Christmas Memories

Hard to believe Christmas is just around the corner again. Today is my birthday, not quite my eleventy-first like Bilbo's, but old enough to have a lot to look back on. Don't think I'm cut out for blogging. I find it more satisfying to pick up a pen and write thoughts down in a journal. A computer screen hasn't the same feel. It's the same with reading, more so really. I prefer holding a book in my hands to reading from a screen, perhaps because I can't relax with a cup of tea anywhere near my keyboard. In journalism school, having a drink near the computer was absolutely forbidden on pain of death (almost!!) Ironically,when I worked at a newspaper for a brief stint, everyone had coffee cups at their desks. Unbelievably vile machine-produced coffee is a vivid memory from that job.

This November and December our climate has been wildly erratic, with snow one day and rain the next, from -12celsius to +13celsius in 24 hours, freezing rain, wild winds, a bit of everything. The forecast for today included possible thunder & lightning, in December yet!!! Hoping for a few decent days in order to travel safely and finish my very modest Christmas shopping.

Got a bread machine for a birthday present and look forward to trying it out as soon as I get the right kind of flour. Keeping fresh bread when the stores only get delivery once a week here on the island is always a challenge. I liked making bread by hand, but kneading dough gets difficult with arthritis stiffening up the fingers, so this will be fun. The smell of bread baking is one of the homeliest, most comforting there is I think.

I feel a deep sympathy for the families of the three soldiers we just lost, beginning the long walk of grieving at a time when most people are celebrating. The empty chair, the absent loved one, is especially felt when the family gets together for celebrations. This will be the ninth Christmas since we lost my son Jamie and there are few moments of the holiday when his memory isn't held close. This time with the ones we love who are still with us is a precious gift. Hoping all who grieve find moments of beauty in the music, lights and children's laughter as we journey on through this Christmas season.

Autumn Shadows

October is almost over, and I wonder if anyone else feels their spirits falling with the leaves. Right now, a golden world waits outside my window. Hackmatacks, one of the few deciduous conifers, are glowing with shades of gold as they ready for winter. Days of torrential rain and wind have swept leaves from apple trees, and windfall fruit lies under every tree. Most are too bitter for humans to enjoy, but the deer, crows and squirrels have been feasting on them. One tree produces somewhat scabby looking but tasty fruit, and I'm trying to pick as many as I can while they last. Juicy, crisp, and tart, they are a treat far removed from the perfect apples at the supermarket, tastier but not pretty.

Today sunshine is gradually returning after days of rain, but with it the mercury is dropping. Temperatures of 15c are giving way to a cool 8c. Hallowe'en will probably be clear and cold, so the search for warmer, suitable costumes is on. My son and his friends want to be a group of hobo-types. Even as teens, they enjoy trick or treat, and since they know most of the neighbours, we don't have much trouble with vandalism. Maybe the odd egg or two, but nothing too horrid.

Hunting season is upon us once again, so walks in the woods are out for a while. Most people are responsible and follow the rules, but there are those few others so I stay clear until it's over. My sympathies are with the deer though I know too many of them isn't good for them or the community. Driving home the other night, my sister and I glimpsed a doe in the headlights, stepping daintily off the road en route to the lake. We saw another one night as we came into my driveway, eyes glinting as it peered over the hedge. I wish them luck & will be glad when it's over. I know stocking the freezer helps some fishermen in the off season, it's just not for me.

The melancholy of autumn is beginning to make itself known. There is something about the change in the light, the darker days, the leaves falling, bare branches - it all has a sadness. Putting the garden to bed, the death of flowers, reminders of mortality I suppose.

Hallowe'ens years ago, when my oldest son was still with us, come to mind. I think of him often in these dying days of autumn, took the summer flowers away from his grave after Thanksgiving and put some fall flowers there. Now it's almost time for a new bouquet. He liked this season - I have a photo of him standing by the water, autumn colours of trees reflected in the bay, smile as bright as the sunshine.

My youngest son and his friends are having a great time reading Lord of the Rings, keeps him up late some school nights. He avoids starting a new chapter if it's too late because it's just too hard to put it down. I recently finished reading Paris 1919, & for any reader who loves history it is well worth a try. It's a long read & I took a few breaks, but learned a great deal from it. The anecdotes are fascinating and so much of what happened at the 1919 Peace Conference has echoes in current affairs it's a great backgrounder. The Middle East, China, the Balkans, etc., recommend it to any student of history. On the lighter side, just finished Murderers & Other Friends by John Mortimer & it's a wonderfully entertaining, intelligent book. He's best known as the creator of Rumpole of the Bailey for fans of Mystery on PBS, & has a sardonic wit that is touching and laugh out loud funny at times.

Island Autumn

As I waited (and waited) to get to this site, I thought to myself that it's a good thing I'm a gardener. It helps one learn patience, and living in rural New Brunswick with dial-up speed access on the computer, patience is much needed.

The cooler nights of fall are here, but we are enjoying sunshine and fairly warm days, and the sky is a joy to behold. It has that clear blue that we only get in fall, cloudless - a glorious backdrop to the gold, copper and crimson of the trees. There is something exhilarating about a bright autumn morning.

Last week, I found a poor Monarch butterfly worse for wear after a very chilly night. A female (the males have two black wing spots), she huddled on the sedum in my lower garden bed all day. I hadn't the heart to just leave her there & let nature take its course, so I put her in a shoebox with some sedum & butterfly bush blooms. Up close, it was obvious she had a damaged wing that made flying awkward, so I didn't think she'd last long outside. A local public garden kindly agreed to give her a home in a heated greenhouse, so I dropped her off in style. Hope she thinks she made it south for whatever time she lives. I read that most non-migrating Monarchs live about four weeks.

