ALGONQUIN PARK

Recommended by friends that go every year, a small group of sites with large areas with a beach right there is to be found at Achray and Brent campgrounds. Like our recent trip to Sepaq's Orford park, there are nature programs for kids and interested adults alike.

The toilets are "drop" ie outhouses, and there is no running water, but if you know that going in, it sounds wonderful.

This last year, it seems like the bots won a lot of spots, resold on Kijiji. Seems a shame, but if you haven't noticed overcrowding of the planet anywhere else, when the campsites are hard to come by, you know times are tight.

 

MONT-ORFORD PARK

July 25-29, 2021

Sarcelle 45 at Lac Fraser

I booked next years camping at the same spot. I hesitated because this camping site is perfect uninhabited, but it was distressing to see the habitat destroyed with the backing of colonialist parents who believed it was their kids sacred right to stay off the trails and stamp down the flora with visible destruction within the day. 

It was close to a wonderful lake that had naturalist activities called Beaver Hut lake, where I actually saw a Beaver (heard first) at dusk. Hopefully next time Rebecca will be with me to see it too!

There is a nice trail near the water to the small beach. I think it would be fun to be on the  Stukley Lake side near the Bonnallie service centre where the lectures were.

This is the view from our picnic table. Very restful, until the children run through it and wake you up!

 The trails are likely beaver made. This pond has an old hut, and trees felled in clear"a beaver was here" fashion. They have had to move their hut upstream (I couldn't find it, but I had fun trying!)

A tiny red-backed salamander on the Three Pond trail, near Cherry tree Lake.

We didn't see a deer, but we did find tracks (Three Pond trail, again!)

Mount Orford Trail Map

SUMMER PARTY FOOD

Both summer birthday parties were a welcome improvement from last year. 

Mine was good food and good friends. 

I had started late, and pushed the start time to get most of my ideas, but not all ready.

I greeted the first guests with two types of sparkling wine from France (and costco). The apple pear was the most obvious, but I liked the apple raspberry the best. With the drinks on the back patio, I had organized individual servings of jalapeño potato chips, beet and sweet potato chips, garden stix, and a toothpick of olives.

When everyone arrived, I served a verrine of Martha Stewart's gazpacho from market vegetables.

Next I tried to make a Pampered Chef warm appetizer gluten free by using rice crackers as the base instead of wonton wrappers. It was a fail, but the recipe called artichoke cups was still tasty enough that none was left behind.

The last item (good thing because my dessert never made it past the halfway stage and no one missed it, or asked for it, anyway) was a vegan"Buddha" bowl with my favourite dressing below.

I had roasted mushrooms, zucchini, sweet potato and red peppers. They look a mess but they taste delicious. I marinated tofu in soya sauce, garlic, ginger, and maple syrup, and pan fried them. Served on a bed of quinoa with pepitas and what I call dragon sauce (1/4 c tahini, 1/4 c nutritional yeast, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1 clove garlic, 2 T maple syrup, 1T vinegar, 4 T water, 1/8 tsp cayenne powder), the main course was a big hit, and far more delicious that it looks! 

Princess Pirate's party was friends, sunshine and one sprinkler. My neighbour texted me that it was so nice to her shouts of laughter after last year's quiet back yard party! 

The cupcakes were Betty Crocker's red velvet, chosen to be nut and soya free. The cream cheese icing that it came was surprisingly good, and the gold sprinkles were a big hit!

 For two Capricorn's with winter birthdays, this year's summer birthdays were a real treat!

THIS IS HOW MY GARDEN GROWS

I had a late start to the garden, but I had already built the rectangle a previous year. I had calculated a new spot that was not so dry as the most exposed south side where things didn't grow so well, even though it was conveniently located next to the water source. It had at least 6 hours of light a day in the summertime, and I had my grade niner calculate the volume to fill it, and bought 17 bags of garden soil on sale for $1.50 each. I don't love to buy dirt wrapped in plastic, but it was number 4 recyclable, so I washed them out and put them in the blue bin, and hopefully won't have to refill it anytime soon. 

I bought $35 dollars worth of seeds, and only used a quarter of them! I guess my eyes were bigger than the size of my garden. 

I had some bamboo stakes, and planted cucumber and beans below. Very early on, there was an excellent rain, and all the peas floated to the top, as you can see if you look carefully in two rows below.

