calling all wild women…

06 Tuesday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in more about us, wild women

Tags

Clarissa Pinkola Estes, friendship, wild women, women who run with wolves

I had a dear friend come to spend the day here at the cabin. It was wonderful spending time with another woman with whom I connect with. We hadn’t been in touch for years until a chance meeting at a hardware store recently brought us back in contact. Today we talked, got all caught up on the last few years of our lives, cooked together, looked at her recent wedding photos, hiked with Lucy on the trails, and sat on the deck wrapped in blankets, sipping hot tea while watching the moon rise.

There have been so many changes in my life recently and I found it such a comfort to share all of my stories with a kind and kindred female spirit. Just these past two weeks, I have spent the day with two other female friends who also deeply nourished my spirit. To my dear friends, M, F & S, and for all of you other wild women out there, (I know you’re out there!) I dedicate this quote to you:

…And then there are the cravings.. Oh, la! A woman may crave to be near water, or be belly down, her face in the earth, smelling the wild smell. She might have to drive into the wind. She may have to plant something, pull things out of the ground or put them into the ground. She may have to knead and bake, rapt in dough up to her elbows.

She may have to trek into the hills, leaping from rock to rock trying out her voice against the mountain. She may need hours of starry nights where the stars are like face powder spilt on a black marble floor. She may feel she will die if she doesn’t dance naked in a thunderstorm, sit in perfect silence, return home ink-stained, paint-stained, tear-stained, moon-stained.

A new self is on the way. Our inner lives, as we have known them, are about to change…

~Clarissa Pinkola Estes (Women Who Run With The Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype)

Good night, wild women…

an afternoon on the water

05 Monday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in cabin living, lake living, Pigeon Lake

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

1959, boat, boat ride, Glass Slipper, Marlin Marine, on the lake, Pigeon Lake

Although I have lived here at Pigeon Lake for over 11 months, I have to admit that until last Friday, I had only been on the water twice. Both of these boat rides were in a canoe, which was fun, but didn’t get me very far as Lucy is no help at all with the paddling! I am very fortunate to be surrounded by great neighbors who keep an eye on me, help me out when I need it, and give me sound advice on some of my projects. On Friday, I was invited out for an end of season boat ride with my newest friends who happen to live just down the road.

It was a perfect end-of-summer day. Blue skies, warm weather and reasonably calm water…

As you may have guessed by now, the coolest part of the boat ride was the BOAT. This work of art is a 1959 Glass Slipper by Marlin Marine. My neighbor Brad, and his son Mitch, collect and restore boats (among other cool hobbies). Believe it or not, this boat only only took them 8 months to restore from start to finish! Everything had to be redone: the detailing, upholstery, paint finish, even the engine is original and was totally rebuilt.

This is not their first boat project and they are now currently working on a new boat. For those of you who are interested in the boats and the restoring process, Brad is planning on getting a blog set up soon and when it is up and running, I will provide a link to it. There are so many interesting details behind this model’s design and history and Brad’s blog will be a fun and informative resource.

Brad and Mitch also custom-build the beautifully matching trailers that pull the boats.

It was a great afternoon! What a special treat: enjoying being on the water with my new friends, great weather, viewing other cabins around the lake, stopping for ice cream, hearing lots of stories, and feeling like I had traveled back in time to 1959 riding in a brand new Glass Slipper…

cheesy jalapeno cornbread

03 Saturday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in cook

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

cheesy jalapeno cornbread, Clover Leaf Cheese, cornbread, cornbread recipe, jalapeno cornbread

A moist, buttery cornbread with a kick of heat from the jalapeno peppers. Enjoy on its own with jelly or compote, or serve with tonight’s supper for a cheesy treat.

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup honey (or sweetener of your choice)

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups buttermilk

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup butter, melted

2-1/2 cups aged extra sharp Cheddar, grated

1/3 cup chives or green onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons jalapeno peppers, seeds and finely chopped

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the buttermilk, eggs, honey and butter. Using a wooden spoon, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until incorporated without over-mixing. Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar (saving 1/2 cup for topping), the chives and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit on the counter for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Grease a 9x13x2 inch baking pan (or 2 loaf pans, or muffin tray). Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle remaining cheese and extra chives on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing.