Thanksgiving is just about here, and this year we're having an extended holiday since school professional development days come right afterward. Five lovely days of not having to get up at 6 a.m. - I'm as happy as my son & his friends about that. Since my sister does a big family get-together & considers turkey at Christmas more than enough, we'll be having a nice ham dinner there. I'm attempting to do a small turkey at home earlier, probably Saturday, & hoping my old oven will do the job.

A few years ago, I invited my mum for Christmas the first year we were renting this old house. I put a big turkey (thawed) in the oven and we waited all day and into the evening for the bloody thing to cook!! It finally did, but since then I do nothing bigger than 10 lbs. Just one of the things you deal with in older homes with unpredictable appliances. I've since discovered that the oven controls and actual heat level inside aren't always a match.

Looked out the window of my sister's house at dusk a few days ago just in time to see a big doe stroll across the yard and into the wooded area beside the path. Then as we were driving home, we saw a four-point buck standing under the trees in a neighbour's front yard.

The songbirds are enjoying the goldenrod bloom out in the field beyond my garden, often see sparrows & finches darting around the low shrubbery. Crickets have been singing non-stop now for a while, & I still see the occasional grasshopper. Most of my garden is done, though up to today I've been getting a few runner beans every two or three days. The gold & yellow gem marigolds are still blooming, if a bit shabby close up, and the sedum has darkened to a burgundy red that brightens up the lower garden. The peony leaves are a nice fall bronze next to the butterfly bush. It bloomed late and is attracting bees and the occasional late season butterfly still. It has creamy yellow rather than the usual purple buddliea blooms. Right in front of the kitchen window, makes it a perfect spot for watching the insect traffic. Today a Painted Lady has been vying with the bees to get at the nectar.

Bluejays have been visiting the apple tree out front for the past few days, not sure if the apples or insects are drawing them. I usually get more crows than jays, they've gotten used to getting the bread crusts & old stuff I toss out to the driveway for them.

Election time next week & here's hoping for a good outcome. Hope everyone who can gets out to vote. When I was younger, I travelled a bit & met people who risked their lives for the right to choose their own representatives, so I hate to see us as Canadians not use the hard won rights we have. Happy Thanksgiving, all!!

September Stories

Two weeks into the new school year and not too painful so far, though getting up at 6 a.m. is harder now that it's darker each morning. Summer lingers still, with ripening tomatoes and flowerpots overflowing & lush. I love the pineapple mint, a cream & green variegated variety that blends beautifully with dark burgundy coleus and white-green double petunias. Makes a nice iced tea too. The scarlet runner beans are producing so vigorously I can just keep up, have to pick and cook about two cups per day. Wouldn't be fall without powdery mildow on some plants, and the bee balm definitely needs cutting back on that account - it's getting shabby anyway.

For one dollar, I picked up a bright red New Guinea impatiens at a season-end sale, and it's blossoming out with lovely big blooms, looks pretty next to a pot of portulaca that's all shades of the rainbow. In the lower garden bed, pink Autumn Joy sedum has taken over as the star, so big it looks more like a small shrub than one plant. I have just a few sweet peas blooming now, but they are lovely, sweet scented Matucanas, a purple-lavender blossom that scents a whole room. My sister has sweet peas in tiny vases on every windowsill, in a mix of rose, white and purple blooms. Next year I hope to have more, love the mix of scent and colour.

The hummingbirds are still around, though not seen as often. One little female rubythroat was busy at the feeder yesterday, then tried the fuchsia, the rose impatiens and the yellow blooms on the butterfly bush. Bees are attracted to that as well, and the song of crickets is still noticeable on warm days. The field behind the upper garden bed is a swath of goldenrod, with songbirds darting in around it all day long and into the evenings. I've seen chickadees, common yellowthroats, sparrows and yellow-rumped warblers in the last few days. A pileated woodpecker often flies over screeching maniacally, and crows are better than an alarm clock as soon as it gets light. It's seldom silent, always a sense of life seen and unseen all around.

It's getting too chilly at night for tenting, so my son and his friends have reluctantly given up on their weekend campouts. All summer they enjoyed campfires on the beach and tenting out in the woods. Getting together for house parties doesn't have the same atmosphere, though they enjoy movies & videogames as an alternative. Games like Risk & Middle Earth Role Play are popular too - if only homework evoked the same enthusiasm!

I'm not enthused by the prospect of a fall election - a hypocritical attempt to gain more power and a waste of public funds to do it. It would be so much better to carry on with necessary business instead of squabbling like a bunch of poorly disciplined kindergarten children. So it goes, I guess. Real change comes along fairly seldom, and I must admit I envy our neighbours to the south the challenge they have this time around. Now that would be an exciting election choice!!

Recently read and much enjoyed "Extra-Virgin" (author's name forgotten at present), the story of two friends who moved to a small town in Tuscany, long before it became a trendy destination. Their attempt to restore an old place and fit into small town life make an interesting and at times humorous story, a good read.

Late Summer Notes

Much as I want to deny it, summer is on the wane. This August has been hot and humid when not rainy and humid, with frequent thunder showers. There are still glorious mornings when the sky is cloudless and a southerly breeze is as close to heaven as you'd want, but that late summer feeling is coming on.

In the garden, I have Early Girl tomatoes ripening fast, unlike the Patio and Tumbler in containers, still stubbornly green though plentiful. The Scarlet Runner beans are producing well, with a small crop every few days now. The hummingbirds love them and often buzz me while I'm picking, hoping I'll go away. I've had a few pattypan squash - for some reason a lot of blossoms dropped off before they could produce. It looks lovely anyway, with the scarlet runner flowers twining with sweet peas and a row of gem marigolds in front of the veg garden.

