Mother Nature Does Not Lie

The last couple of weeks here  have been mild and the thaw has been coming at quick pace.  Its finally getting warm enough in the day to let the woodstove go out.  Mother Nature has been sending small clues that spring is around the bend.  Songbirds and chipmunks have been heard chirping in the woods.  The snowshoe hare has been coming into colour.  Red winged blackbirds, with their distinct call, have been seen perched upon the cattails. Tiny buds are appearing on branch tips.

 

I climbed the knoll behind the house where the wild ginger grows.  No signs of green shoots yet.  The wind was blowing and the crows were using it to their advantage, gliding on the gusts in long deliberate circles. 

No abundance of June berries yet.

 

 

Weekend afternoons are often lazy, crafting away at a project or spent in the kitchen, baking and cooking.   The promise of spring had me planting herbs and peas indoors, and sprouting beans and seeds for eating.  It is hard to satisfy the early need for growing when the weather hasn't caught up.

 



 Little dog, tired after a hike in the snow.

 

Pussy willows in milk glass - simple signs of spring brought indoors.

Vintage thrift runner that matches Grandma's rug perfectly.

 

Mung beans and broccoli seeds soaking.

 

A and I sat at the farm table constructing pyramids from coloured glass.  His experience is evident when compared to my crudely constructed tomb of Khufu.  Within our glass supplies I found some simple made boxes in vibrant colours.  Repaired and washed up they work well to hold my new seedlings.  It seems as though mid March cannot pass without the baking of soda bread.  I passed over my usual Irish recipe in favour of a sweeter loaf which bakes up in a pan.  This biscuit like bread smothered in butter and blackberry jam lends itself well to quiet mornings and strong coffee. 

 

 

 

What signs of spring have been happening in your area?











Life on the greener side

In the past year or so I've really made a shift in the products I use on myself and around my home.   Not only do I want to avoid using nasty chemicals on my body but I also want to protect the delicate septic system our house is on.   That being said, I have made the transition to more natural and green products in my daily routine.  Below is a list of some of the household products I have transitioned to:

Soap:
A few years ago I tried my hand at hot process soap making.  It was quick, easy, and the ingredients are simple.   An hour of work and a few dollars spent on supplies set me up with many months worth of homemade soap.  I honestly can't remember the last time I bought soap.  This is my go to recipe, it produces a hard bar that suds up nicely.  I find now that if I happen to use store bought soap my skin becomes itchy and irritated.  This is a product that is so easy to make on my own I doubt I'll ever go back to the regular stuff.

Lotions:
This is a product in my house that I've started to wean out only because I have found natural products that take the place of the many moisturizers in my cupboards.  Years ago I discovered a recipe in which you whip coconut oil, shea butter and cocoa butter together to produce a fluffy body moisturizer.  The resulting product melts easily into your skin and lasts all day long.  I've also starting making my own solid lotion bars, which can be used on  hands or as a chapstick, and herbal salves which I use in my first aid kit.

Deodorant:
Ok, here's a dirty little secret - deodorant freaks me out. There is something so unnatural about rubbing a product under your arms that inhibits your body from sweating.  I also don't like the fact that its extremely hard to scrub off at the end of the day.  It weirds me out.  I've tried an assortment of products from 'natural' store bought deodorants, to rock salt that you apply after your shower, to making my own deodorant from baking soda and coconut oils.  My most recent product comes highly recommended so I purchased a little jar of Schmidt's deodorant online.  This jar of deodorant is similar to the product I made at home and it smells divine.  Its a little fussy to use at first as you have to scoop a small amount out and apply it with your finger tips but I've gotten used to it over time.  I bought the lavender and sage scent and so far I'm rather pleased with it.

