Wilderness Wednesday: Compassion

Tags

compassion, photography, squirrels, Wilderness Wednesday

Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer. – Rachel Joy Scott

Proud Mama Moment: Big Guy is an arborist, and therefore often crosses paths with woodland creatures. Most the of the time, those creatures are complaining about the noise. Last week, he came across a very cold baby squirrel lying at the base of a tree. This little one snuggled right in. Big Guy found a shelter that would take this baby. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t have a happy ending, and this little one was too sick or injured, and he didn’t survive the day.

While it made us both sad, I’m so proud of my “lumberjack” with a big heart. XOXO

Compassion brings us to a stop, and for a moment we rise above ourselves.
– Mason Cooley

 

 

What’s In My Cup: Ginger Crystal

Tags

#whatsinmycup, CFFC, food, food photography, Photo Challenge, photography, tea, what's in my cup

It’s another gray Monday morning and it can’t decide if it’s going to rain, snow, or sleet. Everything is covered in ice. Even the squirrels have given up and gone inside!

We need a little sunshine.

“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.”
― Joseph Addison

I’m being efficient today – making 1 post fit 2 categories. Cee Neuner’s Fun Foto Challenge this week is Yellow…and as soon as I saw that, my mind went to photos I took late in October, right before the snow flew: Ginger Crystal tea in a forgotten sunflower cup, with the last of my sunny brown-eyed susans.

In the past year, I’ve found myself enjoying more chai and ginger based teas, so it was no surprise that this little gem caught my eye. This particular blend contains 3 forms of ginger: ginger root, crystallized ginger, and ginger-infused honey. (Note: Interested in making your own ginger-infused honey? Me too! Check out Melissa K. Norris!)

Crystallized ginger is a fancy name for candied ginger. It’s a sweet, chewy, and spicy treat made from fresh ginger. You can purchase it in most stores, or make your own by skinning and slicing fresh ginger, and boiling it in water, then a sugar or honey solution. Once cooled, toss it in sugar and let it dry for 24 hours.  It can be stored in an airtight container for 2-4 weeks.

Lemon, ginger, honey, or a combination of 2 or 3, are great natural remedies for cold and flu symptoms, including scratchy throats and nausea, and can help reduce inflammation and help balance sugar levels. Ginger may boost your metabolism so you burn more calories, and it’s also great for your skin and hair.

The tea was a delicate yellow, and I thought the lemongrass tempered the bite of ginger with the tartness of  lemon. I found it “zingy-er” than Tetley’s Lemon Ginger tea, but definitely milder than David’s “The Buzz” tea.

 

This tea was perfect for warding off the late afternoon chill, as the shadows lengthened.

And it may be perfect for adding some sunshine today, since the weather still can’t decide! 🙂  Happy Monday!

Life is like a cup of tea – it’s all in how you make it.

 

Reno Diaries: Part 2

Tags

home, home renovations, humour

November 2 – Dear Diary: Hubby and I went shopping to buy a microwave. I thought it would be a simple job: drive to Home Depot, pick one in our price range, and bring it home. How hard could it be?

First, a long discussion ensued whether to choose black or stainless steel. Since nothing else in the kitchen is stainless steel, and expecting it to be less popular and therefore cheaper, we chose black. Every microwave in Home Depot was stainless steel.

A Home Depot employee looked on the website for us, and could order one in black. It was more expensive than stainless, and came with a $69 delivery fee. Ouch! It couldn’t be delivered to the store and picked up…so another discussion ensued, and we decided to buy a stainless steel one. Did you know, dear diary, that the only microwaves in the store are the models? It would take at least a week for it to come in. We didn’t know if Handyman needed it on Monday. We politely declined, much to the annoyance of the employee, and headed to the hardware aisle, where we proceeded to discuss and fondle all the knobs and pulls, from simple to ostentatious. We got ridiculously giddy. The prices, however, were a shock. I cannot justify spending $300 on hardware alone, no matter how ridiculously good-looking they are. So I settled on a simple white ceramic knob to go with the simple white doors.  I purchased one for the whopping price of $1.99.

