"OMG you guys!"
"The lilac bush I planted two years ago?"
"It's going to bloom this year!"
Also, I'm never going to eat mini-peanut butter cups before taking a selfie again. :-D
Showing posts with label gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gardening. Show all posts
Tuesday, 20 May 2014
Tuesday, 13 May 2014
Day 132 and photography musings
The days are warming up enough that I can go sit in the backyard again, or do yardwork or transplant seedlings. Today it was seedlings, which I put into my mini-greenhouse. I also let Charlie have some fresh air in his play pen.
One of my coworkers sat down today to talk about Northern Lights photos. Tucker talked about Chris Ratzlaff's photos - Chris is a former coworker of ours who has inspired and encouraged this whole fascination with photographing the aurora thing I have now. And Tucker talked about my photos and how he likes the ones where I have a tree or myself as a silhouette in them, and I should continue in that vein to develop my style.
I really appreciated that, because I have been thinking myself that I should do silhouettes more often. Getting specific comments about what I'm doing right is very encouraging.
Chris' photos are amazing and he is more willing than I to put in long hours of waiting. Also, I'm pretty sure he has a wide-angle lens or two, and I don't. I love the vibrancy and colours of his photos, but I want my own style.
Thursday, 10 April 2014
Sunday, 30 March 2014
Sunday, 9 March 2014
Day 68
Via Flickr:
There has been a chinook this weekend, so snow was melting in my backyard. I missed working in my backyard so much that I went out and shovelled off the back steps.
Wednesday, 1 January 2014
A look back at 2013 and a preview of 2014.
A year ago, one of my friends shared that she was choosing a word of the year for 2013, rather than make resolutions. I found that very inspiring and decided to do the same. I was even inspired to use the same word as she:
I nurtured myself in many ways in 2013:
- Improved my communication skills
- Reduced my anxiety
- Went searching for women friends my own age in Calgary and found them.
- Spent more time with family.
- Found a labyrinth and returned to it many times.
- Got hugged by Carrie Freakin' Fisher.
- Got certified in level one reiki.
- Sang "Hey Jude" with the whole audience to Sir Paul McCartney as he led us, onstage.
- Cut back on investing time in a fandom that is being destroyed by the show's writers.
- Upon the discovery of precancerous cells in my uterus, had laparascopic surgery to remove non-essential lady parts.
- Rediscovered the joy of knitting.
- Lost a friend that needed losing.
- Recommitted myself to my career.
- The Mermaid Garden of 2013 was a smashing success.
- Got more involved with volunteer work.
I was very fortunate that my home wasn't affected by the Calgary flood of 2013.
Another exercise for 2013 was a Joy Jar. Each night, I wrote down something that gave me joy in 2013 and put it in a jar. Sometimes I wrote "knitting!" Or "gardening!". Other times it was something like, "Didn't freeze my ass off today!" Calgary has a few deep freezes every year. :-)
I filled up the jar. :-) The final piece of paper says, "Spent New Year's Eve with new friends!"
I've already decided on the word for 2014 ... CREATE.
Tuesday, 10 December 2013
The Wonder Woman Garden Gnome
On my LiveJournal, I asked people to pick a day in December and topic for me to post about.
So far:
- Dec 10 - "What do you paint, and do you have favorite painters?"
- Dec 13 - "The role that music has played in your life."
- My choice of dates - "Canada"
Feel free to suggest more!
----
So. Painting. Well, the sad thing is that I don't paint much anymore. In another life, I painted Barbie dolls.
Most of my 2013 creativity has gone into rediscovering a love of knitting. The good thing is that my inner voice is screaming at me to produce more artwork. I picked up a pencil and started sketching over the weekend. Part of the reason I'm clearing out a corner of my basement is that I can have a creative space.
Background information - in 2009 I discovered that I have a half-sister, Mary-Anne. She is now one of my best friends.
But I did paint something in 2013. My sister once said that she'd like to have a garden gnome painted like Wonder Woman. I kept that filed away in the back of my mind. In 2013, Mary-Anne turned (a number I won't make public). We usually make our birthday presents for each other, and I knew that I needed to really go big this year.
So I loaded pictures of Wonder Woman on my iPad, went to a Colour Me Mine shop, and with the help of one of the extremely enthusiastic employees who LOVED the idea:
(Posing in my garden)
Her cuffs are painted silver to represent Wonder Woman's bracelets. The flowers are red and yellow as the best representation of the eagle on her leotard. (The only other female garden gnome in the shop was carrying a basket).
