Tuesday, December 17, 2024

A Story - "Christmas Break" and Festive Beet Parsnip Soup

A Story

Christmas Break


"Help!" screamed the cashier as Tom crashed to the floor.

He regained consciousness in the ambulance.  His head pounded, his hip shouted.

"You fell when your hip broke.  You hit your head hard on the floor.  Sadly, you'll still be here at Christmas."

Tom settled into the hospital routine.  The nurses were kind.  The housekeeping woman shared stories about her silly cat.  Volunteers stopped by, sang carols.  A friendly therapy dog greeted him.

Christmas morning, he sipped his coffee, nibbled his toast.  He was thankful he's broken his hip.

For the first time in many years, he wasn't celebrating alone.



I had some beet parsnip soup at a lunch lately and thought I would give it a go.  The soup I made is thinner  but I find parsnip is a potent flavour and I wanted a soup that was milder tasting than the one I had at the lunch. The photo makes the soup look like the colour of tomato soup but in real life, the soup is much pinkier - a very pretty shade.  You could swirl in a bit of sour cream to jazz it up.

Festive Beet Parsnip Soup

2 medium beets (1 1/2 to 2" in diameter) - cooked and diced.  I boiled mine but you could also roast them. You could also used canned baby beets.

1 fairly large parsnip - peeled and cut up.

1 apple - peeled or unpeeled.  I used Mckintosh but any kind would do.

1/4 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp dried parsley or 2 tsp fresh

3 cups of liquid . I just used water but you could use chicken or vegetable stock.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer together for 30 min. Blend into a puree.  Serve topped with parsley.


I hope you all enjoy this Christmas season in whatever way is meaningful to you.



 

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

A Story - "Horse Healer" and December Blooming Gerbera Daisies

 A Story

The Horse Healer

When Kelly bought Buster, she knew he had issues so she hired a good horse trainer.  Over time, Buster learned to trust Kelly and the trainer but he didn't like others getting in his space.

One day, a woman horse healer came by.

"You're a good boy, Buster.  I am taking away all your hurt from the past."

Buster stuck his head out over the stall, ears forward, sniffing curiously.

Kelly was impressed.  Maybe this woman was healing Buster's emotional wounds.

Later, Buster remembered the lovely scent of the healer's shampoo - floral, hay, sweet clover.

Couldn't stand the woman.





Last summer I bought some gerbera daisies when the plants went on sale. I left them in their pots and grew them on my part-sun deck.  They grew well and bloomed repeatedly. I read on the Internet that they are perennials in mild climates and so I decided to try to over winter them in my basement which is cool and dry. I brought them in in September and only watered them very lightly. In fact, so lightly that I thought I had killed them all because their leaves went yellow and crispy. But when I checked carefully, I could see they were still barely alive.  Then I accidentally watered them more than usual and suddenly green leaves popped up as well as two flower stems. 



I brought up the two plants with flower stems to the main floor so that they would get some heat and light.

Now I have two lovely flowers to enjoy in the dark days of December.  The other pots did not send out flower stems but they are still growing very slowly in their low light, dry environment of the basement. I am trying to give them a rest period during the winter.  In April, I will put them in bright light, give them a feed and I should have some nice flowers by the end of May.

It is important that they not get too much water in the rest period or they will rot, but once they are actively growing regular watering is good. They will make more than one crown in the summer and so you can easily divided the plants. They prefer full sun but mine grew fine in morning sun. They come in lots of vibrant colours and make a lovely addition to pots or garden beds. I didn't have any trouble with insect pests.


Wednesday, December 4, 2024

A Story - "Soul Music" and Indoor Lettuce

A Story

Soul Music

The radio host tried to convince the audience that the song he was going to play was good, heartfelt, inspiring.  No, no, no.

I sighed.  Where was the emotion?  The joy, sadness, anger, love?  I missed the days of raw original music not generated by computers.

I pulled up to the church. A friend's son had died.

As a prelude to the funeral, a fiddler soulfully played Scottish laments.  Tears pricked eyes.  The older man next to me dabbed his nose with a tissue.

Old hymns were sung reminding us of grace, hope, love.

We left nourished, comforted, healed.






