Merry Birthday Cake

I did this cake for Barb's 60th birthday. Since her special day coincides with Christmas, I figured I'd cover the cake with buttercream roses done in festive colours. Merry Birthday Barb!

Jack Then and Now

About five years ago this little guy showed up at my house. I already had five cats and figured I couldn't possibly take on another (crazy cat lady alert!) so I found a good home for him in Montreal.

His mum and dad went to Florida for a few weeks and didn't know where to board him. I was the logical choice! He's an absolute doll.

I haven't actually mixed him up with the others of my gang and he seems happy in his room full of blankets and toys. I don't want him to go back home!

Sick Bed

This is the reason I haven't been posting much on the blog. I've been sick and laid up with a sinus infection. Things are on the mend, however. Two cats as nurses and Richard as chief cook and bottle washer. Things are looking up!

What a Difference a Day Makes

The high bush cranberries were covered with ice one day...

...and then a lovely layer of fresh snow the next day.

It's That Time of Year...

...Time for Tim Horton's to feature its candy cane donut. Yippee!

Latke Time

The first night of Chanukah is here!

That means latke time...

...which kept Richard very busy. Eight crazy nights. Woo hoo!

Gingerbread Houses

On the weekend, Richard and I headed to the Vankleek Hill Farmers Market to check out the Inaugural Gingerbread House Contest. Julia, who teaches hospitality at Glengarry District High School is seen here with one of her students, Veronique. They came in second.

Another school, Tagwi, had an east coast theme going on. Their entry came in third.

The winner was the class from Vankleek Hill Collegiate who depicted a red barn out of gingerbread.

Here's Richard hard at work. A fun Saturday a.m. outing and hopefully the start of something big! Well done all of you guys!

Happy Birthday Dawn

Was having Dawn over for dinner, along with her husband Bill and her mum Edna and Bill whispered that it was Dawn's birthday...so I had to make a cake! I made a vanilla cake and tried a marbled chocolate topping. Kinda fun, eh?

Life in a Small Town

I received this Christmas card in the mail yesterday. Seems the sender had the wrong town (which the post office crossed off) but the correct postal code, with no mailing address other than R. R. 1. And I still got it. Amazing.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

You know Christmas is right around the corner when a local eatery is offering gingerbread gelato. Yum!

Percy and Barney

These two cuties are Richard's boy babies. The tabby and white is Barney who I found in my barn and Richard adopted. Percy, the black guy, showed up a few autumns ago, along with his sister Milly and Richard adopted them both.
Unfortunately, Milly went AWOL a week ago. Very sad. Now it's just the two boys who love spending cool days on the bed, snuggling.

The End of an Era

I guess it had to happen. Issue 25 was the last one in my six year adventure with ATC Quarterly, a zine I produced out of my house and mailed around the countryside and to the other side of the world too. It's been a hoot and I've been in contact with so many interesting artists who helped inspire me along the way. So long ATC Quarterly. It's been a slice!
(Back issues are still available. To check 'em out click here.)

Happy Birthday Zavier!

My friend Chantal's son Zavier is a very talented young artist and at the age of eight, loves to paint and draw. Chantal asked me to make a cake inspired by one of his creations.


Here's my version of Zavier's artwork, along with the coloured pencils he used to draw it, all made from fondant and Skittles candy.

Fraser Cafe

Yesterday, a bunch of us who had worked together on the Osteoporosis calendar met for lunch in Ottawa at Fraser Cafe.


There were warm potato crisps put on the table.


Next to me sat this amazing looking sandwich special, ham and cheese.


The fellow across from us ordered the puttanesca pasta with duck meatballs. Natalie, the duck whisperer had to grab a photo!


Natalie ordered this gorgeous plate of scallops.


I had the flat bread pizza with carmelized onions, pears, brie, walnuts and arugula. Loved it!


For dessert several folks ordered the homemade, warm donuts with a creme anglais.


I had raspberry sorbet. Tasted like summer in a bowl.


As we sat and chatted and had a few laughs, the restaurant emptied and the long light of the afternoon sun poured in. A lovely afternoon.

Night and Day...

This little guy was photographed yesterday out my bedroom window. We're all still waiting for snow!


Meanwhile, at night, the flying squirrels have returned to my bird feeder. They're quite tame and I usually talk to them as I photograph them. Not easy to get them in focus. Shooting at night is a challenge! The light for this pic comes from my desk lamp...

A Few China Pieces

A friend asked me to do a plate for her grandson. I had done two others and Ryan, her newest grandson had to have one too!


While I was at it, I painted a few other things. An swirly olive plate...


...and a few kitty cat cups and saucers. It was kinda fun getting back to my paints again.

Scenes from a Birthday Brunch

At Sigrun's birthday brunch on Sunday, there were all sorts of food stations. The bacon-quiche-latke station was a real hit!


As was the make-your-own burrito station.


There was a bagel station too, with cream cheese and homemade smoked salmon spread too.


The plate was unbelievable!


Then Sigrun's sister Sue went next door to bring us the kitten her dog had found in the ditch and saved.


Love at first sight!


We all went a little ga-ga with the little girl at the table!


Then it was cake time with the birthday girl at the helm.

She served up pieces based on what veggies you wanted. I chose an eggplant and carrot combo.


Looks like Nat got peas in the pod.


Little Sam's sophisticated palette demanded eggplant.


And then we all dug in. All in all, a yummy way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Garden Cake

I made this cake for my friend Sigrun's birthday. She is a great gardener and gave me many seeds for my garden this year. Some of her seeds grew the largest squashes I had ever seen -- grey ghost squash. I made this cake out of one of her squashes. It was a ginger squash cake with cream cheese frosting, chocolate cookie crumbs and marzipan veggies.

Cake Fame

One of my cakes made it into this week's edition of The Glengarry News. Oh fame...so fleeting!