Julius Rock is proud of me!

We went to Canadian Tire. They only had stainless steel, and none of them were over-the-stove models. BUT while we were there, I took Hubby to look at dishes. Our everyday Corelle set was given to us in 1995. While every mug and saucer is intact, we only have 5 dinner plates. Which means if we everyone is home, we have to do dishes. Which means if we have guests, we have to flip a coin to see who doesn’t get to eat. Unless we eat in shifts.

There was a great assortment of colours and patterns. I was particularly attracted to a pale blue stoneware set. The only ones Hubby liked were white. Just white. Our plate-flipping-coin will have to stay in the kitchen a little longer. Discouraged, we set out for store #3…

I hate shopping at The Brick. As soon as we set foot in the store, a salesperson started stalking us. It was creepy. He stalked us to the microwave department, pointed to a couple of models but didn’t explain anything, then wandered off in search of better prey. We could get him if we needed help.

We wandered around, scrutinizing the varied features of these stainless steel models (no black). The deciding factor (apart from price) was very high-tech: how comfortable the handle feels when we open it. Then we started wandering to see find Mr. Salesperson. Mrs. Salesperson saw us searching and offered to help. She showed us a few models and checked on a sales one that we liked.

We had made our selection when Mr. Salesperson showed up, and started mouthing off to Mrs. Salesperson about “stealing his sale”. It was incredibly uncomfortable. We didn’t know if we should interject or just walk away. Before we decided, she walked away and Mr. Salesperson rang it up. We could pick it up 3 days. I paid. Mr. Salesperson couldn’t get the receipt to print, so he disappeared…for nearly 5 minutes. I was beginning to wonder if he’d split town with my payment and I was to end up with no microwave. Just a gaping hole over the stove. Eventually we left with a receipt, a small migraine, and a parting scowl from Mrs. Salesperson.

November 4 – Handyman said he was coming to apply the second coat of plaster, but he didn’t show up. Guess he forgot and he’s away the rest of the week. I got bored waiting, so went shopping for clothes for Little Guy. He’s now taller than me but I’m still 4 lbs heavier. I’m not sure I could take him in a fight, but I’m going to pretend I didn’t say that!

November 11 – Everyone has been sharing their kitchen renovation horror stories. I was thinking I was getting off pretty easy. Famous. Last. Words….

Cee’s B&W Challenge: Stones

Tags

black and white photography, black&white Photography, Fall, nature, Photo Challenge, photography, tea

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1

 

 

Everything changes, even stone. Claude Monet

True joy of nature is when every drop of water shines like a pearl. Anamika Mishra

A stumbling-block for the pessimist; a stepping stone to the optimist.
Eleanor Roosevelt

This is my post for Cee Neuner’s Black & White Challenge: Stones

Happy Wednesday!

Letter from a German Medic: We Remember

Tags

faith, family, love, remembrance, Remembrance Day

We remember.

Not just because it was world history or national history…but because it’s personal history.

In my small hometown, everyone knew someone who had fought in the Great Wars. For my family, it was my great uncle. I have shared this story before, but every time I think about it, I am astonished again and again, that love and compassion never died.

My Great Uncle was killed in action in 1944 – but it is the letters from “the enemy” that make this a remarkable story.

  My Great Uncle was born in 1924 and enlisted in the Canadian Army Dental Corps in December, 1942. He needed his parents’ permission to join because he was only 17. He re-mustered to the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 and headed overseas to the United Kingdom in August 1943. He was attached to the Royal Air Force and went missing in action in 1944, at the age of 20.

  It was several months of agonizing waiting before his family found out what had happened. My Great-Uncle had been the rear gunner in an Avro Lancaster went missing during a night operation in France. The rear gunner was in a “bubble” on the underside of the airplane. I was with my Grandfather when he toured the inside of an Avro Lancaster a few years ago, and he kept remarking over and over how tight the space was for the rear gunner. My Great-Uncle had been over 6′ tall.

