Lens Artist Challenge #57 – Taking a Break

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….thanks to Travels and Trifles for hosting this week’s Lens Artist Challenge

Last week my daughters and I took a break from city life and spent four days at the cottage with our dogs. Frances (my dog) and Olive get along very well despite the large age difference (10 years). I’m very much a water person and love living by large bodies of water, both at home and the cottage. The cottage is on Christian Island in Georgian Bay which is part of Lake Huron. We had a wonderful time swimming, playing with the dogs and trying to put together an impossible 1000 piece puzzle of the moon.

During our stay these two lovely ladies put together the new barbecue while I read the instructions. After it was completed Josie made us a fabulous dinner on the barbecue. I do all my cooking outdoors when I’m at the cottage. Great food, lots of wine and spirits (but not too much) and time spent with friends and family; I can’t imagine a better way to ‘take a break’.

When it was all over Frances needed ‘a break’ from all that running and playing on the beach. She is after all 12 1/2.

Kammie’s Odd Ball Photo Challenge – June 13, 2019

Posted on June 13, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….thanks to Kammie for hosting the Odd Ball Photo Challenge

The Best Volunteer Job

Posted on June 13, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….bread making

Now that may not be your cup of tea but for me it’s fun and it helps support activities at Montgomery’s Inn (an 1840s-era inn operated as a museum by Toronto Cultural Services at 4709 Dundas St W (at Islington Ave) in Etobicoke, Ontario, 416-394-8113, montinn@toronto.ca.).

Every Tuesday I go to the inn to help prepare the dough for six to seven different types of bread. There are no preservatives in the bread and most of them are made with specific bread flours that are ordered from specialty mills. I’m usually in the kitchen for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

On Wednesday I return to the inn where anywhere from four to seven volunteers shape the dough, fire up the outdoor brick oven, prepare two sourdough breads and one or two batches of focaccia. Wednesdays is always a longer day because it takes anywhere from two to three bakes to get all the bread baked and ready for the Farmers’ Market where a another group of volunteers sell the bread. Typically on Wednesday we’re there for five to six hours and lunch is always prepared for us by our ‘boss’ who makes some of the most amazing meals from scratch (homemade soups and stews, sausages with homemade buns, pasta and salads, baked beans, etc.).

This week I took some photos of our beautiful and delicious bread.

All Lined Up

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….thanks to Judy for hosting the All Lined Up Photo Challenge

A special shout out to our son-in-law for the last photo of our granddaughter with the line of dipping sauces in front of her.

The Garden is Taking Shape

Posted on May 27, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….unlike other years this one is in before July

When I was working our garden sometimes didn’t get planted until the end of June or later. This year, thanks to a burst of energy, my husband was eager to get the seeds and plants in for his vegetable boxes. I’m in charge of the flowers.

The weather has finally shifted and it’s been comfortable enough to work outside in the garden. The soil is no longer swimming in water and is finally dry enough for planting. The family who cuts our grass also seeded it a few weeks ago and it’s looking very lush and healthy. Two evenings this week it’s been warm enough to eat supper on the deck and I’ve been enjoying my morning coffee outside.

Today’s dinner started with this amazing burrata, roasted peaches, prosciutto, tomato and arugula salad.

The main course was a mussel, shrimp, halibut and chorizo stew.

Vegetable Alphabet

Posted on May 19, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….another Random Word Doodle

Thursday Doors – Niagara Wineries

Posted on March 28, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….thanks to Norm for hosting Thursday Doors

Lunch, five wineries, tastings and great company. Today my daughter and daughter-in-law joined my husband and me and together we took a drive down to St. David’s in the Niagara region. I knew ahead of time that I wanted to take part in Norm’s door challenge so I packed my camera bag in search of some great doors and wine of course.

We started out at Ravine where we had a wonderful lunch first and then began our wine tasting adventure. All in all we went to five smaller wineries, tasted some fantastic wine and met some wonderful people who were very passionate about their products.

Mundane Monday #200 – Crop

Posted on February 26, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….thanks to Ko Rural Mad as Hell blog for hosting Mundane Monday

Dictionary result for crop

/kräp/

noun

a cultivated plant that is grown as food, especially a grain, fruit, or vegetable.

“the main crops were oats and barley”
an amount of produce harvested at one time.

“a heavy crop of fruit”

synonyms: harvest, year’s growth, yield, produce, vintage, gathering, reaping, gleaning, garnering;

fruits

“some farmers lost their entire crop”

an abundance of something, especially a person’s hair.

“he had a thick crop of wiry hair”

the total number of young farm animals born in a particular year on one farm.

This bird certainly has a thick crop of feathers on top of his head.

An abundant crop of apples on the tree and vegetables at the market.

Fun Family Day

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….last weekend was a long weekend here in Ontario to celebrate Family Day

Family Day has become a tradition in our family where food takes centre stage. This year my husband and youngest daughter thought it would be fun to have a soup exchange. So in three households three different soups were prepared and ladled into containers for sharing.

Four of us drove to Hamilton where Gaelan had a lovely lunch of roast chicken, mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli ready to serve. Andrea and Josie brought a yummy salad and my husband volunteered to pick up the gourmet donuts from San Remo.

Winnie and I were the only two that won a prize in the Tim Horton’s Roll up the Rim contest. We both won a cup of coffee which we handed over to our hostess.