A WISH... AND A PROMISE!

I want to take a moment to congratulate my Great niece Alyssa and her new husband Lucas, on their marriage yesterday.  They are celebrating their wedding in Mexico this week.  I wish them both well.

I doubt she will be on here, so I will show you the wedding card I designed for them.  This one was so much fun to do.

I added a black and white ribbon along the left side of the couple to complete the card.

So back to the promise of Sweet Peas for Dad.

This spring when I sent my order of vegetable seeds in to T&T seeds,  I included an order for 2 pkgs of sweet pea seeds.  I ordered a Mammoth Mix, which are supposed to be a very large long-stemmed sweet pea, and Streamers Mix, the flowers of which are shaded like they have been dipped in paint.  Both are frost hardy for this zone.

I soon realized that I had nothing in my yard for the sweet pea vine to attach itself to while growing.  I have no fences,  I do have one trellis against my shed, but it doesn't get enough sunlight for this plant so I was stuck.

We were in Dauphin at the Canadian Tire store and while wandering around the seasonal section I came across some 6 ft hardwood stakes.  I bought them thinking of staking tomatoes... then I saw some plastic chicken wire - I bought that as well.  When I got home I realized I had everything I needed to make a fence for Dad's Sweet peas so I got the staple gun out and got busy.

Here is what I ended up with.

I poured both packs of seeds together, soaked them for 24 hrs and then planted all the seeds in front of  these two fences.  I am making a marker for the garden that says "Joe's Peas"

This little garden pictured here is one I started when I moved the shed last year.  Initially it was supposed to be a garden around the shed - but then we moved the shed back (a previous post) and so now I am slowly making this into another flower bed.  It is still in it's infancy, but hopefully I will have some color there this summer with some of the perennials I planted last year.

You can see my vegetable garden in the back - all tilled and ready to be planted just as soon as the weather is more stable.




Here is a better picture of that garden.

Yes, I know it is very large.  We are going to seed a strip on the right side by the hedge in grass - nothing much grows there anyway.   At the front left side I have my strawberry patch already growing and at the very back I just moved 5 rhubarb plants from the front yard where the fruit trees are planted.  

I have the garden all planned out on paper with companion planting in mind.  Now all I need is some heat and no hint of overnight frost, and I will be busy putting it all together for real.

Now I am off to get some trees and shrubs.  I know what I want - the trick will be to see if I can find them out here.

Check in next week and we'll see how I made out!

Stay safe everyone!

KEEPING A PROMISE!

How many times have you promised to do something?  Have you kept that promise?

I don't really know that I have promised too many people anything - not in a real promise way - you know not with the words - "I promise You".  I don't really think we do that anymore in our busy lives... at least not verbally.

I made a promise last summer to my Dad.  We were having a conversation over the phone about gardening - one of many.

If you knew my Dad you knew how much he loved his vegetable gardens.  It kind of was something his whole family believed in and enjoyed doing.  When I was a kid we had a small vegetable garden in the back yard, but he also rented a large garden plot on the outskirts of the city to grow even a larger garden.  He loved his vegetable garden -the larger the better.

One of the things he was so excited for me on our move to the country was that I would have a vegetable garden - a large one!  He immediately started coaching me in the right way to plant.  He was a believer in the Farmer's Almanac, and always planted his gardens by the moon cycle charts in that little book - must be something to it - because his gardens always produced high yields of everything!

In this particular conversation I was telling him about my rose gardens, and how troublesome I was finding the task of keeping quack out of that particular garden.  He wasn't interested really - so I asked him why he never got into flower gardening as much as vegetables.  I know a lot of men who loved to have gardens of both.

His words... "The only flower worth planting is the Sweet Pea.  I used to plant them all the time, years ago."

Have you ever had a few words just zap you back to another time and place?  Zap - his words had me standing in my parents backyard watching my father tying string onto an old white wooden picket fence.  I can see it as plain as the day it happened... and then I could see his sweet peas - and I could smell them!  I was maybe 6 yrs old.