Most of the crew members, all R.A.F., were also killed. The other crew members were Canadian – one was taken as a Prisoner of War, and one escaped with the assistance of the French underground and returned to England.  The POW’s report stated that the plane was heading to its target and came under heavy fire. They barely missed colliding with another Lancaster that was on fire. Shortly thereafter, a fire broke out inside the plane. The pilot sent others to assist with the fire. When the controls burned out and the plane started into a vertical dive, he forced himself out of the window with a parachute. He woke up on the ground with a broken leg and cracked skull, and was captured by the Germans.

Shortly after the war, the first letter arrived from Germany, from the medic who had attended my Great-Uncle following the plane crash.

Dear family R.,
perhaps you will ask yourself why I wrote to you. I had so many addresses that I had unfortunately to destroy. But I guarded your address like a sanctuary, for a great sympathy united me with your son. In your son I saw a Canadian sportsman, he reminded me of the ice-hockey games Canada Germany in the Berlin sport-palace. And so I am very glad that I can give you any information. It was permitted me to return home after a military-time of long years and an imprisonment of one year, where my young wife awaited me. On the 30th of January my little boy has his first birthday. He is giving us very much pleasure, and so we forget many a trouble and sorrow that oppress us deeply today. I now hope that these lines will give you a small consolation in your grief, and we should be very glad to hear from you again. We should like to send you the pocket-lighter, if you want. We send you the kindest regards, Yours very sincerely, E. P. and family.

My Great-Grandparents wrote back, and received this second letter:

Dear Family R.
By your dear lines I now have the confirmation that you are the parents of Mr. R. I thank you very much for the nice letter, and I am very happy that you call me your friend, and in this friendship I want to report you truly everything what I know of the death of your son. In June 1944 we had our airfield near the village … in northern France. On the 24lb June 1944 at about 23 hours, a heavy air attack ensued on our anti-aircraft position and the neighbouring V-position. At this raid German night-fighters were put in, and in a few minutes a heavy airbattle developed in the nightly sky. In the course of this battle the bombing aircraft of your son must have been heavily damaged. After the air-battle I got the order to search the near environs for the dead and injured persons, and there I found your son. He was lying alone about 300 m from our position, and as I still remarked weak signs of life I called for medical assistance, but it was all in vain, with low words I could not understand, unfortunately, your son died in my arms. My thoughts were in his native country with his relatives. We had became comrades; for tomorrow already I could have had the same fate. So I closed the eyes to your son and said: May God give you the eternal rest. I suppose that your son died by the consequences of the inner injuries he got by the fall. The parachute had taken fire and was not opened, the occiput[sic] had a small injure. The next morning I had to take off all the things of the dead persons and must give them to a German burial-commission that had to send them on to the Red Cross. Therefore I am very much astonished that you did not received the last things of your son. On the 26th June 1944, we brought your son to his last place of rest. He is lying with other comrades on the churchyards “…”. I am going to mark the place for you by an enclosed sketch. I assure you that we buried your son as well as every German comrade. A plain cross of wood with name, day of death and number of recognition adorns his soldier-grave. Herewith I also want to pronounce my sincerest condolence to you.

Some time following this letter, Mr. P. visited my Great-Grandparents and returned a few of my Great-Uncle’s possessions. I find it remarkable, that in a time when tensions still ran high between different nations, that this medic reached out to a small farmer’s family in an attempt to bring them peace.

My Great-Uncle’s fiancée never married. Nearly every year my Grandfather would attend the Remembrance Day Ceremony on November 11th, and the cenotaph in town…to remember. Grandpa would touch his brother’s name on the cenotaph and leave his poppy at its base.

