Patio Guest

Meet Con, our new Tiki man!

 He is a solar man, and his eyes and torch glow at night! 

He is very cool.

A Party of Three

It's not always easy to get a shot of the 3 critters together, but this time I was lucky to have my camera in my pocket as I was working out back near the wood storage shed. Smoke, Jake and Gypsy - supervising the work being done, or simply hanging out.  Despite the spats, they really are good pals!

Back Yard Birds

The Pine Siskins are back in droves this month. They are the calmest of all finch breeds and have little fear of humans, hence the ability to walk right up to the feeder for a photo opportunity. This little guys is one of many that usually fill the feeders rungs.  They often line up, 8 at a time to drink from the patio fountain as well.  I have to be careful with the feeders though, as they are susceptible to illness if the seed gets moldy, or contains mold.

STRAW DOGS and BERRIES

Strawberry:  the name goes back to the Anglo-Saxon meaning of streaw (“strew”), and alludes to the fact that the plant spreads or scatters by means of runners.  Well at least that is one interpretation, but that has no bearing on the fact that I have always wanted a bale of straw.  Real country folk have straw for one reason or another; or at least that is what I always thought. So to complete one of my bucket list items, we purchased a bale of straw last week to line our strawberry bed.

 It was bigger than I expected, and  in transporting it from the saw pit to the garden, I managed to get it all over the grass, but eventually I made it into the vegetable garden and ultimately over to the strawberry bed.

Jake did not know what to make of the straw, but wanted to be part of the project, often getting covered in straw-dust, until he finally settled down to watch the show.

Typically you would lay the straw on your beds before they start to come back in the spring, but we are late, and the plants are already popping up so it was a bit of a challenge to work around them. The project was successful, and the strawberry patch is blanketed in straw, which will help to keep the berry off the soil and prevents molding of the fruit.

Can't wait for this year's crop of berries!

This is Now and That Was Then

 A snapshot of our early spring veggi garden on April 21st.  The rhubarb will be harvested tomorrow to allow for more harvests throughout the season.  The raspberries are producing their leafage and the leeks are ready to eat as well.  Still a bit early to be sowing the rest of the summer crops, thought, maybe just a few more weeks and we can start to fill the empty beds.

 Now turn back the clock to 2009, and you will be surprised.  Chris had a great vision, and that vision has been realized.

The veggie garden is a peaceful place for us humans and our critter too! 

There is a Lumberjack in all of Us!

Wood is a fantastic heat resource when you have the option of heating your home with a wood stove.  I never thought of myself as one who would covet, but by jove, I see firewood and it excites me.
Our island neighbors have recently cleared some land and they have a few logs ready to be tackled.

 

So what is a girl to do?  Call the log-buster!  Terry - my brother-in-law.   A forester and bush man extraordinaire.!!   We were lucky to be able to have one fir log, and Terry agreed to come with his chainsaw.

Of course I would choose a log sitting on the ground, so we first had to uncover its protector.  Terry cut and split and I did the second split and loaded into the truck.  We got her!

Amazingly enough though, I was surprised to find that all that wood we cut, split and loaded, turned out to be only about 1/4 of a cord once we stacked it.   Who knew!!  I now have a much better appreciation of  what goes into harvesting wood.  Plus a lot of bark as you can see in the front row!

Cactus Kitty

Not much to say here, Gypsy is part of the landscape. Right at home with the succulents.

The Pond is Calling!

It is spring, and this weekend it was all about cleaning up the pond for the coming season. Only 22 fish have survived the winter.  Fred is well over a foot long now, and there are a number of fish sporting large tummies.  The marsh marigolds are in bloom, as is the water hawthorne.

 Donning my gently used hip waders I explored the pond, cleaning out the dead leaves and reconnecting the fountain. The ponds edge is harbouring a good number of Caddisfly larva.  I remember spotting these amazing little critters a few years ago and didn't know what they were since they clad themselves with pieces of bark, and other debris in the pond.  Cute as larva, but creepy as adults.   I also spotted a newt when I disturbed a grassy ledge it was basking on.

 Since we uncovered the pond in 2007 is has evolved into an amazing echosystem, with a little bit of everything. So much happens in and around the pond that you just don't want to leave. As I turned to walk away, a beautiful snake swam across!

Spring has Sprung!!

As the sun peeked through the clouds today, we made a quick wander through the garden. Spring is so upon us, my favorite time of year., and the first sign is the rhubarb.  It won't be long to harvest!

 The raspberries are showing off their new leafage, leading us to believe it will be a good crop for 2013.

   My most favorite is the Amandi! This fragrant, spring blooming clematis outdoes itself every year!             

While the frogs are as vocal now as they are in the peak of summer, we can't wait for the pond to be more alive.

Critter Buddies

These two critters are such friends. Who would think that a 110lb shepherd and a 7lb kitty could have that kind of bond. But here they are, Jake and Gypsy, in their favorite snoozing positions in front of fire and TV. Gypsy is the TV watcher, Jake loves the fire. We just enjoy what they have together. Smoke, as you can see, is not in the picture. Ruins the dynamic and I think the old boy knows it.

The Hummers are Back!!

Just like clockwork, the Rufus hummingbirds are back for 2013!  Typically it is April 1st they arrive, but it was March 30th this year, perhaps due to the warmer weather.  The Annas hummingbirds stay here year round and I do feed them through winter, but the Rufus migrate to Mexico for the winter and are hungry when they arrive back to our little hummingbird hollow. I increased my feeder bottles by 2 yesterday and am already having to refill them.  I can't imagine spring without the hummers!

Mr. Smoke's Favourite Chair

With the hot weather this March 31st weekend, Chris set up the outdoor bar area and we got the patio ready for the season. Hopefully it will not be too premature, and the weather will continue to lend itself to outdoor living! Our Mr. Smoke lost no time in reclaiming Chris's bar stool. This is a chair the two of them vie for on a regular basis. Smoke seems to have the patience to wait Chris out, and always claims it.

Easter in March and Early Summer

March 31st, Easter Sunday, and the temperature soared to 20 degrees celcius!! A record for sure for both Easter and for March 31st. The whole long weekend was like this. Folks had to change their Easter dinner plans from traditional roast lamb or baked ham, and instead the BBQ hats came out for outdoor cooking. Chris and I strolled own to the beach for an Easter cocktail and to watch the boats and kayakers on the water. What a day!