New (Modified) Taco Recipe

One of my sons found a new recipe he wanted to try... It wasn't in a cookbook... 

But on You Tube!

Interesting... Why don't you make it for us?

So he did!

It was delicious!

Knitting Patterns Now

One of my knitting regrets is that I never learned how to knit without a pattern. 

My grandmother never used a pattern when knitting socks. She must have had some formula in her mind. She'd start - then hold a partially knit sock up against my foot to check the size... and adjust accordingly.

Likewise, when I was in university, my Polish landlady would knit a pullover for her son every winter as he grew - also without using a pattern.

I've knit garments for years - never without  using a pattern. My mother did the same.

When and why did that switch from intuition to written patterns occur? I wonder. 

Formerly, when the knitting "bug" "bit" - often in winter - I'd head to a yarn shop in search of a new knitting project, the pattern and the yarn.

How different things are now!

Now I find patterns online and purchase them - often directly from the designer. They arrive immediately on my Iphone - as a digital download. Then I print them up using my printer.

The process seems truly magical. I don't understand it.

Since I started downloading patterns, I've become a fan of certain knitwear designers in different parts of the world - checking out their latest collections on Instagram or Ravelry - just as I formerly used to check out patterns in magazines and pattern books in yarn shops. Then I had no idea who the designers were.

How different from what my mother and grandmother ever experienced!

I sometimes think how shocked they would be if they could see how things are done now! 

Happy Memories!

Family pets are part of our story...

Saying goodbye is hard.

They leave us with lots of memories!

A few weeks ago, we said goodbye to a cat member of our extended family.

Panda had been our daughter's pet for about 8 years before he fell ill.

This is how Terry remembers him:

Panda was a  " rescue " cat...

What a character he was...

He loved heights. I will never forget him jumping over my shoulder on Exhibition Street in Guelph.

He was always his own  guy...

He loved catching food tossed at him and became a great catcher ;  or exploring with joy and earnestness to find " hidden " food. 

He was very independent... 

His black and white coloring made him stand out...

He will be missed - but not forgotten!

Just looking at these pictures makes me smile!

Delicious Outing

Terry and I were recently in Carleton Place - where we met up with our younger son, joining him for coffee.

Later, we wandered into a German bakery for a few more treats to take home.

It's always fun to discover new cafes... and, of course, new bakeries!

Rainy Days Ahead

It's April...

Our weather experts are predicting rainy days ahead.

Not what I want to see!

I have to remind myself that "April showers bring May flowers"... 

Though they do make raking difficult. And I was hoping to rake my flower beds before the bugs arrive!

Little Chipmunk

Our backyard fence is a favourite place for squirrels to sit in the sun...

But this is the first time I saw a chipmunk lounging there.

I enjoy looking out the window and seeing animals that share our neighbourhood... 

I've seen foxes, skunks, rabbits, raccoons, groundhogs, wild turkeys, ducks, geese, crows and other birds - but, most commonly, squirrels of various sizes and colours.

On average, I see more wild animals than I see dogs and cats! (And I live in a city of more than a million people!) I consider that quite amazing!

The Way It Used To Be!

I recently came across this picture of our youngest son arriving home from school one day.

He's standing near our front ditch.

In the background is - not the winter sports dome or the summer soccer field ... but the elementary school that used to stand there..

Before being sold to the college, it served as an elementary school, then an adult high school and finally a tech support building.

Our family - and some of our neighbours - have lots of memories of that building... which was eventually demolished by the college because the roof was in bad shape.

(Maybe sometime I should dedicate a few blog posts to our memories of that building!!)