Over Thanksgiving weekend, I had the opportunity to tour the beautiful Grand Prize Cottage in the QEII Home Lottery. It sits atop Skipper Hill, a gated community in Chester Basin overlooking the Atlantic.
As you can tell from the photos, the cottage is lovely. Every detail is perfect: the colours, the tiles, the furniture, the lighting.
Who else would love to win this gorgeous prize?
One of my favourite breakfasts is granola! It really sticks to your ribs. Plus, it’s a great way to add whole grains and nuts to your diet.
Unfortunately, granola is pretty pricey. Since I’m frugal, I’ve learned to make my own granola. I also love that I can customize it and make it dozens of different ways. In fact, just use what you have in your cupboard.
Granola is perfect for those back to school and work lunches and snacks!
Once done, you can add fruit, yogurt, or even chocolate. I’m kind of a fan of chocolate.
Homemade Granola
Put all dry ingredients in a bowl or on a cookie sheet. Parchment paper is your friend, so use that instead of greasing the sheet.
Add wet ingredients. Use more oil than sweetener. You’ll need just enough liquid to cover all the oats and nuts.
Put into oven at a low temperature (like 200 Celsius) for 40 to 50 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Store in bag or canister.
Tips
boughten – adjective – refers to ready-made products like a boughten quilt. I got one of those boughten quilts at Wal-Mart the other day.
In an area where you can get lots of things homemade, boughten is an important word.
After all, there is a huge difference between boughten bread and homemade. Or boughten jelly and homemade. (Oooh, I could really go for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich right about now.)
Boughten isn’t used just on the South Shore, but is a general North American dialect word that isn’t really proper English.
Have you ever used the word boughten?
Anyone else excited that this was (mostly) a normal weekend?
After being without power from Saturday to Wednesday last week, I am delighted to be back in 2019 with running water, hot food, and cell phone service. I missed ice cold water the most. And hot coffee.
Needless to say, we saw the best of most people (and a little of the worst as people stole generators while they were running).
A tree fell across the road in front of my place. A passerby whipped out a powersaw and began cutting! It was pretty amazing to see such teamwork happening in the midst of such vicious weather.
There were lots of offers from people with power for hot drinks, warm showers—and, of course, plugs for charging cell phones.
Here are a few lessons I learned during my long outage that you won’t find on your typical emergency measures website:
Airplane mode keeps your cell phone charged longer. Especially when your cell phone wants to keep searching for service. Unless you are actively using it, put it on airplane mode. It was the only way I kept enough power to have a cell phone.
Paper plates make dishes easy when you have no water. Just toss in the compost when you’re done. Avoid styrofoam and plastic because we don’t want to hasten climate change any more than necessary.
Dust off old games for candlelit entertainment. Just be careful of the candles if you get angry when your partner wins all the properties in Monopoly. Again.
Have lots of batteries if you’re a reader. Batteries are essential anyway, but when there’s nothing else to do, there is always reading. Next storm I want a headlamp. so I don’t have to perch a small flashlight on my shoulder or chest.
Buy alternative milk to have on hand once your regular cow milk goes warm. If you already buy alternative milks, you’re a step ahead. If you’re a cow milk person, you’ll be surprisingly delighted to have soy milk over your cereal on Day 4. (At least it’s wet.) These milks don’t require refrigeration ASAP. You can even buy lunchbox size milks.
Avoid the urge to buy things ahead of a storm. When the power goes out, you’ll be glad your Costco run isn’t going rancid in the fridge. This rule goes out the window in regards to storm chips and carbs. Hoard carbs. Hoard chips.
Have your camera batteries charged beforehand. You’ll probably want to take storm pictures or videos.
Dry shampoo is your friend. When you haven’t showered in days, dry shampoo can help freshen up your noggin in a flash. There are all kinds out there to fit your budget, and they range from super perfumy to natural. (No dry shampoo in the house? Break out the cornstarch.)
Baby wipes are perfect for washing without water. There are many on the market, from regular to green. They are great for washing your important parts. You can also wash your hands with them.
Hand sanitizer. For obvious reasons. Buy the alcohol version.
Cover your freezer with heavy blankets and do not open the door. You should be okay for a few days. If not, check with your insurance company for freezer coverage.
These are some of my favourite tips. Have you got any essential words of wisdom for extended power outages? Comment below!
It’s hard to believe it’s Labour Day Weekend ALREADY. I’m pretty sure Canada Day was just yesterday! July and August must be the fastest months on the calendar.