In the flower bed, the pink milkweed is done blossoming - found a monarch caterpillar on it just yesterday and it's still there today, has the whole plant to itself. Seems late in the season so I hope it survives. The Autumn Joy sedum is filling out to a shrub size, love the way the leaves hold dewdrops in the morning or after a rain. The china asters are just budding now so should add some nice colour to that bed. Every evening I like to go down the driveway just to catch the fragrance of the nicotiana - it's self-sown and comes back every year, striking with the tall white trumpets.

It's been a good summer for berries, partly because of the frequent rain. My mum says blueberries are always better in a wet year, get bigger. A five minute walk up the road takes me to a lush berry field, had a great time there with my mum, sister and her two grandsons. We had enough to make blueberry muffins and I tried a recipe for "summer pudding", new to me this year. It's very simple, just white bread, a bit of sugar and mixed berries topped with ice cream or whipped cream. My son enjoyed it very much! Raspberries are about done now, but the blackberries are just beginning to ripen and the canes out back of the shed are full of them. I'm looking forward to them a lot, enjoy walking out on a sunny morning and picking a dish to toss in with cereal for breakfast.

On August 12th, the Perseid meteor shower was visible so I stayed up very late hoping to catch the show. My son was watching the live Olympic coverage anyway so we had a late, late night. Best time for meteors was said to be about 4 a.m. and I was out on the doorstep watching the sky, which was a bit cloudy but with stars visible. Saw three or four out there, then watching form a west facing window inside saw a few more before I gave it up to get some sleep. Jupiter is very bright in the southwest now too, with good binoculars you can see the moons.

Though I'm not a big sports fan, the Olympics is pretty spectacular and you can't help but be impressed with some of the achievements and struggles the athletes go through. I watched the end of the triathlon & couldn't believe the effort Simon (Whitfield)? made right at the race end, amazing. Love the equestrian events too, glad to see Eric LaMaze make a comeback from the drug problems of the past.

As I write this, the skies have opened up and rain is splashing and pouring down the windows. It's so dark, at 4 p.m. that you need the lights on to read (or type). Since thunder is likely to follow, I'm going to wrap this up and shut down. Hope we all enjoy what's left of the season.

(For a good summer read, try "Harvest of Bittersweet" by Patricia Penton Leimbach, a book of the joy and sorrow of life on an Ohio farm in the 1980s.)

I want to capture summer
In the middle of a dawn,
Press it fast between two pages
now,
Before the magic's gone.

-Eileen Black "August"

Midsummer Musings

As always, summer is passing too quickly. Already the stores are flogging fall clothes and winter catalogues appear in the mail. I refuse to look at them for now. Why would anyone want to dwell on winter coats when the sun is high and the breeze is from the south?

I've been blessed with the first opportunity to meet my niece's new baby girl, Grace. One forgets how very tiny and delicate a newborn can be. Poor dear is minding the humidity and heat we've been having and was a bit fussy with heat rash. She did me the honour of falling asleep while I held her in the rocking chair. Little ones are so very precious it makes the heart ache. She has a full head of golden hair, softer than chicken down.

My son is off to summer camp, and decided that long hair was too much bother - so he shaved his head!!! A bit of a shock - he's lucky to have a dimpled smile and gorgeous brown eyes that keep him from looking like a neo-Nazi. Just had his 17th birthday, they grow up so fast.

In the garden, the scarlet runner blooms are beginning to develop beans, tiny summer squash are growing behind big yellow blossoms, the peas are done, swiss chard is producing a small second crop and the garlic chives are in bud. Bee balm has just begun blooming and the milkweed is almost open. I've seen a few monarch butterflies, but have no caterpillars on the plant. They are supposed to thrive on milkweed so I'm hoping. At least I'll get to enjoy the vanilla-scented pink flowers soon. Gold and peach daylilies are among the plants passed along from my sister's divisions, as well as several leftovers from the plant sales. I have pansies and violas here and there in both raised beds and in containers. Tomatoes are lagging this year. I have a few on each plant but they are far from prolific.

I've been making homemade iced tea from pineapple mint, lemon balm and lemon verbena and it's good, citrusy & sweetened a bit with honey. Borage leaf is good in tea too, but I discovered last year it has to be used very lightly. Has a pronounced laxative effect in larger amounts about which I will say no more.

At the edge of the yard, wild raspberries are ripening and blueberries are almost ready to pick as well. In back of the shed, masses of green berries promise a good blackberry crop later. Just up the road, an old woods path is a great spot for picking blueberries. If only the mosquitoes would stay away, being outside would be wonderful.

When I'm not busy, I love to sit by the window with a good book, pausing now & then to look out at the garden. The hummingbird whizzes by to hit the feeder again or to perch at the fuchsias. Butterflies drift around, birds call, and I bask in the peace and quiet. I've been enjoying Miss Read's stories lately. Her tales of life in an English country village are just the thing if you like stories about the everyday dramas of ordinary people. She has a keen appreciation of nature and the countryside and the seasons feature in the stories. I don't much enjoy writers who seem not to see nature around them, though I do like different types of literature. Also reading "The Proud Tower",Barbara Tuchman's history of pre-WWI Europe, heavy going at times but full of insight and fascinating anecdotes.

We've had some (much needed) rain & thunder showers the last few days, and on July 19th I watched a fantastic sunset after a storm. The eastern sky was blotted out by a mountain of clouds, shaped and layered with shades of lavender, rose and at the very peak backlit to almost gold, wonderfully dramatic. As I watched, jagged streaks of lightning flashed out from the darkest centre of the lower cloud formation. At the same time, the sky to the west was clearing to the bright blue of a sunny day, turning to gold and pink as the sun lowered on the horizon. A sunset to remember.

Watched an interview with Nelson Mandela and the celebration of his 90th birthday. My son is proud that he has the same birthdate as such a true hero (an overused word but true in his case I think). We could use a few more like him in this world. Makes me proud to have supported the Free Mandela movement in my student days, in a small way. Think globally, act locally & all that, not a bad way to carry on everyday life at all.

