~ Gratitude Sunday ~

 

 

 

 

{Sunday's heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.} 

*
If you would like to join us, see below. 

 

Our gratefulness feeds one another.

 

Today is the same calender day that I was born 33 yrs ago.

 

I am grateful to have cuddled with my two babies this morning, 

to feel and smell their soft baby skin and hear their baby breathing sounds.

 

To eat some yummy birthday pie for breakfast!!

 

...that I found the recipe for this lovely raw food, vegan sugar free banana cream pie. 

(recipe will be the next post)

 

SO Grateful for friends traveling on crazy snowdrifted icy SK roads to come here on my 

birthday weekend!  and the ones who set the suprise up.

 

My mother used to suprise me EVERY birthday. somehow. even though every birthday was the same!  

You'd think I'd expect it almost...  

 

to be reminded of my mother through the kindness of others on this first birthday without her.

 

I am grateful that perhaps maybe this snow stormy weather might be breaking up now.  I see ice-kuddles (that's what Attie calls them!)  melting - the sun is really out.

 

For a rejuvenated sense of wanting to be good to my body through movement and clean food.

 

ever so grateful for seeds growing in my house!!  

I am challenging myself with sk native seeds which are tricky little things with lots of rules... 

unless of course they are left under the snow in the fall to germinate! 

 Nature's laws are very straight foreword and funny to try copy indoors...

 

I am grateful for hope. for support groups that exist through frustrating times.

 

I am grateful for the crisp full breaths that come on nice winter days. 

making me want to just DRINK full cups of winter air.       

feeling it healing my lungs and freshening my energy on different levels.

 

for the soap batches that made themselves appear, 

readying for the spring handmade show here in town. 

 

I am grateful for all the interest that showed up when a friend and I decided to start a local food 

permaculture movement here in town.  

 

I am ever so grateful for the permaculture movement expanding everywhere you look!

growing communities worldwide full of ALL good ideas!

 earth care, people care, fair share. 

 

I am grateful for my family circle which I feel has grown stronger with the loss of mother.

Goes without saying that I miss her every day, yet knowing I can phone a sister and get the same energy that she had to fill my cup, brings me relief.

 

Grateful for elderly and not so elderly neighbors who show their kindness

 to the "newish" family on the block, so generously.  

I feel like family here even though I have known them for such a short while.

I feel like I have a new grandfather, cousins and aunties :0)

 

Again. I am ever so grateful for my sweet little girls. 

whom I love more than anything on this universe. 

 

 

I am grateful for my shower, which is where I am headed! 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{ This Moment }

I am joining Soulemama for 

{this moment} 

 

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments.

 

 

 

 

 

paper pot planting & Seedy Saturday!

I think I like this little paper pot maker I bought at a seedy Saturday!

Main reasons for this are to get away from plastic and the troubles that come from re-using plastic 6packs (like disease and fungus.)
although I will use some this year anyways

Attie liked it it too at first!

Her teeny tiny attention span could only make it through about 3 pots...  then she ends up going on a tangent

She was just glueing bits of newspaper with the Oatmeal Glue paint.


Having so much fun.


Being creative.

Then she says:

"i'm going to Fridge it"


:0)


she "Fridges" things.




















Going through seeds to decide which to plant first.

I got my seeds from Seedy saturday in Regina!  (I bought from Prairie Garden Seeds and Heritage Harvest Seeds

What a great day THAT was.  We had a good time. Attie played in the children's spot - which was completely hands ON.  the theme was "touch everything"  - which for kids is the only interesting option.  paint, plant, play with dirt and plants...

and I got to wander in and out of like- minded, organic gardeney type folks, frantically gathering seed for this year's abundance!

Stories and enthusiasm bounced from one bright eye'd, winter worn prairie person to another. 

After what I had been through the weeks and months prior to March 9th,  It was like the first piece of sun I felt cutting through my skin,cuting thru to my bones.

Feelings were:  hopeful and warm-hearted.

 So, I used a mix of :  20% compost : 40% peat : 40% vermiculite

the first batch had some little weeds who didn't get cooked in the compost last summer.

so I cooked (sterilized)  the compost this time.  at 200 c for 30 mins, just like the internet said to do.
covered it with cardboard.

