judges.

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-54777896725569712422011-03-14T09:42:00.004-04:002011-06-14T08:53:21.720-04:00

Another month, another chance to make food I had never heard of - and introduce a few new favourites to our family! We got to sample Peruvian food this month and were joined by B, E and family.  Kathlyn of Bake Like a Ninja was our Daring Cooks’ March 2011 hostess. Kathlyn challenges us to make two classic Peruvian dishes: Ceviche de Pescado from “Peruvian Cooking – Basic Recipes” by Annik

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-66214504847239283872011-03-03T09:34:00.004-05:002011-03-03T09:37:12.332-05:00

So D and I started morning yoga, thanks to a DVD with five 20-minute morning workouts that each emphasize a different technique or body area. Standing poses were yesterday, twists today, bends and other stretches in the days to come. Yes - I now have my hockey-playing, gun-shooting, all-man hubby not only eating tofu, but doing yoga. Truth be told, it's to help in his hockey conditioning, aid

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-85459776459543817442011-02-14T09:38:00.002-05:002011-02-14T17:40:20.087-05:00

After last month's foray into French food, this month's take on Japanese was a change of pace, flavour and style. And so good, eaten up and enjoyed by D and the girls too.Hiyashi soba, veggie tempura, with some sushi and seaweed salad for good measure.The February 2011 Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by Lisa of Blueberry Girl. She challenged Daring Cooks to make Hiyashi Soba and Tempura. She

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-32089476604731526462011-02-04T15:13:00.001-05:002011-02-04T15:13:43.620-05:00

We finally got a snowstorm the other day. And while I realized that it inconvenienced many people, and makes for delays and dangerous driving, and fills the narrow streets of the cities, and spends my tax dollars in snow removal, the little girl in me still defiantly dances around gleefully singing, "snow! snow! wheee!"She's incorrigible, but I do like her.Yesterday I set out to be a tough farm

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-3441349274655396282011-01-31T22:53:00.001-05:002011-01-31T22:57:40.841-05:00

A few changes at the farmhouse over the last month in the pet department...Six-year-old MeMe has joined us, and is settling in well. She's a sweetheart and the girls love her, even when their stuffed toys mysteriously make their way into MeMe's sleeping crate. Sam has not minded the addition, and it's been fun to see the two playing in the snow while the girls skate on the creek.Note to self:

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-15858997659532572312011-01-17T09:42:00.002-05:002011-01-17T09:46:56.080-05:00

The cold has descended, creeping in and chilling everything. Last night dipped to -25C (-13F), although 'dipped' seems the wrong word when it seems to be firmly ensconced there still this morning. It's chill-to-the-bone cold, nostril-freezing, throat-numbing, hide inside cold. Which is really too bad, as D used the snowblower on the weekend to clear off a section of the creek and (oh, irony!)

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-40265816856971520892011-01-14T08:11:00.007-05:002011-01-14T08:41:38.913-05:00

"Cassoulet, that best of bean feasts, is everyday fare for a peasant but ambrosia for a gastronome, though its ideal consumer is a 300-pound blocking back who has been splitting firewood nonstop for the last twelve hours on a subzero day in Manitoba." - Julia Child, Julia Child and More Company, Cassoulet for a CrowdBefore this challenge I had neither heard of a confit, nor a cassoulet. I am now

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-28483386375751922142011-01-11T11:29:00.002-05:002011-01-11T11:35:05.459-05:00

I started cooking with duck this week. In fact, had one of the biggest laughs in a while in the kitchen when D was walking in and I yelled "DUCK!" and tossed one at him. He deftly caught it, insightfully (or luckily?) realizing that I was announcing the projectile rather than warning him to avoid it. Good times.The 'real' reason for duck will show up here on Friday when I post the January Daring

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-34508733919652996822010-12-21T12:29:00.004-05:002010-12-22T09:13:51.498-05:00

