sugarloaf mountain view

Today my son did not have classes so we were able to have a slow start. We were sitting in jammies with a cup of java having a visit by the window by 8am.  It was a gorgeous sunny day but a little chilly when I stepped out on the porch to check the temperature.  We lingered over some favourite old music and a Face Time call to my parents.

view over Lake Superior

My son and I

After a quick bowl of oatmeal and shower it was time to get outside for our Vitamin N, (nature).  I feel a bit deprived in that area so we headed to Sugar Loaf Mountain (this term is used very loosely) for a hike and a view from the top.  We took the ‘difficult’ route to try get a vigorous walk in.  After climbing for about 15 minutes and about 100 stairs  we reached the top.The view was fabulous and the breeze had a bite beckoning in winter no doubt. We snapped a few photos and then descended.

Next it was time to drop  my son off at the rink for his workout and I headed to the Marquette Food Co-op which has become my favourite shop in town. I picked up some local eggs and yogurt as well as some baking soda for my son.  He has decided that he would like to learn to make  pumpkin loaf after his workout.

We arrived back to the house by noon and quickly made some salad for lunch before embarking on the baking lesson.  It was really very simple and he only needed instructions on how to not over stir the loaf.

We also picked up a sock-eye salmon from his freezer on the way back to the house so that will be what he makes us for dinner.  This will be a very satisfying dinner as the salmon is one he caught and vacuum packed himself this past summer back on the Vancouver Island where he lives.

sockeye fillet for dinner

The pumpkin loaf recipe was very easy and we got three small loaves for him to have as a treat.  The salmon recipe will be one he has picked up from several locals back home and adjusted to make his own.

You know  it is amazing how well we can cook and eat with just a few basic ingredients.  I was thinking about this as I walked into the co-op today.  Basically, we have milk, eggs, cream, olive oil, yogurt, lettuce, dried cranberries, nuts, coffee, frozen berries, flour, sugar, honey, oatmeal, and some seasonal fruit and vegetables.  We are eating local as much as possible by shopping at the co-op, the farmers’ market and the local butcher.

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

This afternoon as he does his homework and I knit we will enjoy a coffee and a piece of the pumpkin bread we made.  When I leave we will both cherish this memory and the warm feelings we had both physically and emotionally as we enjoyed our homemade little treat.

Tonight as we dine on bright red sock-eye caught in our local waters back home by my son we will talk about past fishing trips, good memories made and how fortunate we are to be so connected to the sea, the land, the forest and each other.

Just a brief footnote to apologize for not linking the recipes mentioned to the sites where they can be found.  I am composing on an iPad as I travel and so I am not able to highlight the text to create the links.  I will fix this issue when I am back on my home computer.