Charcuterie

Well you've never seen it all.  We were at a wedding and became acquainted with what they called a charcuterie board.  Wow.  I mean, wow.

The MC said it best.
"Ive never eaten a work of art before."

Gottta Love Those Long Mild Summer Evenings

Distractions

Sometimes one needs a distraction from what ails them.  Pain that, while not turning one into a human pretzel of misery, is annoying, inconvenient, and not conducive to a lot of physical activity.

I decided to distract myself with a painting of lilies to cover a not-so-attactive modem in the hallway.

I drew the lilies in with blue chalk

 

Outlined the flowers with watered down paint.

Filled in with layer after layer of colour.  This is the point at which I am sure its going to be a rank disaster and I will hate it.

Better

A lot of sweat and second guessing colours.

There ii is, hanging over the shelf that contains the modem extender.  It's no Georgia O'Keefe and there are things I would change if I had the ability but by and large I am pleased with the outcome.

 

Getting Old Stinks

Granted, it was over a quarter mile hike, on slippery and steeply sloped terrain, wearing flip flops. With asthma and bad knees.  But I was still a little shocked to find this picture my DIL took. A shock to the system to realize what reality looks like.
But grateful there was someone with a helping hand.

Red Chairs

My old red chairs from Canadian Tire in Stony Plain are faded and worn.  I loved them because they were red and beautiful but also because I drove a friend in to have some procedure done in the hospital there and found them while I waited to drive her home.  We squeezed them into the back seat of her tiny white car and came home.  That was the day I had a diet lunch.  Milkshake.  Instead of burger fries and milkshake.  Life was good. Memories are good.
But they faded out to an insipid shade of pink.  Pink is not always my favorite colour.  So my Favorite Gardener and I went on a search of new chairs.  Identical ones to the old were not nearly as strong as the old ones had been.  They don't get sun and are stacked away in winter but things get old just the same. We found some wooden ones in Canadian Tire that needed assembling but they were sawdust wood sprayed over with paint.  So when we found these resin ones at Costco we were willing to overlook the price in favor of the quality.  They were a tad tricky for two old people with bad eyes to assemble but we did it.  And they are so heavy the winds we have had so far have not moved them in the least.

Pebble Art

What to do on the beach when you are waiting for the boat to come back.

One way to make Perogies

Plaid Shirt Reversible Patchwork Quilt

I do love the reversible method of quilting. Not only does it give a different look, but when you are done you are done. One does not have to decide which way is up. They both look good. And it is square. No getting it on crosswise.  I like it.
It has a little of the whole family in it. Mostly DH's shirts but a little but of all seven family members is included.
Made before the broken wrist incident.

Dealing with an arm cast

I passed the age of 60 without ever experiencing a cast. but due to a combination of poor balance and snow iced to the bottom of boots...my story is that I had a fight with the garage floor and lost.
The inconvenience is epic. Nobody's got time for this. Neither does anyone need the pain.

But the good news is that most things pass. Three casts later I am learning coping skills I didn't know I would ever need. And that  my husband discarded his diplomatic immunity due to kitchen illiteracy so we didn't starve the first 10 or so days.And he is a great dishwasher and floor sweeper so he's been busy even when I started cooking again.
I realize that everyone's case is different but here are a few suggestions that may help.

1. Dress it up. Cut the foot off a pair of knee high socks and put them on with the nice cuff next to your fingers. That you can wash. And it hides that stark white ''Hey I'm wearing a cast'' look that I have an aversion to.

2. If someone says what can I do? suggest an invitation to supper. Or would they like to bring pizza over?

3. A young friend made me a bracelet for my fat hand and is delighted that I often wear it.

4. Take a shopping bag to the basement when you need to carry a collection of things up the stairs.

5. Buy or find in your closet long tops and wear with leggings. Took a month to be able to do up the button on my jeans. It is a fantastic morale booster to be able to do your own buttons again.

6. Expect everything to take longer. Which also includes planning your bathroom trips with time to spare.

7. Scissors work better than a knife when your injured arm is still too painful to be of any help. Scissors even cut white chicken meat. Veggies like onion and potato cling to the cutting board when whacked in half and put cut side down.  Carrots are a whole other subject. Easier to buy cut up already, as is cabbage.  But as I have less pain using the gimpy fingers I am able to do more and more.

8. Sometimes its easier to wash my hair in the kitchen sink. I support the cast on a folded towel beside the sink to keep it out of the way and dry and use my good hand to do the work.

9. I carry a small fuzzy blanket folded up in the vehicle to support my arm on when it gets tired of riding in my lap or up on my head to take the pressure off. And a large very squishy teddy bear in the house follows me around to support my arm when needed.

10.  A little table next to your favorite chair on the side of your working arm so its easy to reach your glasses, your ipad, your coffee, your phone, the remote and so on.