Naturally she needed red boots with a white stripe, just like Wonder Woman.
And her braids are tied with yellow. And she has a yellow belt, of course.
The skirt could have used a couple more coats of blue, but after four coats on two visits, I was done. The extremely enthusiastic employee added another coat (with my permission) and it still isn't perfect.
But that doesn't matter. Because when I put the gnome in a Wonder Woman shopping bag and handed it to Mary-Anne for her birthday, she knew from the weight what I had done. She knew that I'd remembered what she had once said, and I made that wish a reality. She loved it.
There's a new Colour Me Mine one neighbourhood over. I'm planning on certain Star Wars garden gnomes for my 2014 garden.
As for the second part of the question - I'm fond of Da Vinci, Van Gogh. I have a Matt Busch Lost poster that I really like. My late grandmother gave me a painting she'd done of one of my cats, and I treasure that.
Sunday, 28 July 2013
Thursday, 25 July 2013
Gardening update - flowers!
I snapped a few pictures between work and a meetup.
This is one of my green zebra tomato plants, in a pot used last year. Not only is the pot sprouting a few petunias from last year's plants ...
... there is another johnny jump-up baby!
This container was planted with morning glories and poppies. It was painful to thin out the poppy seedlings but it had to be done. As you can see, the morning glories are snaking upwards.
And here is the first poppy!
For a friend's request, here is a side view of Charlie's play pen (empty).
This is one of my green zebra tomato plants, in a pot used last year. Not only is the pot sprouting a few petunias from last year's plants ...
... there is another johnny jump-up baby!
This container was planted with morning glories and poppies. It was painful to thin out the poppy seedlings but it had to be done. As you can see, the morning glories are snaking upwards.
And here is the first poppy!
For a friend's request, here is a side view of Charlie's play pen (empty).
Gardening update - Attack of the Snow Peas
The snow peas are insane. They're flowering, they're sprouting, they can barely be contained as they reach for the sky, and clasp onto the tall hedge mustard between them and the fence.
Resistance is futile.
Resistance is futile.
Tuesday, 23 July 2013
Radishes
Via Flickr:
I grew quite a lot of radishes in my community garden plot. So much that I had to pickle most of the harvest. They are yummy!
Sunday, 7 July 2013
Things I Have Learned Recently
Apparently
I have an inner foodie
I decided to try a recipe from Facebook, titled Coconut Custard Pie. I chose coconut milk for the milk, and substituted coconut flour for all-purpose flour.
I ended up with coconut cake. I went back onto Facebook and the picture with the recipe looks like cake. So, I guess my substitutions weren't to blame. But I found the cake a little dry, considering that I'd been expecting custard. I decided I should make a sauce to go with it.
I looked up a gluten-free recipe for caramel sauce and picked up ingredients while out and about. That's when it hit me - I never considered just buying caramel sauce. That's where I think I might evolving into a foodie.
The caramel sauce was easy to make and is yummy.
That tall mystery plant in my backyard is not goldenrod
It's a tall hedge mustard. One of the ladies in my stitching group identified it from a photo. The flowers smell flowery, not mustardy. Some websites call it a wildflower, some call it a weed.
Snow peas like to reach out and grab everything but the numerous stakes and sticks I've put out for them
If they have to, they'll grab onto a stick. But they really like grabbing onto each other, nearby blades of grass, nearby pots of herbs, and tall hedge mustards. I've started clipping branches off of the tall hedge mustard before the snow peas drag it down and cover it.
That's not moss, that's thyme
Bit by bit, I'm introducing moss and thyme into the garden. For interesting textures, and as part of the fairy/rock garden evolving in the shady section. Irish moss has been transplanted around the stepping stone my sister made for me. Scotch moss is in the fairy garden.
I bought wooly thyme last weekend. Today, I was cutting some long grass in the shady section with clippers. Underneath the grass was ... thyme. Wooly thyme. Conveniently, right next to the fairy garden, so it will be incorporated with it. Last year, I thought it was moss. This year, I know what it is. It must be from someone who lived here before.
Johnny Jump-Ups love to jump
I found some growing amongst my periwinkle. Pretty! And according to Wikipedia they are also called heartsease.
I should give up on growing sweet peas in clay pots
They thrive better in plastic pots, where the soil doesn't dry out so quickly.
My stitching meetup group continues to be awesome
This week, I learned how to cast on longtail style, and how to knit in the round. The ladies are very eager to answer my questions and to show me. Which is a lot easier than trying to figure those things out from YouTube videos.
