Photography Lessons

After seeing the phone picture on the blog earlier this week, I decided to spend some quality time with my Good Camera- I need some practice anyway. Here’s what happened:

Tasha is not impressed…severely. I did a photo study of her for a few minutes- just sat in the chair in the hallway and snapped pics of her as she tried to settle down for her daily morning nap. A few more weeks and she’ll be able to move to that puddle of sunlight you can almost see on the floor in front of her- it’s still too hot right now for sleeping in the sun, even early in the morning.

Yes, I should be working on the Camp Shirt, or my new knitting project (I picked up Knitting from the Center Out by Daniel Yuhas from the library yesterday, read 5 pages and whipped out my stash and started knitting furiously at 9 o’clock last night, much to the amusement and dismay of everyone else in the house- mama’s not turning those lights out anytime soon!), but I wanted to capture the progression from total alertness (what are you doing mama?!) to sleepy-contentedness that is a cat seduced by the warmth of Fall Sunshine…

I love that her foot hasn’t moved an iota as those eyes slowly succumb to the warmth and stillness of the morning around her…

It’s been too long since I’ve made her the focus of the day. My little sunshine girl.

Then I left her to get some much needed sleep (ha-ha, her second nap of the morning!) and turned my “eye” to the garden:

Um…oh, my. Goodness Gracious, that’s a dirty, lifeless, tired and worn-out little garden, isn’t it? Summer out here on the edge of East County really takes a toll on these little green souls. The camera is helping me really see the individual plants, rather than the overall greeness I usually see…

Not too mention all the fallen leaves, dirt, and spider webs…

There is one bright spot however- this little corner of lovelyness! The Aloe has definitely survived my hack-job of a repotting from last year, and that lovely fernyish plant, too! It’s a volunteer that I think came with the Aloe when it was but a teeny-tiny-itty-bitty 4 inch starter plant. It has been growing quite contentedly in this pot through transplants, moving locations, drought conditions (ahem) and over fertilization. (and under fertilization as well…found a chore for tonight!) and I love it’s delicate, leafy fronds and cool-green colour. Perfect for a Woodland Fall, too!

Now, as long as the Faeries don’t decide to chop it down for a Woodland Campfire, we’re golden…

A deep breath…

It’s such a nice time of year, isn’t it? Cool, crisp mornings that are perfect for a leisurely neighborhood walk to view the turning leaves, breathlessly hot afternoons that turn back to cool dark-early evenings- just in time for a nice evening chat outside in the garden. Lovely!

My morning walk takes me past this lovely view as many mornings as I can get out there. Sometimes it’s in the early evenings, but mostly I like to walk first thing in the morning- it’s a great start to the day in any season, but especially now. All the birds and lizards out for their breakfast, spider webs sparkling with morning dew…it’s quite magical.

Some new ideas I’m working on this week:

My first Men’s Shirt- trying a “toile” in basic brown to start, I’m excited about getting into that…

Another bag- basic white or black, cross-body, two or three pockets, for traveling/walking/sightseeing…

More Linen skirts are lined up for this month- bought the fabric this weekend, lovely “Potting Soil” brown and a mustard yellow called “Honey”…

A year-long knitting project that is nearing the end has slowly turned from a bag, to a hat, and back to a bag- purse! I’ll be lining it and adding a handle for a scrumptious-yummy knit purse…

And finally, a small re-do of the garden- cleaning up, clearing out, repotting and attempt at cool weather planting…

So…lots to do this week! Hopefully those Faeries will do more than just dump pots of dirt all over the balcony this time…no, it’s not fertilizing the cement you guys!

Summer vacation

This certainly has been a busy summer- I looked up and saw that I haven’t even had time to write a blog post! These past few weeks have just flown by (which is a big surprise, based on past experiences). After making a “Summer Schedule” late this spring I thought I had all my bases covered, but we haven’t even had time for the things I was making time for!!! Here's a brief look at my summer thus far:

We had a Birthdays’ Party (for the both of us- our birthdays are one day apart), which included Mushroom Cakes (they were sooo cute! and tasted even better!); Chips and Dips; little Rolled Sandwiches and a Poked Cake (!!!), petit Croissant and hamwiches and a lovely Fruit Tray one of our guests provided (which was demolished in record time it was so good!)

We went to ComicCon as volunteers, and had a marvelous time!

