Mission Accomplished

It was 8 long years before I got the call that a plot in my preferred community garden site was available.  I was in Kenya at the time and the phone I was using wasn't very reliable for checking email on a regular basis.  Fortunately I  borrowed a laptop from a young Kenyan friend of mine and it helped me check on and respond to my messages.

The summer of 2019 was my first year at the community plot. I wasn't quick enough to take advantage of the compost and additional soil purchased by the garden committee as I've discovered that most people at the community plots are real keen gardeners. Their gardens are already growing by the time I'm thinking about cleaning the debris and preparing the soil.  Thankfully my garden grew nicely without all the additional amendments.

This year I stayed away from preparing the garden even longer than last year due to Covid 19 and I missed out completely on the soil and compost.  It seems like I wasn't the only one to miss out so I'm not sure who used it all.  I  heard we have a number of new gardeners this year as many of last year's gardeners waited years like I did for a plot.  In the years they were waiting several had moved out of the neighbourhood and they found it simply too hard to visit and work on their gardens on a regular basis so their gardens became quite overgrown.  I bought some manure if I need it but I don't have additional top soil this year. Somehow I seem to have ended up with a lot of potting soil of which I still have lots.

The path leading to the garden shed where all the tools are stored for use by the community gardeners.

We have a nicely kept and well organized gardening tool shed. In the summer of Covid 19-2020, the tools are off limits so as to avoid the potential spread of viruses. We can bring our own tools and we still have access to the two water hoses at either end of the gardens.

I spent a few days last week cleaning out the weeds and also some plants from the garden plot I rent. While the plot isn't really that big it still requires a lot of work to pluck out weeds and plants seeded by the wind, rake all the wood, debris and green debris then dump it all in the garbage containers, and finally, to break up the hardened dirt and plant the seeds.

I'm a very slow worker and take frequent breaks to rest my back.  The plot is a raised bed.  I don't know why they call it raised bed because it is only a few inches above the ground.  Given it's so low and very close to the neighboring plot, a bit of gymnastics are required to hoe, rake and plant.  It is also not a good idea to squat in the garden because then you tamp down the soil and it quickly gets compacted.  If i was younger it would surely be a lot easier but I don't let that deter me.

I felt terrific after finally getting the garden in for another year.   I went back  later in the week to clean up some of the green debris I left on the outer edges. We are supposed to ensure the pathways are kept free of such things.  Fortuitously I finished the planting on Saturday and it rained on Monday and Tuesday.  I  prefer when it rains a few times a month because it really does a garden good.  Much better than watering by hand.

Back at home, my little balcony garden is sprouting various things and I'm looking forward to seeing what grows.

I captured this park view just beyond the garden.
The sun was setting and most people had left for the day. 

The swirly clouds in the sky are rather peaceful and lovely.

