Recently I heard that a family member in her early 50s was being seen by a doctor for DVT and that she was hoping that there was a more natural way of dealing with it than the medications he… Read More

Father's Day has become a more highlighted day of celebration than when I was a child. My father was born in 1927 and lived a pretty long life: he died in 2013, a few months into his 86th ye… Read More

 Overnight oats with chia added are a popular breakfast item, especially when it is too warm to eat your favorite hot oat cereal! This is a healthy way to start the day-- the foundation… Read More

We know that prayer is one of the most potent weapons against the spiritual battles of anxiety and depression. When darkness descends on the mind, fervent intercessory prayer to our Heavenly… Read More

When you, or your teen offspring, decide that the time has come to get a job, to make some cool cash, Rockin the Free World (or maybe that would be your grandparents?) -- a job offering… Read More

In March sometime, our son Conrad did a hard prune on our old apple tree. We estimate that it is probably around 40 years old and hasn't been given a trim for a couple of years. Then at… Read More

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Older women are instructed to disciple younger women,to teach them what is good and about God's LoveAs an older woman with years of walking the path of faith, I feel a deep calling to come a… Read More

Great vegan sourdough wafflesThese waffles are super Thank you for your kind words and compassion my friends-- except for Ed's pain in his finger, all is well. And today is sunny and hopeful… Read More

Just a start to the 2024 Gardening year. Our son Conrad is staying with us for a while and gardening is his passion, so we are getting some help.Although he does tend to be as 'creative' and… Read More

 If you enjoy eating somewhere with a magnificent view, you can generally count on that if you dat in a tower restaurant. And all over the world! As a Canadian, I've eaten at the T… Read More

Telling a good joke can be a fine art, and while humor is subjective, there are some general principles that can help increase the likelihood of success. Here are some tips on what's require… Read More

This is a slender book, more like a lengthy essay. Recently I was struck by a newspaper article about a woman in her 40s, Lyndell Montgomery, who had been part of the religious cult cal… Read More

This chick'n pot pie soup is hearty and tasty. It is made with about 140 g of Butler's soy curls and makes about 6 adult servings. IngredientsCASHEW CREAM1/2 cup cashews soaked and spun… Read More

Pros:Natural Beauty: Vancouver is surrounded by stunning natural landscapes, including mountains, forests, and ocean views. The city’s beauty is unparalleled.Outdoor Activities: You ca… Read More

Terry-Berry Muffin in the DaffodilsChoosing the best small dog for retirees involves considering various factors such as temperament, size, energy level, grooming needs, and companionship. W… Read More

Happy International Women's Day 2024A friend just wrote "Happy Virtue Signaling Day" on Facebook. The comment "Happy Virtue Signaling Day" in reference to International Women's Day suggests… Read More

Celery Root and Root Vegetable SoupSo one day this Spring-- a chilly day-- our resident son came home from town with an ugly bulbus "root vegetable" that I remembered from the days with my G… Read More

Potty training can be approached in various ways, and both Adlerian parenting (often associated with Positive Parenting) and Attachment parenting offer philosophies and techniques that paren… Read More

I have a dear friend in her 80s who asked if I had any ideas why her stomach/gut is recently often bloated up so that she feels like she appears pregnant. I have experienced that, and I know… Read More

 Most of us know what Easter is, but what is Lent? Lent is a Christian observance lasting approximately 40 days before Easter.It commemorates Jesus Christ's 40 days of fasting in t… Read More

Looking to celebrate Galentine's Day in style this year? Gather your gal pals and indulge in a variety of fun activities that celebrate friendship and independence. Apparently, February 13th… Read More

The popularity and reception of Valentine's gifts can vary greatly depending on personal preferences and relationships, but here are ten gifts that are generally well-received:Flowers: Class… Read More

Valentine's Day floral arrangements often feature a variety of flowers and foliage chosen for their romantic symbolism, vibrant colors, and pleasing fragrances. While the specific flowers ma… Read More

 Ginger is a versatile spice that is widely used in various culinary and medicinal applications. Here are several uses for ginger:Cooking and Baking: Ginger adds a unique and warm flavo… Read More

"Your habits are how you embody your identity."Atomic Habits, by James ClearMy husband and I have been married for over fifty-three years. We have been relatively healthy for most of this ti… Read More

Home accessibility is crucial for individuals who face challenges with climbing stairs. Here are ten options along with their potential pros and cons:1. Ramps:Pros: Provide a gradual slope f… Read More