Remember, your dish is only as good as the ingredients you put into it. Choose the freshest jalapenos and chives and the highest quality of cheese. If you do not have a local cheese maker in your neck of the woods, see award-winning Clover Leaf Cheese, a local Albertan company specializing in traditionally made, naturally-aged cheese, for some excellent products found right in your grocery store. They also sell an impressive selection of imported cheeses.

end of summer: a closer look

02 Friday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in appreciate the seasons, mushrooms & fungi, wild flowers

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

appreciate the seasons, bee, fungi, leaf turning yellow, lichen, look closely at nature, moss, nature close-ups, seeds, wildflower seeds, wildflowers

Summer is very nearly over… yet it’s not quite autumn. It’s that ‘in between’ time, where the bright cheerful colors of summer wildflowers are now fading, the tall grasses are beginning to turn brown, and the rich yellows, oranges and reds of autumn have yet to appear.

‘In between’ seasons are often under-appreciated and overlooked. For those who dislike winter, the end of summer can be a depressing time with everything turning brown and no bright colors to catch our attention or heady floral fragrances to arouse our senses. Because of this, it might very easy to miss the unique beauty and wonder of this particular in-between season. Today, I invite you to take a closer look at the natural world around where you live. You may be surprised to discover that there is still so much going on right under your nose (and feet)…

The ‘fur’ on these hardworking bees collecting pollen on the summer’s last remaining flowers makes me want to pet them.

Once bright purple, these wildflowers (above) now have faded and their petals are starting to fall off. Looking closer, however, one can see the seeds forming in the centers, adding a new beauty and texture…

The first signs of ‘autumn yellow’ starting to appear on the leaves…
I love the shape and texture of this wood fungus growing on my mulch pile. It has taken a few months to grow this large…

Little explosions of softness soon to be released into the air…

A close up of a clover flower gone to seed… absolutely fascinating!

Teeny tiny puffball (with stink holes), growing in a soft bed of moss…

These shots of moss, lichen and fungi make me feel like I am living on another planet…(!!!)

Taking a closer look at nature when things appear to be slowing down, one can clearly see that there is still so many fascinating things going on around us. Why not spend a few moments today taking a closer look at the natural world around you? I am sure you will find that there is a whole world of beauty and wonder just waiting to be discovered.

mystery solved: touch me not (Impatiens pallida)

01 Thursday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in forage, wild flowers

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exploding seed pod, Jewelweed, spotted jewel weed, Touch Me Not, Yellow jewelweed, yellow trumpet flower

Do you remember when in one of my earlier posts I showed this picture of a flower that I did not know the name of? I am happy to report that the mystery of the beautiful thick patch of trumpet-like yellow flowers growing near the Medicine Wheel garden is now solved! It was actually, M, one of the kids who built that amazing 2-story fort, who taught me what it was. He and his family were out back with me, taking a tour of the grounds, when M discovered the patch and demonstrated a seed pod exploding with a sudden pop! “They are called Touch Me Nots”, he explained, and I was very impressed. (I was also thinking about how just a few nights before at their bonfire, he had demonstrated a cap exploding off of a twisted plastic pop bottle!) The very next day, K (the son of the couple who built this cabin) told me the same thing. He was out working on his land and I went over with some fresh muffins. He told me that he had figured out my mystery flower. We walked over to his car where he pulled out his guidebook on medicinal flowers of Alberta and showed me the unmistakable picture of Touch Me Not (Impatiens pallida), also known as Jewelweed, Yellow Jewelweed and Spotted Jewelweed.

Touch Me Not is a self-seeding annual plant, which can grow up to six and a half feet tall. (Mine are about four feet tall.) It often grows in ditches and along creeks. The triangular leaves have toothed margins and are silvery green in color. The flowers are yellow with a three-lobed corolla; one of the calyx lobes is also yellow and forms a hooked conical spur at the back of the flower, forming the back of the trumpet (or funnel) shape. The seed pods have projectile seeds that explode out of the pods if they are lightly touched when ripe. See this youtube video for a demonstration.

You may be more familiar with Orange Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) which is more common. Often these two will be found growing side by side.

Medicinal Uses:

Make a poultice for skin rash.

I look forward to learning more about this beautiful plant!

highbush cranberry jelly & thumbprint cookies

31 Wednesday Aug 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, cookies, forage, preserve, wild berries

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

cookie recipe, cookies, highbush cranberry compote, highbush cranberry jelly, thumbprint cookies, Viburnum edule, ways to use your jams and jellies

wild highbush cranberry jelly

Clear, ruby-red, tart and delicious. Serve on toast, over ice cream or yogurt, or as a condiment with meat.

