Katie Geranium

some fall canning!

2009-11-06T08:54:00.015-05:00

well, Maryann and I had been collecting mason jars of all sizes over the entire summer.

our homes were swimming with them, and we finally had last Saturday set to get those jars filled.

then, Mary came down with the dreaded flu.

So, the plans changed. To my house all the jars arrived and the 3 huge bags of tomatoes that Maryann had bought. Carla came over with all her bean supplies and Robyn met up with us halfway through the day.

Lots of beans, apples and tomatoes cut and peeled and blanched and peeled...
inducing a large mess!

a few mishaps followed, this is me realizing that our canning pot is WAAAAY too small for most of the recipes we had planned on. So off to Canadian Tire went Carla to buy our bigger.... MUCH BIGGER canner.

Then, while sterilizing our jars, we lost a 1L wide mouth guy :(
and then when we were boiling the filled jars we lost another, imagine our surprise when we lifted the lid to reveal a lot of apples swimming around our jars!!

Here is just a small taste of the end product!

There you have some of the many number of canned tomatoes, and some apple pie in a jar,
and not pictured are pickled green beans, strawberry jam and tomato-mango salsa.

Now that I have finally done this, one to cross off the to-do-list, it seems so much easier than anticipated. Next summer we have big plans to can all kinds of fresh fruit and veggies.

Katie Geranium Update

2009-10-03T14:35:00.003-04:00

Helloooo lovelies!!

Shop update today, two new quilts.

I have a some baby blankets and a scarf to list as well, but the battery in my camera died mid-shoot.
dang.

Those will be in the shop later today or tomorrow!

toodaloo!

2009-09-11T08:45:00.008-04:00

Hello everyone!

Summer is over and I am back to school!
A little bit of a curve ball as I decided a week before classes started.
I am currently attending School of the Word Canada, here in Ottawa, with 15 other lovely folks. And it is soooooo exciting. God really put this in my lap at the perfect time... but more on that later, I'm not quite ready to share this story with the blogging world.

As well as being sooo excited to be in school, I am very very very pleased to announce that I have opened an etsy shop!!

Presenting...

this has been almost a year in the making, with procrastination and worries and slacker attitude.

It is currently a little sparse, but I knew that I had to get something in there, or I would never do it. I have three quilts about to be quilted together that will be appearing in the shop sometime next week, and stay tuned for some tea cozies and some more coasters.

Also, I will be switching over to a new blog sometime in the near future. I'll let you know when that actually happens!

This year is a very exciting one, I have class all morning which gives me my afternoons to do studying and work on some crafty projects, and I have gone down to part time at the hospital, so I am able to work a little, but have it not interfere with school.

I am soooooo stoked for this year!!

lets get ready for.....

2009-07-22T20:56:00.002-04:00

SOME RELAXING!!

so, it is wednesday
i will spend tomorrow packing,
i work friday and then...

Beth and I are off to Campbellford for the weekend,
then Muskoka for some cottage time until thursday,
then Bon Echo, where we will join back up with our husbands, for some camping with some lovely friends and church family
then back to Ottawa where I work monday night...
then to Gatineau for more cottaging with family and friends
and to cap it all off the wedding of the most lovely Ashleigh and Mattie.

then back to the real world for about 5 days...

then I'm jetting off to the exciting city of Saskatoon.

may not seem exciting to all, but it is my prairie home and I get to visit with my prairie family, the Brotens!

HURRAH FOR THIS SUMMER!!!

the big spring purge!

2009-06-01T18:28:00.004-04:00

So, this spring I have been bit by the cleaning bug... I have unloaded a few car loads of our unused belongings at Value Village... which has been making our house a little more clutter free.

After a ridiculous quest to locate a shirt yesterday morning before going to meet with my lovely Church... I decided that I needed to purge some clothes.

Taking my cue from Renovate My Wardrobe and a lot of inspiration from This Young House, I cleared everything out and like RMW, I decided to count all the items I had before and all the items I had left. It was a bit frightening really.

	Before	After
Jeans	10	5
Dress Pants	1	0
Capris	5	3
PJ Pants	4	1
Skirts	14	5
Cardigans	17	11
T-Shirts	23	12
Dressy T's	10	7
Shorts	9	4
3/4 length shirts	6	5
Sweatshirts	19	11
Thin Zips	3	2
Long Sleeve Shirts	5	1
Sleep Shirts	11	3
Tanks	11	6
Dresses	13	8
Sweatpants	3	3
Bras	13	8
Sports Bras	5	5
Socks	61	35
Undertanks	12	10
Sweaters	2	2
Long Undies - Tops	2	1
Long Undies - Bottoms	3	3

Total	262	151

So the big total difference was 111. I just got rid of 111 items of clothing that I either never wore, were too small or so old that they were kind of gross to continue wearing. Some things are heading to Value Village and some things headed straight into the garbage, and some things are being saved for crafty projects.

