All posts by Jane Chambers Evans

Finally home after a big road trip – Dec 2nd

Well what started out small,  ended up to be a rather wild but successful week.  We started with a lovely bonfire and then hot tub at George and Susie’s, then went to see my Mom and family for a few days. We returned to Montreal and signed all the final papers for the sale of our house – what a relief. Al was saying yesterday that this is the first time in our married lives that we have actually had all of our blessed possessions – or junk – in one place.

We celebrated birthdays Becky turned 4!

Becky loves birthdays!
Becky loves birthdays!
Raspberry amazement!
Raspberry amazement!

Then celebrated my birthday early, first with a dinner at our friends Colleen and Dennis’ and thank goodness there are no pictures as it involved hats and balloons and special effects! Then a great dinner with the kids

peggy cooked my favourite Taiwanese dishes with some new recipes added in
Peggy cooked my favourite Taiwanese dishes with some new recipes added in
yet again another beautiful cake - no weight loss on this trip!
Yet again another beautiful cake – no weight loss on this trip!

Probably the 2nd greatest feat after the sale of the house was that we were able to retrieve all of Alan’s lost computer data. Last month Alan’s hard drive died completely, it was backed up – or so we thought. A new hard drive was inserted and programs uploaded again and all was good  – except that the back up was mysteriously empty. At any rate to make a very long story short. We went to 3 Future Shop Geek Squad places and finally found a young guy who persisted keeping the computer for 4 days and restoring every little bit of lost material. We were really freaking out as Alan has kept a day to day journal of every step of our house build and all of his sermons and other writing. But all is found so AMEN!

We went to see Susan Turcot’s Art Show in Montreal. I know several of you have been already but it is well worth a visit. She is showing in conjunction with a large group of artists from around the world and the themes focus on the changing world we live in and how hard we are using and abusing our earth. Some of it is very hard to understand and other pieces just knock you off of your feet.

We rounded out the week with tea with Tom and Heather, Christmas shopping, hair cuts, visits with friends and finally spent a night with Lew and Cathy on the way home. We even snuck in a quick visit with Al Stairs to pick up grapefruits that we had ordered through MacKenzie’s school.

We arrived home last night and sadly our snow is almost gone. But we woke this am to a light dusting. The temperature has plummeted and it was -20 this am when we walked the dogs. The men are still working on the wharf on the Baie Ste Catherine side. Some are welding in skiffs at water level. I would not want to be them this morning.  Winter has definitely arrived.

This weekend is the grand “Marché de Noel” which is a number of events combined into one to get everyone into the mood. There is a food drive, a parade for the children which ends at the Auberge with a Santa’s village  and a large Christmas bazaar in the Auberge itself. Should be lots of fun.  I’ll take some pics.

It is so nice to be home. We launch back into the basement project this am with our goal of it being finished before the kids arrive for Christmas. We are almost there.

Stay warm wherever you are!

 

Answer to “Whose view” today!! and view #2

Ok Ok I can’t stand it. You can imagine how difficult Christmas is for me – I simply can’t wait. Chris and Chris are absolutely right  The picture is indeed the one “that sustains them through the winter”. It was taken from the Turcot main house back porch door where Ella goes to look for the BBQ and the bowl of water – and is now disappointed because they are not there.

Thanks to everyone who sent a note.

Here is the 2nd view. Look carefully. There are several who could have the same view but angles are important.

Nov 18 View #2
Nov 18 View #2

Susie wants there to be prizes!!! We will see.

Winterwonderland Nov 18th

How great to be retired and just get to walk through the woods taking pictures instead of shoveling out the damn car that the snowplow has plowed in again! Beautiful day today. I hope we still think it is beautiful when the wind is howling and the snow is waist deep – but one day at a time. For today it is spectacular.

Enjoy these photos of paradise as you go through your day!

 

 

Answer to “Whose view?” – to be posted Wednesday

Hi everyone, Some of you are so right and others – not so much. I will post the next view on Wednesday and let everyone know what the Nov 16th view spot was. We saw a large pod of belugas heading into the Saguenay mouth to go up the river this am. We have seen very few whales lately so it was nice to see them.  Have a great day!

Whose view is this? November 16th

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Several people had suggested that we choose a spot and take a picture every week to show the changes of the season.  We chose a spot but it did not work out as well as we had hoped probably because we don’t have sophisticated enough cameras. So today we decided that over the next weeks we would take a “view” picture from random yards and you can try to identify which yard I am standing in.  This of course won’t be much help for those of you who don’t know Tad very well but at least you will see more of our neighbourhood. Here is the yard for November 16th.

Exploring the golf club

We took the dogs for a long walk this afternoon up behind the 5th hole of the golf club. I had never been on the road (well perhaps road is stretching it a bit) that runs behind that hole but it winds it way up through the forest and goes up and up. I think that some of you may have snowshoed up there ?  Carolyn and Alan and John and Denise I think have talked about it. (Usually with swear words attached – it is not an easy path). Maybe this isn’t the place but we are hoping to do it again when we can snowshoe it. We could only go about half way up as I hurt my knee last week jumping down from a bench when helping Alan with the ceiling in the basement stupid, stupid but advil and ice are working nicely. I have put some pics below and we will post some more once we can snowshoe up. It is very precarious in places and it looks as if someone has been trying to create a sill wide enough for a snowmobile where no road actually exists. I am absolutely sure it would meet no safety standards but it is very creative for sure.

