Hodge Podge Looking forward
The cold weather doesn’t seem to want to leave us and I confess I’ve never eaten so many casseroles or chunky soups as this year, even in the evening I’ve been snuggled on the couch with a blankie. It’s not cold in here but it’s a comfort thing, I tend to sleep longer in the winter months as it’s colder, maybe I’m part bear I don’t know. What I do know is that there’s nothing nicer than snuggling down to watch a good film with warm toes a full belly and my family round me, I am very lucky.
I’m still looking forward to the spring, when it arrives and intend to plant some sweet peas and runner beans, some butter crunch lettuce as it’s a fleshier , soft, tasty plant, I’m not so fond of the flashy bi-coloured ones, they tend to be a little bitter, ok if you like that but I don’t and neither does the family. I’m going to try sunflowers for the birds and pansies for me and of course, tomatoes, I love homegrown toms. Mint is another firm favourite and maybe some parsley, lastly, I’m thinking I will grow some potatoes, just a couple of buckets’ they taste so good and we love them fresh with butter and parsley.
The seasons here are amazing, one minute you are frozen solid like a block of ice, the next you are baked dry and dusty, I have never known such a quick-change round in the seasons as here. I’m not complaining, it’s just always a surprise. I have two wardrobes for here, one is bed socks at night with Jim-jams and a cardigan and winter woollies all day with thick socks and another cardigan or sweater, slippers, then summer which is flip flops, tea shirts and shorts, no in between, hilarious. I can literally put everything wintery away and ignore it until fall. It’s nice to know what to expect, unlike other weather patterns in other countries I’ve been in, you know where you are with Alberta.
Today feels like a hamburger soup lunch day for me, with lots of homemade bread for the boys, lovely. Next week I’m hoping to make more pies for them, it’s important to eat well in the cold if you can. Not always possible because of individual circumstances I know but you’ve got to try.
We’ve still got plenty of homemade jam for toast which is good, I’m glad I made it.
Roll on this summer for more jam making time I say.
Until then it’s back to the casseroles or curries until things thaw out and we see the green grass and leaves again. Keep warm everyone and look after one another.