... a work in progress, just like my garden right now
How lovely it is to see the leaves changing colours again, and the Manitoba Maple has dropped more than half of it's leaves in my back yard. We are starting to have frost on the trucks in the morning and I am making the girls put jackets on in the morning.
Yesterday, I finished repairing the raised bed beside my garage. That was some job, I tell you. I had to dig out all the soil so that I could replace the wall and reinforce it, but my little faithful cordless drill just didn't have the umph for the job. After the weekend of trying to find a solution and checking out the possibilities I am thrilled to say it is done.
I moved some of my beloved mint into the bed and I am just going to let them go. I am going for the wildness there. I really like Nasturtiums hanging over the wall there and since they are going to seed anyway they can just be. Yesterday in my search for a tool rental, I found a bag of 50 assorted tulips for just $13.99! But my biggest bargain was two planters -12" pots only $1.99 (you can't buy those pots alone for that price, nevermind filled with plants), each with a beautiful deep wine colored Hechura or Coral bells, a graceful grass, a trailing Heather that I doubt will overwinter but it is worth a try, and a Creeping Charlie. So now there are tulips, strawberries, pansies and Calendulars. Whatever grows there will just give me more plants for next year.
Last month, I revamped my big planters at the front door. There were some beautiful purple asters that had seeded from last year, so I moved some of these plants into the front planter with the hope that they will seed themselves there for the spring.
Tomorrow, I will have to bring in my collection of geraniums with the hope and prayer that they will survive my basement and my husband.
Last week I emptied one of my compost bins. As I was digging I was surprised to see a mouse running around. My faithful companion Maggie was quick to rescue me and chased down that mouse. After a few trys, she did manage to catch it and then started to play with it like a cat. I'm not sure if she ate it but I cam hardly wait to empty the second compost bin. I know that Maggie will be right there watching close as I dig!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
How I spent my FIRST Summer holidays in four years!!
* please note - I had written this at the end of September but only publishing it today, just a wee bit of creative license.
At the end of June, I found myself temporarily without a job, after working two jobs 7 days a week since February. The first few days were a bit unnerving, but I soon got over that. My Parent’s 60th Anniversary was on July 16th, so I had lots to get ready for. First my older sister was coming to visit on her way out to Manitoba, so I started cleaning up the house. I started with the bathroom on the main level because that was the most public loo. We have lived in this house for 6 years now and I always hated the sloppy paint job in that room, but since I was always working, I just didn’t have time to do anything about it, and my husband didn’t see the point of painting it. I didn’t think that it would take too much time to paint, so three days before my dear elder sister was to arrive, I started dismantling. What should have taken just a few hours took me well into the next day, but the end results are great! I have a lovely chocolate paint on the walls and a new back splash. (ooh...chocolate)
At the end of June, I found myself temporarily without a job, after working two jobs 7 days a week since February. The first few days were a bit unnerving, but I soon got over that. My Parent’s 60th Anniversary was on July 16th, so I had lots to get ready for. First my older sister was coming to visit on her way out to Manitoba, so I started cleaning up the house. I started with the bathroom on the main level because that was the most public loo. We have lived in this house for 6 years now and I always hated the sloppy paint job in that room, but since I was always working, I just didn’t have time to do anything about it, and my husband didn’t see the point of painting it. I didn’t think that it would take too much time to paint, so three days before my dear elder sister was to arrive, I started dismantling. What should have taken just a few hours took me well into the next day, but the end results are great! I have a lovely chocolate paint on the walls and a new back splash. (ooh...chocolate)
This minor Reno got my husband Jean Louis’ imagination going. We had a few leaks and usual neglect in our full bath upstairs, and he had been checking out different handy men for quotes on the renovation. So just a few days before we were to leave for my parent’s anniversary, we had a great guy tearing the tiles off the bathroom walls, dragging our old tub and toilet into the back yard. Then the next day, there were two guys in our bathroom putting new tiles up on the walls, installing a BEAUTIFUL soaker style bathtub (I can actually stretch out in it, and it is deep too), a new dual flush toilet and pretty slate tiles on the floor.