A couple of weeks ago, I noticed some lettuce seedlings in the garden.  They were in really good shape even though we have had some frosts.  I planted up a few of them  and put them under my small grow light. They grew so well I decided to plant some seeds in a container. They sprouted in a day and began growing really nicely. I won't have enough lettuce for a big salad but certainly enough for adding to sandwiches. I've already picked some leaves.  I fertilize with all purpose liquid fertilizer every watering - about once a week.  They are planted in garden soil not potting soil but any kind of soil would do.

I'm so pleased with how this is going that I plan on making regular seedings over the course of the winter. It will be nice to have some fresh home-grown produce and it will save a little bit of money.
This lettuce is a leaf lettuce with red markings that grows very well in the outside garden as well.
 

Monday, November 25, 2024

A Story - "Stealthy Intruder" and some Cheerful Flowers for November

 A Story

She scanned the trees searching for her stalker, but she couldn't see him anywhere.  Was he still spying on her?  She bent down slowly and began to weed her garden, her senses heightened as she wondered where he was.  His threats were becoming a daily occurence.

A droning buzz suddenly circled her.  He was trying to frighten her, but she held her ground.  She continued picking her sweet peas.

Suddenly she was face to face with him.  One foot away, he confronted her with his bright black eyes, magenta throat, and flashy green feathers.

He really was a beautiful hummingbird.



Some random flower photos to brighten a dull November day.  Blue and purple delphinium in front of magenta clematis.

Mullein (verbascum) is a wild flower but it can be incorporated into a garden to give a good vertical feature.  The leaves are soft plush green- grey. It is a biennial.  It can reseed in a garden but rarely is a problem as not many seeds germinate.




A really interesting collection of plants at the Montreal Botanical Gardens several years ago.  The spiky green "hair" is lots of fun.

Sunday, November 17, 2024

A Story - "A Dog's Life" - and Some Special Dogs

 A Story

A Dog's Life

From the time he was a young puppy, Marshall was in training.  Marshall had to obey his owner: no chasing cats, no jumping on people.  He always came when called.  His owner gave him fun things to do: searching for objects, playing frisbee, navigating obstacle courses.

From the time she was a young puppy, Molly did whatever she wanted. She chewed shoes, pulled on the leash and never came when called.  Her behaviour meant she rarely played with other people or dogs.

One day Marshall found a lost child.

One day Molly ran into the street as a car came.



Since we are on the theme of dogs,  here are some photos of dogs that have lived and visited with us.  This is Bonnie who was my daughter's dog.  Bonnie was energetic, mischievous and fiercely loyal to my daughter.





This is Bella, my neighbour's dog.  She comes for walks with me.  She looks a bit like the Littlest Hobo from TV fame years ago and she also has a very independent spirit.

Our two Labs that we had for about 12 years.  Ginger and Snap were sisters.  Ginger, on the right, was the bossy one but she was afraid of the vet and couldn't handle car rides.  Her sister Snap loved to play find the Kong outside and didn't mind the vet. I thought Snap would be very sad when Ginger died but we had our son's dog at that time and that eased the transition.
They almost always slept touching each other.

This is Jaws, who my son took in from a shelter.  He was extremely stressed at first but my son won him over and he became a real cuddlebug. He was much smaller than the Labs, only about 25 lbs. but he never felt that he was a little dog and happily played with them. He stayed with us for several years when our son's job didn't fit with keeping a dog.
Sullivan is a newer addition to the family and belongs to our other son.  He is playful, gentle, well-behaved and a bit of a chicken.  A good friend to our young grandson.


Sunday, November 10, 2024

A Story - "Wasted Life" - Purple Aster, Red Leaves

 A Story

Wasted Life

September 19, 1970, was the day that Linda decided to waste her life.  It was the day she told her mother she was pregnant, the father not interested.

"You can't keep it.  You'd be wasting your life."

Linda moved in with her friend's family who helped her stay afloat.  Eventually she became a teacher.

September 19, 2015, Linda cradled her delightful newborn grandson in her arms.

"Grandma, play with me."

"Grandma, look at my picture."

The two older grandchildren vied for her attention.  She loved spending time with them.  They were precious.  It was wonderful to be a young grandmother.


The last wildflower to die to a hard frost is the purple aster.  It is the fall bookend to the purple crocuses in the spring. The asters are one of the last food sources for the wild bees before winter comes.




