This is the time of year when I seem to be going from one big lunch or dinner to the next. Last night it was sweet coconut curry chicken satays and fry bread with peanut sauce at the Flying Dragon. Tonight it’s roast beef and mashed potatoes at my husband’s Christmas party. Saturdays are crammed packed with pancakes and sausages as we have breakfast with Santa, and the weekdays are an endless feast of homemade shortbread, rum balls, spicy meatballs and wine. Lots of wine. It’s generally around this time when my pants get tighter and I develop “muffin top.” It’s not pretty, but my lose red sweater will generally hide this temporary condition. The last thing I am going to experience over the next 31 days of holiday gluttony is a hunger pang. I go to bed full, stuffed in fact, but I am one of the really lucky ones.

Driving home from a Christmas party the other night, I am listening to my favourite radio station, 95 Crave, appealing for donations for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB). I hear these appeals every year, but what stopped me cold, was when I hear that moms are diluting their baby’s formula to make it go further. I contact Arlene Kravitz, the GVFB’s director of communications, to better understand why this time of year is so important for them. “75% of what we need to operate the food bank for the year comes in November and December,” she explains. “Is it true that 41% of the food bank’s recipients are children,” I ask? “Yes, and summers are when the need is the greatest, because kids are out of school, and don’t have access to the lunch programs,” Kravitz explains.

When I ask her what their ideal donation is she replies, “High protein food like peanut butter, fish, and meals- in- a- can, anything with over 9 mg of protein.” In addition to providing food at the depot, the GVFB also supplies food to over 100 agencies that provide meals to homeless people. They feed over 25,000 people a week. She also says cash is greatly appreciated. With a $5 donation, they can buy $15 worth of food. “Everything makes a difference. No donation is insignificant.”

People can sign up to make monthly cash donations to their local food bank. If I make a monthly donation of $20, that will buy over $720 of groceries for the year. I can afford $20 bucks a month.

Here’s to not going to bed hungry.

Julie

If you’re heading to the cottage for the holidays and are taking a gang with you, here are some group activities to keep them amused and prevent you from getting cabin fever.

• Puzzles - Placing a puzzle on a side table is like putting out a bowl of potato chips. People will pick away at it until it is finished. It’s a great activity for any age group, but if your crowd is older, you might want to pick up a 500 piece puzzle.
• Gingerbread House - Do not attempt to make one from scratch! Costco, Superstore and any other retail outlet stock gingerbread house kits. They can be assembled in under 45 minutes and cost less than $10. Encourage your kids to get creative and host a prize for the best house. Not sure if they’ll have more fun building it or eating it.
• Movie fest - Invite your guests to bring their favourite DVD or video. Pop a bowl of popcorn and let the credits roll.
• Make your own Christmas movie. Make a documentary of your family’s holiday. Ask them to share their favourite memories of 2007, one thing they would like to do to change the world, and their wishes for 2008.
• Get outside and play in the snow, assuming you have snow of course. Pack the tobaggon, the foot warmers and a thermos of hot chocolate with a nip of Bailey’s and hit the slopes.
• Take along a yoga DVD and mat to the cabin. Try doing it first thing in the morning before anyone else is up. It’s a great way to stretch and centre yourself, especially if you’re holidaying with a large group.
• Board game tournaments - Break out the Scrabble or Monopoly board. If you are looking for something new, here are Amazon.com’s best sellers: Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader, Apples to Apples, and Blokus Strategy Board Game. Play nice.

I always love to hear what you’re up to - so fire away and let us know how you plan on spending the holidays.

Cheers,

Julie

Two people were killed this past weekend back country skiing north east of Tent Ridge in Kananaskis, AB. They were swept to their death by a class 3 avalanche. Little else is known about the victims other than trauma was a factor. According to Greg Johnson, an avalanche forecaster at the Canadian Avalanche Centre, while some avalanche victims die of asphyxiation, many succumb to their injuries. “A small avalanche is faster than 70 kph,” he explains. Getting caught in an avalanche is very harsh and very violent. You hit things on the way down, rocks and trees.”