Shampoo and conditioner:
Another product I love to hate.  As I switch my beauty products over to more natural choices I find that I am more aware of sensitivities to the conventional products.  Shampoo has been a product that I`ve struggled with for awhile.  I hate the SLS laden shampoos out there but I also hate how expensive the greener alternatives are.  While living in the city I did the no poo method where you stop using shampoo and conditioner all together and wash your hair occasionally with baking soda and apple cider vinegar.  The idea is that conventional shampoos strip your hair of their natural oils and the no poo method allows your hair to re-regulate itself again leaving you with textured hair without frizz or oil.  I no shampooed for about a year and I have to admit, it really was awesome.  After a few weeks of a weird adjustment phase my hair had lots of body and texture and was super shiny and soft.  Even my coworkers were noticing and I received many compliments on my hair.
My no shampooing came to end when A and I vacationed in Mexico for a week.  The resort we stayed in wasn't exactly close to any grocery stores and I figured it wouldn't be fun to try to cross customs with a box of white powder in my luggage. 
After using conventional shampoo while on vacation I was hesitant to start no shampooing again for fear of the dreaded transition phase.  Since then, I`ve been using Live Clean`s line of  products which I am happy with but I`ve been thinking a lot about making my own solid shampoo bars at home.   I recently picked up LUSH`s Seanik solid shampoo bar and Big conditioning bar to use as inspiration for making the products at home.   I was disappointed to learn that LUSH uses SLS in their shampoo bars but I figured since they were already purchased I would give them a try. 
I have to admit that the Seanik bar does a decent job of sudsing up and cleaning my hair.  It only takes a few strokes through my hair to create a head full of bubbles.  At this rate, I predict that the small bar will last me months.  The Big conditioner, on the other hand, is a bit fussier to use.  The idea is to break off a small amount of the bar and work it into a paste in your hand.  You can then disperse the product through the ends of your hair.  The product is strange and it seems to take a lot of effort to coat my extremely long and thick hair.  Upon rinsing my hair feels neither slippery or conditioned but surprisingly I can pull a comb through it without much effort.  After drying, my hair is soft and manageable.  It's neither frizzy nor dry but seems to lack the definition of waves that I get after using my Live Clean products.  Would I buy the Lush bars again, probably not, but they are a good introduction into the world of solid shampoo products. 

Face wash:
Just like with hair, I believe our face wasn't meant to have the oils stripped from it daily.  After finding my face was become extremely oily throughout the day I turned my face washing routine on its head and stopped using soap.  I started washing my face with only warm water and a washcloth in the morning and cleansing with jojoba oil to take off my makeup at night.  It seems counter productive to use an oil on your face but after I stopped using soap and cleansed with only jojoba my skin has never been better.  I no longer need to apply moisturizer and my skin doesn't get oily throughout the day like it used to.  My skin tone has evened and if I do get a rare pimple its only a tiny pink spot and lasts a short time.  No longer do I trust spot cream or acne products.  To treat spots all I use is either a small amount of tea tree oil, neem oil, or a tiny bit of raw honey. I`ve never had problem skin, but I did used to suffer from pink flushes along my nose and chin.  Those flushes have evened out and its the first time in ages that I have been comfortable enough to go without make-up. 

Toothpaste:
Ok, stay with my here, toothpaste is another one of those products that freaks me out.  Now, that's not to say that I don't brush my teeth, its just that I don't like to use a fluoride laden products that taste sugary and foam in my mouth.  As far as natural products go I have tried a few alternatives.  My go to product is Silca`s herbal toothpaste.  I regularly rotate my Silca with a paste made from baking soda, sea salt, and coconut oil and with a homemade tooth powder that contains white clay, activated charcoal and an assortment of spices.  All three methods leave my teeth feeling cleaner than conventional toothpaste and I don't have to worry about all the strange chemicals added to regular toothpaste.

Laundry Products:
Laundry detergent was the first step I took towards using green products.  I remember years ago a friend telling me about a terrible skin irritation she had been battling with.  After trying a number of different things she finally decided to switch out her heavily scented detergent with a more natural product.  Her irritation cleared up immediately.  The product she switched to?  Nellies all natural laundry soap.   I love this stuff.  A tin of it is relatively expensive but you only use a tablespoon a load so it literally lasts forever.  My only complaint about this natural washing soda is that it can be a bit harsh on my darks.  For darker laundry and delicates I use Method's baby detergent.  As for the dryer, I recently purchased felted wood dryer balls at a craft fair.  They soften my clothing while speeding up drying time and reducing static cling.  I can also add a few drops of essential oils to them if I want to lightly scent my laundry.

Take a moment to think about all the chemicals you come in contact with in a day.  What changes can you make to move towards greener alternatives?  What are your favorite natural products that you use?

