I’m back on Gambier Island for the second time in two years. I’m visiting my nephew, Ryan and his wife, Emily and their two kids, Eloise and Lawrence. Gambier is a magical place in B.C. that has somehow remained largely unspoiled, despite much logging in the past. Some is still going on, but the forests...
Category: Gardening
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Roll With It
Back to early spring temperatures this morning after two very hot days. This has been a most unusual spring weather-wise, but there’s something to be said for a respite like this before the brutally hot days yet to come (if any, cause who knows?). It’ll be a good day to get out and tie up all...
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Glorious Gardening
I’m adoring this spring in the Tranquil Garden. I guess every year is a bit different; sometimes I’m more excited to be out there and sometimes not so much. This year, probably due to the long, hard winter, I’ve been feeling grateful for the beauty of the garden, the warm weather (I try to avoid complaining about any...
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Flowers that Give (Just like Mom!)
(I wrote the following a few days ago, before the temperature dropped and the rains started. ) I’m enjoying spring (feels more like summer, but who’s quibbling?) very, very much this year. I’m thrilled about every new shoot that is suddenly four inches tall when it was nowhere in sight the day before. Nothing like a...
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Music and Lavender
I was sitting in a rehearsal today thinking about what music and flowers have in common. They’re both beautiful (mostly) and they have the power to make people happier; I also enjoy having both in my life. I was listening to our piano soloist, André Laplante, playing the Grieg piano concerto; I was mesmerized by his phrasing and...
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A Few Spring Chores and Words of Wisdom
I was looking out on the Tranquil Garden today and thinking about starting the annual spring clean-up. I won’t be doing it right away, because, first of all, that would be against my nature; but, also because the ground is still pretty soggy, and I’ve read many times that walking around on the lawn and flower...
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Weather Report…FROM LONDON!
This will be much more than a weather report, but I thought it would be fun to continue the theme once more all the way from London, UK! Today’s weather is cloudy with a high of 12C. So, not the Bahamas, but still a vast improvement. I went out with a hat, scarf and fingerless...
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Weather Report
It seems that all the posts I’ve written this winter have had something to do with the weather, so I’m just going to be clear (right from the title) that since winter may be prolonged until the next millennium I may as well keep reporting on this all-important factor in a Canadian’s life, whether you’re a...
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Garden Refuge
Is it my imagination or is there more bad news these days then ever? When I hear about all the Jihadist stuff going on, in Paris, Syria, everywhere, I feel like we’re back in Rome and the barbarians are invading and our world is about to cave in. We won’t really know it until the very...
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The Daylight is Growing
Yes, this is a gardening blog, and yes it’s January. I told a friend at work about my blog today and how it was back on line after several months and he asked, “Have you done any gardening lately?” I guess implying that perhaps the lack of a gardening blog through the winter is no...