Fall is such a beautiful time for our walking group!

It’s not just about about exercise and fresh air, it’s also about the conversation and friendship. And of course, at this time of year, about the leaves!

Our book group is small but mighty and while you only see three people in the picture there were 4 of us participating (one by phone) yesterday. Our group meets on Monday afternoons and unlike most book groups we don’t limit our discussion to a single book. Our members have eclectic tastes and backgrounds and the capacity for a lot of topics. In our last meeting we had a wide-ranging discussion of two wonderful Emma Donoghue books, Akin, introduced by Leslie and Haven, introduced by Marsha.

Marian told us about The BBC: A People’s History, by David Hendy and also Treasured: How Tutankhamun Shaped a Century, by Christina Riggs. 2022.

Jean told us about Norman Doidge’s fascinating books about the plasticity of the brain and its ability to heal itself, while Marsha recommended Messages from Ukraine. Here’s Marsha’s review:

This seemingly simple book with graphic illustrations shows a slice of Ukrainian reactions as their country is being invaded by Russia. The story opens with a colleague in another country offering refuge to Ukrainian friends who need to escape the war. The varied responses are heartbreaking and inspiring. Some are surrounded so can’t get out, others have the care of family. Most though, while thankful for the kind offer of refuge, have no intention of leaving because they’re staying and fighting, or staying and helping in the war effort in another way. It’s an interesting contrast: When Ukraine is attacked, its citizens stay and fight. When Putin says Russia is under attack, its citizens flee. This book is short and of course has no ending but it’s a useful introduction for students who want to understand what it feels like to have your country attacked. The end notes include a discussion guide. Timely and important.

Leslie has been laughing out loud with Rick Mercer’s book and is enjoying The Marrow Thieves.

Our members also recommended two YouTube series. Jean has been watching PBS Frontline about Putin’s Road to War and Marsha has been fascinated with Timothy Snyder’s Yale Lectures on The Making of Modern Ukraine: Ukrainian Questions Posed by Russian Invasion.

The Dining Out Group had lunch at Cambridge’s Langdon Hall, fifth best restaurant in the country according to Canada’s Top 100, complete with award-winning cuisine prepared by one of Canada’s most celebrated chefs. The dining room looked over the vibrant autumn colors in the gardens and the Carolinian forest in which the grounds are nestled. We enjoyed great conversation, lingered over dessert, and some of us walked through the gardens afterwards.

The rain scuppered plans for the Creative Cooking Group to celebrate the last day of summer in Lin’s back garden. But the ‘finger-food feast’ moved easily indoors and everyone enjoyed the delicious appetizers and desserts …and most especially the joy of meeting in-person after the 2+ year ‘damnpandemic’ shutdown.
The Creative Cooking Group meets once a month. They rotate the role of ‘host’ – the member who creates the menu, provides the recipes, and hosts the group in her home. Each participant chooses one recipe to create, and the result is a spectacular meal as ‘many hands make light work’. Today’s finger-food feast was an exception. Typically dinner includes wine/beverage, appetizer, soup, salad, bread/buns, main course of protein, vegetables and starch, and dessert.
Today we were delighted to welcome Nancy, a new member as well as Bea C whose daughters, Joan and Barb, drove out from Toronto to bring their mom to visit. Bea was a long-time member of Creative Cooking and her recipes continue to inspire us.