Happy Thanksgiving Weekend

What an amazing weekend of weather, food and family time.

The apple trees were bare but there were a few fall raspberries left to pick.  You had to go in deep to get the ripe ones so we sent in Sydney. :)

Pumpkin hunting in tank tops and sandals.  It really felt strange.  You were feeling summer but seeing fall all around you.

Sydney took this cool shot of us on the wagon ride. You're never too old for a wagon ride are you?!!

Now here's your more typical at the farm picture on Thanksgiving weekend.

Who could have predicted 27 celcius and humid?  We'll have to remember this in the depths of winter.

Hope you all had a relaxing and happy Thanksgiving weekend.

I've got some surprises coming up this weekend.  Shh! It's a secret!

A time for Comfort Food

I made this delicious cake on Sunday.  It's one of the best desserts I've made in a while.  It's the kind that produces oohss and aahs as the first bite is tasted.  The light textured cake is filled with fresh apple chunks and cinnamon.  It's lovely and moist and not too sweet.  It becomes absolutely mouth watering, gorgeous when you drizzle the warm, homemade caramel sauce on top. The sauce definitely raises the sweetness level but when you mix in the cake and apple with each forkful it's bliss for your mouth.

(If you find this recipe a little too small to read

 just click on it and the link will take you to the full size version.)

The recipe is from Trish Magwood's latest cookbook, In My Mother's Kitchen.  I bought it for myself in the spring and have made several recipes from it so far.  It's filled with recipes that are great for the family and gatherings.  They're easy and accessible and produce delicious results with lots of accompanying photos (which I love).  None have disappointed and some have left me feeling nostalgic for my childhood.

 I even love the picture in the inside cover of recipe cards sprawled over a table.  Some yellowed and stained, bent with use, most are handwritten.  I miss recipe cards.  Do you remember when most homes would have a little stack of blank recipe cards tucked in a drawer ready for the coveted question...Can I have the recipe for that?

recipe cards and box by 1Canoe2

We'll be making this again this weekend to serve at Thanksgiving dinner.

Fall is in the Air

It's already dark at 8 p.m.  The air conditioner is off and there is a cool, but welcome breeze coming through the window.  Summer is fading away.  New pencils and erasers have been purchased.  Binders and notebooks are being sorted. New shoes have been bought.  School will begin next week and the house will be quiet during the day.  Even after all these years I still consider September as the start of a new year for me.  A time for change, a time for new experiences.  An inspired energy is awakening.

This lovely autumn inspired acorn is a new addition in my etsy shop.

Enjoy your last week of summer!



Happy Thanksgiving

Gorgeous crimson red, pumpkin orange and golden graced the scenery in every direction. The last burst of colour before the November winds strip the trees of their coloured jewels.

My favourite time of year and such perfect weather. Warm sunshine kissed our cheeks as we kicked the leaves underneath our feet. Calm waters reflected a stunning array of colours. An absolutley beautiful weekend up in Muskoka with my family .

My Mom prepared our dinner that was equally beautiful and shared the colours of the forest with cranberry red, sweet potato orange and golden turkey. Everything was delicious. A perfect Thanksgiving weekend. Something to really be thankful for.






A beautiful hike through the woods. The orange leaves against the blue sky was breathtaking.












Our dog Mabel was in heaven as we unhooked her leash and let her run free through the forest.

Happy New Year...

I still always think of September as a new year, a new start. I guess it goes back to the new school year as a child and continues now with my own children. The fresh new pack of pencil crayons, new backpacks and jeans. Somehow though, this year feels a bit different. The girls are growing up right before my very eyes. My youngest still wanted us to walk to school with her but we were quickly abandoned for school friends that had been missed over the summer. Instead of helping with tying shoes I'm helping with the hair straightener. Where did the time go?

So as we begin September I'm reflecting on the great summer we had together. I'm enjoying the summer-like weather we're having now and excited about the fall weather to come - I love walking our dog on a crisp fall morning. As the girls head to school I will now have some more time to myself to create some new jewellery designs that have been swirling around in my head. Here's one of my new copper earrings that were inspired by my sister Kathy.

Happy 'new year' to everyone.