Happy Thanksgiving.

The sun always seems a little brighter once we've had a dusting of snow. I hope I'm not the only one eating leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast today  :)

We went to the first annual local fall fair last night. I'd been jealously reading about fairs in southern Canada and the US so it was a lovely surprise when my sister called me up Friday night and asked if we wanted to go. It was put together by the community garden collective and a couple of other local green groups. The fair consisted of a couple of preserves workshops during the day and a potluck and viewer's (taster's?) choice blue ribbon competition in the evening. The picture above is the only one I took before my battery died.


I went to a jam making workshop in the morning (Rhubarb Saskatoon Berry) but wasn't able to make it to the pickled beans workshop in the afternoon. I was busy making a pie for the potluck; except when we arrived Jane said "Is that for the best pie category?" and we put it on the competition table instead of the desserts table. Just plain apple - the easiest and most reliable pie I know -  but it ended up with a blue ribbon. To be totally fair I should mention that there were no other pies entered but everyone said they liked it so it still feels kind of special. There was enough leftover to be part of our breakfast today.


Jane got a ribbon for her wine jelly and someone else won for a turnip that was bigger than my head (and bigger than the only pumpkin that showed!). The buffet table was full of delicious offerings, most made with local harvests (such as that mallard above). By the end of the evening everyone was asking everyone for recipes. I'm already looking forward to next year's fair and Jane tells me that if there is enough interest they will start including handicrafts along with all the food.

Tiny cabled owl as written up by Ysolda Teague. It should show up nicely against my fall coat.