As the New Year arrives, icy winds may not be the only chill in the air. January and February bring unique online currents for seniors, with a mix of exciting opportunities and lurking dange… Read More

 As the world bids farewell to the old and welcomes the new, New Year celebrations manifest in a tapestry of diverse traditions across the globe. This article explores 10 distinct cultu… Read More

 Christmas is a time when even the most austere iconoclasts have at least one or two pretty little traditions they hark back to. Everything from purchasing expensive tree ornaments to s… Read More

Unlocking Your Potential: Turning Gap Year Jobs into Future SuccessEmbrace the Journey: Building Skills and Shaping CareersEmbarking on a Gap Year is a thrilling adventure filled with self-d… Read More

 I had grannies with Scottish backgrounds, so shortbread was always "a thing" in my growing up Christmases. It was also the first cookie recipe I remember experimenting with baking-- I… Read More

Here are 73 years of playlists, each consisting of popular Christmas songs or singers from different decades that I have celebrated Christmas. I have tucked some fun Canadian Christmas… Read More

  Here are 25 creative ways to repurpose, recycle, or reuse old CDs (compact discs):Coasters: Use the shiny side of the CD as a coaster. You can decorate the non-shiny side with ar… Read More

Explaining war to children can be challenging, but it's important to approach the topic with sensitivity. Here's a simplified, point-form explanation suitable for young children:Wars are fig… Read More

Gift shopping at thrift stores can be a unique and sustainable way to find thoughtful presents. Here are some ideas, presented in point form:Second-hand Gifts:Vintage Clothing:Unique clothin… Read More

 I'm in my 70s and have a number of hobbies that I pursue at different times. These are the activities that spice my life up, and according to "the science," it is healthy for the brain… Read More

This faceless grape pie is a big hit in our house. Everyone has seemingly waited for me to start making pies, and now, with my discovery the galette-- so easy and so satisfying-- we have bee… Read More

Yellow Doll Melon in its HammockWhen I was a child in the 1950s in the Canadian Prairies, I dreamed of growing exotic things in our mundane garden: maybe giant pumpkins or watermelons! We di… Read More

Gluten-free stove top stuffing-- a delish nosh bowl alongwith sauerkraut salad, hummus, broccoli, and kimchee. The recipe for a plant-based gluten-free stovetop stuffing came about when… Read More

Wonderful, yummy, messy, spicy, tasty, creamy, crunchy, crisp, chewy, savory, plant-based, gluten-free Gyro Our son, Philip, went on a high school trip in 1988 to Greece. He came back e… Read More

When I published a recipe for a Soft Wholewheat Bread made in a Crockpot, a few people asked me if there was a crockpot recipe for vegan, gluten-free bread?  Well, the short answer is… Read More

Quite a few years ago a friend told me about making a loaf of bread in her crockpot. It was all the rage where she lived. I didn't really engage. It didn't seem particularly interesting, to… Read More

The Dutch House by Ann PatchettMy rating: 5 of 5 starsSince I have been reading a lot of memoirs over the past few years, I have been, seemingly, focused on relationships, particularly how f… Read More

Vi by Kim ThúyMy rating: 5 of 5 starsI listened to this relatively short audiobook (3 hours)and was absolutely riveted, but sometimes so sparked by the narrative that I would go off s… Read More

Run Towards the Danger: Confrontations with a Body of Memory by Sarah PolleyMy rating: 5 of 5 starsI remember the author of the memoirs "Run Towards The Danger" as a delicate, fair-haired li… Read More

HOW THIS SPELT AND OAT FOCACCIA RECIPE CAME TO BE:One day I was browsing the flour shelves in my favorite health food store when another shopper sighed in frustration and gestured at an empt… Read More

Forever Young by Hayley Mills My rating: 5 of 5 starsI was a teen on the prairies of Canada at the time of the British Invasion (1960s). There were many little Anglophiles swarming abou… Read More

 Kidneys from "Dreamstime" In 16th Century Japan, Samari warriors wore a haramaki-- a tight fitting piece of woven armor over their lower abdomen-- stomach, kidneys and other organ… Read More

Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton My rating: 4 of 5 starsDolly Parton partnered up with super bestseller writer James Patterson to write this fast-moving story of a young singer-songwriter's… Read More

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese My rating: 4 of 5 starsLaurie Lico Albanese has written Hester an historical novel based on Nathaniel Hawthorne's *The Scarlet Letter*. She presents her b… Read More

Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline FraserMy rating: 5 of 5 starsThis is a fat, academic-standard biography by Caroline Fraser about one of my favorite chi… Read More

Bare-Faced Messiah: The classic exposé of the extraordinary true life of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology by Russell MillerMy rating: 4 of 5 starsBare-Faced Messiah by British j… Read More

North of Normal: A Memoir of My Wilderness Childhood, My Unusual Family, and How I Survived Both by Cea Sunrise PersonMy rating: 5 of 5 starsInspite of this memoir being a salacious story of… Read More

Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie LandMy rating: 4 of 5 starsStefanie Land was a woman in her twenties, living in the Port Angeles region of Washington S… Read More

These oat-aquafaba waffles are a dream. Great as a part of breakfast or a savory meal.Aquafaba is becoming quite trendy with vegan bakers. It is, of course, just bean juice-- what is left ov… Read More

Natural Causes: An Epidemic of Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer by Barbara EhrenreichMy rating: 4 of 5 starsAs many of the previous reviewers have sugge… Read More

More Letters from the Country by Marsha BoultonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars"More Letters from the Country" by Marsha Boulton is a 1997 follow-up to her "Letters from the Country" that won the est… Read More

 I made this yummy apple-raisin quick bread this morning and unfortunately, my husband and I have practically eaten the whole thing before I thought of how useful it would be to get the… Read More

 My current favorite quick black bean-taco hummus made with organic black beans, taco spice, peanut butter, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Delicious with corn chips, veggies or on crack… Read More

O Canada! Our safe sea home and pristine land!Apparently NOT...Take a gander at the plastic gunk garnered from our "pristine" waters:A man-made garbage hill like this is known as "ghost… Read More

Anatomy of an Illness: As Perceived by the Patient by Norman Cousins My rating: 5 of 5 stars This little book has achieved 'classic' status based largely on the radical steps the author, Nor… Read More

Memoir of the Sunday Brunch by Julia PandlMy rating: 4 of 5 starsMemoir by the youngest child in a big family (9) growing up in a restaurant tradition with a side of Catholicism. The most fu… Read More

Here is a yummy plant-based version of the popular Indian Butter Chicken recipe, but without butter or chicken, and put together to cook in the American Sun Oven harnessing the free and migh… Read More

Laughter Yoga: Daily Practices for Health and Happiness by Madan KatariaMy rating: 3 of 5 starsI enjoyed reading and applying this little book about how laughter is healing and promotes happ… Read More

Apples, a popular fruit worldwide, are categorized in many ways from the sort of peel through whether they taste dry or wet, sweet or tart, their colors, their time of harvest, where they or… Read More

Such a surprise today to gently reach under the 6-inch layer of straw in our garden planter box and pull out a perfectly-shaped, flawless little potato!How did that happen?In the Spring when… Read More

Adventist Tomorrow: Fresh Ideas While Waiting for Jesus by Jack Hoehn My rating: 5 of 5 stars As you can tell from the title, this book is written for Seventh-day Adventist readers. The auth… Read More

Salad and Tzatziki with Quinoa + Sun-Roasted Soy CurlsIt is hot and humid again today. The temperature is 30 degrees C. in the morning. Way too hot for us. I am sorry for complaining about t… Read More

Private Demons: The Tragic Personal Life of John A. Macdonald by Patricia PhenixMy rating: 4 of 5 starsI have set out to review the lives of the 23 Prime Ministerial terms in Canada from 186… Read More

For the last few days we have not used the oven or stove for cooking our meals. We aren't doing the "raw vegan" thing either, or only in a limited way. Instead, the delicious coconut rice in… Read More

This delicious chia seed pudding is made the night before (takes about 5 minutes after you assemble the ingredients) and popped in the fridge for breakfast. This particular pudding includes… Read More

When the July Sun bursts forth (finally) on Beautiful Vancouver Island, out comes my American Sun Oven and then we get creative-- no more HOT kitchen cooking.Today's recipe is for our favour… Read More

How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery My rating: 5 of 5 stars Such a beautiful, uplifting little book. My husband found it in a local 'little library' and… Read More

Where the Light Fell: A Memoir by Philip Yancey My rating: 5 of 5 stars Seeking wisdom from years of so-called Christian sources-- Sunday School, church school, Godly mentors, prayer, Bible… Read More

Alexander Mackenzie was the second Prime Minister of Canada, serving between the 1st term of John A. Macdonald, and the second term of John A. Macdonald (1873-1878).Mackenzie was born in Log… Read More