Can you make out any shapes in the clouds?

~~~~

It's been raining quite heavily again so when that happens I usually crave banana bread or muffins.  This week I was craving banana bread and a friend gave me a recipe to try.  Instead I ended up trying a recipe developed by pastry chef Anna Olson who I've watched on Canadian television for years.

 
Here is her recipe.

 Ingredients

1 ½ - 1 ¾ cups (375-400 g) mashed ripe bananas (3-4 bananas)
6 Tbsp (90 g) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (225 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
¼ tsp (0.75 g) salt
1 cup (250 mL) chocolate chips or toasted walnut pieces (optional)

Directions 

  Preheat the oven to 325 ºF (160 ºC) and grease a 9-x-5-inch (2L) loaf pan.
2. Whisk the banana, melted butter, granulated and brown sugar together until well-blended. Whisk in the egg and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt. Add this to the banana mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips or walnut pieces (if using). Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf tin and sprinkle the top with a little sugar. Bake for about 75 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake for 20 minutes in the tin, then turn it out to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Makes one 9 x 5 loaf.

It was a fairly dense, yet moist loaf, which I liked.

♥♥♥
If you were here with me I'd offer you a slice and a hot tea or coffee out on the patio as long as it wasn't raining :-)

When I did my first taste test I thought it was a bit sweet however it contains far less sugar and fewer eggs than  many other banana bread recipes I've looked at. The bread was even better the next day.
I think I've found a keeper. I believe I have another keeper on my blog somewhere which I will have to search for and try again to compare.
Once I try my friend's recipe, I may actually have 3 great recipes and that will likely be enough.
I've been searching for a great recipe for a long time.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday this week.

Thank you for stopping by.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Hello blogging friends,

We just finished observing Remembrance Day here in Canada as many of you did in other countries. The various holidays of the year have flown by and we just have Christmas to celebrate before the end of the year.  Usually on Remembrance Day it is raining heavily in my city and I always feel badly for the veterans when that have to stand or sit in the rain or shiver in the cold (when it doesn't rain it is usually quite frigid). I was grateful that this year there was no rain for Remembrance Day and in fact the sun came out. It seemed warmer than usual.

However, we are expecting more rain this week after a few weeks of wonderful sunshine. Apparently we broke a record for 14 consecutive days of sunshine.  I had to laugh when I heard that and wondered what must go through people's minds when they live elsewhere in the world and hear that.

I do live in the rain forest area and we get a lot of rain. It's what gives us fantastic forests and lush green grass most of the year.  But this year we had such a deluge of rain in September and October which is a few months earlier than usual.  I don't like to complain but when Fall is your favourite season and you can't really enjoy the colours due to the clouds and rain, it isn't my happy time. But next year is another year and I hope I will be able to enjoy the foliage then.  I can always hope.

I've done a bit of reading and completed the book on Jackie Kennedy Onassis, her mother and sister which I enjoyed though it may not be everyone's cup of tea. I have now finished 48 books this year and expect to finish 50 books before 2020 arrives.  I am about to begin the Book of Philippians in the New Testament (NT) as well. I've already read 1 John and Revelations so there isn't much more to read before I've completed my reading of the NT.

Right now I'm enjoying watching Dancing with the Stars on television. It amazes me what amateurs can do when they are paired up with professionals though the younger ones have an advantage in terms of flexibility and ability to bounce back from injuries. It's fun to watch them all and see who will be voted off and who will remain until the final show.

Earlier today I did a bit of baking.  When the weather turns cooler, I always crave something home baked to have with hot tea while I read or watch television.  These muffins are my current favourites because I'm trying to use up some corn meal a friend gifted me.

Corn meal muffins on left and with added cranberries on right

Banana bread

If you'd like to try the muffins you can find the recipe here.  I also had a few frozen bananas I wanted to use up.  I've tried many different banana bread recipes over time and they are never quite to my liking so I keep trying.This one looks like it might be better than others I've used but I'll know after I try eating it. If you'd like to check out the recipe you can find it here.

Tomorrow I go to the hospital for assessment of my knees. I can tell by the questionnaire they sent me that I likely won't be considered a high priority candidate for surgery because I am still very independent. I do hope though that somehow getting this process underway will stand me in good stead for when I do need to have surgery.  I'll know more in due course.