And be thankful for what didn't happen. Could always be worse.  My friend broke her right wrist. She is right handed. She lived alone and ran her own business.  She has empathy. She was one of our friends who offered supper, as well as coming over to help when we wanted to have company over.

Soon it will be gone...

Can't wait.

UPDATE
Don't be alarmed when the cast comes off.  Six weeks of flaking skin will be lurking beneath.

AND...
the muscles have wimped out.  The hand feels heavy without the cast to support it.  Every tissue muscle and tendon are shouting for your attention.  Unpleasantly.
But therapy is a wonderful thing and with effort and perseverance day by day the hand gets stronger and can do more.  Now, approaching the third month since the incident, I can do so much more.  It is still weak, I can hardly squeeze the clip on the skirt hangers, and so many little things are awkward but the progress has been good.  And I think it will be some months before there is no twinge when I bend my wrist certain ways, it is going in the right direction.
One day I may even fit my wedding band again.

Did I ever mention I dislike winter?

Most of the Yellow Ones

Such a short summer season here in Alberta but we stuff it as full as possible with things that bloom.

Spicy Kale Soup

Kale Soup

This makes a large batch of soup. Somewhat like borscht, difficult to make a small pot of.


5 mild Italian sausage

5 spicy Italian sausage...chop into little pieces and brown in


3 T olive oil...when browned add


One chopped onion

3 chopped carrots...fry, stirring, until onion is clear


Grate 4-5 garlic cloves, add to pot and stir for a few seconds.


Add

1 carton chicken broth


Fill carton half full with water, swish it around and add.


Peel and dice 5 potatoes and add.


Add one can sliced mushrooms.


One bag frozen chopped kale. Or


Some salt and pepper. Might need more water.


Simmer.


To this I added about 3 cups leftover mashed potato that I had in the fridge.


Simmer in crockpot or low on stove for  two to three hours.

Serve with milk or sour cream.

NOTE When in a hurry or incapacitated by a broken wrist I have added frozen hash browns instead of chopping potatoes. I don't think its quite as good but it does work.

Even Late in the Season

 We stopped at Canadian Tire today. It's good to see them caring for their plants this late in the season. The ones in the wind were a bit beaten but every one has been watered and looks wonderful...except for the succulents inside the store. They need more light and are doing poorly.

More Country Blossoms

Back out to Shelley's near Tawatinaw along with both DIL'S to pick up a few things. Her plants are lovely and so well cared for.
.

Cleaning Stainless Steel

Pintrest came through very well.
This is what I did...
To make stainless steel gleam...
Wash off ufo spots with soapy water.
Pour some white vinegar onto a paper towel and wipe garbage can down.
Put baby oil on a rag or a kleenex tissue. Rub over the metal. Polish up with soft dry cloth

I was amazed at how long it stayed looking good.

Peavy Mart

Oh what a treat to walk into a cool moist greenhouse at sunset to the sound of radio music quietly playing in the background, a fountain trickling water, and that wonderful aroma that only evening scented stocks can produce at sundown. Mmmm! Didn't buy anything  as they were quite out of begonias but what a wonderful feeling place today.

Lowes Nursery

It's That Time of Year Again

The houseplants are a little like a house cat these days. Out. In. Out.
But whatever it takes to keep them from frost and wind damage.

I try to keep the pots small and not transplant into the heavy barrels so I  don't kill my back. And group the little pots together in easy to move boxes and pails

Shelley's Begonias

So we went to the opening of Country Blossom's Greenhouse Saturday morning. There were too many people about and I  got too shy to take pictures. So this is the one I brought home.  There were none of the beautiful Illumination begonias, the orange ones that I like to grow.  As a small producer she doesn't have priority at the supplier, and that particular brand is falling out of favor. I feel badly on both counts.  Illumination is a fantastic hanging begonia. And Shelley's greenhouse is not big. She does much of the work herself.  But it is meticulously cared for and every plant is in prime shape.
People have told me that her tomatoes are much cheaper than elsewhere. And her pansy collection is pretty nice too.
She also tells me she has the starry skies petunia but I  had missed it and was too overwhelmed to go back and search it out. So I probably missed a lit of good stuff.
I am hoping to go back when it's not crowded with opening day crowds with enough time to savor the sights of every aisle.

Hardening Off

I like to put my plants out in a sheltered situation to harden off. Here they get some wind, sun from the top and if frost threatens it's much easier to whisk them into the ship or house overnight. Then there is no set back when they get put into the flower bed.

YIG here

So Independent Grocers has begun to bring in their plants. And pots and garden accessories.  Mmhmm!
And they are finally figuring out how to hire efficient friendly staff that acually cares if you find the plant you need. Such a pleasure to deal with friendly staff. Maybe it's the bright green tshirts 😀