I told him I remembered his sweet peas when I was small, but couldn't remember them in the later years.  That's when he told me he quit planting them because of me.  I was allergic to so many plants as a child, his sweet peas were on that list - so he quit planting them.

Well that made me sad... so I made him a promise.  I said I would plant some next spring just for him, and send lots of good pictures to him when they bloomed.

Dad didn't make it to this spring.  I can't send him pictures of his sweet peas, but I did make a promise, so I'm going to keep it.

But like everything in the garden - there is a process...


Stay tuned!

THE STORIES BEHIND THE PICTURES!

We are starting the week off with the first real rain of the season.  We had a thunderstorm overnight and there are big puddles everywhere.  The grass is greener this morning and even though its a gloomy day, life seems to be just busting outside.

I wanted to start today's blog off with word about the new photos on my page.

First  the one of the dog and the lamb - is that not the cutest thing you have ever seen?  I didn't take the picture but I edited for my friend, who has a sheep farm a few miles down the road from here.  It's been a busy spring for her and her family as birthing lambs can be somewhat iffy at the best of times.  Sheep don't always automatically make the best mothers, according to my friend, Diana.  Because of that, they are constantly having to check the new lambs.

They have companion guard dogs on the property that are there mainly to watch the sheep and the lambs, keep them safe from predators like coyotes and wolves, but often her dogs really go above and beyond.

The dog in the picture is often found with a lamb in its great jaws, as he picks them up and moves them when they get away from the flock or away from their mothers.  And like in this picture - sometimes a cuddle and a fuzzy warm tail works too....

Diana's son noticed an Ewe without her lamb.  He went searching thinking the lamb might have died but instead he came across this scene.  He reached for his phone and snapped the picture... a one of a kind moment that would never present itself again!  How lucky he was to be in the right place at the right time.

Now on to my cover photo...

There are several things special about my cover picture.  The picture is one taken of my Mom and Dad the year before she passed away - it is special in itself - but check out that tiny bouquet of flowers beside the picture.

Those are wild Manitoba Prairie Crocus - Manitoba's official Flower - and my Easter gift from my Cousin Lorne and his wife Debbie.

Who has a cousin who stops his truck and tramps through ditches and fields on his way to Easter dinner, to find three little precious wild flowers that he knows will bring a tear to his cousins eyes.... I do!

I had actually never seen one of these before - but I have heard about them all through my childhood and beyond.  My Mom always talked about fields and fields of them when she was a child walking to school in the spring they were one of her favourite memories of childhood, and certainly one of her favourite plants.

I posted my picture on face book, and the very next day I received a email from my nephew in Calgary with a picture of some crocus that are growing close to where he lives.  I can't tell you how happy that made me.  I just love it when things like that happen...

These tiny beauties are disappearing from our landscape, like so many heritage wild flowers.  This year I got to see them not once but twice, I count myself very lucky indeed!

Such tiny treasures as these need to be protected and cherished, for the next generations to enjoy.   As a society we are loosing touch with these treasures at an alarming rate.   We need to do better... all of us... to keep these treasures alive for those yet to come.

ARE YOU READY?

I am always amazed and thankful when I see how many visits I have to my blogs each day - even when I haven't posted for a few months.

Yes - I have been gone far too long - I certainly feel that way, but my time away was well spent catching up on so many things while I awaited the arrival of spring.

And what an arrival!  Is there anything better than that first few warm days when the song birds are back, the grass is turning green, the green leaves of early perennials are popping through the ground, and tulips are poking their pretty little heads out?  Remember those 25 special tulips I planted last fall to commemorate Canada's 150th Birthday?  They are all up and every day I am peering down at them to see if I can see a bud.  Finally I can!

