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…
flowers… Wedding Bouquets 11 Oct 202010 Oct 2020 In 2020, weddings look very different. This poem is dedicated to Aria and Bailey as they celebrate a new marriage, to Tara whose wedding attendant duties evolved and to family…
flowers… Thanksgiving for Rain 4 Oct 20204 Oct 2020 A dry summer meant a lot of time watering the garden. The other day, as I was putting on my sandals to water again, I heard and saw the rain.…
art… Cornflowers and the Spaces in Between 27 Sep 202027 Sep 2020 When I started painting three years ago, I started to see the world differently. Drawing and painting helped me see not just the entirety, but the elements. I noticed more…
Animals… Squirrel in the Garden 20 Sep 202020 Sep 2020 Although the surveillance video is grainy, I know I have seen the suspect before. They show up in my backyard early in the mornings and wreak havoc. Footprints, mangled leaves…
About Me… An Anniversary Poem 13 Sep 202013 Sep 2020 We had trips planned to celebrate a special anniversary this year. Life had other things in store for us and others. We celebrated with a trip to the Toronto Botanical…
About Me… Labour Days 6 Sep 20203 Jan 2021 Labour Day weekend is different this year. There is no late summer fair at the Canadian National Exhibition. For the first time in 149 years, there will be no Labour…
Garden Tour A Prickly Year 30 Aug 202030 Aug 2020 Back in March, I wrote Sometime Life Succulents. Sadly, I over watered my newest succulent plant and it turned to mush. That I suppose, is also symbolic of many plans…
art… A Painted Flower Box 23 Aug 202026 Sep 2020 A ship on the Alaskan coast was my original destination for today. A significant wedding anniversary is coming up and this was to be our celebration. That dream has been…
Garden Crops… What Can I Make with Zucchini? 16 Aug 202023 Aug 2020 Dad spent the first decade of his life on a farm north of Toronto. When he reignited his passion for growing food in a large garden in the backyard of…
flowers… Six on Saturday: My Top Six Garden Fixes 9 Aug 202010 Aug 2020 I enjoy reading gardening tweets and am often inspired by the beautiful images posted by plant lovers. On Saturdays, garden Twitter fans often post #sixonsaturday to highlight garden success. Yesterday,…
flowers… Timeshare Ending: Let Bygones be Begonias 2 Aug 202023 Aug 2020 A week ago, we checked out of the timeshare we had bought into two decades earlier. A few days later, we signed the forms to exit the perpetual lease that…
flowers… A Year of Unplanning 26 Jul 202027 Jul 2020 2020 has been a year of unplanning. Time away and a theatre production in March give way to a lock down. A cruise and engagement party for a loved one…
flowers… Rudbeckia Flowers 19 Jul 202018 Jul 2020 My children first spied Rudbeckia at Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village in Whitby. They thought that was a wonderful name for a flower since it combined their version of the…
