Sweets, Wet Spring, Scrap Busting

Our colder weather warnings have turned to wetter ones.  Yesterday was horrid with threats of snow, snow pellets, freezing rain and then rain.  This greatly added to the burden of those suffering floods in parts of Ottawa. What is happening along the Ottawa River where waterfront mansions as well as the humble homes of earlier homeowners there being equally affected by the flooding reminded me of a line in a poem. Something about dwelling in cots and with the wonder that is the internet I found this...Whatever course of life great Jove allots, whether you sit on thrones or dwell in cots, Observe your steps.
It appears spring, a season so welcomed has turned dispicable here.

On our property, the little pond did flood its banks but it does that every year at this time. Even with all the rain, it has since receded; maybe because the ground is finally thawing.

Which with all the bad weather, has become a deserted area. I was on the trail of a pair of black ducks down there and also had several sightings of a large duck/goose that was white with black markings. Both are new to me and I would have loved snagging a photo. No luck. But I did enjoy being out in the fresh air trying.
 I did have little red squirrel annoyed with me for hanging out by the bird feeder. He didn't like me there one bit and was chuffing at me the whole time. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

 I got out my bread machine and made a coconut flour loaf. It ended up looking like this with a hole all the way through the middle which I was not expecting. It also didn't seem to have risen like it should have. I used a recipe from the internet and had the dial on the Cake setting. Anybody else ever use a bread machine for cake making? Any clue what I did wrong? Didn't it brown nicely though.

But I'll say this, it is tasty- very coconutty, so it will get eaten.  Custard sauce works well with this kind of dense cake so I'll make one of those. Don't think I'll be using the bread machine again for cakes any time soon!

And while on the topic of tasty...
The Canadian government has released a series of stamps celebrating,of all things, our sweet tooth.
Five notable desserts for our sweet nation. They are Sugar Pie (Tarte Au Sucre), Saskatoon Berry Pie, Blueberry Grunt, Butter Tarts, and Nanaimo Bars.  Any favourites of yours?




I've been making a right mess in the sewing room.  All these scrappy projects are super ort inducing.
 And a word of caution...don't wear fleece while trimming blocks.  I was picking off threads or depositing them around the house all day.

During my scrap sorting, I set aside all the pastel coloured blocks and have sewn a number of trains. I don't know for sure what I'll do with them but I did see an idea in a Quiltmania Vintage magazine that I could manage so maybe that.  Love the scrap busting though.

 Here is a fresh stack of photograph blocks either awaiting more strings or trimming.

And here is my very own entourage, Rex and Murphy, in their usual stance impatiently waiting for me to get going; looks damp out so I guess we'll have to bundle up.

Hope your spring or fall is proceeding without incidents!
As always joining the Thursday Thankful and Likes parties at Not Afraid of Color, Brian's Home Blog, Sew Fresh Quilts, My Quilt Infatuation and It's a Small Town Life.