• Prep 20 MIN
• Total 1 HR 40 MIN
• Makes approximately 6 Servings
• Now that we are heading into autumn, it's fun to use local produce to make delicious soups!  This beautiful Acorn Squash came from a farm in Milton that we've been going to for years.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium acorn squash (or butternut squash works well too) (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium sized apples (any variety will work, use something you want to use up!), peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 4 cups chicken broth 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup cream or coconut milk (optional)

Method: 

• Heat oven to 350°. Trim top of squash and cut squash in half; remove seeds. Place squash, cut sides down, in rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches. Pour water into pan until 1/4 inch deep. Bake in the middle of the oven, uncovered about 40 minutes or until fork tender. Cool then remove pulp from rind with a spoon and set aside.
• Heat oil in heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent.  Add cooked squash pulp, apples, salt, pepper and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in curry powder.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until apple is soft.  
• Turn heat to low.  Use stick blender to purée soup.  Serve and garnish with a dollop of cream or coconut milk if you wish!  Season with more pepper and salt as needed.  Enjoy!

Have you ever watched “Antique Roadshow” before?  On this television show a group of experts visit a town and the locals bring in their treasures to have them appraised.  When you first start watching, it is pretty intriguing and shocking to see what some of the items are actually worth.  However, as you continue to watch, you may begin to realize that learning about how the object was made and the history around its creator is quite interesting too.  However, the most intriguing part of the whole thing, for me anyways, is when the person who is bringing the item for appraisal actually has a story associated with it.  Sometimes these stories are simply how they managed to snag this item at an antique show, but often and even more fascinating is when there is a family story associated with the item.  Hearing how the family used or didn’t use the item and what they named it and how they took care of it, is for me, the best part!

Something that I’ve been trying to do more deliberately this past year is journal.  Sometimes I’ve been using writing prompts to inspire me.  One of my colleagues, Joy Seunarine, who is a gifted writer and coach, has been posting little bits about her jewelry collection and what she recalls about the person and circumstances that she received it.  This is not meant to be about flaunting flashy baubles, but recalling the stories behind them.  At the end of the day, it is the stories that are the most interesting part.  I have begun to tell some family stories in my own journal about special items I received over the years, such as this precious quilt that my grandmother made.  While the items do not have a high monetary value, they do have sentimental value and special stories attached to them, some of which are intergenerational.  I often see my teens’ eyes glaze over if I begin to tell them one of these tales, but perhaps some day in the future they will be more interested (or maybe not).  In any case, I am enjoying the process of remembering the story and recording it.  Perhaps this will even make it easier to let go of some items as I declutter?  If you are a sentimental type of person, maybe you too would enjoy reflecting on the stories associated with special items that have kept you company in your home during the pandemic.
We continue to face uncertainty about when Ontario will open up for social gatherings and businesses This uncertainty is affecting everyone for many different reasons.  If you know of someone, in particular a male, who is feeling stressed or who is looking for tips to stay happy and healthy, read about Canadian Men's Health Month below.         

June is Canadian Men's Health Month!
​
Did you know that men are more hesitant to get help for mental health difficulties and feel like they need to be seen as strong and “tough it out”?

Studies show that physical activity can help increase self-reported happiness and lower levels of sadness and loneliness, both in the short-term and later in life.

Why not get active, get informed & improve your mental health this June?

Attend a virtual speaker event with star athletes, experts, and professional broadcasters, join an easy fitness class and/or make a fun "Move Pledge"!

The Canadian Men’s Health Foundation (CMHF) and Anxiety Canada have joined forces to create a new experience to improve the state of men’s mental health in Canada and inspire men to live healthier.

For more information or ideas

Crunch, crunch, crunch.  I pause.  This is the spot.  I close my eyes and take a deep breath.  The sunshine warms my face.  A sense of calm descends on me and my shoulders relax.  So quiet.  I look up to see the bare branches of the trees reaching out to one another as if to embrace.  The sky seems impossibly blue.  So clear.  I look down.  I am knee-deep in snow.  I see the sun is casting shadows through out the forest.  The snow glitters.  I inhale the cool air.  So pure.  My heart slows and my breathing becomes steady. I exhale. My ears fill with silence.  I close my eyes to savour the moment. My heart begins to sing...
Have you ever stumbled into a quiet space like this?  Sometimes I don’t even realize how much I need silence until after I experience it.  Studies have documented how noise can affect our stress levels and contribute to high blood pressure, anxiety, memory issues and sleep problems.  There is no doubt that silence can be nourishing to our bodies and souls.   Most of us, however, are regularly exposed to a constant stream of noise.  Even when we do have a moment that could be a quiet one, we often feel compelled to fill it with sound or activity.  We turn on the radio, stream music, listen to a podcast or scroll through social media every quiet moment we get.  Our lives are filled with near constant noise and busyness.
Recently I’ve been leading a study group on a book entitled, Whisper, by Mark Batterson.  In it Mark describes seven different languages that God/ Creator/Spirit uses to communicate with us: Desires, Doors, Dreams, People, Promptings and Pain as well as Scripture. In order to be open to hearing and learning through any of these languages, first we need to figure out how to listen. And to really listen, we need to quiet ourselves. I would love to know how you do this.  Do you think our society encourages this?  Is this something that you value?  What gets in your way?  What helps you to be still?