Getting Away from it All

Getting away from it all takes on new meaning when one is on a boat. On a little boat, cruising around to places without internet access means there's no temptation to take a computer along. We had a quietly wonderful three days and spent time on three of the islands between our home island (Vancouver Island) and the mainland. 
 

This close up of a cluster of Acorn Barnacles could be the setting for a fantasy tale. The taller golden barnacles remind me of defensive castles with the white smaller barnacles clustered around for protection. These tallest of these little barnacles are less than an inch in height so the kingdom would be minute. 
 

Rocky points reach into the sea requiring close attention to charts, either electronic or paper, to ensure one's boat doesn't get too close. One wants to avoid the "chunky bits" at all cost. 
 

Beautiful views at every point. On Portland Island we took an apparently seldom-used 2.3 km cut-off trail and had it all to ourselves, except for some wildlife. Arbutus trees, firs, cedars, rocky beaches, blue water and distant mountains. Soul-refreshing.
 

Portland Island is one of Canada's "Hawaiian Islands" - so-called because it was first settled by Hawaiians in the 1880s who came north after working in the fur trade in the USA. Here is the remnant of a fruit orchard planted by those early settlers who are now gone. The island was later given to Princess Margaret of England, who later returned it as a gift to Canada (what would she do with it?) and is now a national park. 
 

We disturbed a family of Canada Geese on the trail. The parents quickly ushered their four goslings into the water and swam across to nearby rocks.

We arrived home late afternoon today and I've been editing photos and doing not much else. We've equipped the boat with dishes and linens, and all I had to bring in was the food from the tiny refrigerator on board, along with the linens which I'll launder tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to seeing what you've been up to - it will take me a few days to catch up. I'll post more about our little trip later.   

Can we ever see too many flowers?

A few more photos from my latest visit to Butchart Gardens. I admire the gutsy colour combination of white, pink, and orange tulips underplanted with blue forget-me-nots. 
 

Another larger view, taken from above the sunken garden. I love the masses of color and all the curved lines. When we lived in Ecuador, I had a local handyman help me dig out some new beds. I had laid out a garden hose to indicate the shape of the bed. He thought it absolutely crazy - all graceful curves. Straight lines is what he preferred. After the beds were dug, though, he admired the effect.
 

A green door on an outbuilding. Love the vine creeping up the walls.
 

The Japanese Garden is a peaceful place without a lot of showy colour. The red bridge really pops in the green landscape.
 

More curving lines that lead the eye and the foot. This garden is designed and maintained by professionals, but there are many wonderful principals to apply to home gardens as well. Every time I go I think of something else that will improve our own little piece of this earth.

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

Five on Friday

Je suis crevée. I'm tired. I'm glad that calls to teach have been steady, but work combined with a dodgy back is exhausting. Ah well, a long weekend is ahead, and I'm paying the second visit to my physiotherapist this evening. Things are looking up. 

1. Speaking of looking, a friend with whom I walk noted that I frequently take photos of details; single flowers or small vignettes, as opposed to grand vistas and larger scenes. Since then I've been watching myself. She's right. So I give you, above, a larger view of the old quarry, now a wonderland of plantings and pathways at Butchart Gardens.
  

2. And here I am, back to detail. I've been teaching Social Studies (history) recently. The students are preparing for a test covering the time period of the defeat of the French troops on the Plains of Abraham through the American Revolution and the War of 1812. We reviewed today and one question they struggle with deals with the roots of Canada's bi-culturalism. They have an excellent teacher and I stumble along trying to fill her shoes. However, in an attempt to get them to try to understand the importance of this material, I stressed that what happened in those crucial years plays a large part in the way we see Canada today. It's rewarding when at least one student has an "aha" moment and gets what I'm trying to convey. I love history, from the bird's-eye view to the small details of the way people lived and thought. As in photography, both have their place.
  

3. We've eaten outdoors three nights this week. It's been so lovely to sit in the shade and be warm, to listen to avian twittering, and to flick flies away from the table. Wait, no, that last isn't lovely, but it's true. Not too many flies, fortunately. 
A change in the weather is coming. Already the wind is picking up and it's chilly, not warm.
  

4.  My mother told me once that these little Bellis Daisies were favourites of her mother, the grandmother I never met. The grandmother who took her place loved pansies. Do certain flowers remind you of loved ones?  I like the way these are nestled into the rocks.
 

