More Canning and Faux Meat?!

We've just been crazy busy around here with winter prep, gardening and canning. 

Cinnamon Apple Pie Filling x 11

Smoke from the U.S is consistently getting thicker

Yesterday it lifted for the afternoon then returned much thicker by evening.

Don't think I mentioned these...

Stacey found a great deal for us on Kijiji... 2 paddleboards for $500! (usually $1500 each) so we jumped on them.

It took awhile but I did manage to get Brad on one for an hour and he did great but his massage woman has since vetoed the stand up idea. However we can get a kayak paddle and he can use the board like a kayak -which I have done before, still a great core workout.

More cherry tomatoes

Whole tomatoes, including one yellow.

                                            

On the local marketplace FB page the other day, someone was giving away 48 canning jars. They were absolutely disgusting having been left outside for a few years apparently.

Scrubbed and sterilized, I then bought new lids. Total cost $25. Sweet deal.

Chicken?

I came across a recipe for, basically - faux meat. Its called Seitan.

Brad did the whole *eyeroll* too but bear with me here, I have an idea.

I have the Beef and Pork version of the recipe too.

My newest incoming gadget will allow me to sell at the market and this island has a lot of vegan/vegetarian types, so I wanted to try this. Mr. Carnivore himself was my taste tester and he actually liked it. Not that he would ever give up meat, but he gave it a definite 2 thumbs up. 

Not sure if I will do the market thing, but its an option, and so I am investigating it. This faux meat is quite the coup for someone who has only carnivore recipes though.

 

Preserving and Paddleboarding again

My basil plant had become huge once again, so I trimmed it and...

Washed and dried

Packed and vacuum sealed

Found a use for that large container all my plastic storage containers came in. Fits perfectly across. I will try to fill this with fresh herbs.

My Dill, the tall one was also getting top heavy

Washed, vacuumed and sealed also

After doing some running around on the island we stopped to get the mail, expecting my patio heater which I purchased with AirMiles to arrive any day. No delivery tag in the box but we did have 2 cheques from ICBC for the cancellation of the RV Insurance, nice.

Pulling up to the house we notice a box against the front door - must be the patio heater. Yup it was.

Brad and Robbie went for a walk along the waterfront while I put the heater together...

Seems a decent quality one too.

Once that was done, I headed down to the waterfront to catch up with the guys. I took the Jeep down as sometimes Robbie has trouble with his left paw. As I was getting out of the car I hear " Hi Katie"... Stacey was sitting there enjoying the view. Well, I could see Brad and Robbie in the distance and got his attention as he got up to leave and he joined us. 

We decided it was calm enough to do some paddleboarding and Brad & I ran home to get the truck, we then stopped to pick up Stacey and headed to her house to collect the boards.

Robbie is not sure what to make of this. He is not fond of water.

Attaching the ankle chain

All aboard

And she's on

And up

Stacey's turn

And away we go, around the point - past the pub and return...

Brad & Robbie walked along the shoreline 

Clearly, I'm a professional.... Not.

Absolutely beautiful as the sun begins to go down

Enjoying the scenery

On our way back, Brad didn't get any pics of us as we sat down in the bay relaxing for a few minutes. Here we are on our way back.

Watching Mum on the water

Which one is the mother? Me or the dog? He's such a worrier.

Stacey overtaking me

Beautiful sunsets which this island is known for, pictures don't do it justice.

Otters swimming in the water

After paddleboarding, we decided to grab chairs and a few drinks and join Stacey on the shore and enjoy the sunset as we haven't done this yet and its a thing here.... 3 months and never seen the sunset from the shore yet.

BC Ferry going to Vancouver

Ferry

Another distant ferry

Beautiful

This guy we call 'thumper' as he makes a thumping noise that we have been hearing at the house for months now... but we had never seen him up close like this.

PaddleBoarding

 About a week ago, Brad and Robbie went for a walk along the shoreline. I stayed home for some reason I can't recall. Anyway, he came home with a woman's phone number...

Turns out he started conversing with a woman who had an FJ (recall we had 2 of them previously) and in the conversation she mentioned that she was a paddleboarder but was having trouble finding anyone to go with her and she didn't like going alone, for obvious reasons. Well I had just talked to Brad a few days before about wanting to try paddleboarding, so this is how he came about having this woman's number.

I rang her that night and we arranged to give me a lesson on Friday because the winds and waves were supposed to be cooperative that day. They were.

Fully expecting to be a drowned rat at the end of it, off I went to try it. I met Stacey down at one of the many beaches on this island and she gave me the gist of what to do. Off we went. I absolutely loved it, I had some balancing issues a couple of times but just went to my knees and once balanced stood up again.

Google Image

Above is a Google image, not my actual body (yet :D )... although Brad did sneak down and take a picture of us, it is so distant that you can barely see 2 specks.

Above boat on right are 2 dots...

We went all the way around a very large Bay, staying fairly close to the shoreline since it was my first attempt at this. She seemed quite impressed that I did so well. I came home dry, which is what impressed ME the most!

We go again on Monday, assuming the winds cooperate, we shall paddle to a local pub and back.