We're settling into the week before Christmas.The tree, fetched from a nearby farm, is up and decorated, warming the living room with its lights each night. Almost all gifts are bought and wrapped, peeking from underneath the tree. Baking is in the freezer, with more to follow over the next few days. Christmas dinner for about 15 is planned and most of the food bought. Dickens's A Christmas Carol

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-45878789631206572772010-12-14T11:16:00.003-05:002011-01-13T20:39:56.317-05:00

This month's challenge was poaching. No, not sneaking off to the woods to steal endangered animals, but the cooking technique. Poached eggs remind me of childhood. Coming into the sunny kitchen in the morning, the little radio playing the morning show while Dad had a poached egg on toast before leaving for the office, is one of those childhood vignettes for me. It comes back to me whenever I make

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-27951429423386806372010-12-06T09:13:00.002-05:002010-12-06T09:15:05.676-05:00

Generally, week by week for Sunday morning I plan a a lot. Picking the songs based on theme, key, who's going to be there for the band, etc. But sometimes decisions are made on the fly. Last night the four ladies from our worship team took part in a community concert. We had planned the songs, rehearsed them (given this group, that really doesn't take loads of time as they are officially awesome)

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-76269734173250801232010-11-16T11:05:00.003-05:002010-11-16T11:06:43.109-05:00

I sat down to write and nothing came. So I played. Moving through chord structures, trying new combinations. Playing in C# major, something I'd always feared as a pianist and realizing it's not so tough after all.But no words. Nothing.A text came from Seren: put a blank page in front of you.A blank page. It stared at me; the inspiration came. Realizing that, like the page, each day is blank and

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-500488499811603632010-11-14T15:49:00.001-05:002011-01-13T20:39:56.317-05:00

Soufflés! This month's challenge was once again something I'd never made before. Dave and Linda from Monkeyshines in the Kitchen chose Soufflés as our November 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge! Dave and Linda provided two of their own delicious recipes plus a sinfully decadent chocolate soufflé recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s recipe found at the BBC Good Food website.I will admit that their

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-8557575243506224892010-11-04T09:18:00.003-04:002010-11-04T09:20:47.870-04:00

Calgary and the GMA week were both amazing, and both left much scurrying around in my mind. Which either means that I'm thinking a lot, or there is plenty of space in there for said thoughts to scurry. I'd like to think the former, though I do wonder sometimes.The weekend brought opportunities for new contacts, hearing stories and advice from seasoned artists, taking in the Covenant Awards and

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-59879141331847311242010-10-29T09:43:00.001-04:002010-10-29T09:47:21.063-04:00

I can see the Rockies. When we drove around the city yesterday en route to an event, I literally squealed, "mountains! mountains!" to which D replied, "I think they're clouds". They were indeed the mountains, but pretty far away. So close yet so far away; our schedule won't let us get to see lovely and much-hyped-but-apparently-very-worth-it Banff. Another time.We've been meeting musicians,

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-50477312305326616942010-10-26T08:36:00.002-04:002010-10-26T08:49:52.018-04:00

Every year, GMA (Gospel Music Association) Canada hosts the Covenant awards, celebrating Christian music in Canada. In conjunction with that, they are putting on GMA Canada Week, including a songwriting competition and a performance competition.I'm entered in both.(insert deep breath here)I alternate between "what a great opportunity!" and "what have I gotten myself into?".Three weeks ago I

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-66461950544015430242010-10-14T18:50:00.001-04:002011-01-13T20:40:05.323-05:00

Another month, another something new in the kitchen. I've never even eaten them before, but this month (tonight, in fact) I made stuffed grape leaves. Our October 2010 hostess, Lori of Lori’s Lipsmacking Goodness, has challenged The Daring Cooks to stuff grape leaves. Lori chose a recipe from Aromas of Aleppo and a recipe from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food.It took a trip to the local

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-91658536059689154752010-10-14T09:47:00.004-04:002010-10-14T09:54:20.828-04:00

This is cool. I'm now listed on reverbnation.com, and they have this nifty little widget setup. Lots of artist links and such, I'm still finding my way around it.