Gardens,Grace & Gravesites

Our most exciting family news is that my niece's long awaited baby arrived on July 5th, about a week later than expected. She is the first girl born into our family since her mother came along in 1980. Her great-grandmother may smother the poor child in pink dresses, but it's nice just the same, balances things up a bit with two older brothers in the house. Welcome to our Grace Ann!!! An old fashioned name for a 21st century girl.

Coming into high summer now and the weather is getting hot, hot, hot!!! Temperatures up to 30c are not at all unusual, and with our southern exposure it's hard to get the garden work done without feeling a bit fried at times. Today a good breeze is keeping things tolerable although it's another hot, dry day. Despite the heat, my shade loving impatiens and fuchsia are doing beautifully on the side steps. In shades of blush pink and rose, they cheer me up first thing every morning. The hummingbird likes them too. My Berries & Cream nemesia - a lovely scented hybrid - looks nice too, with bright and soft yellow mimulus that blend with the buttery yellow nemesia centres. Look out, Martha S.!!!

We've had a few snacks from the food plants, one harvest of mesclun (spicy lettuce mix) from the cut & come again planting; a few sugar snap peas; and the first leaves of swiss chard. It is delicious sauteed in a bit of oil with onions and tomatoes, then sprinkled with the tarragon/chive vinegar made from my chive blossoms.

Coming into bloom now are the gem marigolds - orange, gold, yellows; daylilies (a gift from my sister, so mystery colours till open, mostly gold varieties; antique shades pansies; rose coloured milkweed; and the glorious peony Sarah Bernhardt. Sarah's almost past it now, but for about two weeks has been a joy to behold, full of lush pink blooms. It's a plant I've had for thirteen years and has moved twice with me. I think when the time comes to leave this place it may be better off left behind, though dividing is a possibility. Perennials are a mixed blessing when renting, because you leave a bit of your heart behind with every garden you've made. At least I do. I still remember fondly a wonderful collection of Asiatic lilies from my garden in the city. How I'd love to have them again.

This time of year the wildflowers are as showy as anything in the garden. Out back in the unmowed meadow, purple wild peas, tall snowy daisies and red-orange devil's paintbrush are so beautiful they make me wish I could paint like Monet. The butterflies are frequent visitors, orange and yellow "flying flowers" that lift the spirits just by being. When walking to the store, I spotted a graceful clump of mauve and pink foxgloves just growing in the ditch - pretty as can be, and frustrating as I've tried to grow them several times without success. Wild roses and strawberries dot the roadsides too, along with feathery clumps of ferns. My son grows impatient when I stop to look at everything in bloom, still young enough to often be in a hurry.

As I walk in late afternoon, I often hear the soft hoots of the mourning dove's call from the woods. I've read that in the Appalachians, mountain folklore says that the spirit of loved ones passed over are calling. Life and death side by side always, and meant to be in the natural way of things, though parents are meant to be the first ones to go, not our children. Still, I find comfort in the many ways people of the world keep our loved ones in memory when they're gone. They are always with us.

I always make up a special container for my son's grave in the summer, and soon it will be time for Dad and I to take his rosemary and marigolds out, rosemary for remembrance as always. It's a peaceful place bordered by silver birches, and I like knowing my flowers are there by the footstone that spells out his name. Blessings on us all, especially the family of our latest fallen soldier. He grew up in Fredericton, where I lived for many years. May they all be at peace.

An Old Irish Blessing

May you always be blessed

with walls for the wind

a roof for the rain

a warm cup of tea by the fire,

Laughter to cheer you,

those you love near you

and all that your

heart might desire.

Summer Solstice Musings

The longest day of the year has come and gone, school has ended, summer is really here. While we've only had a few very hot days, they were enough to remind one why it is so nice to live by the sea. Seldom do we suffer the humid, heavy, smoggy days that bog down summers in the city too often. Notwithstanding, June 8th and 9th were tropically warm, muggy days, with the mercury hitting 30 Celsius, hot, hot, hot. I remember a college friend from Nigeria (many moons ago) telling me we in the West had to work with it, you can't fight the weather. "When it gets too hot, slow down,"he always said. Makes sense.

Most days now are pleasant, 20 to 23 Celsius. Some fog and rain but no more than average, and after a few days of sun the garden perks up with a good rain. My peas are growing fast, scarlet runners starting to twine around bamboo poles, have tansy and chives blossoming and lots of blossoms on tomato plants. Basil still not sure if life is worth living, looks pretty shabby. The thyme and summer savory are doing beautifully, with tiny pink thyme flowers a nice counterpoint to the antique shades pansies (soft pinks and golds). An African daisy was supposed to be bright cranberry and instead is peachy golden, but pretty anyway.

One moonlit night recently my son was away at a friend's house and it was very quiet. Suddenly the night erupted with howls, yiping, the quivering song of the coyotes. They were most likely down a woods road nearby, about half or three quarters of a mile away. We've had a small population on the island for several years and they seem to get along without much problem. There are a lot of woods and small wildlife enough to feed them it seems, though cats allowed to roam are at some risk. Our spoiled beast is a house cat only taken out once in a while on a lead, so he's safe enough. There is something wild and wonderful, and a bit scary perhaps, in the coyote's song. It's the second time we've heard them in the past few months. Earlier in the spring I was startled from bed hearing the playful yips and yaps made by a young coyote family passing close by, probably crossing the yard to the woods out back.

My yard is overdue for mowing, but the compensation is a riot of wildflowers, flame red and yellow devil's paintbrush, daisies, pink and white clover, feathery grasses, as well as the tiny purple plants that peek out from behind beds of bluets. Walking along the road, one sees masses of starry white bunchberry blossoms, and the roses are blooming now too. I pick a few not quite open buds, put them in a bowl of water by a window, and as they blossom out every little breeze carries a heavenly fragrance across the kitchen. I love classic old roses that haven't had the scent bred out of them by hybridizing.

