Grand Manan Trip

We decided we should visit Grand Manan Island before the end of the season this year and didn't want to be there on a holiday weekend. We figured to go on Thursday and return Friday and miss the busy Labour Day weekend. It turned out to be a good decision as we had excellent weather on Thursday, probably the best of the whole weekend.

We left early on Thursday because we had to do some picnic shopping (no prepared meats) before leaving. We had planned to arrive at the ferry terminal at Black's Harbour early enought to get a good spot for the 11:30 ferry. We arrived at the empty parking lot at 9:22 and the traffic monitor motioned us forward. We were the last to get on the Ferry in the last spot which was just big enough for our small vehicle. When they closed the ramp there was less than a hand width between our bumper and the ramp. Close.

We spent the trip over on the aft deck. It was bright and sunny. Lots of sea birds - puffins, cormorants, gannets, gulls - and, much to everyone's delight, a humpback whale surfaced right beside the ship. Wow. Another $100 whale watching tour for free.

Upon arrival we snagged a tourist map and drove to the north end of the island for lunch. There's a look-out there (The Whistle) and while we had our lunch, we saw four (some say it was six) porpoises and at least one seal. Comet made friends with a Forester from Washington State. Power for the Island comes via an underwater cable that comes ahore here. I was hoping that someone on the island had put in a windmill, but none were in evidence.

There aren't many roads on Grand Manan and nearly all the settlement is on the esatern shore because the western shore is almost totally sheer cliffs. One spot on the west side where there is a natural harbour is called Dark Harbour. There is a kelp growing operation there. On the road into Dark Harbour there is a cliff made up of columnar basalt. I haven't seen it for real before.

We continued along the road to Southwest Head. There's a light there along with a number of antennae protected by fences and warning signs. The main vegetation was shrubby birches, junipers, and Cinqefoil. The land ends abruptly here with sheer black cliffs of volcanic rock.

Before heading to our accommodations we stopped at The Anchorage Provincial Park. There is a series of ponds behind a barrachois, with picnic sites and trails all along the ponds. We stopped for a while so I could read the newspaper while Wendy picked some raspberries.

Wendy made reservations at a quirky place (Castalia Marsh Retreat) with a group of cabins, each with a theme. We stayed in a Yurt. Wendy said it had all the nice things about a tent along with all the nice things about not sleeping in a tent. (A yurt is a tent used by Mongolian herdsmen. If you're reading this on line, Google Yurt.) It had a fridge and a stove, a composting toilet and a shower with hot water. It rained Thrusday night and it was pleasant to listen to the rain inside a nice dry, cosy bed.

In the morning we went to Red Point where Wendy and Comet walked a trail while I did some birdwatching. We were looking for a geological feature where volcanic and metamorphic rocks meet. That remains for another trip. There is a magnificent bakery on the island, conveniently located just before you get to the ferry (or just as you arrive on the island) and we picked up some excellent bread before leaving.

Wendy had wisely made a reservation fr the ferry and we were among the first three cars on. We were directed to the upper deck (first on, last off). The trip back to Black's Harbour was cool and wet so we stayed indoors and played Quiddler and read. To get off the ship we had to wait until the lower decks were cleared and then our deck tilted down. Quite an exciting ride!

I have a feeling we're not done with Grand Manan and we'll be going back some day to finish our explorations.

Harvey

Sister Act

My sister Joyce's nelwy renovated and landscaped house on the Grand River, where we - and several generations of Martindales -grew up.

Sisters Joyce and Diane with me on the front porch, taken by Harvey's sister Beth, during my July visit.

Shoulder Motion

Had a visit from a physiotherapist this morning, to check on how I'm doing with the exercises to recover the range of motion in my shoulder. She thought it was coming along quite well - probably flexibility from doing yoga helps. She cautioned that it can take up to 3 months for full healing; even after that it's important to avoid trauma to that arm, which can lead to something called lymphedema (persistent swelling of arm) because of the impact on the lymph system.