This was the “floor” Wednesday Night- it’s the commercial part of the convention, and it’s only a fraction of the crowds you will find on thur, fri, sat and sun because it’s Preview night- this crowd is mainly the volunteers, vendors and exhibitors.

And this is the restaurant where we recovered every night- Con can be an ordeal, and you only survive by taking care of yourself! The Meyer Lemon-Buttermilk Panecotta is divine! And the Pesto-Chicken-Goats Cheese Pizza is the best thing on the menu- aside from the Gnocchi, which is okay but lifted into the divine by the mélange of yummy vegetables it’s served on…

This is a very tired little garden- it’s the end of July, and very hot right now- and only going to get hotter as the summer wears on I’m afraid. So, the feedings of Liquid Seaweed have increased to ever two weeks, the watering happens in the cool of the morning (so they don’t steam and wilt in the heat of the day), and a good cleaning is on the books for this weeked- I’ll take all those pots over to the side of the balcony and sweep all those cobwebs, dead leaves and dirt away and make it all fresh, happy and shiny.

On a slightly side note- the tomatoes and zucchini are coming along just…not very fine. It’s too hot, and the pot isn’t big enough for the three of them. We have tomatoes and zucchini, just not a lot of them. Once the harvest comes in I’m thinking of switching over to beans and carrots for the winter, maybe some lettuces too. Interestingly enough, the mint is going gangbusters, even with all the heat…

Then there’s all the movies, walks, library trips, dinners, crafting and game nights (yaay! game night!) that just filled the month right up to the brim with fun, activity, healthy eating and more fun. And so I find myself on the eve of August saying good heavens! it’s time to get back to work (thank goodness), offering a toast of gladness to a month of successful fun, frivolity, and successful endeavors- and looking forward to another month of all that and more…

hey, you faeries get offa that tomato- it’s not ripe yet!!!

Spring Reading

We use our Public and County Libraries a lot in this bookish little family of mine- so much so that sometimes it can get a bit overwhelming. Ahem. (they let you check out so many! And it’s free! what’s one more? picture me hidden behind the stack of books in my arms…) So lately I’ve given myself a 3-book maximum rule: One for research, one to read, one for fun. It works out pretty good, too- two libraries, once a week or two, 6 books. More if my husband brings something good home. It can overlap though- right now I’ve got 7 books to post on the reading list to the right over there (they are going back this weekend) to be replaced by the 6 I picked up last night (holds that came in midweek are too tempting to leave at the library!). I’ll order books I see in the bookstores, or titles I find recommended in my blog reading online. With so many titles lying around I thought I’d round them up and make a list!

Julie Czerneda’s A Turn of Light- This is so good! Wishing Magic, with invisible Dragons, armored House Toads, traveling Gypsies, and pie…all against a backdrop of Frontier Homesteading and Doorways to the Otherside. Yummy.

Marie Brennan’s A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent- Alternative Victorian fanciful piece with Dragons  of all sorts, a tragic love story, Russian folklore, and even a  bit of amateur sleuthing? It was read in a mere 4 days- worth every second of lost sleep!

Mark Alan Hewitt’s Gustav Stickley’s Craftsman Farms- Lovely pictures and line drawing of the houses, furniture and landscapes of the Arts and Crafts movement, some background info of how it came to be, and an in-depth look at the attempt of one man to create a Utopian community.

Michelle Obama’s American Grown; The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America- I’m enjoying this for all the information and background on kitchen gardens, the White House Gardens in general, and the impact food has on our health and well-being.

Bob Thomson’s The New Victory Garden- Love this one! Broken down by month, with colour pictures and beautiful line drawings, this is a gold mine of gardening information, with a little bit of personal history that keeps it from being a dry text book.

Gladys Taber’s The Book of Stillmeadow- A personal account from the 1930’s of running away to live in the country. Susan Branch quotes her constantly in her books and artwork, so I wanted to see what she has to offer. Lovely anecdotal and lyrical writing, and bits are truly funny- she has a ton more that I might check out too.

Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone- A really big, heavy book (not convenient for reading in bed) with lots of really good ideas, some simple, some rather complex looking. Why do these vegetarian books always work out to be behemoths? Vast encyclopedic monstrosities with every single recipe the author can think of, very few (if any) pictures, and rather a lot more commentary and “instruction” than I want to wade through. I am finding ideas, but it’s taking forever to get through it, and I get bored every other page. Very disappointing really. 