At this point, it was almost time to go on our road trip. My parents live about a 12 hour drive away from us, and we needed to get our trailer loaded. Jean Louis is a teacher, so he had the entire summer off, something that I was always jealous of, but not this year! I was expecting to go back to work at the garden centre at the end of July.
The day before we left Calgary, I had the honour of going with my 26 yr old daughter Mara to the Backstreet Boys/New Kids on the Block concert. She had won the tickets through a radio station and decided that since I had to put up with the constant BSB music, posters and craziness of her teen years, I should go with her. It was a fantastic concert!! I am very grateful for the invention of those little foam ear plugs...how I would have suffered with out them. I’m going to show my age for just a moment...”does the music REALLY have to be that loud?????”
We had a great trip out to Manitoba, my parents are in their 80’s, and both doing great. It was a good visit for everyone, my parents got to know their grandchildren en mass, my eldest brother, my two sisters and I had time to get to relax and enjoy each other’s company and our children - the cousins all got a chance to get to know each other, something that may not happen again for a long time. Well, most of it was good except for my Prima-Dona-psycho little sister who was no help at all for the party and caused everyone around her stress. But I choose to dwell on the good times! LOL
During our time in Manitoba, we all camped at the lake near town, and it was wonderful to come back from town and jump into that cooling lake. It has been years since I’ve jumped off a dock, but it felt SO good!!
When we got back to Calgary, we finished the renovation on the bathroom, this time, Jean Louis painted the bathroom and I put up the new tile back splash and grouted. Now when I go into both rooms, it just feels so wonderful to have these pretty rooms in our home. Next we need to paint our daughter’s bedrooms.
Then we went north for another short camping trip. We went to the Drumheller area and the Hoodoo campground. I really am amazed by the Hoodoos. They are rock formations caused by the erosion by wind and weather. What amazes me about getting out of the city of Calgary is that at night time, it is so quiet. There are no traffic noises and NO airplanes flying right over the house. (We live right on the flight path, so it can get loud.)
Soon I found out that there was no job for me at the Garden Centre. I was disappointed, but I soon got over that nonsense. Now I had time to stay up late with my hubby and my daughters, sleep in the morning and really be on holiday with my family. My garden was slowly getting weeded, watered and harvested. Carrots just didn’t produce at all for me, but my Romano beans and Sugar peas were fabulous!
Last week we went on our last camping trip of the summer, and this time we headed south to “Writing-on-Stone” Provincial Park. We were only 35 km from the Canada/US border and the landscape was truly amazing. Writing-on-Stone is a sacred area to the Blackfoot peoples. They have been coming here for thousands of years and telling their stories by way of carving pictures in the stone walls. AND...There were more impressive Hoodoos! We stayed in that lovely valley for only two nights, and then we started home again. On the way home we stopped in a small town called Nanton because there is a candy store that is filled with jars and shelves of candies! Talk about having a moment with your inner child! LOL
Now we are at home, getting Stephanie (11 next month) and Celia (9) ready to go back to school. There is some shopping for clothes yet to do, but other than that they are good to go. I have been putting my resume out again and I am hoping that something really interesting will come my way.
It has been such a hot day – 28C but now a breeze is starting up and I can almost smell rain. Isn’t that a wonderful smell? It is almost as good as clothes that were dried outside on the clothesline. But time to check supper for the family; they need to get back into a routine before school starts up again.
Friday, July 1, 2011
AH, 'tis summertime!
Happy Canada Day all my dear friends and family!
I was almost shocked to see that I haven't posted anything since the beginning of April, well working seven days a week means that there just isn't any time for all the fun things in life. As of today, I am officially on holidays and that means that I am taking some time for my family and ME!! It has been so long since I have had time off in the summer, hopefully I can get my house and garden organized again.
