Isabel Designs

Lights at Upper Canada Village

My friend Lin was stringing lights on shrubs outside her front door when she lost her footing and instinctively used her hands to break the fall. She saved herself from a face plant and broke a wrist instead! You don’t hear these stories everyday and still I didn’t heed the call of caution when stringing my lights the next day. While running an extension cord through the trees and up the hill, I slipped on a bed of dry leaves and as my feet slid back, my hands lunged forward to cushion the landing. Not a break, but a sprained wrist – self diagnosis. Treatment: ice, ibuprofen, compression wrap, rest – repeat. The lights are still sitting beside the driveway, but I’m going to postpone their hanging for a few days and give my wrist time to recover.

In the meantime, I’m a little slower at the keyboard and other right-handed tasks – which is just about everything! So my friends, if you’re out there decking the halls and making your property look festive, please do it with care. Here are a few safety tips if you’re interested.

Have a safe and happy holiday.

What a treat to see these little ducks on the lake this fall. I know that ice will send them south soon enough, but for now, I’m still enjoying their antics on a daily basis. They’re really tiny and very fast, and if one catches a fish the others will chase it. I hope you enjoy this little video and the photos I took. If you want to learn more about the Hooded Merganser, click here.

Hooded Merganser - female

Hooded Merganser - male

Butternut Squash Soup

I had dinner with my sister the other night and was totally inspired by her squash soup. I got her to reveal a few of her secrets and yesterday I made a soup with a touch of this and a dab of that. The result was so delicious I have to share it. Enjoy.

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

2 butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 large onions, chopped
6 garlic gloves chopped
1 apple, peeled and chopped
32 oz veggie broth
2 teaspoon brown sugar
4 teaspoons of butter
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

1) bake squash in oven with butter & brown sugar until tender / lightly salt & pepper

2) sauté onion, garlic and apple in sauce pan / add spices

3) add broth, then scoop out squash and add to pot

4) bring back to a boil, let cool, then puree to reduce chunkiness

Feel free to add a little more brown sugar to sweeten and more red pepper for bite. Yum.