Monday, June 21st, 2010
Thanks so much Debbie for inspiring me to make my own peppermint extract! I just had to make some once I saw your post. It was the perfect time to cut back my over growing mint. I even hung some of my peppermint to dry for tea.
I filled a jar halfway with bruised peppermint leaves and covered with vodka making sure the leaves submerged. I’ve been shaking or swirling the jar every once and a while and I’m looking forward to the final result in a month or two.
I can’t wait to make some peppermint chocolate… cupcakes… and muffins… and…
Saturday, June 19th, 2010
It seems almost silly to be writing about my first trip to the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary because we didn’t actually get to see any Grizzly Bears. It was still quite an experience! Khutzeymateen (koots-ma-teen) is a native Tsimshian word meaning “a confined space for salmon and bears”.
This sanctuary is accessible via boat or float place only and is located about 50 km north east of Prince Rupert. It took us about two hours by boat but with the sun shining and bald eagles soaring and fishing along the way, the time went by quickly.
Cam had paddled through here with a friend more than 10 years ago and really enjoyed pointing out beaches he camped on and the spot where he and his friend were marooned for days during terrible weather. He was able to tell us about a geologically recent active volcano here in BC as we drove by the entrance to Crow Lagoon.
The Khutzeymateen is an absolutely stunning spot to be in. Normally this is the time of year that the Grizzly Bears come down to the water’s edge to feed on sedge grasses and beach graze. With the low snow pack in the mountains right now they are probably up there taking advantage of the exposed vegetation. The ranger only saw a couple Grizzlies the morning we were there.
The ranger was telling us about how the years can really vary from each other. A couple years ago there were no fish to feed on and the female Grizzlies aborted their cubs in order to concentrate on their own survival. Life isn’t always easy.
We really enjoyed visiting the floating ranger’s station and not just because we smelled their lunch with sautéing onions. We got quite a bit of information, looked at pictures showing the marked differences between Black and Grizzly bears and we also got to handle a number of skulls. Clockwise from top left: Wolf, ?, Grizzly Bear, Fisher. I should have snapped a shot of them together for size comparison. The Grizzly Bear skull was positively frightening in size.
We had time to wave to Jenny in Alaska on our way home.
The journey from here got quite rough. After leaving the inlet that heads into the Khutzmateen the water got very choppy and we were faced with one to two metre seas. I held onto my seat for dear life while we rocked up and down and waves splashed each side of the boat. Needless to say, I put my camera in it’s case for the rest of the trip home.
I look forward to going back and I especially look forward to seeing the bears lounging on the grassy beaches.
Thursday, June 17th, 2010
I remember Cam telling me this when we first started seeing each other and I was feeling challenged by some tough mountain biking we were doing. The point is your fitness will improve and remain constant if you start off slowly with lower intensity workouts and build in increments. This is much better than throwing yourself into a “no pain= no gain” scenario where really all you’re doing is damaging your muscle mass and opening yourself up to repetitive strain issues.
I’ve been running off and on for a number of years but it’s never become routine in my life. Either I got hurt or it was too hard scheduling time to go when Lily needed taking care of and I never enjoyed pushing the stroller while running. I was obviously ignoring the great advice Cam gave me so long ago and I was making running too hard to become enjoyable.
I needed to make it easier- at least to get myself going. The first step was getting Cam to commit to supporting my efforts. I’m so lucky he’s willing and able to run with me, pushing Leif in the stroller while Lily rides her bike. He can stop to help the kids or leash Oscar when we pass through town so my running doesn’t have to be interrupted. He’s there to give me moral support and confidence.
I also decided I wasn’t going to run any hills, which is kind of hard to do here on the hilly rock of an island I live on. I’ve had too many running days put on hold because of sore knees so I now drive down to the flat waterfront of town to run. Reading the book Chi Running has helped a great deal when it comes to posture and pain free, easier running.
I’m also following a 10 week plan to allow my body to become accustomed to the stresses and challenges of running. For each week, I run three times with one or maybe two days break in between. I’m so thankful for the heart rate monitor that Justine gifted to me which times my intervals for me. I stick with the timing even if I think I can run more or walk less.