On these summer mornings, I like to step outside with a cup of steaming coffee and listen to the birds waking up the world. I heard a biologist on CBC radio describe it as the "dawn chorus", a perfect name for the enthusiastic way they greet the new day. I've seen the merlin swooping down to catch an insect once or twice. Yesterday I watched through binoculars as a smaller bird (the merlin I think) dived and feinted at an osprey until it became riled and did a rollover in the air, facing talons up toward the smaller bird. She flew off then, thankfully, as it looked as though it might become a fatal encounter. I suppose the big raptor must have passed too close to a nesting site.

Just read last night that a favourite author and artist of mine has died, after a long and unique life. Tasha Tudor died at age 92 on the Vermont farm where she lived and worked. I have a delightful book, "Forever Christmas" with drawings and photos of the holiday as celebrated at the Tudors' country farm. There is a lovely documentary film about her life and work called "Take Joy" (a quote from Fra Giovanni that she admired). Interested readers can check out http://www.tashatudorandfamily.com/

"The gloom of the world is but a shadow behind it,
yet within our reach is joy. Take joy."

Apple Blossom Time

Spring is working its way into summer, slowly, with new sounds and scents every day. Foamy white apple blossoms have gently scented the air and the buzz of bees is audible when you walk close by the trees. Now the lilacs are opening, and how I wish our yard had one. On a walk down the road, I pass by the neighbour's wonderful cluster of purple lilac, pouring its fragrance on the breeze. By the roadside, low growing white flowers of the bunchberry show in abundance. Lupins - pink, purple, white - stand tall in the yard of what used to be our one-room schoolhouse, now a medical clinic. A brilliant cerise flowering crab tree in the house next door is a sight to lift the spirit.

My garden is still in its early stages, with the last containers planted up today. In the raised beds, scarlet runners are up, four Early Girl tomato transplants have been set out, one of the two summer squash has come up from seed, and the Sugar Ann peas are about three inches tall now. A few Swiss chard have come up, very small as yet, and borage from last year has reseeded itself in one bed with prolific (or wanton) success.

In containers, I have one healthy looking Patio tomato, a Tumbler Tom and a basil (the basil not so healthy looking, fussy herb). I never have managed great success with basil but still dream of growing enough for pesto. The herb bed is coming along, with chive blossoms just starting to open. I made three small jars of chive/tarragon vinegar a few days ago and it' s aging near a sunny window. A new lemon thyme plant is starting to show tiny pink blossoms and a lemon verbena is the most heavenly scented herb I've grown in a while. Butterflies love the chive blooms, and so far I've seen a Tiger Swallowtail, a Mourning Cloak, cabbage butterflies and a small blue of some kind.

The birds are well into their spring routines, with the songs and calls starting with daylight every morning. A female rubythroated hummingbird visits the feeder from early morning until dusk, scolding if I happen to be working around the front step when she wants to roost there. In a tall poplar out past the field, the hairy woodpecker pair are raising an extremely noisy brood. You can hear the young calling for food all day long, and the parents Pip!Pip! as they fly back and forth with caterpillars, grasshoppers, whatever. With binoculars the babies are easy to spot now, as they poke their heads out the nesting hole and call for more. They are surprisingly big already.

After a heavy shower a few days ago, my son called me to the window in time to see a glorious rainbow, arching over the sky as far as we could see and beyond, a rare beauty. Tonight the yard is wrapped in a light fog, blurring and softening the outlines of trees as the night falls. A peaceful time in a not so peaceful world.

The Merry Month of May

I'm writing on a lovely day, with a temperature of 21Celsius and a southern breeze bringing the fragrance of freshly cut grass through the windows. I spent a few hours yesterday raking up grass after my dad mowed while I was away. He's almost eighty-one now, but likes to keep busy and can't stand seeing a job not done properly!

You may wonder why I'm not out enjoying the sunshine or the garden on such a fine day, instead of killing time on the computer. In a word, the answer is BLACKFLIES!!!! I wonder if God or the goddess (whoever we can blame) really had to put them in the mix when creation was underway. At least I suppose they provide something for the birds to eat, just wish they'd eat more of them and do it faster.

With the help of DeepWoods Off, I have ventured into the garden and been out birdwatching too. Every day now some new migrant arrives, and I'm seeing a few species that are new to me, always a delight. On a walk in the woods a few days ago, I saw a little grey blue bird with a bright yellow chest, one I'd never seen before. It took a while to locate him in the bird book, but I found out it's a northern parula. A pretty, tropical looking bird. (the picture shown here is a parula, but doesn't really show how brilliant the yellow chest is)

I put out my hummingbird feeder two days ago, and within a few hours a female rubythroated was checking it out. It's the only hummer in our area. Yesterday I saw a little male gorging himself until the female spotted him and ran him off. Last year a female took over and the battles were wild at times. For a tiny bird, it has big ideas!

A pair of northern flickers has been around for a while, though I haven't seen them since the courting stage. It was fun to watch. The male poses, fanning his tail and bobbing his head, and they are both very vocal about the affair. One of my favourite songbirds has turned up, just saw a male common yellowthroat this morning. With the black mask, it makes me think of Zorro. Makes noise worthy of twice its size.

The trees are leafing out now, with silver green hackmatacks, almost lime bright birches and now the white flowering wild pears. When the sun shines through at certain times of day, it makes me wish I were an artist. It is just so beautiful with the backlit leaves and blossoms. The apple trees are just beginning to show a tiny bit of pink blossom. Because the owners of this place used to have an orchard, there are apple trees scattered out in the meadow, by the front yard, and off in the woods. Gnarled and old, when they bloom they are still lovely.