Christmas shopping is almost done. It seems there are always things and gifts I think about at the last minute. It usually means I start enlarging the circle of friends I want to gift as Christmas draws closer. It is always a heart warming thing to consider a special gift for those you love.

I'm also reflecting on the accomplishments of the past year and looking ahead to 2020 which I expect will be a very different kind of year.  The year 2019 was a year of cleaning up and clearing out. It was also a year of dealing with lots of unfinished business in preparation for the future. I am still in the process of dealing with old business but have made significant progress.

• Travelled to Paris (a long awaited dream) and to Kenya (a long delayed trip)
• Completed x-rays on knees & scheduled assessment and evaluation for surgery
• Dealt with major dental needs, including all communications with insurance cos (and will finish these before end of year)
• Completed legal paperwork for a relative to oversee her personal and medical care
• Changed financial advisors
• Cancelled financial products
• Drafted a new Last Will & Testament
• Read many books and more than met my reading goal for 2019
• Visited with family members near and far (made one long journey for visit)
• Implemented a schedule for consistent Bible study and prayer/praise
• Slowed down the hectic pace of activities
• Studied numerous topics of interest through webinars in preparation for future plans
• Decluttered clothing, knick knacks, books and papers - work is ongoing
• Reconnected with various friends from afar
• Assisted numerous needy in Africa: 4 sponsored boys in Africa, 3 graduates of Kenyan universities & 4 adults requiring significant help with medical needs, food and shelter. This work is ongoing.

In terms of the Kenyan missions and outreach I'm working on a number of things as we close out the year. The needs are always more than I can handle on my own.  But I am always willing to see what I can do and to see if there are others who might join with me here and there or even longer term.  I understand if you can't or don't want to help, there is certainly no pressure to do so. My feeling is that God speaks to certain people to prompt them to help and it is between them and God whether they obey. Then too there are people who are not Christian who may also have a heart to help and that is good too. 

Going forward these are the needs:

• Assist Eunice monthly with her medicines ($250 US/$335 Canadian) and special food ($180 US/$240 Canadian) to treat acute anemia. She has improved and when she has a set back she bounces back more quickly. 
• Send Charles to an alcohol rehabilitation centre for 3 months ($1500 US/$2000). Charles is a chronic alcoholic with a wife and several children. He has not worked for quite some time and needs professional intervention to get beyond his addiction.
• Monitor Ernest's recovery from leg injuries and his nutritional and monetary needs (any amount is helpful).
• Help Ernest with a small business venture  ($270 US/$360 Canadian bare bones budget) to start a barbering business).  He has experience in barbering and the start up costs are minimal.  If he can get back to work he he could at least provide for his own food needs in the longer term. 
• Repair the leaking roof and walls in Ernest's house. The tin roof needs replacing and the walls need replastering (approximate cost is $200 US or $270 Canadian). Right now he is bunking at his mother's home but this won't work longer term. 

There are other needs but these ones are the priority needs. If any of you would like to help with one or more of these needs please let me know or send donations to the Pay Pal link located in the side bar to the right of this blog.

In other news, Alvin, the Engineering graduate, has passed his English as a Second Language test with flying colours. He is now working on finding a thesis supervisor at a university here in Vancouver. Kindly keep him in your prayers so that he can find a supervisor, get admitted and obtain a scholarship to further his studies.

Levi is the other Engineering graduate I was helping but he has now gone off to India to do a Masters degree.  Fortunately he received a scholarship to study abroad.

Last but not least, Carolly graduated with a medical degree and fulfilled his licensing requirements. His graduation was last Friday.  Carolly comes from very humble beginnings and has worked very hard to get this far. Currently he is working as an ambulance attendant.  Now that he has his medical license he can look forward to working as a doctor. Physicians are best placed to find work in Kenya it seems, otherwise unemployment levels in Kenya are extremely high.

That's it for now blogging friends. 

I hope to see you in Blog Land soon. 

♥♥♥

Weekend Bake: Banana Loaf

Hi friends,

There are certain recipes I continue to search for and refine. One of them is Banana Bread. For something so seemingly simple, I still haven't found a Banana Bread recipe I really like.
Most of them seem to be too moist. I want a dense loaf that is more like a bread but with banana taste.  I don't want a loaf so moist that it is like pudding.  I also don't like big chunks of banana in my loaf though I do like to see the seeds. I'm also looking for a recipe that doesn't use such a lot of sugar and oil.

