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Fire, Fire, Everywhere…

clyde

In many parts of the world, especially in this part of the world in which I find myself, summer season has become fire season. This is a regrettable state of affairs. People are talking in British Columbia about banning travel in the ‘back country’, or wilderness. This is part of the beauty of this still rugged, largely undeveloped province- its vast empty forests and mountains. However, it seems that many of the fires on the fire map are human caused, and since lightning caused fires are also a significant threat, there is a certain point to limiting the potential for … Continue reading Fire, Fire, Everywhere…

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French Crystal Bowl- at a Garage Sale

clyde

I had to share this lovely, absurdly-well priced vintage Durand Family Crystal Bowl that I found this weekend. This local area has a lot of very well-established old families, that wind up with rather a lot of great items over the years. Many of these are sold on people’s lawns, for not very much cash. I wasn’t sure about this little lovely, but picked it up on a whim. Turns out, it Suffice it to say, this beauty comes from before the Durands (the French crystalware company that acquired Mikasa) sold out to Lifetime Brands and the whole thing went … Continue reading French Crystal Bowl- at a Garage Sale

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Inverse Dolmathes!

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This is the story of a strange, culinary journey, which begins with a trip to Greece I took several (many) years previous: Suffice it to say, I wanted to travel to see Macedon, Thessalonika and Thessaly, for reasons of historical tourism including, but not limited to, Alexander and Alaric. It is beautiful in both areas of Greece, and I can thoroughly recommend that one visit it at some point in time! (If you do, be sure to read some histories such as The Last Centuries of Byzantium by David Nicholl and Latins and Greeks for more scholarly fare. Also, check … Continue reading Inverse Dolmathes!

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First Things First

clyde

Power is first necessity in automotive vehicles, and this old truck needs a battery and new cables. So I am going to replace both. I have tested the battery and found it is kaput, so changing just the leads will not help me to get it moving. Therefore, as my new tyres are on their way, I will make this my first step in truck recovery!First, a peek at the old cables:Es no bueno. Es, in fact, muy malo.So, in order to strip these, wisely drape an old pair of dungarees o’er the terminals (as a car battery that is … Continue reading First Things First

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My Summer Project

clyde

I have, perhaps foolishly, just purchased an old beater flatbed truck. My reasons for this are several: – I own a piano, and will shortly be moving. And I have never, not once, had someone other than myself move a piano without needing it re-tuned. Despite the fact that I have been developing some skill in piano tuning of late, having serviced my own and my co-workers’ two instruments successfully, I don’t want to have to spend all the time doing the whole sound board from scratch. So, the truck is a paino-mover. – I enjoy projects. I like to … Continue reading My Summer Project

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Mmmmm, Lemons

clyde

I really enjoy lemons. It’s one of the grief’s of my life that I have never wound up living in a place where citrus can grow outside. That would be just lovely, I think. Imagine how they would smell! I enjoy lemons most of all the citruses, I think. I am one of those people who can eat them raw, and I do enjoy them in that fashion. I also like large lemon slices fried with lentils or beans, a bit of an add on to a Middle Eastern kind of meal (recipe forthcoming). However, I bring this up because … Continue reading Mmmmm, Lemons

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Dandelion Season

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Spring has arrived, and hot on the heels of it is summer, as I am in northern, inland Canada at the mo’. Which means dandelions! I love them. To eat them, to dry their roots for roasting for tonic teas, and, of course Dandelion wine. I will be posting my Dandelion wine journey here once it is ready to put in the carboy, but for now, here are some photos (and a recipe) of my Dandelion and clover salad, which was delicious! (Ohhh, how I hate to mow!) Approx 1 lb Dandelion greens, washed. (You can trim them about halfway … Continue reading Dandelion Season