| Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 10:43 pm: |   |
More sunshine! I actually cleaned up some irises and pulled a few weeds today.
And I noticed that I hadn't commented on the magazine this month. I really enjoyed the trip to Madeira by Finn. My Danish friend visits there every year with his parents and I can see why. What a beautiful place!
And Tim's birding tips are very good. We don't have any bird houses here, just feeders, but perhaps it's time to set a few up.
I am amazed at the talent of Monique. What style! And I'm impressed with the watercolors. The flower pressing sounds very interesting and what a gift for a special person.
I enjoyed the tour of Ann's garden. What a wonderful time it would be to stroll around and have a look at the garden in person! So much to see.
I cracked up when I saw Arlene's profile picture. Oh, Arlene, if only....
I was sorting out photos I've filed, and will add a little profile picture of me taken years ago. Here I am as Quartermaster on a freight ship, the Javara....
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| Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 11:51 pm: | |
Beautiful sunny day! My tree peony has started to grow and the giant white clematis at the wood shed. I did some weeding yesterday. Thought I'd tidied up so well last Fall, but there is a lot of clean-up to do.
The deer have had a little munch on some of my Spring bulbs so I'll have to get out the chicken wire to cover the new growth. Our neighbour warned us that a cougar and her little one were spotted in the neighbourhood recently. We've lived here for many years and I've yet to see a cougar this close to the neighbourhood, but everyone in this area is alerted and we'll watch for her.
Could have weeded today but cleaned the car, the carport and driveway instead.
Tired tonight...all that fresh air!! |
| Posted on Friday, February 13, 2004 - 11:21 pm: | |
I've started a list of the heavy jobs, and it seems to be growing. I'm thinking too of adding a bench up by the cherry trees as well as down by the wisteria. It seems I just get rid of one pain (no, I'm not talking about DH) and another area of my body hurts. Now it's the left knee..
I do wish I had an area to starts seeds as well. It sounds like fun. Even if I had the space in my rancher, I believe the 'boys' and Nibbs would not leave them alone. They behave so well when we're home, but I see evidence of places they've been while we're out. It's almost like having toddlers around.
The sun left us today. It's cold, about 2º, and raining (cold for us out here on the coast). But I can see so many sprouts.
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| Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 09:48 pm: | |
Snow drops in my garden blooming!!! And the viburnum has buds, hostas too. It was sunny this afternoon and it just feels so good.
We had a call from our travel agent this afternoon, and she has all the arrangements made for our Canada/New England cruise in September. Wonderful! I'll actually see the bright Autumn colors in the East.
Exciting.. |
| Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 03:37 am: | |
We've had some very nice weather but now that DH is on holidays the rain is returning. We have work to do in the barn and it's still too cold to do much in the garden. I'm working on the 'to'do' list. It'll be nice to get some of the heavier work out of the way.
I'm loving the little touches of color in the garden with the crocuses blooming.
I'm just a little out-of-sorts and don't know why. Perhaps it's that tease of sunshine and warmer temperatures that causing this restless feeling.
I'm sleeping well, and getting lots of exercise...
Will see how this week goes. (I have studying to finish up..tag end of a few projects.) And I've nothing to read in the tub! Will take care of that this
week too! |
| Posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 07:13 pm: | |
We had snow on the higher elevations last night which is just wonderful. Port Alberni is hosting the B.C. Winter Games and quite a few of the games are held on Mount Washington, so the new snow is good news for them. Wayne and I have been swimming every day at the pool and the water is being cooled down for the games. Brrrr... But today we saw quite a few of the sponsor billboards are up, so it's quite colorful. We have a brand new multi-plex with plenty of parking, so I'm sure it will be very busy for the games. (I didn't volunteer for anything, not this time. We have a family 'do' this weekend, and I'm really looking forward to that!) For the rest of this week I'm working in the barn (what fun!) and maybe next week, when the weather is warmer, I can do some more clean-up in the yard. |
| Posted on Friday, February 27, 2004 - 03:54 am: | |
I talked with my youngest daughter last night. Her daffodils are blooming in Victoria. The city just finished its bloom count. Some of the cherry trees and rhodos are blooming, but Victoria always has blooms before anyone else on the Island. I was so happy with my little bits of color, but remain aware that this is still winter and we could end up with snow on our daffodils yet. Here's my little taste of color....
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| Posted on Monday, March 01, 2004 - 02:23 am: | |
We managed to divide the Strawberry rhubarb today and put some of it aside for the folks that asked. And Wayne trimmed the trumpet vine and wisteria a bit. I carried on with cleanup and pulled some yucca's. (I'm having an awful time getting rid of them!) Everything seems to be budding. Wayne pointed out the growth on my Peace rose. Wonderful!
I even dried clothes on the line today! We saw one big black cloud, but it was headed south!
Sure feels good! And we have another cord of fir to split and stack but our new son-in-law wants to do it! Wow!
Will sleep well tonight!
We had a wonderful time at the retirement party in Nanaimo yesterday and really enjoyed the time we spent with our son and his girl friend. While we were having dinner I heard him tell his girl friend that he and his sisters had a happy childhood. Warms my heart...
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| Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 03:05 pm: | |
Wayne and I have figured out what changes we want to make to the back garden. We have a stack of landscaping ties sitting on the lawn, and now he's back at work. It's raining anyway. And I'll mark off the new garden area with a hose when the weather clears. I'm so thankful we don't have to move any of the sprinkler system.
Lst year I planted a viburnum davidii at the front and now realize it will be far too large there, so it will go in the corner at the back. And I can move two clematis plants to the fence area. We'll have to bring in a couple of large rocks for the 'feet' of the clematis but we can bring them through the gate at the bottom of the back garden.
I have one daffodil blooming, close to the house. This time of the year, on a sunny day, it's so tempting to remove the mulch and cut back the roses, but it's still too early here. We could still have a snowfall. It wouldn't be unusual. And we will have more frost before this month is done. Yesterday we had half the mountain range behind us covered with fresh snow! No wonder it was cold down here.
Soon, though, it will be warmer. |
| Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 11:14 pm: | |
I had a call from Bonitoad today, to come over and see the fellow who brings us all kinds of frozen goodies (fish, meat, pastries..), and I took my camera with me. I think we're kind of rushing things a bit, but so much is beginning to show and some plants have little buds. We've left the mulch on the plants because I don't think our frosty nights are over yet. However, it was nice to walk with the sun on us and peer at everything.
I dried clothes on the line again today! Love it. Tomorrow will be a different story.
I swam for 1 1/2 hours today and then worked outside here for another hour, but my left knee is demanding my attention tonight. Ow! Ow! Ouch!
Ice doesn't seem to be working. Will try heat.
Am loving the hellebores...
Wish I could fix Phyllis's computer.... Am missing her. I miss you, Phyllis!! |
| Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 05:40 am: | |
I was busy today cleaning house, doing laundry and baking. The door was open and the cats could come in and out. For most of yesterday afternoon there was a huge Bad Eagle sitting on top of the fir tree over the fence, and I worried that he was eyeing the cats. One is deaf and another only weighs 5 lbs. All the time my mind was on the grand girls coming and our trip to Victoria. We have items to take to both daughters (will have dinner with our oldest on the way home), so I have a pile that's growing.
So I was satisfied with my efforts by the time dinner dishes were done and I could relax. Then Wayne reminded me that our accountant will be here at 10 tomorrow morning. Now I'm wide awake. It's t...x time.
If the sun shines tomorrow my daffodils at the fence should all open. They have reproduced quite nicely, and stay true to the originals. I don't know their names but they are a lovely pale yellow, very pastel.
I sat down tonight to work on a little blanket, but Solomen needed something warm to lay on...
So much for knitting, reading...anything but petting a cat and watching t.v. |
| Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 04:48 am: | |
Busy day! Started off the day dipping fresh strawberries in chocolate for the good-bye luncheon at the pool for our exercise instructor. We had a wonderful time.
And we have two grand girls here for a couple of days. We drop them off at their dad's on our way to Victoria. The blooms in Victoria are always earlier than here. And there are some wonderful nurseries.
Off to bed... Am looking forward to a whole day with these girls! |
| Posted on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 04:41 am: | |
I'm exhausted. We had a wicked storm, although it didn't affect us as much here in the Valley as it did on the lower part of the Island. Good thing we weren't traveling today, with the highway closed at the grove because a tree came down across the highway, as well as the construction stops on the Hump (of up to 2 hours) and the Malahat was closed because of a truck colliding with a truck and a diesel fuel spill close to the stream (closed for 6 hours). However, there was no power down most of the Island anyhow.
But we were fine here, with our wind, then calm, sun, then rain...oh, yes, and snow on the Hump.
So we are hoping for sunny weather on our way down to Victoria tomorrow.... I'm so glad Wayne is driving, because I think I'll be needing a snooze after we drop the girls off. I just wish they were here longer so we didn't have to cram so much into so little time. But, that is the life of grandparents. It's after midnight, and I'm doing the last of the laundry before we all head out tomorrow.
Looking forward to Victoria and all the blooms! |
| Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 06:03 am: | |
Home again...but must get some sleep and be up and busy again in the morning. I did get to Cannor's and am so pleased with my purchases. Will organize tomorrow afternoon.
We had such a wonderful time. It was all so good! Saw all three offspring and their families, blooms and more blooms, and food...the food!
Have photos...will post later. |
| Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 12:52 am: | |
Still busy days. We had news that we may have sold the Peace River farm, and, for some strange reason, both Wayne and I have a headache. Stress? Tomorrow things should slow down a bit and we can enjoy his holidays for the next two weeks. The forecast is for rain for the new few days so I won't be planting just yet.
Thought I'd post this photo of our youngest grand girl waking up her Poppa Wayne!
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