Trucks are for country gals

Annie Rose is visiting and today we took a drive in the country. Technically that not legal yet, as she's has not even begun drivers ed, but we need to get her prepped!
Lucky for us we got to use the truck. It's huge, it's wide and it's got the country music station!
She did very well for a first time truck driver.

Check out those hands at 10:00 and 2:00!

I think there are a few more novice truck drives in my future!

Hope you all stayed cool today! It was a hot one!

Gran and her fleurs

Every other day the kitchen looks like a florist shop...

She may have a full length cast on, but she still can care for her flowers!

Try this out! Banana Breakfast Milkshake

A few months ago on a blog I follow there was a recipe for one ingredient ice cream. It was simply a frozen banana pureed in a blender/food processor. It seemed alright, but not that exciting. Well, two days ago on the same site I found a recipe using the same method, but for a milkshake with peanut butter and chocolate chips. I found that very exciting. I like breakfast items that seem like dessert, but are actually quite healthy.
I made it the next morning. I would have made it sooner had I had frozen bananas on hand. It had the best consistency and was so easy. Usually when I make a smoothie I use yogurt and berries, as well as banana and milk. Well, this was way better!
I have re-named it Banana Breakfast Milkshake, and if you're a fan of peanut butter and banana then try this out!

Banana Breakfast Milkshake
Makes one super large milkshake, or 2 medium ones

2 bananas, frozen in chunks (pop these in the freezer the night before)
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Blend the banana, milk, peanut butter and vanilla in a blender till smooth. Add the chocolate chips and blend briefly, just until they are chopped up and incorporated. Enjoy!

Perks of having this Grandfather...

There are many, and then some, reasons I am grateful for my Grandfather. And one of those reasons, albeit a not very "deep" and emotional one, is his breakfasts. Seriously. Eggs cooked in bacon fat? Yes siree!
 A few days ago they had a later start to harvesting for the day and I was pretty happy to see this sight...

I really appreciate someone making me breakfast. Especially if it cooked on a bbq (less clean up) and involves fresh tomatoes and homemade bread (thank you Zach!).

How about you? What's your favorite breakfast that someone else makes for you?

Here is a story...

When my Mama was a little girl she went to visit the cemetery and saw the gravestone of her Great-great Grandparents. Her Great-great Grandma's name was Revana. She decided then that when she had a baby girl she would name her Revana. For years she kept it a secret so no one would 'steal' the name. She was ready in June of 1990 when I came around. She phoned her own Mama and asked how to spell this name she had kept a secret for years. Well, my Gran was busy with my Great Grandma's funeral in June of 1990 and didn't have time to go to the cemetery and check on the spelling of the name. So, she accidentally spelled it two 'n's instead of one. Oops! I don't mind it though, a little bit of individuality is always good!
And that is how I got my name. A name I get to share with my Great-great-great Grandma. A name that my Mama kept secret for years. And I name I have really grown to be proud of.
Here she is!

Neat, eh?

Are you getting tired of seeing prairie pictures?

I'm not!

"To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee. One clover and a bee, and revery. The revery alone will do if bees are few." - Emily Dickinson

Hibiscus Iced Tea

I am back to experimenting with summer drinks, it is just so fun! I found an abundance of hibiscus flower tea in the cupboard here, the explanation from Gran is that it is very good for high blood pressure, 3 cups a day and you're good. And she has a testimony to prove it! I love it because of it's happy pink color. You can find hibiscus tea at most health food stores and I even saw it at Vic's Fruit Market in Winnipeg. It comes either loose in a bag or in individual tea bags. 

Yesterday I mixed up an Earl Grey Tea and Hibiscus Iced tea and I am very impressed! This method of making ice tea is very simple, you don't even have to boil any water. It's called cold brewing and keeps the tea from becoming cloudy and bitter. Try it out!

Hibiscus and Earl Grey Iced Tea

2 quarts water

6 Earl Grey Tea bags, or 6 teaspoons looseleaf tea

1/2 cup dried hibiscus blossoms

Combine all ingredients in a lidded jar or pitcher. Place in the fridge for a few hours of overnight, depending on how strong you want it.

Strain and chill until you are ready to enjoy!

