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. 
 

Moody Seas Weekend

Saturday morning. On a boat (not ours) just off Vancouver Island. The seas were lumpy as 8 good friends made their way across the water to Pender Island. Laughter is a great way to ward off any seasickness. Blue skies, bluer water. 

Arriving in Poet's Cove where the more sheltered water was smoother. Vivid early green maple leaves stand bright among the dark conifers. 
 

Monochrome Sunday morning. Time with good friends. Laughter, good food, great discussions that ranged from politics to spirituality to food to hopes and dreams. Enriching.

Sea and sky were variable, changing quickly from grey to blue within minutes. Lovely coastline views. Our short getaway was refreshing, inspiring, and full of fun.  We soaked in the hot tub overlooking the water, hiked some very easy trails, and did I mention we laughed?
 

On the shore beside the dock, this heron posed for a farewell photo. Isn't he beautiful? He was so still we joked about the resort possibly installing an artificial heron there. But no, his majestic stance is real. 

A weekend away - this is the 3rd annual getaway with this group of friends. I hope there are many more of them. Once we arrived home our daughter and her husband hosted the family for a lasagna dinner. A niece and her husband were in town for a short while. They spent the night with us and left this morning, planning to hike along our beautiful coastline. 

What was your weekend like? Busy or quiet? 

Five on Friday, or it might be Six or Seven

Time plays tricks with my mind. I awake in the morning thinking of the hours ahead and the way I'll fill them. In the morning there's always enough time to do the musts and plenty of the wants. In the morning the day stretches ahead with luxurious possibility. 

By late afternoon luxurious possibility has altered to "Where has the time gone?" and "I didn't get much accomplished." Still, what needs to be done gets done and there's usually time to take a photo or two and a turn around the garden. Without further rambling, here are five (or more) things that have delighted me this week:

1. The first sprouts of radishes (above) and kale. These are the first sown-in-the-ground seeds of the year. Newly sprouted, glistening with water (we've had rain). Time to plant carrots, Swiss chard, and more.
 

2. Moments from last weekend's party to celebrate my father's 80th birthday pop up in my mind. Here my beautiful mother holds her newest great-grandchild. Do you like mulling over events such as this, remembering snippets of this and that?
 

3. A few weeks ago I visited Butchart Gardens with a friend. The indoor display had a number of orchids. This green one caught my eye as it reminded me of the first flower Tim ever gave me - a green orchid corsage for a college banquet. 
 

4.  The Little Misses just after their quick Easter Egg hunt in the back yard. We were all tired after the party on the mainland and the return trip via ferry, but this Nana still wanted to do a little hunt. Taking photos of these two is getting harder and harder. They rarely sit still. 

Little Miss S noticed the forsythia blooms and called them "Dandy-flowers." Earlier in the week Little Miss A told me, as I left her house, "Nana, try to be good." Do you think she's heard that phrase elsewhere? These little ones make me laugh so often.
  

5.  Apple blossoms. Our very own. Most of them are fully open, but I captured these so pink and full of promise. Will there be apples? We hope so. Last year we pulled off all the blooms and fruit starts other than one apple per tree. Then we picked them before they had time to sweeten. Patience. Sigh.

Today will be full. A little trip away tomorrow and company coming on Sunday, plus teaching this afternoon all mean I have a number of things to do this morning. So I'll get to it all and hope that your day is full, but not too full to take time for a little enjoyment. 

 

On Dreams and Marriage

Lest anyone should think, after my last post, that my vacation dreams take second place to my husband's, let me assure you otherwise. We make decisions together. Because he loves boating and I love him, I'm thrilled that he has a boat. Because I love Europe and he loves me, I've been to Paris three times.  

We live in an amazing part of the world and I'm thrilled to explore it with him. I'm excited about going to remote areas accessible only by boat to see fjords and mountains, waterfalls and running tides. To sit in silence and hear the loons call at night in a quiet anchorage, while I'm lulled to sleep by the rocking waves. It's no sacrifice for me. Nor is going to Europe one for him. We respect each other's dreams and plan ways to make them both work.

I did a quick search on the words "compromise and dreams" before writing this post. Without fail the advice was "never compromise." So I ask myself, and you, is it compromise to see another's dream fulfilled while yours waits awhile in the wings? Is compromise giving up a dream? Is compromise a weak and nasty word, or a bridge between two widely differing viewpoints?  

On the Water at Last

What's your ideal vacation getaway? Several years ago we co-owned a sailboat with two other couples. We enjoyed our time on the water. The time came when, for various reasons, the boat was sold.

Since that time, Tim has dreamed of owning a boat again. Sailing is lovely, but there's little wind in the summer time here and I'm not much for getting out on the water when it's freezing cold. Mooring a boat is costly, so after much research, Tim decided that we would get the largest possible boat that can be pulled behind a passenger vehicle. 
 