Driving home a few days ago, we took the long way around the island, and between villages had to slow down for deer in the road. Two does leisurely made their way across while two others waited undecided on the other side. When you see one, you have to slow down as more are almost surely about to cross. At dusk and on foggy evenings they seem especially fond of wandering.

In spite of pesky insects, I have done some of my planting. I have summer squash, swiss chard, sugar snap peas and zinnias in to grow from seed. Yesterday I made a bamboo teepee and put Scarlet Runner beans, sweet peas and cardinal vine seeds around it. I'm hoping the deer don't decide to check out the raised bed as they have so far left it alone, unlike my tulips. I plan to pick up more annual flowers, some herbs and a few perennials at my sister's sale. She has a bookstore and in the spring brings in plants for several weeks. I've already set aside a heavenly fragrant white nemesia and a fragrant lemony herb to put in a window box near the front door.

With the Victoria Day weekend here, I've assembled a mini-greenhouse on my doorstep (one of those shelf units with a plastic cover). I'm not putting anything too delicate out just yet, as the full moon isn't until next Tuesday, and a frost often hits about that time. The days have been warm this week, but it still gets a lot colder at night, so I can wait. Looks like I'll have to buy a few tomato plants, as the ones I have under lights are pathetic little things. We have Tumbling Tom available locally, and it's nice in a hanging basket or container. I hope if I can cover them at night maybe I won't have to share with the deer.

A May verse:

In the blossoming hedge the robin cock
sings,
For the sun it is merry and bright,
And he joyfully hops and he flutters his
wings,
For his heart is all full of delight.
For the May bloometh fair,
And there's little of care,
And plenty to eat in the Maytime rare.
(from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, sung by Friar Tuck)

May Days

Today has been one of those lovely spring days that make you hate to stay inside. The sky was cloudless, with that blue clarity that comes with this time of year. Birds chirped and sang while they went about the business of feeding and declaring territorial interests. A flock of song sparrows arrived and spent the day hopping about under the apple trees, digging under last fall's dry leaves for bugs. They make a constant rustling that sounds like some creature is about to emerge from the dappled shade, the noise out of proportion to their size. There are white throated sparrows among them, and their three note song is distinct, repeated all through the day. The bright yellow eye markings make them easier to identify than some sparrows.

A few days ago I spotted a small hawk perched on the wires, across the road from the bird feeder. After checking the bird book I think it was a female merlin, and have seen it fly by a few times since. So far no sign that it has the feeder in its sights, and I hope it stays that way. Today I was walking around outside when the I heard the whooshing sound of wings behind me, turned expecting to see one of the crows and instead there was an adult bald eagle cruising low over the yard. I watched it with the binoculars as it went off to circle high up across the road, and noticed some smaller bird harassing it for a while. Couldn't see clearly, but it may have been the merlin. They will go at much larger birds, especially if they're nesting nearby.

A male hairy woodpecker has been making his presence known, hammering on the old poplar tree so loudly that I mistook him for a much larger pileated woodpecker.

I haven't done much in the garden yet, just pulled the grass weeds from one of my raised beds and raked up the soil a bit. Two tarragon plants, bee balm, lavender, tansy, chives and oregano are all coming back from last year. The bee balm is becoming a bit of a monster, dominated the herb bed last year. I have a yen for zinnias this year, had a lot of them in my community garden plot in the city and loved them. They make great bouquets and I love the bright colours. Have to start planting seeds soon. For now, the bluets are blooming down by the driveway, near my lower raised bed. They cluster in tiny patches, pretty little things.

In answer to a comment on the sketch in my last post, it was by Tom Kelley, an artist for the U.S. Fish and Game Wildlife Service. They have some nice public domain sketches on their website. I like the line drawings and charcoal sketches, they remind me of some of my old storybooks.

I'm on my own for a while this weekend (which makes computer access a lot easier!! Do all teens live on Facebook?) My son is off with his church youth group doing the World Vision 30-Hour Famine fundraiser. I hope it takes his mind off the advent of Grand Theft Auto 4 for a little while. He's a PS3 fanatic and can't wait to get the new game. I dislike violent games, but he and his friends do enjoy them and don't seem the worse for it. I think playing as a group is probably less of a bad influence than playing alone. I'd worry more if he didn't also get outdoor and do a lot of reading as well. Right now he's rereading The Lord of the Rings and enjoying it a lot.

My recommendation for a light, fun to read mystery series would have to be the Southern Sisters mysteries by Anne George. They are fun, laugh out loud funny at times. I'm also enjoying a book on disk version of The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. It's about Josephine Bonaparte and gets you involved from the first few sentences.

Here's hoping for sunny days and just enough rain to make things grow. Good gardening, all.

Earth Day 2008

Earth Day here on the island started with a visit from a ringnecked pheasant, strutting his stuff in the morning sun, screeching now and then as he strolled around checking out the territory. I wonder if it's the same one that often came by last year. He used to march around the periphery of the yard, with a screech at regular intervals. Brought to mind the image of a soldier on drill parade. He's a beauty, the rusty breast, glossy green and white neck ring, very handsome.

The bird feeder is busy every day now with chickadees, nuthatches, a red squirrel, song sparrows and a purple finch. Juncos and robins flock around feeding from the ground, and in the evening the spring peepers are starting to sing. In the past few days, I've seen a heron flying over at dusk and three eagles circling against the noontime sunlight.

In the garden, weedy grass sprigs are working their way past the mulch in my raised beds already. The chives are growing green and the thyme plants have survived another winter. A few small tulips are poking up through, so far not eaten by deer. I tried digging in a bit of hair from a recent trim in hopes it will discourage them. Read somewhere that human or dog hair would deter deer. Hope so, as last year the buds were devoured as soon as they appeared. Yesterday I saw two deer feeding at the baseball field just up the road, out in mid-afternoon and not at all bothered by passing cars.

