Welcome to the weekend at the cottage! Here are a few things that have been happening around here lately, including some of what’s caught my eye out there on the internet. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in for some reading and browsing.

Okay, it’s practically the weekend. Monday morning still counts right? Look at it as a way to stretch out that weekend feeling! I was going to publish this post yesterday (hence the date at the top), but my internet was down most of the day — zoikes, what to do?! I used my time well, making soup with Little Miss E and even vacuuming and rearranging some furniture. There really is life without wifi, although I gotta say, I like having it.

Out and About … From Fall Colour to Snowfall

Here are a few of my favourite pictures over the last month or so. Yes, we got our first snow in mid-October, but that was a ‘doesn’t count’ snowfall for me since I knew it wasn’t going to stick around. We had another snowfall this weekend, and although the forecast for warm weather this week means it won’t last long, there was certainly the possibility that it could be the beginning of wintry weather! I’d like to point out that I got my snow tires put on on Wednesday, so I may be feeling just a tad smug about the timing, lol.

Out and About

Food Bloggers of Canada Conference, Montreal

My life seems to have been a whirlwind of trips and events in the last few months, or at least what counts as a whirlwind for me. Following on the heels of my trip to the Okanagan Valley, I went to Montreal in October for the third annual Food Bloggers of Canada conference. What an experience it was — excellent seminars and presentations, with this year’s keynote speaker none other than Canada’s own Ricardo, plus all that Vieux Montréal has to offer. I was there for four days and got out for a walk on the old cobblestoned streets each day. Magnifique!

Homage to my Dad, Philemon

Les Chuchoteuses

With Habitat for Humanity in the background.

These boots are meant for walking the cobblestones of Vieux Montréal.

I travelled to Montreal a day early in order to participate in the pre-conference food photography workshop, led by acclaimed food photographer and New York Times contributor, Andrew Scrivani. Andrew was an excellent instructor, and I especially appreciated his focus on storytelling through photography and tips for working with light. After the presentation, we had ample time for a hands-on photography session, taking advantage of the floor-to-ceiling windows in the eleventh floor ballroom of the venue. I got some of my best food pictures there, using my iPhone 6.

Around the Web

Uh oh, out of brown sugar? Make your own in a jiff!

Some interesting thoughts on eating everything in moderation.

Potato peels make practically free snacks!

Hey Canadians, get your Grey Cup party planning on with this Grey Cup primer guide!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers! Here’s a turkey and stuffing recipe for you from Rock Recipes, a Newfoundland, Canada food blogger.

Recap

In case you missed any of my recipe posts since the last issue of Urban Cottage Weekend, here they are again so you can check them out: Metje’s Green Beans, Silky Corn Soup and Lentils & Beet Greens with Quick-Pickled Beet.