Here's our 25 foot Albin. It looks small on the water, but has a cozy forward cabin complete with galley and head, a cockpit suitable for company, and an aft cabin that the Little Misses claim as their own. Yesterday was the first day we put it into the water. A test run, just a short jaunt into the water between islands. I took cleaning supplies along and did a little work in the galley, then decided to just enjoy the day.

My idea of an ideal vacation getaway is a trip to Europe. That's a little out of reach for practicality's sake. Tim's ideal is cruising up and down our coastline, stopping at quiet anchorages, hiking our beautiful islands, finding unique communities. I enjoy that, too. This summer, that's what we'll be doing. 

We have yet to decide on a name for the boat. Tim's first inclination was to name the boat Paris. "That way," he told me, "you can get to Paris whenever you want."  All the family laughed over that, knowing of my affection for France. I don't think that's what the final name will be, although that's the name that we talk about the most.

Grey blue sky, land and water. A distant sailboat provides a bit of focus. I enhanced the contrast in this photo so it looks brighter than it was. I didn't mind the grey. The brightness of Tim's smile more than made up for the dull day. When he's out on the water, cares fall away. Work has been particularly stressful for him lately and I'm delighted that we'll be spending time outdoors this summer. Perhaps next year we'll go to Europe. Or the next. For now, I'm making lists of boating supplies and menus to cook on the water.

Do you and your spouse differ in your vacation plans?  

A Celebration Weekend

Not only did we celebrate the joy and hope of Easter this past weekend; a very special birthday party happened.

My wonderful, hard-working, funny and dearly loved father will be 80 this week. I am blessed to have such a great role model. I caught him here, a candid shot, while he was busy getting to his meal. My sister, brother and I planned a party for the family. About 30 of us gathered - our mother, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The youngest was just 2 weeks old. She slept through the whole thing.
 

My sister, brother, and I planned a party for the family. About 30 of us gathered in Chilliwack - Dad and Mom, their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and spouses. The youngest was just 2 weeks old. She slept through the whole thing. We held the party in a church hall - my brother's church. The toddler play room was a big hit. Little Miss S was heard to say, "fun church" after the party and Little Miss A told her mother that she wanted to have her own birthday party there.

Family get-togethers are loud, busy affairs fueled by the boundless energy of toddlers, lots of laughter and talking, and good food. I never get to visit with everyone, but I still enjoy these times when family comes together to celebrate. 

Today was a bit slower. I'm talked out for the moment, content to stay quiet and mull over pieces of conversation. Do you get together with your extended family often?

An Abundance of Blossoms

Today's walk takes me through streets dampened by rain in the night. Grass grows visibly these days, reaching up, up, up to the light. All is emerald and lime and parsley-colored.

   My route lies along wooded pathways, peppered now with clumps of bluebells. They grow, too, in my garden and I pick a handful for my kitchen windowsill where the scent of sweetness and spring wafts gently as I finish the dishes.

White stars have fallen to earth, it seems, in the form of fawn lilies. They grow 12 inches, perhaps, above the ground, faces downward.
 

I crouch low to look the lily in the face and am rewarded by brightness and intricate design, along with damp knees. 
 

Returning once more to Lily Avenue, I discover the naturalized lawn covered with shooting stars. Johnson's  Henderson's Shooting Stars. Paler pink than other years, poised to dive downwards into the leggy grass.(edited on 4/21) Thanks to Gretchen for being puzzled about the name.
 

Pink magnolias sit like cups on branches. Tightly closed tiny daisies, white petals tinged with pink and sunny yellow centers. Ruffles of pink cherry blossoms dance like bridesmaids. Hyacinths and tulips and daffodils. The world is bursting with color and life and an abundance of flowers. Soon the lilacs will bloom. A parade of purple, blue, white, pink and green and fragrance. Spring's assault on the senses. 

Perhaps ee cummings says it best, 

"i thank You, God for most this amazing

day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky: and for everything

which is infinite which is yes." 

I'll be taking a little break for the next few days. I wish you all a most blessed and happy Easter. May you know the joy and hope of resurrection life. 

Notes from my Garden

Inspiration comes from everywhere. I had a plan for this month's Note Card Party, but then in church on Sunday, an image was shown on the screen and all my plans flew away. This one took a little preparation and good weather. I taught yesterday, so I prepared last night and hoped for a sunny morning. Wind flapped against the house most of the night and I wondered if Plan A would have to be resurrected in the likelihood of rain. How happy I was to see the sun this morning!

Easter greetings in English and French. These were fun to do. The preparation involved writing the cards.

And a box top so you know what you're getting! I'm looking forward to visiting at Vee's Party this afternoon - you're welcome to join in. Vee's new rules allow for new photos, not just ones previous published. This is a good thing, I think.