Labyrinths continue to be cool
I hosted a meetup by the Silver Springs Labyrinth, for the ladies of the stitching group. Only one showed up, but she loved it.
This was my third time walking it. It was astonishing how quickly the cosmos gave me an answer that allowed a bunch of mental puzzle pieces to suddenly click into place.
The pleasures of an open kitchen window
When I bought the house, the screen for the kitchen window was down in the basement. I couldn't figure out how to install it. I installed the screen door for the patio door and that was good enough. I never opened the kitchen window, because I didn't want bugs to fly in, and for ginger cats to jump out.
When all of the windows were replaced in March, the kitchen window got a screen. But I didn't open it.
If I'm going upstairs to do something, I don't like leaving the patio door open with just a screen, it doesn't feel safe. After I hung a suncatcher outside, I realized the solution - open the kitchen window! Fresh air while feeling more secure. And the curtains I made flutter in the breeze and look pretty.
I decided to try a recipe from Facebook, titled Coconut Custard Pie. I chose coconut milk for the milk, and substituted coconut flour for all-purpose flour.
I ended up with coconut cake. I went back onto Facebook and the picture with the recipe looks like cake. So, I guess my substitutions weren't to blame. But I found the cake a little dry, considering that I'd been expecting custard. I decided I should make a sauce to go with it.
I looked up a gluten-free recipe for caramel sauce and picked up ingredients while out and about. That's when it hit me - I never considered just buying caramel sauce. That's where I think I might evolving into a foodie.
The caramel sauce was easy to make and is yummy.
That tall mystery plant in my backyard is not goldenrod
It's a tall hedge mustard. One of the ladies in my stitching group identified it from a photo. The flowers smell flowery, not mustardy. Some websites call it a wildflower, some call it a weed.
Snow peas like to reach out and grab everything but the numerous stakes and sticks I've put out for them
If they have to, they'll grab onto a stick. But they really like grabbing onto each other, nearby blades of grass, nearby pots of herbs, and tall hedge mustards. I've started clipping branches off of the tall hedge mustard before the snow peas drag it down and cover it.
That's not moss, that's thyme
Bit by bit, I'm introducing moss and thyme into the garden. For interesting textures, and as part of the fairy/rock garden evolving in the shady section. Irish moss has been transplanted around the stepping stone my sister made for me. Scotch moss is in the fairy garden.
I bought wooly thyme last weekend. Today, I was cutting some long grass in the shady section with clippers. Underneath the grass was ... thyme. Wooly thyme. Conveniently, right next to the fairy garden, so it will be incorporated with it. Last year, I thought it was moss. This year, I know what it is. It must be from someone who lived here before.
Johnny Jump-Ups love to jump
I found some growing amongst my periwinkle. Pretty! And according to Wikipedia they are also called heartsease.
I should give up on growing sweet peas in clay pots
They thrive better in plastic pots, where the soil doesn't dry out so quickly.
My stitching meetup group continues to be awesome
This week, I learned how to cast on longtail style, and how to knit in the round. The ladies are very eager to answer my questions and to show me. Which is a lot easier than trying to figure those things out from YouTube videos.
Labyrinths continue to be cool
I hosted a meetup by the Silver Springs Labyrinth, for the ladies of the stitching group. Only one showed up, but she loved it.
This was my third time walking it. It was astonishing how quickly the cosmos gave me an answer that allowed a bunch of mental puzzle pieces to suddenly click into place.
The pleasures of an open kitchen window
When I bought the house, the screen for the kitchen window was down in the basement. I couldn't figure out how to install it. I installed the screen door for the patio door and that was good enough. I never opened the kitchen window, because I didn't want bugs to fly in, and for ginger cats to jump out.
When all of the windows were replaced in March, the kitchen window got a screen. But I didn't open it.
If I'm going upstairs to do something, I don't like leaving the patio door open with just a screen, it doesn't feel safe. After I hung a suncatcher outside, I realized the solution - open the kitchen window! Fresh air while feeling more secure. And the curtains I made flutter in the breeze and look pretty.
Tuesday, 2 July 2013
Heat Wave
First it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. I didn't keep track, but it sure felt like it.
Then came the floods. Fear of the unknown. Would my basement flood? Did I stock the fridge with enough water? Am I on the same power grid as the evacuated parts of Deer Run? Do I have candles and a lighter in a central location? Would I have to evacuate? (No. Yes. No. Yes. No.)
I have never in my life seen so many emergency alerts on TV. None of them were a test.
There was the horror and sadness. I've seen floods on TV before. I've seen the annual floods in New Brunswick. But I have never seen Calgary flood like this. The train tracks for my daily commute buckled and the tunnels filled with water.
