Friday Favourites: Here and There

 

Outside my window the faintest streaks of orange and pink are quickly fading into darkness. And it's only 9 pm. By the end of August our days will be about 1.5 hours shorter than at the beginning. It seems that the garden is well aware of the shortening days, too, and everything is in a hurry to ripen. There are many apples on our two trees this year and we'll be picking them in a few weeks. Apple Crisp, Apple Pie, fresh crunchy apples - such a delicious fruit. 

One of my hydrangea bushes produces enormous mopheads in a variety of colours - brighter then softening to these purple and blue hues. Just a single mophead is filling a low vase on the coffee table, like a pot wearing a flowery hat. 

When I paint I use a scrap of watercolour paper to test my colours. I had the idea to draw designs in those daubs, and quite like the effect. It's now a bookmark used by my husband. I think I'll plan on doing more of these. 

The roses are showing off just now with plentiful large blooms. Secret, above, glows in the evening light and smells wonderful. Another rosebush, Boscobel, is covered in coral-pink blossoms. Last summer when granddaughter Cora took a sniff, she said, "It smells like baked raspberries." Quite descriptive for a three-year-old. 

After reading about planting flowers among vegetables to encourage pollinators, I seeded some cosmos at the end of a couple of beds. They are blooming profusely now and are constantly full of bees. 

This morning I picked a pound of green beans, several tomatoes, much basil, and two fistfuls of sweet peas. With some of the basil I made a puree and froze it in ice cube trays. The rest I set on a platter to dry. There is much more basil in the garden and I'll be making pesto later. 

A few weeks ago my eldest daughter and I were chatting and I mentioned seeing an advertisement for 40% off David Austin roses at a local nursery. Cristal jumped up, "Let's go!" So we did, each bringing home two rosebushes. There wasn't a great selection, but we chose Harlow Carr, a pink rose, and Molineux, the yellow one above. How pretty it is. 

I am taking a blog break for a couple of weeks and look forward to catching up with you all on my return. 

Friday Favourites: Slow August Days

 

August - a month of contrast, of winding down, of full summer. Already the days are shortening. The sun glows with fierce intensity, but slipped over the horizon, coolness descends quickly. Now in the garden golden Rudbeckias add their brightness. Roses enjoy a second flush. Sweet Peas carry on with their abundant and fragrant blooms. 

"Bees blew like cake-crumbs through the golden air, white butterflies like sugared wafers, and when it wasn't raining, a diamond dust took over, which veiled and magnified all things."

Laurie Lee, Cider with Rosie

Our across-the-fence neighbour grows thornless blackberries that droop over into our garden. "Help yourself," he says, and we do. He is disappointed that the berries never become very sweet, but they make wonderful sauces and jams. 

In every neglected corner of the city wild invasive blackberries sprawl. Armed with clippers, people wearing long-sleeves as armour against the fierce brambles, pick buckets of the sweet berries. I freeze them for baked crumbles in the cold of winter. 

"The kitchen smells of spices and syrups, mint and sweet pepper. It is the time of 'putting up,' a rewarding time for country folk. I believe it is an instinct in man to store things against the winter, even when there is a supermarket a few blocks or miles away. It is part of the rhythm of life."

Gladys Taber, Stillmeadow Calendar

Dahlias are slow to bloom, but are coming along now. Soon there will be enough to clip a bouquet. They are such lovely long-lasting flowers and will bloom until the first frost, usually in October. I'm hoping some of the brighter varieties will soon show their faces. 

I love these lingering summer days and am in no hurry at all to see them pass. We sit and read on the deck in late afternoon and when dinner is done. Often, the book waits while I admire the garden. I notice the immense sprawl of the Red Kuri Squash plants with their huge leaves. There are at least eight squashes forming and I look forward to their harvest in another month or so. The Sugar Pumpkins planted by the little girls are growing round and orange, delighting them and me. Pole beans are climbing ever higher, with bees buzzing around its flowers. Tiny green beans are beginning to form. Almost every day I pick a cucumber to slice into a salad. 

"My garden - oh, the delight it has been to me this summer! I am positively revelling in flowers. Roses - such roses!

