From My Herb Garden - Basil

Basil just might be my favorite summer herb. I plant it among the tomatoes where it flourishes. There are lots of kinds of basil, but I like the standard variety - I don't even know its name. I recently made my first batch of basil pesto and put it into small containers into the freezer. It's so delicious stirred into pasta, or into the pan juices of chicken with a little cream added for a wonderful sauce. I also like it spread on a sliced baguette and toasted under the broiler.

 

Zucchini Vegetable Medley is another place to use basil, combining the summer flavors of zucchini, corn and tomatoes. The photo above is the dish before baking it. It's a great thing to do ahead and then finish up at the last minute. 

A Layered Tomato Salad is a great way to use basil. If you use goat or sheep cheese there's a good chance lactose sensitive people will be able to eat it. Several of our friends can't eat cow's milk cheeses, but these others are fine. Tomatoes are best fresh from the garden, but I'll have to wait awhile until ours ripen, meanwhile, the vine-ripened ones from the market taste just fine. I've made this twice in the past 10 days.

Basil. Do you grow it? How do you use it?

Things Take Longer When Ikea is a Ferry Ride Away

Some people like Ikea, some don't. I'm in the first category. I find wandering through the store inspirational, especially for organization. Last December I purchased a set of tab-topped curtains to make new coverings for our patio doors. I also purchased a curtain rod for the kitchen window. Alas, when we got home, I discovered that the curtain rod was too short and I should have purchased two sets of curtains. "Oh well," thought I, "we'll be going over again soon."

We planned a trip for February 15 - Tim had to go over for a meeting and I would tag along, spend the day shopping, and we'd spend the night with our daughter and son-in-law. By the evening of the 14th I knew I wasn't going anywhere but between my bed and my bathroom. Tim thought he would stop at Ikea on the way home and at least return the curtain rod. Not so. By noon he was feeling a little queasy and stopped eating - a very good thing. He managed to get home on the ferry (after passing out cold as he came up from the car deck and spending most of the sailing in the first aid room). Let's just draw a curtain over that weekend.
 

Last week while in Vancouver, Ashley and I went to not one, but two Ikeas. There was job action at the first one which meant no returns and no restaurant. So we drove all the way across town, using about $12 worth of gas, just to return a $2.00 curtain rod and have lunch. But I did get another set of curtains and completed the project. I cut the tabs off and hung the curtains from clips at the top. Then I added a wide border at the bottom and topped it with some navy grosgrain ribbon. The kitchen curtain is still in the works. Hopefully it won't take another 7 months to complete.

Can I also add how difficult it is to take photos of curtains on windows? I'll bet professional photos are taken on fake windows. Or they have better lighting equipment.

Lavender's Blue Dilly Dilly

Out to my garden in the early evening, just after the irrigation system stops its soft spray. The hammering and drilling noises coming from next door where the neighbour is rebuilding his deck have thankfully ended for the night. Children play in a yard nearby, their voices rising and falling, a sprinkler ticks rapidly, and indistinct hum voices hum from a distant patio, punctuated by bursts of laughter. Butterflies and bees drone lazily.

Early summer pleasures. Among them, lavender. I've harvested several bunches for sachets, but left some plants alone to enjoy. Summer evenings are full of loveliness. I hope that you, too, are enjoying the pleasures of summer.

Joining with Mary for Mosaic Monday. 

Valuing Our Work

My Grade 2 teacher, Mrs. MacDonald, involved our class in a fan-making contest. Each student was to create a hand-held fan from folded paper, decorate it, and the results would be displayed around the classroom. Then, each student voted for the one she/he liked most. The owner of the fan with the most votes received a small prize. 

My mother found some pretty wrapping paper for me to use, showed me how to fold it carefully, and how to make a ribbon bow to decorate it. I was pleased with the way it turned out and carried it carefully to school the next day. Somehow, when it came time to vote, I felt it immodest and prideful to vote for my own creation, although I thought it wonderful. In the end, my fan tied with one other for the most votes. When it came time for the tie-breaker vote, I voted for my own fan, won the competition, and felt ashamed for doing so, as if I had cheated.

Years later, when I mentioned the incident to my mother, she told me that it was completely fine to vote for myself. Don't politicians do the same thing?