I don't know what kind of tree this is but the dark red leaves are super nice contrasted against the rough cedar bark.



Friday, November 1, 2024

A Story - "Silence" and Dried Flower Arrangements

 A Story

Silence

After the funeral, friends hugged James,  They promised to deliver casseroles, arranged to do chores, shared memories of his lovely wife who had died just before her sixtieth birthday.  His daughter assured him she'd call every day.  His son encouraged him to come with him on holiday.  Robert was glad to see his friend being supported.

Reluctantly, Robert returned home because the carer was due to leave.  His wife was still sleeping.  He mindlessly made a sandwich after noticing the message light wasn't flashing.  Silence engulfed him.  The lonely emptiness of caring for someone with dementia left him swaying precariously.



It can be fun to experiment with drying various flowers.  I was surprised at how well pink peonies dried.  They're the main feature in this arrangement. As well as the usual statice,  some astrantia, sedum, ornamental onion seed heads fill out the arrangement. For some longer wispy accents, I used coral bell seed heads and grape hyacinth popped-open seed stems.
This little posey has quite a few dried roses - some regular size, some miniature. In the back are some ornamental onions that still have petals, some yarrow and some astrantia.

This is a more traditional collection of dried flowers.  I didn't grow them. So there is strawflowers, statice, gomphrena, and a bit of wheat. I have in the past had good success growing gomphrena and the flowers keep their colour for a long time. Gomphrena usually comes in pink, red, and white.

Saturday, October 26, 2024

A Story- "The Wolf" and Coleus, Pink-Polka-Dot plant, Geraniums



 A Story

The Wolf

The sheep saw the wolf tiptoeing around the perimeter of the field but they unsuspectingly kept grazing.

Craftily, the wolf plotted his moves but he'd wait for dusk.

Suddenly, a flurry of white and black rocketed into the field scaring the sheep.  They ran, hearts thumping, this way, then the other.  The dog raced in arcs, driving them forward.  The sheep arrived at the pen, hardly knowing how they got there, panting with fear.

The sheep huddled together, worried about the dog.  But he was gone.  They sighed in relief.

They didn't see the wolf slinking off into the distance.





Last spring I started some coleus from seed.  I always find that coleus is slow to grow at first but quite a few of the seeds germinated and I put them together in a large pot on the back deck where they got morning sun.  I didn't pay much attention to them but as the summer progressed and they grew bigger, I started to really enjoy their colourful leaves. It seemed a shame that soon the frost would kill them and that would be the end of them.  I decided to take some cuttings to overwinter in the dining room.
I cut shoots about 4" long and dipped the ends in rooting hormone.  I was feeling cheap and decided to just plant them in 4" pots( reused) in garden soil instead of buying potting mix.  In a week or so, they had all rooted. I'm really pleased that it worked so well.  Because they don't need full sun, they will be fine on a table set back a couple of feet from the window.  In the spring, I will pot them into bigger pots and give them a good pinch so that they branch out more.




It's such a pretty collection of colour.

   I also started some pink-polka dot plants last spring.  This one (actually two) is a red variety. It was much larger but I gave it a real prune and so it's a manageable size again.  I read that pink-polka dots are a short-lived perennial and sometimes die after they have bloomed.  The pink ones I grew, which got to about 12" tall, were starting to bloom.  Again it seemed a waste, after starting them from seed, to just say goodbye to them so I have taken cuttings and am trying to root them in water. Internet advisers suggest that the cuttings be potted in soil when the roots are 2" long.  It's only been a week and no sign of roots yet but I do see some swelling near nodes so I guess the roots will come out soon.  I change the water every 2 days.
I bought these three geraniums on sale at the very end of the bedding plant season from the grocery store.  I only paid .99c each.  I didn't feel like potting them up so I just kept them limping along in the original pots. In February, I will start fertilizing them and get them going more vigorously and then in April/May I can take some cuttings.  I'll pot up the original plants into bigger pots.  

I tried to take some cuttings from larger geranium plants I had in the garden in September but they didn't root even though I used rooting hormone.  I had good success taking cuttings in the spring so I guess with geraniums the season is important. 

