Our Beloved Photo Session at the Brickworks

Everybody, at least once in their lifetime, should do a beloved photo session with someone they love.  This is one photo shoot that I just had to share. Never have I worked with a photographer who captured our happiest, funniest moments on camera in such a beautiful way, you can just feel the love.

The photographer was Naomi Claire and the session was purchased through ethicalDeal.com. Here are just a few of our favourite photo moments ...

Naomi Claire Photography

Naomi Claire Photography

The spot we chose was of course one of our most favourite places to visit in Toronto, Evergreen Brick works Farmer's Market and Don Valley Trail area. 

Naomi Claire Photography

Naomi Claire Photography

 Our cool Autumn day gave us the perfect setting for our photos.

Naomi Claire Photography

Naomi Claire Photography

The experience we had with Naomi was so wonderful, light-heart and fun and half  the time we couldn't stop laughing as she shot out questions for us to answer about each other.  It was such a romantic and enjoyable experience that it was easy to forgot we were on camera.

To see more photos from this session please visit Naomi's Blog.

For more information on how to book your Beloved photo session, Family photo session or special occasion or engagement, visit her website: Naomi Claire Photography.

Close Encounters of a Natural Kind

Maple Leaves

Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) ... it is creepy.

Chicory -- official name: Cichorium intybus

I believe a type of Cockleburs, ha! Cockleburs ...

My Scarlet, the harlot

Hawk's-Beard (Crepis), that's a cool name.

Tree bark mushrooms

Moss and dead leaves.  To me it was art.

Daisy Fleabane or, really cute mini daisies ... that are also weeds.

 

This lovely Clover flower has a friend. I could not find any 4-leaf clovers.

Very purple and pretty Pasture Roses.

Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Bee Chicory flower.

Wild raspberries look delicious.

Wild mushrooms ... maybe not as delicious?

Scarlet in the meadow.

 A pretty flower which I do not know the name of.

Another Beautiful Day at the Market

I have tried very hard to make visiting the Farmer's Market a weekly tradition, usually occurring on weekends and almost always on Saturdays.  However, many busy weekends full of festivals, events and family and friend gatherings has kept me away from the market for some weekends - not that I am complaining - but it was wonderful treat to spend a long morning at the Brickworks Farmer's Market today.

Traditionally, I like to eat breakfast at the market - a baked good and/or a sandwich with a coffee but with my challenging diet choices (vegan, gluten-free, organic, etc.) it can sometimes be difficult to find something I can eat at the market.  Though, with everything being so fresh, local and organic it can be difficult to resist some of the fine non-vegan food available.

Today, however, I lucked out! I stopped by Hearty Catering's table and was happy to purchase a vegan and gluten-free fresh burrito! A little pricier then I like to spend on breakfast but well work it.  It was filling, flavourful and delicious.

My next and quite possibly most favourite stops at the market was Alli’s Fresh Baked Goods table (find her and her happy hubby at 1738 St. Clair West). Available are some of the best fresh baked breads, including gluten-free and vegan options but she is really best known for her cinnamon buns!


There I enjoyed a vegan/gluten-free brownie but I usually love to buy her nature cookies, hearty, healthy and yummy!

Ms. Scarlet had a marvelous time as well.  She not only got a 2-hour walk/run in but had the opportunity to scour the market grounds for food.  That is one happy puppy!

Another Farmer's Market, A Different City

My dad, looking very serious as usual.

I went to the Brantford Farmer's Market with my father this weekend to see what I could find.  I fortunately found some great stuff, for one thing, I was able to get all organic veggies which I needed for the dinner I made my family.  That was a bonus!

I also bought most of it from these lovely ladies.  Laura Lucas (on the right) runs the shop here and she's also a grower and speaker on behalf of healthy living.

 They had some other fantastic food items like these Live organic, raw vegetable crackers which we enjoyed with my homemade bean dip.

No plants today, other then the tomato and onion plants my father gave me.  Hope the garden at home is surviving and thriving.

Happy Long Weekend Canada!

