Update: change of location & new blog

This post is an announcement of some major transitions in the works for fruit.root.leaf. I would like to start by thanking you all for being such interested and supportive readers! Quebec City is where I realized that my love for sketching to chronicle the world around me was shared by others, and that there was much to be gained by actively sharing that pleasure with others.

That being said, at the end of December, Jerod and I decided to 'archive' www.fruitrootleaf.com. The site will remain online, and there are still a few posts I plan to write, to 'fill in' some of our adventures from 2014.

However, now that we're transitioning to back to the West, we think it's appropriate to shift our focus. 

Starting in January, I'll be sharing our photography, sketching, and writing on a new blog designated for our western adventures: www.drawntothewest.com. I'm planning on using this space to chronicle our experiences, and also as a platform for launching an illustrated column which I hope to syndicate throughout the Mountain West!

 

I am still penning an illustrated column - Drawn to Quebec - for the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph. You can follow along with that column at www.drawntoquebec.com. And, as always, I'm writing science-art and science communication articles, advice, and more at my professional website: www.commnatural.com. 

So, I encourage you to check out those sites, and if any of them interest you, subscribe to them for email updates. We'd love to hear from you, see you at our new place in Wyoming, and above all, stay in touch!

Bethann & Jerod

Snapshot: One last (busy) Quebec summer, part I

There's no denying it - we've put down roots here in Quebec. 

And yet, it's official that we're leaving. In fact, we're moving to Wyoming in early November! Knowing this, we've spent the summer cramming in everything Quebec has to offer and then some. In the next few posts, we'll share lots of photos that offer a glimpse of the various adventures and visitors we've had.

Old news: who reads the newspaper anymore, anyway?

For more than six months, one of my primary clients has been North America's oldest newspaper. I am a photojournalist for the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph, as many readers already know. But, what might be news to you is that this small-yet-mighty publication will celebrate its 250th anniversary on June 21, 2014.

This anniversary is what has consumed most of my working (and many should-be-sleeping) hours for months. 

3 local food ideas for your St. Patrick's Day smorgasboard

Tired of beer-based recipes for your Irish-inspired meal?  The following recipes are tried and true in our kitchen, and could give your St. Patrick's Day menu some festive flair.  Even better, you'll be able to incorporate seasonally available ingredients, some of which you can even grow yourself.

1. Homegrown green (sprouts)
Let's start with this guest post I did a few days ago on Foodies in Quebec.  Growing your own sprouts is a frugal way to incorporate highly nutritious fresh greens into your winter diet and into your St. Patrick's Day salad.  Watching roots develop is also a great "science" project, regardless of your age.  Since sprouting your own sprouts is really easy, it is a great activity for kids.  

How to: Click here for my 5 simple steps to growing your own sprouts.

What could we do in Paris in the winter?

Most likely, we'd go to a museum or three.  

New Year's inspiration from a donkey...

Hi there!  This post is taking a quick "break" from our typical style.  This is an opportunity to contribute to a great initiative AND get a unique bilingual calendar to inspire you in 2014 (complete with quotes, eco-tips, recipes, and fantastic pictures).

Click here to jump straight to the "get my calendar today" part.  For those who would like a bit more info, keep reading.  Thank you all for your support!

Snapshot: A glimpse of pro cycling in Vieux-Quebec

A year ago, I'd never thought twice about professional cycling.  A year ago, Lance Armstrong still had all his accolades, and the Tour de France was as unfamiliar as Quebec City felt when we first moved here.  Then, last September, I received an assignment to cover the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec, one of only three world class pro cycling races held in North America.  

Snapshot: Behind every glass of wine...

There is definitely a story....

That is most certainly the case for three special glasses of wine I sampled recently.  Thanks to a tip from a fellow writer at the QCT, I made contact with a fellow whose business it is to navigate the complex regulations governing how wine, beer, and other spirits make it into Quebeckers' glasses.