5 cups highbush cranberries

3 cups water

4-1/2 cups prepared juice

1- 2 oz package (57 g) or pectin crystals

4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh or bottled

Put highbush cranberries and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. As the berries begin to soften, mash or crush them gently. Boil for 10 minutes, then put berries into a jelly bag and strain overnight.

Measure juice, adding water if the liquid doesn’t add up to 4-1/2 cups. Put into a large pot and add the pectin. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar and lemon juice. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Then boil hard for 1 minute without stirring. Skim off foam. Pour liquid into hot sterilized jars to within ¼ inch from the top. Seal. Makes 6 half pints.

For more information on highbush cranberries (Viburnum edule), click here to see a previous post. Also, see my recipe for highbush cranberry compote.

thumbprint cookies

This recipe comes from my Betty Crocker Cookbook (40^th Anniversary Edition).

Making thumbprint cookies is a fun and great tactile activity to do with kids. With this recipe, I can enjoy my home made jam and it also lets me use up the ground almonds that are a by-product of my home made almond milk.

¼ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup butter, softened

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 egg, separated

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup finely chopped nuts (I use toasted ground almonds)

jelly

Heat oven to 350 degrees (F). Mix sugar, butter, vanilla and egg yolk. Stir in flour and salt until dough holds together. Shape into 1-inch balls.

Beat egg white slightly. Dip each ball into egg white. Roll in nuts. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press thumb deeply in the center of each. Back about 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool. Fill thumbprints with jelly. (Note: in the picture I used highbush cranberry compote instead of the jelly. The gingery tart compote balanced the sweetness beautifully!). Yield: 2 dozen cookies.

Why not have a ‘jam tasting’? Make a batch of these cookies and use an assortment of your favorite jams and jellies and fruit butters to fill them. A yummy and colorful addition to your Christmas cookie platters.

Resource:

Zeman, A.M. (1991). Betty Crocker Cookbook: 40th Anniversary Edition. Prentice Hall:New York.

a day for making things

30 Tuesday Aug 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in cabin living, handmade

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

affirmations, chicken broth, hand made cards, highbush cranberry jelly, jalapeno cornbread, Lucy, sweet peas

Today was a busy day of making things, both for myself and to share with others. Here are a few of the things that I made today:

After our morning walk, I picked two little sweet pea flowers (the only ones in bloom so far) and made a simple arrangement to enjoy…

Then I took last night’s strained wild highbush cranberry juice and made jelly (I will post the recipe tomorrow)…

Then I made two thank you cards, featuring a picture I took of one of the recipients at her recent 30th birthday party here at the lake…

Then I made a huge batch of homemade chicken broth loaded with garden veggies. I will use this as a base for Vietnamese shrimp and lemongrass soup for supper tomorrrow (both recipes to follow in a later post)…

Then, in honor of the new moon in Virgo a few days ago (which encourages cleaning up and creating new habits and routines), I made a whole bunch of new affirmations and stuck them all over the cabin…

Then I made jalapeno cheddar cornbread muffins (the chilies came out of the Medicine Wheel garden- again, recipe to follow in a later post)…

Next, I made time for Lucy. I sang to her, wrestled with her on the floor (her favorite thing), rubbed her tummy, and then we went for our evening walk together…

Then I made time for human friendship. I took over some cornbread, highbush cranberry jelly, yesterday’s compote, and the cards that I made today and headed over to my neighbor, K’s, for a movie night. We had a great chat, a few glasses of good wine, and the movie was both inspiring and uplifting…

Finally, I made this blog post. A wonderful way to end this creative and productive day. Not all of what I made had a significant material outcome, but everything I made nourished my spirit and added beauty to my life. I would love to hear about what you all made today!

wild highbush cranberry compote (Viburnum edule)

29 Monday Aug 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, forage, wild berries

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

compote, highbush cranberry, highbush cranberry compote, highbush cranberry recipe, Viburnum edule, wild berry dessert, wild berry recipe, wild cranberry

An intense and tart burst of red fruity flavor that is packed with vitamin C and K. Serve this over ice cream, yogurt, waffles, pancakes or crepes, or eat it just as it is. .