I would like to get rid of a bit more, but sometimes a little sentimentality will overrule. I figure if I haven't worn any summery items by the end of July, I can get rid of those as well...

sigh.......it's nice to clean house.

whoops

2009-04-27T18:47:00.003-04:00

sorry for the long delay between postings! i realized that i have been spending my time reading other blogs and not posting on my own.

a plunge may soon be taken. it's hush hush.

2009-01-30T19:31:00.003-05:00

“I like to imagine that the world is one big machine. You know, machines never have any extra parts. They have the exact number and type of parts they need. So I figure if the entire world is a big machine, I have to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too.”

-Hugo Cabret
from The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

surprise surprise

2009-01-27T22:55:00.003-05:00

*current background noise...project runway canada*
(this cycle filmed in Ottawa!)

so i just recently renewed my library card at the ottawa public library (after i paid off a 2 year old fine of 34 dollars - yikes!)

i've stopped in multiple times over the past few weeks, one of my newest favourite things to do is peruse the cd's and pull out any that look interesting or quaint or really pretty and i take them home to listen to. and so far the results have been fantastic!!

here are the the great new musicians i have fallen in love with:
-forest city lovers-
-ben sollee-
-sandrine-
-kate maki-
-josianne paradis-
-clap your hands say yeah-

i really like kate maki.

i've been driving around the city with her singing in my ears.

this is one line that i kept singing like this...

'is it worth its' weight in scarves?'

i thought to myself... what a lovely and clever line... then i realized it really was
'is it worth its' weight in scars?'

sometimes i like to sing the wrong words.

thom always enjoys car rides with me because i sing along to every song really loud and i keep singing even if i don't know the words. i totally just make them up to fill
in the voids!

Maryann's new quote of the week...

2009-01-20T19:08:00.003-05:00

Ben loves to poke fun at the many Maryann quotes...
here is one from last night

Kate: 'Mary! I made a terrarium!'
Mary: 'a what?!?'
Kate: 'A TER-RARE-EE-UM!!' (said very slow and loud)
Mary: 'OH!! I love those!!'

on hindsight it doesn't seem that funny, but it sure seemed like it at the time!

gas prices

2008-11-21T09:16:00.003-05:00

2 days ago i filled up the little golf at 78.8
i thought to myself: "this is magical!
i never thought gas would ever be below a dollar again in my lifetime,
this is the lowest it has been in weeks,
i AM a winner!"

the next day gas dropped to 75.3

dang

thom says it doesn't amount to much in dollars

clearly the non-driver does not understand the principle of finding the lowest gas prices ever.

note that the non driver thing is not a real dig as thom being a non-driver ensures the fact that i always have the car when i need it! ;)

the newest quilt!

2008-10-26T23:35:00.015-04:00

Here is a new little quilt for the lovely Wilkins babe to be!

I am finding that my quilting is taking less and less time,
i started this one on Wednesday and finished it this morning.
total time approximately 6 hours.

Thomas thought it looked a little familiar...
i wasn't sure why, until we compared it to the quilt i made for him when we started dating.

here are thom and i holding up the 2 quilts.

as per usual, the back was done in a little bit of flannelette.
this particular pattern i found at the craft/fabric/sewing show with my mom and cousin Colleen. Colleen has all the inside scoops on where to get the best stuff and have the best days ever!!!

Stay tuned for pictures from my Sasky adventure!

A little bit of thursday night bowling

2008-10-25T18:03:00.005-04:00

it's thursday night.

Robyn, Noah, Sara, Ryan and Kate are out bowling.

Kate

Robyn

Sara

Ryan and Noah

an exerpt from my drive-Hamilton to Ottawa

2008-10-19T17:14:00.005-04:00

I Feel It All-Feist

Fly Away-JJ Heller

Mercy-Duffy

Over Tokyo-Collective Soul

The Good That Won’t Come Out-Rilo Kiley

Bad Reputation-Joan Jett

Crown-Collective Soul

Open Up The Heavens-Hillsong

I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone-Sleater Kinney

The Fallen-Franz Ferdinand

Solidify-Sheryl Crow

Around This Corner-Sarah Harmer

Mushaboom (Postal Service Mix)-Feist

Rangers-A Fine Frenzy

Death And All His Friends-Coldplay

Not Ready To Make Nice-Dixie Chicks

I’m Your Angel-Cub

The Blower’s Daughter-Damien Rice

Wildwood Flower-Reese Witherspoon

Swallowed In The Sea-Coldplay

Talkin’ Bout A Revolution-Tracy Chapman

Unity Or Grenadine-Age Of Electric

Cannonball-Damien Rice

Come On, Come Out-A Fine Frenzy

Lemon-U2

Spitting Games-Snow Patrol

Great and Mighty-Planet Shakers

C’mon People (We’re Making It Now)-Richard Ashcroft

Keep The Car Running-The Arcade Fire

The Wanderer-U2 featuring Johnny Cash

My Number-Tegan and Sara

God You Are My God-Delirious?