I'm trying to get a few tomato plants started from seed. The first sprig emerged today, six days after I put the seeds in small pots and set them in the warmest spot in the house. Two are Mennonite Heirloom, one is Ivory Egg (a cherry tomato) and one is a Burbank.

A few days this past week have hinted at summer, with a warm southwest breeze and temperatures as high as 18 or 2o celsius, lovely days that make you want to spend every minute outside listening to the birdsong and squirrel chatter. At times like this I am grateful to be living away from the noise and smell of the city. Happy Earth Day one and all!!

Spring is Here, Sort of

Okay, in theory it's supposed to be spring, but for every day of sunshine we seem to be getting two or three of rain or even (still...wet snow!) Ugh. A blue sky makes so much difference when it's time to get up in the morning. In a gesture of optimism, I bought seed packets of zinnias, Sugar Snap peas, and mesclun lettuce mix when I found them on sale at half price the other day. I want to work in the garden, but the soil is still soggy and cold, no use to rush it. Well, gardening is all about learning to be patient.

The birds have begun to arrive in flocks, with lots of robins in the yard on wet days like this one. Yesterday a noisy bunch of grackles spent the day squabbling and jumping up and down on the feeder, emptying out the black oil sunflower seeds in a few hours. Song sparrows have arrived - the nuthatch kept chasing one away from a branch it apparently had claimed as its own, close to the feeder. Both a downy and a pileated woodpecker were hammering away at the old poplar tree in the morning. With the rustlings of sparrows in dry leaves, squirrels chittering and grackles calling their rusty nail squeaks, the yard was alive with the sounds of spring. In the afternoon, a young bald eagle circled the yard for a while, and I spotted two adults flying much higher, keeping watch on junior is my guess.

A few days ago I walked by the kitchen window, glanced out, and saw two yearling deer frozen in position, staring back in at me from about ten feet away. When I kept still, they decided to ignore me and coolly returned to grazing the old yellow grass (too long because it didn't get a late fall mowing). After a while, they sauntered away up the path to the woods. They were quite lovely.

Just finished reading a memoir by Doris Grumbach, an author living in Maine. Dealt in an interesting way with the changes in life that come along as we grow older, not all sunshine and roses. Now hoping to find some of the other non-fiction works she has written. Discovered from her book that one of my favourites, The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter, is somewhat notorious for being the work of a former Klansman and speechwriter for racist governor George Wallace. Very strange, as the book portrays a native American viewpoint with humour and empathy. A good read (and film too) just the same.

Here's hoping that April showers really will bring May flowers. I for one am more than ready for them, and for warm days and sunshine.

Musings in March

I find myself wondering - how do people find the time to update blogs every few days? After the usual day of prodding reluctant son to get up at 6:30 a.m for bus, feeding cat, doing laundry, catching up on writing, making lunch, doing dishes, after school lunch, laundry, etc., I don't have much energy left to 1) Displace son from Facebook or messaging to use computer; and 2) Remember what it was I planned to write about this time. Oh, well, so it goes.

Spring is...almost....here, tomorrow on the calendar at least. The weather is giving freezing rain followed by about 25 cm of heavy rains for the next 24 hours. I hope the pump Dad put into the cellar is up for it, because the drain is still a) frozen or b) clogged - or both, anyway, not letting the overflow escape well at all. All a part, if not a fun part, of country living too!!!

Decided to try joining the local exercise walk at the school gym one morning this week and it was fun, sort of. Amazing how just walking around and around for 4o or so laps can make you feel as if it were a really long walk, sure gives muscles a workout.

Looking forward to a pleasant Easter weekend, two extra days to sleep in a bit, and a family dinner and get-together. My son is disappointed in his heart's desire of having Rainbow Six Vegas to play on the PS3 this holiday because Amazon is shipping it later than expected. Not the end of the world, I expect another game and a good book will keep him busy. My mum gives all the grandchildren new books as an Easter "treat". She talks of getting a "few little things" for them, which translates to books, candies, T-shirts, and so on - she loves shopping for grandkids and making up elaborate bags and baskets.

Current reading is Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle", a thought provoking look at her family's attempt to live for a year using only food produced locally or on their own farm in Kentucky. I love her novels - The Bean Tree, The Poisonwood Bible - and have enjoyed her essay collections too. A piece she wrote about the 9/11 attacks was one of the most intelligent I ran across anywhere. When I get worried about the direction our world is going, it's good to know there are still people who care enough to try to make a difference. La lucha continuara!! as we used to say in Nicaragua solidarity groups!! (the struggle continues!!)

Happy Easter to everybody!!!

Realities of Spring

Daydreams of a spring garden have given way to a touch of melancholy as late winter storms absolutely pummel our region. Last week storm days cancelled three days of school (didn't matter much as my son was home with a rotten cold anyway!!). It's rained record amounts for the last couple of days, giving me the chance to discover that the cellar drain is clogged - nothing like wading in a foot of water to make one nostalgic for the city apartment with a super on call. As I write, the portable sump pump installed by my handyman dad, bless him, is roaring away. It sounds as if a 747 is about to take off from below, but oh, am I thankful for it. Given that our pump and hot water heater would be afloat by now, it's a relief to hear it roar while the rain lashes at the windows. Great clouds of fog are being tossed around in the southerly winds, and the trees are swaying like palms in a hurricane. A truly wild day.

I'm keeping fingers crossed for a clear night on Wednesday, as a lunar eclipse is due - it's to begin around 9:45 p.m., so I hope to get a good look without having to stay up too late. By nature I'm a night owl, but the need to get up for the school bus at 6:30 a.m. curbs any inclination to burn the midnight oil much.

My son's been reading and enjoying the somewhat controversial Dark Materials series, but he disagrees with recommending it for younger children, says it's too complex and not that easy to read.