So there you have it- some research, some reading, some fun (some not so fun…but necessary). What can I say?

I love to read.

May Day Musings

May Day is a favorite of mine- the sun is out, the flowers are in bloom, the days are that much longer… it’s Spring! Winter is officially past, something to dream and plan about for the future. Summer is coming and now is the time to air out the musty corners of the house and begin laying in supplies for the hot months to come. Perfect weather for long weekend hikes, tramping about the countryside before it gets too hot, trips to the garden shop for herbs and flowers, and rambling visits to the thrift stores for new old stuff for the secret garden.

- Last month was a good one for getting things finished, and setting up new routines. It felt so good to get the Watercolour Quilt done!

- The next quilt is still in the set up phase- it will take a little longer to cut the pieces for this one, there is so many!  It wouldn’t do to get hurt again.

- There is a lot more of this kind of prep work going on- yummy veggies are even  yummier cooked swiftly:

Lots more of this going on, too!

(she likes having her picture taken- it means momma is paying her extra special attention!)

- There have been lots of trips to the libraries- too many books, quite frankly, are being brought home! My favorites this week are: Weelicious by Catherine McCord; Sunday Morning Quilts by Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkison; Glamping with MaryJane byMaryJane Butters; and Sew What You Love by Tanya Whelan.

- There was some early season thrifting done last month as well- finally found that potting bench for the secret garden:

Nothing a little elbow grease can’t handle!

Fits perfectly! The Faeries are a little miffed (that’s where their swimming pool slide was located) but it needed to be back away from the ledge so somebody doesn’t get any smart ideas…

Lot’s more to do this month- Happy Beltane!

It’s a beautiful morning

A corner of my garden this sunny spring morning:

Happy weekending everyone!

Spring Cleaning

Spring is here, and it’s been a month of cleaning up, clearing out, assessing life and implementing new strategies around here lately. I feel the need for a list!

I finally found a new doctor- Yaay! Who diagnosed me with Type 2 Diabetes. Ick.   Which has lead to…

A new diet and exercise regime. Yaay! Been trying to do this for ages it seems. Loads more veggies, whole grains and lean protein. It just feels so…right.

I’ve started a new quilt! The fabric gathering has begun. Pinks, violets, greens and light browns. Yummy!

Found a new Potting Bench for the wee-small garden at the thrift shop this week:

Yes, yes- it’s really just a T.V. tray- but it’s a glorious rich solid wood one, perfect condition- just needed a little oil and elbow grease to spiff her up! Lovely.

So…lots to do, lots to see, lots of places to go. Gotta get back into a daily schedule around here. Here’s a peek at what my mornings look like nowadays. Back soon with more tales from the Magickal side of life…

The Science of Writing

Oh dear- another week has gone by without a new update from the Land of Market Day…drat. I have gotten into a bit of a writing slump, as you cans see for yourself, so I am taking the very good advice my husband gave me, and am writing about…not that. I’d like to write about Other Things at the moment (which, truth to tell, is working wonderfully- I’m sketching out another story idea in the background as I write this little missive. Yaay it worked! Block fixed, moving on…)

How is your Spring going? Ours is a tiny bit…wet, at the moment. The newest addition to the garden has been pummeled to smithereens in the latest rainfall, so I can’t really show you glorious pictures. But I can give an update- I brought home the start of this years’ New Design this week; a beautiful deep pink Ranunculus, a pretty little pixie of a pink and white Primrose (sensing anything yet?), a sweet pale pink Ivy Geranium, and a light lavender Stock. Yes- this year I am going for it with a pink, purple and chartreuse color palette (that’s if I can find anything Chartreuse!) I already freshened my stock of herbs with  new Thyme, Apple Mint, and Tarragon plants- which are living in the kitchen until it warms up a bit more (I’ve already had to trim the Thyme a bit- it loves the sunshine coming through the window in there!) I wanted a fresh and frilly little flower garden feel this spring, and it’s already looking quite lovely out there. I’ll have to get some pictures to show soon…

