Five on Friday

When I took the compost pail out to the bin this afternoon, I noticed a couple of daffodils lying on the ground, probably beaten down by all the rain we've had. They look happier tucked into a glass on the kitchen window sill. Behind them the forsythia glows golden.

Narcissus or daffodil - that is the question. Well, it was my question and a little research told me that Daffodil is the common name for any of the narcissus genus, but that it's usually applied to the yellow variety.

Shrimp tacos. Why did it take me so long to discover how easy they are to make? Make a coleslaw dressed with lime, cut open an avocado, crumble some feta cheese, soften corn tortillas and just before eating quickly fry peeled shrimp in hot oil. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning (I keep a jar of homemade seasoning in my cupboard), and voilà, dinner's ready!

The pot of hyacinths on the front porch is beginning to bloom. Such a lovely dark blue. And a wonderful scent, too. 

Lately, I feel like all of my brain power is used up in lesson planning and marking. In English 9 it's Romeo and Juliet, and English 10 is All Quiet on the Western Front. In the block where I taught French last semester, I'm now teaching Home Ec 8.
The students made poached eggs this week, to top an open-faced breakfast biscuit (which they also made), along with bacon, tomato and avocado. The poached egg success was varied. One group thought that the eggs had to be stirred while cooking. You can imagine the result. But everyone had a good time and they are learning some basic skills. 

Here at home I managed to bake a couple of loaves of whole wheat bread, using my standard Peter Reinhart recipe where I prepare the dough one day, let it rise in the fridge for 1-3 days, then bake it. So delicious slathered with butter and honey when warm. I resisted this time.

And in the garden the muscari bloom - small patches of blue and green. I love their tiny flowers, clustered like grapes, hence their common name, grape hyacinth. Mine are a medium blue and I'd like to get some of the deeper blue ones.

And so another week comes to a close. The days are lengthening noticeably and I can feel my energy increasing. Is it the same for you? Does sunlight brighten your days?

Linking with Five on Friday hosted by Amy of Love Made My Home.   

In Like a Lion

Early, early this morning, in the darkness, the curtains stirred at the open window. A cool breeze swept over my face and I pulled the comforter close. Rain began, a lovely sound when one is tucked up in bed.  

March blew in with much the same weather as on Sunday, when I took the photos here (and the cherry blossoms in my previous post).

The breakwater curves out into the Strait. Huge granite blocks edge the sides of the breakwater and go deep and wide underneath the narrow pathway. It's about a mile to the lighthouse and back. 

Sometimes we walk out on the top and return via the blocks on the ocean side of the walkway. Not this time. Spraying ocean water is cold, cold, cold. We were splashed several times.

While the two of us found the windy, wet outing exhilarating, a few pigeons huddled on the lee side of a roof for protection. Gulls attempted to fly straight into the wind and barely moved. 

Sometimes, I'm like a pigeon, wanting shelter and calm. At other times, putting on a wind proof coat and a scarf seems like a great idea. Do you feel the same?

Another view of the breakwater, this time from the road. It's a wonderful place for views of the Olympic Mountains across the Strait and for getting close to the ocean without actually being in a boat or the water. It's popular with tourists and locals alike. 

Now that March has blown in, spring is well on her way! 

Cherry Blossoms

Changeable. Clouds scud across the sky and tree tops toss their heads. Bright sunshine alternates with showers of spattering rain. And all over town blossoms are whipped off the trees to twirl a confetti dance.

Airy pink lines the streets. In some pockets of town the blossoms are nearly finished. In others they are just beginning. Who can resist a cherry tree in blossom?

Not me. The wind tore at our scarves and hair, but I was determined to get some cherry tree blossom photos.

Home now. A cup of tea and some photo editing. A lovely Sunlit Sunday.

Linking to Sunlit Sunday hosted by Karen of My Little Home and Garden. 

Five on Friday

1. The miniature daffodil buds have opened into full flower. I'm getting antsy to get out into the garden. Rain showers are scheduled for the weekend, but perhaps I can get out there between the drops and do a little more clean up. Spring means lots of work outdoors, but then things settle down and don't require as much time.

2. Another photo of the bog. I fancy I see a little bit of green on the bushes here and there. Perhaps it's just wishful thinking.

3. We enjoy watching the drakes and hens swimming around together these days. There are a few American Coots in the water, too, but they don't pair off in the same way, and, in fact, often seem to be making an unwelcome third. They are such awkward looking birds and remind me of some of my young students who have not yet grown into their limbs.

4. I had my husband's grandmother's crocheted lace tablecloth out recently and used my macro lens to take a photo of it. The centre motif is a scant one-half inch diameter. Such intricate work and a labour of love that I treasure.

5. It's no secret to those who know me that I'm a Francophile. The fleur-de-lis topped crown sits in my garden and is becoming wonderfully aged and rusted. These days, we are planning our summer trip to England, Wales, and surprisingly, France. France was not on the original agenda (to my regret), but when friends contacted us about doing a Paris to Normandy river cruise, we began thinking about it. The dates will work with the remainder of our trip, so I'll be seeing Paris once again. In England we plan to visit London for a few days and the Cotswolds and then Wales. We have the dates organized and now are beginning to plan what we will have time to see, for we know that it would take a very long time to see everything on our list. 

I'm linking with Five on Friday (it's still Friday here) hosted by Amy of Love Made My Home. 

Waking Up

The calendar says late winter, but the sun beguiles and charms. I drop my bag of marking, pick up my camera and head outside. What is that I feel on my back?

Warmth. Faint, but definite. I close my eyes and turn my face upwards, bathing in warmth. I cannot help but smile.

Oh, look! The first forsythia bud is opening. Soon there will be a flurry of gold. 

An unnamed and soon unloved weed displays a starry cloud that provides for it a short reprieve from yanking.

Fragrant rosemary opens purple to the light, awaiting the bees. Like a slow awaking from a heavy sleep, earth stretches and sighs, slumbers a bit, and stirs some more.

"Soon," she mumbles, "I'll be there soon." 

Spring in the Bog

The skies looked ominous as we set out for an afternoon walk. Soon the drops fell, scattered at first, then in a steady downpour that echoed through the hood of my raincoat. 

We kept on slogging around the bog trail and as we rounded the last corner where the path came out of the trees, sunlight appeared. And not only sunlight, but rainbows. Double, full arches stretching across the landscape. The red-winged blackbird trilled a merry song. As he posed, I snapped several photos of him with the rainbow in the distance.

Mr. Red-wing was oblivious to the rainbow; he was trilling a love song to his mate, luring her near. She finally obliged by perching on a lower branch. 

A little further along, Mr. and Mrs. Duck bobbed their heads delicately in a mating ritual. Droplets drip from their beaks as they dip and bob again.

Yes, it's spring in the bog. There will be chilling winds and lots of rain yet, but it's starting.

Linking with Sunlit Sunday, hosted by Karen of My Little Home and Garden.  

Five on Friday

This week's weather almost had us drawing up plans for an ark. Later in the week the weather dried up a little and I squelched out to the garden to see what was up. Tiny daffodils are beginning to emerge. In the background purple hyacinths show their colour.

Have you heard that Google is shutting down Picasa (online photo storage)? I'm leery about storing my photos in the cloud, but I've used Picasa (the downloaded version) to view and do simple edits of my photos for years. As of March it will no longer be supported. I have a few other photo-editing programs (free) that I'd like to check out. Do any of you have one you find useful?

The days are brightening noticeably, but the fire remains the focus indoors. My Valentine roses are holding up well and add a bit of elegance to the living room. 

Candlelight is still very welcoming, too. Winter may be losing his grip here on the west coast, but today the wind was chill, reminding me that spring is capricious and moody.

How do you handle having a long list of things to do and not enough time to do them? When I find myself getting overwhelmed, I tuck myself onto the couch and lose myself in a book for an hour. When I emerge from that fictional world I find myself much more equipped to cope with life as it is. And everything that really needs to get done, gets done. 

During a discussion in the staff room about reading as stress relief, the term "brain candy" was used. The above book falls into this category. Easy, pleasant reading. I'm hoping to consume a little more brain candy this weekend. 

Linking with Amy for Five on Friday. 

Aged Beauty

One tulip petal falls onto the windowsill, then another. Two remain, arched protectively over stamens and pistil. 

Withering into wild and graceful curves. Swirling lines. Deepening colour. 

Beauty is not just for the young and fresh. 

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever"

John Keats

Lemons on Sunlit Sunday

A week ago the sun shone and we worked in the yard. I took a peek under the lemon tree cover and was pleased to see ripe lemons. We picked 2 dozen and covered the tree again for another few months. 

The Lemon Dessert cookbook was a Christmas gift from a friend.

This week the rain poured down, and I did a little puttering in the kitchen. Since my husband prefers lemon to chocolate, I made a batch of lemon curd. 

And then what to do with the lemon curd? A batch of macarons seemed just the thing.

I should have known better than to attempt macarons on such a rainy day. They turned out a little flat, without the cute "feet" characteristic of a successful macaron.

But they taste scrumptious, filled with lemon curd and raspberry jam. Lemons, lemon curd, and macarons certainly brighten up the greyness outside. 

Linking with Sunlit Sunday, hosted by Karen of My Little Home and Garden. 

Five on Friday

Our students listened to a personal security presentation today. The digital world can be frightening, and dangerous for those unaware. For two hours the presenter held his audience's attention. I learned a lot about internet safety. And I also learned how much I don't know. Darren Laur is a former police officer. He's not anti-internet, but counsels students to develop an online presence that is strong and positive rather than one that may come back to haunt someone in the future.

Mr. F. turned two this week. His mother created a perfect cake for a little boy who clutches his Thomas and Friends trains tightly wherever he goes. Each train car was a small cake (some chocolate, some white) with different toppings. Yum!

February is flying by. It's almost Valentine's Day. I pulled a few things out of my VD box (shoebox size), including the patchwork heart done several years ago, and the stitched post card finished last year.

I don't think I've ever been so busy in my entire life. I confess that taking on another English class has more than doubled my work load. I know that I'm still easing into it, and I'm hopeful that I'll develop a rhythm of lesson prep and marking that won't consume every waking moment.

I'm looking forward to the weekend. There will be some housework to do, but I also hope to do a little sewing or stitching. I'd love to work in the garden as I did on Monday (holiday here). The sun beamed with real warmth and I made some progress weeding and trimming. However, we're back to rain, rain, rain, so I'll stay cozy indoors. 

How about you? Indoors or out this weekend? Linking up with Five on Friday, hosted by Amy of Love Made My Home. 

City Life

Last Wednesday this school teacher hopped a big, yellow school bus for a trip to the big city. 5100 teachers met for a conference for independent schools. The conference was both inspiring and overwhelming. So many ideas. Too many ideas. 

North Vancouver seen from the Conference Centre

Many people confuse the city of Vancouver with Vancouver Island. They are not the same place. Vancouver (the city) is on the North American Continent. Vancouver Island is roughly 100 kilometres from Vancouver, and is accessible by air and water. There is no fixed link. 

I took a break from the crowds during one lunch hour for a walk around the block. With my camera. I find the city very beautiful, although I never want to live there. The far building is slanted out towards the street and it appears to be leaning over for a better look at the water.

So many glass towers reflecting sky and sea. And each other. Buildings within buildings.  

Our closing speaker was Col. Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut and former commander of the International Space Station. He spoke, then ended with a revised version of David Bowie's Space Oddity, a song that he sang from space. Have you watched any of his YouTube videos? He made life in space real for many people.

Car co-ops are very popular in Vancouver. Here is a row of Cars-to-Go ready for use. Our city-based children don't own their own car - they use public transit or pick up one of these car share vehicles. Saves on parking and insurance! It was great to meet up one evening to share dinner.

At least the grass was green. Little else showed much colour. Grey, grey, grey, intermixed with rain, rain, rain.

I enjoyed the visit to vibrant, beautiful Vancouver, but was happy to get back to our smaller city across the water. Is city life for you? 

Sunny Moments

When the sun came out this afternoon, I slipped into my shoes and headed out the door. Mild air surrounded me as I wandered around the garden, camera in hand. Roses are beginning to leaf out; pruning will happen when the forsythia blooms.

A heart-shaped patch of moss caught my eye. 

Mint grows in a sheltered spot and is beginning to show signs of new growth, illuminated by the welcome sunlight. 

The sunniest moment, for me, was watching these two small faces respond to the story being read by their grandpa. I love the way each girl cuddles her soft stuffed toy while looking intently at the illustrations. How quickly they grow up. 

Linking with Sunlit Sunday, hosted by Karen of My Little Home and Garden.