Given the number of squirrels, groundhogs and rabbits in the yard, I made a feeble attempt with a mesh I had used before to keep out as many creatures as I can. My daughter noted these little white jumpers, and associated them with a good start to the soil.

 

COFFEE BETWEEN COVID WAVES THREE AND FOUR

 I finally have a family doctor, thanks to the waiting list anyone can register on to get with the Quebec Health Insurance Plan(RAM), and on my first visit in person to the clinic, the Starbucks had tables open, and I had the time to stop for a cold brew. 

I showed my second wave ordering skills, asking for a cold press, and was politely corrected by the millennial barista that that was a term for olive oil, and not available at Starbucks!

Still, for the edge of a busy parking lot, the greenery and sportcar (and maybe not just a little COVID deprivation) made me feel like I was sitting on Rodeo Drive!

TODAY I WOKE UP AT NOON AFTER A LATE EVENING SHIFT

I…

caught up on my emails and watched Facebook TicToc videos until my screen time limits blocked me, thankfully.

went to the bathroom and got dressed.

petted my kitty, fed her, cleaned her litter, and took her outside.

made and ate breakfast.

booked swimming times at the local pool venture with friends at a local reptile farm.

finished getting ready for a code orange simulation for work.

unwound the kitty’s leash so she could move freely again.

updated my internet bill.

finished off bathroom update following a minor pipe leak.

broke down boxes piling up and updated warranties.

drank lemonade and cleaned up the table and cupboard. 

repacked for this weekend’s camping trip.

did a load of laundry and put away 2 others.

brought the kitty in.

emptied packed recycling bins.

changed the bed linen.

played a round of Wordscapes.

listened to an audiobook about Baye’s theorem and considered its application on medical and teaching practices and how it could help manage uncertainty.

put the kitty outside again.

hung new curtains and an old curtain rod.

fixed the mouldings in my bedroom where I hadn’t put enough finishing nails to eliminate gaps.

put the tools away, and planned for the next cleanup the basement project.

dusted the bedroom, and swept it, the bathroom and the kitchen.

brought the kitty in and fed her.

made tomato kale salad and artichoke kale red onion flatbread.

made chocolate peanut butter energy balls.

turned a cute kitty Kleenex box into a storage solution.

moved the cat tree to the backdoor for an unobstructed view.

watched the first half of a movie borrowed from the library until the blue ray player froze.

video chatted with  Princess Pirate.

installed a new smoke/CO alarm.

saw a last firefly and smiled in admiration of its spirit, even if unrequited.

did the dishes, again.

made this list.

set my alarm.

went to bed.

SIMPLE FOOD

 Back from camping, I had to use up some tomatoes that I had meant for Bruschetta, and after cutting away the mold, I had a nice Boursin garlic cheese that needed to be eaten fast. With some basil from the garden, and President's choice olive oil, I had lunch!

Princess Pirate had found these accordian potatoes on youtube, and I found a potato that needed a quick dress me up. I loved that it was in the shape of a heart. It wasn't perfect, but better than the Hasselback potatoes I had made before that took way longer and weren't so nice and crispy.

MY FIRST GOODFOOD MEAL

 I have tried a meal prep company before, and was comp'd another try with GoodFood. I have to say that it is well thought out, and quite beautifully designed, but the result is definitely more plastic garbage than to do it alone.

The first meal I made was a cauliflower lentil curry that was really quite tasty. The biggest delay was in preheating the over, which took 23 minutes to heat to 450F, but if I discount that time, the cooking time of 35 minutes was pretty accurate.

I grilled the naan for 5 minutes which was obviously way too long, and the sauce, before the suggested dilution, never did reduce well, but there was enough for 4 even though meant for 2, and it tasted delicious!

The next day version was just like the photo, and more company worthy.

CAMPING GOOD AND BAD

I have been in camping sites across North America and Europe, and the ones close to me have really improved the bathroom facilities from what I remember from my childhood and young adulthood. 

The ones at Mauricie Park were almost spa-worthy!

Our food depended on being non-perishable, so we did not always have the healthiest food, but here were a few of our meals:

Our s'mores were made over a propane stove which made it quicker and less smoky, but just as prone to burning! I found the special edition Maple Leaf goldfish after Canada, and grabbed the opportunity to try them.

We were never far from poison ivy, and wore long pants hiking so we didn't haven't to pay such close attention to avoiding it while walking.

