Soroptimist Experience - L'Amable Canada

I arrived in Ontario after 15 years in British Columbia on Canada’s west coast, shortly before the pandemic, with plans of returning to school and spending time with my family. Of course, the pandemic altered those plans. My parents were returning from outside the country and as they were under quarantine, I was unable to stay with my family. I had just started a job in a local restaurant, which of course had to shut down during the first phase of the quarantine. The college closed too and I, like many, was wondering what I could or should do next. The Canadian government was telling everyone to avoid crowds, keep a distance of six feet between self and others and only go out when absolutely necessary. Seniors (my parents) were considered particularly vulnerable to the disease.

My Name is Caitlin Nielsen. Welcome to my home in L’Amable, Ontario. L’Amable is an extremely small community outside Bancroft. It was founded in the late 1800s and is home to many beautiful lakes and rivers. L’Amable, as I have come to understand, is actually a Spanish word meaning kind, neighbourly or friendly, which I have found to be quite fitting.

Luckily, my partner owned a small property with a tiny cabin. So, off we went into the woods to an 8 X 10 off grid cabin with extremely limited solar power, little cellular reception and no running water, and oh yes, only an outhouse for toilet facilities! Immediately, we started to work on how we could make this space work for us.

We started by building a large vegetable garden to supply us with fresh food and a greenhouse to help start our garden plants. Then, we built several sets of stone stairs to help us get around the very hilly property. We enlarged a sauna to include a tub for outdoor baths and very chilly showers. (It was early April when we moved to the cabin). As the weather warmed up, it became clear that we would need to add a screened-in porch or be eaten alive by the forest insects.

We have had many adventures during our months at the cabin. One memorable one was waking up one morning to what sounded like a bleating lamb. I jumped in my kayak and my partner walked along the river bank to investigate. We found a very young fawn with a broken leg. We gently moved the injured animal back to the cabin and called a wildlife rescue-rehabilitation centre who came to retrieve the injured animal later that day.

It has been challenging both mentally and physically as I also have some health issues that can slow me down some days. Both my partner and I were scrambling to find work in a very uncertain labour market. Fortunately for us, and many other Canadians, we received financial support from the government.

Although it has been at time frustrating and difficult, the experience has also been extremely rewarding. Pushing myself to find alternative solutions in an environment with limited resources has enhanced my creativity to new heights. Ethnobotanical study of edible wild plants including mycology (mushroom hunting) has increased my knowledge base and starting to write and illustrate a children’s book has kept my creative mind active. The building of gardens and landscaping has improved my physical strength.

Truly, the COVID pandemic has shown me what I am capable of, what we all are capable of. And I would just like to say to everyone reading this I am proud of you too!

Stay strong, keep safe and be kind to others. We all need help in these uncertain times.

And now, onto some yummy food! I have chosen to make a meal that relies heavily on produce from the garden, and that can be cooked on a barbeque. (Oh yes, all our cooking is done on a barbeque or over an open fire!)

Cooking on a barbecue takes a bit of planning, but we have found that most recipes can be adapted.

Potatoes and squash are started first since they take about an hour, on a medium high heat, to cook thoroughly. Both these are placed directly on the grill, or wrapped in foil. We use pots on the grill as you would on an electric or gas range. The scallops are cooked once the potatoes and squash are done.

Beans are cooked last since they take only 4-5 minutes, once the water is boiling.

Welcome to Your L'Amable, Canada Experience!

Meet Caitlin Nielsen & Family

Welcome to L'Amable, Canada

Explore L'Amable through a video tour

Living in Canada during Covid-19

A Typical Meal from L'Amable, Canada

Our Gift to You!

NOTE: If you decide to print your recipe, you may have to change the settings for your printer in order to get the desired result.
Please consult your printer's instructions for more details.

Thank you for your donation.
We hope that you enjoyed your virtual 'trip'.