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~ For people who are passionate about respecting the earth, walking in nature, observing wildlife, local diet, making do, repurposing, organic gardening, foraging for wild plants and fungi, natural health, scrumptious healthy cooking, renovations, DIY, crafting, raising children simply and mindfully, taking time for stillness, and living in harmony with the seasons.

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Monthly Archives: December 2012

pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

29 Saturday Dec 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in birds

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Tags

Alberta birds, Alberta woodpecker, birds, Dryocopus pileatus, pileated woodpecker, woodpecker, Yellow List

pileated woodpecker3

At last, a pileated woodpecker came to visit and stayed long enough for me to get a few photographs with my camera. I apologize for the poor quality of the photos but it is difficult getting a vibrant shot on a very grey day… especially when one is indoors and photographing through a window! Until I get a proper zoom lens, quietly and patiently waiting at the dining room window is a strategy that gets me closer to many of these shy and elusive birds than I might otherwise get.


I love pileated woodpeckers- they are definitely one of my favorite birds and not because I grew up watching Woody Woodpecker! They are just such unusual birds with their ‘punk rocker hair’, and their huge size gives them a presence that demands respect. I also like their call, which to me sounds like a monkey in the jungle. Often in the summer when I am gardening I will hear one long before I spot him/her in a nearby tree.

pileated woodpeckerPileated woodpeckers are Alberta’s largest woodpecker. According to my Field Guide to Alberta’s Birds, they prefer “older, mature, dense canopied forests, particularly mixed and deciduous woods where there are large, dead or dying trees for nesting. They are rarely found in burns or areas of downed timber.”

Pileated woodpeckers can be seen all year round in Alberta. Although their population is considered stable, they are on the Alberta’s Yellow List as their preferred habitat of old growth forests is deteriorating.

pileated woodpeacker2

This unique bird is one that can never be confused with another here in Alberta. It’s unique head shape, size and striking colors set it apart from other Albertan woodpeckers. Once you’ve seen your first one, you may find yourself hooked and searching the forests for another encounter. These are truly magnificent birds!

pileated woodpecker1

Resource:
McGillivray, W. B., & Semechuk, G. P. (1998). The Federation of Alberta Naturalists Field Guide to Alberta Birds. Edmonton, AB: The Federation of Alberta Naturalists.

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homemade toffee

28 Friday Dec 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in appreciate the seasons, sweets

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candy, holiday sweets, homemade toffee, sticky candy, toffee

toffee

During an interview, I once heard Michael Pollan say, “Eat junk food- just make it yourself!” Here is a great opportunity to make and enjoy candy in it’s purest, old-fashioned form. Sticky, flavorful toffee with only four ingredients!

This recipe comes from my friend, Maris’ family Christmas traditions. I first tasted this homemade toffee while living with Maris in Banff, Alberta over twenty years ago. She had made a big batch of toffee and offered me a few pieces. I had never tasted homemade toffee! It was so delicious, sweet and smooth that I just couldn’t help myself and kept sneaking to the refrigerator to steal a few more pieces. Of course I had to get Maris’ recipe and since then have incorporated toffee-making as one of my own holiday traditions. These are wonderful to add to gift bags or brought along to potlucks where a handmade candy treat would be savored and appreciated!

 

toffee2Toffee

4 cups brown sugar

1 cup syrup (such as Roger’s)

1 cup Eagle Brand condensed milk

1 cup butter

Melt butter in a large pot then add the remaining ingredients, mixing well. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and continue to boil slowly for 30 minutes. Pour into a shallow 9″ x 11″ baking dish lined with parchment paper. Allow toffee to cool to room temperature then place in the refrigerator for at least an hour or two. While still cold, cut into bite-sized pieces and wrap in wax paper or colorful candy foils (the ones lined with parchment paper). Keep refrigerated until ready to eat or give away. Enjoy!

toffee1

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mini-gingerbread houses with Erin

25 Tuesday Dec 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in appreciate the seasons, handmade

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decorating with candy, Erin, gingerbread houses, graham cracker houses, mini gingerbread houses, sprinkles

gingerbread houseI love it when my friend Erin drops by as she always comes with a new craft or cooking idea for us to try together. Yesterday, she and her brother, Mitch came over and we spent time chatting, drinking hot chocolate and making toffee together (recipe will be shared in the next post). After Mitch left, Erin unpacked the bag that she had brought with her. To my surprise and delight, she pulled out two tiny gingerbread houses (actually, they were made from graham crackers and held together with sugar syrup) and all of the supplies needed to decorate them with!

gingerbread houseI immediately ran to my own cupboards and pulled out a nice selection of sprinkles…

gingerbread house suppliesWe put on some Christmas music and took our time decorating our miniature houses. Below is Erin’s little creation:

gingerbread house3Here is my little cabin:

gingerbread house2These sweet little houses are displayed on my dining room table and in a week or two, Erin and I will make a special date to gobble these up. Such a fun way to spend an afternoon! Happy Holidays everyone!

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the joy of feeding the birds

16 Sunday Dec 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in birds

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birds, bohemian waxwings, boreal chickadee, chickadee, Common Redpoll, dark-eyed junco, Downy Woodpecker, evening grosbeak, hairy woodpecker, nuthatch, pine grosbeak, purple finch, winter birds

Downy Wood Pecker1One thing that I do appreciate about the cold winter months is that I spend more time indoors in front of the dining room window. I usually set up my laptop on the table there and write for hours, pausing every now and then to watch the birds while working out an idea. There is almost always activity at the feeders and every so often I am rewarded with a sighting of a new bird that I have never seen before. That’s when I get excited, jump up, reach for the camera and watch the new bird(s) for as long as they choose to stick around. Later, I attempt to identity the bird using my Field Guide to Alberta Birds and then pencil in the date and the bird in my birding journal.

