In praise of the big orange bike

This September is the big orange bike’s third birthday. It’s already been that long since the spouse went to pick it up at our local bike store and rode it proudly home. I’m writing this in celebration of our mighty steed. During the past summer Bike Ottawa held a a Bike Petting Zoo. Those of

Zero Waste: The Loot Bottle

Or, confessions of a parent who hates children’s birthday parties. I am the oldest in a large family and I was burnt out from running children’s birthday parties before I left my teens. Time somehow seems to run backwards when I’m in the midst of one, and I find myself wishing it were all over.

Sourdough Bread

We have a new favourite loaf around here. It’s homemade sourdough, made from a starter. I am even more committed to baking my own bread after the recent price-fixing scandal here in Canada, which originated with what has been called the Emporium of Bread-Swindling. It’s also another way to ensure zero waste: bake bread, wrap it in a tea towel, done.

Teaching Kids to Cook: Stir-fry

Yes, we want the children to be able to look after themselves, but what they really need to is to be able to look after other people.

Back-to-school Baguette

  I’m spending part of this Labour Day baking baguettes. It’s a cool and rainy day and tolerable to have the oven on. I’m glad to have a bit of baking therapy to help me get over the back-to-school anxiety pervading the house. And this way the sandwiches on the first day of school will

Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns are a non-negotiable part of Easter for me. I have them for breakfast on Good Friday before we do the egg-dyeing, and then again on Easter Sunday with the coloured eggs. Sometimes I hunt for them in GF bakeries in Ottawa, but this year I had some challah dough in the fridge

Remembering the apple tree

  In May 2006 the spouse and our oldest boy, who was then three, planted an apple tree in the back garden to mark the spouse’s birthday. We had two little boys then. It was an Empire, a cross between Red Delicious and McIntosh, an ideal apple to eat right from the tree.