Balcony Garden Week 3: Progress and Snow Peas

Another weekend, another market visit but first let's review the progress.  A couple of weeks ago we planted a few things including, strawberries, sweet onion, herbs, and lettuce and kale seeds.  Both the lettuce and kale seeds have sprouted quite quickly and nicely.

Pea sprouts from the Evergreen Brickworks Farmer's Market - planted just about five days before this picture was taken.

My precious kale sprouts.  I can't wait to devour these beauties, in like months from now but nonetheless they will be fantastic.

Today it was rainy, foggy and wet, so we decided to walk to the market with our dog taking our time and enjoying all the green growing around us.  I love visiting the market every weekend to experience the natural changes.  First stop, breakfast!

Mike and I often stop off at the Waffle Bar first simply because the splendid aroma just draws us in.  Granted, their waffles are not vegan but I sometimes just can't resist - it's a treat for me and for Mike, it's breakfast.

Next step, the Garden Centre and my favourite part of the day, getting to choose all the lovely new plants to take home and re-pot.

As I continue making my way through the market, Mike takes a break to hang with Scarlet at the official dog hang out.  Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed inside the market until the end of the month when it moves outdoors.

One of my favourite plants we bought today - snow peas! Now I'm not sure just how these are going to turn out but I truly look forward to the outcome.  The containers that the plants come in are very easy to break apart which makes re-planting easier, so that you can gently take the plant out without crushing or damaging it.

Snow peas, eight of them in a row.

The new additions to our garden today: Yes, more lettuce and greens but these are premature plants that will be harvested earlier then our sprouts.  Also, lemon balm, chamomile, broccoli, cabbage, and snow peas.

I think that will be it for our balcony garden, at least for a while, especially seeing as these plants have pretty much taken over our kitchen table, chairs and surrounding floor.  Looking forward to warmer weather soon please!

Balcony Garden Week 2: Strawberries

One of my all-time favourite Summer activities is to visit our local Farmer's Market.  In my case that would be Toronto's Brickworks Farmer's Market and with each weekend visit I fall more and more in love with it.  I love the scenery, being outdoors among nature at 7am, visiting the friendly vendors, and sensing that true feeling of what it means to be in a community.

Last week Mike and I started our balcony garden, a.k.a. urban garden, planting lettuce, kale and field greens seeds in long trays.  We also bought a mint, basil, spinach, and green onion plant.  As first time city gardeners we were ecstatic to see first signs lettuce and kale sprouts - I believe I literally screamed with excitement!

As we were even more excited to see how far we can go with our balcony garden, we decided to make another weekend visit to Brickworks (which will likely turn into a weekly event for the summer) and see what else we can plant.

The Brickworks market has really come a long way since I've started visiting just over two years ago, which is not that long really, but they expanded a lot, built an entire indoor market next to their summer outdoor market.  They also have some of the best organic and locally grown produce and plants to choose from.

From what I've seen in past years they have also expanded to include more locally made and prepared packaged foods, sauces, creams, drinks, etc. and crafts and books about gardening, particularly city gardening.

On today's agenda: Strawberries! Here I'm trying to pick out the best ones, at least in my opinion.

After riding through the muddy Moore Ravine (for the second time) to get home, with muddy pants and tired feet I was determined to get re-potting ... and I did!

Our strawberry plant's new home.

Our balcony garden: A work in progress.  We also re-potted chives and rosemary and planted pea sprouts today.  Can't wait to see what week three will bring!

Starting your own balcony garden can be fun and perhaps easier than you might think. It's a healthy challenge that can really teach us to appreciate our food especially when we see the amount of time and work goes into growing it!


Besides receiving some wonderful tips from Aaron at the market's Organic Garden Centre, I also did some research online and found some great books to help us get started, such as Susan Berry's Kitchen Harvest: A Cook's Guide to Growing Organic Fruit, Vegetables and Herbs in Containers.

Are you growing an urban garden?
Know any great tips or tricks you'd love to share? 

I would love to hear them, please leave a comment :)