Mill Lake - Pt 2

There's always someone dangling a fishing line from the dock.

New construction across the lake.

Bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, strollers, joggers, walkers and wheel chairs all have a place along the paths.

Gotta get my ducks all in a row...

Mill Lake

Mill Lake lies in the center of our busy little city. The distant mountain ranges to the north and east create a stunning backdrop to this natural jewel.

Because I'm so familiar with the area I haven't bothered taking note of an entry sign to the park. But today was different. I took my camera with the intention of getting a few good shots and posting them. This humble sign simply carved into a plank and painted was the only one I saw as I made my 1 mile loop around the lake.

Canada Geese, Wood ducks and one lone white goose are all part of the lakes' inhabitants. The black cormorant usually on a log with other ducks was not present today.

Mount Baker in all its gorgeous glory stands regally implanted towards the south. I never get tired of this landmark and always try to get a better shot of this imposing mountain, totally ours we all think, but totally on American soil.

Surprise!

Who hasn't enjoyed a steaming cup of TH's best and with it a sweet goodie or two. Well after a bit of shopping I was delighted to see just a few cars ahead of me at our very busy mid-town TH's today. Justifying my having yet another cup of coffee this morning, I settled for a small with two timbits - $1.54 the voice tells me. Inching my way forward I managed to find the correct change just as I approached the window. Extending my hand full of change she cheerfully hands me my coffee and timbits waving me on...the car ahead of me had paid my bill. What?!!! How nice is that...I blessed that woman in the PT Cruiser ahead of me as she sailed away. I think the lingo for that is "pay it forward" but in this case she "paid it backward". I will definitely "pay it backward" and make someone else's day, and soon, when they least expect it. Such fun!

"Old Friends"

Make new friends
but keep the old
one is silver and the other gold

Everyone looks great...of all these gals I'm the most senior and have been retired the longest from being a classroom teacher. Two of the "girls" are still teaching but the rest have joined the hallowed ranks of retirement. Elisa graciously hosted us for a wonderful evening of food and fun!

It is interesting to reflect on all the people who have crossed my path over the years, especially those with whom I've spent considerable time in the work force. Ever since I can remember I had wanted to be a school teacher. My parents encouraged all of us kids to become teachers, and most of us went that route in some form or another. My parents had this reverence for teachers it seems, instilled in them from the European tradition of their own heritage. (They immigrated to Canada in 1923 when they were kids). Teaching was just the best profession not to mention that it only required one year of post high school training in my time - the rest was almost always added through summer school classes and night school-and so it was practical since we would all marry soon and have children and happily stay home ever after. Well it almost worked that way.

Re-entering the classroom after an almost 15 year absence after indeed being at home, happily attending to heart and hearth of my loved ones, I found myself swimming fast and furiously trying to keep my head above water, balancing my full time career along with managing my growing family and all that entailed. Well I know many women have done this but what makes it so much easier and sweeter is when you're surrounded by not only compatible but genuinely caring people excelling in their profession but also excelling at kindness, encouragement and friendship. These Abby Gals are these kind of gals - and there were others too, from yet earlier years - who helped me along. I've learned so much from these great gals - truly a gift from God! They made the journey exciting and fulfilling. My life is richer, fuller, and more beautiful because of them...Thank you Abby Gals!

Late September Planters

It amazes me that I never tire of checking my planters, admiring and fussing over them even yet moving them about to maximize their sun exposure with the noticeably shorter days. It's a great investment-time, money and energy-since it's such a soul-nourishing and building hobby and pastime. There is such a lavish abundance of beauty at our fingertips. Since early April I've bought and planted and transplanted and watered and fertilized and pruned and dead-headed...I am blessed, feel extravagantly privileged that Almighty God trusts me with His resources and let's me "play" to my heart's content. It's like He says: "Here are the seeds, I created them you know, here's the water, yes, I created that too, and here's the sunshine which I also created. Now go for it!" So for the past half year I've been blessed to do just that again this summer. Flowers,flowers, flowers... wonderful reminders to me of God's faithfulness and gentleness everyday.
Thank you, Lord.

As I was sitting on the deck with a good book and a coffee I reflected on just how well the planters right around the deck have done and how good they still look at this time of the year. I took these from my perch on the deck...liking the way the purple asters against the wall were a good backdrop for this planter.

Here the hot-pink carpet rose showcases the white daisies in this planter.

This post began in my mind as I was reading the last ten verses of Matthew 6 - the "do not worry section". Read them and be encouraged and uplifted.

Lemon-Raisin Cookies-gluten-free

 

One more gluten-free recipe in this trilogy of recipes. I took the recipe, one which I've made with regular flour in the past, from The Mennonite Treasury of Recipes in which its listed as Orange Cookies. Well since "necessity is the mother of invention" I reconstructed the original to suit a gluten-free diet and substituted lemon for orange with kudos from Big Al. Because Al really likes icing I also finished them off after baking with a thin lemon glaze.

Lemon-Raisin Cookies

2/3 cup butter or shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs well beaten
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour -here I used Celimix white bread mix
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
1 tablespoon water

Cream butter, add sugar, beaten eggs, lemon juice, rind, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients mixing well. Add raisins. Drop by teaspoon onto parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Bake in hot 400o oven for 12 minutes or until golden.
Spread with a thin glaze of icing sugar, lemon juice and enough hot water to get right consistency and drizzle over warm cookies.

Jennifer alerted me to a Gluten-Free Cooking Class being offered in Langley. We trekked out there today to check things out and signed up for a class in November. We'll get some more ideas. What a great outing we had together with her little fellows.

Fruit Platz

 

Fruit Platz has long been a favourite in our family. It's a traditional Mennonite dessert served often at an afternoon "Fesper". Apples, cherries, apricots, peaches, blueberries, rhubarb and plums all can be used to make a very tasty treat.

I was determined to make a Platz that Al could eat and enjoy-gluten free. So off the top, and through many years of Platz making, I just put the following ingredients together and the results were great.

Plum Platz
Crust:
3 cups of "flour" - I used a combination of ground gluten free oatmeal, ground almonds and celimix bread flour.*
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
Cut in 1 cup shortening
Add two eggs-beaten

I found that I didn't need to add any other liquid to get the right consistency. Then I just pressed it into a jelly roll size pan.

Add plums which have been halved placing them right next to each other cut side up.

Topping:

Blend together
1 cup of the same kind of "flour" mixture used for the crust
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

Bake at 375o for 20-25 minutes.

 

*I keep a bag of Celimix White Bread Mix on hand for Al's cookies, pancakes etc. This mix already includes the xanthan gum and other trace ingredients that are necessary to hold the product together.