L. M. Montgomery, The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery, The PEI Years, 1901-1911

We had a Black Mission Fig tree for a number of years that produced a few early crop figs and lots of second crop ones that never had a chance to ripen before autumn. Three years ago we replaced that tree with a Desert King variety known for its plentiful early crop. This year dozens of figs hang heavy on the branches. I've made a delicious fig and onion jam to eat with crackers and cheese, and for this evening I'll be preparing a Fig and Blue Cheese Flatbread for guests. 

The sun has risen over the hedge now at 8:30 and dappled light covers the back garden. It's time to leave my computer and do the things I want to do today. There will be some inside chores and some time outside. All part of the rhythm of life. 

Wishing you a most lovely weekend. 

A Bit of This and That on a Sunny July Afternoon

 

One evening this week we drove downtown and watched the Snowbirds - the aerobatic team of the Canadian Armed Forces. This was a non-aerobatic display of precision flying in various formations. It was beautiful to watch the planes forming and re-forming so gracefully. I know it takes hours and hours of practice. 

On another day we took our youngest daughter and her family on a boating trip, again to Portland Island. We hiked a shorter distance with the little girls than with our older grandchildren. How interested they were in the boat and all the sights they saw along the way. Full of questions. Much less talking on the way home. Riding the dinghy from the boat to shore was a big hit. 

A chill wind at our picnic site meant we searched for the lee side of the point and enjoyed our lunch there. The Great Blue Heron was not invited and he searched for his own meal while we watched. 

The garden is producing cucumbers, lettuce, small carrots, zucchini, and lettuce. Blueberries and raspberries continue to be picked, but at a much slower rate than a couple of weeks ago. I think going to the garden and choosing a dinner menu from what is available is truly luxurious. 

On another sunny evening we visited Butchart Gardens. How surprising to see very few people there. It's not often that the view above is seen without crowds on the paths. There was a concert later and perhaps people were planning on arriving then. I didn't mind the lack at all. 

It's a truly lovely place at any time of the year, but comes into its glory in summer and autumn. 

The original Butchart family home is now a restaurant, with some living quarters for the family above. The two of us enjoyed a delicious dinner on the verandah, overlooking the perfect expanse of lawn and the Italian Garden. We wandered the garden paths before and after our meal, taking this time to celebrate our wedding anniversary. 

A few posts back I mentioned that one of my David Austin roses, Falstaff, was on notice. Well, it's come through with flying colours. The deep crimson roses have won my heart. They grow next to the pink/coral Boscobel and make a lovely couple in a vase as well as in the garden. I'll give the rosebush a good pruning in autumn to shape it and hopefully will be rewarded next summer. 

When I'm not gallivanting I try to accomplish a few things in the house and the garden, as well as continuing to refine my book. I'm beginning to speak with publishers and am looking forward to having it printed by Christmas, hopefully. Meanwhile, I made Cherry Raspberry Preserves and Black Forest Chocolate Cherry Sauce. The pantry shelves in the basement are filling up nicely. 

I read a very compelling book recently - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. She tells the story (fictionalized) about Martha Ballard, a midwife in 18th-century America who investigates a murder and a rape. Not always easy to read, and a good picture of what life was like in those days. The writing is beautiful and I was moved to write the following words into my own journal. I hope you find them equally lovely. 

"I step into my husband's arms, soaking up his warmth and scent. We are in the twilight years of a long love affair, and it has recently occurred to me that a day will come when one of us buries the other. But, I remind myself, that is the happy ending to a story like ours. It is a vow made and kept. Till death do us part. It is the only acceptable outcome to a long and happy marriage, and I am determined not to fear that day, whenever it arrives. I am equally determined to soak up all the days between." 

May we all soak up all the days given to us. 

The Week That Was: On Land and Sea

 

Summer is flying by. So many good things to enjoy. One day we took part of the family to Portland Island on the boat. Azure skies, blue seas, calm water, and stunning views all around. Mount Baker floats above the clouds in the above photo.

The tide was low and we were able to explore rocky beaches where tide pools display the biodiversity of the sea. Purple starfish, orange sea cucumbers, transparent sea sacks, and so much more. Curious seals bobbed in the water watching us. A picnic lunch was eaten in the trees which gave shade on a very sunny day. 