I stirred a wee bit of sugar into the glass I enjoyed, so serve it how ever you please!

Where I'm at...

A few changes have occurred in the last few days, I am writing this to you from a wee town in Western MB where I am helping out my Gran as she recovers from knee replacement surgery. To say I am happy to be here is an understatement. For a prairie girl this place does amazing things...

Stay tuned for some frequent posts!

Critters

Since moving in with a student of Entomology I have learned many, many things about bugs. I have seen a caterpillar transform in a butterfly, I have seen lady bugs before they turn red and I now know that to every one human on this planet there are 200 million bugs.
I have never met someone whom loves bugs like this woman...

Inspecting the caterpillars

I think it's pretty neat.
Her newest friends are Madagascar hissing cockroaches. Named Cameron and Mitchell. Yup, that's right!

They enjoy quilting magazines as much as I do!

Even Si was impressed, if not at first a little nervous!

Anyone else have any funky critters at home?

Speaking of pickles...

Yesterday was canning day at the Powell-Rempel home. Serious canning. We ended up with 32 jars...10 hours later! We felt pretty good about ourselves!

We started off with dill pickles and bread and butter pickles.

This cross-stitch was Zoe's birthday present to me this year. Talk about perfect!

 Then Zoe made peach jam with Ontario peaches, so good! After that I tackled 20 pounds of apples from my Ant and Uncle's. It was alot of apples to deal with, but I came out with quite of few jars of apple butter and apple sauce and it was free!

 We make a great canning team!
 Have you got to any canning yet?

Quickie Pickle

Happy long weekend! Any exciting plans? I already feel quite accomplished in my long weekend...an afternoon nap has been had as well as an afternoon nap snack. Does anyone know what I mean? The snack you have after a nap is always the best one. I have fond memories of being at the cabin, napping and then waking up to an assortment of snacks. Those snacks were always the most delicious!

My afternoon nap snack of choice today (and most snacks this week) involved zucchini pickles. I had an abundance of zucchini in the fridge and found this simple recipe for refrigerator pickles that used sliced zucchini. They almost taste like a bread and butter pickle...but yummier! And easier too!
For those of you whom have an abundance of zucchini in your fridge too I highly recommend whipping up this recipe.
I've been eating them on crackers with cream cheese, on sandwiches and of course right out of the jar!



Zucchini Pickles
adapated from Heidi Swanson

3 medium zucchini, about 1 pound, thinly sliced
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons fine grain sea salt
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
3/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar

Mix together the zucchini slices, onion and salt together in colander and place over a bowl to catch the liquids. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for a couple of hours, I did it over night. Stir the zucchini a few times along the way. When you are finished draining the zucchini, shake the colander to get rid of any extra liquid.
Place the zucchini in a 1 quart jar along with the chili flakes and mustard seeds.
Combine the vinegars and sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, and continue to simmer till the sugar is dissolved. Pour the vinegars/sugar over the zucchini and close up the jar. Let cool slightly and then put the jar in the fridge.
Even though it's probably a good idea to wait a couple days for the zucchini to get really good and pickle-y I was eating them the next day and they were delicious!
Enjoy!

Zoe's Quilt

It was Zoe's birthday at the end of July and I surprised her with a quilt for her bed! She had requested one, but I think I may have just laughed...that was all part of the act! Mahahaha!
This has to be one of my favorite's so far, I know I always say that, but really.

Happy Birthday Zo!

Hello out there!

Well, hello! It looks like a took an unexpected blogging break, I don't even want to look at the date on my last post. It's been an interesting few weeks and now things are getting back on track and so here I am again!
2 weeks ago my whole Janzen family came to MB to have a little family reunion, it was quite the thing to have us all together!
Here we all are! Can you spot me?

I also got to meet my newest cousin, who is the best thing that has happened to our family. And the cutest. And the sweetest. She's pretty awesome.

We spent a day up at Victoria Beach with everyone and it was one of the best days this summer. What a beautiful place! Even though Zach had to work very early the next morning we had to stay for the sunset...

It was a good reminder of the fact that it is summer and I need to be out having adventures! Hope you are all enjoying your summer and be prepared for more posts!