Memories of June

There are two things I miss most about coast, the ocean and blackberries.   Although not nearly the same, the abundance of lakes, rivers, and streams satisfies my need for the water.  The local berries, on the other hand, can't hold a candle to plump, juicey blackberries.  Though not nearly as tasty, A and I did pick a ridiculous amount of service berries last year to wash and store in the freezer.  
Baked up in a crisp and topped with a dollop of whipped cream, these berries taste of summer all over again. 

Apres Ski

 This guy knows what its all about.

 

 Feeding the horses just behind the house.

 

 Cold nights call for vegan chili with cashew 'sour cream'.

 

For someone who has claimed to have lost interest in alpine sports I sure have been spending a lot of time on the mountains lately.  The last couple weekends have been a blur of ski visits.  A and I have been planning a couple of ski trips for a while now and a few weeks ago we met up with a large group of our hometown friends and rented a condo in Whistler Village.  Although I had packed my board, skis and our loaned snowshoes, I regret that that I didn't hit the slopes once.  In my opinion, the mountain was much too busy and too tourist driven to justify a lift or trail pass.   The trip itself revolved more around visiting with old friends and enjoying the mini city that Whistler Village has become.  We took the opportunity to socialize in the local pubs and shop the variety of stores that we don't have access too in our small city. 

 

 The large lake, which my interior city is named after.

 

 

The drive to and from the coast was just as enjoyable as the trip itself, filled with scenic mountain passes and quirky roadside stops. A humoured me and stopped at a miniature western town so that I could snap a few shots. 

 

 Icicles clung to the cliff sides along the steep mountain pass.

 

 Large frozen waterfall.

 

 miniature building that only stand about 6 feet tall.

 

 

We arrived back home for a short work week then headed up to our local ski hill to spend the weekend with family.  Our city has an impressive ski resort with small village modeled after the European style.  The snow conditions were lovely and the hills were almost empty after the long weekend.  My aunt, who used to be a cross country ski instructor, took me out for a long ski up to a small lodge.  By the end of the trail I was exhausted and stiff.  The evening were spent enjoying good food, sipping wine and ending the night with a delicious chocolate raspberry port. 

Sunday morning when A and I packed up to head home, my aunt and uncle sent us off with some extra food for lunch and dinner and the remaining port which we sipped on all evening long. 

 

 Whistler trails full of cedar and pines.

 

 

After a busy weekend I am always happy to get back home and into routine. 

By what way is the light parted?

Lately, I've been reading a short novel I picked out at the local thrift store.  Sisters of Grass by Theresa Kishkan.  Funny the way that books will sometimes jump off the shelf at you.   I picked this novel up for no apparent reason only to realise that it takes place in the local area.  It is a story of a young girl with mixed heritage, growing up on a ranch in the Nicola Valley over a century ago.  The book is a light read but description of local heritage and they way in which the author writes of the land has me eager to pick up the book, yet reluctant to near the end.   Funny enough, upon researching the writer, I found out she currently lives in a small coastal town, neighbouring the town that I grew up in.   Synchronicity seems to be showing up in my life a lot lately. 
I am finding that the more I read, the more I seem to journal.  I often find myself jotting down notes or passages from the books I am absorbed in.  I particularly like how this novel mirrors the colours in my current notebook.

 

This weekend has passed in a blur.  Uncle G and Aunty C came by for a visit again, this time coming along with Aunty R and Uncle A.   We spent the morning conversing over a pot of hot tea a plate full of Dr. Weil's millet scones.  R and A brought us a large potted flower as a housewarming gift, perfect to brighten up the kitchen table.  With the passing of Imbolc just yesterday I have been thinking a lot lately of spring.  Although there is still a good few feet of snow on the ground, and this weekend's temperature had dropped somewhere near -27 degrees, it does feel as though warmer weather is just around the corner. 
Uncle G and Aunty C were kind enough to let us borrow their snowshoes for a little longer.  With last weekend's constant fog and my ever persistent head cold we never got the chance to try them out.  Even though the constant fall of snow never let up A and packed a small picnic and a couple thermoses of spicy chia tea and headed out into the bush.  Walking was awkward at first but after a little practice and with the help of some vintage bamboo poles we quickly got the hang of it. 

 It looks awkward because it was.