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-84796404646538320182010-10-06T08:57:00.000-04:002010-10-06T08:57:45.375-04:00

I'm typically a neutrals sort of girl. But this ... oooh, I couldn't help it. It's so cute! Want want want!

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-30939075828774370152010-10-01T22:21:00.002-04:002010-10-01T22:22:17.870-04:00

Spices, I'm thinking, have a bit of a season about them (no pun intended).Spring is a time of herbs: parsley, thyme, oregano. Fresh and new. Summer wants basil and rosemary, their heady flavors adding punch to sun-sweet tomatoes and light omelets. Fall is all about the brown spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice all jostle for their place in my baking. Winter likes the brown spices but

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-29729552288110080022010-09-28T11:27:00.001-04:002010-09-28T11:27:53.062-04:00

Sunday came and went. Another September 26th. Seven years since J went home. Seven years since we learned how much changes in an instant. Seven years missing him.Another anniversary of the day. Yes, says my rational mind, but another day does not make him any more gone from you.That's not the point, I reply.What is, then? Oh rational mind, you can be annoying when you persist.I don't know. But I

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-14881840992510266392010-09-16T18:52:00.001-04:002010-09-16T18:52:23.288-04:00

This has been a singularly dreary day. Not in a things-went-bad way, but in the cool chill and wind of a dreary fall day. It was never really bright outside at all, and I was cheered by lighting a few pretty candles and making cozy food (shrimp risotto, and an apple coffee cake for dessert!), and hanging with my family all day. The season of making thick, hearty soups and savory stews is upon us.

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-53460833632225730572010-09-16T08:11:00.001-04:002011-01-13T20:39:56.318-05:00

Fall is in the air, and now in my kitchen. This month's Daring Kitchen challenge was for preserving food. Now, I've done the canning thing. Every year since I've been married, I think. And two years ago, with our stall at the local farmer's market, we made more preserves than I'd ever thought I could in one summer.We made jam. Strawberry, peach, raspberry, plum, strawberry-rhubarb.We made jelly.

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-56637039369381007912010-09-14T10:22:00.001-04:002010-09-14T10:22:55.015-04:00

Today I ran for 30 minutes. And covered 4.5km. I have never run so long or so far in one go. I'm tired, but the sense of accomplishment is something of a reward in itself.My goal of 5km is in reach, and I begin to ponder what to do over the winter when snow flies and the ice covers the pavement, and the biting wind is enough to keep me indoors. Pilates? Yoga? I don't want to lose the advantage I

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-74050534517071766612010-09-13T08:53:00.002-04:002010-09-13T08:54:18.675-04:00

I love fall. While the warm nights of summer give me pause to sigh and enjoy the porch until the mosquitoes discover us, and the promise of spring always fills me with hope, autumn is my favorite season.On my second run last week, I headed into the cool morning to the sound of geese starting their journey to their southern home. The swallows left us weeks ago, and the starlings chattered in the

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-74008565552164600682010-09-03T08:08:00.003-04:002010-09-03T08:13:16.695-04:00

"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?" - Satchel PaigeToday I am forty years old. I spent the earlier part of this year dreading it, feeling the inevitable approach, wanting to hide from it but knowing it was futility. It sounded like the end of being carefree, the start of careworn. The end of fun. The start of being drab. But then over the last month or so, I realized a few

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-83460471609336587502010-09-01T10:35:00.001-04:002010-09-01T10:35:14.032-04:00

We're back at school, and the girls have a new assignment this year: each of them now has a blog. It's intended as a writing exercise, getting them to think of what they wish to communicate it and the best way to do so. It's a side lesson of grammar, composition and editing. The fact that they're excited about it lets the lesson part sneak in (almost) unnoticed.I hope they have fun. They all

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-68756598117625597992010-08-29T23:16:00.001-04:002010-08-29T23:16:39.262-04:00

I feel like an idiot.Remembered today an annual songwriting award. Not based on radio play, but on actual songwriting merit. Something I think I'd have a shot at. I looked it up online and got excited as I read over the guidelines, thinking I'd found a home, a happy place where my songs could feel good.The deadline was June 30th.

