Little Red Hen House????

Little Red Hen House????

For the last couple of years, I have been dreaming of a garden shed for the top of my hill, near the rhubarb patch.  I love it there; the wind is always blowing, and the scenery is incomparable.

View from the Hill

The most important criteria for my garden shed was that it would fit a couch. I have visions of going in there to have a nap when I am picking rhubarb or working in the garden.  The other criteria, of course, is that it not be too costly, given my miserly streak. 

Verandah Couch Bound for the Garden Shed

I put the word out to my relatives, many of whom are genius at finding and re-purposing treasures the less innovative person would simply discard.  Soon, I had a lead on a garden shed looking for a home. When I opened its door to check for couch dimensions, the first thing I saw were empty banana boxes smiling right at me. I knew then this was the garden shed for me, banana boxes being an essential component of my Rhubarb Industry. 

Smiling Banana Boxes

Within days, the garden shed was delivered to my hill amid a great flurry of activity that drew crowds of dogs and people. 

Delivery of Garden Shed

The Crowds Gather

Although the interior decorator has not yet made a mark, the potential is obvious. It came with some charming features including a three-tiered bunk bed, or shelving unit,

Bunk Beds

and a unique yet effective lock.

Lock

I have already added a few crucial items including Tom’s hat in case he wants to help in the hot sun.

Tom's Hat

My polka-dot gardening gloves, fingertips worn through.

Gardening Gloves

A few gardening tools, should the spirit move me.

Tools

A blessing by the door.

Blessing

Additional Security.

Nugget on Duty

On Pinterest, they call these coveted little buildings “She Sheds”, the female equivalent to a “Man Cave.” And they look something like this:

 

She Shed 1

She Shed 2

She Shed 3

She Shed 4

She Shed 5

She Shed 6

And this is mine. The "before" picture. Before the paint, the verandah, the satellite dish. I'll keep you posted!

Little Red Hen House

...Until Next Time...

Words of Wisdom for the Bride-to-Be

Words of Wisdom for the Bride-to-Be

     My daughter Emma is getting married.  Among the many pre-nuptial traditions, there was the Bachelorette Party which involved thematic games such as the The Panty Guessing Game.  Each guest brought a (new) pair of panties for Emma.  They were put in a big box and Emma drew out each pair and guessed which of her friends had brought them based on the personality of the friend and the character of the panties.  You know, there was the crocheted pair, the be-ribbonned ones, the control tops, the Jem and the Holograms panties, etc, etc.  Sounds like fun, right?  So we decided to adapt that Panty Guessing Game for the multi-generational Women of Influence Party.  

Panty Guessing Game

     Each guest attending The Women of Influence Party brought Words of Wisdom for the bride-to-be written anonymously on a piece of paper.  They were placed in the WoW basket, drawn out and read aloud to the assembled masses.  Emma then had to guess which of the Wise Women had written those Wise Words. 

For the Bride-to-Be

     It was an interesting process.  Some were funny, some deadly serious, all worthy of consideration.  Certain themes were repeated.  Some were original, some admittedly gleaned from the God-Blessed Internet.  There was advice from Shakespeare, advice from elderly grandmothers, advice from the Kingston Peninsula Heritage Society, advice from husbands, advice from my deceased mother, advice from Dear Abby, advice from all my living aunts, and advice from Emily Dickinson.  People really don’t mind sharing advice when it comes to marriage.  And in a general, non-individual milieu, people don’t mind receiving it!  One of our guests said it was sort of like attending a marriage refresher workshop.  

Refresher Course

     I have assembled those pieces of advice in a little book for Emma's reference as she navigates through the holy state of matrimony.  

Emma's Reference Book

     And I’m going to share some nuggets with you, just in case you’re looking for a refresher…..

“With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.”

                                          - Wisdom from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

Men are like puppies; train them well and you won’t end up with pee on the floor.

Tell Jarrett what you want, need, think, feel and ask him to do the same. 'Mind reading' abilities are not included with the marriage certificate.

There is no love where there is no obstacle.

When in doubt about how to make him happy, make him his favourite dessert. (At least that is what my aunt said to do overall in life when all else fails.)

Hang in there.

Always have each other’s back in public. Never belittle your spouse. Have all the disagreements people normally do but let the world know you two are best friends.

Get a dog.

Don’t expect everything to be perfect.

