Is this Siberian elm tree really okay?

Back in July, a City of Ottawa Forestry inspector came at my request and checked out the Siberian elms next to our house. I was particularly concerned about this one because it had a big brown streak on the trunk and the leaves did not seem to be doing well. 

The inspector assured me that both elms looked great to him and were doing fine.

But yesterday, we got an indication that this Siberian elm is not happy. It is definitely more threatening if you ask me.

My new marble shelf

I have a new marble shelf in the window of my studio.

I've been wanting to make a lot of things in the past while and when I opened a box that had lots of old jam jars with marbles in them, I decided it was time to act on this project.

So I cut some old wood scraps to the right size, got out more jars and marbles from my jar and marble hordes, painted things, drilled holes, and stuck everything together.

Now we just have to figure out what will go on top of the new shelf.

 

Microwaved egg with grape leafs and chili crisp

I believe that I have invented a new food treat: microwaved egg with grape leafs and chili crisp. 

I tried Google, DuckDuckGo and Bing and did not find anything that described this treat. (Of course, someone else might have already invented it and posted it to the internet, but search engines have become so bad that it is not findable. Anyway...) 

Ingredients:

• 2 steamed grape leafs
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon of chili crisp

Instructions:

1. Put one of the steamed grape leafs on the bottom of a small bowl. (In advance, you will have picked a bunch of young, intact grape leafs from the grapevine outside your porch, removed the stems, rinsed the leafs, steamed them for a few minutes and then put them in a container in your fridge.)
2. Dollop a teaspoon of chili crisp on the grape leaf. You can smear it around a bit, but you don't have to.  (Laoganma Spicy Chili Crisp will be fine if you don't have a jar you made yourself or one of the really exquisite brands.)
3. Crack an egg and drop everything except the shell on top of the grape leaf and chili crisp.
4. Either leave the yolk intact, or break it with a piece of egg shell. Your choice. 
5. Cover the egg with a second grape leaf.
6. Cover the small bowl with a small plate. (Coverage is important, the egg will splatter even with the top grape leaf.)
7. Put the covered bowl in your microwave oven, set the timer and turn it on. (45 seconds is just right for me, but you might want to experiment to get the result that is perfect for you.)

Outcome - A delicious treat

I love having one of these with my breakfast savoury oatmeal mélange. I am confident that this treat would also be a great addition to toast, fried rice, hash browns and many other foods suitable for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a mid-meal snack.

Please let me know if you try this and what you ate it with! 

It's time to hang out the laundry...

With the unrelenting heat, it seemed like a good idea to put my wet laundry outside instead of running the drier.

It occurred to me that this is the first time since June 1986 when I left Ghana that my laundry has been hung outside to dry.

1984 - My housemate Ampofu's laundry hanging in the courtyard of our staff bungalow at Okuapemman Secondary School in Ghana, West Africa.

2025 - My laundry hung on the patio of my home in Ottawa, Ontario.

You might notice that in neither set of outside laundry are there any socks. 

The Stick Library is now on Google Maps

Did you know that it is really easy to put your organization on Google Maps?

I am eager to see any feedback the library patrons or their companions have for us.

Feel free to follow this Google Maps Link if you need directions to the library. (I really enjoy choosing "avoid highways" on road trips). 

The link also lets you check the opening hours or ask a question and confirms that the Stick Library is a safe space. 

Two lesser known waterfalls of Ottawa - Princess Louise and Wateridge

The lovely Manon has been very indulgent with my affection for waterfalls and has been willing to accompany me to Hog's Back Falls, the Chaudière Falls and even the Rideau Falls.

And this past month, she agreed to visit two waterfalls that I only learned of very recently.

I must be clear that neither of these falls appear on lists with titles like Canada’s Most Breathtaking Waterfalls or The 14 Most Amazing Waterfalls in the World. However, the first one I will mention does appear on both the 15+ Waterfalls to Visit in and Around Ottawa and 8 Breathtaking Waterfalls You Need to See near Ottawa.

The Princess Louise Falls

The Princess Louise Falls might not actually be breathtaking, but they are pretty and are conveniently right next to St. Joseph Boulevard in Orleans. 

What to do there: You can get really close to the falls to enjoy them. It is a nice spot to go to have a snack or to do some thinking. There's also a path through the woods that would likely reward a little hiking. 

Parking: We parked on Taylor Creek Drive and walked about 400 metres to get to the base of the falls, but it looks like you could park across the street at the Ottawa Uyghur Center and basically be right there.

More information: 

• Lots of history from Linda Seccaspina at The Mysterious Princess Louise Falls
• Google Maps 

Wateridge Waterfall

The Wateridge Waterfall (also known as the Aviation Museum Waterfall) is across the Promenade Sir-George-Étienne-Cartier from the Aviation Museum.

It might be a dramatic waterfall in the spring, but it is definitely not dramatic in the middle of July. Especially because there is a big fence that prevents you from getting close.

I'm having trouble finding historical details about this waterfall, but it looks like it's part of municipal drainage from about a hundred years ago.  

What to do there: There are some unshaded benches along the pathway to the waterfall, so I suppose you could sit on one and read your new Louise Penny novel or jot your thoughts in your diary. 

Otherwise, it's take in the local wildlife (which in mid-July included lots of wild flowers, dragonflies and pretty yellow birds) and verify that water really is trickling down. 

Also you can pat yourself on the back for having seen Ottawa's fifth and most obscure waterfall.

Parking: The nearest unpaid and legal parking requires you to walk a kilometre each way. It is on C.H. Airport Marina Road by the entrance to a path that appears to be popular with dogs. The walk is probably very pleasant when you are not taking it in the middle of a heat wave.

The paid parking at the museum is about 300 metres closer but you have to walk next to the Promenade to get to the falls.

Google Maps 

It also looks like you can stop on the Promenade at the blocked off pathway entrance so you only have a short walk, but it might not be legal parking and doesn't look safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the Stick Library is open!