Living Large in a Mini Van
As soon as I knew I was moving to Cape Breton, I did the obvious and joined a week-long step-dancing program. OK, maybe it wasn’t the most obvious thing to do, but it felt like the most important. So much so, I didn’t even take time to consult my brain or hip, who both had … Continue reading Falling in Step
The Slow Food Road Trip had some health issues from the get-go. I had a hard time leaving family to hit the road again. I’d been away a year; I missed them and they seemed to miss me too. I had a garden insisting to be planted in Ottawa; it felt unusually urgent my son have kale. It … Continue reading Here Lies the Slow Food Road Trip
I’m not much of a “bread” person - I suspect it leads me to overeat and feel bloated - but I enjoy “wraps,” which don’t have the same effect, so I buy them regularly to cuddle my salad fixings. Spelt is an “ancient” grain with a different kind of gluten and I’ve heard some people … Continue reading Day 7: The Beach Tortilla
Having discovered unexpected changes at two of my favourite local food spots yesterday (one closed and one having been purchased by a larger company) I wandered out to visit Fifth Town Cheese in Waupoos, where I hadn’t been for a few years. The road there hugs the lake, winding by estates and new vineyards, grand … Continue reading Day 6: Chasing Cheese
On almost every hill in this County stands a testament to the big work done by early settlers, to avoid starvation I imagine. I stop regularly to admire these silent, stately giants. Many are preserved, but many return to the earth with the homesteads they were paired with. After a morning barn-admiring, I spent time … Continue reading Day 5: Letting Food Speak for Itself
I went fishing with a friend in Arizona this winter. Words would have made noise in the quiet beauty of that desert lake. No fish were biting, but I contentedly watched as he rhythmically casted, again and again. There was a lovely whirrrrrrr, and the line would hit the water some distance away. If he … Continue reading Day 4: Waiting for a Bite
Friends think I’m kooky when I sleep in my van rather than their comfortable guest room. Especially when the weather is “bad.” But my van is a cocoon and I’m a happy caterpillar, even when the skies open up. Last night we fell asleep to rain pounding on the roof. We slept long and deep, … Continue reading Day 3: Rain Day
I’m pretty tired of food rules, so I won’t be following many on this trip. I’m just setting off with the basic premise that plants and animals constitute potential human food sources, and if they are grown, raised or foraged within about 100 km of where I am, I will consider them “home grown” or … Continue reading Day 2: Confessions of a Serial Food Dater
My high school reunion coincided with the launch of this adventure- poor planning on my part! Since it included social eating and festivities, not much happened in the local food department on day one, I’m afraid. My apologies for the delay. Now let’s get this show on the road! I think we should start by … Continue reading Day 1: Setting the Table
Spring greetings to my online hitch-hikers. If, like me, you are antsy to get back on the road, I have good news; a sweet salve for that pesky itch. Pack your bags, its time for another road trip! I’ve been on a little writing hiatus, resting at “base camp” in Ottawa; visiting friends, reconnecting with … Continue reading The Slow Food Road Trip- Coming Soon!