If you are looking for a historical fiction book with all the feels, but with an additional range of cultural history, thinking, authenticity in dialogue, feminism, unpredicted outcomes and… Read More

 These 3 carrot salads are all vegan, but not all familiar. It only goes to show that carrots have a life of their own in the Veggie World. When I go scouting for a delectable and easy… Read More

This blog post contains links to 25 books-- mostly memoirs-- about religious abuse. And yes, I have read each of them (I am actually finishing one as I write this).  You will find the l… Read More

Of course, Easter is a Christian holiday that purports to use the egg as a symbol of Jesus having risen from the dead. The egg was before Christianity, a symbol of Spring fecundity and the r… Read More

As you can see, a delicious piece of carrot cake, is being taken down.This is a vegan carrot cake baked by my dear friend, Bonnie. It followed a yummy meal our friends made as a sort of cele… Read More

Oat-based vegan cheese sauceHere is a delicious, healthy Mac and cheese recipe, particularly important for those following a diet geared for low fat heart health.  Besides no dairy, thi… Read More

Fish Sandwich with Heart (Palm Heart, That Is)The first of the Fab 5 Fishy Sandwiches is more like a burger.  It is a voluminous, yummy confection that eliminates the Top 5 Allergens fr… Read More

 The three vegan chocolate truffle recipes that follow are easy to make, delicious, and healthier than many such recipes for trifles.  These recipes do no contain any dairy or proc… Read More

This gluten-free chocolate cake recipe is an adaptation* of a recipe that also claims to be low allergenic.  It does not contain the common allergens: eggs, dairy, wheat, peanuts, or tr… Read More

Roasted (Grilled) Eggplant RoundsIngredients1 Eggplant sliced into rounds tossed inbowl with 3 tablespoons olive oil, to coat😺😺Mix in a small bowl:3 tablespoons nutritional y… Read More

This is a delicious filling, satisfying Salad that contains:Romaine lettuce2 cups cooked quinoa2 small butternut squash peeled  seeded, diced and tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and… Read More

 My husband and I love oatmeal porridge for breakfast. Sometimes we change it up and add ingredients that are not traditional. Here are some great Slow-Cooker porridges for example… Read More

"All But Gluten" Gluten-Free BreadRecently I think I may have persuaded a friend with mysterious symptoms (sounding like gluten-sensitivity to me) to try going off gluten for a whi… Read More

Protein-rich Gluten-free Zesty Lentil and Quinoa Pasta SauceThis delightful warming sauce with its plant-based proteins of lentils and quinoa, is adapted from the "Lentil Quinoa Bolognese Sa… Read More

Here's another recipe prepared the "raw vegan" way using the recipe for Buckwheat Crispies .  This is particularly soothing for kids who miss having their traditional gluten-l… Read More

We enjoyed this glorious salad on Christmas Eve.  It started out as a "bowl" in that the roasted butternut squash and quinoa were still hot when we added them in. The next day… Read More

This yummy easy-on-me plant-based chocolate-cherry cobbler is a recipe of the fabulous *Forks Over Knives* team.  Link below.Chocolate-Cherry Cobbler, an incredible Christmas Confection… Read More

We have come to the end of our 10-day junket through the joys of combined crafting and cooking-baking until next Christmas!  We have one more craft and one more batch of cookies to bake… Read More

We are Celebrating Day 9 of 10 Days of a Gluten-Free Christmas with a recipe for GF plant-based Snickerdoodle cookies and a beautiful tissue paper paper craft that may grace your window, or… Read More

A traditional Christmas craft that is the epitome of recycling is making decorative gifts and crafty items using last year's Christmas cards.YoyoMax shows how to do some beautiful bookmarks… Read More

Hope you are warm and cozy and enjoying the Christmas season!Today's craft is something I am quite sure we have all done before: paper snowflakes!Now, before you feel indignant about the sim… Read More

Lean Into Plants  (Find at Amazon.com) by Candace FeldmanLean Into Plants is for those seeking an anti-inflammatory, primarily plant-based, nutrient-dense lifestyle with over 100+… Read More

Hi there! Welcome to Day 6 of 10 Days of Christmas Crafting and a GF Christmas treat recipe!Today's 4 crafts are on a video and I thought it would be both a handy way to see the instructions… Read More

Here we go with Day 5 of the Christmas Craft and GF Christmas Cookie season!On Vancouver Island, this December 5th, 2019, it is cloudy, threatening more rain, chilly but well above zero.&nbs… Read More