Like all outdoor sports, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, or back country skiing, being prepared can save your life, especially if you’re a man. It seems that men are more likely to die in an avalanche than women. Johnson attributes that to the fact that more men are in the back country sledding and skiing, and then there is the testosterone factor. “Men get amped up - they want to go after it,” he says. Avalanche studies show snowmobile victims are in their mid 30’s, while back country skiers tend to be in their mid 20’s. “They have just enough knowledge to get into trouble,” Johnson remarks. “But a lot of people go into the back country and make good decisions.”

If you’re reading this and thinking, ‘Well this doesn’t apply to me,’ think again. If you like to ski out of bounds or your children are into climbing, hiking, skiing and sledding, then the following information could save your’s or their lives.

Precautions to Take Before Heading into the Back Country

Back country generally refers to western Canada, but Johnson states that Quebec also has avalanche fatalities. Good skiers and snowmobilers take note: before you head out in search of powder, take a recreation avalanche class and learn how to recognize the hazards. Also, it’s important to know how to use your equipment. Basic avalanche gear includes:

1. Transceiver radio that transmits signals and can be switched to receive signals. If your buddy gets buried alive, you can pick up his/her’s signal.
2. Shovel - used to dig people out
3. Probe - slim tent rod that goes down through the snow to help find victims.

In addition to the above, Johnson also carries:

1. Small first aid kit
2. Small emergency tarp
3. Extra clothes
4. Food
5. Water
6. Compass, map
7. Headlamp
8. Basic repair kit for his snowboard

This is the kind of guy you want to be with in the back country. He is well prepared.

One other very important precaution you should take is to check the avalanche report - www.avalanche.ca This site is updated frequently and produces forecasts for B.C., Alberta and Quebec.

Johnson sums it up with, “Accidents occur to people with good skill sets. Those skill sets outweigh their avalanche skills. Good skiers and good snowmobilers need to pay attention. Access avalanche safety information at www.avalanche.ca, carry equipment and know how to use it.”

Cheers,

Julie

What are you giving your favourite cottager this year for Christmas? And what are you asking for yourself? I recently posted this question on Cottage Life’s forum and cottagers responded with some interesting gifts. I am sharing a couple of them with you today, including a few of my own. But I would really like to hear from you.

Here they are in no particular order:

The first one is from Debb, (who often leaves great comments on this site)

• Photo-opoly - a game that mimic monopoly, but you use photos of your family on the game board
• Lee Valley’s Rasp & Zest holder - and pretty much anything from that store - cottagers as well as Martha seem to really dig their products
• Siruis Radio (I have XM Satellite and agree, satellite radio is great for the cottage)
• GPS
• Gift Certificates for the Beer Store (Ontario )

Here is my list in case ANYONE is interested

• Malibu or Mastercraft wakeboard boat - does not have to be brand new
• Chantry Island Bathrobe (ladies medium)
• L.L. Bean Hammock with metal frame
• Gift certificates from Chapters & Starbucks (love those Chi Lattes)
• Time - more time. I would love more time to spend with my husband & kids, my awesome nieces and nephews, and my wonderful friends.

If anyone has any great charities or organizations they would like to share with us, please do so. My sister is giving a needy family Christmas dinner instead of buying our mom a gift. Way to go Nat.

That’s my list - now tell us yours.

Cheers,

Julie

Every Christmas season I say the same thing, “I will not drink too much at our Christmas party.” Tis the season to make merry, and EggNog, like fruit, cake is right up there on my list of things to be avoided at all costs. But every year, at our annual Christmas bash, I join the long queue of guests waiting for a glass of eggnog. Over the course of the evening, I will stand in this line many times. Not because I like eggnog, I actually don’t. But calling this eggnog is really an injustice. It’s no ordinary concoction. This rich, creamy, velvety drink with the subtlest hints of cinnamon and nutmeg is really an elixir, inspired for the greater good. Much discussion takes place in the line-up about the substance’s ingredients, but the host keeps mum, refusing to give away any secrets regarding his much loved and coveted recipe.

