Regular Blog readers will have noticed that no Sunday Reflections post appeared this week. As noted last Saturday, Sunday was quite the marathon- All Ages Gathering in the morning, CTM Board meeting in the afternoon and Crossroads in the evening. Then Monday was the Day Camp committee, that means dinner to prepare and serve and then a meeting. By the time I got to Tuesday it seemed a little redundant to offer a reflection on Sunday!
Some of the photos above give a glimpse into the Harvest /Thanksgiving All Ages, and the Day Camp dinner. Our dessert, Apple Pandowdy will also feature as this week’s recipe! Crossroads was much more mellow than the frenetic September Gathering. Syndi- Belle gave a super talk on the topic of “Digital Detox”.
At our Day Camp meeting we welcomed a new member in Mikaela, a two-time Team Leader with a passion for Day Camps, she suffered a bit from information overload at the meeting but I think she enjoyed it and I’m sure will bring lots of fresh energy to the mix!
So as of Tuesday I was busy typing up Board Minutes and also following up on several tasks as well as on all the ideas which came out of the Day Camps meeting.
We are still planning on posting a “Wednesday Words” this month (there is one more Wednesday on which to squeeze it in!!) and this year’s theme of reminiscences from Campers, recent and from long ago, should prove really interesting. This Wednesday Jillian came over and gave some valuable help in fixing up more of the small glitches still arising from the return of the computer. We also enjoyed an early supper together (Eggplant and Mango Soba Noodle Salad) before she dashed off to a Bible Study.
Thursday evening there was a meeting at St. Stephen’s for the Sunday Gatherings Design Team, of which I am a Member. Our congregation is about to receive a final report on the findings of the Futures Committee and it looks no matter what that the status quo will not be remaining. More on this as it all unfolds.
And then it was Friday! The latter part of the week has been very rainy with this morning being no exception. Wil and I just came home from a VERY wet walk and sadly there will be no leaf raking or other garden work today. But this afternoon I will be continuing with Christmas Baking
(more gingerbread cookies and Stöllen) and Steven is coming for dinner tonight so I’m also preparing a French recipe for
stuffed pumpkin that sounds very yummy.
Early in the week I harvested MORE herbs and shared them with Sebastian and his Mum, bagged a bunch and froze them for Victoria, hung more bunches in the basement for my own cooking and this evening Steven will be picking up thyme, oregano and sage, which I gathered for him.
Afternoons I managed to finish up a bit more Christmas sewing. I’m really happy with the Market Tote from
Purl Soho and made five as gifts.
Yesterday afternoon I cut out a whole lot of fabric bags in which I will be packaging my presents. This is the third year I have chosen to move a way from paper wrapping. Even though paper is recyclable I think it is more fun to provide a small extra “gift” with a fabric bag that can be repurposed long after Christmas is over. I hope to be sewing these up next week, along with a couple of other projects.
Another knitted present has also been cast off, a second hat in the same pattern as the blue one I finished last week. For a change a neck warmer is now on the needles.
Now, before I head off to begin baking here is the recipe for Apple Pandowdy:-
- Pastry for a single piecrust
- 6-8 large apples (I used Braeburns)
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 Tbsp. coarse cane sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°. Peel and core the apples and cut into thin slices, place in a deep oval casserole. Stir in the maple syrup and cranberries. Roll the pastry into an oval shape on a floured surface. Arrange the crust atop the apples and crimp the edges. With a small sharp knife cut 8 one-inch squares in the crust, leaving them in position. Bake for 35 minutes. Turn the oven up to 400°, remove the pandowdy from the oven and sprinkle the sugar over the crust. Return to the oven and bake for a further 30-35 minutes until the crust is golden and the juices and bubbling up through the holes. Cool for a few minutes then serve with a pitcher of heavy cream. Serves 6