A Satyr Comma fluttered on very dry ground and I wondered if it was injured. It soon lifted off, hopefully to find more pleasant landing places. 

Bald Eagles are a common sight, but it's not often I can capture them in flight. This one soared overhead, circling the boat several times before deciding there was nothing to catch. 

On another day we visited Tod Inlet, a quiet place where old concrete pilings bear witness to the industry that once took place there. I don't believe I've ever seen as many boats anchored in the small inlet, everything from large yachts to tiny sailboats. 

At home I'm cutting sweet peas every other day. I had so many yesterday that I divided them according to colour and placed them in individual vases. They perfume the room with sweetness. 

Iris and Cora have been spending time here while their mother studies for her master's degree. One day we watched a little video about coral reefs and then the girls created their own coral reefs, using bits and bobs of craft supplies in wonderful ways. 

There's an old song about the "lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" - perhaps you know it. I told my husband this week that this summer is not the least bit lazy, and is mostly crazy with people coming and going at our house. I don't really mind the busyness and I'm trying to take time to just enjoy the garden and our new deck. It's a wonderful place to read in the evenings. 

I do love summer. Sometimes I think we here in Canada try to pack so much into it because it's such a short season. People in other northern countries likely feel the same way. So I soak up the sunshine, eat handfuls of delicious fresh cherries, pick raspberries, and savour each day. 

Friday Favourites: The Scents of Summer

 

Early afternoon. Blue sky with wispy clouds. Trees wave in the slight breeze. I sit on our newly expanded deck admiring the garden. Pots of Petunias, Osteospermum, and Sweet Alyssum brighten the corners. A bee dances around the pink and white cosmos flowers. I planted those and am always amazed at the potential life and beauty contained in it, and in any of the miniscule little seeds I grow. Miraculous.

The Secret Rose (rosa hilaroma) is one I bought the first year we moved to this house in 2002. It's been moved several times and continues to produce highly fragrant well-formed blooms throughout the summer. 

While walking around my garden in the mornings or evenings, I pinch a leaf or two from various herbs, crush them, and bring them to my nose. Ahhh. Rosemary is one herb whose scent and flavour I adore. Mint and Lemon Verbena are others, along with sage, thyme, and oregano. I've dried two large mason jars of oregano for winter use, and smaller amounts of thyme and sage. 

Lavender grows so well here. I confess to being lax about clipping it into shape and have a few scraggly bushes that desperately need attention. The bees love lavender and buzz around the slender stalks in great contentment. 

Falstaff is a David Austen rose that is on my wait and see list. The bush seems a bit frail and doesn't produce very many blooms. I'm letting it go for this summer and will decide its fate in autumn. Its blooms, the few it does produce, are dark and intricate, and may be designed to make me change my mind. 

Sweet peas planted in the greenhouse looked so thin and wispy that I wondered if anything would come of them. (Oh, ye of little faith) I'm clipping stem after stem of them, mostly dark pinks and purples, with white and a few pale pinks. I bury my face in the bouquet, inhaling the sweetness and enjoying the feel of velvet petals against my skin. One of the best things about sweet peas is that they positively must be picked in order to keep blooming. Otherwise they set seed for survival. So I clip with abandon, knowing that in a few days there will be more.

Early in the morning, before the heat of the day, I baked Blueberry Crumb Bars, found at Smitten Kitchen. Last week when I baked them I used all blueberries. Today I mixed the fruit, 2/3 blueberries and 1/3 raspberries. Tim said the raspberry addition added a bit of pizzazz to the deliciousness. Frozen berries can also be used, so I'll keep this in mind for winter. The scent of it baking filled the kitchen. Mmm good. 

This post has taken a long time to write for I pause frequently to breathe in the summer air, feel the breeze, and just be in this moment. The little garden bell brought from Japan by our daughter tinkles. I am utterly content.

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon;

to me those have always been the most beautiful

words in the English language.

Henry James

Ordinary Days

 

After a month of travel, short trips, then home for a couple of days to do laundry and yard care before setting out again, it's good to be settled at home. I read recently that satisfaction is found most in the small details of life: a walk along the beach or in the forest, a cup of morning tea savoured on the patio, or holding hands with a loved one. I do enjoy travel, but I'm just as happy at home.

