Friday Favourites on Saturday: Good and Beautiful Things

 

As she crossed her little bridge to the adjoining road, 

she sniffed the moist morning air and felt a lift of her heart.

The air was full of green, damp smells, a sign to her of the warming 

and the coming of Spring.

Framed in Fire

Iona Wishaw

There is much to be concerned about in this world of ours. I prefer to dwell on more positive things. Here are five of them. 

Morning Bird Song

Most mornings now I awake to hear the sound of American Robins chattering loudly in the trees outside my open window. And if it's not the robins, then I'll listen to rain drumming down. March is a capricious month and it's a good idea to have a raincoat and umbrella ready at all time. There's be nary a flake of snow all winter, but now in March a few flurries have blown through on higher elevations around us. Nothing in our garden, though. And by now, I'm ready for warmer, sunnier days and will hope for snow next winter. But that's far far away! 

Prunus Blossoms

This is my view when I step out my front door, a froth of pink across the street. What a lift to the spirits even on a dull cloudy day. It's so good to be out in the fresh clean air with signs of the season popping up everywhere. Trees covered in white and pink are candy for the eyes. 

A Bouquet of Tulips

This vase full of tulips is weathering well on the table. Those little frilled edges add such a fun touch to the blooms. And such a lovely colours! And the sunlight! 

I've been thinking about March 2020 when the pandemic began. The world was in turmoil then as it is now. But beauty abounds if we just look for it. These days, it doesn't take too much effort to find it outdoors, or in a simple bunch of grocery store flowers, grown less than 10 kilometres from here. 

Green and Leafy Things

Green is March's colour, I think. When I grew up in a more northerly climate, the end of winter was often bleak and brown as the snow melted. How we longed for the acid green new growth on shrubs and trees. On Vancouver Island our grass is greenest in the winter with plenty of rain and goes brown in the summer. But I still look for the tiny swelling leaves on the tips of branches. The Osoberry bushes are some of the earliest to leaf out and bloom, filling the woods with the promise of Spring. 

Between the Pages

 

For several years I kept a list of books I read on the sidebar of this blog. Last year's has not been updated for some time despite the list I continue to keep in my journals. I've been busy with other things. 

I find many books via reading blogs - Coastal Ripples, It's Still a Beautiful Life, Hostess of the Humble Bungalow, and others. 

Many people, including my husband, listen to podcasts while running or working in the shop, but I much prefer to read. When I walk my mind sorts through any number of things and I don't feel any need beyond the immediate for entertainment. If I'm chopping vegetables or kneading dough I will play a video from YouTube occasionally, such as one by Miranda Mills, who is also on SubStack. Miranda describes herself as a "writer and a passionate reader" who creates "content that fosters connection between literature, art, and the natural world." 

Some of my recent reads include: 

The Bird Hotel

by Joyce Maynard

I loved this story of a young American woman who, through a strange set of circumstances, ends up living in Mexico. There is sadness and tragedy alongside a bit of mystery, some romance, and colourful characters. A bit of magic realism adds to the enjoyment. 

Girl Waits with Gun

by Amy Stewart

Girl Waits with Gun is unexpectedly funny and touching. Based on the true story of a female crime fighter in the early 20th century, Constance Kopp not only protects her family, but helps a young girl be reunited with her son, and helps the police defeat a gang. 

The Story She Left Behind

by Patti Callahan Henry

This book didn't grab my attention the way I thought it would. A mother abandons her child and her husband and nothing is heard of her for decades. The story improved in the last few chapters. I did enjoy the way language and communication were presented, and may re-read portions of the book to see how the ending is foreshadowed.

The Cost of a Hostage

by Iona Wishaw

The Cost of a Hostage is the 12th in the series featuring Lane Winslow, a British woman who moved to western Canada after the second World War. She solves crimes much to the chagrin of the local police who caution her not to become involved. In this particular book, Iona travels to Mexico with her husband (the Police Inspector) to discover what happened to her brother-in-law. Most enjoyable. 

The Killing Stones

by Ann Cleeves

My current book features the return of Jimmy Perez who has moved from Shetland Islands to Orkney Islands. He continues his work as a detective, this time trying to solve the murder of a good friend. There are Neolithic elements, wild storms, and Perez' life as a partner to Willow and father of two. 