I spoke recently with a talented young designer who told me that she thinks her work is just fine and is pleased with it - until she looks at others' work. 

Valuing one's work is something that many of us find difficult. Comparison to others usually results in thinking less of myself - 
- she writes better blog posts than I do and has way more comments
- she reads more intellectual books than I do
- she comes up with such unique ideas
- her house-garden-table-face-photograph is prettier than my house-garden-table-face-photograph
- and so on, ad nauseum 

 I've gained more confidence through the years, but unbelief in my abilities rises up fairly regularly. I don't want to proclaim to the world, "here, look at what I've done, isn't it beautiful?" Instead, I want to:
- affirm the diversity in the world
- acknowledge that I have God-given talents and abilities that can be used to help others and honour God
- realize that when I take time to set a pretty table, sew a dress, plant a garden, paint chairs, or a host of other activities, I am fulfilling a deep-seated inner need - the need to create.
- realize that no one is perfect, that no one has life completely together, that all humans struggle in various ways at various times

I wish that each of us would value the work we do and not denigrate it. By work I don't mean the job I do every day, although that's part of it. Rather the work I refer to is that which I produce, how I fill my days. Yes, improvements can be made and striving for excellence is good, but perfectionism is not. 

I have no wish to be a Monarch Butterfly, like the one that joined us for dinner the other night on the patio and who obligingly waited for me to run in and get my camera. But I do think I can learn from her/him and do the things I'm meant to do without overthinking and comparison.

Am I alone here? I don't think so. Tell me how you value your work?

 
-  

Over the Sea and Home Again

Monday, July 1, was Canada Day. We celebrated by a quickly planned trip to the mainland. Our afternoon cruise was delightful - warm and sunny, with always stunning scenery.
 

After leaving the car at our daughter and son-in-law's home, we walked, rode buses and the metro, walked some more and enjoyed the beautiful city of Vancouver. People were out in droves enjoying the holiday and sunshine. 
 

After a picnic supper in Stanley Park, we wandered along the waterfront until we found a patch of grass on a slope where we spread our blanket and sat to wait for the fireworks. But we needed ice cream! We left Tim to hold down the fort (blanket) and the three of us walked some more. Owen works downtown and knew of a place that sold "the world's best gelato." The lineup to get into the store curled down around the corner. We waited at least 30 minutes to get in.
 

Owen wasn't exaggerating. Bella Gelateria won the Florence Gelato Festival in 2012. 

We asked for cups of gelato instead of cones to make carrying it back to the blanket easier. It was so hot; with a cup of gelato in each hand, walking as quickly as possible through the crowds, drips and melts were inevitable in spite of my periodic taste swipes. Here's the end result - empty cups and happy tummies. 
 

The crowds were so pleasant. Beside us a Philipino family played cards while waiting for the fireworks. People chatted, read, and played. About 100,000 people came to downtown Vancouver for the celebration. It was fun to be a part of it. So many languages and cultures came together. I'm a proud Canadian.
 

The next day, Owen returned to work, Tim and I did some errands with Ashley, and then we took Tim to the bus terminal where he caught the ferry back while Ashley and I shopped. On Wednesday the two of us went downtown again. Lunch at Lily Mae's was delightful - a scrumptious chicken confit sandwich and salad, eaten while watching the flow of interesting people on the sidewalk. All in all, a very good little trip. 

Happy Independence Day to all my American readers! 

From My Herb Garden: Lemon Balm

 One of my preferred sections of my garden is my herb patch. I planted it fairly close to the house so I can dash out and clip herbs as I cook. Lemon Balm (melissa officinalis) grows there, but it also seeds itself all over the yard. I yank it out regularly. Still, it's a pretty plant, and its tendency to wander is likely because of its family connections - related to mint. 

It's a useful plant as well. I dry leaves during the summer and in the winter, I throw a handful into a teapot, pour boiling water over, let steep and enjoy a lemony mint tea. The plant is said to have a calming effect. 

It can also be used in many of the same recipes as mint. We're enjoying warm days here - unusual for so early in the summer. I'm not complaining in the least, in fact, I'm soaking up the heat. But that doesn't mean that I want to spend much time in the kitchen. This Avocado Soup is one I've made for several years. It's creamy, refreshing, and takes about 5 minutes to pull together. And it uses lemon balm - or mint, if you prefer. 