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

A Story - "Drone Flight" and Minnie Pearl Phlox, Evening Primrose, Wild Daisy, Mauve Clematis

A Story


Flying over the Icelandic moonscape, the drone smoothly closed in on the volcano.  At a safe distance, the operator took zoom photos of the lava flows, the crater.  Toxic gases drifted erratically threatening the lungs of the oblivious tourists lounging in the mineral waters of the Blue Lagoon a few miles away.  South of the volcano, Grindavik valiantly tried to hold the lava back with huge earth berms but, in a couple of spots, the black lava dripped ominously over the walls.

The drone's battery became low.  The operator regretfully terminated the dramatic flight over Iceland from his Colorado office.







Minnie Pearl phlox is an early blooming, shorter phlox. It helps to bridge the gap between spring and summer flowers blooming in the middle of June. It's not always easy to find but it is hardy and super reliable.

These evening primrose were initially given to me about forty years ago.  I have divided it and moved it around and enjoyed it every June.  It is somewhat aggressive so it needs to be planted where it can be managed with other strong growers.  If it's planted at the edge of the garden, the lawn mower can keep it in check. In the fall, the leaves turn a lovely dark red. It blooms best in full sun but will still give you plenty of colour in a shadier location.
The native daisies are so pretty I let a patch grow in our back lawn.


Here is a pale purple clematis I've had for several years.  Clematis like to have cool roots but sun for the top growth so you can either mulch the roots with hard scaping (rocks, patio stones, etc.) or put down wood chips.  Another way to keep the roots cool is to plant low growing, shallow rooted plants near it. I have pulmonaria near this one.

There is a lot of hoopla about how to prune clematis.  In my zone 4 garden all the clematis that survive the winter bloom on new growth.  I am very haphazard about pruning them and find they grow well no matter what I do. A little bit of slow release fertilizer in the spring will give them the nourishment they need for the season.



Tuesday, June 11, 2024

A Story - "Pause" - Pink Poppy, Hosta, Pink Rose, Astrantia, Lamium

A Story

This story is the bookend to the last story, "Attack".

Pause

When I remember the first year of Covid, I think of anxiety, sorrow, death, the world on pause.  I remember masked faces, people six feet apart, direction arrows in the stores.  I remember people scrambling to figure out work from home, parents overwhelmed as they cared for children while on video meetings.  I remember family and friends not able to visit or to travel to get home.  So much stress, so much uncertainty, so much pain.

But I will also remember the sky: so breathtakingly clear, so unbelievably blue, so incredibly beautiful. How it filled me with joy and hope.







I really like this frilly pink Oriental poppy.  It's so flouncy. I have some regular reddish orange poppies but this poppy is the one I look forward to. Oriental poppies are very hardy and reliable.  Mine are in a location that gets spring sun and part-shade for the summer.  They like adequate moisture. They will survive with dry conditions but will not bloom very well.


This interesting hosta is Snake Eyes.  I bought it from Botanus. I haven't seen another hosta with this kind of leaf markings. I also like the fact that it has decent vigor in its growth habit.  I have some other newer hostas that have nice leaves but they hardly get any bigger.  I have some old varieties of hostas that get really big but it seems the new varieties are bred for leaf colour and shape but not good growth.


This pretty Knock-out rose has survived for several years in my zone 4 garden.  I like the classic rose shape of the blooms.  The only downside is it doesn't have any scent.  Not prone to blackspot or other diseases. With my winters, there is always some die back so it doesn't get taller than 2-3'. Not super bushy but it is a reliable bloomer and will rebloom later in the summer.


I like the unique flowers of astratia (masterwort). No other flower is quite like them.  This pretty white one has pink ends to the flowers as they mature. The flowers are about 1- 1 1/2" wide and grow in clusters.

I had a failed attempt with astrantia several years ago.  I think the key is to have a constant level of moisture.  They like to be damp but not soggy and definitely not dry.  I mulched around this plant with some hard mulch - left over flooring, and it really appreciates the root protection. It is in a part shade location which it likes. It makes a nice big clump without getting out of control.  Does not spread by runners.
This red astrantia, which isn't fully open yet, was a pleasant surprise.  Two years ago I planted two bareroot plants and only one sent up leaves.  However, this spring the other one sprouted and now I have a lovely dark red astrantia.  I had a similar thing happen with a bare root giant fleeceflower.  It only sprouted the third year but has kept growing nicely since.  Don't give up on your bare root plants.
The lamium, geranium,  and euphorbia make an interesting combination.  The flowers of the lamium and geranium are exactly the same pink which helps to give the area a cohesive look.
 

