CANADA DAY - FIFTY YEARS ON

Yesterday, July 1st, was Canada Day which marks the anniversary of the formal coming together of Canada's provinces and territories into a 'nation'.  This all happened 150 years ago.

Fifty years ago was the 'Centennial Year', namely 1967.  Yes, it was a big year but it also reminds me that 6 weeks after finishing university I headed east over the Rockies to Montreal Expo and then flew to London and finally on to Glasgow. (These were the days when flying was a big deal - I recall feeling the need to wear smart clothes.)

Fifty years later and I am still here!

 ... which is why I really could not let the day go past without some sort of 'statement'.

I invited some neighbours in simply to raise a glass (Canada Day means absolutely nothing to Brits) and then tuck into some baking using the seasonal bounty from friends' gardens.

When Iain returned from sailing with John in Skye he brought back zucchini from Roy and Irene's garden in Gairloch and peas from Ilona's polytunnel.  Growing fruit, veg ... anything ... in northwest Scotland requires tenacity so I greatly appreciate what has been brought home hastily stuffed into a sailing bag.

These 'cupcakes' are a variation on carrot cake, i.e. made with zucchini and limes and supposed to have a marscarpone with lime juice icing.  (Note to myself: Stina's recipe)

A neighbour thoughtfully tried to bring a 'national flower of Canada'.  (Is there such a thing?!)  What she had in mind was this:

pasque flower ... which is the provincial flower of Manitoba. Nice... but I had never heard of it!  Not able to locate such a rarity in this part of the world she brought a fuschia which I shall plant in the garden and enjoy seeing from the kitchen window.

 And finally my other neighbour gave me one her gernaiums which was crowding out the bench in her greenhouse.  (Iain hates geraniums ... too many memories of highland homes with front porches lined with pots of geraniums cheek by jowl on the window ledge!)  She knew I liked pink so we can now both doubly enjoy it perched on a low wall in its passionate pink plastic tub.