A smattering of things

 We have a flat of blueberries sitting in the fridge as I write waiting to be turned into delicious jam.  Buying the flats probably wasn't as fun as picking them, but I'm hard pressed to get out these days for diapers much less to blueberry bushes.  Anyhow.  

Our recipe is queued and I am waiting for Tuesday to arrive.  I may have to reschedule to Wednesday, or later, pending the behaviour of three specific monkeys.  You see, two of them currently have fevers and a zombie mom of two invalids and three insomniacs trying to make jam is not a recipe for success.  This time I will not have a babysitter, so I am understandably nervous.  Stay tuned for updates!  :o)

Oh, and here is the finished woodburn.  Not terribly fond of the halo... definitely wiggly in places.  As my art teacher would say, it has character.  

Happy Monday.

PS - Should you ever decide you have a craving for pancakes, I heartily recommend this recipe.  They are by far the best pancakes we've ever tasted - and the fluffiest incidentally.  We modified them slightly by cooking them in sunflower oil not butter.  Yum!  

Jamming

Yesterday and the day before were strawberry jam days.  (It's hard to do it all in one day when there are young and wild children about.)  It was my first try and yes, jam was made with success and aplomb!  My favourite part about jamming is the sweet smell of the strawberry syrup simmering on the stove wafting through the house.  And it profoundly assails every visitor to the kitchen, inviting them to pull up a chair and chat about "the old days" when their ancestors (usually mothers or grandmothers) used to make their own jam.

I'm almost positive that blueberry jam will follow.

While waiting for the finished jars to seal (not trying to brag here), I also did a little number on ghoraybe, a Middle Eastern shortbread cookie.  Delicious little things with green pistachios pressed in the centre.  The secret is butter AND A BABYSITTER!  (And the word is out... I'm not really supermom.)  Not just any butter though.  Clarified butter.  I'm sure I've just shocked a few people.  For a lot of people I know, butter alone is a bad word.  Clarified butter is practically anathema.  However, if you don't inhale these cookies, one or two (incidentally sized to eat in 2 small bites) will do you more good than harm.  Just think how nicely they go with afternoon tea!  Or sitting chatting about the ol' jamming days for that matter.

In other new, we have officially moved into our new dwelling!  I have no idea what awaits us here, except for the mountains of boxes that need unpacking, or at the very minimum investigating.  I say investigating because I have no intention of unpacking every nick-knack in those boxes only to have to pack them up again a year later.  The books, toys and crafts shall be exhumed.  The rest - dishes notwithstanding - are debatable.

What I'm finding tough about the whole process is that I cannot just go through boxes and organize.  I am subject to the needs and whims of 3 little monkeys.  This means my pace of unpacking just hit tortoise.  So, with a newborn rearranging my nights and a hefty amount of work awaiting by day, I am preparing for the worst.  

At least we'll have jam for those mornings when getting up seems like more effort than it's worth.  Then tea with toast and jam will be a welcome treat.  

Sunshine and joy

Our waiting is over and baby 3 (we'll call her S.) has arrived!  She is a little princess, our little rosy girl.  The kids love to hold and kiss her; on her cheeks, on her head, on her little hands.  M is especially serious in his devotions.  He feels some sort of responsibility to little S and always tries to help when she fusses.  Honestly, watching our little ones, our joy is complete and our cup runneth over.  And we thank God for the family around us which supports our (my) sanity in the chaos that is three children.  I will not write any more about family life yet.  Everything is too new and I think we all have to take a wee bit of time to process our thoughts and feelings.  Also, we're moving tomorrow, so our routines will soon be changing profoundly.  More on this later.

Even with the arrival of a new baby, life continues in its familiar rhythms.  Strawberry season is in full force in our neck of the woods.  Our visit last week to Whittamore's berry patch was tasty and enjoyable, especially for the monkeys.  I think they ate more than they picked.  At least we got a few trays out of the deal.  (And I don't mean the sweet little strawberry that has grown so quickly into our family patch...)  I foresee strawberry ice cream in the near future!

Speaking of sweets and food in general, I think it's been a long time since I posted a recipe.  It's not that I haven't been in the kitchen lately, it's just that I haven't had the time.  Also, I've managed a few recipes that weren't very memorable.  Anyhow, I will sign off with a lovely coffee cake - recipe courtesy of my mother-in-law whom I miss very much these days.  

CHOCOLATE ORANGE MARBLE CAKE

3 cups flour

1 cup milk (or orange juice)

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs 

1/2 cup oil

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp orange zest

2 Tbsp cocoa

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease and flour bundt pan.  Blend first 7 ingredients together in large bowl until well combined.  Pour 1/4 of the batter into a separate bowl.  Add the orange zest to the remaining 3/4 and blend.  Take the 1/4 batter portion and add the cocoa.  Add a splash of milk and mix well.  Add the orange zest to the remaining 3/4 and blend.  Pour the orange batter into the bundt pan.  Drizzle the chocolate batter on top.  Take a wooden skewer and swirl around until well marbled.  Bake for 45-55 minutes or until done.  Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes.  Invert to release from pan and then reinvert cake to finish cooling.   Serve as desired.  (Goes very well with summer berries!)

Woodburning

I have reconnected with my woodburning tools.  They have been gathering dust for years.  I started a project probably 7 or 8 years ago and it's been sitting waiting for me to return.  Well, return I have!

As you can see from comparing the Virgin to Christ, it looks terrible as simply a line drawing (er, burning?), which is where it had been sitting for all those years.  The shading really transforms it.  And I'm only halfway there.  And yes, this stuff requires patience, so I'm getting in some practice before #3 comes and really tips the scales of my sanity.

