Barbecued Apples

OK, hear me out. I realize summer is over. The temperatures are dropping, and even though I'm clinging desperately to the last of my vegetables, the frost will soon win. But there's still time to barbeque before the snow falls! And what's better in October than freshly picked apples?

barbecued apple

What you need:

4-6 Ontario apples
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp brown sugar (or maple syrup, or honey!)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of icing sugar

Core the top of the apples (you can leave the bottom intact so the sweet, gooey stuff doesn't drip out onto your barbecue). In a small bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Place a dab inside each apple. Put the apples on the bbq and cook until the skin is wrinkly - be careful they don't burn! Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Butterfly Show at Carleton University

Until this Monday, you can see butterflies at Carleton University. This is a free event though they do accept donations.

Over 1000 butterflies, representing more than 40 species, are flown in for this event. The butterflies are let loose in the greenhouse and flutter around for everyone to see

.

What I recommend:

• don't bring your stroller or park it just past the entrance in the designated area;
• wear bright clothing so the butterflies will be attracted to you;
• don't wear a sweater (it's hot in there!);
• be prepared for a line.

And don't forget to snap a picture in front of the enormous butterfly in the hall before you leave!

Website for more info: Annual Butterfly Show at Carleton University.

Kids Music for the Car: The Wilderbeats!

Many moons ago I was at an environmental education conference in Nova Scotia. One evening we were entertained by two young women - museum naturalist Ashley Moffat and museum volunteer Joyce Saunders. They were trying to find a way to entertain children with nature-themed songs, and discovered they both had a talent for fun, interactive and quirky music. The Wilderbeats was born! Ashley Moffat has since retired from the duo (although she's still writing songs and entertaining kids as an interpreter at Kejimkujic National Park), and Shannon Lynch took over as Wilderbeat Part 2.

This is children's music at its best - the kind of stuff I can listen to in the car and not pull my hair out :)

One of our favourites? A song called Tamarack, off the 2006 album Second Nature. I strongly recommend you find this CD! Check out the lyrics below:

Tamarack, Hackmatack, Juniper, and Larch Absolutely naked from November until March It's got CONES! and it's got NEEDLES! But it isn't what it seems... It's decidedly deciduous and never evergreen

Next time you're outside playing and there's a tamarack in sight Why don't you get up close and notice what the needles are like? They grow in little bunches that look just like tiny brooms If you were only a couple inches tall, you could use one to sweep your room!

Tamarack, Hackmatack, Juniper, and Larch Absolutely naked from November until March It's got CONES! and it's got NEEDLES! But it isn't what it seems... It's decidedly deciduous and never evergreen

Now, if there was a party that only softwoods could attend And the invitation said that you could bring along a friend The tamarack would never ask a taller tree to come 'Cause taller trees are too shady, and larches love their sun!

I suppose you all are wondering what "deciduous" really means Well, in the season we call "autumn", you can see the falling leaves The beautiful Red Maple may be the one that we know best But the larches drop their needles too, so they also pass the test!

Tamarack, Hackmatack, Juniper, and Larch Absolutely naked from November until March It's got CONES! and it's got NEEDLES! But it isn't what it seems... It's decidedly deciduous and never evergreen

What's your favourite children's CD?

Thanksgiving Weekend Round-Up

Phew, what a week! The blog's been quiet while I was away at the Birth and Beyond Conference in London, Ontario. I'm back now, and dealing with all the email and work that's piled up in my absence :) One thing on my mind this past week was Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has always been a special time for my family. As a child, I spent the weekend up in Haliburton, Ontario at my grandfather's cottage. Cold nights by the fire, marshmallows, canoe trips on the lake, and going for wheelbarrow rides (which ended by getting dumped in a pile of leaves at the bottom of the drive).

We're far from Haliburton here in Ottawa, but we share the vibrant colours and crisp sunny days with cottage country. I'm motivated to plan fun activities for my family to do while I've got three days off. Here's a list of the ideas I've gathered:

1) For families with older kids - a Haunted Village at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum.

2) A hike in Gatineau Park to see the Fall colours.

3) If you're up for a full day, you could pair your hike with a trip to a Quebec cranberry farm.

4) A walk along the Mer Bleu Bog Trail.

5) If you have a babysitter or are kid-free, you may want to get that last round of golf in!

6) The Ottawa Farmer's Market is still open and it's hopping! I'm planning on heading there on Sunday to stock up on veggies for soups and stews.

7) A country fair is perfect for this time of year! The Pontiac Country Fair is taking place in Gatineau Park this weekend.

8) Pumpkin patch! Saunders Farm, Millers Farm, and Cannamore Orchard are a few popular places.

9) Thanksgiving Weekend activities at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum.

10) Help others in need by making a donation to your local food bank!

What do you do Thanksgiving weekend?

Flashback: Apple Picking at Mountain Orchard

Apparently this is THE place to be for apple picking every year! Ali wrote this post several years ago....have you been to Mountain lately?

It's that time of year again. The air is getting crisper and the kids are settling into their school routine. For me, fall always means apple picking. Every fall for the past several years, my girls gather a bunch of friends and we go apple picking.

Mountain Orchard has always been our orchard of choice. It's a great place for families, it's close to Ottawa (only a short 40 minute drive on the 416 toward Kempville) and the majority of the trees there are actually the direct descendants of the original McIntosh tree, first discovered by John McIntosh in Dundela, Ontario, in 1829. I think that's pretty cool.

Mountain Orchard is about more then just apple picking. There are corn maizes, wagon rides, a hay jump and (best of all) the hot fresh apple cider donuts that are made right in front of you. They are the real reason we go back every year. Well, that and the fresh apple cider.

My girls love climbing into the apple trees to get the apples and there are trees for kids of all ages - with ladders for the older kids to climb and low hanging branches for the little ones.

No matter where you go apple picking, it's a great way to spend time with your family and friends and get outside to enjoy the fall weather. All the apple orchard near Ottawa are open now and many, like Mountain Orchard, are open every day until the apple picking season is done (usually by the end of September).

Have you been apple picking yet? We're going again this weekend!