We took him to see a Lancaster bomber in the early 1990s. Grandpa walked around that plane several times before we went inside. Over and over, he’d shake his head and mumble “isn’t that something”. It wasn’t until we moved to the rear gunner’s position that he started to share. “My brother was really skinny and over 6′ tall. How could he possibly fit in there?”, he chuckled. “He would have had his knees in his face”.  Then his smile faded and his eyes welled with tears. He looked at me and tried to say something but he was too emotional, so we just held a quiet memorial there, before he commented “isn’t that something” and turned to go.

My Grandpa is gone now, but his family, we will always remember…

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” -Matthew 5:43-44a

Reno Diaries: Part One

Tags

home renovations, humour

October 17 – Dear Diary, it’s a beautiful sunny day out, but I have a deadline. Handyman is coming Monday to start the kitchen. I just found out!

I have been planning this change for a long time, mostly because I was too scared to talk to the Handyman. I talked to him in the Spring, after I decided to add cupboard doors and before I quit my job! So far I have successfully removed our belongings from the shelves over the stove and fridge…and washed said belongings because they were oilier than Danny Zuko’s hair. Handyman is shortening these shelves to install a microwave over the stove. I can’t wait for the unsightly, dusty fan to be gone forever. All it does is make noise. Sometimes, when I boil something too long, it starts to drip grease. Yuck!

I recycled most of the aluminum pie and tart shells and recipe clippings. What was I thinking? Just realized we no longer receive the Milk calendar – definitely a blessing since I’m lactose intolerant!

So long 1959 tiles & cupboard doors. So long 1980 butcher block counter top!

October 18  – Dear Diary, I made the trip to Value Village today with over 7 bags of clothing, kitchen items, toys and books. Now I have room to start unpacking our massive teak cupboard. Did you know I have over 100 flavours of tea? I don’t know where I’m going to put it all! Kettle’s boiling…

October 19 – Dear Diary, Hubby and Big Guy moved the teak cupboard into the dining room. We now have a small blue recycle bin by the back door, which I have to empty at least once a day. On the plus side, no more blue bin in the dining room and the teak cupboard covers up the dings in the wall from lobbing cans like they were basketballs…and missing. Guilty!

We pushed the dining table back so there’s more room to walk around, but Hubby keeps hitting his head on the overhead fixture. The fridge is now where the cupboard was and the microwave has moved to the dining room too. Big Guy turned it around so I don’t have to stand on my head to heat a cup of tea. Bless that sweet child of mine!

October 20 – Dear Diary, I cleared the kitchen counter tonight so the Handyman can install the new counter top. He delivered it already and it’s gorgeous! The kettle is plugged in on the dining floor. I wonder how many times I’ll trip over it!

October 21 – Dear Diary, the Handyman arrived before 8:30. I was dressed and moved my car by 8. Phew! I’ve added 2 large bins to the dining room floor – one with the contents of the stove drawer and one with the wet contents of my plastic container cupboard.  Unfortunately, he ran into a snag with the sink plumbing and had to turn off the water. For most of the day. I was out for the morning with a friend, and we stopped by around noon to see how it was going! Unfortunately, my friend used the bathroom (no. 2) before we realized the water was still off. We were all embarrassed!

October 22 – Dear Diary, even though he said I didn’t have to remove all the stuff in the lower cupboards, I wish I had. Everything is covered in sawdust. Today the Handyman cut the shelves, removed the icky tile, and framed the wall that’s going to cover the extra electrical work. I used the tub to fill my kettle. Electrical work delayed while the Electrician vacations in Ireland!

I keep trying to reheat my tea in the breadbox since it’s living where the microwave used to be…

October 30 – Dear Diary, Exciting day! Electrician has arrived with a bin full of tools and my mother. Plenty of hemming and hawing through the evening while mother snoozed on the couch and I played Overwatch with Big Guy.

Tripped over tea kettle.

October 31 – Dear Diary, Noisy day! Drilling interrupted conversations over tea throughout the day. I found at least 9 piles of sawdust in a neat row snaking the length of the basement & laundry room, including bed folks sleep in. Dad accidentally spilled Mom’s water in the bed in a spectacular fashion. I will be sleeping on the couch tonight, but a small sacrifice for proper outlets.