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-19722779573989325192010-08-25T09:05:00.002-04:002010-08-25T09:10:17.677-04:00

From my East Coast tour and trip, I return to my glamorous life on the farm.My chickens squawk a lot sometimes. When they wander happily around they make little purring sounds that are really quite pleasant, though I must admit it was not what I expected as a kid who grew up thinking all they did was cluck. If they cluck or squawk, they're upset. Ah, the things you learn.Yesterday after supper

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-5132522666191207632010-08-24T09:33:00.004-04:002010-09-03T23:37:46.875-04:00

We are home. Sleeping in our own beds after ten nomadic days visiting friends and family in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The time flew by but we did manage to fit a lot in...- a few days in Fredericton, with a show there. Smallish attendance but all went well and it felt really good. Meeka was delighted to be appointed videographer for the concerts and took her job very seriously.- the cottage

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-41498260725937049152010-08-14T19:49:00.002-04:002010-08-24T09:32:41.808-04:00

I'm on tour this week with a few concerts, but before we left I did manage to make this month's Daring Kitchen challenge. And we're three for three on the "try something new and realize you love it" front.The August 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by LizG of Bits n’ Bites and Anula of Anula’s Kitchen. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make pierogi from scratch and an optional

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-62795033095914780162010-08-12T07:11:00.001-04:002010-08-24T09:32:49.391-04:00

Everything on every front seems to be coming down to one point, when we leave tomorrow.The second batch of chicks made their one-way trip yesterday and we now have fifteen more roasters in the freezer. The coop needs to be cleaned today, the grass cut, the laundry done, the fridge cleaned. That's farm.The display board came together yesterday (a backdrop for my CD table, mostly aesthetic but I

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-51352852418499706012010-08-09T12:30:00.001-04:002010-08-24T09:32:49.391-04:00

I heard something today for the first time. And yes, I got emotional.My song on the radio.An interview, recorded on Friday over the phone, was played and through the course of it, four of my songs. I got to talk about my background, my songwriting, even this little blog. Many thanks to KC and the guys who took my scary rural phone and worked their techie magic on it. I sounded ok. No, I sounded

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-64599201637771207882010-08-07T17:57:00.002-04:002010-08-24T09:33:17.538-04:00

Chickens, even ones with prim names like Queen Victoria (Vicky, for short - the girls named her), will chase, catch, kill, and eat little frogs on the grass.Yes, really.Ew.I had seen the chickens chase little moths flitting above the top of the grass, and even seen them curious around a frog that had been mowed by accident. But this cold, unrelenting pursuit was something new.Granted, this did

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-34636520968986800442010-08-06T17:46:00.002-04:002010-08-06T17:47:32.906-04:00

Something I felt like writing... not a masterpiece by any means. But I recognize that sometimes, the words speak better then I let them follow their own way instead of making them submit. wordsturning, twistingwrestlinglet goforming, shapingsqueezinglet gobend to my willsay what i wantno.speak for yourselfflow as you willrunspin, twirlloose, freeyou say much morewhen i let you lead.

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-13060047024052249282010-08-06T11:32:00.001-04:002010-08-06T11:34:09.393-04:00

Seren's book comes out today. It's brilliant. This is not an official review so much as just be being stupidly proud of my dear friend and her dream sitting cozily between a front and back cover.You did it! I'm humming little happy tunes as I think of it.It's available for order at amazon, releases in the US today, and will be in Canada on August 31st. My kids' take on it:"It's funny, cool,

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-14519959884845475162010-08-05T08:47:00.002-04:002010-08-05T08:54:34.805-04:00