"So often, a visit to a bookshop has cheered me, 

and reminded me that there are good things in the world." 

Vincent Van Gogh

Miranda Mills, mentioned above often presents books published in the first half of the last century, books that our library no longer carries. But I frequent a used bookstore where they have a section dedicated to British writers where many well-worn volumes end up. Most recently I picked up two books by Lillian Beckwith featuring the Hebridean island of Bruach, along with two books by E. F. Benson featuring the hilarious antics of Mapp and Lucia. I enjoy reading these gentle books particularly now when the world is full of terrible news. 

Are you a fan of L. M. Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables and many other stories? Kate Marigold (what a lovely name) on SubStack wrote a fun post ranking the men who feature in Montgomery's book. Who is your romantic hero in her books? 

Around here the crocuses and daffodils brighten corners all around our neighbourhood. Our camellia bush is putting on a lovely show, as well. We're in the midst of a chilly spell. I pulled the curtains open yesterday morning to see very wet snowflakes against the window. The flurry lasted all of two minutes and then the sun appeared. Higher elevations have seen the snow stick. 

I was at the garden centre picking up seeds to plant and the Danish Ivy (cissus alata) plant just hopped into my cart and came home with me. I was surprised to see the tag for I knew the plant as a Grape Ivy. Well, checking online told me that they are the same thing. It's a pretty plant with trailing vines and I hope it does well for me. 

Tomorrow I have a few appointments and errands to run so there won't be a lot of time for reading during the day. What book(s) are you currently engrossed in?

Friday Favourites: March Blossoms

 

March arrived in very lamblike fashion, calm and sunny. We've had a few soft rainy days and a bit of breeze, but nothing lionlike. Yet. That could all change quickly. I spent one day of mixed weather in the garden, pruning roses and clipping the brown, dry hydrangea flowers. It felt good to do this physical work and to see the garden tidied in preparation for the abundance of growth soon to come. 

Hellebores, Primulas, and Daffodils cluster together in a happy mix under the birch tree we planted several years ago. It's growing tall and slender, just as I wanted. One cannot say that about all of my planting experiments. There was the goutweed a friend gave me, variegated leaves that were pretty as can be, with tall umbrels in late summer. Unfortunately, the goutweed proved itself an insidious bully, creeping everywhere. I've mostly eradicated it but once in awhile a little leaf appears and I pounce on it immediately, not wanting it to take hold again. 

One afternoon I took myself off to the local nursery to purchase seeds. What a lovely place to potter about admiring many items. Glazed pots are a weakness of mine and I do love how they add spots of colour and texture in the garden. I have several blue ones of various shapes and sizes on the patio and at the entrance to our front porch. 

Colourful displays welcomed customers. These are all forced plants, no tulips are blooming yet, but how pretty this is. It gave my spirits a lift and the corners of my mouth turned upwards just to see it. I read once that just the physical act of forming a smile can alter a person's mood and I've found that to be true. I tried looking it up online to see if I could find the study again, but all that showed up on a search were advertisements for Bot*x. Not at all what I wanted!

Another mood lifter is a walk. I took one yesterday afternoon and reveled in the growth springing up everywhere. There is a naturalized lawn that I pass and it is at its best in spring. The pink cyclamens are almost finished, but crocuses of varying shades open their flowers to the sun. Blue Scilla and yellow Daffodils fill in corners and it's altogether a delight.

Every street has at least one tree billowing with prunus blossoms just now. Light and dark pink and creamy white froth gladden my heart. Those gold-tipped stamens are worth a closer look. 

Today the skies are dripping once again and I am not at all drawn to being outdoors. That's a good thing for there are housekeeping tasks to keep me busy today. I'm looking forward to a tidy home, and homemade pizza with a salad for dinner tonight. Tomorrow night is dinner with friends to celebrate another friend's retirement. I'm bringing the appetizers and the salad course. 

I wish you all the loveliness and hope of spring even if you are still inundated with snow and cold, for spring always comes and is always beautiful. 

Spectacle Lake Musings

 

Lady Grantham said in Downton Abbey, "What is a weekend?" Although both of us are retired, we still try to make weekends different than the other five days of the week. We tend to get together with friends for dinner, have family get togethers, attend church, and I like to take a break from housekeeping duties on Sundays. 

