Christmas Shoeboxes

Over the past five years or so we've filled at least one shoebox, to be given through Samaritan's Purse, to a child in an impoverished part of the world. Last year we upped it to two boxes and this year to three in recognition of our many blessings and in gratitude to God for our beautiful grandchildren who have been blessed to live in a "have" country, as have we, unlike 80% or more of their counterparts throughout the world. It seems like a paltry contribution...but it's a beginning...an awareness.

This year we were delighted to involve our eldest two grandchildren in this project. Nathan came shopping with me for just the right things for little "Jose" who must live somewhere in this world. We also filled a box with girls things for Megan's counterpart, possibly "Dora" somewhere in this big world. So we had two boxes for boys and one for a little girl which the children cheerfully took to their school where this project is being fostered. It is a good thing to do.

Yesterday we picked up Nathan and Megan after school. Here they are holding up their little treat bag which I like to get ready for them. Remember how hungry you always were after school?

Here they are with their Christmas Shoeboxes:

Last year we filled the boxes in honour of our two grandchildren who live in Mexico and couldn't be with us for Christmas. This is what they looked like then:

Next year, the Lord willing as I should hasten to add, we'll do seven in honour of our seven precious grandchildren who bless us in so many amazing ways! We are grateful.

Beautiful...

A magnificent way to start the day - tune into this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=oPiQE4HjcxA
(copy and paste into your browser-put volume up high)

Isn't that magnificent? Wanting to get a new recording of Handel's Messiah for this Christmas season, I was drawn to an ad in one of our local shops:

Messiah Performed by the Cambridge Singers
with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
2CD Setw/Booklet $24.99 Sale $19.99.

I'm sure it's a great recording but I really wanted to hear an excerpt. I checked out You Tube this morning and although I didn't find that particular one yet, I found lots and lots of fabulous clips. The above clip was the second one I listened to. Now I have lots more to listen to before I decide. Any suggestions?

We have had this particular recording of the Messiah for many years. It's just wonderful and I put it on at about this time of the year and play it through pretty well every day until the New Year. It's wonderful to have this powerful music combined with pure Scripture wash our home with God's message of love, joy, peace and hope.

 

Both Al and I have sung this oratorio and exerpts of it over the years and have our own copies. When I was a student at Mennonite Brethren Bible College in Winnipeg in the early '60's our Conducting Class was given the assignment to perform this work, each student taking one piece to learn and conduct. It was a tremendous experience. Some of my classmates were brave enough, and of course talented enough, to sing the arias! We all sang the choruses. Imagine me conducting the "Hallelujah Chorus", since that was the lot that fell my way when Victor Martens, our instructor, randomly assigned our parts. I'm so grateful to have been a part of that memorable assignment.

A Pilgrim Song

I look up to the mountains;
does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from GOD,
who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

He won't let you stumble,
your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
Not on your life! Israel's
Guardian will never doze or sleep.

GOD's your Guardian,
right at your side to protect you -
Shielding you from sunstroke,
sheltering you from moonstroke.

GOD guards you from every evil,
he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
he guards you now, he guards you always.

Psalm 121 from The Message

Cooking Class - Gluten-Free

Monday night was our designated "girls night out" and so Jenn and I made our way to Langley where we had registered earlier in September for a cooking class on "Gluten Free" - GF- foods. A great variety of cooking and food preparation classes are held in this neat store:



Our professional baker/instructor was Tina Bacon of The Pink Spatula. Tina is an excellent presenter with a great sense of humour. She also can create wonderful recipes. The ones she had prepared for us to follow, as she prepared them in front of our class of about 10, were delicious. We got to sample five different GF baked goods. The recipes I'm including have been developed by Tina. You can find out more about her on her twitter:
tina@the pink spatula.ca

Tina started by giving us a basic mix of flours which she used for all of the items she baked:

All-Purpose GF Flour Mix
3 cups white rice flour
3 cups brown rice flour
2 cups potato starch (NOT potato flour)
1 cup tapioca starch

Measure ingredients into a storage container. Whisk thoroughly until colour is consistent. Store airtight at cool, room temperature.

