City Hall decorated for Autumn

Autumn colours

The riverside is a magical place of calm and light as autumn appears. 

Squeals of delight were heard from a small group of children, on our walk to school, as they stopped to watch the wind blow leaves off the tree in front of our house
 and swirl them to the ground.

Amazing Autumn in Quebec

on the way home after walking my son to school ...

down by the river with friends

backyard at home

Autumn Photo Journal

Pumpkin Soup

Autumn is the time for beginning to prepare hearty comfort food to keep warm and satisfied during cooler days.

Pumpkin Soup

1kg pumpkin (butternut or squash)
1 large onion
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic (chopped finely)
3-4 cups of homemade chicken stock (low sodium), or alternatively use 2 teaspoons of powdered chicken stock and 1 teaspoon of green herb stock granules (if available) mixed with 3-4 cups of water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
A dash of curry powder

Cut pumpkin into evenly shaped pieces.  Drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven at 375 C until tender.  Do not overcook.  Cool a little, then remove the skin from the pumpkin.  Saute the onion (in a medium sized soup pot) until translucent and add the garlic and roasted pumpkin.  Cover the pumpkin/onion mixture completely with the chicken stock.  Simmer gently for 20 minutes. When cool blend with a hand held stick-blender.  To serve: Reheat gently and add 1/4 cup of cream before serving.

Note: When sauteing the onion add 3 or 4 rashes of finely chopped bacon (without too much fat or rind) to give the soup added flavour.

Autumn is here

Autumn in Quebec has arrived, beginning with the most vibrant of colour changes. Suburbs densely populated with leafy green trees are turning a brilliant yellow, orange and red. Very soon our lawns will be adrift with crunching sounds beneath our feet, and the streets will be dotted with bright orange garden bags full of leaves waiting to be picked up for composting.

To combat the coming winter chills households will begin putting up their autumn or halloween decorations and entrances to homes will display bright orange pumpkins alongside a welcome mat.

Have you every thought about change? ... day changes to night, autumn turns to winter, human knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, likes, dislikes, politicians, musicians, fashions, weather patterns and even our clocks change from time to time. Change is constant.

Do you know there is someone in your life whose love for you never changes?

You may have already experienced that it is probably not your spouse, friend, or family member whose love for you stays the same. Our feelings for one another change. Our love for one another requires an ongoing choosing of the will and a commitment to love. It is God - whose love for you and me is constant and without conditions. God knew us before we were even born, and He promises never to leave us.

Life's Application: Choose today to show your love and forgiveness toward someone who may have hurt you in the past. It will require that you be the first one to change your situation and take some action. Choose to offer words of love and encouragement. Where the pain of the hurt is too great or seeing the person again is not possible, then choose to love and forgive from within your heart. It is in loving and forgiving one another that we find freedom and the world around us begins to see change.