Today, out of the blue, the recipe has landed on my desk; proving once again that Santa Clause really does exist. I am so thrilled to be able to share this Christmas cheer with you. I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I do. But be forewarned, it has the same effect on a person as electric jello. You will not know what hit you until it’s too late - and then it’s too late. So exercise extreme caution. DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. I have already made my travel arrangements for this year’s party, because I know, despite my best efforts, I will be standing in that queue faster than you can say, “Here comes Santa Clause,” waiting to for my cup of merriment.

This would make a great drink to make at the cottage to help ring in the new year, along with your creamy rich cheese fondue. Talk about decadent.

Absolutely Fabulous EggNog

In a large punch bowl combine:

• 4 litres of the best store bought eggnog you can find
• 1 quart of French vanilla ice cream (melted)
• 4 oz 151 Rum
• 4 oz dark rum
• 4 oz brandy
• 2 oz Bailey’s
• 2 oz Kahula
• Advil Headache tablets (reserve for the next day)

Stir well and top with a sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon.

Cheers,

Julie

Next to pancakes, French toast is one of my favourite breakfasts. I think it’s because like pancakes, you slather them with maple syrup, my favourite condiment. Today’s recipes are from the Fabulous Fairholme Breakfast & Brunches cookbook. (We featured their Egg’s Benedict’s, in Breakfast, the Yummiest Meal of the Day. I recently made them and they turned out amazing)

French toast is easy to make and this one is prepared a day in advance. Ideal for the cottage. You make it at home and take it with you. If you don’t have a large glass pyrex 9 x 13 pan with a plastic seal tight cover, I recommend you invest in one.

Oven Baked Pecan French Toast

• 8 1 1/2″ slices of French bread or other thickly sliced bread
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 chopped pecans
• 8 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• zest 1 orange (optional)
• pinch salt

Directions

Combine melted butter and maple syrup. Pour into large, deep cookie sheet or baking pan. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Mix together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest and salt. Soak bread slices in the egg mixture until saturated. Place on top of maple syrup mixture.

Pour any remaining egg mixture over the bread. Sprinkle with more chopped pecans. Cover tightly and place in refrigerator overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and puffy. Serve with warm maple syrup and powdered sugar. Mmmmmmm I can think of no nicer way to start you day.

If you just like toast for breakfast, you might like the next recipe. Cinnamon Maple Butter, I think of it as “cheaters french toast.” Its easy to make and tastes yummmy. Serves 8.

Cinnamon Maple Butter

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

Soften butter to room temperature. Place butter, maple syrup and cinnamon in mixing bowl. Mix until light and fluffy. Serve at room temperature.

Cheers,

Julie

When it comes to buying a cottage, the most rational of human beings seem to lose it. We see the lake, imagine ourselves barbecuing on the deck, our children jumping off the dock, and it’s game over. What should be a rational decision quickly becomes an emotive one. One of the key selling points of our cottage was a little frog game my son discovered in one of the bedrooms. The bunk beds were another. I honestly didn’t realize that our cottage was “off the grid” and what kind of lifestyle that would entail until after we bought it. It didn’t matter. It was love at first sight.

Chris Winney, a real estate agent with Royal LePage, in the Land O Lakes area in south eastern Ontario, and who lives year-round at her cottage, has developed “PAWLOST.” She uses this tool to help her clients evaluate a property’s true value. “Buying a cottage should be an emotional experience. People are buying these properties to make family memories,” says Winney. “PAWLOST describes what buyers are looking for.” She finds it helps her clients stay grounded, so they can find the right property and make a good investment.