I am one of the lucky ones. I can stay in my home with my cats. We are safe.
Water restrictions went into place. Quick showers. Trying to use disposable plates and cups and cutlery to avoid using the dishwasher.
The uncertainty of working from home. Am I doing okay?
And then days without rain. I watered the garden with rainwater from those 40 days and 40 nights. I'm almost out.
Today the temperature rose to 36 degrees Celsius. (97 degrees Fahrenheit). Felt higher, with the humidity. It's been a long time since I've had to deal with such hot and humid conditions. I used the timer on my phone to remind me to drink a full glass of water every hour.
The cats were limp. I found Hermione huddled up against the cold air vent in the living room while Chloe slept upstairs and looked miserable. Charlie was subdued.
None of them seemed to want to go into the basement, Charlie and Hermione wanted to stay in my vicinity.
The mayor asked people to reduce their power usage ASAP as rolling blackouts had to be initiated.
So I grabbed some catnip, some cat beds, and some blankets. I went down into the basement and rubbed catnip on the bedding. Charlie and Hermione came down first. I tried to catch Chloe but she wouldn't let me. She came down on her own.
I turned on one light and started organizing the basement a little better. When the cats were looking perkier, I turned off the light and brought out the laser pointer. We had fun playing Red Dot of Doom.
I didn't do any gardening until 9:30, when it was cool enough to be bearable. I sprayed myself with Off and got to work. I'm going to lose some of the sweet peas to the heat and lack of rain.
Now we're under alert for a severe thunderstorm. High water alerts have been issued for places north of Calgary.
There have been good moments. My sister came to Calgary this weekend to be my guest at a coworker's wedding. I got to practise some reiki on Mary-Anne and she loved it. We had a great time at the wedding and reception. It was the first time I'd seen my coworkers since the flooding started.
The next day, I took her to the labyrinth in Silver Springs. I walked behind her. I noticed at one point she paused to look at a dark butterfly.
Afterwards, she hugged me and told me that she thinks the butterfly was our father, that he was happy to see the two of us together. She said that black butterflies are meant to represent souls of the dead. I thought it was pretty.
Now I'm tired and sweaty and covered in dirt and Off. Time for a quick shower before bed. I want my normal back.
Then came the floods. Fear of the unknown. Would my basement flood? Did I stock the fridge with enough water? Am I on the same power grid as the evacuated parts of Deer Run? Do I have candles and a lighter in a central location? Would I have to evacuate? (No. Yes. No. Yes. No.)
I have never in my life seen so many emergency alerts on TV. None of them were a test.
There was the horror and sadness. I've seen floods on TV before. I've seen the annual floods in New Brunswick. But I have never seen Calgary flood like this. The train tracks for my daily commute buckled and the tunnels filled with water.
I am one of the lucky ones. I can stay in my home with my cats. We are safe.
Water restrictions went into place. Quick showers. Trying to use disposable plates and cups and cutlery to avoid using the dishwasher.
The uncertainty of working from home. Am I doing okay?
And then days without rain. I watered the garden with rainwater from those 40 days and 40 nights. I'm almost out.
Today the temperature rose to 36 degrees Celsius. (97 degrees Fahrenheit). Felt higher, with the humidity. It's been a long time since I've had to deal with such hot and humid conditions. I used the timer on my phone to remind me to drink a full glass of water every hour.
The cats were limp. I found Hermione huddled up against the cold air vent in the living room while Chloe slept upstairs and looked miserable. Charlie was subdued.
None of them seemed to want to go into the basement, Charlie and Hermione wanted to stay in my vicinity.
The mayor asked people to reduce their power usage ASAP as rolling blackouts had to be initiated.
So I grabbed some catnip, some cat beds, and some blankets. I went down into the basement and rubbed catnip on the bedding. Charlie and Hermione came down first. I tried to catch Chloe but she wouldn't let me. She came down on her own.
I turned on one light and started organizing the basement a little better. When the cats were looking perkier, I turned off the light and brought out the laser pointer. We had fun playing Red Dot of Doom.
I didn't do any gardening until 9:30, when it was cool enough to be bearable. I sprayed myself with Off and got to work. I'm going to lose some of the sweet peas to the heat and lack of rain.
Now we're under alert for a severe thunderstorm. High water alerts have been issued for places north of Calgary.
There have been good moments. My sister came to Calgary this weekend to be my guest at a coworker's wedding. I got to practise some reiki on Mary-Anne and she loved it. We had a great time at the wedding and reception. It was the first time I'd seen my coworkers since the flooding started.
