Thursday 2 May 2019

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?


Canada's signature desserts featured on new stamps

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 ColorBrian's Home BlogSew Fresh QuiltsMy Quilt Infatuation and It's a Small Town Life.




23 comments :

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I have not worn fleece pants in the sewing room but have had a fleece top on now and then and was picking threads off all too as well. It has been very rainy here too and it is annoying to have it so wet that I can't walk about the yard as much as I like at this time of year as my feet sink in some areas. I do have a bread machine but I packed it out to the workshop some years ago as it took up too much space on the countertops and I found I was either using it too much or not enough and went back to making bread just the regular way and enjoy doing it with my hands.

Quilting Babcia said...

Rainy season here too, seems spring is all too late about arriving, or perhaps this is just a continuation of the rainy summer and fall we had last year - sigh. Scrap busting is such fun, but does seem never-ending doesn't it? Somehow the scrap bins seem to multiply overnight. I think I could spend the remaining years of my life trying to use up scraps and never get to the yardage in the bins except for quilt backings. You do seem to be making great progress on taming your neutrals/pastels though and I really love those little fussy cut centers in your blocks.

Suzanne said...

I have bread maker, but do not know if it has a cake setting...will check it out. I have not done well with using coconut flour in any recipe. Love your fuzzy family members photo.

Julierose said...

Grey grey grey and rain rain rain here, too...our sun is trying bravely to come out but the big dark clouds are winning once again, I am afraid.
I love your little squares trains of fabrics--meanwhile i am STILL stringing my leftovers..hugs, Julierose

John's Island said...

Hi Needle Nana, I came over from Michelle's Thankful Thursday. You have a neat blog here. I love the embroidery in your header. That is some amazing work. Have a happy day.

Nancy J said...

I wear fleece pants all winter, and use a roller with sticky peel off papers to clean those tiny threads.Also,new to me, is a round silicone scrubber, great for the design wall. needs a bit more pressure than the roller though.

junieper2/jesh StG said...

I admire the patience of quilting - they need to go through so many steps!! Sorry the weather there is so wet. The curious squirrel in the tree made me laugh. here, they are grey, very beautiful, but they're quite aggressive in looking for food.

Michelle said...

I do love sugar pie. So good! That squirrel gave me a good smile. Thanks for linking up today.

Rosemary Dickinson said...

I'm always up for scrap busting. I have too many scraps and just want to use them up! I have heard about the flooding in Canada. We've had lots of rain here but no flooding. I hope the water recedes and everyone can go back home soon.

Jean said...

Sorry to hear about all the flooding. Hope things dry out soon. I haven't heard of some of those desserts but they all sound delicious as does your coconut flour loaf. Hope you have a great Thursday!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

It seems no matter where we live, Spring can be a tricky season! I'm sorry to hear about the flooding - that makes life so hard. Love your picture of the squirrel! They are so entertaining and I often catch them looking at me like, "What ARE you thinking?" What a fun idea to sort out your pastel colored scraps and sew with them! I'll enjoy seeing what you do with them.

Jenny said...

I have to admit that none of your Canadian noteable desserts are familia to me. Which is your favourite?
I also have trouble with threads on my clothing, plus white cat hair!
Love the expectant doggy faces, can we go now please, they seem to be asking.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I've never heard of using a bread machine to make cake - interesting! We don't have a bread machine anymore (unless you want to count the Resident Chef!!). Looking forward to seeing what you do with your scrap busting efforts!

Brian's Home Blog said...

Oh Brrrrrr! I hope you get a good dose of Spring soon, without the rain. That squirrel sure is funny! Thanks for joining the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Jocelyn! Oh, I can just hear that squirrel chattering at you. What a great photo of him, too!! I've never heard of any of those pies but they all look delicious, as does your cake from the bread maker. I didn't know you could make a cake in one, so I'm no help whatsoever. Aww, Rex and Murphy look so cute and impatient - I'd love to be hurrying up for both of them. Oh, and I have learned the lesson about fleece pants and scraps/threads the hard way. HAHA! ~smile~ Roseanne

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

Oh the rain! John laughs at me because I have 3 different sets of rubbers to wear. Rubber garden clogs, rubber ankle boots, and rubber chore boots, it depends on how much water I have to slog through to get to the chicken house. My ex MIL used to make nanaimo bars, so what are saskatoon berries?

Powell River Books said...

Back in the 1990s when we explored Canada by camping in our Piper Arrow we landed in Saskatchewan. A local took us by car to visit his canola fields then home where his wife served us Saskatoon berry pie. Those were fun days. - Margy

LA Paylor said...

I just love love your posts. Please give those pups a treat from auntie LeeAnna. I have a sweet tooth, I want a butter tart! And your coconut cake. With the hole waiting to be filled with custard. I've not used my bread maker for cakes and am now intrigued with coconut flour. Coconut milk doesn't taste like coconut to me, glad the flour does. Oh what the hay, Ilike any cake I think. LeeAnna

Angie in SoCal said...

So sorry about the flooding over there. I hope it is starting to clear out. If I could I"d bring that wet over her as we could sure use it. We had a "normal" season - meaning we got the 10"for the year we're suppose to get, but aquifers are very low and we've been told to continue conserving. Your stamps have made em curious. They all look yummy. We have similar pie, cobbler and bar. Don't have a bread machine so can't help you there. The scraps look fun. Mine seem to continue to grow instead of diminish. Thanks for sharing!

Jenn Jilks said...

I love your buddies!
It is wet out there. I feel so badly for those with little means. A lot of Muskoka millionaries are whining about their boathouses. I don't feel for them.

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

As long as the cake tastes good it does not matter what it looks like! Flooding is no fun! Your buddies are ready to get outside and romp! Pretty Dogs! Have a great week-end - and the stamp collection looks yummy -

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

The weather everywhere is just crazy. Sorry for ya'll to look so forward to Spring and have those dangerous floods. I loved that squirrel story. Dessert stamps? Wow- too bad they weren't perfumed with the flavors. I like your pastel blocks-what a great way to use up scraps. They would make a cool border? As usual, I so enjoyed your post. mary

Michele McLaughlin said...

Hello to you and your pup babies! I'm hoping you get some really warm weather soon! I love the photograph of the squirrel! I've learned about fleece and sewing the hard way too. Have a great week Jocelyn!