Next up is an update on the sewing I’ve been doing lately. Oh! It’s so nice to be able to work out a creators block, isn’t it? I’ve finally made a new pin cushion, which is something I’ve wanted to do for years now, but never seemed to get around to doing. Well, it’s done! Just a nice big round pouff with a bit of embroidery and shaping, stuffed to the brim and weighted with raw rice, with a dainty little strap. Voila! Perfection, if I do say so myself. The other thing I’ve been working on is taking patterns from existing clothing. It’s a bit tricky, complicated at times, and really hard- but totally worth it, and fun! I’m about finished with the first one, and already have the fabric for a second, and plans for a third. I love figuring out how to do things, doing research and having the time to rip out stiches if I need to. ahem. And I find it interesting how many different ways there are of explaining the same technique for applying a placket to a shirt…

One note about the blog itself- it has come to my attention that I have rather…a lot of categories. Err, they have gotten out of hand, and are making it a bit of a nuisance to find an appropriate one when I go to label my posts. grrr. Aggravating, to say the least. I’ve tried before to shorten the list, with mixed success, but I think what I ought to do is re-categorize the existing posts. Ick. Not looking forward to that, but something needs to be done…

So! No pictures, lots of words, and no story. Hmm…It’s starting to look a little like a blog around here, non? We’ll have to see what we can do to spruce things up around here, the miss and I. Although, I could just give the Faeries free reign…

A Winter’s Tale

Wasn’t that fun? I had a wonderful time writing those stories, and it was really good practice for me. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a tale to tell- next I want to do a dialogue scene. But for today I thought I check in and give you all an update on what I’ve been up to lately, besides writing children’s stories…

This month I decided to try a new pattern making technique- taking a pattern from an existing garment. How does it look?

The green tunic is the one I made- and yes, it’s very large, inside out and only basted together, but I’m very happy with it! It fits! I’m enjoying the process and learning a lot as I go through the steps. And all my thrifted sewing books are coming in very handy- I’ve already looked up assembling sleeves, plackets, cuffs, collars and seam finishes (although that’s getting ahead of myself- it’s not at that stage yet!) Very exciting…

There is new life again out in the garden- I gave it a good cleaning last week. Sweeping and dead-heading and a good feed brought most of the plants back to life. I’ve discovered liquid seaweed fertilizer, and I must say it’s easier and gives better results than the powdered stuff I was using. Almost everyone out there needs a new, bigger pot this year, so I’ll be making a trip to the garden shop soon…

The kitty grass had to come out- kitties love it, but their stomachs do not! Ahem. The Buddleia is not really doing it for me (they have no smell! And the hummers didn’t much care for it anyway), so I’ve decided it must come out. The red rose turned out to be a Hybrid Tea- which means there is only ever one single bloom on the thing at a time, so he’s coming out too. After I made that decision I took a good look at what else was going on out there and made an actual plan for this spring. Can’t wait til it warms up so we can buy some new plants!

Speaking of…yes, we brought home some new herbs- but I’m keeping them in the kitchen this time, they’re so pretty! Apple Mint, Tarragon and Lemon Thyme. Yummy- I put a pinch of tender thyme tops in my tea last night…Mmm….delicious!

So that’s the month so far- lots of sewing, a little gardening, and a new pasttime, writing! I’ll have a new chapter up this Friday, thanks for staying tuned! Now if I could just get those Faeries out of my ink pot…

Faeries in the garden!

Didn’t I tell you there would be Faeries in this space soon? Well, it’s not quite what I had planned, but look:

Do you see it? It’s right there, in the back a bit:

What is it mama? What?

Not here, Tasha- over there!

We have a Faerie Mushroom in the garden! Interestingly enough, it’s even growing in the same pot as the plant that I brought home from the Fairy Festival this summer! Coincidence? I think not…

October Red

This is outside my window this week:

Such a red, red rose! Happy Weekending everyone.

On frustrations, and new ideas…

Oh, I’m being brutal with Pandora today folks! Even if it’s just the first two bars, if I don’t groove- off with it’s head! I need some new music this Fall…

So, I’m in the Workshop this week, trying out brand new ideas, different techniques, and a few new materials. Ugh. New is hard. My head knows what it wants to see, can see, is seeing, in that busy space, but my fingers don’t know how to get there! They’ve never been down that route, and the instructions are kinda vague, you know?