The next day, I took her to the labyrinth in Silver Springs. I walked behind her. I noticed at one point she paused to look at a dark butterfly.
Afterwards, she hugged me and told me that she thinks the butterfly was our father, that he was happy to see the two of us together. She said that black butterflies are meant to represent souls of the dead. I thought it was pretty.
Now I'm tired and sweaty and covered in dirt and Off. Time for a quick shower before bed. I want my normal back.
Monday, 24 June 2013
The Mermaid Garden 2013
This update has been a long time coming. I've had a busy year, with new meetup groups and new volunteer work and interests. So when I go into the garden, I just want to garden, not take pictures and blog after.
Plus, it's been raining. And raining. And raining. So a lot of my garden time has been doing quick weeding in between the rain. I'm happy to say that I wasn't personally affected by Calgary's sudden floods this month.
Now, my efforts are bearing fruit (literally), and now is the time to start blogging!
The 2013 garden started indoors, with a heated mini-greenhouse and grow lights.
Not all of the seedlings survived - starting them in the basement wasn't the best idea, when they grew too tall for the greenhouse and I had to take the lid off. These are part of the survivors, outside to start hardening off.
I found pansies in the remnants of last year's vegetable bed - spawned by last year's Johnny Jump-Ups. Neat!
Last year, my vegetable bed was more of a breeding ground for weeds and grass. In my haste, I didn't put enough time into killing the undergrowth. So this year, I laid down cardboard and garbage bag to prepare the site for an idea from Pinterest.
Inspired by this pin, I laid down a pallet to use as a garden bed. Then I decided to bracket it with trellises for more vertical space. I knew I'd be planting lots of climbing plants.
Like these snow peas.
I love how they reach out and grab onto the sticks I've placed.
The remainder is dedicated to peppers I started inside, and sweet peas and poppies.
One thing I learned from last year is to keep these pots as level as possible. When tilted, they tend to lose water and dry out fast.
A lot of my gardening is done by the seat of my pants. When this plant appeared and shot straight up, I decided to keep it. Even though I don't know what plant this is. I suspect it's some kind of weed - can anyone identify it?
My garlic chives from last year grew again and bloomed!
Inspired by the same pin I used for the pallet garden bed, I decided to try planting herbs vertically. So I got this pallet.
I borrowed a staple gun from a coworker and stapled mesh to it. Had I done any kind of research or thinking through, I would've stapled it halfway up and then filled it with dirt. But I didn't, so I have to fill it with soil one spadeful at a time.
Which is partly why I've only filled one corner. Also, it would be pricey to fill it out with bedding plants. In 2014, I'll start more herbs from seed.
I wanted to try growing fruit bushes in containers this year. I'm not sure that the raspberry bushes are going to thrive, because their container isn't draining well despite my efforts, and all of the rain is drowning them. I've started draping plastic bags over them everytime it rains.
These blueberry bushes are thriving.
I may have squeed when I saw these berries today. :-)
Plus, it's been raining. And raining. And raining. So a lot of my garden time has been doing quick weeding in between the rain. I'm happy to say that I wasn't personally affected by Calgary's sudden floods this month.
Now, my efforts are bearing fruit (literally), and now is the time to start blogging!
The 2013 garden started indoors, with a heated mini-greenhouse and grow lights.
Not all of the seedlings survived - starting them in the basement wasn't the best idea, when they grew too tall for the greenhouse and I had to take the lid off. These are part of the survivors, outside to start hardening off.
I found pansies in the remnants of last year's vegetable bed - spawned by last year's Johnny Jump-Ups. Neat!
Last year, my vegetable bed was more of a breeding ground for weeds and grass. In my haste, I didn't put enough time into killing the undergrowth. So this year, I laid down cardboard and garbage bag to prepare the site for an idea from Pinterest.
Inspired by this pin, I laid down a pallet to use as a garden bed. Then I decided to bracket it with trellises for more vertical space. I knew I'd be planting lots of climbing plants.
Like these snow peas.
I love how they reach out and grab onto the sticks I've placed.
The remainder is dedicated to peppers I started inside, and sweet peas and poppies.
One thing I learned from last year is to keep these pots as level as possible. When tilted, they tend to lose water and dry out fast.
A lot of my gardening is done by the seat of my pants. When this plant appeared and shot straight up, I decided to keep it. Even though I don't know what plant this is. I suspect it's some kind of weed - can anyone identify it?
My garlic chives from last year grew again and bloomed!