Catching up on the garden and life has diminished my online presence. That's not a bad thing, but I have missed blogging and catching up with you on your own blogs. My days have been full - family visits, dinner with friends, and of course, gardening. I find that if I go out to do just a few things, I am reluctant to go back indoors. It's best to get the indoors done first, quickly, then enjoy clipping, weeding, and digging to my heart's content. 

How lovely the hydrangeas are just now. We have several kinds. These lace caps caught my attention with their creamy centers and dark prominent flowers. 

Through my open window I can hear the sound of birds twittering in the trees and shrubs. Do you use the Merlin app? I downloaded it after reading about it on another blog. It identifies birds by sound or photo and has revealed to me that there are many more birds around our garden than I can see. 

The David Austen Lichfield Angel rosebush is enormous and laden with a bounty of faintly fragrant creamy blooms. The flowers are so heavy that the branches bend down to the ground. We've propped up a few to prevent breaking, but I'm going to do some research into how best to care for this plant. 

Cosmos planted from seed are now adding a bright spot to the garden. 

It's a banner year for blueberries. We have six bushes and have already picked over 22 pounds of them, and there will be more to come. The birds have eaten another couple of pounds and then there are the ones that go immediately from branch to stomach via grandchildren hands. I'm weighing my garden produce this summer, just for curiosity's sake. Pulling out a container of frozen berries in the winter is true luxury. We eat them with granola and yogurt, or I use them in baking. 

Another little ordinary delight is cutting bouquets for the house. Multicoloured snapdragons are the latest. And sweet peas. My parents are coming for a few days and I will be making a bouquet for their room this morning. 

Wishing you everyday delights.

Water and More Water

 

British Columbia's coastline is over 25,000 km (15,000 miles) long, incised by deep fjords reaching into the heart of the Coastal Mountains. Roughly spanning 11 degrees of latitude (49th to 60th), there are only four access points from the interior of Canada to the Pacific Ocean because of the rugged terrain. Vancouver and Prince Rupert are easily reached by excellent highways. Stewart, where we visited a couple of years ago, is another. 

Part Two of our recent road trip took us to Bella Coola, the fourth access point to the coast via roads. Scottish explorer Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the first European to cross the North American continent north of Mexico, reached Bella Coola in July 1793. Had he arrived just six weeks earlier, he would have met Captain Cook who sailed up the long fjords to the same spot. What a meeting that would have been! 

The road to Bella Coola includes an infamous section known as The Hill, or The Precipice. Descending from 5000 feet to sea level in 10 kilometres via treacherous curves on a steep gravel road with no guardrails where looking over the edge is like looking into an abyss, it's not for the fainthearted. Locals told us that some people who drive down refuse to return via the same route, preferring to fly out, or take the ferry. Tim put the Tahoe in four-wheel drive low and crawled safely down the hill. I just prayed. And took a few photos.

Once there, we settled into our campsite with a magnificent view of snow-capped mountains. The Heiltsuk people have lived in the area for thousands of years, hunting and fishing the deep waters. In the early 1900s a group of Norwegian settlers arrived from Minnesota and their descendants still live in the area.

Water is everywhere. Glacial fed rivers tumble over rocks in hundreds of waterfalls, tall and small. 

The fjord is very long, bending and turning along various arms. There is so much fresh water entering the fjord that it has the distinctive milky green colour created by glacial flour. As one travels down the fjords the water changes to the more typical ocean blue. 

Sunny weather was the rule for most of our stay in Bella Coola. On the one rainy day, we drove up into the mountains on a forestry road (ie: rough). Although we didn't see the glacier we hoped for, the landscape astounded us with its beauty. High alpine meadows are home to a wonderful array of flora and fauna. 

The mountains played peek-a-boo with the clouds. 

On our way out of Bella Coola we saw our second bear of the trip, ambling down the road, weaving back and forth along the centreline as if doing a sobriety test. He slowly moved to the side as we inched closer to him. 

Back up The Hill to the interior plain again, also beautiful and green. 

Down through the arid lands around Cache Creek, and along the Fraser River until we reached the ferry terminal, and home. 

As Canada Day approaches I am so thankful for this beautiful land where I live. Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians!