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A Newsy Letter about Visits and Road Trips.

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Good Morning,

Yesterday I told my friend Lily who lives a couple of hours away that I could drive down for a visit. She texted me back and said "I'll make a cake". I rarely leave home to hit the road so I think she saw it as fit for a celebration.

When I got there she had a little lemon coconut pound cake in the oven and a pot of soup on. It made me feel so special to arrive to a cake coming out of the oven. It reminded me of my mother baking date squares and lemon squares when company was coming. It was a long drive but it was worth it.

We didn't do much. We poked around her house and looked at the changes she made. We both share a love of home. Then we took a long walk through a hilly road and back through her friend's farm. We looked around an old barn for a bit, cut some forsythia for me to force , and had a cup of tea and lunch together. After lunch we went to town for an hour and I headed back home. I was back at my house by 4pm.

I often tell myself that I don't like driving but really I do. I get in the car, turn on a podcast and keep myself company. I drove a long way for a short visit but we are old old friends, 31 years, and she baked a cake so it was worth it. I ate two slices and then brought one home for Robert.

I remember once I drove five hours to take my old friend Doris Eaton out to lunch. I still remember that day. I had been writing my book Simply Modern and I was telling Doris that I had a title for it. I think it was something like Contemporary Hooked Rugs. Doris had had a stroke earlier that year and I was just happy to be with her. When I told her the title she smiled and said , "Maybe you'll think of something better." I laughed and she laughed. We laughed out loud in this pretty little cafe on a rural road on the south shore of Nova Scotia. After lunch she took me to meet Jane Steele from her rug hooking group, then I took her back home. It was a long drive for a little visit but it stands out in my memory. It was a beautiful day.

Friends are worth the trip. Often in the spring I feel the desire to get in the car for a little impromptu road trip. I don't want it planned. I just like to wake up and decide. That makes me happy. It is freedom to be able to get up in the morning and decide how to spend the day. That is a special freedom.

Today, after I finish writing to you I am going to get in the car again and drive out to the beach for a little walk about. It is spring and I feel the need to look around a bit and see what the winter left behind. When I come back I think I will sew a new rug upon my Cheticamp to hook because the light lasts into the evening now and so spring is a great time to hook.

Before I go I wanted to share a great meal I cooked last night. Whenever I go anywhere, I am always glad to get home. I get the fire going to warm the place up and I cook up something good. This was last night's supper. You could make it with any fish.

Halibut with spring vegetables

Pan fry halibut or your favorite fish dipped in flour. I heat olive oil in the pan until it is hot before I put the fish in. Four minutes on each side. Set aside fish on a plate.

In the same pan sauté

1 clove garlic minced

1 sweet onion

4 mushrooms thinly sliced.

Cover with three cups water

2 cups chicken stock

Add 10-12 small new potatoes

Rind of one lemon

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon dried dill

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

Cook about ten minutes or until potatoes are still firm

Add 2 cups green beans, cook uncovered until potatoes are done, and beans still firm.

Toss in 1 cup peas and 1 cup asparagus, and juice of one lemon

Top with fish, cover for three minutes and serve. It is a simple but delicious fish stew.

So that's it for me today. It was good to be here with you this morning. Remember every Thursday we go live on facebook and instagram so I'll see you there.

As I write this to you now I am wondering what I'll hook today. I don't always know but I always show up at my frame and something comes. I love that .

Haver a good week, I hope you get a visit in with someone, even via zoom. It is good for us to stay in touch, thanks so much for reading,

Deanne

PS. I am having a live zoom class next Saturday if you would like to spend the day with me hooking the caribou and learning about colour and design you can register here.