BEE KIND - LETS BRING THEM BACK!

I spent another day in the yard - raking needles.  Gary hauled 10 bags to the dump today and we haven't even hit the main part of the back yard yet.  But we are getting 99% of them bit by bit so we will keep at it.

I was digging around in a small flower bed I created last year, and dug up a nest of baby bees... OH I AM SO SORRY!  I quickly covered them up and left them alone.

Do you know how much our bees mean to our survival?  Do you know that the solitary bee is in danger of being gone forever if we continue the way we are going now?  Do you know there are ways that we all could help?

The first food in the spring for bees is Dandelion's.  We all want gorgeous lawns with no yellow flowers - but those yellow flowers are much needed for the bees in the early spring... leave some for the bees - Please!

Plant wildflowers.  My neighbour in Winnipeg started a small patch of wildflowers in a little corner of her back yard a couple of years ago, and the bees came - and she had a fantastic vegetable garden that year.  So the next year she planted more.  Not only does she get to enjoy the lovely colours and scents of the wildflowers growing in her yard she is experiencing first hand the benefit of keeping the bees happy.

Make or buy a bee house.  This is something I am doing in my own yard this year.  Back at my old house, the Bumble Bees took over a small birdhouse that my son had made for me.  It has been a bee house for about 5 years now, and my yard was always full of Bumbles every year.

Real bee houses are much different than a birdhouse.  Here is an excellent article on building a Mason Bee House.  It is as simple as drilling small holes into a block of untreated wood.


http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Garden-for-Wildlife/Gardening-Tips/Build-a-Bee-House.aspx

I am putting the challenge out to all my readers - Do something good for the bees this year - lets all do something to make the bees happy in our own yards.




The best commercial I have seen this spring is the Cherrios' commercial.  If you haven't seen it, take a look.


https://youtu.be/9fbMQUVYuRQ

Lets help bring back the bees.

BETTER THAN THIS?

Is there anything better than working outside in the yard all day until you are tired and dirty, then crawling into a hot bath and soaking until your muscles say AHHHHH...?

Don't think so... well maybe a few things are better - like getting an all's clear on your recent mammogram - that trumps just about anything for a cancer survivor.

But a hot bath after a day working, is such a supreme pleasure, is it not?

That's what we have been doing.  Cleaning up the needles left everywhere in our yard by our now removed, dead trees.  My main task has been getting them all removed from the actual garden where I want to plant vegetables.  I have accomplished that, I hope - but still everywhere one walks in the back yard one hears and feels the crunch of needles beneath one's shoes.  So far we have four large orange bags of needles, and we have only done  1/3 of the yard.

It has been hard work, but I really don't mind being outside under the bright blue sky... it is so much better than rain and snow!  And there have been some delightful surprises along the way.

I had a pile of compost I had left last fall in the furthest corner of my garden, I decided to move it and clean the area up so the whole garden can be tilled in a few weeks.  As I was lifting the compost with my garden fork, I saw a bit of movement.  Turns out my very large Toad had been wintering in the compost pile. (Remember my post about him last fall?) There he was fast asleep, all buried safe and warm in rotting vegetation - talk about living in luxury!  I covered him back up and marked the spot with a stick.

Now I am worried about his location when it comes time for our garden to be tilled.  I really want that spot to be tilled, but I don't want to disturb him, and I don't want him to leave my yard.

What I do want to leave, is the blasted MOLE that is still there.  He has moved under the hedge to start some more tunnels in my neighbours yard, but also is digging up a storm in mine.  There had been no activity last fall, so I thought that he had moved on - Not so!

My neighbour has bought and placed a trap that looks like a torture chamber in extreme, but I am not sure it will actually catch the critter.  I have declared war on this pest - he's goin down - one way or another!

That is a story that will be continued at some point...

For now it's endless days warming to real spring temps; working outside every day accomplishing much on my to-do list, and enjoying my first spring in the country.

Can't get much better than that!

PHEW! WHAT A BUSY WEEK!

This week seems to have gone by quicker than usual.  Guess that's because so many things have happened this week - we exposed our house to whomever drives or walks past, I got a job, we took a short trip in to Winnipeg, I had my 10th year post-cancer and mastectomy mammogram, I rescued Beauty, I got to see and visit with my very much missed elderly former neighbour, and I got to spend precious time with our son... all in four days.

No wonder the week flew by!

I would really love to be able to be outside working, but it has turned chilly once again, so instead I will work upstairs.

I am pretty excited  about something totally different however.  I recently had 30 some vintage baby dresses to sell.  I posted them on one of the Face Book doll sites I belong to, as they are suitable for larger dolls, and a friend of mine on the site said she wanted them all.  That was just before Molly left us, and while I was still painting anything I could find.

I finally connected with my friend again, and we discussed the dresses I am to send her, and she had the best idea -

How about we do an exchange!  We were talking about our Chatty Cathy's she has over a 100, and I have 8, so she asked it I would consider and exchange, a good condition, brown eyed brunette Chatty Cathy and some Chatty dresses for the 33 dresses I am sending her.