Inspired by the same pin I used for the pallet garden bed, I decided to try planting herbs vertically. So I got this pallet.
I borrowed a staple gun from a coworker and stapled mesh to it. Had I done any kind of research or thinking through, I would've stapled it halfway up and then filled it with dirt. But I didn't, so I have to fill it with soil one spadeful at a time.
Which is partly why I've only filled one corner. Also, it would be pricey to fill it out with bedding plants. In 2014, I'll start more herbs from seed.
I wanted to try growing fruit bushes in containers this year. I'm not sure that the raspberry bushes are going to thrive, because their container isn't draining well despite my efforts, and all of the rain is drowning them. I've started draping plastic bags over them everytime it rains.
These blueberry bushes are thriving.
I may have squeed when I saw these berries today. :-)
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Gardening
I'm still pulling together the Mermaid Garden of 2013. Mother Nature was been watering it ... so much that I'm worried seeds got washed away. :-(
Some of my seedlings have survived and are thriving - green zebra tomatoes, sweet peppers, pansies, and cilantro.
I had a surprise when I started cleaning up the garden - some Johnny jump up pansies had jumped up in the vegetable area. I transplanted them into pots and they are growing nicely.
Surviving from last year - periwinkle, ferns, white nancy, and chives. The lilac bush I planted last year is growing very quickly. I didn't expect it to bloom this year, and I doubt that it will.
Last year, I found a little sliver of a bush by a fence and transplanted it out into the open. This year, I'm sort of thinking it's not a bush - it may be a tree! Must research.
This year's acquisitions include two blueberry bushes, already blooming, and raspberry bushes. I love fresh fruit and it took some work to find some bushes that aren't strawberry - I'm allergic to strawberries.
So where are the pictures? Well, I've been taking them, but I'm really busy this time of year. And I have more gardening news - there is a new community garden debuting this year in my neighbourhood. I've agreed to use my web expertise to set up a Facebook group and a blog to publicize it and generate interest. I've rented one of the phase 1 plots and am excited to be able to plant things like corn, which just aren't possible in my tiny backyard, with soil that is full of rocks. (Also, the gas line was placed in the middle of the garden, terrible planning there).
If you'd like to know more, check out the Deer Ridge Community Garden blog or Facebook group.
Some of my seedlings have survived and are thriving - green zebra tomatoes, sweet peppers, pansies, and cilantro.
I had a surprise when I started cleaning up the garden - some Johnny jump up pansies had jumped up in the vegetable area. I transplanted them into pots and they are growing nicely.
Surviving from last year - periwinkle, ferns, white nancy, and chives. The lilac bush I planted last year is growing very quickly. I didn't expect it to bloom this year, and I doubt that it will.
Last year, I found a little sliver of a bush by a fence and transplanted it out into the open. This year, I'm sort of thinking it's not a bush - it may be a tree! Must research.
This year's acquisitions include two blueberry bushes, already blooming, and raspberry bushes. I love fresh fruit and it took some work to find some bushes that aren't strawberry - I'm allergic to strawberries.
So where are the pictures? Well, I've been taking them, but I'm really busy this time of year. And I have more gardening news - there is a new community garden debuting this year in my neighbourhood. I've agreed to use my web expertise to set up a Facebook group and a blog to publicize it and generate interest. I've rented one of the phase 1 plots and am excited to be able to plant things like corn, which just aren't possible in my tiny backyard, with soil that is full of rocks. (Also, the gas line was placed in the middle of the garden, terrible planning there).
If you'd like to know more, check out the Deer Ridge Community Garden blog or Facebook group.
Sunday, 5 May 2013
The weekend
It was a nice weekend. Warm and sunny. Saturday morning, workers came by to install the custom casement windows for the master bedroom. Bee-yoo-tiful. Also, they finished the job on the sliding patio door - they installed a lock on it so I can now access it with a key.
Then I went to my stitching group for more knitting. We decided we'd have an event for Knit In Public Day (which is really a week). I set it up on my iPad - somehow I'm "the social director" because this is twice now I've suggested an event separate from the regular weekly ones. (On May 27th we're going to Heritage Park for a quilt show).
Saturday evening, since the weather was nice ... I decided to try out a "couch to 5K" running app on my phone. It did not go well. The app couldn't find any satellites. I learned that I really hate running in the neighbourhood where people could see me. I barely ran, feeling tense.
Today, since the weather was also awesome, I went to Fish Creek Park to try it again. The app still couldn't find any satellites. I still hate running where people can see me but I ran more. My calves hated that I didn't stretch first. I didn't do a lot of running, but I did walk quite a lot.
