Cynthia Reyes's Blog, page 60

Nigella’s Christmas Pudding – Better Than My Sister’s?

Ever heard of “Stir up Sunday?”  The last weekend in November is traditionally the time for some families to stir and steam/bake their Christmas Puddings or Cakes.  The Christmas pudding is usually steamed, the cake baked, but the recipes can … Continue reading →

Some Cake with your Spirits?

Ever heard of “Stir up Sunday?”  Last weekend and this one are traditionally the time in some families when people take turns stirring the Christmas Pudding/Cake ingredients around in big mixing bowls. (The pudding is usually steamed, the cake baked, … Continue reading →

Handmade in Canada – Beautifully

Jessica Charnock is a stylish, beautiful woman – a former model – whose creativity makes me green with envy. She and her husband Jean live in the hills overlooking a sprawling lake east of Toronto. “Made in Canada”  is alive … Continue reading →

Aunt Rose’s Wise Words

One of the most compelling personalities to grace the pages of this blog is Aunt Rose.  Readers from around the world responded to her with admiration and even awe. Aunt Rose passed at 6:15 this morning. She was 107 years … Continue reading →

The Essence of Home

What does home mean to you? I’ve spent a lot of time at home these last two weeks. Yes, I went and overdid it with all the book stuff and landed myself in bed — again.  But, hey – I’ve got … Continue reading →

The One and Only Aunt Rose

The phone rang. I grabbed the receiver. “Dah-ling?” she said in that lovely  lilt that always reminds me of the women in that generation of our family. It’s as if they adopted an accent and made it their own. “Hello, … Continue reading →

Autumn Colours in Ontario

Imagine my first autumn in Canada. I’d come here from Jamaica, where the trees and shrubs didn’t change colours – unless you counted the parade of blooms on shrubs like bougainvillea and trees like the poinciana. Autumn in Ontario was a wonderland … Continue reading →

Parting With Treasures

 For some of us, home is not a house or apartment, but our cherished belongings. Those personal belongings help create a feeling of home wherever we live. Over the years, Sylvia Vollenhoven has collected beautiful pieces of art, furniture and … Continue reading →

The Introvert at the Party

Photos by Hamlin Grange What’s an introvert like me doing at a party with famous authors? Feeling sort of lost among strangers, is what. The room is packed with authors – the very well-known and not-so-well known –  from around … Continue reading →

The Canning Factory: Cliff Smith’s Vision

You’re looking for a place in the country. You come across an old ruin of a place – derelict, infested by wild animals and, sometimes late at night, wild teenagers. Photo by Andrés Hannach You have a choice: turn heel … Continue reading →