So where to start...? Should I start with the different areas of my yard? What about pictures of my lovely flowers? What the heck happened to all my lovely mints over the winter? Wait...what is that I hear?? It's a tiny voice getting louder and louder. It reminds me of the story of the little old woman who finds the bone and the voice gets louder and louder, "Give me back my bone". Well the voice I hear is "When are you going to finish the laundry?" I choose to ignore the voices inside my head for now, thank you very much!
...to be continued with pictures
I was almost shocked to see that I haven't posted anything since the beginning of April, well working seven days a week means that there just isn't any time for all the fun things in life. As of today, I am officially on holidays and that means that I am taking some time for my family and ME!! It has been so long since I have had time off in the summer, hopefully I can get my house and garden organized again.
So where to start...? Should I start with the different areas of my yard? What about pictures of my lovely flowers? What the heck happened to all my lovely mints over the winter? Wait...what is that I hear?? It's a tiny voice getting louder and louder. It reminds me of the story of the little old woman who finds the bone and the voice gets louder and louder, "Give me back my bone". Well the voice I hear is "When are you going to finish the laundry?" I choose to ignore the voices inside my head for now, thank you very much!
...to be continued with pictures
Saturday, April 2, 2011
...and then it snowed
All day today and all night long! We have at least 15 to 20 CM of snow on the ground...again.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAArrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:o(
AAAAAAAAAAAAAArrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:o(
Thursday, March 31, 2011
March came in like a Lion and is going out like a Lamb
Ahhh...in less than two hours, it will be the First of April!!
It has been a time since I have had time to check in here, and I am so happy to welcome my dear Bookcrossing friend in Australia...Hi Loey!!
I have been working part time at Cobblestone Garden Centre since the beginning of February and I can not believe the changes I have seen. The three bays in the greenhouse side has come back from the dead of winter and the sad abandoned look to being full of the shrubs that we have planted. That was so much fun having my hands in that! All the shrubs, junipers and small trees were brought in from outside to the warmth of the greenhouse and are coming back to life. Last week we planted Blueberries, Strawberries, Gooseberries, Currants and Virginia Creeper. This week we planted up the start of the seed Geraniums...there are over 2000 of them, and there are some really pretty leaf ones...my favourite!! I have already decided which plants and shrubs I will be buying...moderation, Ellen...moderation! Definately some of the pretty geraniums, a Cotoneaster, possibly an Amur Maple, and a Romeo Cherry when it comes in.
The inside of the Garden Centre is ready and stocked to the rafters. I am having a great time talking to the folks coming in to start the season. It is so hard to curb my spending and save some of my paycheque for other things. Last year I was like a kid in a candy store...this year I am a lady in a Chocolate shop - drooling over everything but knowing that I can't have everything I want...yeah right!
As my kids and my hubby are off from school this week, so today I had a day off!!! Sleeping in until 9 Am was pretty nice...but then getting up and relaxing with a coffee and NOT have to rush around getting everyone ready and out the door was amazing! I even had a second cup of coffee, sat down on the couch with my toast and watched...ready for this...Lon Chaney in "The Wolfman". Ten O'Clock in the morning and I'm watching an old Black and White Horror movie...from start to finish!! How decadent! Then I watched the last hour of "God's Little Acre". After my third cuppa coffee I got motivated!
Today it was so beautiful out, the sun was shining, the snow was melting and I could go out on my south facing deck in BARE feet! I even saw that I have TULIPS coming up beside the house on the south side of my house. I wanted to do the Snoopy Dance! There were three dead plants in the house so outside they went. Very good Feng Shui getting those dead plants out of the house. I opened my windows and let the good air into my home. AAhhhhh!
