flowers… Winter Hydrangeas 19 Dec 202120 Dec 2021 Once blue, hydrangeas crumple in the snow.Fading from the limelight,As winter sets in.Dried petals remain.Dim ashes will return. Green life decorated until last summer.A hole will be left behindHow to…
Garden Tour… Archives 21 Nov 2021 Leaded glass replaced by granite,Solid barrier from heat and light.Protecting documents from fading.Historic records of time past.Digitization only a dream. Still stone reflects sun and colour.Light still strives to penetrate.Illuminating…
flowers… Blooming out of Season 31 Oct 202130 Oct 2021 In spring, bright flowers attract hummingbirds,As they brighten the path to warm summer nights.Red Buckeye trees should not be blooming in October. Dark pink clusters contrast with gray fall skies.In…
Garden Crops… When Life Gives You Tomatoes, Make Sauces 17 Oct 2021 Considering the space in front of my townhouse is a former flower garden, this year’s harvest is bountiful! Produce includes tomatoes, herbs and lettuce. While I freeze many washed cherry…
native plants… Wild Asters Fill the Gap 3 Oct 2021 One wild white aster appeared at the foot of the stairs.Child of seed carried on breeze.But I flew to his side,and the cold set in before my return,White smiles withered…
flowers… Late Bloomer 19 Sep 202118 Sep 2021 She is smaller in stature thanThose whose long necks and yellow petalsBrazenly lure hungry wasps with colour and scent. The late bloomer wears fragile pink,A symbol of kindness, service, beauty,…
flowers Dahlias Bloom 12 Sep 202113 Sep 2021 When the snapdragons were in full bloom early in the summer, I wasn’t expecting to have dahlias in my garden. I had expected to grow a few tubers in pots…
Poetry Summer Ends 5 Sep 20215 Sep 2021 Shrill sounds of sirens mix with cicadas. Sirens signal danger of collisionAs pandemic lingers.Warning all to keep apart. Cicadas loudly call for connection.Once dormant underground,Urgent now, life cycles ending. Many…
flowers… The Meaning of Pure White Flowers 29 Aug 202129 Aug 2021 In spring, I added leftover wildflower seeds to the planters along with alyssum and dahlia seeds. When I was forced to remove the snapdragons from the front garden bed due…
Inspirations… Resilience and Resolution 22 Aug 2021 Avocado pit swaddled and tucked away.Weeks later sending forth roots.Too small to sustain your stem, I wait.I am too long in remembering,And tender shoots turn brown. I reproach myself for…
flowers… Bougainvillea 15 Aug 202115 Aug 2021 We met often in “the before”.Your colorful arch embraced us in Barbados.I walked down your lane in Venice Beach. I found you in the greenhouse.Warm and safe in artificial campus…
Inspirations… Ducks and Rain, A Poem 8 Aug 20218 Aug 2021 The raindrops keep others at bay while I swim in the pool of blue water.Cares and aches dissipate for a time under canopy of grey clouds.A lone goose soars, beckoning…
flowers Snapdragon Rust 25 Jul 202129 Aug 2021 Yellow spots were visible on my snapdragons a few days ago. On closer inspection, I noticed dark spots of the underside of some of the leaves. Some plants had over…
flowers Dahlias from Seed 18 Jul 202118 Jul 2021 Flowers remind me of people and places I have loved. Dahlias are no exception. I first discovered these beautiful flowers when I was a teenager working my first full-time summer…
Garden Crops… Wildflower Seed paper 11 Jul 202111 Jul 2021 Seed paper was something I had heard about but never tried. On Mother's Day, my oldest daughter gifted me with a carefully sourced wildflower seed card with a handwritten poem…
Inspirations… Catalpa Trees 4 Jul 20215 Jul 2021 Bushes fill the gap between my neighbour’s stairs and ours. Along with entries at different levels, the greenery helps maintain a sense of privacy between the townhouse entrances. I noticed…