Lots of new around here this year. It’s good for the soul, and good for the artist, but it’s hard on the girl, who likes things a certain way…

Don’t feel too sorry for me yet, though- it’s Fall! And you know what that means:

Cool, crisp mornings, which is wonderful whilst watering and puttering in the garden! It’s time to begin weeding out the poor dearly departed, and almost time to get out some graph paper and plan out a new spring flower garden…

Time to dig out all the yummy fall/winter-time pillows/throws/scarves/hats/ tablecloths and dishes from their summer hiding places, and time to polish up the silver and glass ware in preparation for Fall entertaining…

Kitty sitting & Knitting time has rolled around again! Oh, how we’ve both missed this quiet time in the late evenings, where it’s just me, her, and a nice ball of yarn…

So! Lots of new things around here this week- new crafting ideas (some that just aren’t working…sometimes the best thing is just to let ‘em go…), new knitting projects (loving these little pixie bags!), new table scarves and napkins, and one of my absolute favs, new cleaning potions (Tea Tree this time around, for the smell, and its antiseptic properties. Yummy!)  It’s a wonderful start to our new year!

What’s new around you?

Discovering my Process…

I’ve started a new project this week, and it’s making me so happy! I’ve gathered some of my favorite colours and fabrics and started a new round of bags. The prep work has never gone very smoothly with these, so I sat down and did some math calculations.

Jump right in

Normally when I start a new project, I just read the directions and start cutting. Oh sure, I wash and iron my fabrics, true them up and slice off the ragged edges. And yes, I’ve done some research, poured over the internet and books for inspiration, and dug through my notes for ideas. But I don’t really think about what the end product will look like, and sometimes it seems I do more math calculations than I do sewing on some projects. So this time, I sat down at my work table (yes- the dining table! It’s a great big surface I can pile all my yummy fabrics on…) and made a list of all the dimensions. And that got me thinking of how new dimensions would look- but that’s another project, for another day (Tote bags! Shopping bags! Book bags!).

The Crafting Machine at work… lots of new bags up there- just you wait! Oh, and here’s an update on the Faery’s House, I’ve gotten some work done on the paint job this summer:

New window frames, and got the trim on the attic painted out- I’m liking, but not loving, the orange/green colourway at the moment, but I’ve no idea what colour to paint the patio/balcony railings. The Faeries haven't’ been very helpful- they’ve taken to camping out in the garden to escape the heat. I know because they’ve been having loud midnight pool parties in the pond!

Looks so cool and inviting! So glad I made a “pond” for the garden- all the hummers come by for a sip, and Tasha likes to splash around in there, too!

Lazy Hazy Friday

I spent some time this morning before breakfast reorganizing the garden- there were lots of pots straggling around the balcony, dirt and dead leaves everywhere, and I had even found an empty window box stashed in the outside storage closet- empty of all things! There’s no empty planters in gardening now, is there? Honestly!

Ignore the paper bag- I like to fool myself into thinking it’s my compost heap!

I rather like the effect lining the edge of the railing with the window boxes has on the overall appearance out there- it’s like I’ve outlined the space with plants…

That big blue tray has got to go- and I need to find a saucer for the nasturtium nursery. Here’s a better shot of this corner-

There! Now it’s “artistic”!

I love my little balcony garden- it brings me such peace and quiet joy. I would like to find a few more plants this month, maybe some more herbs, and another rose would be nice. I’d like a trailing rose to train onto the balcony bars, but can’t decide between white or red? And I keep finding references to a “moonlight garden”, which I think would be lovely out here this summer- lots of white flowers, some that even open in the evening! We’ll see. I hope I can find room for some new things. We should do a head count- I have no idea how many plants are out there so far.

Let’s make a list!

1. Aloe
2. Lemon Verbena
3. Rosemary
4. Thyme
5. Pansy
6. (3) Stock
7. (2) Oregano
8. Pink Rose (There’s also some chamomile, or borage, I’ve forgotten which, in the base of that big pot, too.)
9. (2) Lavender
10. Sage
11. Basil
12. Lemon Balm
13. Snapdragon
14. Parsley
15. Chives
16. Spearmint
17. Catmint
18. Kitty Salad (aka wheatgrass)
19. Alyssum
20. Dianthus (aka Pinks. squee! I love the old fashioned flowers!)
21. Pink Geranium
22. Red Geranium
23. Morning Glory
24. Strawberries
25. Calendula

And even more Pansies back in the corner there. Also in that great big pot on the right are some sunflowers seeds, and a volunteer something-or-other. It could just be a weed, but I’m letting it go until it gets big enough to identify. The same thing is going on in the strawberry pot. I think they are from some Honeydew Melon seeds I threw in there around Christmastime, but I’m not sure.  Oh, and there is a volunteer spring onion in there somewhere- it came home in one of the spring cell packs, and just kept growing! I can’t wait to see if it will flower…

Hmm… I think I can squeeze in a few more plants in out there, at least the Faeries seem to think so. I know they’ve moved out there recently because Tasha’s Gnome gardener keeps getting moved to the oregano (she knows the difference guys!) and the hummers seem madder than usual, something about getting mooned last week? And I don’t think they are talking about the Full Moon either…

The Countdown Begins…

So, I woke up yesterday and realized he had one week and four days left.

