In Thanks for the Three Sisters

In Iroquois belief, the Three Sisters are called the Sustainers of Life. They are special gifts from the Creator so that humans would be nourished always, even in inhospitable northern climates. The Three Sisters are corn, beans and squash.

Their strength comes from their cooperativeness. Indians plant them together in mounds. Corn stalks support the twining beans, while the beans’ roots capture nitrogen from the air and release it into the soil to nourish the corn; and the squash vines trap essential moisture under their broad-leaves.

The sisters should be planted together, eaten together and celebrated together. Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall Colours

Beauty can be found anywhere. Case in point: these radiant marigolds found brightening a McDonalds' parking lot. Wow . . . I wonder what Van Gogh would have done with these?!


Returning from our coffee break, I pickled the beets we found at the farmers' market. The recipe I use has circled the globe. An American taught it to a Jordanian, who taught it to a Canadian, who taught it an Egyptian chef. I'm not sure where it went from there but it is so tasty and so easy that it became a staple in Luxor.

Pickled Beets
Yield: 1 large jar

Ingredients:
2 kg beets
6 cups vinegar
3 cups sugar
3 teaspoons salt
3 small onions, sliced thin

Directions:
1. Boil beets whole until 'al dente'.
2. Boil vinegar, sugar and salt until sugar is dissolved.
3. Peel beets and slice thin.
4. Layer beets with onion in a jar.
5. Pour liquid over beets.
6. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours.

Biting Bright

Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious.

Bill Meyer

The poor crab-apple is maligned for its tartness, but its bright red colour sparkled beautifully against today's bright blue sky. A gorgeous Fall day was captured in their faces.

Sunshine and Shadows

If there is one spot of sun spilling onto the floor, a cat will find it and soak it up.

Joan Asper McIntosh

Finally, the Sun called a halt to days of cloud and rain and burst through the window onto the living room floor. Cat basked in its warmth.


Then Cat positioned herself regally on her padded throne at the window and watched the world pass by, with just a hint of incredulity at human antics . . . such as paparazzi climbing over bushes and getting stung by thorns as they sought her photo. Angelina, eat your heart out. meow.

Park Your Stork

Parents are like shuttles on a loom. They join the threads of the past with threads of the future and leave their own bright patterns as they go.

Fred Rogers

An addition to my "Only in Canada" sign collection: Stork parking at the local shopping mall.


It's a little disconcerting to see a flattened family on the parking lot asphalt, but it achieved its purpose because Mom and I didn't dare take the spot.

A Little of This and That

The first recipe for happiness is: Avoid too lengthy meditation on the past.

Andre Maurois

I had clipped a page from a stack of Women's Day magazines provided by my aunt as inspiration for future adventures in the kitchen.


Using the page as a guide Mom and I put together a little of this and a little of that and came up with deliciously moist chicken drumsticks. We coated the legs with sour cream (instead of egg) and dropped them, one by one, into a bag of cracker crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion flakes, and pepper. After 30 minutes in a hot, 400F oven we had a tasty dinner. The possibilities are endless.

Comfort and Joy

When you're special to a cat, you're special indeed, she brings to you the gift of her preference of you, the sight of you, the sound of your voice, the touch of your hand.

Lester B. Pearson

Cat has kept us giggling all day, particularly when she took up Dad's chair at the kitchen table. She's one of the family and we're all under her spell.