I came home and dug out my Garmin Forerunner, and am charging it.
The Mermaid Garden of 2013 is shaping up. I've been slowly transplanting the green zebra tomatoes outside. Some didn't make it due to chilly weather, but the second batch are doing well.
Then I went to my stitching group for more knitting. We decided we'd have an event for Knit In Public Day (which is really a week). I set it up on my iPad - somehow I'm "the social director" because this is twice now I've suggested an event separate from the regular weekly ones. (On May 27th we're going to Heritage Park for a quilt show).
Saturday evening, since the weather was nice ... I decided to try out a "couch to 5K" running app on my phone. It did not go well. The app couldn't find any satellites. I learned that I really hate running in the neighbourhood where people could see me. I barely ran, feeling tense.
Today, since the weather was also awesome, I went to Fish Creek Park to try it again. The app still couldn't find any satellites. I still hate running where people can see me but I ran more. My calves hated that I didn't stretch first. I didn't do a lot of running, but I did walk quite a lot.
I came home and dug out my Garmin Forerunner, and am charging it.
The Mermaid Garden of 2013 is shaping up. I've been slowly transplanting the green zebra tomatoes outside. Some didn't make it due to chilly weather, but the second batch are doing well.
Friday, 5 April 2013
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Garden planning
Tonight I placed an order from a non-GMO heritage and heirloom seed company on Salt Spring Island in BC. Supporting a Canadian company, supporting non-GMO.
The Mermaid Garden 2013 planning is underway. I've procured a couple of wooden pallets too, for some projects. I don't think I'll start any seeds indoors until late March, after last year's pansy massacre proved that Calgary weather is just too unpredictable in March/April and I should not get my hopes up. And I should not leave pansies where the cats can reach them. They're non-toxic, it's just that I don't grow flowers for cat food, and the mess the cats made was not cool.
I ordered:
The Green Zebra and morning glories are inspired by last year's successes. I bought a green zebra plant last year, this will be my first year starting them from seed. I'll start the morning glories sooner - they flourished along the north end of the garden last year, I'll plant them there again.
I failed at sweet peas last year. This year, I'll start the sweet peas inside inside of direct sowing.
The snow peas sounded interesting. They have purple flowers and are cold hardy. I remember plucking pea pods in my grandparents' farm in New Brunswick and the sweet taste of eating them straight from the pod.
I hope my lilac bush will make it through winter okay. I added extra mulch in early fall in preparation. I placed it far enough from the fence that it didn't get trampled during the whole fence removal/new fence construction in the fall.
The Mermaid Garden 2013 planning is underway. I've procured a couple of wooden pallets too, for some projects. I don't think I'll start any seeds indoors until late March, after last year's pansy massacre proved that Calgary weather is just too unpredictable in March/April and I should not get my hopes up. And I should not leave pansies where the cats can reach them. They're non-toxic, it's just that I don't grow flowers for cat food, and the mess the cats made was not cool.
I ordered:
- Spencer Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)
- Green Zebra (tomatoes)
- Purple Morning Glory (Ipomoea capillacea)
- Magnolia Blossom Snow Pea
The Green Zebra and morning glories are inspired by last year's successes. I bought a green zebra plant last year, this will be my first year starting them from seed. I'll start the morning glories sooner - they flourished along the north end of the garden last year, I'll plant them there again.
I failed at sweet peas last year. This year, I'll start the sweet peas inside inside of direct sowing.
The snow peas sounded interesting. They have purple flowers and are cold hardy. I remember plucking pea pods in my grandparents' farm in New Brunswick and the sweet taste of eating them straight from the pod.
I hope my lilac bush will make it through winter okay. I added extra mulch in early fall in preparation. I placed it far enough from the fence that it didn't get trampled during the whole fence removal/new fence construction in the fall.
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
2012 in Review
1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
Bought a house. Went to Las Vegas. Went to the Grand Canyon.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made any. I don't usually make them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully.
5. What countries did you visit?
The US of A.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Passionate sex.
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 27 - taking possession of the house. February 28 - moving day. July 11 - an explosion at work.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Becoming a homeowner.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Leaving too much of the packing to the last minute.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yep. I sprained my right knee in the spring and injured my left rotator cuff in the fall.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A two bedroom townhouse.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My sister, for getting me to go on vacation with her, and I had a lot more fun than I expected to. She accepts me and validates me like nobody else has.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Anyone who shot another person (excluding in self-defense).
14. Where did most of your money go?
The house.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My garden.