…

I am sooo very glad I did all that planning last month! Because Summer is indeed here. And so begins the whole crazy round of wonderful summer things:

Monday Night Spaghetti Suppers-

Mad sewing marathons to finish the Mom’s Birthday Presents (one down, one to go!)

Crazy Hot days= watering the little garden that could every-single-day! Which means-

Making watering every day (got smart and make twice as much so I’m not filling bottles every single day)

Baking dinner in the morning, BEFORE it gets Crazy Hot-

Making double veggies for dinner one night, lunch the next day. Bliss-

Weekly Library Runs, which means-

Weekly Mexican food Lunch Dates . Our favorite place does the most amazing beans and rice…

Spending the whole weekend at home reading books, cooking lunches, and giving little miss some much needed cuddle time-

Rediscovering summer veggie dishes-

Discovering some new summer veggie dishes-

And a whole lot more to come! I love summer. What are some of  your favorite things about summer?

Gray May

It’s a very gray May so far this year- but we’re loving it! The plants definitely are enjoying the break from the extreme heat and dry air with all this lovely morning fog and cool mid-mornings.

This pot in the corner has been quietly growing all year, ever since I transplanted some seedlings into it towards the end of January.

My Calendula has finally blossomed! It’s been a long year, full of watering, watching, wondering and ahem..forgetting…

Kind of awe inspiring to think this all started last August in an egg carton on the counter in the kitchen:

Attack of the Devouring Hordes…

Roses get aphids. It’s a fact of life as a gardener. It’s also devastating when it happens to you. Especially when it’s your own fault.

Nasturtiums attract aphids. They appear out of nowhere, out of thin air itself, in my case. One day you’ve got beautiful pale pink, delicate froths of fragrant blooms, the next every surface of your beloved is covered in a carpet of voracious, devouring hordes that blight the very sun from the face of the earth. Or your roses, as the case may be.

I didn’t pay attention. I ignored the warning signs. I waited too long, and didn’t do enough, fast enough.  I didn’t believe what I read on the  internet. Any one of an infinite reasons why, it all comes down to one unavoidable fact:

I have aphids.

So I hemmed and I hawed. Did more research. Checked out bug books and organic gardening bibles from the library. Started spraying the little boogers off with a spray of soapy water. Then a spray of chamomile tea. Then I just squished them by hand, consigning them to the depth's of the garbage can.

Nothing worked. The aphids came right back the next day. Three weeks, then four went by, while the rose valiantly kept producing beautiful green flower buds, which were all covered by a beautiful lime green living, moving, writhing carpet of aphids. Because right next to that pot was… a bigger pot full of flowering Nasturtiums.

Because I love nasturtiums. I love how big their leaves get in spring, big huge floppy leafy green platters that just get bigger and greener with every spring rainstorm. That apparently just love me right back, because they just exploded with growth the second I placed them in dirt. I love their bright sunny yellow flowers faces, and their deep crimson (crimson! be still my heart!) skirts of flowers that cascade over the edges of their pots, sweeping the floor in every breeze that happens to wafts by.

Yes, pots. Plural. I had planted the seeds in three or four other plants, hoping to underplant them to offset the austere legginess of the Camellia, and provide some colour to the rose which wasn’t due to bloom for a while.

I might as well have just dumped a pile of aphids right on the poor plant! Pouring gasoline over her and lighting a match wouldn’t have destroyed her quicker!

So what do you do when you get an infestation? You stare, aghast, at the evidence before you, of your own folly, your own arrogance. Yes, your own greed, even. Then, You Get Real, folks. You wake up to the facts, stop hiding under your own bed from insects the size of a grain of rice, and start making decisions.

