It's a New Day

Good Morning everyone! It's a new day...another beautiful day. It didn't seem as if it would be when I stepped out onto the back deck around 6:15 this morning. But the surprise was coming...it always seems to come through my south-facing kitchen window when I least expect it.

And there, as I placed my coffee mug into the sink and looked out, I saw it...a breath-taking sunrise in the eastern sky awash in dark reds and deep purples lightening into oranges and majentas as the minutes ticked by. Of course I must capture this moment...so out onto the deck I go, zoom in with my trusty little Canon Powershot A720, and hope for a reasonable facsimile. I am pleased...close, certainly not as good as the real thing...but such a reminder of the faithful sun rising every single day whether we see it or not...it rises...we can count on it. The Creator put it into its "DNA" to work perfectly every day-so faithful.

And so as I'm reading now in the great Book of Isaiah the Old Testament prophet I am blessed and uplifted again as I ponder the faithfulness of God:

Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 46:4

Western Red Flicker

What a lot of clout this Western Red Flicker wields in his habitat.

As I went over to my kitchen sink mid-morning I was stunned to see the side lawn filled with dozens and dozens of starlings all pecking away with gusto and flurry. As I was trying to figure out just what they were attacking in the lawn I was even more startled to see and hear the whole flock take off in flight as if on cue. Obviously they had not only been searching for lunch before the long trek South but were immediately ready for action when their sentinel alerted them to the culprit. This large Western Red Flicker, without any scary noises, just landed at the edge of the grass and nonchalantly started pecking away. I ran for my camera but couldn't get a good shot through the window. By the time I'd ever-so-quietly opened the door onto the back deck, he also ever-so-quietly hopped behind the hydrangea bush and out of sight.

This is only the second time I've seen a flicker in our yard. My neighbour Lyn, three doors away, feeds the birds and the flicker is a regular visitor to her backyard. He sure knows what he's doing!

I took this picture back in February when I was amazed at spotting him outside. I was always waiting for a better shot but I'll post this one today because it's this fella or his mate or cousin or friend that came to shoo off that multitude of speckled starlings. In the world of feathers, it's only a hawk or eagle I believe, that poses a threat to this large flicker. Quite the pecking order....

As I waited and listened on the deck to see if the flicker would reappear I was amazed and delighted to see and hear many different birds - towhees, robins, stellar jays, sparrows and chickadees- merrily chirping away and flitting through the trees. Are they all getting ready to fly South for the winter or were they anxiously scattering away from the flicker too? What amazing creatures! Reminds me of the childrens' song:

God sees the little sparrow fall
It meets His tender view-
If God so loves the little birds
I know He loves me too!
...and He does

Gingerbread Cake gluten-free

I cut this recipe out of a flyer in our local paper this weekend. It was a regular recipe but I simply used the GF flour mix and Big Al gives me the thumbs up on this.

Now I know why our instructor at the GF cooking class told us to sift our dry ingredients. You can see the bumps on top of the baked cake. These kinds of flours clump together and I should take that extra minute to shake it through a fine sieve...wait, I don't even own a fine sieve anymore! But I don't think it impaired the taste.

I added the glaze using lemon zest and juice -complemented the ginger nicely. Al loves the icing and that's one thing he'd like more of on this cake.

I had the luxury of adding a spritz or two of whipping cream which Al doesn't indulge in, to lighten the strong flavour of molasses. I changed the recipe by:
*.changing it to GF flour,
.omitting cinnamon and using nutmeg instead,
.using oil instead of butter,
.using 2 eggs,
.a bit less water to compensate for the extra egg,
.and no crystallized ginger since I didn't have any.

I decided on the spur of the moment to whip up this cake as I took the roast from the oven. This gave us a nice hot spicy dessert on a chilly, rainy Sunday afternoon.

Recipe

*1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon ginger
3/4 teaspoon baking power
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teapoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup hot water
1/3 cup finely diced crystallized ginger

Blend all ingredients and beat until smooth. Bake in a 9 inch greased cake pan at 350 o for
30-35 minutes. Add icing sugar glaze according to your liking.

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...