Hot Cross Buns

I spent some time baking today.  Making hot cross buns is a lengthy process, but so worthwhile.

I love hot cross buns and Good Friday is the only time that I make them.  To make good buns, it is necessary to allow the dough to rise three times, which takes up to three hours.

They were ready just in time for a cup of afternoon tea and a still-warm bun, fresh from the oven.  After a month of healthy eating, this was a welcome treat.  

Wishing you all a happy Easter.

Healthy Eating

March has been healthy eating month in our household.  After too many little indulgences at Christmas and less activity than ideal, due to inclement weather, we felt the need to try something different.  The surprising breakfast favourite has been ‘perfect porridge’ from The Food Effect Diet - mine served with cinnamon and raspberries.

We have eaten lots of salads, which have been absolutely delicious.  I’ve never eaten so much green salad, but it is actually quite filling and I feel quite virtuous in avoiding bread to fill me up.  

This eating plan includes healthy recipes and I can’t recommend it highly enough.  And the best bit is that I don’t feel deprived in any way, as I can still have wholemeal bread (in moderation), dark chocolate and an occasional glass of red wine.

We intend to continue with our healthy eating, though we are going to have a couple of little treats at Easter - I’m thinking about baking some of my chocolate cupcakes (though I will replace half of the sugar with stevia).

Indoor Gardening

Take one empty milk carton.  Rinse thoroughly.

Cut a panel out of the side and you now have a seed tray.

Fill with compost and add seeds.  Write the seed names on the side of the carton with a marker pen.   This way, there is no confusion about lost plant tags or peeling labels. 

Use cardboard tubes for sweet peas.  The tricky part of this was actually managing to get the compost into a tube with no base.  The solution was to reuse a plastic tray which contained tomatoes.  

Water well, place in a bright window and wait for spring...

Spring

It may have been the equinox on Tuesday, but there is still no sign of spring around here.  Yesterday saw the arrival of our fourth winter storm in less than three weeks.  This was the scene at dusk.

And this was the scene this morning.  The wind howled all night and created drifts of snow from the surrounding fields.  The light is actually a reflection from the camera flash, but it was the best that I could do in the circumstances.  The weather forecast mentioned more snow on Saturday...

   

Mr Fox

  Here comes Mr Fox, minding his own business. 

  

He stops in the middle of our garden.  We’ve seen him before, but he has never come this close.   

          

   

The neighbours’ dog is out in their garden and is going crazy - barking and tugging on its leash, trying to go after it.

Mr Fox lowers his head then has a look around.  He knows that the dog is no threat.

This is the only time that I’ve managed to get close enough to the window with the camera and now I dare not move in case I startle him.

He looks right at me before sauntering off, back in the direction from which he came.

Mr Fox could be Mrs - I’m don’t know how to tell the difference but, for the record, he is a silver fox.

Winter Skies

This was the second part of our journey home from our recent trip to Moncton.

Once we were back on the Island, we turned west towards home, just as the sun was starting to set. 

The empty fields and dark landscape were silhouetted against the setting sun.

We passed a frozen bay, where the sun was just disappearing behind the headland.

The sky was changing by the minute as the sunset unfolded and I was kept busy with the camera (Mr Candytuft was doing the driving).

We haven’t been out and about at sunset much during the winter, preferring to be tucked up safely at home, so it was lovely to share this sunset.

We turned off the highway towards home just as the sun was setting.  

The perfect ending to a beautiful day.

 

Ice Floes In The Strait

A winter crossing of the Confederation Bridge - our first since arriving on Prince Edward Island last summer.

 

Although not completely frozen, the Northumberland Strait still had quite a lot of ice floes, which move with the tides.

The cloud formations were dramatic, too.

Looking back towards the PEI shore.

 

 

It may be March, but winter isn’t letting go of its icy grip yet. 

 

   

These photos were taken on the return crossing, close to dusk. 

 

 

 I loved the colours of the pinks and purples as the sun was setting behind us.  For me, these are the colours of PEI.

     

 

The sunset photos continued, but I will save the rest for another post.