This American black duck was very chill and came up on the beach very close to us. Not unduly tame, but clearly had been fed before by humans, although not crestfallen when these humans didn't.

Squirrels left their crumbs from pinecones they were eating.

A curious garter snake (his head is sticking up from the shadows between the boards).

Butterflies of all sorts.

I found in the camping supplies a ring to light to smoke mosquitos away that worked quite well.

The ground was a weird mix of sand and gravel. It drained well, but it was impossible to hammer the tent stakes in all the way, and bent most of the aluminum stakes which was less than ideal for a couple of rainy nights.

PARC LA MAURICIE

We spent a few days last week in one of two Canada Parks that we discovered last year. Parc La Mauricie is close to Shawinigan, and on our epic trip last year our visit to the park was during the day only, because we were staying in a hotel last time. 

This time we stayed at one of three main camping sites called Mistagance.

The park experience was everything I had hope for, except for three nights that were never clear enough to go start gazing.

We visited several lakes, and beaches. We took paths through forests and hiked paths that seem to go straight up a summit. It was a beautiful place to spend time in. 

Here are some pictures:

At the foot of the waterfalls

Lake Wapizagonke at Shewenegan beach under the bridge to the Waterfalls trail

                                      Pine Island from the peak of Bluff trail

An inviting dock at Alphonse Lake where we thought we swam alone, but Princess Pirate came out wearing a couple of unwanted leeches!

 

EATING WELL VEGETARIAN MENU

SEVEN DAYS 1500 calories

Pantry: oatmeal

quinoa

hamburger buns

peanut butter

almond butter

tortilla
walnuts

chia seed

black beans

ketchup

mustard

mayo

hummus

Shop: raspberries

bananas

apples

carrots

1 head lettuce

1 tomato, slice

1 portobello mushroom

1 red onion, sliced

eggs

Greek yogurt

Dark chocolate

PREP:

Bake a batch of 12 Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups at 375 C for 25 minutes (3 cups oats, 1/2 c milk, 2 mashed bananas, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 c toasted pecan - 1/3 cup each - Cool for 10 minutes then turn out.)

Shred 1 cup carrots.

Cook quinoa

Make 3 hard-boiled eggs.

Toast walnuts.

Make 4 (DOUBLE?) mushroom-quinoa burgers (Place 1 portobello, 1 c black beans, 2 T almond butter, 1T mayo, 1 tsp pepper, 3/4 cup paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor. Pulse and mix in 1/2 cup cooked quinoa and 1/4 cup oats. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Form 4 patties and heat in oil until crisp and golden, 4 minutes each side.)

Make special sauce (1 tsp ketchup, 1 tsp mustard, 2 T mayo, 1/4 tsp garlic powder)

Lemon-Roasted vegetable Hummus Bowls
1 serving basic green salad with vinaigrette (8 cups salad, 3 T EVOO, 2 T red wine vinegar, 1/2 t garlic, 1/2 t dijon)

DAY ONE

Breakfast 450 calories

1 cup oatmeal cooked in 2 cups water

1/3 cup raspberries

1 T  chopped and toasted walnuts

Snack 190 calories

1 apple

1 T PB

Lunch 345 calories

Whole-wheat Veggie wrap (8 inch tortilla, 2 T hummus, 1/4 avocado, 1 cup veggies, 2 T sharp cheddar cheese)

Snack 131 calories

1/2 c nonfat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup sliced strawberries

1 T chia seed

Dinner 394 calories

1 serving mushroom-quinoa veggie burgers with special sauce

DAY TWO

Breakfast 421 calories

1 servings Baked banana-nut oatmeal cups

2 clementines

DAY THREE

Spanakopita loaded potatoes - At 400 F, bake 4-10 oz russet potatoes for 50-60 minutes. (Fry 1 cup onion in oil, 3 cloves garlic, 1 lb or 4 cups spinach, and 1 tsp oregano. Reduce oven to 375 F. Remove baked potatoes, half and scoop out and mash. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese, 3/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 kosher salt. Stir in spinach mixture and 1/2 cup feta. Stuff each half with 3/4 cup filling. Top with 1T each of feta. Return to bake for 25-35 minutes, until feta is browned. 1 h45 minutes. 197 cal per half.

DAY FOUR

Buffalo Cauliflower Salad

DAY FIVE

Roasted Chickpea Curry Bowl

DAY SIX

DAY SEVEN

THIRTY DINNERS