The nurse will come tomorrow - probably the last visit, with all the dressing removed. Since the drain was taken out on Friday, the dressing has been less bulky and covered so that I can take showers. Hooray!

Wendy

Vegetables, Vegetables, Vegetables

Getting vegetables delivered every week really sounds like a grand idea in January. Trying to use up all these vegetables in creative and interesting ways can be a daunting task. After a couple of times, boiled beets loses its spark. On the other hand, I've taken to scouring the net for interesting recipes for all these veggies. Here's one we tried last week.

Beet and Goat Cheese salad.

500 grams Beets
140 grams goat cheese (Feta would also work with this recipe.)
extra virgin olive oil
balsami vinegar
small bunch of parsley, chopped
sald and pepper

1. trim stem and root ends of beets, oil, and wrap in tin foil. Bake in 4000F oven for about one hour or until easily pierced with a knife.
2. cool beets, peel and cut into wedges.
3. Place beet wedges in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.
4. Crumble cheese into bowl.
5. garnish with parsley salt and pepper to taste, toss and serve. Put a little balsamic vinegar on the table.

Harvey

Progress Continues

Still doing first set of arm and shoulder exercises, adjusting to left side sleeping, getting out for walks with Comet, and enjoying fresh fruits and vegetables. Harvey did a lovely beet and goat cheese salad which maybe he'll post.

On Sunday evening we enjoyed a great fireworks display courtesy of the Port Authority, as part of a conference they were hosting. We discovered with the Canada Day fireworks (which finally went ahead the first evening of clear sky on the 4th!) that our deck is a great viewing spot. We miss low ones, but everything else is visible framed by trees, which is a nice effect, as are the echoes from the hills.

Wendy

Post-Surgery Update

The Extra Mural nurse came to the house this morning to change my dressing and check the drain, which will stay in for week or so. They'll come most days until it can be taken out; she thought everything looked fine.

Last week I went to an information session with a physiotherapist, who went over the exercises to be done, starting today, to make sure you get the full range of motion back in the shoulder. Today I'm finding that my shoulders have a tendency to curl in and up to my ears, so I have to keep putting them back in place.

Slept better last night than I would have expected, considering that I have to switch from my habitual right side sleeping. And feel better today than I would have expected, which is good too!
Thanks to the NB Museum staff for the lovely flowers which were just delivered.

Wendy

From the Waiting room.

Wow! What a long day it has been. Wendy is home now, sore, tired, and happy to be in her own bed.

We started the day with our visit to the Chaos that is Day Surgery. I'm sure the staff there have everything under control, but to the novice the place seems out of control. Amazingly, Wendy was processed, gowned and in a bed fairly quickly. She was wheeled offf to surgery by a pleasant porter who made us laugh. Wendy left me in the surgical waiting area at 11:45. The surgery was a "Modified Radical Mastectomy". Around 2:00 pm Dr. Scarth, Wendy's surgeon, came to me with a big grin on his face. He explained the surgery had gone well, "as expected" he said, and was pleased with Wendy's progress. Around 4:00 pm Wendy emerged from Recovery and was wheeled up to 3DSouth, for observation. She was awake but not quite 'with it".

We discovered that there were three conditions that would speed her release from the hospital.
1. No nausea.
2. Able to eat something and keep it down.
3. Able to pee.

The nurse said this as the meals were coming around and I mentioned that serving one of those meals would delay her recovery by hours, if not days. They did get her some dry toast and a glass of cranberry juice which went down fairly easily. But the'peeing on demand' requirement took some time. Then we got caught in the shift change and we didn't get out until nearly 9:30 pm. We stopped at the drugstore to get some meds and Wendy is safely in bed now

I never reckoned that a day doing nothing but waiting around, sitting on my backside could be so damned exhausting. There is, thankfully, a Tim Horton's in the Hospital, so a decent cup of coffee eased my unease. I'm sure I will update this tomorrow, but it's late now.