I was industrious while I was away for those couple of months.  I finally got around to pulling the ugly wall paper off in our bedroom and painting the room.  Oh - so much better.  Part of the reason it has taken me so long was that I kept changing my mind on a paint colour.  In the end I chose a very soft pale green - and it is so restful and soothing - perfect for a bedroom.

Then I moved on the the main floor bathroom. It has taken me almost 2 years to get this room done as well - but done it is, and I'm loving it.

My biggest project was my studio.  Hate to say it - but I couldn't really work in it after I reorganized it just after Christmas.  I didn't like the colour I had painted and I certainly didn't like the layout.  So I stripped it down, repainted and put everything back the way it was before the wasps invaded last fall.  It's home again, and I'm not changing it ever again!  (mark that on the calendar, would you please!)

I am so glad I got all the inside work done, because now I just want to be outside working in the yard.

I bought myself a little electric tiller, and tilled my big vegetable garden all by myself, instead of having to wait for someone else to do it.  The garden is ready to plant.  I decided to wait on the raised beds for another year.  I wanted to try some different vegetables this year so thought the space would be easier to handle if I just used the big garden.

Believe it or not - we are just finishing all the vegetables I froze last fall - so perhaps I didn't plant too much last year as I originally thought!

I am looking forward to a new season of growth, new journeys, new adventures, and hopefully some more new friends.  Hope you can join me for whatever spring and summer 2017 will bring...

See you next week!

IT'S COMING!

Good morning everyone!

We are less than a month away from the first day of spring and if you are like me, that means that a lot of your thoughts have been focused on the great outdoors!  For some it means getting outside and riding a bike, going fishing, hiking, camping, playing sports.

For me it is starting the very long list of "to dos" that I want to accomplish outside this year!

Of course in my mind, I will get everyone one of the things on my list done probably in the first month - or so I tell myself.

Check out this list:

Build raised garden beds - I am thinking (4 )  6ft beds to start with.

Build a rustic fence around the beds - not to keep anything out - just because I want a fence with a gate around my raised bed area.

Make perimeter beds around the fence for flowers - annuals and perennials.

Start seeds indoors - things like tomatoes, some herbs, annuals and flowers...

Clean all flower beds and continue working on the rose beds on the south side of the house.

Plant a apple and a pear tree

Remove brick flower bed along the west side of the house and save any bulbs or plants for replanting.  Dig and make a new bed along the house with new soil and replant.

Re-seed lawn where necessary.

Plant trees and shrubs at the front of the house... thinking 1 tree and 2 shrubs (for now)

Plant 1 tree and a couple of shrubs on the garage side of the yard for privacy.

Find, buy and install a umbrella clothesline in the space behind the shed.

Plant vegetable garden

Replace windows

Paint exterior of the house and garage...



And that should take me to June!

All of a sudden I am feeling a bit tired... think I will go and see how April is coming along!

This is what I have been doing for a whole day already - I am watching a Giraffe by the name of April as she labours to give birth to her baby.  It is fascinating - not because I have never seen an animal give birth, but maybe because I have never seen a giraffe give birth!

 There are several live feeds on line - they go off once in awhile, but for the most part are on until the event happens.

One is CBS Denver's Facebook page ( this is the best feed) but the comments are nuts, so turn them off - hate it when humans have to be humans while watching nature in progress.

Youtube also has a feed - just type in Animal Adventure Park, and you will see the feed.

Well, I feel like I have done a whole lot this morning - time for breakfast and some much needed coffee...

Enjoy your day everyone!

HOW DOES ONE PACE ONESELF?

It's time to get back to the studio and get some projects done before spring hits.  Once the weather warms up enough to be outside working in the yard, the studio pretty much gets forgotten.

You would think spring was here, this past weekend we had record warm temps for this time of the year.  The snow is melting like crazy and when you go outside you really are fooled into believing it is late March or even April, instead of February.  I took this picture on Saturday, Feb 18th.  A week ago this was buried under about three feet of snow that we had piled beside the garage.  While it was exciting to see the Iris' I had totally forgotten I had planted here last fall, it still should not look this way quite yet.