5. We've been enjoying rhubarb for about a month now. Rhubarb can be tart and I like the way the creamy topping on the top of this Rhubarb Cream Cheese Pie tempers the tartness. The whipped cream adds more creaminess. The recipe comes from a friend in Ecuador. When I spoke to another friend about it, she said, "I gave her that recipe." I like to acknowledge original sources when I can, even in recipes. So I think of it as Phyllis' recipe, not Gail's. Clicking on the link will take you to the recipe. How do you like rhubarb?

A long weekend. A small luxury. I'm looking forward to sleeping in a bit, cleaning this messy house, dinner with two of our children (and their families) and some boating. Do you have anything planned for the weekend?

Almost Summer Days

Almost every day I prowl around my garden discovering what's new. Today, this wild blue cornflower showed her pretty face. I know that she'll scatter seeds in places I don't want them, but I'll deal with those later and admire the flower.

There was a rosebush here when we arrived 12 years ago - just an ordinary unpedigreed rose. She's always the first to bloom. Today I picked a few flowers for the house. The petals are falling already. Mint sprigs seemed like a good accompaniment. The mint is flourishing! It may need to be reined in soon. I just hate digging out plants - they go to all that effort to grow and mint is so pretty and green. 
 

Several weeks ago friends picked us up enroute to a gathering. Just a block from our house, I spotted a large mirror on the side of the road with a "free" sign. The driver stopped at my exclamation. Tim and Paul tried to put the mirror into the car, but it wouldn't fit. We were all laughing ourselves silly. Tim picked up the mirror and carried it home while Paul drove the car slowly beside him. Wonderful husband!

I've wanted a mirror in the garden ever since I saw one in my neighbour's yard in Parksville several years ago. And now I have one.
  

Today marked the first meal eaten outdoors. Mint and lemon in the water. Umbrella overhead. Warm sun on my back. Crustless Salmon quiche, broccoli and carrots. And for dessert, one dark chocolate-covered caramel sprinkled with pink sea salt. Delectable. 

The forecast is for a cooling down and change in the weather, so we have to make the best of what we've got now. How lovely are these almost-summer days. Are you enjoying them too?  

Breakfast by the Sea

"We're going out for breakfast on Saturday," said he, "We have a 9 am reservation." 

Reservation? For breakfast? Really?

And this is where he took me. It's in Sidney by the Sea, just a few miles north. Our good friends have their boat moored in the nearby marina and recommended the Sea Glass Restaurant. We did need that reservation.
 

Table 12 has the best view overlooking the marina. A grey day, but brightening. Masts reflected in the water rippled in the breeze.
 

Sea glass, shells, and watery shades of blue, green and aqua made for beautiful decor that just added to the experience. 
 

And the breakfast? Wild salmon cakes on foccacia bread layered with spinach, topped with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. Crispy potatoes on the side. A little dish of fruit. Earl Grey tea to drink. Delicious and satisfying. So satisfying that I brought home half of it and enjoyed it again on Sunday morning! 

A great start to a Mother's Day weekend that included a wedding shower, dinner with  children and grandchildren, puttering in the garden, phone calls with my daughters and more. I hope your weekend was equally wonderful. 

Photography Challenge: Colourful

Donna's photo challenges are always interesting. This month, the challenge was colourful. (Actually, it was colorful - but I'm Canadian, so I'll add the extra "u.") I found this challenge a little more difficult than earlier ones. Don't we always photograph colour? How could I force myself to learn a little more with this challenge? 

My favourite colours are the cool tones of blues, greens, violets, pinks. I can handle some yellow, but not too much. My home and my garden very much reflect this cool palette. So I decided to stretch myself a little and go outside of my usual palette. Ta Da! Above is a detail of a Golden Chain Tree, currently blooming along the path I walk. Doesn't it glow against the greens?

A trip to Butchart Gardens was a revelation. I can walk by beds of orange, red, and yellow flowers without once feeling the urge to snap a photo. Okay, red, sometimes, but it has to be a deep, cool red. This time, I forced myself to really look at the other colour combinations. The jagged edge on the orange tulip above caught my eye. I think I photographed it more for the shape than the colour. But colourful it is.

I slipped backwards for this photo. A long, lovely bed of white tulips nodded gracefully in elegant uniformity. Then I saw her. And I giggled quietly to myself. One rebellious poppy, flaunting her blue petals and golden center in the midst of all that white. Brave little poppy. "Look at me," says she, "I'm unique." Isn't she adorable?