My advice to you, dear Emma......

Don't ever change.

Grow ....but stay the kind, considerate, accepting, generous, gentle soul that you have been from the get go....

Laugh and the world laughs with you. Snore and you snore alone.

My words of wisdom for Emma: no partying “Colorado style” in the tent at Harvest Jazz, in front of the stage with Helen or forfeit your pass.

Try to see their point of view, even if it’s wrong. 

They (husbands) need prompting, and I don’t mean a little hint. They need to be told directly. Try something like, “Time for cleaning. Do you want to do the bathroom or the vacuuming?” I would suggest you start this practice early—like last month.

Laugh as much as possible.

Ask yourself, “Are you better off with him, or without him?” (Dear Abby)

Anyone can do the right thing when life is easy; doing the right thing when life is hard is what defines character. 

Who is going to wash the dirty frying pan after it has soaked for 3 days?

…make time for one another and to do things together that you both enjoy.  These moments tend to diminish when/if children come along, but they are so important.

For any partnership to be sustainable, there needs to be mutual respect. 

Have a life outside your marriage.

Eat ALL the Street Greek; Drink ALL the Gray Stone; Dance with ALL the people.

Don’t let the sun set on your anger.

…on the day of your wedding, only one thing matters…that you are there and he is.  Don’t stress about all the other details. 

You can’t change people.

Buy a canoe longer than the length of your husband’s arm and paddle.

Be kind, be sweet,

Be messy or neat,

Be present, be real,

Say what you feel.

Be funny, be sad,

Be happy, be glad,

Be honest, be true,

Be all that is you.

Be loving, be smart,

Be witty, have heart,

Be a partner, be a wife,

Enjoy marriage, enjoy life!

If you really want something done, and your partner is not interested, do it yourself or hire someone. At that point, not too many men can keep their nose out of it.

Hold no grudges.

A husband should always get the last word in as long as it is “Yes Dear.”

Don’t say anything in haste.  You can’t take it back!

Share

Placing blame in a marriage is like saying, “Your side of the boat is sinking.”

Compromise

Walk a mile in his shoes and make sure he walks a mile in hers.

  

A good marriage is not all about looking to each other but more about holding hands as you look in the same direction.

That love is all there is,
Is all we know of love;
It is enough, the freight should be
Proportioned to the groove.
(Emily Dickinson 1830-86)

Do you have any Words of Wisdom to offer the bride-to-be????

The Bride-to-Be

....Until Next Time....

Bienvenue! Quebec City

      I remember looking at this famous painting on the back of the Shredded Wheat box when I was a little girl. It depicts the death of General Wolfe in 1759 at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, a pivotal battle in the Seven Years’ War.  I kept thinking about Shredded Wheat, and Wolfe and Montcalm as my daughter Julia and I wandered through the streets of Old Quebec, ambled across The Plains of Abraham, cruised the St. Lawrence River.

The Death of General Wolfe by Benjamin West

     When I got home and set to work on my blog, I searched and searched online for a picture of that Shredded Wheat box from my youth.  I never found it!  Could it be a False Childhood Memory?  Perhaps it was in The Red Rose Tea box? Or another kind of cereal? I explored several possibilities to no avail.  Is there anyone out there of my vintage who remembers Montcalm and Wolfe being on their kitchen table in the 1960s?

Shredded Wheat Box circa 1960s

     Despite my false childhood memory and deteriorating facility with the French language, we had a wonderful weekend.  The weather was perfect, the restaurants were fantastic, the city was clean, the hotel was ideal, and Julia didn’t walk too fast. 

Relais Charles-Alexandre: Hotel

     Julia and I were tourists.  We bought a two-day pass for the hop on- hop off bus tour which included a 90 minute cruise on the St.Lawrence River and a trip to Montmorency Falls.

     

Hop on-Hop off Bus Tour

Cruise and Montmorency Falls

    Old Quebec, an historic neighbourhood of Quebec City, is the only remaining walled city in North America.  A Unesco World Heritage Site, the ramparts surrounding Old Quebec are about 4.6 kilometres in distance with four gates of entry.  

Porte St. Louis

Old Quebec: Lower Town

     Le Chateau Frontenac dominates the old city while caleches, cobblestone streets, and flowers enhance its romantic atmosphere.  