God’s Romance-Delirious?

Chemical Calisthenics-Blackalicious

Making Pies-Patty Griffin

Build Me Up Buttercup-The Goops

Til Kingdom Come-Coldplay

Brick-Ben Folds Five

In Tuesday's Star Phoenix!!

2008-10-14T10:29:00.003-04:00

ON THE RIVER AGAIN: Matthew and Nancy Johnson, along with their dog Cleo, paddle the South Saskatchewan River through Saskatoon Sunday (above) following their wedding ceremony. The couple was photographed by The StarPhoenix in March 2007 (left), just before they began dating, on the river in the same red canoe and thought it would be fitting on their special day to mark one of the things that brought them together.

both photos by Gord Waldner

running back to saskatoon

2008-10-03T14:27:00.002-04:00

that's right folks. I am off to visit the good ol' SK. My first extended visit in 4 years. i figure the one night that Thom and I spent 3 summers ago doesn't really count.

the elusive ninnygoat is getting hitched!

hurrah!

ode to an ironing board

2008-09-25T18:11:00.007-04:00

A real conversation:

Rodney brings in his ironing board to do some ironing
Kate-"oh Rodney, i'm so jealous of your ironing board"
Rodney-"don't you have one?"
Kate-"yes... but yours is soooooo big!"

Since I became a quilter I have had a few different ironing boards.

The small green one was given to me by a friend. I was still in residence in first year and did not have one.

When Thom and I got married we upgraded to a bigger ikea one. Rather flimsy and not very big.

Then this year for my birthday, my lovely husband bought me a real true ironing board.
A few people were worried that my husband was going to be in trouble for getting me such a domestic item for my birthday. Truly it was one of my best presents ever. Every time i take it out to iron, i say and say "this is the best ironing board ever"

to put the size of these ironing baords into perspective here are Charlie and I beside the original ironing board. the 'baby' if you will.

keep in mind that Charlie is a mini weenie.

that is some small ironing board.

2008-09-12T09:58:00.002-04:00

She plays wipe out on the drums
The squirrels and the birds come
Gather 'round to sing the guitar
Oh - I...have you got nothing to say
When all words fail, she speaks
Her mix tapes a masterpiece
Walks through the garden
So the roses can see
Oh - I ... have you got nothing to say

And you can see the roses in her footsteps
Dandelions, butterflies
I wanna be Kate

Everyday she wears the same thing
I think she smokes pot
She's everything I want
She's everything I'm not
Oh - I ... have you got nothing to say

She never gets wet
She smiles and it's a rainbow
And she speaks and she breathes
I wanna be Kate

Down by Rosemary and Cameron
She hands out the Bhagavad Gita
I see her 'round every couple days
I wanna meet her so that I can say, "Hey Kate..."

by Ben Folds, Darren Jessee, and Anna Goodman

a big move.

2008-09-11T17:02:00.013-04:00

at the end of august, my sister Danielle packed up her montreal apartment and moved back to the Calg. to start her teaching career. she asked me when she left if i wanted to come and take any of the things that she had left in her apartment.

i decided that i did!

Little did i know that she really had left most of her things.

this is the van full of all her stuff (also, my little sister Roslyn was
in montreal, a week before i was, with her boyfriend Reid and a suburban and she also took a bunch of stuff back to my mom's new place!)

my favourite moment of the whole trip?

THIS...

i moved this double mattress down 2 flights of stairs and into the MacKinnon's van all by myself!!

wowee!

i of course managed to fit in a little bit of shopping, urban outfitters where i bought a lovely little feather headband that the plume would approve of whole-heartedly.

and to the new H&M for some skinny jeans and a few new tops.

sigh.

Simon's 1st Birthday!

2008-08-31T23:28:00.009-04:00

so our lovely little next-door-baby turned one on August 19th.

simon is my special little man, as i was privileged to be at his birth a year ago.

we had a small little 'neighbours' party. sadly, ryan and sara were away, so it was ben and sarah and thom and i celebrating one year of life.

simon and 'auntie' kate

simon and 'uncle' thomas

simon and sarah; his mama

simon and sara; the mama, and benoit; the papa

Happy Birthday Simon!
you are a wonderful little man with a LOT of personality.
i look forward to another exciting year!

And thank you to Ben and Sarah for always including Thom and I your lives.
We love you all soooo much!

a whirrlwind

2008-08-15T10:49:00.005-04:00

well, i am back from the whirlwind tour of campbellford and hamilton.
the lovely beth and pat are married, but i have no photos as most of the day was spent
watching as those two said their 'i dos' and then i worried about my speech until it
was over. hopefully i can snag a few once they get their actual photos back.
it was a truly lovely day.

then off to hamilton for a baby shower for my cousin kelly.

this time i brought charlie with me to meet the fam.
here's rozzy and the little man

and here they are again with my auntie maureen and the big Charlie.
yes there are indeed 2 weenies named charlie in my family.
as you can see, big charlie is a standard dachshund and little charlie is a mini.
the were very happy to meet one another.
very happy indeed.

this is for sure our best day ever!!

2008-07-26T19:59:00.002-04:00

that is me exclaiming to my mom, auntie pat, cousin colleen and my new friend stephanie after a full day of searching through general stores, candle shops, christmas stores, etc. (maryann imagine that store in wakefield 10 times bigger with super cheap prices!!!!)

we started at 8:30 am and my mom and i just arrived home at 8:00 pm.

rain and crazy drivers could not deter us one bit.

then i got to see colleen's beautiful farmhouse which is exactly as i would envision my own home. bee-u-ti-ful!! and filled with kate-like knick-knacks!

and a whole room devoted to quilting!! sigh...

off to camp tomorrow morn for a fun and (hopefully) non-medical emergency week.

love!

camp!!

2008-07-24T07:06:00.003-04:00

I'm off to camp this weekend! Today I will travel to Hamilton to see my mom and little Ramona and my mom's new house, then, Saturday I'll head up to Ryerson Camp for a week to be........
the camp nurse!!!!
HURRAH!!
I am so excited to be back at camp. It has been 4 years since I was there. as per usual, I have over packed, but I want to make sure I have everything I could need.

I'll have some pictures and tales to tell when I get back.

see you in the future!

2008-07-22T07:49:00.005-04:00



You lie, in faith; for you are call'd plain Kate,
 And bonny Kate and sometimes Kate the curst;
 But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom
 Kate of Kate Hall, my super-dainty Kate,
 For dainties are all Kates, and therefore, Kate,
 Take this of me, Kate of my consolation;
 Hearing thy mildness praised in every town,
 Thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty sounded,
 Yet not so deeply as to thee belongs,
 Myself am moved to woo thee for my wife.


-William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Act II, scene I.

a little update..

2008-07-18T21:18:00.002-04:00

so at the beginning of June I joined goodlife fitness, after a lifetime of going on and on about how i hate the gym and would only ever do physical activity if I was tricked into it (tricked meaning doing something I enjoy while getting physical activity... ie. snowboarding, canoeing...and that's pretty much it!) so as not many of my friends do a lot of canoeing (well maybe the real problem is that none of us have a canoe)... and there has not been a lot of snowboarding opportunities since moving to Ottawa, (now we have a car so this winter there will be a snow pass in store!) so because of all this lack of trickery into activity, i had gained *ahem* a few extra pounds since coming to school and a *cough, cough* little more after i got married... (who knew eating husband sized portions of food would do that to you!)

so anyway, i joined goodlife in june and i am proud to say that i have lost 6 pounds. i had a trainer but then she quit the gym and it has been over a month and i just started with my new trainer yesterday... and she was thoroughly impressed that I managed to lose the 6 pounds all on my own!

that was a nice surprise.

i don't always love the gym (i'm sure that i'm not alone in this!), but there is something so satisfying about riding that bike until sweat stings my eyes or to drive home after doing some weights and having my arms hurt while i'm shifting.

so friends, if you are like me and feared the gym and all the crazy machines and felt frightened and alone when you walk in... it really is not so bad.

the club that i go to most frequently is a women's only club and that certainly made it easier.

at the cottage!!

2008-06-29T19:46:00.011-04:00

Charlie at the cottage!
he is trying out his new lifejacket.
and while he can swim without it, it is nice to take him in the canoe with it on.

Danielle, Thom and I drove with Charlie to Randy and Yvonne's cottage. Also up for the weekend were Poppa and Gramma, Maureen and John, Auntie Pat, and my mom who is now living back in Ontario! Hurrah! we had a few hours of sun, but mostly rain. However, a little rain cannot stop the Van Impe's from having a lot of fun!

Beth and Pat came up for a few hours this afternoon before we all headed back to Ottawa in time for Dani to catch the bus.

here we are swimming! what a cute little doggie!