Sterilizing compost

... So I'll let you know how that worked.



 and Ava crawls.  also she is standing up on things!!  waaaahahaha she's growing fast.

 helping momma fill the pots with soil

Then her little creative and easily distracted tendencies drew her to the doggie dish. 

and mud making.

a few days later....

"...the difference between
the sprout and the bean
it is a golden ring
it is a twisted string..."

-Joanna Newsom  

{ This Moment }

I am joining Soulemama for 

{this moment} - 

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments.

Babies and Nikki McClure

Cant get enuf of this one these days.  

She plays fetch

with herself a lot lately!!  

so cute.

And this one.  

My sweet little sidekick.

We're a team

I'm noticing how a good "reset" of conscious time spent together

reading a book, 

playing a puzzle...

anything

makes her so much calmer and happier.

this helps our team effort!

Here's a GREAT book:

 

Zucchini Cashew Alfredo

I only post Recipes that turn out super lovely.

The ones where each bite is "YUMMMM".  

and "i can't believe its isn't bad for me!"

and things like that!

I had some non vegan items in my fridge like cows milk and cheese, so I indulged. 

If you want vegan, thats great too (look in the parentheses!)

Zucchini Cashew Alfredo:

Sautee: 

1 cup grated Zucchini

1/2 med. onion  (chopped finely)

1 T Coconut oil

blend:

cooked Zucchini 

1 t  sea salt

1 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup milk  (I used cows milk, but any type will do)

1/2 cup soup stock  (i used [organic local] chicken stock, but veg will do)

1/4 cup cream cheese (optional)

2-4 cloves garlic  (depending on your love of it - or level of health at the moment!)

2 T coconut oil  

handful parsley

cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.

boil pasta of choice (for 4 servings) add frozen peas 4 minutes before its done. Drain. Cover with sauce and blend.

add more milk if its too thick!

enjoy!

So  there are a lot of levels of veg/vegan/gluten free in this recipe which alter the flavor accordingly. 

Pick your preference. 

In other news, this little A is eating pears nowadays!

and this one is lovin the alfredo!

mmmmmm.

Happy (healthy) birthday cake!

Attie is 3! 

that's how she says it "happy birthday cake!"

and she is really into Strawberry shortcake too, who she calls "strawberry cake"

so what else could I make her for her birthday but a strawberry cake!!

I found a rather healthy carrot cake recipe which turned out SO so tasty!!

This recipe is from The Kitchen Guardian.  Its got Dates and Bananas for most of the sweetener.
I tweaked it just a bit (I can't seem to follow a recipe perfectly..)

It eats like a meal!!  And tastes great!  The kids liked it.


Carrot banana date cake:

2 cups flour of choice (I used 1 cup unbleached organic white and 1 cup ezekiel blend

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup brown sugar (or preferred sweetener..)

3 tbsp maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, heated just to melt

5 medjool dates, chopped 

2 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 1/2 cups grated carrots

1/2 cups yoghurt or buttermilk 

2  free range eggs, whisk lightly

Preheat the oven to 350, grease cake pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. stir in the walnuts, set aside.

Stir the dates into the melted butter, add the sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine the bananas and carrots. stir in the date, sugar butter mixture. whisk in the buttermilk and eggs. add the flour mixture and mix. pour into cake pan, bake 50 -60 minutes. 

and the icing: I had no food colouring, so I used Beet and Kale juice!

 Beet and kale juiced provides ample color for the icing!

Cream cheese icing:

3/4 bar of cream cheese

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 cup icing sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup cocoa butter (optional)

mix well.  For color I added 1/3 tsp of juiced beet and kale juice... separately.  If you don't have a juicer, you can grate beets and somehow get the tiny bit of color from the bottom of the bowl! you don't need much.

STRAWBERRY CAKE!

I made her a new crown. Its is becoming a birthday tradition!

Happy Birthday my sweeet girl!!  
I love you more each day.

Party people in the house.

just having a little taste!   ;0)