This time of the year usually has significant rainfall. In a wonderful bit of serendipity, Sundays have been very sunny. We've hiked for the past three weeks, choosing a different destination each time. This week was another new place - Spectacle Lake. 

The trail goes all around the lake, just 2.8 km, but the bridge at the end of the lake was closed due to construction. So we walked to the bridge and back to the parking lot on one side, then to the bridge and back on the other side. It was such a lovely day in the forest with the sound of water trickling everywhere in small streams and rivulets. 

Not too far off the path a vernal pool lay still in a clearing with sunlight filtering through the trees. These pools dry up quickly in late spring and summer, but they are important for the life of the forest. Frogs love them. They can lay their eggs there without being concerned that the tadpoles will be eaten by fish. By the time the pools dry up, the frogs are hatched and can make their way to wherever they want to go. 

Another interesting thing was the design on this fallen log. It's natural, created by branches that have died off and the tree trunk continuing to grow around them. 

Spectacle Lake was the site of a sawmill in the 1920s and 30s, and much of the lake bottom is sawdust. There is now a swimming beach just below the sawmill site, and the base of it is sawdust, too, with sand brought in from somewhere else. 

Spring light is beautiful seen through moss-covered branches. 

I've been starting the Spring clean up in the garden with pruning the roses and hydrangeas. A few seeds have been started, some in the unheated greenhouse and some in the house. I had hoped to work outside this morning, but rain is dripping steadily down. So perhaps I'll sort out my sewing room which is quite untidy!

Friday Favourites: On the Season's Edge

 

A mostly bright day with billows of white clouds sailing fast across the sky, pushed by gusty winds. How I love the light! I definitely feel more energetic when the sun shines. Spring is just around the corner, although March is a tricky month. Blossoms are peeking out here and there. Such a welcome sight. 

I have decided that I love all the seasons. Each is full of delight. When the seasons draw to an end, I find myself looking ahead to the next, be it winter, autumn, spring, or summer. Just now we're at the edge of winter. I continue to enjoy the pleasures of cool days indoors, but the garden is beginning to beckon. I've planted sweet peas in my unheated greenhouse and they are about 2 inches tall. Soon I'll pinch them for hardier plants. Indoors, I've begun onions and nasturtiums and they are doing well. I may have planted the latter a bit too earlier will have to baby them along for a bit before planting them out. 

The tulips purchased from the store have had their day, but I am reluctant to toss them just yet. Their papery petals twist and dry in such interesting shapes.

Clumps of tete-a-tete daffodils dot my garden beds and I see them often when I walk, as well. The taller daffs are not far behind, and a few garden hyacinths are showing colour. 

Last year's apple harvest was abundant and I have jars of applesauce to use up. I hunted through my recipe books and found a cookie recipe that used applesauce. It's a cakey cookie, not my favourite, but these are quite tasty with the browned butter icing. And since Tim eats most of the baking and enjoys cakey cookies, this is a win-win situation. I'll post the recipe on my other blog tomorrow. 

As February teeters into March, on the very edge of winter, it's easy to want to lean right in to warmer days. As contemporary poet Stewart Stafford writes

Light a fire in flinty February,

As the evening time comes down,

Welcome all the family home

With shopping bought from town.

Hear the logs crackle and roll,

And the sparks pop and hiss,

A storm roars down the chimney,

To deliver its tempestuous kiss.

And with that I'll close off this Friday post, wishing you all a lovely weekend.

~

Views from City and Forest

 

Victoria is a relatively small city, larger if the surrounding municipalities are counted in. We rarely go downtown as we can find what we need elsewhere without the hassle of expensive parking. Once in awhile there is a special event that we like to attend. Recently, the city hosted "Victoria at Dusk," intended for families to wander through lighted displays, listen to live music, and enjoy the camaraderie. I noticed several people stopping to take a photo of the above scene, so I took one, too. It's looking down Government Street across the cloud-banked Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Olympic Mountains in the USA against a sunset sky. 

This past Sunday afternoon we took a 4 kilometre hike around a local lake, about 90 minutes in total. Lots of clouds and patches of sunshine. At the far end of the lake, where the water flows out into a small stream, a beaver had built a small dam. The dam was in poor repair and the beaver house we saw a short ways away didn't look very fresh. Perhaps the family moved on to a better lake. After I took the photo of mossy logs in the water, I realized it rather looks like an optical illusion of trees floating in the clouds. 