We recently viewed the highly acclaimed film about Che Guevara as a young man, "The Motorcycle Diaries" - beautiful cinematography as they travelled across Argentina, Peru and Colombia - rafting on a misty Amazon river, looking over Machu Picchu - lovely. His critique was favourable in its own way, "It was just like a documentary, only interesting." Ahhh, well.

The birds (and squirrels) have made amazing inroads into what I thought was an enormous sack of sunflower seeds, and at first chance I have to stock up again. Mostly the chickadees and nuthatches are around just now, though I did see a female pileated woodpecker yesterday. In a novel I read recently the bird was called the Lord God Bird in Georgia. I wonder if that's true. It's a very large and showy bird with the flashy red crest, and loud too. Here's hoping spring really is just around the corner, February is the longest short month in the year.

Daydreams of Spring

First day of February, one month counted off from our new year already. Tonight rain is lashing the windows, has battered away much of the deep snow that covered the world a week ago. Wind howling, and the flashing lights of the sand truck making its rounds - it's just cold enough to turn the rain into ice pellets and make driving slippery.

All around us this winter it's been snow, rain, ice in turn, never sure what the next few days might bring. I love the snow, it covers the trees, the yard, heaps around the house and keeps the cold at bay, protects the garden under a winter blanket and covers the cellar in a protective layer of warmth. With snow, having frozen pipes is a lot less likely and power outages not such a worry. Icy rain is much less friendly, hate the cold battering sound it makes against the windows.

The seed catalogues have been coming in every few days for a while, and I'm already daydreaming about what new plant combinations to try for next summer's garden. Have to outwit the deer as much as possible, so colourful strong smelling herbs are a good bet, they don't seem to like them much. On the other hand, they love the tulips. Last spring they ate every one of my pretty pink Angelique tulips just when they were about to bloom. They'd been a lovely housewarming gift from a friend when we first moved here four years ago, and I do miss them.

Maybe I'll try daffodils next, haven't had any for a few years and I love their bright spring show. A few years ago I sent for a fragrant mix from Cruikshanks, a mail order catalogue no longer available. They were lovely, buttery shades of cream and soft gold, and heavenly scented too. In my garden album, I have photos of spring daffodils in the city garden I left behind. It was my first real garden and I remember it fondly, spent many wonderful hours in that modest back yard garden.

At this time of year, it's lovely to dream over the lush photos in the seed catalogues. Budget constraints, pests and space restraints don't rear their annoying heads now, and the dream garden can be whatever I like on this rainy night. Later it will be time to pick and choose and be realistic about what is possible, for tonight I can dream. Here's to gardens past and future, real and imagined. Few things in life offer as much reward as a good hour working in a garden. It's of benefit to mind and body to work in the good earth for a while. I'm dreaming of spring a little more every day.

"When daisies pied and violets blue,
And lady-smocks all silver-white,
And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue
Do paint the meadows with delight..."

(Shakespeare, Love's Labour Lost)

Remembering the Boys in Red

I'm looking out the window at a very dark and rainy Friday afternoon. Guess that's why I've been putting tropical sunrise wallpaper on my computer screen, just a little lift for the January blahs that threaten to settle in early this year. Too much sad news, like everyone else in my region I was shocked and heartsick about the accident which killed seven boys on the basketball team and a teacher from Bathurst. They were all close to my son's age - it's all too easy to relate.

Watched the televised public funeral and laughed and cried along with half the province, as well as the 5000+ people who attended. The little things, how a guy liked paintball, one loved Guitar Hero (my son loves it too); one boy's sister laughing about what a lousy dancer he was. Just five minutes from home and safety and they were lost. Life is so precious and so fragile and every now and then an event like this really brings it home to most of us.

I always feel that since there is no guarantee of tomorrow, one should make the most of today. Just taking the time to notice the little things around us usually picks up my spirits. It's hard not to laugh if you watch the chickadees and the red squirrel trying to dodge each other back and forth at the feeder. The squirrel is sooo bold!!! He watches my approach, waiting until the last possible moment to jump back into the tree off the feeder tray - saucy bugger!!

Even as I write, the rain has stopped and the sun is actually peering out. First time I've seen it in about three days. Several nights have been beautiful, with a brilliant half moon over silvered snow, and Venus so bright it seems you could touch it.

The school bus just dropped off previously mentioned son, who as usual is burning to get on the computer - "Muum, I need the computer" - so I'll sign off here for today.

Into the New Year

Here we are, almost two weeks into the new year. Finally have the Christmas decorations packed away and the house reorganized (more or less) back to the usual everyday routine. Since the holidays we've had all kinds of weather extremes, heavy snow, cold, then a move to milder days and drenching rain and winds. My mailbox was a casualty of the heavy snow or the plow, not sure which, but one morning the poor thing was desperately lopsided. Have it sort of anchored now, but really hope we don't get any wild winds or it may go over completely.

Chickadees, a nuthatch, and a red squirrel are all enjoying the black oil sunflower seeds I've been filling the feeder with, and a pileated woodpecker has been hanging around too. Coming home late the other night, a damp and foggy evening, and the headlights picked up a young white-tailed deer standing very still just off the road by the woods. He turned and ran when we slowed down, appeared to be a young buck with antler buds just starting to show.

Our local power company is celebrating the new year by hiking the energy rate, bills out for year's end are horrendously high. I know people all over are getting hit with increases and it's hard when you're just making ends meet. Makes one thankful for the mild break we're getting in the temperatures. Today alone we've had a bit of freezing rain, pouring rain, and a little hail early in the day, weird weather, and the mercury is hovering around or above zero.

Noted the passing of Sir Edmund Hillary yesterday, an impressive gentleman. I admire people who use their fame and accomplishments to to do some good in this world. Such a lot of history goes with them as they pass on.