A pitcher of cold water, with lemon slices and a few sprigs of lemon balm is a refreshing item to have in the refrigerator.

Does Lemon Balm grow in your garden? What do you use it for? I'd love to discover some new recipes.

Roses Galore

June is rose season at Butchart Gardens. In spite of the rain, they were gorgeous. Above is Princess of Wales, white with tiny pink flecks.
 

Cherry Parfait - pink stained petals.
 

Abraham Darby - this one might be my favorite.
 

English Miss - prim and proper but with a subtle elegance that makes me think of Jane Austen.
 

Scentimental - gorgeously striped.
 

Only in the rose garden are there plant labels. Elsewhere, a complimentary printed guide helps visitors identify the plants.  This Secret rose is one I have in my garden and it smells heavenly.
 

I took this photo at the end of April. Less than two months later, beautiful blooms and lush green foliage transformed the garden. Creation is amazing.

The name of this rose is Sexy Rexy - kind of an odd name for a rose - but the roses themselves vied with Abraham Darby in their appeal to me. I love the pale color.

Pondside and I stopped to smell many of the roses; some were scented, others not. I always prefer a scented rose. How about you? Does it matter if roses have scent or not?

I had fun playing with various features in Picasa to edit this mosaic - all the same shot of Abraham Darby. 

Raindrops on roses....

Linking to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary of the Little Red House.

Walking through a Garden with a Friend

Yesterday afternoon I met the talented writer from Pondside at Butchart Gardens. The day was cloudy and drizzly, but while we walked, the rain held off. Still, when I got home and looked into the mirror, the damp had definitely done a number on my hair. But who cares about hair when this garden, lush and colorful, beckons?
 

 We wandered, we talked, we stopped and filled our eyes and hearts with the beauty here. All the rain has made the greens greener and the bright spots of color brighter. 

 Delphinums tied in great stands resembled stooks of richly colored wheat and towered well over our heads. 

Sweet peas wafted their fragrance along the path. They were also tied and supported on bamboo pole teepees.

Begonias large and small filled beds and nestled against lush ferns. I'm not a begonia fan, but these blossoms, full and layered, are almost as nice as roses. Almost. The rose garden was spectacular, even in the rain, but I'll save them for a later post.

A cup of tea and a sweet ended our visit. As Pondside commented in an email, "It was such a pleasure to walk through the roses with someone as inclined as I to stop to appreciate the perfume." Likewise, Pondside!

 

New Doorways

We've been doing a little work on our side yard. By we, I mean Tim - I help by holding boards once in awhile, or offer design advice. It's not finished yet - there's lattice to install, and a finish to decide on, but I'm liking the look so far.
 

Here's the innovative gate pull - a rusty washer. I kind of like it. Just pull and the gate opens beautifully.

You probably all know that Google Reader is disappearing on July 1. It will be interesting to see what actually happens. Will it all go poof? If you don't want your favorite blogs to never again show up in your reader, you'll have to find another one. I've signed up for Feedly and find it very satisfactory. Others are using Bloglovin. Either way, there are just a couple of days left. 

When the Showers Stop

It's rainy and cool. Not good weather for puttering in the garden. But today, the rain stopped, the sun shone and I ventured out to survey the estate. As soon as we have a dry day I'll be harvesting lavender. Some plants I'll leave for decorative effect.
 

The blueberry bushes are loaded with fruit this year, and are just beginning to ripen. 

There's lots to anticipate. I was surprised to see this big clump of tomatoes. I'd been looking down at the plants and was a little disheartened, but when I squatted and looked up, there they were! I guess looking up is always best :)
 

Here's one of my hydrangea bushes, blooming with both pink and blue flowers. Now why is that? It's a starter from another bush that has always bloomed blue. I know that the soil has something to do with the color, but I'm puzzled by this. I'm not so worried that I don't just enjoy the blossoms. 

How is your garden? Blooming? Producing? Showing signs of progress?

A recipe, simple flowers, and a Pinterest win

Summer begins with strawberry season. They are so juicy and so sweet. I freeze lots of them, but wanted to make a sauce as well - something to use in the winter over ice cream, cheese cake or pancakes. This sauce uses both strawberries and rhubarb, with a hint of vanilla, and I thought it turned out well. Click on the link, here, to go to my recipe site.
 