November 1 – Dear Diary, massive wind storm through night, resulting in lots of banging and 7 power outages. I know this because every time it went off and came back on, the Xbox, microwave and stove would beep, and the fridge and printer powered on. Once  the wind died down, snoring from above could be heard. Finally turned on electric fan and slept for 3 hours. Minor miscommunication so one outlet had to move. Once Handyman approved the electrical work, he put up drywall and plaster. Trail of sawdust has migrated throughout the entire house, and I suspect I will be hand picking wood chips from the carpet for weeks! Next steps: choosing cupboard door handles and buying a microwave. Should ask Hubby to weigh in, but not optimistic we’ll find something we agree on. Wish us luck!

November 2 – Dear Diary, I took Hubby shopping. It’s too soon to talk about it…

Wilderness Wednesday: A Walk in the Park

Tags

Fall, leaves, nature, photography, red, technology, Wilderness Wednesday

Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still
and watch the leaves turn. – Elizabeth Lawrence

In every walk in nature, one receives far more than he seeks. – John Muir

An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day. – Henry David Thoreau

Happy Wednesday!

November

Tags

#whatsinmycup, Fall, tea, what's in my cup

The month of November makes me feel that life is passing more quickly. In an effort to slow it down, I try to fill the hours more meaningfully. – Henry Rollins

Happy Monday!

 

Wilderness Wednesday: Early Birds

It seems beating the sun up has become a bad habit of late. I’m seriously missing snuggling under the covers until the wee hour of 10 o’clock on Saturday mornings. The only advantage to being up so early is that I can catch the early birds.

A large family of geese were mumbling quiet “good mornings” to one another, as the mist hovered over their pool. I was mumbling too…

By the time I reached my destination, the flocks sheltering in the fields were ready to continue their journey.

O hushed October morning mild, thy leaves have ripened to the fall; tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild, should waste them all. -Robert Frost, October

After I did what I had to do, I detoured to a park in town, where I rambled alone with the birds and squirrels. By now the sun had melted the frost and illuminated the “flowers” of the trees-reds, oranges, and yellows. I paused by a waterfall to listen to it bubble, before strolling by a small man-made lake to watch sea gulls weaving overhead and diving in to catch some breakfast. Other birds scolded me from the safety of the bullrushes.

My final stop was on a wooden bridge where I made friends with a large swan, much to the disappointment of another photographer. He had a camera with so many tiers on his lens that it rivalled most wedding cakes. I think the swan liked my pink sweater.

I would have stayed longer but my fingers were freezing and I was ready for breakfast too!

O hushed October morning mild, begin the hours of this day slow. Make the day seem to us less brief. – Robert Frost, October

Happy Wednesday!

What’s in My Cup: Pumpkin Chai

Tags

#whatsinmycup, food, food photography, humour, pumpkin-spice, tea, what's in my cup

It may appear I’m compromising myself by choosing pumpkin chai for today, after  my rant sharing my opinions on pumpkin spice lattes last year, but in the spirit of  Halloween – jack-o-lanterns and such, I thought I’d make an exception. Just this once.

This black tea is liberally spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and caramel. For a “fun” factor, it has pumpkin-shape candies! It also has carrot, lemon peel, and pumpkin flakes. 

This is a great way to savour the season without the extra calories, the age-inducing guilt, or the long lines at your corner coffee shop. It’s sweeter than pumpkin pie compliments of the buttery caramel, but balanced well with the “bite and kiss” of the spices.

Give ’em pumpkin to talk about.

Rumour has it, you can make an amazing latte too. I tried it with almond milk, and it was …different. I refuse to spend the year parked in a Pumpkin Patch waiting for the next Great Pumpkin Spice-whatever to appear, but you can go ahead and spice it up any way you like!

I spilled my pumpkin spice latte and now a bunch of ants are making brunch plans and doing yoga.

Happy Monday!