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2012
Call Me Maybe, The Water is Wide, Now Westlin Winds
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
I. happier or sadder? Both.
II. richer or poorer? Well, I have more assets. And less disposable income.
III. fatter or thinner? I think I'm a little thinner, since cutting down on gluten.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Packing, in January.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Waiting to see if my course reimbursement papers had been received.
20. How will you be spending the holidays?
I went to Edmonton and spent Christmas with my sister and her family.
21. How will you be spending New Year's?
I watched movies and I lit sparklers in my backyard at midnight.
22. Did you fall in love in 2012?
No.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
The New Girl. Grey's Anatomy plummeted in my personal ratings.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
Wheat Belly by William Davis.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I already knew Kevin McKidd had a good voice, but The Speyside Sessions, which he had a hand in, is fantastic and expanded my knowledge of Scottish folk music.
28. What did you want and get?
A house. A garden.
29. What did you want and not get?
We didn't have time to see Donny & Marie in Las Vegas.
30. What was your favourite films of this year?
The Hobbit. I really enjoyed Brave, but it lost me during the middle because of where the plot went.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I just went to work. I went out to lunch with coworkers. I was 46 (still am).
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I should've dug out my light therapy box in September, to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder. I've been feeling depressed this fall and that needs to stop.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Same as usual - comfortable.
34. What kept you sane?
My sister, my friends, my kitties, my garden.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Kevin McKidd.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Not wanting the Wildrose Party to take power in the provincial election. They are too conservative and clearly have issues with same-sex marriages and abortion. They didn't take power. I voted PC for the first time, as it was the best vote against the incumbent Wildrose member. Wildrose won by 26 votes.
37. Whom did you miss?
My family to the East, particularly my oldest nephew.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Sarah. a coworker who calls me Sunshine and hugs me a lot. I'm not happy she's leaving.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012
I need to remember to bloom where I am planted.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
May it be the shadow's call
Will fly away
May it be you journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun
Bought a house. Went to Las Vegas. Went to the Grand Canyon.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made any. I don't usually make them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully.
5. What countries did you visit?
The US of A.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Passionate sex.
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 27 - taking possession of the house. February 28 - moving day. July 11 - an explosion at work.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Becoming a homeowner.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Leaving too much of the packing to the last minute.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yep. I sprained my right knee in the spring and injured my left rotator cuff in the fall.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A two bedroom townhouse.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My sister, for getting me to go on vacation with her, and I had a lot more fun than I expected to. She accepts me and validates me like nobody else has.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Anyone who shot another person (excluding in self-defense).
14. Where did most of your money go?
The house.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My garden.
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2012
Call Me Maybe, The Water is Wide, Now Westlin Winds
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
I. happier or sadder? Both.
II. richer or poorer? Well, I have more assets. And less disposable income.
III. fatter or thinner? I think I'm a little thinner, since cutting down on gluten.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Packing, in January.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Waiting to see if my course reimbursement papers had been received.
20. How will you be spending the holidays?
I went to Edmonton and spent Christmas with my sister and her family.
21. How will you be spending New Year's?
I watched movies and I lit sparklers in my backyard at midnight.
22. Did you fall in love in 2012?
No.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
The New Girl. Grey's Anatomy plummeted in my personal ratings.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
Wheat Belly by William Davis.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I already knew Kevin McKidd had a good voice, but The Speyside Sessions, which he had a hand in, is fantastic and expanded my knowledge of Scottish folk music.
28. What did you want and get?
A house. A garden.
29. What did you want and not get?
We didn't have time to see Donny & Marie in Las Vegas.
30. What was your favourite films of this year?
The Hobbit. I really enjoyed Brave, but it lost me during the middle because of where the plot went.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I just went to work. I went out to lunch with coworkers. I was 46 (still am).
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I should've dug out my light therapy box in September, to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder. I've been feeling depressed this fall and that needs to stop.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Same as usual - comfortable.
34. What kept you sane?
My sister, my friends, my kitties, my garden.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Kevin McKidd.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Not wanting the Wildrose Party to take power in the provincial election. They are too conservative and clearly have issues with same-sex marriages and abortion. They didn't take power. I voted PC for the first time, as it was the best vote against the incumbent Wildrose member. Wildrose won by 26 votes.
37. Whom did you miss?
My family to the East, particularly my oldest nephew.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Sarah. a coworker who calls me Sunshine and hugs me a lot. I'm not happy she's leaving.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012
I need to remember to bloom where I am planted.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
May it be the shadow's call
Will fly away
May it be you journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun
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