To recap: Wendy is home, sore but happy. The operation waa a success, according to the Surgeon. Another big step in the journey has been successfully taken.

Harvey

Agile Dogs

We headed out to Sussex, the Dairy Town, on Saturday with friends Lynn and Dale to check out the National Agility Championships, being held for the first time in the Maritimes. The dogs were taking a break when we arrived, so we checked on the merchandise on display in various little tents. My favourite was a fridge magnet that declared "In this kitchen, dog hair is a condiment" but there was an unimaginable variety of doggie items available.

There were 6 rings in action and dogs compete in various size ranges. We watched Steeplechase with dogs from 16 to 22 inches high - the dogs have to go through a series of jumps and tunnels in the correct order, with no physical contact with the handler. Scoring is based on a combination of speed and successfully completing all of the elements. It was the second day of the competition so most of the dogs were really good and it was interesting to watch the various approaches and signals the handlers use. Then we watched an event for senior dogs, with a course that includes jumps, tunnels, teeter totter, wooden ramp and various other elements. Points are scored for the number and complexity of these completed in a given time. The third event we saw was the agility championships for larger dogs.

There were, of course, lots of border collies and shelties competing, but lots of other breeds as well, including some we couldn't quite figure out, because the dogs don't have to be purebreds to compete in agility.

After we'd had our fill of exuberant, well trained dogs (and concluded that while our dogs could do this, we weren't quite obsessive enough), it was time for lunch. The possibilities on the grounds were limited to burgers and fries type offerings, so we headed to downtown Sussex to see what we could find. We lucked out, with a delicious lunch in the shady backyard courtyard at the Broadway Cafe, which has been included in Where to Eat in Canada. Sussex has also commissioned a growing series of murals on downtown buildings and has lots of attractive older houses.

A short side trip out into the countryside to see the farm where Dale spent summers as a boy, and a shopping stop at Frenchy's completed our expedition. We had the odd experience of driving back into Saint John into the sunshine; it's much more typical to come out of the sun in the valley into a bank of fog as you approach our fair city.

Wendy

Wild Blueberries

We're enjoying an early and plentiful crop of blueberries. I've been baking with as well as freezing the results of my obsessive picking. So far, Harvey has been quite tolerant of me using his kitchen!

Wild Blueberry Oat Muffins

1 c oats
1 cup buttermilk (or milk with vinegar added)
1 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 c lightly packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c melted butter, margarine or oil
1 c blueberries

Combine oats and buttermilk in small bowl. Let stand. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Stir well to blend. Add egg and melted butter to oat mixture. Mix well. Add oat mixture all at once to dry ingredients. Stir just until all ingredients are moistened. Gently fold in blueberries. Fill well-greased muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins

Wendy

Huh, what's a coulis?

A coulis is a smooth, intensely flavoured sauce, usually made from berries; prepared berries are passed through a sieve in order to remove the pesky seeds while attempting to push the juice and pulp through. Here's a basic recipe.

Fresh Raspberry Coulis

2 pints raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar (or to taste depending on sweetness of fruit)
2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tbsp raspberry liqueur (Optional)

In the bowl of a food processor, place raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Blend until pureed. Place a fine-meshed strainer over a bowl. Pour the berry mixture through the strainer to remove the seeds, pressing down with a spoon to force the fruit and juices through. If you have a food mill, use the finest blade to keep the seeds out but the fruit pulp in. Transfer to a covered non-reactive container and refrigerate until ready to serve. The puree will keep well for several days.

This works for most berries and makes a wonderful complimentary sauce for a dessert plate.

Harvey

Surgery Scheduled

At my appointment yesterday, Dr. Scarth, the surgeon, confirmed that chemotherapy has reduced the size of the lump so that he can proceed with surgery, a modified radical mascetomy. It's usually scheduled about two months after chemo has ended, to make sure the body is recovering from being poisoned.