Sometimes...spectators have all the fun.

 

 They say it takes 10,000 hours to become the best at whatever it is you want to do.  I have no idea how much time military musicians spend rehearsing, but upon close inspection, there's no question they start at a young age.

Ecology in the big city...an ecology conference, that is.

On our way back to QC from Saskatchewan, we detoured into the U.S., and geeked out with a few thousand ecologists at the annual Ecological Society of America meeting.  Minneapolis is a city for which I had no expectations, and they were far exceeded.

Local beef

When we actually take a break from watching bison, we often cross the Sturgeon River which marks the national park boundary and head for a nearby ranch.  The couple who operate the ranch have been welcoming Université Laval students into their home for years now.  Their hospitality and good food have become part of the bison study lore.  

Snapshot: Saint Patrick's Parade

For the past couple of years, I've been the photographer on assignment for the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph during the annual Saint Patrick's Parade.  The parade is always great fun - it is largely a walking parade, few vehicles, no large floats, lots of quirky folks, and loads of bag pipes.  This year was no exception.

Snapshot: Dog days

A couple of weeks ago, I tagged along while some friends went dog sledding.  Everyone thought I was nuts for passing up the chance to ride along, but all I wanted to do was wander around the kennel.  So I did.  The pictures are misleadingly serene - the din of 250 dogs barking, howling, and pumping themselves up about the day's run was indescribable.

Maple Water, Eh?

In the northeast, the sap is running...

L'eau de l'érable (maple water)
The nectar of maples (with the best said to come from the sugar maple - Acer saccharum),
maple water is the result of residual starches developed during a growing season. These
starches are retained over-winter in tree roots and stem tissues, and diluted by water
released as the trees respond to warming temperatures in the spring. As water in the tree
tissue warms, it expands, causing pressure to develop, and the "maple water"to flow.

Snapshot: Way beyond 'Jingle Bells'

The 59th annual Quebec City Winter Carnival (of the modern version) is over.  

It ended with thundering hooves and cheering crowds.

In the press scrum

Sometimes, having a press pass means I get to see great operas, poke around in urban gardens, or meet donkeys who live in cathedrals.  Other times, it means the "hurry up and wait" of an official political press conference.

That is what happened a couple weeks ago, when I went on assignment to a photo op with Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper (PM).

Hotcakes, griddle cakes & flapjacks, oh my!

Around this time last year, my dear husband decided to try something new.  He didn't pick up a new instrument, and he didn't sign up for the gym or start a new career.  He decided to do away with pancakes.  This was epic news, coming from someone for whom pancakes are a breakfast and brunch staple.  

The pancakes were replaced by crêpes, which offered a new level of fun and creativity.  You'd have a hard time talking me into drizzling balsamic vinegar on a pancake.  Yet, somehow it seems perfectly reasonable coupled with micro greens, cheddar cheese, and bacon, all rolled up in a warm crêpe.  A year later, we oscillate between the two, but judging by this Wikipedia entry, we could take an international pancake-based culinary tour and not run out of ideas for quite some time.

Sending more than love letters

I grew up writing letters.  It was more than protocol, it was a family tradition connecting us to relatives and friends across the continent.  I vividly remember grappling with "of" (uve, uhv, uuuhf?) once while gleefully hammering out a typewriter letter to my grandmother. 

That was definitely back in the day.

The Queen's Bells

Wednesday nights are out for me.  Period.  I'm already busy.

Cheese and wine?  Sorry.  Pints and free dinner at the local pub?  No dice.

Why?  Because I'm busy ringing bats out the belfry at the local Anglican Cathedral. 

Snapshot: Quintessential 'Dutchness'

Windmills will always symbolize my mom and quintessential "Dutchness" to me.  While I now know the Dutch aren't the only ones who use(d) windmills, that's not what we thought as kids!  Here in Quebec, I have spotted a number of historic picturesque windmills, which always strike me deeply with a sense of family, and heritage.