PAWLOST Evaluating a Property’s Value

• P - Privacy - It’s nice to have neighbors, but not close enough to have to interact with them. Check for trees, if the leaves are in full bloom and you can’t see them then it’s OK.
• A - Access - Is the property accessible for all four season; can you get to it in the winter; is it accessible by road not boat? Generally, if a property is difficult to get to, it should be reflected in the asking price.
• W - Waterfront - Incredible privacy, level or gently sloping lot, sandy beaches, no weeds, and gorgeous for swimming, this is the first best choice according to Winney. “You want to be able to walk down to a level sandy beach and have the water deep enough off so you can dive in off the dock.” Steps that go down to the waterfront reduce a property’s value. One thing buyers need to be aware of is, who owns the waterfront. In southern Ontario, some townships own the 66 foot shoreline allowance. Cottagers can buy their allowance, and will have to do so if they are seeking a mortgage. Buyers should budget an additional $35oo plus recommends Winney.
• L- Lake - Generally the larger the lake, the better the return. “You can do more things on a larger lake,” Winney explains. Make sure there are no boating restrictions by checking with the lake’s association rules.
• O - Other - These can positively or negatively affect a property’s value. Some examples include: does the cottage back onto a highway; is it situated beside crown land; is it located in a busy part of the lake, is high boat traffic? Winney recommends visiting the property many times before you buy it; go when it’s busy i.e. on weekends and holidays. It’s important to do your research.
• T - Travel Time - Most people have a number in mind when they come to see her. People coming from Toronto are usually looking for something that’s 3 to 3 1/2 hours a way, while Ottawa folks want a 2 hour commute. Winney notes that people will add 1 1/4 to their travel time, if they find the perfect property.

After reviewing Winney’s list, I am relieved to discover I have not made a bad investment, while we do have to take a boat, actually a ferry to get to our cottage, the four hour commute passes quickly. I think people in the west are prepared to make a longer commute to get to water.

For prospective cottage buyers, Winney recommends working with a local agent. They often own cottages themselves and are very knowledgeable about the lake. They can take your emotive decision and make it a practical one.

Cheers,

Julie

Although it’s only 10 a.m., the sun’s rays are starting to burn my forehead. Bits of rock, grass and dirt are swirling around me as I lunge my weed wacker into the tall grass. Hacking away at the dense growth, I keep my eyes peeled for long black slugs, seeking shelter in the moist earth. ‘Don’t want to hit one of those,’ I think to myself. Once the wacking is done, I will “tidy” up the beach front. Unaware of the path of destruction I am causing.

It’s ironic that all my hard work is actually dirtying my lake, speeding up runoff, contributing to soil erosion, and destroying fish habitant. This according to B.C.’s Sarah Weaver, co-founder of the Living By Water Project, and co-author of the book, On the Living Edge: Your Handbook for Waterfront Living, “Most times people who convert their shorelines don’t know the impact of what their doing.” Clearly I am one of them. Weaver adds, “I run the risk of damaging the thing that attracted me to it in the first place.”

She explains the shoreline, where water meets land, is where your waterfront property is the most susceptible to erosive forces. Erosion is a natural process causing a gradual wearing away of land surfaces by water, ice and wind. Left unchecked slumping, surface runoff and silt deposits can cause major property and building damage.

It is important for cottagers, like me, to understand the value of the “buffer zone.” By cleaning up my beachfront, i.e. removing rocks, small shrubs, logs and driftwood, I am actually damaging the riparian area, that narrow strip of land located along shoreline. Unbeknownst to me, where land and water meet is a unique and often highly productive ecosystem.

Allowing deep rooted vegetation to remain and planting additional grasses, shrubs and trees that are indigenous to the area, I can help buffer my shoreline from erosion. The Living by Water website states that if a buffer zone is properly maintained it can:

1. remove up to 50 percent or more of fertilizer chemicals and pesticides
2. remove up to 60 percent or more of some bacteria
3. remover up to 75% or more of sediment (soil particles)

Leaving driftwood, rocks and fallen trees in place along the shoreline will help absorb wave activity, and help minimize the impact of the large wakeboard boats, that I have grown so fond of.

This is great news. I now have a legitimate excuse to relax and take it easy at the cottage. As I gaze out from under my hat, good book in one hand, cold glass of lemonade in the other, I can take comfort in the fact that doing absolutely nothing is good for the environment.

Cheers,

Julie

Update on my environmental challenge: we have stopped buying bottled water and now just keep a jug of cold water in the fridge. I am still trying to wean myself off zip lock bags, this is proving to be harder than I thought. I am trying to consume local produce and meat/fish. Now if only they could grow mandarin oranges in the Okanagan.