MARTHA SPEAKS TO ME ABOUT POTATOES

My brother came to visit for Christmas, and one of the simple pleasures was to browse his extensive online subscription of Martha (included in his Rogers' mobile fees). Although I miss the days when she was editor, I am grateful that she is back writing articles.

I always imagine that she is personally having a conversation with me, in this instance, advice about gardening potatoes. Within two paragraphs, in the edition of October 2016, I have too much info! So I am writing this blog to highlight the ideas I want to take with me to my garden next spring.

On how to hide the shrivelled tops while awaiting the potato "prize": "behind cabbages and broccoli, and...behind the tomatoes."

Classic ones: 'Yukon Gold', 'Red Bliss', 'Maine Kennebec'

Favourite mashing potato: 'Daisy Gold'

Roasting potato: 'Red Thumb'

Purple for salad: 'Huckleberry Gold'

Fantastic baking potato: 'Bake King'

More facts and bios in the books by Helen Hamlin's Pine, Potatoes and People
and Charles Wilson Aroostook: Our Last Frontier.

Sounds like the story of how the potato famine changed Ireland would be well told, and how China became the world's biggest producer of potatoes worldwide!

Thanks Martha! I look forward to your next article!

MY CHRISTMAS WISH LIST 2016

Mike Myers Canada $25 online indigo.ca
Nathan Reflex Reflective Snap Bands 2-pack, pink $4.99
Bogs North Hampton black multi insulated rain boots $85 online bogsfootwear.ca
De Longhi espresso maker

CHRISTMAS BAKING

After living in Montreal for 20 years, a member of my family came out to visit during Christmas. It was thrilling, and I am truly grateful to my brother Nate for making it out for the holidays. The most fun preparing was knowing our special treats were based on the same nostalgia, and my daughter got on board, especially favoring the peanut butter squares, which were much more butterscotch than I remember, and a crowd favourite.

After eight, PB square and peppermint chocolate fudge

A perfect plate

Christmas platter

Peppermint Fudge

PB butterscotch squares

Christmas Rainbow squares

Popcorn balls and a nearly completed Starbucks advent calendar

On the list of MUSTS (which were not all possible on one occasion):
For Montreal:
Millefeuille
Bagels and cream cheese
Sucre à la crème
Peppermint fudge
Sugar Pie
Tourtière
Fondue and wine (Hobnob merlot, Menage à Trois)

For Christmas in Saskatchewan:
Rainbow squares
Popcorn balls
PB butterscotch squares
Mandarin oranges
After Eights

For tradition:
Eggnog
Pomegranates
Grapefruit
Ginger chocolate
Peppermint dazzler
So I Married An Axe Murderer

KINDRED SPIRITS HIKE

Once in a while I meet a kindred spirit. Two of my favourite humans are as in love with hiking as I am. So when my friend said she was free this morning, and would I like to go to Mont St. Hilaire, I took the first train I could make to meet her downtown, and we spent the day slopping through the wet trails on our own. Its funny how weather makes people change their plans, but for a few of us, a free day is good enough! I was glad for my gortex Northface trail shoes, but mostly it was a gorgeous walk with a terrific human. I feel very blessed!

Lake Hertel

In the end she didn't cross here, but I love that she even thought she might!

SNOW

Yesterday it snowed from the time the sun came up to sun down. They say 15 cm fell, but my car looks like it was even more. I love snow. My daughter loves snow. Every kid at the bus stop loves snow. It's like Christmas toys. From the time the snow comes to when it leaves, you never have to entertain a kid. Just make sure they have their snow pants on when you go out, and they fall down on their knees and play until you call them in, usually not on the first try!

In 24 hours, we have had three of my favourite types of snow.

The first was what I call fake snow. I really could call it "glitter snow". It was light and fluffy and covers like the synthetic snow you can buy to decorate indoors. The glitter snow layered like "White Christmas" snow, as I always imagine Vermont would look, piling up on rooftops and boughs of evergreens, and covering cars. By the end of the day, my daughter could hardly find her toboggan that she had filled with snow for posterity!

By sunset, the snow was becoming granular. This even my daughter recognized as "white sugar" snow.  This is not to be confused with "brown sugar snow" which is much more common, and not actually a snow. It's a combination of sand blown on the streets for traction, or dirt from exposed  snow.  Which reminds my of the most infamous kind of combination snow, known as yellow snow. (I think that one is well known, and deserves no explicit explanation.)

This morning, the ground was covered in small round balls, which can vary from being tiny, resembling a white hail, to larger, resembling styrofoam filler. I use the short form of this snow as "styrofoam snow", because hail is painful and this snow does not hurt.

Still, the best snow is the rare "snowman snow". It is a great day when you wake up and can make snowballs, because that's a day you can make a snowman. That is the best kind of snow!

Really, the topic of snow is just begun in this blog. If you want to know more, check out wikipedia's  and read about the types of snow. For a linguistic mystery, check out the Great Eskimo Vocabulary Hoax, which explains how the myth began that "Eskimos" have 50 words for snow

So I hope that you are having a snowy fall, but if not, dream of a white Christmas. It is what I wish for every year!

If you have more names for snow, let me know! I may remember others as Winter approaches!