I enjoyed this foray into new territory with colour. Did you learn something new during this challenge? What is your favourite colour palette?

All photos were taken with my Nikon Coolpix P7100 and edited for colour contrast in Picasa. 

Visit A Personal Photography Challenge for more colourful displays. 


 

This Beautiful Broken World

A walk over the weekend took us by the naturalized front garden on Lily Street. Currently blooming among ever lengthening grasses are native Camas Lilies. The tubers of these plants were a staple food for the First Nations People who once lived here. There are also white Camas Lilies, but those are poisonous. Only the blue ones are safe to eat, thus, harvesting must take place when the plant is in bloom.
 

Nana pushed the stroller, but Little Miss S preferred to walk. We kept her overnight while her parents enjoyed an anniversary getaway. All went well although after her bath she wanted to "go downstairs, see Mommy." At nearly 2 she hasn't spent much time away from her parents.
 

How beautiful the bluebells are in the woods, here framed in front of a mossy tree. The world is so full of beauty, yet brokenness is everywhere.

Girls are captured and held as trade goods in Nigeria. A Nigerian student at our local university spoke on the radio this afternoon, expressing sorrow not only for these girls, but for all who live in that country under fear of such things happening.

Dear friends of ours lost their beloved 27-year-old daughter to cancer this week. The next day, their older daughter gave birth to a lovely baby girl. How does one come to grips with such onslaughts of sorrow and joy? Faith gives hope for the future, but the anguish of loss now must still be born.

Buttercups bloom in my lawn. I am drawn back into the past to my grandparents' small farm in the Fraser Valley where, in the summer, I gathered fistfuls of these sunny flowers, wanting to bring their brightness indoors. They soon wilted and lay limp in the glass my grandmother provided.

Life goes on in the midst of brokenness, and it is beautiful. Finding the beauty and letting it seep into my soul while acknowledging the pain of the world seems paradoxical. Yet, I believe that one day, all things will be made right, and so, I'll ache and weep with those who weep and still look for beauty in each day.

This Morning in my Garden

Warning: Picture heavy post. Technically my garden is outside, but I'm beginning my wander with some indoor photos. Tomato plants enjoying the light by the patio door. They are growing so well. I think I might risk putting them into the greenhouse this week. I'm a little cautious that way. 
 

I've been saving egg shells. It's been a little tricky opening the eggs without cracking them right in half. Tapping the narrow end to crack, then gently prying away pieces with my fingers has been messy, but I've wanted to have as large an egg shell remaining for starting seeds. On my windowsill the basil popped out yesterday. Are they not so very cute? Bachelor's buttons are stretching upwards, but the butternut squash seeds are still asleep. 

If you try this: Be sure to rinse out the egg shells well. It's easiest to do this just after emptying the shell. A faint odor that had me sniffing under the sink, the dishcloth, and the garbage container was finally traced to my starter shells. Once filled with dirt and water - well, just a warning! I have another tray to start and those shells have been rinsed and washed and rinsed again.
 

Now we head outside, through the garage door onto the patio, past the barbecue shelter and herb garden. Peony buds are promising lots of beauty in the days to come. I'm in no hurry. There's a plethora of enjoyment in the garden these days.
 

Tiny cherries forming. Netting will be on our shopping list soon.
 

It won't be long before we'll be eating these - like in a day or two. Another raised bed holds garlic, planted last fall, now growing tall and green. I've made a rhubarb pie and a rhubarb crumble from fresh stalks. Three slender asparagus stalks were grilled briefly over the weekend and added to our dinner plates.
 

Blueberry bushes in the foreground, a pyramid of strawberry plants in the background, and to the right, the bean towers still taking their winter rest.
 

This is what makes me think the greenhouse is warm enough for tomatoes - a volunteer cucumber plant already getting its second/third leaves. And the plastic hasn't even been lowered. 
 

Growing along the fence, over the compost bins. Our neighbour's neighbourly grapevine. 
 

Rounding the last corner now, apricots are forming. In our climate the apricots need full rain cover. So....
 

Here's a photo of the south-facing wall, built above a natural stone wall in our lower yard. The cloth covers our Meyer Lemon tree. You can see a few lemons peeking out at the bottom. We'll take the cloth off next month. To the right of the lemon tree is the apricot tree. In the foreground, not under cover, is our raspberry bed, flourishing green and lush. 
 

Now we'll head back up the slope along the patio. A stop to sniff the lilacs and take another lilac photo.
 