Feverfew is a plant that seeds itself all over my garden, sometimes in inconvenient spots. I pull it out in some spots and let it grow in others. I like using the flowers to fill in bouquets. But it's simple and pretty on its own, tucked into a dark green brandy bottle for a vase. 
 

Pinterest is a great place. I like pinning all sorts of ideas and do try them out. Some are failures, but this idea was a winner today while I played with Little Miss A. My version is not as elaborate as the pin, but was a hit nonetheless. We placed houses on the roads, drove cars, made a park, and had a wonderful time together.

Are you on Pinterest? Do you use the ideas or just enjoy pinning? 

 

Day Tripping

My husband had a business meeting in Nanaimo on Thursday afternoon and he invited me to tag along for the ride. I planned to do the self-guided historic walk of the downtown area that I'd read about. 
 

 Regrettably, the day was very rainy so I mostly dashed from shop to shop, poking into vintage stores, unique fashion boutiques, and a wonderful store called The Flying Fish, which has every imaginable kitchen gadget. 

I wandered through a couple of used book stores and picked up the books in the above photo. The Nature Diary is published by the same company that published The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady. This volume is filled with lovely sketches and the writings of a more modern country lady. Still Glides the Stream is written by the same author as Lark Rise to Candleford, which I have not read nor seen the television drama, but I've heard about. I'm looking forward to diving into both of these books. 

Underneath them is a Vogue Fitting Book - sewing technique for my fashion designer daughter. 

Nanaimo is a small city with a lot of character. I had a wonderful afternoon in spite of the rain. Have you done any recent day trips?
 

An Evening Stroll with Clippers - Favorite Things

After cleaning up dinner dishes, I was planning to carry on with folding the laundry and such. But the evening light called me. I went outside to wander around my garden, but soon returned for my clippers. The makings of a bouquet of many colors bloomed.
 

Roses, hydrangeas, two broken stems of delphiniums and some feverfew make up this lush bouquet. I photographed outside in the lovely light of this longest day of the year.
 

 

Inside, the flowers add life to the entrance hall. After I took the photo, I looked at the items there, and each one holds special meaning. The vase holding the flowers was given to me by a piano student in Ecuador. The black iron candle holder by a friend, also from Ecuador. The coral in the cloche reminds me of our vacation to Mexico a few years ago. And the doily was crocheted by my daughter's mother-in-law for me as a Christmas gift. These are a few of my favorite things. 

Linking to A Favorite Thing - hosted by Claudia at Mockingbird Hill Cottage. 

Before and Mid-way

I've been looking for new dining room chairs. The ones we've had for many years were made in Ecuador and are not very comfortable. They catch me in just the wrong place in the back and I've noticed others wriggling in them from time to time. In March I found a set of 5 of the above chairs plus one captain's chair in a secondhand store. I like the lines. The price was right so they came home with us. 
 

They've been obviously and incompetently recovered. The edges were uneven, the foam didn't extend to the edges of the frame and while sitting, the frame caught oddly behind the knee. When I started taking them apart, the incompetence was revealed. Foam cut nilly-willy, pieced in places. No batting between foam and fabric. 

I pulled out nails and staples and took the chair seats down to the solid wood frame and burlap-covered springs. The seats are at a foam shop and I'll pick them up later today. 
 

 Meanwhile, every morning this week (save today) I've put on my painting clothes and spent 2- 3 hours painting the chairs. This photo was taken after the second coat. Four have been done (including the primer) and I think I'll do one more. Couldn't face it this morning, though. Can we say drips? Chairs are fiddly things to paint.

The original tags are still on the chairs and I looked up the company. Anthes-Baetz Furniture built solid wood furniture in Kitchener, Ontario from about 1915 to 1970 or so. These chairs were built in 1962. 

The next step will be covering the seats. My penchant for blue and white is well known. But I balance it with lots of greenery, colorful flowers, and warm wood tones.

Little Miss A takes her naps on the bed in my sewing room. The other day when I went in to get her, she said, "Nana, everything is blue in here - that's blue, that's blue, that's blue" as she pointed at the walls, the quilt, the picture and some books. Yes, blue's my favorite color. No doubt about it when a two-year old notices.