Then I started planting my seeds downstairs in the basement, and I used my old styro trays and square pots as well as empting the pail of left over soil from last year. Now I have the top of my tv stand filled with seed trays and I have planted: Parsley, Lemon Boy Tomatoes, Sweet 100's Cherry Tomatoes, Rampion, Dolly Basil, Herb Robert, Mignonette, Welsh Onion, Vervain, Crookneck Squash, Black Beauty Squash, Moonflowers, Lavendar Lady, and I planted 4 different varieties of Sweet Peas in the planter boxes on my deck. I know that it is early BUT it is the heat on the deck that should bring them through and I just couldn't help myself. So a majority of my first order from Richters has been planted, as well as some of my leftover seeds from last year and some of the pile of seeds from my daughter Mara. Over a week ago I put in my second order from Richters that will include the remainder of my seeds, my Wild Dagga, and more plants including some herbs and flowers. I can not wait to see what my yard will look like this season!! I ordered more plants for my teas as well!
Bookcrossing.com
This month I have had a great time Bookcrossing! Not only did I reach 500 books registered with Bookcrossing but I was the winner of the Canada Smiles Sweepstakes. I have had such a great experience recieving so many great books from dear friends all over Canada. There are so many really great books on my TBR pile and so many of them are books that I would have never read if it wasn't for my Bookcrossing addiction and friends. LOL.
Cooking
I guess with Spring comes that extra energy so I have a huge roaster pan in the oven right now full of lovely homemade Marinara sauce (onions, garlic, celery, red and green peppers, carrots and lots of fresh Paste tomatoes) that I will cool off tonight in the garage and package it for my freezer in the morning.
Then I saw that I had a surplus of oranges and grapefruits so I also made marmalade that is simmering in my slow cooker. I can not believe how much sugar I had to use!!! Tomorrow morning I will be bottling that up, also.
I still have lots of berries in my freezer that I need to make jam out of: Blackberries that we picked on Vancouver Island, Blueberries, and Saskatoons. But for now, it is time to say goodnight!
Thanks for stopping by!
It has been a time since I have had time to check in here, and I am so happy to welcome my dear Bookcrossing friend in Australia...Hi Loey!!
I have been working part time at Cobblestone Garden Centre since the beginning of February and I can not believe the changes I have seen. The three bays in the greenhouse side has come back from the dead of winter and the sad abandoned look to being full of the shrubs that we have planted. That was so much fun having my hands in that! All the shrubs, junipers and small trees were brought in from outside to the warmth of the greenhouse and are coming back to life. Last week we planted Blueberries, Strawberries, Gooseberries, Currants and Virginia Creeper. This week we planted up the start of the seed Geraniums...there are over 2000 of them, and there are some really pretty leaf ones...my favourite!! I have already decided which plants and shrubs I will be buying...moderation, Ellen...moderation! Definately some of the pretty geraniums, a Cotoneaster, possibly an Amur Maple, and a Romeo Cherry when it comes in.
The inside of the Garden Centre is ready and stocked to the rafters. I am having a great time talking to the folks coming in to start the season. It is so hard to curb my spending and save some of my paycheque for other things. Last year I was like a kid in a candy store...this year I am a lady in a Chocolate shop - drooling over everything but knowing that I can't have everything I want...yeah right!
As my kids and my hubby are off from school this week, so today I had a day off!!! Sleeping in until 9 Am was pretty nice...but then getting up and relaxing with a coffee and NOT have to rush around getting everyone ready and out the door was amazing! I even had a second cup of coffee, sat down on the couch with my toast and watched...ready for this...Lon Chaney in "The Wolfman". Ten O'Clock in the morning and I'm watching an old Black and White Horror movie...from start to finish!! How decadent! Then I watched the last hour of "God's Little Acre". After my third cuppa coffee I got motivated!
Today it was so beautiful out, the sun was shining, the snow was melting and I could go out on my south facing deck in BARE feet! I even saw that I have TULIPS coming up beside the house on the south side of my house. I wanted to do the Snoopy Dance! There were three dead plants in the house so outside they went. Very good Feng Shui getting those dead plants out of the house. I opened my windows and let the good air into my home. AAhhhhh!