Would I consider?  I leaped...

I haven't had a new Chatty Cathy in a few years, and just the thought of acquiring another, makes my heart pitter-patter... I don't have a brown-eyed doll - they are not all that common, so I am excited to get her.  I can see a spa day coming up - and while I am at it, perhaps a spa day for some of the other Chatty's that sit not too far away from me in my studio.

I wasn't expecting this - so it is a wonderful surprise.

In the meantime, I will try to continue to clean up some of the mug rug projects that I have started - OH and the two I gave away as gifts this weeks, were very much loved.

So what a week, it's been - I am kind of looking forward to a quiet weekend.  Maybe we will be really lucky and get to have a complete weekend without snow - now wouldn't that be ideal!

Talk to you next week -

ITS NOT JUST A PLANT!

We had to go into Winnipeg yesterday- just a quick trip in and out.  It was time for my mammogram, and although it is a bit of a drive, I really appreciate my new doctor allowing me to return to the facility where all my records are, and where all my scans have been.

It was a special anniversary, of sorts.  The technician, whom I have come to know quite well over the years,  welcomed me with a huge smile a hug and congratulated me on reaching my 10 yr mark, post- cancer and post mastectomy.  As I told her, I pretty much never think of my cancer anymore, except when I have to return for my regular mammograms.  She agreed that it is the way it should be for survivors like me....and then she ruined all the nice sentiments by squeezing the day lights out of my one and only boob.  But I did thank her for it...I can stand 10 seconds of torture if it means I can continue to live a healthy cancer- free life.

It was very surreal returning to Winnipeg.  I haven't been back since we moved to the country 9 months ago.  I cannot honesty say I enjoyed it, except for a very brief visit with my former neighbour, Elaine, and a hour long coffee and chat with our son, Jon.

We had very little time to do much, but we did go to our old house (now our son's) to pick up some items we had left behind.

My main focus, was on 4 large house plants that we were unable to bring with us 9 months ago, and most especially...Beauty.

Beauty has a story...

My Mother had a huge Christmas Cactus for as long as I can remember that bloomed for half a year, every year.  It was her pride and joy.  It sat in a standing brass plant stand, in her living room as long as I can remember, and she only moved it to clean, but then the stand went right back to the same spot.  

Mom's living room window faced south, but her plant was never in the sun.  It sat off to one side where it got plenty of light, but never direct sun.  Every fall Mom would drag her big cactus down to the coldest darkest room in the house( her root cellar) and she would leave it there for a couple of months, pretty much forgotten.  A few weeks before Christmas she would drag it back upstairs, put it in its rightful place and water it, and within a couple of weeks it would be loaded with buds that would bloom for months.

When my Mother passed away 32 years ago, it was in full bloom...it was March.  I decided I wanted the plant so I took it to my townhouse, set it roughly in the same position in front of my south- facing picture window, and within six weeks it was dead.

I knew everything there was to know about the care of this plant, and I followed it to the letter, but the plant died anyway.

It had been dropping sections before it died, and I potted those tiny pieces... Every one of them.  

They all died as well.... Except one.

And that one is my Beauty!

Over the years Beauty has come to mean just as much to me as my Mother's plant meant to her, so when I had no choice but to leave it behind when we moved, I was heart- sick, and when I saw how sick it looked yesterday, I almost cried.

I could have blamed my son for its poor appearance, had I not experienced almost the very same thing with another plant 32 yrs ago.

So, I gathered my sad Beauty up, shoved her in the car and brought her back home with me.  In actual fact, she was much easier to transport in her wilted state than she would have been 9 months ago when she measured at least 3 ft from side to side.

I started talking to her as soon as I got her in the door, I gave her some water and left her sitting on the island overnight.  This morning she was already starting to respond.

An now at almost noon, she is really starting to look good.

 I don't believe it has anything to do with the care my son gave or didn't give at all, just like the care I gave or didn't give my Mothers plant... It was all about the caregiver.

My moms plant needed her, not me.  My plant needed me, no Jon.  Pure and simple love!

I have done nothing different than Jon did...its just that he is not I.

Welcome Home, Beauty... You are here to stay... 

TREE DAY!

Yesterday was tree day at our house...after 9 months of dreaming about it, our six half-dead spruce trees were taken out.  I can't say enough positive things about Kevin, the young fellow who worked so hard all day, just he with his partner, the mini backhoe.  He was awesome and we would recommend to anyone needing his type of service.

I have to say, with those trees gone, we are feeling somewhat exposed!  Guess we were more used to living behind those trees than we realized.  It was pretty difficult seeing the TV last evening as well...our living room window faces west, so until the sun went down, it was somewhat bright.  However all that can be fixed with time.  We will plant some trees in front of the house again, just not as close or not as large, I can get different window coverings, or we can think about an awning.

Before (front of the house)

Before in front of the back yard.

After all six trees are removed!

You can see why I would be feeling somewhat exposed! 

