More from the Art Show

I did a whole series of small watercolours for the show this past weekend. Here are two kitties that were 5" x 7"




I did two small chickens with funky, bright tails.


I did a 3"x5" doggy...

...and a matching kitty cat jumping through the air.




I also did a series of 3 mini-cats with birds on their heads, only about 1.5" x 2".

More Art From the Show

Also in Saturday's art show were sketches of my fall visit up to the Muskokas.


I did a series of small watercolour and ink drawings of the view.


The trees and their changing colours...


...everything around me was so inspiring.


Even rocks at the water line were lovely.


You can't go wrong with colours like that!


I like how loose they are compared with my pencil stuff.


Besides the art, we also have a lot of fun! Here I am with fellow aritiste Natalie!

Click here to see Nat's view of the show!

Art Show 2011

Our art show was a great success on Saturday. Lots of folks came out to wish us well.


Holly had a table full of painted wildlife: butterflies, foxes, bunnies and owls.


Natalie had needle-felted cats and cows and hooked rugs and bugs.


I had my painted ceramics and a selection of new drawings made especially for this show.


I fell in love with the Olson house that I visited in Maine on vacation this year so drew it several times. This one fit in a cool wooden oval frame.


Here's the Olson house again, this time with a bit more colour.


This is a view looking out from inside the Olson house.


This is looking up at the Olson house.


Christina, who lived in the house, loved red geraniums and always had them growing in her kitchen windows.


I was also inspired by our Thanksgiving in the Muskokas and drew the canoe waiting for its last trip that fall.


Here's another view of that canoe.

My friend and fellow blogger talks about the show in her blog today! Click her: City Mouse/Country Mouse to check it out! (Thanks Evlyn.)

Art Show Mini-Cupcakes

I had some fun decorating mini-cupcakes for our little art show tomorrow. There'll be snacks and coffee, tea and juice and a little classical music. Oh yeah. Some artwork too. Please do try and attend.
Ronna, Holly and Natalie's Art Show & Sale on Saturday, November 26 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Dunvegan Recreation Hall, 19053 Cty. Rd. 24, Dunvegan,

First Snow!

Even though it's not officially winter yet, everyone has been waiting for the snow and yesterday our first small dump occurred.


The birds were extra hungry and gobbled down all the seeds I put in the feeders.


And I got to take my new BOGS for a stroll. Yippee!

Blast from the Past

I bet no one under 30 years old has ever seen these things. Last week we were cleaning up old computer documents and the sheets were too wide for the shredder so we had to rip all the edges off the paper. What fun. Remember paper with tracks on them? Yuck.

Art Show & Sale

This coming Saturday is our annual Christmas-time art show and sale. Perfect opportunity to pick up small artworks, either to give as gifts or as a gift for yourself. Please mark it on your calendar. It's always a good time. And there will be coffee and snacks too!


I've done all sorts of varied stuff this year: pencil and colour pencil drawings, watercolour and ink sketches, hand-painted cards and some more folk art on wood like the one above. This black cat was commissioned by a friend whose husband lost his beloved 17-year-old Murphy in September. This painting was done in homage to him.

Roasted Squash Cake

I had tons of squash from the garden this year and found this recipe from Canadian Living to help me use some of it up. It rocks! I iced it with lemon buttercream but the recipe suggests a cream cheese frosting. I've added that recipe to the bottom of the cake recipe if you want to try it.




Ingredients:
1 cup walnuts, chopped (raisins might be nice too!)
2 cups cooked squash
3 eggs
1-1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg

On baking sheet, toast walnuts (if using) in 350°F oven until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Let cool; set aside.

Halve and seed squash; roast, cut side down, on foil-lined baking sheet in 425°F (220°C) oven until tender when pierced with fork, 30 to 60 minutes. Let cool. Scoop out flesh; purée in food processor to make 2 cups. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 24 hours.)

In large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and oil until smooth. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, salt, cloves and nutmeg; stir into egg mixture alternately with squash, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of squash. Fold in walnuts (if using). Scrape into greased 13- x 9-inch cake pan.

Bake in 350°F oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool on rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; let cool completely.

Cream cheese frosting:
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp finely grated orange rind

In bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until smooth; beat in sugar and orange rind until smooth. Spread over top of cake. (Make-ahead: Cover loosely and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)

Apple Pudding Cake with Maple Syrup

I got this recipe from last week's column by Bonnie Stern in the National Post. It's an old-fashioned pudding cake made with apples and maple syrup. You can also make this in individual ramekins, which is what I did, so I could freeze it and have desserts for various meals over the next few weeks. It is delicious and easy.

You'll need:
½ cup sugar
2 tbsp. water
¾ maple syrup
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
6 apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges

Cake:
½ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup buttermilk (or sour milk)

Stir sugar and water together in a deep skillet.


Bring to a boil and, without stirring, cook until sugar turns golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.


Standing back (mixture tends to bubble up a bit) add maple syrup and butter.


Add apple slices and cook gently about 10 minutes until tender.


Set aside to cool.

For the cake, cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add mixture alternately to batter with buttermilk.

Place cooled apple mixture in the bottom of a 9-inch baking dish or several ramekins. (I had various sized ramekins; the smaller ones baked 30 minutes, the larger 35 minutes.) Spread batter on top of apple mixture.


Bake in preheated 350F oven until firm, about 30 to 40 minutes until centre of cake is cooled.

Lila Mogelon 1925-1997

My mother passed away 14 years ago today...


...and I miss her every day.


Here's one of my favourite photos of mum that I took when we were antiquing on a lovely fall day. Sad not to have her around.

Peanut Butter and Geese

The weather has been unseasonably mild lately so on my lunch hour at work, instead of huddling in the back of the shop over the heater, I was pleased to head out to the park and have a sandwich with the Canadian geese.


They are all over Mill Pond in the centre of Alexandria.


And yes I know they poop everywhere...


...and make a big mess, it was sure fun to watch them.


And listen to them honking to each other.


I especially liked the "bum up" pose when they were diving for food.