A Bake Table, Some Crazy Squirrels and Hope

Safe from those Pesky Squirrels.  A Carrot Cake in a cage.

The birds were singing, the sun was shining and by 7 AM, the crowds were already thick and relentless. 

We couldn't have asked for better weather for the annual Great Glebe Garage Sale nor could the thousands of people who flooded to the Glebe to hunt for treasures.  Thank goodness all that browsing and bargaining was making everyone hungry for cookies and cakes!

I learned that the humans weren't the only ones craving baked goods.

Ottawa's Mayor Jim Watson with two of my cookies, "M" and "W."

After a week of preparation and planning, I spent all day Friday baking up a storm.  With the oven running non stop and my kitchen starting to feel like a sauna, I opened the windows to cool things down and the aroma of all those cookies and cakes apparently attracted some curious squirrels. By mid day, a small a mob of them had gathered in our garden.  I didn't think much of it until one of them launched itself at the window and stayed suspended there, it's little toe nails caught in the screen.  He was trying in vain to get to my racks of cooling cookies!

Unfortunately, that wasn't the last I saw of the pesky squirrels.  The next morning while I was setting up the bake table they were still lurking about and one of them ran into my house!  I spent the next 10 minutes trying to shoo the little bugger out with a towel!

The Mayor of Ottawa, Jim Watson stopped by and I offered him two alphabet sugar cookies, an "M" for Mayor and a "W" for Watson. His aide told me that the Mayor has a sweet tooth so I'm hoping he becomes a regular customer.

My niece, the fabulous Sophia helped me set up my bake table followed by my sister Patty and their helping hands really made a big difference.

I've been holding a bake sale for so many years now that I have regulars who stop by every year to say "hi" and buy cookies, cakes and jam. It's a great way to reconnect with my neighbours and get caught up with old friends.

One thing everyone likes to buy from me is a slice of carrot cake.  When you think about it it makes an ideal breakfast.  It's full of vegetables, (carrots) fruit, (raisins) dairy, (cream cheese) and protein (eggs).  It's logical, really.  This year I prepared 4 carrot cakes but I was sold out within an hour.  Next year I I'll have to make 5!

By 1 o'clock, the crowds started to thin out and I had only a few cookies left.  We folded down the bake table and retreated inside to count the loot.

This year's tally was $1,295, all of which is going to the Nepal Youth Foundation, a charity hubby and I have been supporting for many years now.  Their Indentured Daughters programme sends impoverished girls to school for a mere $100 per year and gives them a head start towards a better life.

How fabulous is it that for a mere $250 worth of ingredients, hungry bargain hunters and an oven, the lives of 12 young girls will be changed forever for the better.

I can hardly wait for next year's sale!

A dedicated bargain hunter

Marmalade, jam and jelly

Rice Krispie Treats on a stick

Lemon Baby Cakes