During the day there was a constant trail of vehicles parading past the house.  You have to love small towns, something this major brings out the curious.  So many people stopped to chat, about the history of the trees, the history of the house and everyone commented on how they never knew what the front of our house actually looked like.

They will see many more changes happening over the summer months ahead, and perhaps by the time fall approaches our home will no longer be known as the " Stefanishyn House"

If all that wasn't enough excitement for one day, I still had my interview to attend for a position I had applied for weeks ago.  So at 4 pm, I got cleaned up and headed downtown.  The interview went well, they had three candidates to see, but they said they would let me know later this week.

I just came in from working in the yard for lunch and when the phone rang, I knew I had the job.  I start May 1st as the custodian of the town library.  It is 8 hrs a month, and will be a wonderful opportunity to do something for my community, while getting to know some more fellow residents, and give me some pocket change as well.  

I plan to advertise for piano students for fall registration soon as well.  The wonderful thing about retirement, is you can do the things you want to do, when you want to do them. The freedom is so refreshing, after years of dancing to the tune of others!

So now, I am off to head back outside and work in the yard some more.  There is much to do out there, and the weather is beautiful finally...

IN PRODUCTION MODE!

Our weekend was full of rain and snow - lots of rain and lots of snow.  Thank you Montana - very much for sharing that with us!

While I was chomping at the bit to be outside working in my flowerbeds, that wasn't going to happen - so instead I spent the majority of my weekend up in the studio working on projects that I had yet to finish - and of course creating some more.

I quilted 4 of the mug rugs, and attached the little poem on them, so they are ready to be given as gifts.  They really do look so much better when they are quilted.

Now I am working on a couple more campers, and having so much fun doing so...
  Detailing them is the best part of making them - you can get as creative as you want... or not!  Those are going to be potted plants in the window, when I get around to embroidering the plants!

Still a lot to be done on these before they are finished and ready to be quilted!

This one is for a female musician or singer, and I have the match for it cut out in blue for a male musician or singer. - same top, blue and white stripe bottom for the male.  Terribly cute, don't you think?






The weather is supposed to turn around now, nothing but heat and sunshine in the forecast for the entire upcoming week.  Maybe - just maybe we will be getting our trees cut down today - thanks to the nasty weather it has been postponed three times already.  Hope it can happen today.  So maybe my little campers will have to take second place to the yard - but we will see - it might still be too wet to work out there - and if it is  - I will keep working on campers and such!

At this rate, I will have all my Christmas gifts made by July!  Whoot Whoot!!!

APRIL SHOWERS!

April showers bring May flowers!  Let that please be the truth!  It is raining here, a good steady soaking rain which anything growing in my yard is going to need because the soil in the flowerbeds around my house is bone dry - or it was yesterday!

I did get on my knees for about a couple of hours yesterday, working in the south facing rose garden.  I have six roses that have black rot, and I think they are gone - but I have left them for now.  I admit I know very little about growing roses, so if anyone has anything to share on this matter - please do.

Then I moved over to the other rose bushes in an adjacent bed.  These have fared much better, but then they are still well buried in quack at the roots. I spent an hour clearing the quack away from yet one more rose bush, and as you can see there is hope for this one, at least.  

 I am making progress, just have this quack left and then I will have completed this bed.

This is back-breaking and time-taking work.  On most of the bed I just dug it out with a garden fork, but here in the roses I have to pull and clean it by hand.  The quack root system is entwined with the roses and it is tedious work.  That one rose bush took almost an hour to clean around.

I have to say, even though I dislike quack with a passion - I do enjoy being out there on my hands and knees on a warm spring day, digging in the earth, finding treasures like the tiniest snake skull, listening to the Gold Finches and the Robins singing for all the world to hear, and talking to the plants.

Oh the things I tell them!

In yesterday's case there were apologies given, and promises made.  I am one who believes that plants respond to communication through speech.  I have heard so many people say that I can grow anything, or that I have a green thumb - not true at all folks.

A lot of the time I am the most ignorant of gardeners - but what I lack in knowledge, I make up for in love of the beauty that I might be encouraging; patience - which isn't always easy; and speech - I always talk to my plants - whether they be indoors or outside in the garden.

If there be a secret to growing things - that would be mine!

I can hear the rain pounding on the roof now - so I guess it is safe to say the rain has changed to a downpour.  Don't really need that much water - but it is what it is.  Spring IS here, and I have proof...

Tomato's, Rhubarb, Tulips, and I think Echinacea that was just a root when I found it tangled in some quack I pulled a few weeks ago - I knew the root was something other than quack, but didn't know what it might be until I potted it and it grew to a leaf I could recognize -  now I know....  A perennial saved!  Wonder what colour it will be when it grows up?

I also have lavender, Rosemary and Lemon Balm growing in pots - and ginger, from that little nub that started all on it's own...

So let the rains come - then let the grass grow green and tall, and the flowers stretch to the sun and produce beautiful blooms... and leave the dandelions of spring for our bees - they need this first food of spring - some wildflowers waving in the wind wouldn't hurt them either -