Le Chateau Frontenac

Caleche

 Cobblestone Streets

 Les Fleurs

     My cousin Judy was in Quebec City that weekend as a supervisor of 100 middle school students.  We texted back and forth but did not make physical contact.  Two things kept running through my mind on that subject.

NUMBER ONE:  What a fantastic trip for those students.  Although not too many hours from Hampton NB, Quebec City is a whole new world.  It offers another language, a rich history, a beautiful setting.  As cliched as this sounds, it is so European!!

Old Quebec: Upper Town

NUMBER TWO:  God bless the adults who take 100 kids on a trip.  Think about it. The energy of 100 thirteen year olds, the responsibility for other people’s children, the generosity of giving your time to others.  What a huge gift to those children and parents.  

Judy and an Admirer!

I highly recommend Quebec City as a vacation destination!

Quebec City at Night

........Until Next Time.......

Everything RhuBarb

Everything RhuBarb

I’m in the middle of rhubarb season, 2016.  This is my fifth year as Rhubarb Mogul, or Rhubarb Mongrel as my long-suffering room-mate/rhubarb intern likes to call me.   

Rhubarb Mogul/Mongrel

Along with an impressive collection of turnip tags, a broken flashlight, and a plastic lunchbox, I inherited the rhubarb patch on the passing of my father.  It is fitting that the child named Barb should fall heir to the rhuBarb.  My memories of getting off the school-bus on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and going immediately to the rhubarb patch to join the crew are not exactly what you would call fond memories, but my attitude has definitely changed since I became a Rhubarb Mogul/Mongrel. 

Inheritance

The view from my rhubarb hill is extraordinary.  The wind always blows so I rarely meet a blackfly or a mosquito. Unfortunately, I have had a nasty run-in with a tick but I’ll save that story for another time!  While I enjoy the meditative solitude in the patch, alone with knife and banana box, there is also a social side to rhubarb harvesting.  Phisher and Dixie, my dog-neighbours, always galumph in for a visit. Ruthie and Guy often stop on the way by. My sister Kathy frequently pops over with updates on local news. And my cousin Terry, trucking wood or gravel up and down the road, blasts his horn, inspiring me to carry on. 

Hills of Appalachia

And then there is my intern.  Good help is hard to find.  Although this is his fifth year on the job, quality control has been an issue this season.  I’ve had to speak to him.  He did not take kindly to that despite my effort at a clear but diplomatic reprimand.  In fact, he threatened to quit. He hasn't turned in his knife yet, but I’ve heard him muttering to anyone who will listen, “The work is hard and the pay is poor.”

 Defiant Intern

And the K9 security unit is not taking her job very seriously this year.  There has been a lot of laying around and sleeping on the job.  I may have to recruit new staff.  

 Slacker.

My mother used to refer to rhubarb as “Spring Tonic” as it was the first fresh food available after a long winter.  Mom was a great baker who observed the local/seasonal philosophy so we consumed plenty of pies, cakes, crisps, jam etc. 

Baking with Rhubarb

Although used primarily in desserts, rhubarb is actually an “undemanding perennial vegetable.” This ancient plant can be traced to China in 2700BC.  Its leaves contain poisonous substances including oxalic acid so avoid eating the leaves. Poisoning by rhubarb leaf became a problem in Britain during World War One when leaves were recommended as a food source.  I have heard of a few local goats succumbing to rhubarb leaf poisoning.

 

The Pretty Product

However, the potential for rhubarb is endless! I have sold rhubarb to a microbrewery which makes Rhubarb Beer,

Big Tide Brewing Company, Saint John, NB

a winery which makes Rhubarb Wine,

Dunham's Run Estate Winery, Kingston,NB

and a grocery store which makes “adult” Rhubarb Freezies!

Adult Freezies at Real Food Connections

Of course, I have rhubarb mittens in my Mitten Shoppe, another of my entrepreneurial operations.

Rhubarb Patch ($10.00)

I have even found a couple of mysteries involving rhubarb! Next on my reading list!

Pushing up Rhubarb: " When Monica Munch dies at the Millsferry Annual Bake-Off, Nina joins the investigation and meets children's book illustrator Chloe Owens.'

Death by Rhubarb: "When her ex-husband's new girlfriend is served a deadly dinner, a dishy chef turns sleuth to save her restaurant."

...Until Next Time...