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

A Story - "Attack" and White Rose, Columbine, 3 Iris, Early Lettuce

A Story

This story is about how our immune system fights off infection. Inspired by Covid but based on research. Quite amazing really.

Attack

The scouts came back with alarming news.  The enemy had infiltrated their territory.  Quickly, elite first responders spread out, stealthily searching for and swiftly attacking the foe.  Messages zinged throughout the area co-ordinating the operation, and special coded signals were dispatched to confuse the enemy.

Reinforcements struggled to replace the injured and dead, so chemical warfare was released strategically lethally.  Special sharp shooters stalked and eliminated fortified pockets of the hostile force.  Massive units arrived to surround and destroy entrenched enemy strongholds.

The battle feverishly raged on but finally, victory.

The Covid-19 test was negative.







Blanc Double de Coubert is a hardy rugosa rose with a lovely fragrance.  Plant habit is kind of scruffy and the flowers are delicate but they are so elegant and smell so nice.  I have found a new Youtube channel for all my rose questions :  Fraser Valley Rose Farm. Very good presenter with clear advice. He also grows some perennials. Some of his plants can be ordered through the mail but most are only available in his location.


I got this columbine last summer when the plants were on sale.  I have already had both the blue and pink version of this double Winky columbine and found them to be durable and bloom well.  I bought four of them but one mysteriously died.  Not sure why. Maybe something ate the roots. The bees like these columbine even though they are double. They are best in a part shade location and are hardy to zone 4.
So I have three different kinds of iris blooming right now.  These ones are Siberian iris in two different colours. They like to be wet. I wanted them in a drier location so I just kept giving them a good drink every few days, plus we did have quite a few rainy days.


This little iris, Bristly Iris, is native to some parts of North America.  It is only about 16" tall.  It can deal with wet or dry locations.  This one gets rain off the roof and is in a partly shady spot.  I was surprised to see a bumblebee go to each of the three petal areas and then later a swallowtail butterfly was feeding at it.


Here is a standard bearded iris.  An old variety so it's not as flashy as some new cultivars.  Bearded iris like a hot, dry full-sun location with their tubers partly exposed.  If they are not in a suitable location, they may still bloom but will likely flop over.



 The first planting of lettuce is doing well.  I started it inside in April. The challenge for me is not to start too many plants.  Do I need twenty lettuce at any time? No.  The seeds germinate so well and you get so many in a package  I find it hard to restrain myself. Fortunately, Pepper, my horse, will eat over grown lettuce.  I have made a new planting as lettuce gets bitter once it has reached maturity. Successive plantings are the way to go with lettuce and allow you to have fresh lettuce up until frost.

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

A Story - "Her True Self" and Tree Peony, Purple Allium and Alpine Aster

 A Story

Her True Self

When she was a little girl, her grandma called her a sweet angel.

When she was in school, her teacher called her a brilliant student.

When she went to university, her peers called her a trailblazer.

When she got married, her husband called her his soulmate.

When her world fell apart, she had no idea who she was.  Friends and family tried to find the right words to stop her floundering, but their words evaporated like the mist.

All alone she reached out to God and finally she found out who she was.  His beloved child.



My tree peony bloomed nicely this year.  Although the plant is reliably hardy in my zone 4 garden, some years the buds don't make it through the winter. 



The flowers are quite fragile and if the days are hot or windy they will only last a couple of days. This year the weather was cooler and they lasted about 5 days.  Yesterday we got rain and today all the petals have fallen off.  I enjoy the lovely flowers while they last.

The purple allium is super dependable.  I like the way these plants are shimmering in the shady location. The wind was blowing the tree branches and the light kept changing making the purple flowers sparkle in the breeze.
I bought 3 alpine asters the other day.  I really like the periwinkle petals with the strong yellow centres.  They should be hardy in my zone but they need well-drained soil. I hope the location I picked will do. They will bloom for several weeks into mid summer. 

