it always comes back to murder she wrote

See that beauty up there? I found it at Frenchy's today for $7, and it is in perfect shape. And I mean perfect - no dust (it comes in its own carrying case), every key and knob works beautifully and smoothly, and the ink on the ribbon isn't dried, so I can type in red and black! I am in loooove. And that 'Smith-Corona' font? *swoon* I love it! And even better? It matches my Jessica Fletcher phone!

It is a wild evening out there. The wind is howling (gusts to 100km/hr) and the rain has been coming down in sheets all day. Thankfully, we still have power. It's my favourite kind of weather, both in person and most especially in tv shows and movies. Funnily enough, in the first episode of Murder She Wrote it's exactly like tonight. Every show needs a good storm episode for dramatic effect - I love when characters bluster in through the door from the cold, turning and leaning in to close it against the wind and rain, while the warm, dry, cozy home (and often a friend) is there to welcome them in. I guess that's it - it just highlights how comforting home can be. And home is my favourite thing of all.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you Americans! If I didn't have to work tomorrow, I'd happily do Thanksgiving all over again. Mmmm. I hope you enjoy a lovely, restful time with people you love.

i love november

I really do love November. The anticipation of the holidays, the cooler weather (I strongly dislike being too hot), the longer cozy evenings and candlelit suppers just agree with me. We've had a lovely unseasonably warm weekend, so we spent the day at the camp yesterday cleaning up and getting it ready for winter winds, and cooking maple sausages from the market over the fire with friends and having a lovely visit. I can't help it - here are a couple of pictures I posted on Instagram yesterday. 

I also love the food right now - there's still plenty of vegetables at the market and a few straggling things from the garden. Last weekend, I picked the last of the kale from the garden, and we bought a bunch of brussels sprouts at the market. Looking for something new to make, I asked Austen for a suggestion. And she sent me a wonderful recipe that I finally made last night. I didn't have squash, as I realized when I actually looked for the one I thought we had (oops) but this was delicious nonetheless. I used kale, didn't have the herbs, and used fresh parmesan because it's what I had. So I'm not really sure what the original recipe tastes like, but I'm sure it's wonderful. I guess my point is that you can mix up the assortment of vegetables however you'd like; it's really the method that will make it delicious.

I hope that you enjoy these last few weeks of November, too.

leaves preserved with glycerine

While driving to Halifax early last week for work, I noticed a few spots along the highway where there were many tiny oak trees trying valiantly to grow along the edge of the road. Perhaps because they were stressed, they had some seriously lovely red leaves. I crossed my fingers that they would still be there on my way home, made a mental note of where they were and what I would do with them, and pulled over to pick some on Friday.

Years ago, I remember reading about glycerine preserved leaves, but for some reason never tried making them until now. I am thrilled with the results! The colour isn't as intense as it was when the leaves were picked, but I may have crammed too many leaves into the solution. Regardless, they're just lovely, and I just had to share.

The process is easy peasy, and the boys were eager to help. Here's the deal:

Mix two parts water to one part glycerine and warm gently on the stove until you see it homogenize. (You don't need a whole lot; I used a 250mL bottle of glycerine and two cups of water. I have about 2 cups of solution left after preserving about 25 leaves.) Let it cool (if it's too warm it cooks the leaves and drains the colour), and pour the solution into a glass baking dish. Layer in the leaves (you can also try flowers, twigs, etc.) and cover somehow so the leaves stay submerged. A sheet of wax paper did the trick nicely for me; I just laid it down so there was no air between the paper and the solution. Let it sit for 3-5 days, then carefully remove the leaves, rinse, and dry. Awesome bonus - the extra solution can be saved and reused. The leaves are pliable and perfectly preserved, and should last for several years! Next year, I'm going to try some maple leaves. And probably anything else I can get my hands on.

Glycerine is available at most pharmacies, so it shouldn't be difficult to find. Incidentally, it's a humectant and is a by-product of large scale soapmaking. When lye and oils combine, soap and glycerine are created. In commercial soapmaking process, the glycerine is separated for use in other cosmetics and sold on its own. In lovely handmade soap, the glycerine is not removed, which is why most people notice a huge difference in how moisturized their skin feels when using handmade soaps vs. box store soaps.

I'll also take this opportunity to show off my new (very old) handmade drop-leaf kitchen table. I swoon every time I walk by.

don't look at this post if you have a snake phobia (LL, I mean you!)

I've been particularly thankful for my work lately. It's primarily what's been keeping my so very busy over the past several weeks, but in a good way. I spent the last week with colleagues doing professional development, which is always good, and although there are never enough hours in a day to get it all done, I kind of feel like I'm in a good groove. I have a job that I love, in a field that is fascinating and always evolving, and I get to work with a lot of fantastic teachers and school staff all over my end of the most beautiful province in the country. I consider that a whole lot of wonderful.

That said, I certainly enjoy the rest of my time. It's hard for me to switch from ultra-efficient work mode to home mode some days, though. I'll keep trying.

I discovered this song last week and can't stop singing it. (Warning: it's sooooo catchy.)

This video made my day a lot lighter. I think everyone wants to be friends with that couple. And I love the idea that there are people out there who are relaxed and open and real enough to be willing to sing on command. I know that my first reaction would be to be embarrassed and jump in the car. Those people are open to the world! I love it.

Okay, it's bedtime for me. Good night!