Earlier in May, my parents and I returned to Utah for another hiking trip. We went to Zion and Bryce National Parks back in October, so this time we visited Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef National Parks. I love learning to identify things: animals (easy), birds (harder), trees (harder still), and wildflowers. When I worked […]
flowers
Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread is a buttery cookie from the UK. It’s often sweet, so I’m not 100% sure why it’s called ‘shortbread’ and not ‘shortcake’ (which is obviously a different dessert). From what I have read, the word ‘short’ comes from the crumbly texture of both shortbread and shortcake, not that they were made with shortening, which […]
Hanami and a Baby Reindeer
One of our new favourite traditions in Toronto is going for hanami. For the second year, we’ve trekked to the packed but beautiful High Park for hanami, or cherry blossom viewing. This year was much hotter and the crowds seemed bigger but hanami has definitely become a symbol that spring in the city is really […]
The Flowers of Spring
My favourite flowers are the early spring blossoms. Daffodils, hyacinths, tulips – they all mark the end of another long winter and promise a hot sunny summer to come. I’m not talented in the garden and unfortunately have killed more than a couple of my plants. The flowers that survive in our apartment are the heartiest ones that […]
DIY: How to Make Lavender Sugar
This is a lovely way to lightly scent sugar with the floral essence of lavender. I like to use it in place of regular white sugar in some baking (excellent in shortbreads), sprinkled on some sugar cookies, or even as a sweetener in a cup of tea. It takes a few days to ‘steep,’ but […]