Do you wear a toque?  My urban dictionary says a ‘toque’ is the ultimate in high Canadian fashion, worn year round, whether it’s cold or warm outside.  Wikipedia, is more traditional, ‘popular from the 13th to 16th century in Europe, especially France, now known primarily as the traditional headgear for professional cooks.’  Those people are so darn smart, don’t you think?  For me with a rather thick glop of hair, it means a headgear that must be worn in the deepest of winter…and in northern Canada that can pretty well be any time after November 1st. 

And of course, there’s plaid – but we have the Scottish to blame for that. With the Welsh helping out with flannel. Flannel plaid is very popular in Canada, warm and cozy – reminding you how you should feel on a cold winter’s day. Seriously, what works against our extreme cold:

Did you ever just want one of something? All I really needed was one – one carrot that is for a pot of turkey soup that had most of everything else but color. I did not want to get tempted to purchase more than I needed as I envisioned the limp and soggy remains of the last batch in my refrigerator.
              I stopped at the Sale sign in the grocery store. Fall was upon us. There were turnips, cabbages, parsnips and carrots – in quantities that spoke to larger families, but not a company of two, and a hungry Alaskan malamute. I would not be tempted. I strolled onwards.

Two days later, I stood at the chopping block on my kitchen counter, slicing carrots between a quarter to half inch. They would be blanched for a couple of minutes, dowsed in an ice water bath and frozen.

 I had already blanched sweet corn, dried tomatoes and green peppers, and froze a variety of fruit when they were in season. My husband, with a slightly sweet tooth will appreciate these carrots. I was happy to spend a little extra time to have ‘put food by’ (rather old saying of preparing food for winter storage).

So, what does this have to do with the saying, ‘a bird in the hand is better than 2 in the bush’? In this case, it has nothing to do with birds whatsoever! What it does have to do with is preparing food when it is the best price and at its best flavor – rather than buying it later when it is not local; has sat in a truck for weeks being transported, and is at a premium price. A carrot in your hand in the fall is worth a bushel that would cost you a small fortune in the winter.