Mid-summer in Strathcona Community Garden
Highlights from the 2015 Vancouver Mini Maker Faire
I finally made it to Vancouver’s Mini Maker Faire. Cool event – interesting to have the more industrial, manufacturing, and technical stuff in the same place as the crafty/fibre stuff that attracts me. Gives it a different flavour. Lots of crazy people, but in the best possible way: see the pic below of the woman wearing a set of 10-foot (or wider?) expandable feathered wings. I had a peek at their frame and they must be so heavy! But they did look spectacular as they unfolded. Too bad my landscape-oriented photo that showed them at their full width was too blurry. Probably what made my jaw drop more than anything else was the guy who makes needle-felted Star Wars figures. I experimented with a bit of needle-felting at another booth (Fun! Blushing Lotus designs – ended up getting a kit) and I can’t imagine attempting to make a set of realistic people that way. He and his twin brother have made dozens, which they’ve then used as characters in photo board book versions of classics such as Moby Dick and Pride and Prejudice. Amazing. Now regretting not buying one.
By the Vancouver Lego Club
3-D printer in action – one of the larger and fancier models on display.
By the International Guild of Knot-Tyers (Pacific Branch)
More on these at the website of the creators – who happen to be twins: jackandholman.com
A bunch of stuff made with a different 3-D printer.
Wings built by Martin Hunger of Times Past Entertainment. I believe the woman wearing them is his partner Christina Carr.
Learn to solder stations…
BC Mechano Modellers – the work of many different modellers on display here.
Amazing mechano model.
At the booth of the Antipod Workshop Textile Design Studio
Strathcona 1890 Truck Farm
The year that was in flowers
My favourites of 2014, including ones I grew: my first rose, my first hollyhock, my first hydrangea, as well as sweet peas, gladioli, peonies, clematis, nasturtiums, cornflowers and zinnia (though not all shown). Others seen by the road, in gardens or bought.
First cut blossom from the first rose I’ve ever grown: Young Lycidas from David Austin. So glad I bought it.
Blossom from the first hollyhock I’ve grown.
My other best garden bouquet: Gladioli, hydrangea, rose, sweet peas
Garden bouquet: Gladioli and sweet peas
One of my best garden bouquets – gladioli, rose, sweet peas
One of my best garden bouquets – gladioli, rose, sweet peas
Two favourite things: my bike and my garden
Gladioli from my garden and sweet peas
My other best garden bouquet: Gladioli, hydrangea, rose, sweet peas
Not sure what these are called but seen at the Portland Rose Garden in Washington City Park.
View of Burrard Inlet from community garden off Ambleside Beach
In Strathcona Community Garden
Seen at the Portland Rose Garden
A greenhouse of nasturtiums at Fraser Commons Farm in Langley
Seen at the Portland Rose Garden
Seen at the Portland Rose Garden
Tulip bouquet arranged by the talented folks at Flowerbox on the Drive
Seen at the Portland Rose Garden
Seen at the Portland Rose Garden
My Young Lycidas
Castilleja (aka Indian Paintbrush) near Yachats, Oregon on the coastal highway
Lavender farm near Mount Hood
Seen in Queen Elizabeth Park
Perennial sweet peas by the road
Seen on East 10th. Flowers trailing over stone or concrete fences – love that..
Tulips!
A spectacular Asian Dogwood in Queen Elizabeth Park
Peonies, not mine, in Strathcona Community Garden
Irises behind a rusty cast iron fence, near the corner of Adanac and Commercial Dr.
Overlooking the Columbia Gorge at twilight, perennial sweet peas
In Strathcona Community Garden
The year that was in food
I wanted to cook more in 2014. I did. Here’s the food I made or grew and remembered to photograph…
Savoury oatmeal. This version with a soft-poached egg, grated cheddar and green onions. My new favourite breakfast, still.
Matzoh ball soup – first recipe of the year.
Slow cooker carmelized onions
Greens and eggs for breakfast. This became a theme.
Tomato soup with carmelized onions
More greens and eggs for brekkie, this time with chicken.
Oatmeal with peanut butter and fruit – another favourite breakfast.
Slow-cooker steel cut oats of some sort, with jam on top.
Yellow dahl: a potluck staple
Berry cobbler: a favourite summer dessert
Cream of mushroom soup: an old favourite
Veggie pate with cranberry mayo and green onions
Raisin pudding: so sweet, so delicious
Exception to the rule. Didn’t make this one, but it is the best latte art I had all year.
I ate these later, so they count as food.
Kimchi Yaki Udon
Selkirk Bannock
July 1 potluck picnic in Stanley Park
Tomato cobbler: Mark Bittman recipe
Garden work party potluck
Blueberry, peach and raspberry fruit salad . Love this combo.
Quince paste, made with quinces from Strathcona Community Garden, on toast. Worth the trouble.
July 3 – first raspberries from my garden
My own tomatoes and basil here
Some of my August harvest.
A kale smoothie, because I said I’d try it.
Steak and spinach salad, topped with Boursin cheese
Rice pudding
Chocolate cupcakes
Hmmn, not sure…some kind of green eggs, sans ham. Probably pesto.
Steel cut oats, soft-poached egg, arugula sauteed in bacon fat
Another delicious savoury oatmeal variation. Egg, bacon, blue cheese, green onion.
Two kinds of chia pudding. Surprisingly good. One was chocolate peanut butter, the other blueberry peach (I think).
Karen Sawatzky 