STONES
& ROSES
DECEMBER 2006 NEWSLETTER
What a great month of weather we've just had!
Afternoon sunshine and warm winds made one forget the early morning's frosty
windshields and slick roads.
Wonder what December will bring?
DRUM CIRCLE INFORMATION
There is now a separate web page with all of the information about the London
and Dorchester drum circles.
Click here and poof, you'll be there.
Just don't forget to come back to this newsletter!
CLEANING 
NATURALLY
I usually warn visitors about my kitchen floors... one could eat off them...
and I love it when Maverick and Keller (grand-dogs) come to visit... that's
as natural as I get to cleaning. So imagine my surprise when I got an email
from Wendy at the Healthy Lifestyle
Store (the new one at the Mill Pond in Dorchester) inviting me to a seminar
on cleaning with natural products. I couldn't recall Wendy ever being to my
house and noticing the unnatural state of cleanliness but then I realized
it was an email to her whole mailing list so I didn't take it personally and
decided to trot over for this little event on Saturday afternoon.
Well, it was a really informative session led by April
Anderson who talked about cleaning with natural products... real natural
products, not the ones in the grocery stores that say they are natural. I
came home with a spritzer bottle of all purpose cleaner (water mixed with
2tbsp. natural liquid detergent or 1 tbsp. regular liquid detergent, 3 drops
of tea tree essential oil for disinfectant, 4 drops of lavender essential
oil). I cleaned the west windows. No streaks. Great smell. I used the spritzer
bottle on the mold that takes up residence on the bottom of the window frames
this time of year. Mold gone. Nice smell. I'm sold.
Wendy carries some great natural cleaning products at the Healthy
Lifestyle Store or you can make your own up with water and plain detergent
and some essential oils. Actually I think you should have April Anderson to
your house for your own seminar... invite in a few friends for tea and tarts
and learn more about the natural approach to cleaning. Invite me too... I'd
like to hear it all again.
SECOND BLOOM DESIGN
UNIQUE HOME ACCENTS AND GARDEN SERVICES
Sunday 3rd December
1- 5pm
5349 Marion Street, Dorchester
519.268.8374
Doris sent me an email about an Open House at Sue and Dean Bedell's place
just down the road from our house.
Sue is starting up her home-based business that has
"one of a kind, hand-crafted pieces for your home and garden... many
of the hand-crafted pieces are made from recycled materials."
I'll be busy with 28 guests for a Christmas brunch so won't be able to get
to it.
I shall call and make an appointment to go another day though.
SPEAKING OF BRUNCH FOR A BUNCH ...
Yes, there will be 28 here for brunch on Sunday.
I love a bunch coming to visit and I love doing brunches so what a great combination.
I found this great recipe for baked eggs... you get to visit instead of standing
over the stove frying eggs for everyone.
Here's the recipe in case you want to try it some day...
1/4 c. butter |
Melt the butter in 9 x 13" pan to coat the bottom. Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Pour into pan. Bake until eggs are set but still moist: 45min. - 1 hour in 325F oven. Cut into squares and serve hot. |
RITUAL OF RE-MEMBERING
Wednesday 6th December
Noon
Brescia Auditorium
Free Parking
On December 6th, 1989 a young man, enraged by the number of women in the
School of Engineering whom he perceived to be threatening his admittance,
entered L'École Polytechnique and massacred fourteen women students.
It was an event that awoke many Canadians to the reality of violence against
women in our society.
The Ritual of Re-Membering seeks the creation of sacred time and sacred space
to honour the loss of their young lives and the lives of all women that have
been lost to gender-based violence.
The ritual moves through our grief and sadness into hope and power for transformation
and change.
For more information, please contact Sister Patricia McLean at 432-8353, ext.
288.
I will be going to this ritual... if you would like to car pool, email
me.
UNDER AN AFRICAN SKY
Saturday 9th December
John Labatt Centre
$25.00
Together with Stephen Lewis, Barbara Coloroso, The African Children's Choir,
David Bradstreet, Liam and Brent Titcomb, London will play host to an event
that will offer hope and healing to the people of Africa and raise funds for
commuinty-based projects supporting people living with HIV/AIDS.
All proceeds will be donated to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
Tickets are $25.
Photo Credit: Scott Morgan, 2006/Stephen Lewis Foundation
STUART MCLEAN'S "THE VINYL CAFE"
Sunday 10th December
Centennial Hall
Stuart is coming again to London for his annual Christmas show of music and
storytelling.
Wonder what Morley and Dave and the kids are up to this year?
If you can't catch Stuart live at the show, you can catch him on CBC Radio
on Saturdays and Sundays.
WOMEN'S CANADIAN CLUB
Thursday 7th December
Centennial Hall
Denise Pelley will be the featured entertainment at this month's gathering.
What a great way to spend an afternoon after a morning of Christmas shopping.
Price of admission at the door is $20.00
A yearly membership is $45.00
I thought I'd put a plug in here for the Canadian Blood Services... the agency on Commissioners Road that gathers donations of whole blood, platelets, plasma, and bone marrow. The last time I went over to donate they put me through the usual screening tests: questionnaires, iron tests, blood pressure tests, temperature, all that medical stuff. Then they asked if I had taken any aspirin or other drugs in the last three days because my blood was headed over to the nursery for a few of the babies. That's a pretty cool feeling hearing that. Click on the title above and you'll go to their website and find out more about donating. They like you to call for an appointment so that your donation is hassle-free: 1-888-2-DONATE
The Rhythm Sisters present
WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION
FRIDAY 22nd DECEMBER
LOTUS CENTRE, LONDON
WINTER SOLSTICE
a time to celebrate the lengthening daylight
a time to reflect upon the darkness and the light
a time for fellowship and fun
Contact a RhythmSister
for more information.
NUTS!
At one of the Rhythm Sisters rehearsals I had put out a bowl of almonds. Julie
loved them and asked for the recipe. Well, you know how I love sharing recipes
so here are two of our favourite nut recipes that get bagged up for Christmas
presents.... along with the pear butter.
| ALMOND NUT CLUSTERS | SPICED PECANS |
| 2 c. whole unblanched almonds 1/2 c. white sugar 2 tbsp. butter 1 tsp. vanilla 3/4 tsp. salt Melt the butter in a deep frying pan. Add the sugar and the nuts. Stir constantly and heat together until golden brown and the nuts start to 'spit'... about 15 minutes. Watch out... the sugar might burn and you'll end up with a burnt almond taste. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Spread on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt. Don't touch the hot nut/sugar mixture with your bare fingers... it'll burn. |
1 lb. (500g) pecan halves |
CHRISTMAS COMETH
Whether we're ready or not it will arrive and take up residence in our homes
for an evening, a day, a weekend, a week.
For however long we welcome the "day", it will remain.
I wish for you all the best of Christmas ... however, whenever, and wherever
you celebrate it.
Penny