One of my favourites was the first one we tested:

Crumpets

1 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons yeast
1 ½ cups all purpose GF flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt
3 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 large egg - at room temperature
½ teaspoon vinegar
3 tablespoons butter – melted

Preheat oven to 375o

Grease cookie sheet with oil.
Grease 6 English Muffin rings (about 4” x 1”) and place on baking sheet.

Combine water, yeast and sugar in small bowl.
Sift flour, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt into medium bowl.
Measure 3 ½ tsp sugar, egg, vinegar and butter into large bowl

Whisk together egg/sugar mixture till smooth. Whisk in yeast water. Add half the flour and whisk till smooth. Add remaining flour and stir with a spatula or spoon until smooth.

Divide batter evenly between rings. Cover loosely with tea towel or wax paper and let rise until double, about 20-25 minutes.

When doubled, remove cover and bake until lightly browned and pulling away slightly from rings, about 18-20 minutes. Cool a few minutes on pan. Run a thin knife around the edge, remove ring and finish cooling on rack. Slice in half and place individual buns in Ziploc bags. Store in freezer until required.

Optional: After whisking flour, stir in 1 cup grated aged Cheddan and herbs to taste.

Being of the practical sort, I'm planning to bake mine in muffin tins since I have them...but the size of the crumpet tins makes it special.



We savoured ours with several gourmet jams from the store such as this Tangerine marmalade:



Thanks for the photos, Jenn! It was fun!



... more recipes to follow on another post...

What will I see?

We've had another beautiful day and another beautiful walk. Coming to the last part of the trail I realized I hadn't taken any pictures nor could I see anything really interesting it seemed. Then I noticed this:



I just had to see why the trail was closed off...it beckoned...



...the sign is obviously a warning to be careful since the path, a new addition to the our local Discovery Trail, is being worked on in bits and pieces...and I traversed it with no ill effects

Jenn, who is taking a photography course, showed me yesterday that taking pictures at an angle can at times enhance the results. So I experimented. Some are quite hilarious as I got carried away...

I really like this old fence and I took a lot of pictures from different angles. Of course I also took Mt. Baker since it was right there looking at me...but will leave that for another time...




Off the path by now, I come across these neat abandoned buildings...



...hard to imagine that right across the street is a row of regular houses...



The wind has come up and I can hear the flag whipping in the breeze...



...God keep our land glorious and free...

There's always lots to see and more than meets the eye. I am grateful.

A Lovely Day

The colours of Autumn were brilliant today, this first day of November. A blazing maple welcomes all who pass by along a path near our place.

We were all dismayed when the horticulturists in our town decided it was time to remove all the ornamental cherry blossom trees from our area. For two weeks or more every April, if we were lucky with the weather, we enjoyed the beautiful tree-lined boulevards filled with gracefully arching pink-blossom laden branches. Now with the replacements we enjoy their stunning beauty in fall rather than spring. These ornamental pear trees, pyramidal rather than arching are also very beautiful.

Our little city is often referred to as the city in the country. How far do you think I had to go to get this picture of a pasture, a raspberry field and a beautiful red barn? Drum roll....

...as far as our front bedroom window! I zoomed in and took this shot right through the window...I love this vista... I love red barns...
...yes, a little country just across the way...

Then after a walk through our neighborhood in the late afternoon I noticed the moon, almost full, rising in all its glory. This picture is taken through that same front window as the previous photo.

"Guter Mond du scheinst so helle..."
(Dear moon, you shine so brightly...)

High Flight

This afternoon, on an impromoptu outing to Harrison Hot Springs, we were surprised and delighted to see four small planes roaring right above us. These planes were whirling just above the lake and flying in formation. It was bright and I hoped I'd be able to get a few shots before they disappeared, because it was so impressive. Immediately I remembered the poem, "High Flight" by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. which I'd learned in High School.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings...

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of...

Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air...

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew...

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Check this link to get the complete poem, written by a very young man, and a history of this favourite poem among aviators.
http://www.prazen.com/cori/highflit.html
-click on the airplanes to enlarge photo-