Animals… Curious and Likes the Outdoors 20 Jun 202120 Jun 2021 When CJ came to live with us, the directives on the handwritten note were straightforward, “Walks at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. (but she’d be up for more). Curious and…
Inspirations… Leaf Shadows 13 Jun 202114 Jun 2021 Leaf shadows glide, stirred by wind.Gray images projected on stone.An effortless performance for one,Choreography perfected by chance.Connection brings them back to place,So the dance can start anew. V. Ferrier Plants…
flowers… Prayer Plant 6 Jun 20216 Jun 2021 More than two hours were spent in the garden yesterday. I cherish outside moments more and more. The time flew by. My main tasks were cleaning out tulip stalks turned…
Garden Tip… Resilience 30 May 2021 Avocado pit swaddled and tucked away.Weeks later sending forth roots.Too small to sustain your stem, I wait.I am too long in remembering,And tender shoots turn brown.I reproach myself for this…
flowers… Bridal Spirea 23 May 202123 May 2021 White bridal wreath in family of roses.Sun drenched, thriving despite drought.Form and white flowers hidden from past notice.Now we gaze upon you as brides hide,And spring wedding venues quietly abide.Pure…
Poetry… Pink Blossoms 16 May 2021 We live through red, orange and gray.Finally turning off numbers on blue screens.Open the door and breathe in green.Through a day tinged in blue and yellow, Rose emerges, the colour…
Animals… Bunnies in the Planter 9 May 20219 May 2021 The chives in the front planter did really well last year. I had moved them from the back yard in the spring. My current experiment, garlic, was also up. Mother’s…
Garden Tour… Calming Living Walls II 2 May 20212 May 2021 When I finally arrived and I checked in, my fears dissipated quickly. Inside the centre I was greeted by a floor to ceiling self-sustaining living wall. While the library, pool…
flowers… Tulips In and After Bloom 25 Apr 202125 Apr 2021 Tulips and daffodils are in full bloom in the neighborhood right now! In zone 6, tulips can withstand quite a lot. A few years ago, when the management company decided…
flowers… Forsythia Lockdown 18 Apr 2021 Reflection of golden petals, Blurred by dusty lockdown window.Yellow of anticipation,Bloom before green leaves appear.Vibrant colour crash against the brick wall.Path belonging to no one, but common to all. V.…
flowers… Daffodils Bloom 11 Apr 202111 Apr 2021 Trumpet-like blooms emerge.Harbingers of spring overcoming obstacles of cold winter.Sun-like symbols of creativity and strength,They inspire, pause for remembrance, and urge forgiveness.Yellow is the sign of caution too.Foraging squirrels leave…
Animals… Spring or Stuck in the Messy Middle 4 Apr 20214 Apr 2021 Spring arrived 2 weeks ago. Overall, the weather has been good. Cleo has been enjoying a lot of dog walks around the neighborhood and park. This has been good for…
Garden Crops… Tomato Planting Time 21 Mar 202121 Mar 2021 Spring arrived today! While outside planting time is still weeks away, the longer days and sunshine have me in gardening mode already. It has been warm enough to start on…
Animals… Dog Walks with Cleo 14 Mar 202114 Mar 2021 Recently, we said good-bye to our dog Mo. Diagnostic tests and prescription medication did not help a spinal condition and her mobility had continued to decline. She experienced side effects…
Animals… Painting the Dog 28 Feb 202128 Feb 2021 Professional dog portraits by a local artist were recently shared in my sister-in-law’s social channel. Painted by a local artist, they capture the personality and whimsy of their dog and…
flowers… Shy Lilies 21 Feb 202121 Feb 2021 Red roses of passion bloom in the Valentine bouquet.Crimson carnations assert continuing devotion.Abundant chrysanthemums provide a pure backdrop for floral passion,While shy lilies still sleep in pale green cocoons. Red…
art… Gardening Through Art 14 Feb 202114 Feb 2021 I booked time off for this past week a year ago contemplating many happy garden tours. Instead, I spent a week at home in mid-winter Canada. I miss the sights,…
