Winter on the Canal

I haven't ventured very far this winter.  I am finding that when my day off rolls around, I am spent.  Bankrupt is a better word, I guess...

On occasion, I'll get off my couch, and venture to the side window to see what is happening in our neck of the woods.  I don't wander about in this cold...so you won't see any footsteps in the following pictures!

Above, is the view of the Lock.  The water flows constantly, making this a dangerous place to fish, and in the 4 years we have been here, nobody has ventured onto the ice, knowing it to be thin and unstable.

This is the view to our East.  I love the sunlight on the snow drifts!

Our flag has taken a beating this year, but look beyond to that beautiful blue sky.   

Winters in Canada are harsh, but for the most part, we can choose to stay inside.  And...you don't have to venture far to find beauty in any day!

Onion Syrup

Hubby has been really ill with a respiratory infection.  This will be our second week in...  His cough is relentless.  It is so difficult to watch. 

We ran out of cough medicine so after he went to bed...and continued to cough incessantly...I did some searching.  I came up with a recipe that I found on Pinterest.

I whipped up a batch last night and allowed it to sit for 12 hours.  It is harmless and can be used whenever needed.  I used a sweet onion.  The honey was local but I cannot vouch for it being organic. 

Were you aware that honey that you buy in a grocery store may not be pure honey?

All I did was chop a whole sweet onion and add enough liquified honey to cover.

Please go to www.herbalrootszine to check out this and many more great ideas!

This syrup will store in the refrigerator for several months.  The onions will be removed later today.  The taste is subtle.  Please do not give honey to any child under one year of age, however.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce!

This morning we woke to several inches of snow that was covered with a slick coat of ice.  The safest bet was to stay home, and off the roads, so I got at a task that had been calling for a while.

My son had a garden last summer, that put mine to shame.  He had tomato plants that were huge, and loaded with the most beautiful fruit.  When he harvested them, he filled many freezer bags, and sent them to my house where they would become spaghetti sauce.

Many, may hours were spent in my kitchen....but oh, the results were impressive...if I say so myself!  I filled a large saucepan with frozen tomatoes which had been previously dipped in boiling water to remove their skins.  When they had cooked down a little, I added sauteed onions and garlic, and red pepper.  The sauce was flavored with oregano, parsley and salt.  Towards the end of cooking, I added a small can of organic tomato paste.  The whole dish was, in fact, organic, and so so good!

So...  I'm pleased...and I hope that my son is too!  I'm so proud of the fact that all of our children are gardening in various degrees...and I look forward to seeing what is produced this summer!

Do you like your dolly, Sera?

And...last but not least.....

Hopefully her mama won't see this....

I've always wanted to make a Waldorf doll...  Now I know why they cost so much to buy!  I hope the little gal who receives this can feel the love her nana stitched into it!

Keeping Busy!

I have almost completed my little dancer's doll.  Of the three I have made, it, by far, has involved the most work.  SHE is worth the effort!

I made this Cardinal, with a gal that lives down the street.  Wire sculpture is very hard on the hands....

Finished this, and even got it hung!  Bonus!

Two more dolls to show!  Almost done....Stay tuned!