Then I started planting my seeds downstairs in the basement, and I used my old styro trays and square pots as well as empting the pail of left over soil from last year. Now I have the top of my tv stand filled with seed trays and I have planted: Parsley, Lemon Boy Tomatoes, Sweet 100's Cherry Tomatoes, Rampion, Dolly Basil, Herb Robert, Mignonette, Welsh Onion, Vervain, Crookneck Squash, Black Beauty Squash, Moonflowers, Lavendar Lady, and I planted 4 different varieties of Sweet Peas in the planter boxes on my deck. I know that it is early BUT it is the heat on the deck that should bring them through and I just couldn't help myself. So a majority of my first order from Richters has been planted, as well as some of my leftover seeds from last year and some of the pile of seeds from my daughter Mara. Over a week ago I put in my second order from Richters that will include the remainder of my seeds, my Wild Dagga, and more plants including some herbs and flowers. I can not wait to see what my yard will look like this season!! I ordered more plants for my teas as well!
Bookcrossing.com
This month I have had a great time Bookcrossing! Not only did I reach 500 books registered with Bookcrossing but I was the winner of the Canada Smiles Sweepstakes. I have had such a great experience recieving so many great books from dear friends all over Canada. There are so many really great books on my TBR pile and so many of them are books that I would have never read if it wasn't for my Bookcrossing addiction and friends. LOL.
Cooking
I guess with Spring comes that extra energy so I have a huge roaster pan in the oven right now full of lovely homemade Marinara sauce (onions, garlic, celery, red and green peppers, carrots and lots of fresh Paste tomatoes) that I will cool off tonight in the garage and package it for my freezer in the morning.
 |
| My famous Veggie Pasta Sauce, it cooks in the oven, doesn't burn (usually) and makes a huge batch. |
 |
| In one evening I made enough sauce for 9 meals - each at least 3 cups/750 ml. |
 |
| Looks like I will have enough Marmalade to last until next year. I love toasted bagels with cream cheese and Marmalade! |
Thanks for stopping by!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Perennials (a work in progress...)
I have started a list of perennials according to their uses and needs, but it is only a start, my list is under construction...
Alpine Rockery Plants
Alpine Rockery Plants
Anemone - Windflower
Arabis - Rock Cress
Arabis - Rock Cress
Armeria - Thrift
Aster - Alpine Aster
Aubrieta - Rock Cress
Aubrieta - Rock Cress
Campanula - Bellflower
Dianthus - Pink
Gentiana - Gentian
Gentiana - Gentian
Geranium - Cranesbill
Gypsophila - Baby's Breath
Heuchera - Coral Bells
Leontopodium - Edelweiss
Papaver - Alpine Poppies
Phlox - Creeping Phlox
Primula - Primrose
Saponaria - Rock Soapwort
Saxifraga - Rockfoil
Ground Covers
Aogopodium - Snow on the Mountain
Antennaria - Pussy Toes
Antennaria - Pussy Toes
Arctostaphylos - Kinnikinnick
Bergenia - Elephant Ears
Cerastium - Snow-in-Summer
Convallaria - Lily of the Valley
Cornus - Bunchberry
Hosta - Plantain lily
Hypericum - St. John’s Wort
Lysimachia - Creeping Jenny
Pachysandra - Japanese Spurge
Polygonum - Fleece Flower
Paxistima - Cliff Green
Potentilla - Cinquefoil
Saxifraga - Saxifrage
Sedum - Stonecrop
Sempervivum -Hens & Chicks
Vaccinium - Lingonberry
Vinca - Periwinkle
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day!
Years ago before I met my husband and I was a single parent going to school, I had the great experience of working for a crazy Irish lady named Fidelma at her flower shop. She taught me many useful things and helped to develope my eye for floral arranging. So on Valentines Day, I always think of her. She used to sell "Gilded Roses" which she told customers were real roses that were covered in 18 carat gold and IMPORTED. The selling idea was that they were special because they were a keepsake rose and could be dried upside down and last forever. They were beautiful and she sold each one for I think $15 cdn. What makes me laugh is when I remember all those weekends out in the alley befind her shop spray painting the roses with Florists paint. Like in the movie "Alice in Wonderland" I was painting the roses GOLD. She also had a special name for the cheap dozen roses, she called them "One Night Stand Roses" because that is about how long they would last. I loved that lady!