 

The reason behind the Aunts and Uncles quick visit was to drop off some family items to us.  Uncle G and Aunty C recently downsized and were looking to rehome some heirlooms.   We gladly accepted two hunting trophies that belonged to my late Grandfather: a set of not-so-big bighorn sheep horns and the largest rack of whitetail deer antlers I have ever seen.  Both had been refinished on a red and gold mount which couldn't match our paint colours any better.  We also received a refinished Winchester 30-30 rifle which used to belong to my dad in his hipster days.
Last summer, much to A's dismay, I had purchased some funny little spring loaded stag heads, not quite sure knowing what their purpose was.  Upon research I learned that they are commonly used as a gun rack. After a quick coat of black paint both A and I agree that the look quite hilarious holding my rifles to the wall.

I love how the trophies add to the cabin feel of the house. 

 Dad's older Winchester 30-30 and my current Savage Arms 22 LR

I do believe we have become quite hick.

Thoughts on foods

 

 

Its no secret that I have been obsessed with honey bees lately.  They have been on my mind constantly for the past few months.  With all the garden planning for this summer I have been taking the bees into serious consideration.  Beekeeping will test your patience.  Most will fail within their first year or two of owning a hive.  With the constant threat of predators and pests and the mystifying phenomenon of colony collapse disorder, most new beekeepers wont make it long enough to harvest their first jar of honey. 

That being said, beehives are an expensive hobby and I have been trying to gain as much knowledge as possible before diving into it.  I know that if I want to be successful, obtaining a hive or two is out of the question for this upcoming summer.   I also know that unless I want to starve the bees out of their winter stores, I won't be wanting to harvest honey in the first year. 

No, this spring and summer will be spent keeping an eye on the local flora.  Bees rely on the plants, and I need to have a keen understanding of which flowers bloom when and where they can be found.  Botany has interested me ever since I was young and over the past 15 years or so I have collected an impressive library of reference books.  Plants and bees have a symbiotic relationship, neither one surviving without the other, and to me it only makes sense that to love one you must love them both.

 

Nice little set up the neighbour has.

 

Ominous scull and crossbones had us turning around.

 

With the damp weather and my ever persistent sinus cold I haven't felt like doing much of anything lately.  I'll admit that I haven't gotten out as much as I would like too.  Yesterday, in lieu of snowshoeing, A. and I took the jeep out for a 4X4 in the snow.  It wasn't the refreshing get-out-into-nature that I have been craving but it kept me from going stir crazy inside the house.  The rest of the weekend has been spent curled up close to the fire place, giving me a good excuse to work with my journal and yarns. 

My baby booties are coming along nicely.  Although I am always happy to have a hook and yarn in my hands I get greater satisfaction from working with natural wools.  This chunky blend is worked up quickly in a warm and sturdy bootie.   With the recent announcement of her first pregnancy I have a good idea of which friend these booties will be going to.

 

 

 

I have been thinking a lot about my diet lately and how I would like to cut out some of the crap that I am accustomed to eating.  I don't really believe in supplementing your diet with protein powders and pills, to me these just seem like prepackaged convenience foods masquerading as health foods.  Personally, I would rather add foods to my diet that are high in the minerals, fats, and proteins that I lack.  Ever since trying my first bottle of  kombucha in San Diego last fall I've been obsessing over the drink.  The fermented tea is slightly fizzy and high in minerals and probiotics.  It tastes a bit like a cross between and alcoholic cider and (if you ferment it too long) vinegar.  I'm hooked and I have a continuous batch brewing in my pantry at all times. 

Aside from getting my daily dose of probiotics, I have discovered bee pollen again (surprise, surprise).  This little super food is extremely high in protein, vitamins, and folic acid.  I have been adding it to my oatmeal and smoothies throughout the day.  Not only is a great addition to the diet but its unbelievably gorgeous ranging in colours from soft yellows and oranges to sometimes pinks and green.  Seriously get in on this little gem. 

This week will be spent mulling over meals and which foods I would like to cut out of my diet.  I can express extreme self-control in the market but once a 'treat' comes home with my it becomes a free for all.   I need to do some serious planning to better manage my snacking and to keep my blood sugar even.  My diet plan tends to lean somewhere towards a raw-vegan and although I do tend to play around with these types of foods quite often, I really need to create a solid meal plan that will get me thought the work week.  I don't put label my diet but I do try and eat those foods that fuel my body and make me feel good. 

 

Due for a top up but check out that SCOBY!

 

Beautiful pollen granules.