So back to the work waiting in the studio ...

I am working on some items for the Antique shop... some homespun-type things that will go good with vintage and antique items in the shop.  The shop is called "Uniques and Antiques" - perhaps my items would qualify more for the "Uniques" portion of the name.

So currently working on large (26") cloth angels, made from recycled materials from shirts, pants - actually anything, really.  Their wings are "crazy patch" construction to give them that homespun "poor angel" look.

I also have started a couple of cows - and boy and girl cow to be exact.  These are made of fabric as well, about 21" and crazy cute.

My friend Louise has managed to snag me a pattern for a pair of chickens that are outrageously funny and cute, so they are going to be next on the docket...

And if I have some time I might do a couple of bears, bunnies and perhaps a giraffe.

I haven't done soft cloth figures in a long time, so this is a re-visit and a re-learning experience for me.  It is a most welcome change from mug-rugs and needle work and crochet.

But then Gary informed me that his topic for his Spiritual Care group at the nursing home this week is going to be Angels.  Right away my brain goes into overdrive.  I have come to know and love the residents there, so thought it would be nice if they could all get a little Angel once their group meeting was over.

So out came the crochet cotton and needle and I ended up making  tiny little angels that they can take to their rooms and hang on a plant or the window shade, or where ever they want.

My head is getting so far ahead of my hands that I just know I am going to run into trouble eventually.  It always happens when the creative juices go into over drive!  At 61, I am still trying to learn to pace myself - whatever that might be... I'm just not getting the concept.

Hope to be able to show you completed projects in my next post.

Keep busy everyone - it's good for you!

THE BEST OF MY LIFE!

While I have been writing the series of posts about my Dad, all kinds of wonderful things have been happening to people I know and love - and to me as well.

First, this past weekend we were Blessed with a visit from our Dear friends,  Sharon and Al.  They were visiting family in Winnipeg and later in Brandon, so they stopped for a overnight with us on the weekend.  

We haven't seen them for a couple of years so we had lots of catching up to do.  It was wonderful having them here, and my only complaint aside from wishing my dear friend wouldn't have to be battling cancer again, is that the visit was much too short.  But God-willing it won't be years before we see each other again!

Not two days later we got the news we have been waiting to hear for over 8 months! 

Well I'll let this precious little fellow tell you himself!

On Valentine's Day Thomas got to go home.  Here he is checking out of Ronald McDonald House!

Thomas is not over his ordeal yet - starting March 1st he starts his next round of chemo treatments, but from now on, he will no longer need to live in Vancouver full time.    He still has 2 more years of treatment ahead of him, but he will be home with his family, his pets and his friends, which is going to be so wonderful for him.

Thomas and his Mom, my niece Alanna have inspired me so very much these past 8 months.  Little 10 yr old boys can be Hero's - and he is mine.  Both he and his Mom have fought hard, but all through this journey they both have kept smiling, kept being kind to everyone they met along the way.  They didn't take their sorrow or pain or fear out on anyone - they faced it and overcame their obstacles one by one.  The picture above is proof of strength of spirit, and more so - strength of character that both Thomas and Alanna possess.  

Thomas had help, much loving help from the Angels who worked with him and for him every day.  The doctors, nurses, technicians, radiologists to name a few.  Without them, this beautiful picture would never have happened.  Thank You one and all for taking care of my family.  

And finally, many thanks to Ronald McDonald House staff for wrapping your arms around my family and giving them everything they needed at the time they needed it most.

This world IS full of wonderful people, wonderful places and wonderful outcomes...  I have seen it many times myself, and now I have just seen it one more time.

Two special people who both are battling cancer, and who both mean the world to me.

"I choose to make the Rest of my Life,

The Best of my Life..."

I'm sure they would agree....