Because of Fid, I also have a different perspective of Valentines Day, one that I am sure is shared by Florists the world over. To me, Valentines Day meant days of the phones ringing, standing in one corner of the shop with rose petals, leaves, and stems in a pile around your ankles. Your hands were cramped from holding a knife and your fingers bled from the thorns. Then there was always those last few customers just before we locked the doors, complaining that there wasn't anything left. Ah Yes, Valentines Day, not the day filled with love, chocolates and cupid that others think of.
My daughter Mara also works in a Floral Department of a large grocery chain, so I am really sending her my love right now. On Friday when I talked to her last, she had FOUR pallets of flowers to unload and prep for Valentines Day. I hope that she is well, and enjoys tomorrow if she has the day off.
Since I worked in that Flower Shop with Fid, I decided that if you want to give me flowers for Valentines Day, they better be attached to a perennial plant or come in a package of seeds to grow in my garden AND don't wait until Feb 14th to give them to me. As for chocolate, hey anytime is a good time!
My order from Richters Herbs came today!!! All those lovely packages of seeds and even better...dried herbs for my tea! I opened the packages and blended everything in my biggest bowl. So now I have the latest addition to my Mint Teas, Naturally Sweetened Mint Blend. Of course I had to brew a pot of tea just to check out the blend. This one is really fabulous!! I blended Spearmint, Peppermint, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Betony and Stevia. I really like this one because the Stevia gives it just the right amount of sweetness.
Now I will need to package up my new tea and find a way to market it. I will be looking for some pretty organsa fabric and sew some little bags for my mint tea. Something as special as my mint tea blends needs a special package, right?
I have started back at Cobblestone Garden Centre, and it is so nice to be there. With the beginning of the 2011 season, it is so amazing to watch the store come back to life and ready for the customers, just like the plants that we sell. Tomorrow will be the first day out at the greenhouses and I am going to miss being there, but I am seeing a different side this year. I can't wait to see the plants come into the store!!
Life is Good!
Because of Fid, I also have a different perspective of Valentines Day, one that I am sure is shared by Florists the world over. To me, Valentines Day meant days of the phones ringing, standing in one corner of the shop with rose petals, leaves, and stems in a pile around your ankles. Your hands were cramped from holding a knife and your fingers bled from the thorns. Then there was always those last few customers just before we locked the doors, complaining that there wasn't anything left. Ah Yes, Valentines Day, not the day filled with love, chocolates and cupid that others think of.
My daughter Mara also works in a Floral Department of a large grocery chain, so I am really sending her my love right now. On Friday when I talked to her last, she had FOUR pallets of flowers to unload and prep for Valentines Day. I hope that she is well, and enjoys tomorrow if she has the day off.
Since I worked in that Flower Shop with Fid, I decided that if you want to give me flowers for Valentines Day, they better be attached to a perennial plant or come in a package of seeds to grow in my garden AND don't wait until Feb 14th to give them to me. As for chocolate, hey anytime is a good time!
My order from Richters Herbs came today!!! All those lovely packages of seeds and even better...dried herbs for my tea! I opened the packages and blended everything in my biggest bowl. So now I have the latest addition to my Mint Teas, Naturally Sweetened Mint Blend. Of course I had to brew a pot of tea just to check out the blend. This one is really fabulous!! I blended Spearmint, Peppermint, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Betony and Stevia. I really like this one because the Stevia gives it just the right amount of sweetness.
Now I will need to package up my new tea and find a way to market it. I will be looking for some pretty organsa fabric and sew some little bags for my mint tea. Something as special as my mint tea blends needs a special package, right?
I have started back at Cobblestone Garden Centre, and it is so nice to be there. With the beginning of the 2011 season, it is so amazing to watch the store come back to life and ready for the customers, just like the plants that we sell. Tomorrow will be the first day out at the greenhouses and I am going to miss being there, but I am seeing a different side this year. I can't wait to see the plants come into the store!!
Life is Good!
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