My Lovely Garden … Mon Joli Jardin

No matter the language, my garden is my paradise. To watch the lovely birds that nest in the trees and bushes. The bees, butterflies are such a joy to see.

Monthly Archives: November 2012


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Enjoying the lovely fall days, colourful leaves, happy chirping birds .. and all that!

Lovely fall days …

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Just sharing some colourful photos of beautiful fall scenery around here.

I love watching the brightly hued leaves swirling about .. carpeting the ground, adorning the bare branches of trees.

Birds chirping about .. happy to visit the suet block and flit about the yard.

This is truly a time of the year to wind down the outdoor chores and spend relaxing time enjoying the activities that are happening all around us.

I’ve been spending a lot of time potting up my plants … using the rich crumbly soil from composted areas to fill up the pots.  Nice fat earthworms have toiled in the soil, making it easy to work with.

My lovely kale plants are doing well and I’ve slowly been moving them to the side of the yard, to mingle in with the regular perennials that are already in place.   Adding lots of the lovely composted soil so they will grow big and strong.   My gardening neighbour tells me that kale loves this rainy chilly fall weather and so I expect we will have enough kale to last us through to the spring.

We’ve enjoyed a wonderful sunny day and this brought back memories of our short but hot and sunny summer.   Lovely memories.

And the time change .. fall back one hour .. made this day seem like a very long and productive one.

I finally started potting up those sprouted garlic seeds and I must say that the garlic odour is quite intensive.  More so than the cloves.  I started putting these sprouts into propagating cells, but realized that, since the greens are growing now, it would be best to just pot these into a planter and then just clip the greens.  The balance of the seeds that have not yet sprouted .. well, there are about a million of them.  And I don’t look forward to potting them all up . .so .. I might just scatter them in the background of the perennials.  And wait to see what happens.

Is there such a thing as too much garlic?  I wonder.

I’ve been collecting oak leaves .. have amassed quite a collection .. and tomorrow I’ll see if I can run my little lawn mower over some of them ..just to see if I can break them down a bit.  Fingers crossed.

Walking around the yard, I can see roses still blooming, tiny sunflowers continuing to flower.  Lots of apples to pick.  Lettuce still growing in their pots.  Rosemary is still flowering.  Lots of beautiful activity in the garden.

Oh happy days.  I do love this time of the year!

🙂

 

 

 


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Out for a walk … and I saw some lovely dogs!

Sunday, November 4, 2012

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It’s been a busy and fun time in my life during the past few days.

Besides focusing on decluttering, I’ve gone for a lovely walk to the Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary.   Participated in our first field trip in the Ecological Landscaping course.  Enjoyed seeing (and talking with!) some sweet dogs.  And other daily things.

I had decided to go shopping and combine this with a walk a few days ago.  Made up a list and even remembered to bring it with me!  Enjoyed the calming beauty and tranquility of the Sanctuary.   Not many Mallards out .. nor seagulls .. guessed that might translate into the close proximity of the local eagles .. even if I couldn’t see them.

Continued on to the shops .. chose my purchases .. reached into my bag and .. oh, no wallet.  Great time to remember that I’d changed purses the day before and neglected to transfer my wallet into this bag!  Oh well .. I returned home, to fetch that and enjoyed the long walk anyway.

Noticed a flock of Canada Geese visiting our neighborhood .. this was a first.   They have been displaced from their usual field across the street.  That place that is becoming a mini-city block of ugly highrises that none of us wanted.   So now they have to find a new area to rest up before they begin their long flight south for the winter.

I know many people don’t want the geese in their golf courses and fields.   I admire their beautiful markings, their proud stance and their innocent lives.  They are nature.   I wish them well on their long flight and knowing that they mate for life, I also wish them good safe flights.

I’ve been lucky enough to meet with dogs as I go my way walking in the neighbourhood and along the beaches.  There was Hunter, the big gold lab that I saw yesterday .. I approached him gently, after asking his doggie mom if I could pet him .. and so I gently stroked his head and down his back and added that special little massage at his back, above the tail.  He really liked that.  And his owner sincerely expressed surprise that he allowed me to do that, as he really didn’t let people approach him.  She was serious about that .. so I felt honoured and mentioned that I really miss my dogs .. and she said that Hunter must have sensed that.