And finally, the chives, in bloom. This particular clump is not in the allotted herb garden, but really, who cares?

I fairly danced with excitement after this walk through my yard. It's a regular suburban back yard, but it's filled with promise just now. Am I this excited every spring? I can't remember. I'll just enjoy it.

What's new in your garden? 

Bluebell Days

Clumps of bluebells dot the woods these days. I have a growing patch of them in my garden. A few stems, an old book and some sea glass led to a fun session playing with my camera.

The book I used was Cross Creek by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Later, I thought it would have been more apt to choose an English author - Jane Austen or one of the Bronte sisters. Ah well. Next time.

Rain drips down this afternoon and there's a cozy fire burning. A real change after a week of summery weather. Spring is capricious around here, blowing hot or cold with sudden change. Still, who can complain when bluebells are blooming?

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

Five on Friday

1. Yellow and grey is a fairly popular colour combo in decorating recently. I like it, although I don't have much yellow in my home. On our Pender Island jaunt last weekend, I noticed lichens of bright yellow and pale grey set against the darker grey of the rocks. You can't beat Nature for great colour schemes.
 

2. A short walk up the hill from where we stayed was this tiny, cute Anglican Church. I love the crisp white trim against the grey siding and the black door. What fun it would be to attend a service at this little church set among the forest.
 

3. Lilacs are in full bloom. Along our walking route stands an abandoned lilac bush. We clip a few branches and walk home in the unusually warm and soft air. As the branches swing gently in my hand the sweet fragrance rises on the evening air. Into a vase they go and stand now on the living room mantel, beautiful in sight as well as scent. 

4. We've been enjoying such wonderful weather this week - a veritable summer! One day I planned to take Little Miss A on an outing to the cupcake shop. She told me, "I want to go to the beach. It's so sunny and warm." So to the beach we went. It's a smart three-year-old who'll choose digging in the sand and wading (with shoes and socks) in the ocean over a cupcake. 
 

5. Yogurt cake. Basic vanilla, but so adaptable if you want something more. I made one yesterday and served it with raspberry sauce made from berries frozen last summer. It's time to use up last year's fruit for in just a few months the berries will be fresh again. (I'll attempt getting a recipe up this weekend.)

Weekend plans? Nothing firm at this point. If the weather cooperates (cooling rain is forecast) I'll plant a few more seeds and do more weeding. If not, well, there's a house to clean and projects to sew. The days pass by without me feeling the least bit bored. Any exciting plans for you?

Wandering through the Hedge

"All who wander are not lost." While gardening last summer I noticed an odd vine growing through the cedar hedge that provides some privacy on two sides of our yard. When pulled a little I discovered it was a piece of wisteria. Our former neighbours planted it along their fence, then later re-contoured their yard so it wasn't even visible from their home. I wrote about Pat and Wendy last September in a post featuring dahlias.
 

Last week I noticed the wandering wisteria was ready to bloom, so I arranged it artfully (or not) on the newly stacked woodpile. You can see the blooms hanging in mid-air in the top photo. 

 
I like to think the wisteria came visiting, looking for a little appreciation for blooming so beautifully. Each time I go out to the garden I take a sniff of its heady sweetness. Thank you, Miss Wisteria, for coming through the hedge. Feel free to bring your friends and family along. There's room for more!

 

Caramelized Onion Tart

A quick post today to join in with Penny's Tasty Tuesday. 

This is a great little appetizer to serve while the main dish is being grilled (or cooked in some other way.) The combination of onions and thyme is wonderful, with the onions soft from gentle cooking. Make the onions ahead and bake this at the last minute for a crisp pastry.

Caramelized Onion Tart

1 package puff pastry
4 large yellow onions, peeled, halved and cut into slices
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or Romano or Asiago)
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out the pastry (or cut the pre-rolled sheets) into two strips, each about 15 inches long and 5 inches wide. Place each strip onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Pre-bake the strips for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. The pastry will puff up dramatically, then fall.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and gently stir and cook them down. They shouldn't brown, but will slowly soften and caramelize. When they are completely softened and limp, sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Spoon the onions onto the pastry - if it's still puffy, just poke it with a fork and pile on the onions. 

Sprinkle with the cheese and thyme leaves. Bake 10 minutes longer. Cut into crosswise pieces about 2 inches wide to serve. Let cool slightly before serving.

Check out Penny's The Comforts of Home blog for more deliciousness.