I miss my food processor. Many of my appetizer recipes are for dips, paired with veggies, crackers, or chips. Most of the dip recipes call for a quick whiz in the food processor.
 
Here’s one of my favourites:
 
Faux gras
 
I also make my own hummus – very much needing a food processor.
 
But until we move into the new house and unpack, I’ll be bereft, relegated to non-dip appetizers like this one:
 
Boursin cheese with caramelized onions and BACON!
 
Life is hard, eh? At least the “wine” on Wine Wednesday takes the sting out of not having all my kitchen bits and pieces.
 
Do you have a kitchen appliance or gizmo you rely on?

I hope everyone who was and is in Harvey’s path is safe and staying dry.
 
Our youngest son was visiting for a week. He left on the weekend, returning to his comfy apartment and to his fun job. <sad face> Leaving me languishing in our empty nest.
 
Isn’t it remarkable how our babies turn into adults? Real people? With interests and lives quite separate from ours. I read somewhere that the mark of a good parenting job is that one’s children are able to leave the nest and thrive. I guess we did a good job with both boys. But, golly, the house seems empty after they leave.
 
But enough whining and moaning.
 
I must say this late summer weather has been spectacular, allowing us to sit in the yard, chat, eat snacks, and enjoy our homemade beer.
 
The cats, both black, are appreciating the cooler temperatures.

Did you have a fun weekend?

​Cheers!

​Happy Friday!!! Here comes the weekend!!
 
We survived our camping trip. Good golly, we had fun!

​That is once we got to our campsite, located in the back country and accessible only by canoe or kayak. High winds and choppy water made the paddling a bit of a chore. Of course the wind was in our faces, ha!
 
Keji (that’s what us locals call Kejimkujik National Park, pronounced ked-gee) is a little piece of heaven here in Nova Scotia. You know what I love the most? The smell. Hard to describe but it’s a mix of evergreens, leaf loam, and air so clear you just want to take a bite out of the sky.

​Also, the quiet. All you can hear is the wind in the trees, the “plop” of frogs jumping into the water, and in the evening, the loons. Such a haunting, sad sound. Especially so when you’re aware of their low numbers. 

​Once the sun sets, shortly after 9PM, the coyotes come out to play –at a distance, thank goodness. On this trip we heard what sounded like a whole litter of pups welcoming the parents home from a day of hunting. Or, my theory, misbehaving pups getting a good spanking, LOL. And a bit later we heard owls chatting about the day’s rodent catch. I think it was screech owls because their conversation started with an all-mighty screech.

​Innumerable stars blanket the sky. More than you can imagine. On a clear night every inch of sky contains a star or two.
 
Can you tell I love this place? I’ve been camping here for as long as I can remember. First with my family, then with the Girl Guides. Hubby and I tented here when we were dating, and we spent part of our honeymoon at one of the back-country sites. We brought our kids when they were little, and have done so almost every year since.
 
Do you like camping? Have a favourite park? 

Wine Wednesday – August 23
 
As you read this I’ll be frantically packing up the campsite, trying hard to beat the rain. The forecast changed, gol darn it, so the rain is arriving sooner than we’d like.
 
If I were in my house I’d be planning what to serve alongside a bottle of wine for this evening’s supper. I always serve hummus and raw veggies, like bell peppers, carrot sticks, and broccoli florets. As well as another appetizer, sometime another dip, a canapé, or something a bit more complicated like pot-stickers.
 
Here’s the link to one of my favourite appetizer recipes.
 
We’re at the height of the local, farm market cauliflower season. And this recipe is a fabulous, tasty way to eat your veggies.
 
Now excuse me whilst I open a bottle of our homemade Chardonnay, kick back, and enjoy being back in civilization (and modern plumbing).
 
Cheers!