Then there was little Misha, sweet with her little pink collar and leash.  She looked up at me so trustingly and smiled …. what a darling.

And Rocky and Alex .. the handsome English Bulldogs that I met in our neighbourhood … very gentle and patient dogs!
Lucky me to have met these wonderful happy beings!


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Shopping in the Fisgard Street district, kind comments .. and I’ve started my Ecological Landscaping Course .. new doors are opening for me.

Friday, November 2, 2012

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So here are a few more pictures from Monday .. the day that D &  I wandered around the Fisgard Street shopping district in Victoria .. along the waterfront.  We rediscovered old shops, new shops, alleyways nicely inhabited by funky little stores.  And then, Capital Iron.  I love this store … you can buy everything (except the kitchen sink .. but .. perhaps they do and I missed that).

The rustic atmosphere is not contrived ..it’s real!  No pseudo antiquing of the exterior walls .. how wonderful this is.

After spending some fun time purchasing plants, cramming them into the car, it was time to visit a local health food store.  It opened up last year, I think.  The dream of 2 very hard-working young women … here is their website for lots of information on their story:

http://ingredientshealthfood.com/

I wish them every success … as it was such a fun experience shopping there.   The bright colourful signage and paintings on the walls were very cheerful.  I don’t know what occupied the building previous, this is the first time that I’d been inside.   Slight slopes led shoppers to areas that held dried spices and herbs, lovingly contained in large jars .. no plastic here.

And there was an upper cafe seating also I noticed .. .quite ample seating.  While below there was a smaller version of this.  It was my first visit here .. and the atmosphere was quite relaxing so I plan to shop here again.  Plus, parking is available outside, so that is a plus!

Anyway .. that was a fun day.

I’ve taken all the plants to the back yard.  The same plants that I bought 50% off at Capital Iron, then stuffed (carefully) into my little Echo .. taken home and now awaiting potting up into large containers!

Well, I’ve actively started on that chore .. began yesterday afternoon .. when there was a moment in time when the rains stopped .. the sun shone through.  And .. wonder of wonders .. the cessation of construction noise.

Gardening bliss.

I’ve started my Ecological Landscaping course (Gaia College course .. held at Royal Roads University)  and our first 3 hour session dealt with the history of garden design through the ages.  Very interesting .. lots to learn.  I’ll be creating another series of hole-punched lined index cards, to begin my little library of terminology and plant design ideas.

Tomorrow we go on our first field trip .. to wander around the Fairfield area …. and find out more information on what to do and what to look out for in garden design.  We are all bringing our cameras so as to capture these ideas for discussion.

The class is a nice size, 11 of us.  So happy to see some familiar faces!  Two young ladies from the Spring session of the Organic Master Gardening course!

And you know … how little things are the most precious gifts beyond measure when they are sincere?

Well, our instructor asked us to introduce ourselves and to say something that made us happy that day!

One of these young ladies said something that made me happy!

She told that class that when she walked in the doorway of the classroom and saw me sitting there .. that made her happy!   Wow.    I am glad that I decided to take this course now!

It is so lovely to be appreciated, I cannot tell you.

Maybe that is what is missing in our day-to-day lives … a few words of acknowledgement to each other.  Random acts of kindness.

Long may they reign.

PS   If we pass these acts along – I just know that we will add joy to the lives of others.  They might not acknowledge this on the surface, but inside, I know it will make a huge difference.

Go on … do it!!    See what happens!

Tomorrow I’ll share with you my newly purchased landscaping design tools.

I think that having to make drawings, in ink … will push me through that creative door that has been cemented shut in my mind all my life.  All my life I’ve been gathering art books – how to draw, how to paint … with acrylics and watercolours.  Special papers. I’ve even taken a few art classes.   But still, that door won’t budge open.

I think that this Ecological Landscaping course will blow that cement away.  And I’m scared and excited at what I will find through that doorway.  I have a feeling that this will unleash my Inner Artist .. where no books or art classes have succeeded.

Up … Up .. And … Away!


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What is lost is found again! More photos of “Shopping on Fisgard” and we saw a lovely dog, Mosha (sp?)