A few neighbors have described the smell of highbush cranberries as similar to ‘stinky socks’. I was puzzled as I never could smell it. However, today I finally got it. In fact, today the entire cabin reeks of stinky socks!!! I had boiled two batches of highbush cranberries (Viburnum edule), one for jelly (which is currently straining) and one for compote. Once the two batches were fully cooked, I turned off the heat and Lucy and I left for our evening walk. When I came home and opened the door, the pungent smell of stinky socks almost knocked me over! Luckily, there is no smell in the finished product, it was just the cooking process that released the stinky odors.

Here is my recipe for highbush cranberry compote, created just today!

Wild Highbush Cranberry Compote

4 cups (1 L) highbush cranberries

4 apples, coarsely grated

1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

1-2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated

1 cup honey or natural sweetener of your choice

Put highbush cranberries in a large pot and add 1-1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil. As the fruits begin to soften, gently mash the berries to a pulp.

Stain the berries through a cheesecloth or jellybag. Return the juice to the pot and boil, stirring often, until the mixture is reduced to half of its original amount.

Meanwhile, grate the 4 apples and ginger. Add them to a medium bowl and mix in the lemon juice to keep from browning. Once the berry juice has reduced to half, add the apple mixture and the sweetener to the pot and cook for 15 minutes, or until the apple is very soft. Taste to see if it is sweet enough and add more sweetener if desired. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Keep refrigerated or freeze for later use. Yield: 4 cups.

For more information on highbush cranberries (Viburnum edule), please see yesterday’s post highbush cranberries (Viburnum edule).

If used as a topping on a dessert, consider adding a few tablespoons of your favorite liquor, such as Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Galliano. I think I will try this served warm over my Decadent Chocolate Cake instead of my usual raspberry sauce.

Enjoy!

highbush cranberry (Viburnum edule)

28 Sunday Aug 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in forage, tea, wild berries

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

berry picking, harvest, highbush cranberry, mooseberry, swampberry, wild berries, wild cranberry

Today I spent the afternoon picking highbush cranberries up the road near the cabin. I hunted for them last October when I first moved in and was only able to harvest a handful of the last berries of the season. The leaves had already fallen and some of the shrubs still had a few of the red berries, hanging like little shining jewels. Having never picked them before, I had to approach an elderly neighbor walking down the road and ask him to peer into my basket and confirm whether or not these were indeed highbush cranberries. He ended up bringing me home to his wife who confirmed the identity of the berries and told me where to find more. This time around, almost a year later, I knew just where to look and was not disappointed!

Highbush cranberries are also known as crampbark, squashberry and mooseberry. The name ‘cranberry’ is deceiving as they are not true members of the heath family, but instead belong to the honeysuckle family.

This deciduous shrub can be found across Canada and in the northern United States growing in the woods or along riverbanks and streams. Ideally they prefer moist, acidic soil in partial shade. The shrub may grow up to 8 feet tall and has smooth reddish bark and opposite three-lobed leaves. In spring, small white flowers grow in clusters. By late summer, the small red globular berries, each containing a single flat seed, can be harvested.

When the berries are still unripe, they are hard, very sour and may give off an unpleasant musty odor, described by a few of my neighbors as ‘stinky socks’. After the first frost, they become soft, juicy and more palatable. You can use the bark, inner bark and berries.

Nutrition:

The bark contains calcium, chromium, cobalt, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, tin and zinc. The berries are high in vitamin C and K.

Pick the berries late in the summer or in early fall, after the first frost, when they are soft and juicy. The bark should be harvested before, or after the plant has gone into berry.

Medicinal Uses:

Antispamodic (due to a bitter compound called viburnine)- the bark helps stop stomach, muscle and menstrual cramps. Also relieves cramping of the uterus after childbirth. To prepare, whittle off some of the bark and simmer it into a tea or poultice.
Astringent
Diuretic
Sedative
To treat bronchial irritation and spasmodic coughing
As a gargle for sore throats and as a rinse for gingivitis

Culinary Uses:

Mainly in syrups and jelly (where straining removes the seed)
Make tea: crush 1/2 cup berries, add 2 cups boiling water. Steep, strain. Sweeten with honey.
Use the jelly on toast or on thumbprint cookies or as a condiment served with wild game

Resources:

Bennett, J. (1991). Berries. Camden House: Camden East, ON.

Gladstar, R. (2001). Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 teas, tonics, oils, salves, tinctures, and other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family. Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA.

Gray, B. (2011). The boreal herbal: wild food and medicine plants of the north; a guide to harvesting, preserving, and preparing. Aroma Borealis Press: Whitehorse, Yukon.