Here are some Bohemian Waxwings. They ignore the feeders but love the berries on the Hawthorn tree. I also get Cedar Waxwings coming through to stop for a snack on this tree. These birds fly in large flocks and are power-eaters: they can eat every berry on a large tree in mere minutes.

Bohemian WaxwingsNext are some Evening Grosbeaks. These are one of my favorite birds. I love their yellow feathers, large size and powerful beaks. They also ignore the feeders but love the Hawthorn berries.

Evening Grosbeak1Next is a Pine Grosbeak. They are winter visitors so I enjoy them while I can. I love the brilliant red color in the winter.

Pine GrosbeakI think the two birds below are purple finches. Please correct me if I am wrong. I am going by their white underparts. Gorgeous birds!

Purple FinchNext are some Common Redpolls. These are also winter visitors and they travel in large flocks. They are tiny little things, about the size of a chickadee, and the males have the showiest colors while the females tend to be brown. They love the thistle in my finch feeder.

Common RedpollsHere is another Common Redpoll sharing this feeder with a Downy Woodpecker.

Common Redpoll and Downy Wood Pecker

Chickadee dee deeAbove is a Chickadee (dee dee). These little creatures are so cheerful and friendly. Last spring, I was cross country skiing and had briefly stopped on the trail. Two little chickadees flew right up close to me and landed on a nearby tree. They kept cocking their little heads and staring at me expectantly so I took off my mitten and reached out to them. One by one they took turns landing on my hand and got an even closer look at me. Then they flew away. It was a magical moment.

Below is a White-breasted Nuthatch. I also see Red-breasted Nuthatches as well. They love the suet and I call them the acrobats because they are the only birds that I’ve seen so far that are as comfortable upside down as they are right-side up.

Whitebreasted NuthatchBelow is a Hairy Woodpecker. This is not a very good shot but they look just like Downy Woodpeckers only twice the size and they have huge, long beaks.
Hairy Woodpecker

Dark eyed JuncoAbove is a Dark-eyed Junco. I have only seen this bird once or twice. Below is a Boreal Chickadee, another personal favorite of mine as they are so shy and pretty.

I’ve seen many other birds that have been too quick to catch on film, including Pileated Woodpeckers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, brown-headed cowbirds, a pheasant, a Northern Saw-Whet Owl and a Great Horned Owl. I also see Blue Jays on the tree quite regularly. Huge ravens fly around but have never visited the feeder or the Hawthorn tree. Once there was six woodpeckers on the tree at one time: four Downy Woodpeckers and two Hairy Woodpeckers. It was a woodpecker convention!

You just never know what you’re going to see out there. Whether you have feeders set up or not, winter is a fantastic time for birding. There are many species that only travel through Alberta at this time of the year. So as you are walking or skiing or even taking a break while snowmobiling, take a look around and find out who is watching you!

Boreal Chickadee

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Luminaria… holiday magic at the Devonian Botanical Garden

10 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in appreciate the seasons

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candlelight, candles, Devonian Botanical Garden, family outing, garden, garden in winter, holiday, Japanese garden, Luminaria

luminaria4Last night I attended ‘Luminaria‘ at the Devonian Botanical Garden. I had been meaning to take in this special event for years but somehow had always been busy on this particular weekend and missed it. This year I decided to book my tickets in advance so as not to let that happen again! I am so glad that I did as this was a very special holiday event that will now become a personal tradition.

luminariaLuminaria is held in the Japanese garden. If you have ever visited this particular area of the garden in spring, summer or fall, you will appreciate the peaceful winding paths, the gentle hills, the rocky waterfall, and the shelters and mini temples along the way. Now imagine all of this in the dark, covered in a thick blanket of snow and lit up by hundreds of flickering candles…

luminariaImagine barrels of crackling bon fires here and there on the paths where people can gather around to warm up… complimentary hot apple cider… ice sculptures…. and two small groups of live carolers to fill the night with song.

luminaria2There was a great turn out of people of all ages. It was quite exciting to share the evening with so many other visitors, yet the garden is big enough that it never felt crowded. I also appreciated how organized the event was, from the park-and-ride in Devon (which we took advantage of and did not have to wait any time at all for), to the many easily identifiable volunteers who directed the visitors, took the tickets and served the cider. There was also a first aid station, a special table where one could buy a candle for a special loved one and a craft sale on the way out in another building. With my two admission tickets I received a complimentary ‘free admission for two’ ticket for the Devonian Botanical Garden the upcoming season.

luminariaThe most enjoyable part of this evening was its simplicity. Instead of garish electric Christmas lights flashing, inflatable Santa’s swaying and endless advertisements to keep one shopping for that perfect gift there was just the gentle flickering of candlelight outdoors on a dark winter’s night in a beautiful natural garden. The only sounds were the cheerful songs of the carolers and the hushed voices of friends and families sharing in this special time. In my mind, this is what the holiday season is about… unplugging, quiet time for reflection and contemplation, and opportunities for reconnecting with the natural world. It was truly a magical evening.

luminaria5

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