One surprise to me is that it will be day surgery, reducing the risk from hospital infections and hospital food. I guess they do it this way as long as you are otherwise in good health and have someone at home to provide some attention. The other surprise is that it is scheduled for next week, August 14, leaving hardly any worrying time between now and then.

I'll be seeing a physiotherapist and the surgeon says its important to get the shoulder moving right away, and not to favour it at all. I've also found a book at the library with a post-breast surgery exercise program that may be helpful.

Wendy

Feeding the Celebratory tummy

It was Wendy’s birthday on August 1, and it was as special a day as I can remember. I usually make “Wendy’s Chocolate Heaven” for her birthday - a concoction of Milk chocolate mousse, Dark chocolate mousse and White chocolate mousse and some cake. But this year she had a bunch of raspberries she had picked and suggested something incorporating them. And who am I to refuse a perfectly reasonable request? So here is.

Chocolate Raspberry Tarte

For the crust:
115 grams (1/2 cup) sweet butter at room temperature
115 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
3 ml (1/2 tspn) salt
15 ml (1 tbspn) vanilla
50 grams (1/2 cup) powdered cocoa
175 grams (1/5 cups) all purpose flour

1. Combine butter, sugar, salt and vanilla in food processor fitted with metal blade and process until creamy.
2. Add cocoa and process for one minute.
add flour and pulse ten of 15 times to combine with mixture. Turn out onto a piece of clear plastic wrap, form into a flat circle, wrap and cool in fridge for about one hour.
3. Lightly grease a flan tin (a pie tin with a removable base), remove the dough from the fridge and rest it for ten minutes. Spread the dough on the pie plate and work it until it covers the bottom and sides of the pan. Cool for one hour in the fridge. Cover with parchment and weigh down with pie weights.
4. Bake for 10 minutes at 350o F for 10 minutes. Remove paper and weights and bake a further 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the Filling.

500 grams Milk chocolate.
150 ml whipping cream
100 ml. raspberry coulis
25 g (2 tblspn) sweet butter
1 pint fresh raspberries

1. melt chocolate in mixing bowl over simmering water.
2. mix whipping cream and raspberry coulis in a small pot and bring to a boil.
3. add hot liquid to the melted chocolate and remove from heat. With a rubber spatula mix the chocolate and liquid until it is well mixed. Add butter and mix well.
4. Let cool and then pour into cooled pie shell. Refrigerate for half an hour or so.
5. prepare about 1 pint of raspberries by picking them over and discarding crushed or bad ones.
6. Remove pie from fridge and place raspberries on the top of the chocolate ganache. There are extra marks for placing the berries neatly – in concentric circles. The berries will partially sink into the ganache. Refrigerate again.

Depending on how hungry your guests are, you should be able to get 10 or 12 nice pieces out of this pie. Serve cold with raspberry or blackberry coulis and ice cream. We had a great birthday party.

Both milk and white chocolate will work with this recipe. If you want to use a dark chocolate ganache you need to use more whipping cream. Email me if you need hints on working with chocolate.

Harvey

Berry Picking

The u-pick raspberries were ready when I got back, so spent a sunny afternoon picking last week. Harvey made an amazing chocolate raspberry tart for my birthday; I'll ask if he'll post the recipe.

Much to my surprise, the wild blueberries are also ripe - it seems quite early for them - and a bountiful crop. I've been enjoying picking those, and eating them in muffins, pancakes and on their own, with some going into the freezer.

I also harvested the crop (about half a cup each!) from the currant and gooseberry shrubs I planted late last fall. Wasn't really expecting any fruit from them this year.

We're also trying to keep up with our weekly vegetable deliveries, which last week included green and yellow beans, 2 kinds of peas, carrots, beets, new potatoes and salad greens. Anybody have a good recipe for bean salad - the one I made isn't as good as some I've tasted.

Wendy