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So I am quite proud of my recent decluttering activities .. it feels wonderful and energizing to look around me at my recently organized little office area.   I know where everything is and have begun to find things lost a long time ago.

Which reminds me of a recently read book by Cecilia Ahern (her first name is my middle name and we spell it the same way!  ) Anyway, this book is “A Place Called Here” .. and it is very well written, she knows how to portray philosophical thoughts in a most delightful way.  I won’t spoil the story for you about the very wonderful ending.  But I will briefly list the storyline.

I love time travel stories.  The kinds that are simple and believable.  And this one has those elements.   The lead character is called Sandy Short and she has a mission in life to find lost people and articles.   And she is successful, not 100%, but has a good success rate.

We are led along in her daily life, flashing back and forth from the past to the present in a most interesting little journey.  One that I didn’t really want to end, as her writings flowed on and on again.   So I’ll have to find more of her books to read.

Anyway, I had finished the book when I’d started on my decluttering activities.

And guess what!

I found:

– my red velvet gloves that I love so much (still looking for the black velvet pair!)

– 4 nail clippers and DH found another so we now have .. maybe 7 or so in our collection?

– various musical cd’s that I’ve been looking for.

… and there were other items found, but these were the highlights.

So, having read the above book, and coincidentally found the above listed items, I’m sort of wondering about where, really, lost items are kept .. in the interim between losing and finding?   Sorta makes me wonder!

I’ve posted more pics of a few days ago, when D & I went shopping downtown and visited some nooks and crannies of the lovely Fisgard Street shopping district.

Such a fun day and one that will have to be repeated.

We’d also shopped at Capital Iron .. this is a fantastic shop located on Store Street,  which is located by the waterfront .. where you can see hugs ships/sailboats anchored and being repaired by a local ship repair company.  Smell the beautiful sea air.

This store has been around for ages and carries everything you would need for your home (except furniture).  They used to have a large area in the lower area where you would find a treasure trove of artifacts, old magazines from the 40’s, bits and pieces from old ships .. you name it.  Now that is gone and is replaced by gardening and seasonal items.

Still, it is a wonderful store .. and now carries hot tubs, magnificent BBQ items, furniture, truly decadent and I can only wonder what it would be like to have a home with any of the BBQ equipment!

Anyway, my inner plant magnet drew me to the 50% area!  D pointed out a magnificent leaf on a tree, turns out (she found out) it is a Eucryphia X intermedia ‘Rostrevor” .. an evergreen (my favourite) grows up to 40 ‘ (wow, yes, another favourite) and is quite the sturdy plant (another bonus) … plus ..drumroll .. easy to propagate (oh, yes!) and the best times seem to be July.  So, I’ll be sharpening my pruning shears and doing just that next summer!

These were on sale, so I only bought 2!  And a few other perennials, resulting in a fully laden garden cart.  Once these were paid for and we were outside, a very helpful sales person, D and myself .. laying out the tarp in my car to catch any spilled soil .. determining the best way to place my recent purchases in the interior .. when my attention was caught by the most lovely Beardie walking along the parking lot, looking adoringly up at his dog-daddie.

What could I do … I left the sales person and D to load the plants and I rushed over to say a big hi to this dog and asked his daddie if I could take a photo of him (the dog!)  🙂

My heart melted when I saw how the dog politely looked upwards, listening intently  as he was told to sit!  What an obedient dog he was.  And then he sat patiently while I clicked away.   His body language seemed to say “Alright now, I’ve been asked to sit politely for a moment and I will do so.   But really, you see, I would rather be walking with my daddie.  However, I will comply and so I will stay here for a little.  Then we will be on our way.  Thank you very much.”

Ok, I’ve made the dog’s dialogue up, but that is my interpretation!

I returned my attention to the task of loading the plants and was delighted to discover that this feat had been accomplished in my absence.  Timing is everything.

We drove away, car fully laden. leafy branches of the Eucryphia extending into the front of the car so that D was really hidden from view as she sat in the passenger seat.  It was as if we were driving in a forest!

And I still haven’t shown you all of the photos .. so will share more tomorrow!

So ..on with this day ..lots to do!