Soft light shimmered across the water, reflecting the various colours of trees on the far shore. A sculptural weed was my intended focus, but I rather like the blended colours in the water. 

Patches of Reindeer Lichen grow on the many mossy rocks along the trail. I think they look like frosty miniature forests. We're certainly not seeing much of real frost this winter. I think our chance of snow has passed. It's been an exceptionally mild season. 

One side of the lake trail was quite level as you can see above. The other side, once we crossed the little bridge over the beaver dam, climbed steeply for a bit, and was wetter and muddier. Much of our forest growth is evergreen, but I noticed a few leaf buds emerging from some of the deciduous bushes. 

While walking around our neighbourhood this afternoon I noticed clumps of daffodils opening, a few prunus trees beginning to bloom, and lots of birds. A cloud of Starlings landed on the garden and I watched them pecking at the grass for who knows what. Fat American Robins are showing up in small flocks to do the same thing, and Bushtits flit from tree to tree. It's lovely to see and hear the birds at this time of year. 

Here at home I've fed up my sourdough starter to make bread tomorrow, and also broth from the roast chicken we enjoyed for dinner this evening. Lots of house puttering to look forward to. 

Friday Thoughts on Home

 

Today (Thursday) has been lovely and bright, but colder than normal. We west-coasters are not used to freezing temperatures, but feel a bit silly complaining about them when other parts of the world are in deep winter with oodles of snow and frigid cold. 

A bouquet of tulips and hyacinths jumped into my cart at the grocery store and the sweet fragrance of hyacinths wafts in the air when I pass the bouquet sitting on the hall table. They came attached to partial roots with instructions to not cut the stems, but they look rather floppy in the vase and I think I'll cut them down tomorrow. 

The cold has not stopped the camellia bush from flowering. There are many many buds just waiting to open and I look forward to enjoying the flowers for several weeks. 

I've been thinking about how much I love my home. With the brighter days, I have felt the need to do some deeper cleaning. Yesterday I washed baseboards and the floors, and tidied a cupboard or two. I look around now and feel great satisfaction in the work that I've done. Perhaps no one but me will notice, but I feel as though the house thanks me for caring for it by looking particularly well. 

I do love reading about other people's homes in books - the estate house in Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher is a favourite, along with those in her other novels The Shell Seekers and Coming Home. The coziness of the opening scene in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women is appealing in its simplicity - 

It was a comfortable old room, though the carpet was faded and the 

furniture very plain; for a good picture or two hung on the walls,

books filled the recesses, chrysanthemums and Christmas roses

bloomed in the windows, and a pleasant atmosphere of

home-peace pervaded it. 

I am currently seated in my chair under a pool of lamplight. A vase of Lenten Roses aka Hellebores, smaller than the one shown above, is on the table in front of me. A fire glows in the fireplace, providing warmth and colour. I can see the dining room in shadow where Tim's grandmother's lace cloth graces the table and a pot of bright red amaryllis shows off its second bloom. I am content.

From my kitchen window I see the Hellebores blooming in the garden, so hardy in the cold. There are many stems of flowers and I cut a vase full for the kitchen. This is a luxury, I think, being able to cut flowers from my own garden. 

My greenhouse is unheated, but I've started sweet peas there and they are growing well. Despite the freezing cold at night, during the day the temperature inside the greenhouse is 20 degrees Celsius with the sun's heat. 

I made some Orange Pistachio Oat squares today from a recipe from Victoria magazine, using pecans in place of pistachios as that's what I had on hand. They are not too sweet and healthy with oats, nuts, coconut, honey, olive oil, and orange zest. A nice thing to nibble on while drinking a cup of afternoon tea. I've just begun the book and so far the story is intriguing. 

Work on my own book continues. The line edit has begun and I'm working on a cover design. Then comes layout and printing. Such a long process. 

On Instagram I follow the Van Gogh Museum account where they feature paintings, small stories, and quotations. I quite liked the one below and will leave it with you as I close this post. May your weekend be filled with love and beautiful moments. 

It is good to love as much as one can,

for therein lies true strength,

and he who loves much does much and is capable of much,

and that which is done with love is well done.

Vincent Van Gogh