We had a great rehearsal with the band last night, these intrepid (crazy?) folks who are willing to join me on my trip out east for a few concerts. Two hours of singing later, and I was kinda tired.I love these guys (and those of the Sequoia music gang who can't head to the coast with us) for more reasons than I can say.They put up with me. We laugh about silly things mid-song. Egos aren't on the

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-68978882546184255282010-08-03T08:15:00.002-04:002010-08-03T08:16:38.647-04:00

A tactile few days of feeling surrounded.Yesterday after a hot run, I slipped off my shoes and socks and slid, still dressed from running, into the pool. The cool water surrounded me and the nerves in my skin felt alive to the sensation of the water moving around. It was tingly and invigorating.Last night I climbed into our bed. Where our old mattress was springy, this one is soft and envelops as

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-6240665685486434752010-07-28T10:18:00.002-04:002010-07-29T11:58:25.629-04:00

I'm continuing to run, currently sitting on Week 7 of the program - trying to get back at it after a two-week hiatus. Today was 13ish minutes running (covered 2km in that time, hooray), then the return distance home a mix of running and walking. I'll get there.It was on the homestretch that I got this strange sensation. I was looking down the road, and the horizon point was completely the focus,

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-61227685549116810292010-07-22T08:17:00.014-04:002010-07-22T10:14:59.911-04:00

- a post in which I just realized there a lots of initials. hmm. But, in interests of a shred of internet anonymity, I will use them. If you simply must know who an initial is, email me and I might just tell. -July had a first for me: a road trip with just me and the girlies. R and A had been in Birmingham for World Changers and after a week of hot work painting and scraping, stayed on in the

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-24492759758416975792010-07-20T06:41:00.006-04:002010-07-20T07:22:16.341-04:00

This month's challenge was a fun one and once again had me trying something new: nut butter. Yes, there is in fact more out there than Skippy."The July 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by Margie of More Please and Natashya of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make their own nut butter from scratch, and use the nut butter in a recipe. Their sources

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-47940219902945595242010-07-09T08:22:00.002-04:002010-07-09T09:45:25.081-04:00

It sounds like some sort of food but is in fact a description of the last 24 hours. Yesterday while rescuing a teensy swallow (so cute!) that had fallen out of its nest I had a funny feeling on my skin. You know when you wake up at night, and think "there's something crawling on my arm!" but it's just your mind being silly? Ok, picture that feeling but when you look at your arm, there really ARE

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-67655074505462546442010-07-06T08:39:00.004-04:002010-07-06T09:05:20.391-04:00

Ah, Canadians. We love to talk about the weather. We are in the middle of a heat wave the likes of which I've not seen for a while. It's hot, stupidly hot. Mind-meltingly hot. I walked outside yesterday and my sunglasses fogged up. The humidity outside right now - before 9 am - is 84%, and with the humidity the weather network cheerfully tells me it already feels like 37C (98F). At what point can

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-49322911554972401062010-06-29T10:44:00.003-04:002010-06-29T11:15:41.818-04:00

I ran again this morning. I laughed at myself (I do that a lot) as I headed out the laneway to the road on my warmup walk and realized, I've been running somewhat regularly for five weeks now. And I've learned some things.I've run longer and farther than I have before.I love the look down the empty road, as I mentally calculate where I will be at the different time intervals. It beckons, entices;

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-66987202799673445572010-06-23T17:54:00.003-04:002010-06-29T11:15:41.819-04:00

Feels like I should post about this. At 1:45p.m. or so today, the earth moved. Literally.I had lain down to rest off the last bit of a headache when I felt the bed moving and heard a rhythmic rattling of things on my shelf. I sat up, and figured right away it was an earthquake, but sat for a bit to think. Calling the girls and noticing the gentle shaking of the house, I headed downstairs and out

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-88123340541381010992010-06-19T12:50:00.005-04:002010-06-29T11:15:48.411-04:00

A's birthday today. She is 12, and continues to be her brilliant, beautiful self. Determined, smart, gutsy. Today we head to the archery range for some shooting with her friends before returning to the farm for a pool party and cake.I say 'cake' loosely. We have an unofficial setup in our house whereby the kids choose the type of cake, but execution is up to me :) I get to be creative, and get to

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-83793638195345168392010-06-17T10:17:00.004-04:002010-06-17T10:26:54.737-04:00

I'm emptying the dining room. The name sounds too fancy for what it is, more the main room of the farmhouse. Dining room because the kitchen table is in there. Also a sitting room, with the couches at one end, the schoolroom during teaching times, the main room because that's where everyone enters first. Through the back door, through the entryway/laundry room, and there you are, your first look

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-61590582063584041832010-06-16T11:36:00.004-04:002011-02-14T17:40:47.537-05:00

How do I tell my chickens that the weeds, not the veggies, are what they should eat in my garden? They simply do not listen to me. They just look at me, expressions of mild surprise and feigned innocence, then grumble at me when I shoo them away. We did save my hot pepper transplants from total decimation yesterday, but I fear a fence may be in order. Meanwhile, some of the older cornish rock

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-8887295465074333622010-06-11T11:18:00.011-04:002010-06-14T13:45:41.910-04:00

I did it! My first Daring Cook challenge. It was something I'd never have tried, and the results, well... you'll have to read on."Our hostesses this month, Evelyne of Cheap Ethnic Eatz, and Valerie of a The Chocolate Bunny, chose delicious pate with freshly baked bread as their June Daring Cook’s challenge! They’ve provided us with 4 different pate recipes to choose from and are allowing us to go

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-30981045554600259572010-06-10T08:52:00.002-04:002010-06-10T09:03:49.902-04:00

Today started running week 4. Yes, I know it's Thursday and so I feel a bit like those companies whose fiscal year starts on March 26th if there's a full moon and it's a Thursday with a rerun of Seinfeld playing. But, the run times carried over skipped days and rather than bypass the process I'm trying to rein it back in and stick to the program rather than the weekday.Last week it was run 90 sec

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-21345998372184156912010-06-09T10:55:00.007-04:002010-06-09T11:07:17.980-04:00

She's winking at me. Every time I walk in the kitchen, the light hits just right and I swear, she winks. Beckoning me over, promising we'll have fun together. I think I'm falling in love.I had ordered a new mixer using saved up Visa points. Our old KitchenAid had, after many years' long service, called it quits and so we decided to use points on a new one. I had gotten spoiled by the old mixer

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-11187465332680579422010-06-08T13:46:00.010-04:002010-06-09T11:07:45.374-04:00

I wonderif everyone looked every dayfor something pretty - not extravagant, not elegant, just pretty -would we become more able to find the simple beauty in things?Would it become easier?... the way a leaf trembles in a barely-felt breeze... the sheen of sunlight on weathered wood... a puff of cloud shifting across sky... a plant struggling its way through a sidewalk... the rough texture of bark.

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-32916385187747328612010-06-07T09:26:00.002-04:002010-06-07T09:42:42.620-04:00

The house is full of dust and plaster-y bits with the wall fixes going on this week. A think coat over everything; I wanted to clean last week but what was the point? There was more every day. But it's worth it. The walls look better even in their splotchy, patched, not-yet-painted state. The ducts that had been visible and teasing me all this time are safely hidden away in the walls.Tomorrow the

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-10822199301812307122010-06-02T09:29:00.003-04:002010-06-02T09:37:42.230-04:00

... in our walls, as the guy is here this week to repair holes from the rewiring, box in ductwork that had been left exposed to act as conduits for said wiring, and possibly rip down the kitchen ceiling to expose some sweet beams and wood.... in the calendar, as June stretches out and I dutifully fill in planned events, an overnighter to celebrate M's 10th birthday, bday parties for R and A. July

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-14009789972318325192010-06-01T09:46:00.006-04:002010-06-02T09:29:01.145-04:00

It started raining last night.Soft, warm rain that was still falling this morning as I woke.I went outside to rescue the wet patio chairs and cover the grill and could almost hear the ground saying, "aaaahhhh...".It has been so thirsty; we needed this.

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-55749266669517167962010-05-31T08:16:00.003-04:002010-05-31T08:31:22.325-04:00

May has been a busy month. We launched into it and from the 9th until yesterday almost constantly had visitors with us. D's folks, my folks, and some friends from Pennsylvania all spent time here at the farm. It was a fun month of reconnecting, being tour guides (and tourists ourselves, exploring the Parliament Buildings with our friends), and enjoying people.Last week we celebrated M's 10th

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-73544618410926712082010-05-24T19:31:00.004-04:002010-05-24T19:46:06.719-04:00

I'm not a great flower gardener. And I know there are garden critics out there.I know my little pots are nothing to write home about, but every year I put in some annuals that catch my attention, and hope they grow and make things pretty. This year the girls and I hit the garden centre and found lots of nice little plants. We came home and I had a nice time of solitude putting in the begonias on

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-75204498314664447022010-05-20T07:34:00.003-04:002010-05-20T07:43:55.278-04:00

I feel like I'm making progress. Two gardens line the north side (facing the pool) of our house. They were full of the weed-from-hell that is the bane of my gardening existence. While it's not a noxious weed, it goes everywhere and spreads via a network of roots. It comes up first in spring, getting a head start on all the plants I want to see. You'd think it is a nice, lush ground cover ...

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-42402024827811123332010-05-11T07:59:00.003-04:002010-05-11T08:07:58.450-04:00

Eight syllables are eluding me. The song 'Hope' (wanting a better title, not finding one) is done but for eight syllables. I played it for D and realized from his reaction that two little lines in the first verse took the song in a direction I'd not intended.Ah, the joy/curse of writing something, when your head space is right there. Then someone else hears it and without the context of your head

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-81968549838532113952010-05-06T06:59:00.003-04:002010-05-06T08:11:31.629-04:00

'Tis the season where work abounds, but simple pleasures are there to be found.The chicks are growing nicely and the hens spend their days foraging outside, having found a new hangout at the back of the summer kitchen but sometimes making me laugh as they sprint across the lawn. Why they decide to, I often have no idea. But a running chicken looks pretty funny. The cows haven't arrived yet for

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-24268832741958375922010-05-04T11:53:00.003-04:002010-05-04T12:04:19.785-04:00

Today we pulled out the summer clothes. The temperatures are consistently warm enough to have some shorts on hand for the kids to wear. All kinds of great shorts and capris were brought out from last year, ready to see the light of a few more warm summer months. Typically, this is when the girls find old favourites ready to put on again.Not this time: almost none fit A or M. Most of R's were

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-77772531588437145102010-04-29T06:41:00.006-04:002010-05-04T16:48:58.592-04:00

Yesterday was the Regional history fair; A and M awoke looking forward to the day. They spent it at the Museum of Civilization in this amazing huge hall overlooking the river, visiting with friends, presenting their projects for judges, and taking part in workshops. One hundred fifty projects from schools all over Ottawa were there to be showcased.After getting them set up I drove waaaay back to

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-31048137835524071542010-04-27T15:31:00.005-04:002010-04-27T16:15:28.579-04:00

Some blessings in life you just wonder what you did to deserve them. Then you realize, probably nothing.I spend my days doing what would officially be considered nothing of worth. I do not have a job; I do not earn money. I homeschool my kids and write music (okay, maybe a little more than that). Some days I feel like I have little to show for it. I'm not driven by the need to accomplish things,

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-4731578978520011642010-04-24T23:37:00.005-04:002010-04-24T23:43:07.350-04:00

Today, a few cleanups, some errands, and scraping old paint off the metal bistro set in preparation for a new coat of paint. I could have enjoyed today's sunshiny weather much more if the itchy infection in my eye (a mild case of conjunctivitis, a.k.a. pink eye, I believe - antibiotic drops to the rescue!) hadn't made me want to scratch it with a fork and had me looking longingly at the wire

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-12601878164177448672010-04-23T08:35:00.007-04:002010-04-23T13:36:40.715-04:00

I like writing that just ... shows up, sweetly and often suddenly. To stumble across the line or tune that makes the song is blissful. It moves on its own - sometimes not going where I want it to but instead demanding its way, quiet but doggedly stubborn. Then if I give up (dare I think it wisdom to do so?) and follow, I find myself in places I'd not planned to be. And some are just plain, maybe

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-3472716927592695912010-04-21T10:55:00.005-04:002010-04-21T11:10:03.201-04:00

My journey is not yours.It is not meant to be. If life is carrying you up While I find I’m sitting still, In the gloomy fog of the lower land, It’s not unfair. It’s not wrong. It’s just how it is. Your journey is not mine. We can walk it together: Sometimes close enough to hold hands, Sometimes waving across a field, Sometimes calling through the darkness To find our way back. And

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-66674851816446496192010-04-19T08:43:00.002-04:002010-04-23T13:36:54.007-04:00

We're writing again. It started in 2006 as a trio, Seren, EB and myself tossing small phrases at each other via email, then all of us writing short, often free-form poetry using the phrase. I linked the poems that I wrote out of it in this blog in May/09.But we're back at it, using a blog format (at http://deliciousphrases.wordpress.com/) and joined by my newfound old friend, EMP. We're writing

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-44310213915437754122010-04-15T10:03:00.006-04:002010-04-16T11:19:45.538-04:00

I'm trying something new with Seren. It's a site called the Daring Kitchen - a monthly cooking challenge, following a specific recipe and blogging the results on the reveal date a month later. I'm hoping to be spurred to try new things, make new discoveries ... and eat the results!So, nothing more on this til next month's reveal, on May 14th. I find out in two days what I'll be making. I'm

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-61400674670087076612010-04-15T07:40:00.005-04:002010-04-15T09:49:17.050-04:00

One song fragment was a little slower to run than the rest. Or perhaps, more persistent. I got the first inklings of it yesterday morning and started typing, cutting, pasting, editing. A full song took shape and was printed off.To the piano I went, to start finding chords and seeing if the melody that had flitted through my mind with the words worked. Some words were scratched out to suit the

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-52354136298537529652010-04-14T09:40:00.005-04:002010-04-14T09:56:11.452-04:00

My mind seems to erupt lately with bursts of ideas for songs. I get fragments of lyric, of melody, but when I try to catch them and pin them down they laugh tantalizingly, wriggle out of my grasp, and slip away. I'm left holding the memory of something that sounded pretty cool.But I've typed them down, in hopes that the muse will revisit (after all, she may just have been passing through on her

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-10462571334245763272010-04-12T09:27:00.002-04:002010-04-12T09:30:01.561-04:00

stingy feeling in your eyes? When they're saying "please please we want a nap and it won't take long and we promise we'll stop stinging if you just have a nap and see? We'll just close for a bit here, now doesn't that feel nice? Mmm ... WAIT! why are you opening us again? We had a deal here. Nap, just a nap... please please"I've only been up 3 hours and they're at it already.le sigh.

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-53113960687513819682010-04-10T12:58:00.003-04:002010-04-23T13:37:04.726-04:00

"I pray you stay foolish enough to think you can change the world."- Seren

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1852778706949928496.post-8599615800404258482010-04-07T10:19:00.004-04:002010-04-07T10:35:09.885-04:00

You can't schedule creativity. At least, I can't. I can plan times when I want to put things together, make myself sit at the piano and figure out good chord progressions and melodies; I can stare at the page and try different phrases. Sometimes that works, and it is a good exercise in writing and composing. I find, though, that for me it often comes of its own volition and then not when I've

barbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13583846153636293306noreply@blogger.com0