The bees and other pollinators like all of the above plants.


Monday, May 20, 2024

A Story _ "Perfect Fix" and Feathery Muscari, Pansies, English Daisy and Mini Solar Birdbath Pump

A Story

Perfect Fix

Jenna was skating on the famous Ottawa Rideau Canal, thirteen kilometers of frozen delight. Figures skaters twirled and swirled.  Turbo-charged hockey players zoomed by her.  Jenna glided cautiously, a tourist soaking up the playful atmosphere.

Suddenly, her skate pick caught the ice, throwing her down hard.  Her right knee zinged with pain.  A hero braked sharply, held out his arms.  "You need a beaver tail."

Confused, Jenna gratefully grabbed his hands and hung on to his arm as he guided her to a snack shack.  He ordered hot chocolates and delectable deep-fried cinnamon doughnuts, shaped like beaver tails.

Perfect fix.


This is a feathery muscari which isn't offered very often by the bulb companies.  This is its third spring in my garden and this is the first year that it has opened properly so that may be why it isn't seen so often. We had a lot of rain in late April and early May so maybe that's what it needs.  It is flopping a bit as the location is fairly shady. It is a lovely periwinkle blue colour unlike the regular grape hyacinths that are more dark purple. The feathery muscari grows to about 6-8" high.




I had planted four columbine in a row.  They all came up just fine but then one died so I needed a replacement plant.  I decided on this pretty pink English daisy which, where I live, will likely only last the summer. If I see the same double columbine as the one that died, I may buy another one to replace it.



Some pansies to brighten a partial shade spot.
 
I saw a mini fountain set up on the internet and decided to try one out. It is a small submersible pump powered by a solar panel (4" square).  I bought a plastic cup and drilled a hole in the bottom and cut away a bit on the top end to allow the wire to go out.  I flipped up the cup and put the colourful top on the bottom that is now the top. The pump has a suction cup to keep it in place and it goes inside the cup. The pump works when the sun shines on the panel but not when it's cloudy or dark. I had bought a green bowl to go with the green cup but it was too small and too much water was landing on the deck when the pump was at full force. I am enjoying the sound of the water and it was so easy to set up.  I am hoping some birds might like it, too. 

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

A Story - "The Lemmings" and Virginia bluebells, Forget-me-not, Tulips, Bleeding Heart

 A Story

The Lemmings

"It's a beautiful day for a jump," enthused Frank Lemming.  "Let's sing our happy song as we mosey over to the cliff."

The crowd around him cheered.

"Why are we jumping?" asked a young lemming.

"Everybody's doing it," was the reply.

Becky and Joe Lemming watched nervously.  They knew about gravity but people didn't want to listen to their warnings about it.

"Here we go," shouted Frank as he stepped off into space.  The others followed.  No one cried out in fear. They didn't believe in gravity.

Becky and Joe couldn't bear to watch the devastation and sadly crept home.


Virginia bluebell is a native plant in Virginia.  It makes a lovely clump of blue bell-shaped flowers tinged with pink.  When the weather gets hot, the leaves die back but it is a hardy perennial. Click on photo for full-width picture.


A couple of vibrant lily shaped tulips. At the edge of the forest something ate a few tulip flowers. Likely was a deer wandering through. They definitely like tulip flowers.


This is a combination I bought from Veseys last fall.  I really like the colour combination of the lemony daffodils and maroon tulips.  The only thing I don't like is that the tulips are much shorter than the daffodils. The bloom times do coincide which is what I was hoping for.


A nice patch of tulips that keeps coming back year after year. The cooler temperatures this spring have kept the blooms fresh for a couple of weeks. These tulips are in a bed that is a bit raised and is quite dry due to trees nearby but tulips actually like being dry in the summer and it can help with reblooming the following year.  They get full sun in the spring and will be in partial shade in summer.


Yes, I know dandelions are a weed but don't they look lovely surrounded by the mixed colours of the forget-me-nots? Forget-me-nots are biennial so they pop up in a variety of places.  Some will spontaneously bloom in pink or white.


Bleeding heart is one of my favourite spring flowers. They look pretty with the blue brunnera. Bleeding heart can be easily divided in spring or fall.  They enjoy partial shade and a humus rich soil that holds moisture but isn't soggy.