October 10, 2017
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The bounty continues….

With a warm October and 5 indeterminate tomato plants, we continue to pick plenty of delicious tomatoes each day.

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I’m going to roast these ones down to make a sauce for some fresh pasta, with some fried shiitake mushrooms. We still have lots of larger green zebras which are a few days away from ripening, and some Mennonite Orange and Mortgage Lifters which need another week. As long as the weather holds up I’ll keep them on the plants as long as possible. At the first serious frost warning, I’ll pick any tomatoes left on the plants for roasting.

 

October 10, 2017
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Thanksgiving dinner in Uxbridge

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We had a lovely time yesterday evening celebrating (Canadian!) Thanksgiving with family on Tuffy P’s side in Uxbridge. Viviane made a terrific dinner with enough variety to accommodate both the turkey hounds among us as well as the vegetarians and vegans. Viv is missing in the photo because she snapped it! It was great to hang out with everyone and enjoy a feast.

October 6, 2017
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Cut & Paste

Here’s a little Friday morning collage….

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Also, for anyone who missed my post a few days ago, I have an exhibition called Shapeworks opening up at Yumart Gallery here in Toronto at 401 Richmond. It’s on October 7-28. There will be a an opening reception Saturday October 14, 2-4.

Filed under: Art
October 5, 2017
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Ward Allen on fiddle

Here’s Ward Allen’s first recording, The Maple Leaf Two Step.

Ward Allen lived a short life, from 1924 to 1965 but made quite a mark on Canadian fiddle music. He won many contests including the Canadian Open Fiddlers’ contest. His most enduring composition, Maple Sugar, has been performed by fiddlers everywhere.

Here’s one more Ward Allen tune I love, The CNE Breakdown.

 

October 4, 2017
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It’s about not knowing…

I was surfing around the YouTube a short while ago, getting my morning fix of old time music, when I stumbled across: 2 Guys Named Ben: Episode 12 Chicken Train. This immediately caught my attention because the Chicken Train CD is among my fave old time recordings, featuring John Herrmann, John Engle and Meredith MacIntosh.

Last June at Midwest Banjo Camp, I participated in a couple of John Herrmann’s banjo workshops and they were exceptionally helpful to me.

Check out this excellent video, in which the folks in Chicken Train talk about the role of the banjo and the fiddle as well as how they wound up living in Asheville NC.

October 2, 2017
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New work packed up and ready to go

Yesterday I took some time to put titles on the back of my new works and wrap them up for transport to Yumart this week.

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Summer Days, 2017 Acrylic on masonite

My exhibition, Shapeworks, will run October 7-18. Due to the long weekend the opening reception will be Saturday October 14, 2:00 – 4:00.

Yumart is located at 401 Richmond, here in Toronto (enter from the NE entrance of the building to the lower concourse).

 

 

 

Filed under: Art
September 29, 2017
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The garlic experiment

This season, with the hedge between the properties on the south side and the sad sack larch next door both gone, it’s opened up enough sun for tomatoes, and that experiment was a great success. I figure if there is enough sun for tomatoes there is going to be enough sun for garlic too. With that in mind, today I expanded the new flower garden up front by the book box, giving me enough room to plant plenty enough garlic to keep us happy next year.

Last week, Tuffy P came home with some garlic for planting. I don’t know what variety it is. However, it even came with handy-dandy fool-proof instructions. Screen Shot 2017-09-29 at 1.49.31 PM.jpg

How could I go wrong? I didn’t think I was going to be able to do this today because it was drizzling a bit earlier this morning, but that really didn’t amount to enough rain to wet the ground. Now it’s turned into a lovely sunny afternoon. Perfect.