I tried this recipe tonight.

BANANA BREAD

Ingredients

¼ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar (I used 3/4 cup)

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream (I use Greek style plain yogurt instead)

1 cup mashed fully ripe bananas (I used 2 bananas because that is all I had today)

2-1/4 cups flour

1-1/2tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 cup chopped walnuts (I meant to add the walnuts but forgot)

Instructions

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

BEAT butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs and sour cream; mix well. Add bananas and combined dry ingredients; mix just until moistened. Stir in nuts.

POUR into greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pan.

BAKE 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 min.; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely before slicing. Refrigerate leftovers. 

When I transferred the batter to the loaf pan I was immediately pleased.  The batter is much thicker than the previous recipes I've used. However I could tell it was also going to be very dense.  I also could have used slightly more banana in the mix but I only had 2.  It was enough for a pleasant banana flavour.

Sorry for the shadow on the banana loaf.  It was late and the lighting was poor.

Taste test:  Good but rather rubbery. I over mixed the batter.  You are only supposed to mix until moistened not beat it together well. It was getting late and I wasn't paying good attention  I will be more careful next time.  I used my tin loaf pans rather than the silicone pans. I find silicon bread pans are terrific for bread but give my muffins and quick breads a "jelly like" consistency at the bottom. Good for certain types of muffins like strawberry or raspberry but not so good for things like banana bread, IMHO.

I like this recipe much better than the other recipes I've tried so far. I'm going to enjoy tonight with a cup of rooibos tea before bed.

In weather news, we've been having a lot of high winds.  It is helping to chase away the clouds and bring out blue skies and sunshine for several hours a day though there is still an unseasonal chill in the air.  Several of my friends have been battling with the flu bug or bronchitis. I myself have not been feeling that great for about a week but have managed to thwart getting a bug. I am trying to get more rest and drink plenty of fluids.

 I hope your weather is cooperating wherever you are and that you have a wonderful weekend. Hugs. xx

Trying a New Banana Bread Recipe

My regular readers know I often bake Banana Bread. It isn't that I love Banana Bread so much. It is more because I hate to waste food and even though I try very hard to buy just the right amount of bananas, I often don't eat them all before they get overripe. Sometimes I freeze the bananas with skins on for later use when I don't have time or interest in baking the bread. When I make it, I try to give some away or freeze some for another day. There is only so much banana bread a person can eat.

After freezing some bananas last week and having a few more that were beyond eating this week, I decided I needed to bake banana bread once again. I do not really like the recipe I've been using so I took inspiration from a new and delightful blog I've been following called "Food and Thrift".

I didn't follow the original recipe but have made a few adjustments (added oats, oat bran and pecans and omitted the granola and one egg). I've added oats and oat bran to help keep the blood sugar in check. I should really be using whole wheat flour also but I don't have any on hand today.  See the original, rather delicious looking recipe here . 

I think I may at last have found the kind of banana bread recipe for which I've been searching.  One that isn't overly sweet or too "sticky" and has a bit more substance than what I've been used to making.  Next time I can omit the chocolate chips and pecans for an even healthier bread.

The batter has a smooth consistency.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Banana Bread

¾ cup all purpose flour

1 cup uncooked oats

¼ cup oat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg*
3 ripe mashed bananas
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 Crisco shortening (you can use oil)
dash of salt
½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ chopped pecans

* The original recipe calls for 2 eggs and I think 2 eggs is best to hold the bread together when sliced.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher. In a medium bowl cream the sugar and shortening together, then add the milk and egg. Mix well. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, then add the bananas, chocolate chips and pecans. Turn the mixture into a bread loaf pan.  If you want, you can sprinkle some chocolate chips on the top. Bake at 350 degrees for the first 30 minutes. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees for an extra 10-30 minutes until the bread is done.

Cooling the banana bread. It looks and smells delicious. Taste test will come after cooling.

