Retirement Bliss

Again its been quite some time since I have found the time to write on my Blog.  Its great to have you stop by and I welcome your comment.

There have been many changes since then including I retired on June 30th!  Its wonderful having pretty much a clear page and doing those things I add to it.  Although I miss some of the things about my job, where I worked over 34 years, and some great people I am super thrilled.

I've also given myself a break and perhaps a forever break from my cookie business.  So, there is much time to play and explore and craft.

We're at the cottage and its pretty cool outside but being inside with the fireplace on really helps.  It was so windy yesterday that even the scarecrow wanted to take off!


 It was the perfect day to warm up the cottage with heat and wonderful smells by baking coffee bread Pulla and cinnamon buns.  Yums.  We love these for brekky too.

Coconut Ginger Carrot Soup

We have had definite hits of fall in the air and everywhere.  This afternoon it is 41F or 5C and there is just this bit of coolness in the breeze.  You definitely need a jacket of some kind.  Its the kind of weather where you love to think about the great fall veggies and making soup and stew and those delicious tasting, body warming yummies.

Last week I found an evening to try out a new recipe Coconut Ginger Carrot Soup.



This is a small sampling I had in a big cup. Its very easy and very yummy too.

The grated fresh ginger is SO good for you and it makes it nice and spicy which I love also.  Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants, helps reduce digestive issues to name a few and it tastes good too!

http://runningonrealfood.com/coconut-ginger-carrot-soup/

Try the soup if you haven't before.  I think you just might like it.

Let me know if you do!

Hot But Still Baking

hot hot continues....

It really isn't like my area of Ontario to be having the kind of heat we're been having.  It is September 9th for goodness sake and the temps were still 92F today!  The sun remains so hot and it gets humid still.  This has been one of the hottest summers we have had with barely any rain?  Where has the rain gone?  About now having nice cool nights for sleeping are in order I think.  The whole week is supposed to be like this. 

The Farmer's Almanac is predicting a very bitter cold winter with lots of snow so...hot...cold..hot..cold?  I think I should be quite happy enough with what we have.

I still have been baking and last week baked some mini cupcakes with lemon peel which makes the cupcake taste and smell so yum.  The frosting was cream cheese and I added strawberry yogurt along with the icing sugar.
 I served some up at work
. 

 

                                           One-two bites and they were gone!  

 

Its ok to have sweets sometimes...*Hugs*..

Back home...

My gosh a lot of time has passed since I was here last!  How can time go so quickly and I had to take a week break but on paper its been a long break.  Life has basically been good and there have been some challenges.  I have thought about many of my blogging friends and on occasion have been able to do some reading. 

I gave been baking and busy.  I'm still working at my regular job I don't always have big breaks in the evening.

The weekends I still travel to the other side of the lake into NY state.  That relationship continues and I love everything about it so the weekends take care of themselves.

I want to share a sunset at the Lake....




and the sailboat races we watched on Thursday nights from the deck while I was on a 3-week vacation there.

I hope some of my friends find me again and that I can share and catch up on what you share.
 
Judi

A Little Catch Up and Merry Christmas *hugs*

I cannot believe that its is almost Christmas.  Homes are so beautifully decorated for the season and its awfully cold around here.  Its 19F today.  We haven't had that much snow but its Christmassy out there for sure following a snowy day yesterday.  It is pretty as long as the driving is good.

I've been baking cookies, lots of Ugly Sweater Christmas cookie orders this time of year.  I bet an ugly sweater party would be fun. Have you ever had one or been to one.  Here are some pictures to share for a weekend order.

 

I also baked some gingerbread houses that sit on the side of your cup.  Aren't these cute moose cups?  I found 6 of them at a thrift store this fall. 

 



I made a Christmas swag for my best friend Kirsti and it fit nicely on the lantern I bought for it.

We visited with them a couple of weeks ago and she was happy to receive it.  I have to make one for me now.

 

We visited my SIL and BIL a couple of weeks ago and spent a night at their lovely cottage.  It was one of the first weekends of snow we'd had.  It was like a winter wonderland but brrrrrrr.  I would loved to have been snowed there for a few days...*s*...





 

We were in Florida for 1.5 weeks in October for Reed's 3rd birthday.  Marc's daughter Janet, hubby and 2 little ones are there for 2 years with Ryan's work.  This is the cake she baked.

The birthday boy...

and his brother the lizard catcher...or whatever they are..*s*..

We got a babysitter and we went out and gave Janet and Ryan a date night... yummy dinner.

They have a big screened in pool and the boys swim like fish now.

 

That's a bit about what we've been up to lately.  I have thought about my friends here and visited here and there.  I have definitely been doing lots of baking.  Baking after a full day at work makes it very busy.  These were for Movember.  

Madeline has grown so much.  She is now 9-1/2 years old.  Sweetness that she is.

 I wish you all a beautiful time leading up to a very Merry Christmas to you, your family and your precious friends.... Judi xoxo

A sweet angel graces the heavens today....and we miss her....

My dear sister-in-law Janine (who is at the right in the picture with Madeline taken a few years ago, and Marc and myself) passed away today.....I know she is in God's hands and he is looking at her beautiful eyes and his love is shining on her face.  It was only 1 year ago that she became ill.

I thank everyone who prayed for her.  She was able to live throughout a beautiful summer in British Columbia.  A summer that is never this warm and sunny.  She was a very natural and inspirational and strong lady. 

She could no longer take more treatment but her tumours had quieted and she was able to live longer than the 1-4 months expected and appeared to be getting better even though that could not be possible.  She was hospitalized since this weekend and at 12:15 today she was at peace....

Janine was my brother Ken's best friend and he will miss her terribly.  I hope you'll take a moment to think of him and that he will stay strong at this difficult time.... Judi xoxo

Nature's Wedding Sweets Order....

I'm sharing a wedding order I had a couple of weeks ago.  The theme was nature with trees, deer etc. and green, brown and yellow were the colours.  With that it was all left up to me.... hmmmmmm...

The guest favours became in the form of trees....with their initials on the trunk...

I baked 11 dozen cupcakes in 5 different flavours...in wedding colour coordination... in vanilla...and lemon...chocolate mocha...vanilla berry and chocolate truffle.

                                                          

      

AND 

a  made a birch tree fondant cake with their names engraved.... 

atop a rustic wooden cupcake stand...see the cute buck and doe she had to put on top of the cake?  

sweet newly weds cutting the cake.... 

 

I really enjoyed being able to make some choices for the couple and I was pretty pleased at how it went with the theme......wish we could all have a treat right now...I'd share... Judi xoxo