Some parts were clear and easy
Some parts were clear and easy

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Creating a whole road The base is wood crates and slats and tire treads
Creating a whole road The base is wood crates and slats and tire treads
creating a corner
creating a corner

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The Rock in the Painting

A few years ago my Godfather, Dr. Alan Finley, after whom I got my first name, was moving into an old folk’s home and getting rid of stuff.  He gave me a call and said he had a painting of the Saguenay and did I want it.  “Sure,” says I, thinking it was probably some little sketch that would do well in a guest bedroom.   “It won’t be soon!” said Alan.  “But I’ll get it to you.”

A couple of months later when I’d forgotten all about it, there appeared this enormous parcel full of a watercolour dating back to 1865.  The guest bedroom got bumped.  It’s now over the fireplace in our new house.

We recognized the location immediately, but thought it would be fun to go to the spot and see if we could stand where the painter must’ve stood  to start his work.  (Only retired people can find time for such things!)

This is the painting by C. J. Way, dated 1865.  It is called "Calm on the Saguenay."
This is the painting by C. J. Way, dated 1865. It is called “Calm on the Saguenay.”

It’s hard to see in this photo but there are two native guys with a bow and arrow (and attitude) hiding behind the rock with two possible targets.  One, (my choice) is some ducks you probably can’t make out paddling down the river quite nearby.  Choice number two is a birch bark canoe well to the left but in mid-river with its own selection of paddlers.

This is the same location the way it looks today.  We did go at a big low tide so it's surprising that there is so much rock showing beyond the big rock.
This is the same location the way it looks today. We did go at a big low tide so it’s surprising that there is so much rock showing beyond the big rock.

There’s a little artistic license taken here too in that he shrank the island up river so both sides of it would show.  From this location the left side is overlapped by the mountain before it.

I went to do a re-enactment of the two guys hiding behind the rock but it didn't come out for some reason.
I went to do a re-enactment of the two guys hiding behind the rock but it didn’t come out for some reason.  We didn’t try again as already the tide was rising and over my boots!
The view back across the bay of Anse de Roche.  The paintings view point was out of sight to the right of this.
The view back across the bay of Anse de Roche. The painting’s view point was out of sight to the right of this.
The cast of characters involved - Heather, Jane and Tom all looking like summer is well over!
The cast of characters involved – Heather, Jane and Tom all looking like summer is well over! It was a blustery day.

Thanks once again (this time post-humously) to my dear Godfather for his usual thoughtfulness and generosity.

We can't resist adding the views from the top of the hill downstream from Anse de Roche.  This is St. Etienne for those of you familiar with it.
We can’t resist adding the views from the top of the cliff downstream from Anse de Roche. This is St. Etienne for those of you familiar with it.
This is looking upriver past Pointe aux Crepes.
This is looking upriver past Pointe aux Crepes.
Pointe d'Islet/Indian Rock from Dennis Reilly's yard

First decent snow today November 11th

We woke to about 2 inches of beautiful fresh snow this morning. Not enough to shovel yet. Too bad for Alan as he wants to try out his new snow blower!!

Ella was crazy to see snow. This is her time of year. Everything looks so clean and bright. A few pictures, including a big fat bluejay cleaning out the peanuts – again.

Funny how it is so often cold, rainy or snowy for Remembrance Day. I am keeping soldiers, past and present,  and their families in my heart today.

The road just behind our house
The road just behind our house
The Pointe Rouge Road between Hovingtons's and Leggat's
The Pointe Rouge Road between Hovingtons’s and Leggat’s
Pointe d'Islet/Indian Rock from Dennis Reilly's yard
Pointe d’Islet/Indian Rock from Dennis Reilly’s yard
Alan got dumped with snow from the roof just as we arrived at the door after walking to dogs. I did not laugh. I did not laugh . I did not laugh.
Alan got dumped with snow from the roof just as we arrived at the door after walking to dogs. I did not laugh. I did not laugh . I did not laugh.
One of 3 big bluejays trying to cram more than one peanut into its mouth
One of 3 big bluejays trying to cram more than one peanut into its mouth

Not everything is about boats!! Christmas cake time

I spent the afternoon in my kitchen today making Christmas cake, Handel’s Messiah playing full blast (Alan cowering in the basement to get away from Christmas music played before December – coward).  As usual the cake was fun to make and the house was filled with that boozy Christmas cake smell that I love.  I have included some pictures. Tomorrow the cake will be wrapped up and put away for a month then it will be the grand taste test. Hope you had a lovely day today too. Only a dusting of snow here but the temperature is supposed to plummet later in the week as it is elsewhere in Quebec. Winter is coming…

Cake pans all prepared
Cake pans all prepared
Candied fruit, 2 types of raisins soaked for 24hours in sherry and rum combo
Candied fruit, 2 types of raisins soaked for 24hours in sherry and rum combo
Butter and sugars as first step
Butter and sugars as first step
Base mixture full of spices
Base mixture full of spices
Add the fruit to the base
Add the fruit to the base
Into the oven for a low and slow bake
Into the oven for a low and slow bake
Finished product will be wrapped tomorrow and stored for a month before eating - if I can keep Alan away from it!! The soaking of the fruit for 24h in advance avoids the necessity of any soaking or basting during the month of wait
Finished product will be wrapped tomorrow and stored for a month before eating – if I can keep Alan away from it!! The soaking of the fruit for 24h in advance avoids the necessity of any soaking or basting during the month of wait