The nasturtium-underplanted  camellia- which, by the way, hasn’t been touched by the aphids, is outside the front door. It’s a little windy out there, so I’m watching her like a hawk to make sure she doesn’t start going downhill, but I think it’s going to work out. It’s an open courtyard-ish kind of space, so she’ll get sun and fresh air, and I’ve wanted a plant by the front door anyway, so we’ll see how that goes.

The rose has been divested of her nasturtiums, had her infested blooms removed (ahhhh! my heart clenched with every snip!) and moved into a more open area of the balcony to let the spring rain and winds work their magic. A lot of water, and some fertilizer, lots of love and attention (Ahem, back off aphids! This rose is mine!) and the fight is on!

And now? Well, now all there is to do now is wait and see what those little monsters do next…

Hello Spring!

I was starting to think we wouldn’t make it! But Spring is here- albeit a wet and windy one:

A few of the more delicate herbs got squashed this weekend- the Dill will have to come out, but at least the Rose’s aphid invasion has been stopped in it’s tracks- they got blown off by all the wind and rain from Saturday’s storms.

It feels like a whole new year out there today- let’s go out and enjoy it, shall we?

This week’s List includes:

Finish hemming That Dress…

Make a Library run…

Find a new Park for Spring picnics…

Assemble the Watercolour quilt…

Make a new bag for Spring…

Prep the week’s dinners (this one’s already done!)

and Go Outside!

Right here, right now-

I am reading: Joelle Hoverson’s more Last Minute Knitted Gifts (it’s all knitting, all the time around here again- funny how the urge to knit is seasonal, isn’t it?) Also Jane Austen’s Emma, since I haven’t read it since college, and this time I read the introduction- which is helping to figure out the irony of it all.

Scored two new – old books this weekend: a lovely old Children’s Classics edition of Little Women, complete with coloured illustrations on the end pages, and line drawings I haven’t seen before all throughout  the interior. Bliss! And Gardening Essentials by Barbara Pleasant. It’s chock full of gardening information, with beautiful colour pictures of gardens, plant lists, tips, project ideas and step-by-step instructions for things like stone walls, and brick walkways. I dream in crushed gravel nowadays. . .

Planning the week’s meals: a spinach Gratin, maybe chicken crepes with mushroom sauce, definitely pork chops and sauteed cabbage, and something with fennel, my new favorite this spring. Or it could just get eaten up raw- I served it sliced paper thin and sprinkled with lots of lemon juice this weekend, and loved it!

Starting a new sewing project this week, and thinking of creating a sew-along for it.

And lastly, it’s time to fertilize my plant babies again, so it’s off to the garden I go!

Does anyone else feel like it’s the middle of summer suddenly? The weather here is so strange this year. . .

Recycled Gardening

Not everything about gardening is pretty- lest you think I live in a paradise of Terra-Cotta, herbs and crushed stone, I bring to your attention today mute testament of the darkside of plants:

The recycled container as seedling pot trick. This egg carton contains my new crop of Chervil, Borage and Chamomile. Each cell contains three seeds, with four cells per plant, in this case. The carton itself is falling to pieces already, but that’s okay. That’s the effect you actually want when using these things, so that when the seedlings get big enough for a pot of their own you can just plop a whole cell into one, carton and all. This one is just disintegrating a wee bit early- I’m hoping it will last a few more weeks!
The other container is a fast food salad container I poked holes into using a heated up metal skewer for drainage holes. It is working perfectly- it even has a lid that turns it into a miniature greenhouse! At the moment it’s holding our lettuce crop, which is starting to sprout already- yaay! I think the problem with the last two batches was old seeds. I planted these the day after I bought the seeds and they sprouted about three days later. Looking back on that week, it was a pretty quick germination, but at the time I was so nervous they wouldn’t sprout again! I’m keeping this crop a small one for the moment since it’s so cold outside- this way I can grab those babies up and haul them into the house whenever it gets too chilly for them outside on the balcony.
Did anyone else watch the Grammy’s ( the Oscar's!) yesterday? I love Meryl Streep, she always looks just so serene and happy. And Glenn Close! Her dress was just so beautiful! And I got all teary-eyed when the Prince of Monaco showed up with his wife- they both brought a lovely touch touch of class to the night, didn’t they? And when are they going to get Tom Hanks to host? He’s always so dapper and witty, and charming- he would be a perfect host for the Grammy’s (the Oscar's!!) Then again, Gwyneth and Robert have such great chemistry together, they would make the awards night fun again with their skits and banter. . .