If you’re like me, you love grilling on long weekends (or any weekend, really).
This barbecue sauce is meant for steaks but you can use it on any meat you love.
I usually prefer sirloin or striploin, depending on the cost and looks of the stuff. You may be a T-bone fan. Different strokes for different folks. Just pick your favourite cut of meat and get ready to grill.
Marinate the steak for at least a day. Remember to save a cup of the sauce for basting and dipping. (That way you can avoid any nasty foodborne illness.)
If you need more liquid, add more beer. (Also counts if cook needs more.)
Beer Barbecue Sauce
Mix together in pan or dish to make marinade. Don’t forget to set some aside that won’t get contaminated with raw meat.
Feel free to adjust based on your taste. There is always hot sauce if you prefer spice.
Happy grilling this Labour Day!
Julie
The truth is that I cannot resist a good farm market (just like good coffee, cake, and bookstores, ).
One of my favourite’s is a hidden market overlooking Fancy Lake just outside of Bridgewater: Indian Garden Farms. It’s definitely a place you should visit this long weekend!
Indian Garden Farms is run by the Hebb family and has been atop this hill for many generations.
After living in the Annapolis Valley during university, I became spoiled by good, cheap produce. To me, the grocery stores are there for winter when we cannot access fresh local food.
Much of the food at this market is grown right on the farm. It always blows my mind how huge some of the food gets (there must be something special in that soil).
And, of course, at this time of year, there’s something new every time you visit.
The next time you’re in Bridgewater, head back to this hidden gem. The entrance is just across from the Hebbville Tastee Freeze. You’ll know you’re travelling in the right direction if you pass a cemetery and climb a long hill. Don’t worry if it takes you a minute: you’ll get there soon enough and enjoy the view. The market is tucked away on the top of the hill.
Remember your camera and take time to stop and visit the animals. This is also a great spot to visit with your kids so they can see how a real farm operates. You can bet Farmer Glen will also be happy to chat with you about his farm.
Happy Labour Day Weekend,
Julie
Did I ever mention I love harvest time? All the food and the flowers are at their peak!
If want to score some beautiful flowers on the cheap, check out this small market in New Germany. It’s directly across from the local pharmacy and has lots of goodies from DeLong Farms in Barss Corner.
Lilies, sunflowers and gladiola are just waiting for your kitchen table. Lilies are my favourite, but if you have cats, keep them away from every part of the lily (they can be toxic to pussycats). Before you buy any bouquet, remember to check if they are hazardous to your pets.
Also, bring change.
Enjoy the harvest,
Julie
One of the first things I buy whenever I go to the Annapolis Valley Exhibition is some Close or Astrachan apples.
August apples have a very small window of opportunity. They are some of the best, earliest apples, but they have one fatal flaw: they get soft quickly and won’t keep for a long time.
That means you have to get your hands on some now!
They make the best apple sauce, pies, and crisp.
I developed my love of Astrachan apples because my grandmother had a tree of them. They are tiny, red, and a little tart. Their inside is white, with pink webbing.
Astrachan apples were once popular in Canada. They came from Russia before Cold Wars, and everyone and their dog had a tree. Over time, like many heritage apples, they have fallen out of favour, probably because of their narrow window of eating opportunity. (And, of course, hasn’t Honeycrisp crushed a lot of apple competition?)
Close are a close friend of Astrachan apples. Again, they are soft, slightly tart, but pristine inside. When I can’t get my hands on Astrachan apples, I get Close apples. They are, well, close.
Regardless of what you make with them, add some pure vanilla, butter, and cinnamon. You won’t be disappointed by August apples unless you wait too long to pick them up. If you’re super lucky, you have one of these trees in your yard (and I envy you). In fact, if you don’t want them, I’ll come take them off your hands!
I love pies, crisp, and sauce. I’m not sure I could pick one to enjoy. But no matter what you do, the only way to relish August apples after August is to freeze or preserve them.
Happy harvest,
Julie
rutsch – verb – to slide, have sex, etc. We had to rutsch that truck out of the ditch.
The origin of this South Shore word probably comes from the early Germans who landed in Lunenburg and spread their genes and language throughout the South Shore. German has a similar word called “rutsch” which means “slide”.
Local people tend to use it as a word indicating something more forceful than a simple sliding. If you’re rutsching something out of the ditch, it means you’re really coming on to it.
I’ve also been informed it can also refer to sexual intercourse. Makes sense if you think of the original German meaning.
How have you heard the word rutsch used?
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