recipe A+ Microwave Apple Crisp 7 Feb 20219 Feb 2021 Warm apple crisp is my ultimate comfort food. This quick recipe originated in my university days when a friend and I were renting rooms in a home with a kitchen…
art… Taking the Day Off 24 Jan 202124 Jan 2021 Garden Therapy got it right when they established a new special day, National Stay in Bed with Seed Catalogs Day. Spending extra time in bed contemplating happy things can be…
native plants… Sumac Wonderful 17 Jan 202116 Jan 2021 We don’t always appreciate the beauty that we find in our own backyards. When I was growing up, there was a group of bushes in a neglected corner at the…
Animals… G the Dog Leads the Way 10 Jan 202111 Jan 2021 This week I offer my latest painting. Gretel has been a muse for me in the past. When her pal JT posted the original photo that inspired this work, I…
Inspirations… Winter Walks 3 Jan 202111 Jan 2021 For many years we visited a timeshare in Horseshoe Valley, a twenty-minute drive from Orillia, ON. The resort will be closing in a week to be put up for sale.…
About Me… Soft Cover of Snow 27 Dec 202027 Dec 2020 The past nine months have felt like a marathon. A quick pivot to online work and uncertain times have also meant many months of separation and fatigue. As the garden…
Animals… Dog Walks with Mo 20 Dec 202020 Dec 2020 Since the lock down, it has been reported that many people have been acquiring pets. While empty shelters and loving homes is good news, I hope that these decisions have…
Poetry… Rain Today 13 Dec 202013 Dec 2020 During the storm, rain distorts reflections. It can muddy both puddle and pond. It may make us cold, wet and uncomfortable. While it continues to rain, I hope for better…
Inspirations… The Night Craves Light 6 Dec 202013 Dec 2020 There are more holiday lights in my area this year. I encouraged my own family to dust off the lights in the garage that didn't make it up last season.…
Garden Crops… Taking the Longview 29 Nov 202029 Nov 2020 The long view can keep gardeners going in uncertain times. If we focused only on instant gratification, we would replace our gardens with visits to the grocery store and pop…
art… Porthole Pictures 22 Nov 202022 Nov 2020 Although summer is all to short for my liking, a few years back we decided to leave the heat behind for a while. My mother never got to fulfill one…
Garden Crops… Challenging Thyme and Other Spices 15 Nov 202015 Nov 2020 I was recently reviewing my 2020 gardening resolutions. While some, like traveling to garden shows and gardening tours did not happen, I did manage to add some spice to life…
flowers… Sowing Poppies for Wally, John, Ben and Jean 11 Nov 202015 Nov 2020 Originally posted in November 2019, I share again. To the names, I add Ben, another brother of Wally and John, who I recently learned was also a veteran. We will…
flowers… Snapdragons and Resilience 8 Nov 20208 Nov 2020 For me snapdragon flowers have become the flower for 2020. On an unexpected warm spring-like day in November in Canada, they continue to inspire. In the fall of 2019, I…
Garden Crops… Drawing Apples 1 Nov 20202 Nov 2020 I am back to the drawing board and loving it. After two weeks in self-isolation due to travel regulations, I really missed creating art. Though I usually paint with acrylics,…
Garden Tour… Autumn Windows 25 Oct 202025 Oct 2020 The working title for this week’s blog was Fall from my Window, but under the present circumstances, I thought this might cause alarm. Although I have spent the last 10…
art… Calming Living Walls 18 Oct 202018 Oct 2020 Airports are not the most relaxing of places. People may experience the stress of cancellations, delays, missed connections and lost baggage. To this, add the complexities of a pandemic. Though…
The Trials and Tribulations of an Urban Farmer 