To test for doneness, you can press your fingertip gently in the middle of the loaf.  If it springs back and isn't too moist it should be done.  Alternatively, if you have chocolate chips on top like I do, you can insert a toothpick in the middle of the bread.  If it is free of batter (clean) when you pull it out, the bread should be done.

Taste Test: 

This is by far the best banana bread I've ever made or  tasted. It wasn't very sweet and so the chocolate chips did not overpower the bread.  I really enjoyed the addition of the oats and pecans which gave it added crunch.  It was difficult to make "clean" slices of the bread because the chocolate chips melted in my hand and stuck to the bread knife. However if you aren't trying to be dainty for guests, this is probably okay. As for me, I think I will be making this recipe more often and will omit the chocolate chips and substitute walnuts for pecans.  This will reduce calories.

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...I see the steeple of the Catholic Church against a backdrop of a very gray sky. The rain is coming down heavily and the leaves on my green bush are blowing in the wind.

I am thinking...nothing in particular. I just have a sense of contentedness that mostly everything is okay.

I am thankful for ...a phone call from the nursing home where mom will soon reside.

From the kitchen...there is banana-pear bread in the oven and dough for buns rising in the bowl.

The finished buns. I used mostly whole wheat flour.

I am wearing... my nightgown. I haven't had a shower yet but will soon do so.

I am creating...nothing yet. I will figure out whether to make something knitted or crochet but there is no rush.

I am going...to run some small errands in the neighbourhood.

I am reading...a novel by Vikram Seth entitled A Suitable Boy.  I started it some time ago and put it aside due to busyness and other priorities. I've decided to begin again as I hardly remember what I read.
I am hoping.. I will have enough energy to continue work around the house over the next few days.

I am hearing...the vacuum cleaner outside my condo. The custodian is hard at work. He does a great job of vacuuming daily.
Around the house...I see evidence of my decluttering project. Some things are organized and some are not but I am making progress.

One of my favorite things...is having something in the oven made from scratch. Later I will make some salmon chowder.
A few plans for the rest of the week:  I will continue to make progress on my decluttering project and try to take in a water aerobics class or a swimming lesson Friday.

For Inger - My banana-pear bread. I used mostly whole wheat flour as that is the only flour I have on hand.

Nola, a new reader of my blog has asked for the recipe for the banana-pear bread so here it is.

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1 chopped and mashed bartlett pear  (I only used 3 bananas so I added a pear but at other times I have used an apple)
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (I reduced mine to 1/2 cup and it was still a bit too sweet)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup of whole wheat and 1/2 of white flour)

Method

Mash the bananas and shred the pear in a food processor (or you can cut it into smaller chunks).  Then in a large bowl add the melted butter into the mashed bananas and pear. Next add the sugar, egg, and vanilla into the bowl and mix. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last and mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour in a 350 F oven or until done. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

This is my first time joining this meme. Please check it out.

Bananas Anyone? How about Banana Bread?

I always have bananas on hand and though I try to buy only a few at a time it seems I overbuy and the bananas are ripe before I have eaten them. Half of the time when I shop, the bananas on offer are already over ripe or I would purchase them slightly green and let them ripen on the counter.

When I have over ripe bananas I put them in a fruit smoothie (more on this another day) or I make some banana bread though I can't say I've baked any for some time. Yesterday I had a hankering for some banana bread and didn't want to purchase any while I was out for coffee with a friend. I meant to bake the banana bread last night but was a little too tired so today (Thursday) was the day.

Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1 chopped and mashed apple (i only used 3 bananas so I added a Fuji apple)
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (I reduced mine to 3/4 cup and it was still a bit too sweet)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method

Mash the bananas and then in a large bowl add the melted butter into the mashed bananas. Next add the sugar, egg, and vanilla into the bowl and mix. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last and mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

This recipe was found here . It was my first time trying this recipe and it was very simple to make as well as quite tasty. I modified the recipe with the addition of the apple as I also had some apples that were going brown. I reduced the sugar by 1/4 cup and I think it could easily be reduced by another quarter cup if you don't like things too sweet.

For your convenience, I have now added a recipe converter to the side bar (on right hand side of your screen). Enjoy!