Thought For The Day - Part II

We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came. 

John F. Kennedy

First Snow

We travelled home from Halifax yesterday evening and the weather turned decidedly wintry.  The snow started as we approached the Cobequid Pass and we saw the first snow plough out salting the road.  I may not feel ready for winter, but it has arrived regardless.

Peggy’s Cove

The road into the village of Peggy’s Cove allowed glimpses of the waves breaking against the rocks.

This fishing community is located on the eastern shore of St Margaret’s Bay, about 40 km from Halifax.

The village is a collection of  wooden houses perched on the rocks of a narrow inlet, which is protected from the full force of Atlantic storms.

On a blustery November day, the village was quiet, with little activity and few tourists.

It was nice to be able to enjoy the views without the summer crowds and tourist traffic.  

Peggy’s Point Lighthouse

A last-minute plan to visit Halifax turned into an overnight stay, so we took the opportunity to play tourists and visit the iconic Canadian lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove.  It is one of the most photographed locations and is packed with tourists during the summer but, we had it almost to ourselves on this cold and windy November afternoon.

I wasn’t really dressed for this visit, but at least I had my waterproof jacket.  I gave up trying to keep my hair out of my eyes and just enjoyed the breeze!

Standing on this site since 1868, the original wooden lighthouse was built here at the entrance to St Margaret’s Bay and quickly became known as the Peggy’s Point Lighthouse.  The wooden structure was replaced by the current lighthouse in 1915 and is still a working light.  It beams out into the Atlantic Ocean, warning ships of this treacherously rocky coastline.

Walking across the rocks, we faced the full force of the strong winds coming off the sea.

Viewed from a distance, the lighthouse stands on the rocky promontory in the distance.

It wasn’t really a day for standing watching the waves, as it was just too blustery, but we certainly got our fill of fresh air and enjoyed our return visit, as it had been a few years since we last stood on this spot.

A Taste of Green Gables

For those of you who are familiar the 1908 story of Anne of Green Gables, you may remember that Anne loved raspberry cordial.

When I came across raspberry cordial earlier in the summer, I had to try some.

Though it was a bit sweet for my liking, it certainly tasted of raspberries, and it made quite a refreshing drink when diluted with soda water: a real taste of Prince Edward Island.

On The Needles

This has been a busy year for knitting, though with varying degrees of success.  I started this pattern for the second time recently, after I decided that it really wasn’t big enough, due to ‘negative ease’.  What this means, for the non-knitters amongst you, is that the pattern is designed to be close-fitting,  but it was so close-fitting as to not meet at the front (it’s a cardigan).

Frustrating though it was, I had to unravel it in its entirety and go up a size - the lace yoke had to be knitted again, as the pattern for the larger size is different.  

The good news is that I love this Baa Ram Ewe Dovestone yarn, especially the colour.  It reminds me of the colour of the heather moors of the North York Moors in late August...a little taste of home.

In A Pickle

I discovered this lovely book, The Modern Preserver, just in time to preserve some of our home-grown produce, much of which was saved after September’s post-tropical storm.

Kylee Newton turned a hobby of creating preserves to give as gifts to friends into a business, and she shares some of her most popular recipes in her book.

As it was too late to try preserving summer fruit, I decided to give the pickle recipes a try.  I made her pickled cucumber relish, with pickling cucumbers, red onion and red pepper, as well as a selection of spices.  This pickle only keeps for four weeks (in the fridge), so it wasn’t suitable for longer-term storage.  I found it a bit sweet for my taste, but I would consider making it again, but with less sugar.

I also made a spiced zucchini relish with our garden produce, but I don’t have a photograph of this one.  

I used a Mennonite recipe as the basis for dill pickles and these should be ready to eat about now.  I grew the dill in the garden, so it was nice to put it to good use.  

As for our beetroot, we had a very disappointing harvest this year, despite sowing more beetroot seeds than last year.  Our entire harvest only made two and a half jars.  I don’t use a recipe for this, as I prefer my beetroot unadulterated.  I boil them until tender, peel, slice and add them to sterilized jars, then cover with pickling vinegar.  They are absolutely delicious, so I’m saving a jar for Christmas.