- Week 1: Run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes. Repeat 5 times
- Week 2: Run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes. Repeat 5 times
- Week 3: Run 5 minutes, walk 2.5 minutes. Repeat 4 times
- Week 4: Run 7 minutes, walk 3 minutes. Repeat 3 times
- Week 5: Run 8 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Repeat 3 times
- Week 6: Run 9 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Repeat 2 times then run 8 minutes 1 time
- Week 7: Run 9 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Repeat 3 times
- Week 8: Run 13 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Repeat 2 times
- Week 9: Run 14 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Repeat 2 times
- Week 10: Run 30 minutes. Repeat once and celebrate!
It’s been going so well for me that I thought I’d share this program with all of you! I have to admit that I’m actually starting to enjoy running. You could too….
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010
My garden is growing… although not as quickly as so many beautiful gardens I see on blogs and flickr. I can’t help but sometimes wonder if I’m doing something wrong. Of course I realise it has more to do with where I live than anything else. Gardening on the north coast is just another one of those things I’m learning about as I go.
I’m growing beets, kale, chard, peas, garbanzo beans, garlic chives, basil, cilantro, tomatoes, tomatillos and various flowers and medicinal herbs.
Last weekend Lily excitedly went in a soapbox race. She was a lot smaller than most of the other drivers but that never got in her way. Her face was never without a smile the whole time she was in that pink flaming car.
I’m in love with my new bike that finally came last week. It’s a Kona Lisa Road and super fast and light. I often feel like I’m flying. I have much to learn about road riding but with Cam’s help I’ll learn quickly. I’m looking forward to adding a regular riding routine to my time.
This seems to be a slow time of year for a lot of bloggers, which I’m actually kind of grateful for. I don’t get on the computer as much these days so it’s nice to not be overwhelmed with reading when I do get the chance. That said, I have a lot I want to blog about. Some of it seems like too much time has past to take the time to write about it but then I remember that blogging for me is in part a journal for myself.
I hope you all are having a wonderful spring/ pre-summer like we are!
Saturday, June 5th, 2010
These muffins were pretty perfect if you ask me. Everything was just right about them. The taste, the texture… This recipe will be one I go back to again and again. Even Cam’s vegetable phobic work mate was left begging for the recipe. This is for you, Carl.
I believe this recipe was originally Martha Stewart’s. Here’s what I did:
Zucchini Cranberry Muffins
- 1 3/4 c All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Veg Oil (I used non-gmo Canola)
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 cup Shredded Zucchini
- 1/2- 3/4 cup Cranberries (I used frozen)
- Preheat oven to 375′F and grease a 12 muffin tin.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Beat in sugar and oil. Mix in vanilla and zucchini.
- Add dry to wet and combine until just moist. Don’t over mix! Fold in cranberries.
- Fill muffin tin for 10-12 muffins. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- When muffins are baked, tip muffins sideways in the pan so they don’t sweat underneath.
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
I’m so excited! I finally got to ordering the bike I’ve been coveting for months now!
I’ve been wanting a new mountain and a road bike for years. Anything new hasn’t exactly been in the budget the last few years and with my kids small, it wouldn’t have been the right time. Converting my old mountain bike to my around town Xtracycle suited my bike needs until now.
Leif is at an age where I can leave him with friends for a time so I’m eager to address my need for more fitness with a road bike. I would have loved to get a mountain bike, especially after watching video of my friends most recent visit to Moab but I had to be realistic. I can’t afford two bikes and any mountain biking I’d do would be out of town. It makes sense to get fit with a road bike I can ride here (or anywhere with roads) and get a mountain bike later.
So let me introduce you to the women’s road bike of my choice, Kona Lisa Rd.
Ooh la la.
I Seriously. Can’t. Wait.
So that excitement shared, I’ll get down to my meal plan for the week. I’m trying a few new recipes, one of which was sent to me by a friend. I love trying something new!
In the past I’ve shared how much (or little) I’ve spent with to make each of my weekly meal plans come to fruit. I kind of gave that up once I moved north where groceries were sometimes a lot more expensive. I do have to share though that this week I spent under $100 to buy all the food we need to make this meal plan work.
This week I’m making:
