Friday, May 30, 2008

A beautiful morning!






It was a beautiful morning in Saskatchewan! We finally had a little rain...just a little but it made such a difference to the look of the yard. Every thing was green when I got up. Hopefully, we will have more but I am not holding my breath.


The Northern Apple blossoms are out. Only on one tree...the other is just in bud. They smell so nice. I am hoping that this year's crop of apples will be good. Last year we had none due to a late frost. But...maybe it was a good thing as we had a problem with canker worms. So far (knock on wood) there have been none. I can only hope. I wish you all a wonderful day...with lots of good surprises in your gardens!

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

I Need Two of Me!


I have been working like a mad man...pardon me, that should say "mad woman"...trying to get everything on the go. There have been set backs in planting has there have been frost warnings for the last 3 days. Though other parts of the city have been hit, for some reason my street has been left untouched. I am hoping it doesn't hit at all as last year we had such a heavy frost that the fruit trees did not have any blossoms. No apples for me...sigh.


Yesterday, I nearly completed the bog I was working on. It is actually taking shape. However...due to a over active pup who loves to run up and say "Hello" by jumping...I landed in it...face first. I can laugh now because I realize I must have looked a sight...mud and wet peat moss covering me! Swamp Thing returns...LOL. And for those who ever wondered, peat moss is NOT very tasty! But as my mom used to tell me, "You have to eat a peck of dirt before you die." I, so far, have eaten I think a bushel...LOL But as the picture included here will attest, I am not the only one Cala Lily terrorizes...poor Mystic is so patient! Happy Gardening day to all...just watch your backs! LOL


Monday, May 26, 2008

I was just thinking....


I was taking a wee break from my gardening (my knee is just not what it used to be), sitting on a chair and looking at all the work that I still had to do. Which is a lot considering I live in Saskatchewan and we have such a short season. I sincerely believe that if I did live in an area that I could garden all year round, I wouldn't die working in it at a ripe old age...rather...one day my daughter or my friends would just look around and realize that I wasn't there. The only trace of me would be my old hat...laying beside a garden tool. I would have just...what it is the word...melted? Composted?? Right into the soil.

Ok...I wandered...what I was going to say is...I was thinking of the way I wanted this and that to be laid out...what plant where...and a thought came into my head. I rather wish I didn't have all the little garden fairies littering the back yard flower beds. There are times I wish I could just have...nothing. Just my flowers, bushes, vines, etc. Sometimes I would like to be able to look at my gardens and say, "Wow...just like a magazine." But then...I realized that I would never trade in my little statues for any chance of a magazine look-a-like. My daughter and my friends have all given them to me. It was their way of being included ...or becoming part of my little piece of paradise. As I looked around, I could put a name to each one. I remember their faces as they would hand me one and say, "I saw this and knew it just had to be in your garden." Or, "I hope you don't mind if I put this here. I don't have a garden/pond and I thought it was so cute." All my friends...and my daughter...will always be in my garden. When Punk (that is the nic name of my daughter) is older and away at university or even married and digging in a garden of her own, I will just have to look at one of the many statues she has given me and she will be close. A rather comforting thought .... I thought.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Excuse my spelling....


It was pointed out to me that I made a mistake in spelling. But in my defense...I remember being told by various teachers that as I make my way through life, the best tool I can have is a dictionary! LOL. I stand corrected...it is "sweet pea"...not "sweat pea". But if you really think about it. The person who does grow a "sweat pea" could be rich! Think of the sales to disgruntled employees who want to send home grown flowers to their bosses!!! But...I believe I will just stick with the "sweet pea"...and my pocket dictionary!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Just an Idea


I just wanted to share an idea. As we are all planning and planting our flower gardens, may I suggest saving a little spot for a fragrent, cut flower favorite. The sweat pea! I started what became a yearly tradition about 7 yrs ago...to plant sweat peas for the purpose of sharing the flowers with elderly people who live down the street. Every day in summer, the residents of a care home go on a walk past my home. It started one late spring with the comment "Oh what lovely flowers. I used to have a wonderful garden! I love the smell of sweat peas, do you have any?" Sadly I didn't. But they were soon planted and after a time there was an abundance of pretty, sweet smelling flowers, which I cut and took to the care home for their enjoyment. And as each one walked by, I would cut a couple of stems and give them to carry on their walks. The enjoyment given me by the looks on their faces was worth the little extra work. Now, every summer, there are my "friends" stopping by for a chat and for a flower. It has become a tradition that I would like to share with you. And...if there are none that walk by your house, you could always just cut a vase full and deliver! A shared garden is worth so much more!

Friday, May 16, 2008

The World is Progressing Nicely


It won't be long before the trees are in blossom. Spring is progressing nicely. It won't belong before the fish are back in the pond, flowers blooming and I will be sitting listening to the birds in the early morning.


I have been working on a bog that will run beside the pond. Rather than buying plants, I am setting out to gather native vegetation from sloughs in the area. If I don't fall in and drown, I think it will look rather pretty.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

The Possibilities are Endless


Some may look at this and say "What a piece of worthless junk. Others, like myself, will say "Hmmmmmmm....". Well the Hmm's have it! I got this lovely piece of furniture from a friend as she was getting ready to throw it in the back of a truck...desination? The Dump! But my little pea sized mind started going. Just wait...if what I have planned actually works, the end result should be pretty nice. I love making use of another man's (or woman's...which ever the case may be) junk. Recycle/reuse...my motto. My daughter (who I refer to as "Punk") gets a little fed up with me...but after I am done painting she usually comes around.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Just waiting...


I truly believe that this is the hardest part of spring. The yard and flower beds are ready to go, placement of flowers are charted out and the tools are all ready. Now just have to wait for it to be warm enough to do "something". Times like this, I would love to live where it is always warm. But then...I would miss our seasons. But till then, I will just busy myself reading other's blogs...gaining new ideas and new solutions to problems I have encountered. And searching the net for the "ultimate" homemade filtration system for the pond. That...and trying to figure out why java won't work on my computer!


Sunday, May 4, 2008


Today will be my first Garden blog! I suppose the best thing would be to introduce myself. I am from Saskatchewan...little north of the Cental area. I love our forests, rivers and lakes. I am right on the Boreal Forest fringe so it only takes 20 minutes to be by lake edge and only about 5 minutes in a car to be rambling around the North Saskatchewan River.


Gardening is more of an obsession than a hobby. I love to try to "best" my previous year's floral display. My mind is always on the go when it comes to "designing" something different. This will be the forth year that I have had an everchanging backyard pond. Though I live in the city, (which I really hate), I am lucky enough to have quite a large yard! Every year I can be found digging and hauling to my heart's content. My daughter (who will be 16 yrs old this summer) is just starting to appreciate planting flowers and seeing the result of her labor. Last year, due to health issues, she was in charge of doing the major planting. While she did grumble, she became quite...what is the word I am looking for... protective? territorial? of the plants that she planted. This year, she has demanded her own little patch of land...so...I have a partner now!


I look forward to charting the progress of my little piece of heaven and sharing it with the world. I wish all a productive spring and summer!