In other news, I came across this article the other day and just about peed my pants laughing.  It's a hilarious comparison of 1st, 2nd and 3rd pregnancies.  Like I said, I died.  Actually, I'm surprised I didn't go into labour right then and there.  It's just as well.  I would have had a hard time breathing...

A visually delicious update

Everywhere I gaze, gardens are in full bloom.  Feasting the eyes on God's glorious handiwork is true soul food.  I am refreshed wherever I look.

And my children are in seventh heaven with all that dirt.  Grandma lets them dig around her as she plants or transplants or weeds.  (Is there a kid who doesn't like digging in the dirt?)  When not digging, they like to make mud soup with stone meatballs and mulch dressing.  Yum.

The monkeys are awaiting baby with baited breath.  Perhaps not as baited as I, but they feel the change coming and are excited to be a part of it.  Seriously.  They want that kid out ASAP so they can hold it, hug it, teach it to talk and walk and play soccer.  And ride a bike.  Incidentally, J has just started riding her tricycle by herself.  Not quite there yet, but I can see her going pro by the end of the summer.  (Hallelujah!)  She is our runner.  Loves to run with papa holding her hand.  She's fast too; takes after him - little dash the II.  

D drinks up the moments he spends with the monkeys.  I am practically a cow and useless by suppertime, so that's usually his time to shine.  Weekends are bliss.  (What a man, and what a dad!)

We are all sitting tight for now - basically running around finishing things off before D-day arrives.  I don't know what next week will bring but we shall be in touch with all our happenings - the baby, the big move, the everyday adjustment of #3 and being on our own again, school for M, etc.  

Cheerio for now! 

Reflections on the monkeys

Yesterday evening we went to Mill Pond to play with the kids at the park.  Watching them climb, jump, slide and run, I reflected on their little personalities; on the fiber of their childhood and on  those little qualities that parents love to look for in their children.

My children are strong, adventurous and free.  They march to the beat of their own drum.  On the playground J is fearless and determined while M is all business and concentration.  Don't tell D, but I am not so afraid of our monkeys getting hurt.  They do periodically.  Bruises, scrapes, splinters, blisters, and cuts have been a part of our lives practically since M started crawling.  A cry, a special mom or dad hug, sometimes a band-aid and then showing off war-wounds to everyone around are what generally ensue.  I have stopped trying to be a protective helicopter parent outside and enjoy their fun instead.  (Ummm, actually, I lied.  I am a little nervous letting them climb up the outside of the tube slide, but so far M can only make it to the first section on the bottom...)

They are not wild children, but they love the wild, unrestrained play of the outdoors.  They love the freedom of being uncontained - of having sticks, rocks and dandelion puffs for toys.  They love the feel of sand squishing between their toes, or building sand castles and sand tombs (yes, you read that correctly, tombs).  They love climbing on rocks, those lovely large edging beauties that J very precisely paces atop like a mountain climber or circus performer.  They love building fire-pits with pretend fires inside made of sticks, bits of moss and stones.  And they love chasing birds.  Oh how they love chasing birds!  Birds, ducks, geese.  Anything fowl really.  I have videos of M running around Centre Island squealing after every winged creature in sight.  

I know they love these things because they hate leaving them when it's finally time to come away.  I know it from the look on their faces as they play so seriously and with such concentration.  I know it from their laughter, joy and complete abandon.  And I know it most of all because of the matching joy and serene contentment that fills me watching them.  

Our lives are filled with many hopes, dreams and plans.  It is my dearest wish that these present moments and causes of joy stay with them as they grow.  To keep the child-like while dispensing with the childish.  To grow strong and rooted in goodness, simplicity and love God's wondrous creation.  

A temporary fix

Well friends, our long journey for a home has been put on hold.  With baby due so soon and D's job demanding so much from him, we have made the decision to leap back into renting.  I am assured by my husband that it will be but for a short time while we regroup and refocus our energy for the search round II.  The problem is now that I have forgotten what's it's like to live in a condo... three children in a 2 bedroom, 1100 sq ft condo.  On the best of days that thought makes me a little gloomy.  Imagine a bad day.

Here we've had gardens and green aplenty.  There, we will have only our potted parsley and mint for the balcony- oh, and the aloe my mother promised.  What shall I do with 2 active monkeys (accustomed by now to living outdoors) and a newborn in a condo?  I've grown used to doing the dishes and watching from the kitchen window while the monkeys play outdoors.  Those days are numbered, as is folding laundry outside while dinner simmers on the stove.  (Tell me I'm not the only one who finds it ironic that my last post details ways to keep my babies indoors?)

The thing that kills me amidst all this is that I've seen so many homes - homes with beautiful kitchens, homes with backyards to die for, homes with perfect family neighbourhoods, homes with walls painted in gorgeous colours.  It has made me long even more for my own little casa.  I love the thought of sharing our home with others; of those summer BBQs outside while the kids run through the sprinkler or blow bubbles; of the rainy or snowy days spent in the kitchen or curled up (obviously beside a fireplace); of countless hours spent digging in the garden with little hands all around "helping"; of picking flowers on a walk through a nearby field, putting them little cups or a pitcher to decorate the house.  Well, I guess that last one could apply in a condo...  Anyhow.  I think you get the picture.  

And yes, I'll be the first to admit it all sounds a little TOO romantic.  But I've seen my little ones in a house and I've seen them in a condo, and I'll take the house with all the extra work thank you very much.  I know D too wants a house so badly.  I suspect though, and this is just a little inkling of a feeling, that I want it just a smidgen more.  (Must be all that extra time that I spend at home during the day while he's at work.)  

So in closing: a) a prayer or two would be greatly appreciated, and b) please don't think me desperate, but I would love to hear some advice and coping strategies...