A Story - "Pick-axe Hard" - Red Leaves and Pickaxe for Loosening Hard Soil

A Story

Pick-axe Hard

"It had been a dry summer and the untended garden space had solidified into unyielding hardpan.  

Carol's mother, Margaret, lived overseas, far from family.  She stubbornly refused to move closer.

A regular shovel wasn't going to make much headway with the garden soil.  It called for serious action. A pick-axe would be needed.

 Margaret wandered around her house, dusting old photographs, rearranging decorative items bought years ago.

The pick-axe easily dug into the earth.  The heavy sharp point loosened the soil and any interfering rocks.  

The heart attack that landed Margaret in the hospital had come without warning. Painful and earthquaking.

The blade of the pick-axe dug a wider swath and prepared the flower bed for the spring bulbs.

After Margaret was stable, Carol made arrangements for her to come to her home.

In May, the daffodils sprouted and bloomed their cheerful yellow trumpets.

Margaret sat in a garden chair and couldn't help enjoying the daffodils. When her granddaughter came to visit, she drew her grandmother a picture of the daffodils with a heart above her signature.  Their relationship was blossoming."

 

When confronted with very hard soil, I usually use a pick-axe to loosen it up. Because a pick-axe is fairly heavy, I don't have to lift it much above the soil surface, only 8-10", for it to easily go into the soil. I start by digging with the sharp pointed end, and then continue with the blade end. I find it much easier than trying to dig the hard soil with a shovel or a garden fork.

A pick-axe is also great for grubbing out shrubs and small trees.  The blade is powerful enough to cut through the roots and then I can pull up the whole plant so it's less likely to reshoot. The pick-axe is not a fancy high tech or new tool but it is very useful.

I planted my daffodils and will be happy to see them next spring.

A Story - "When the Festivals Covered Tears" and a Lovely Fall View

A Story

When the Festivals Covered Tears

After Dad passed away, Mom's loneliness drove her to festivals: musical, cultural, gardening, fireworks.  Any kind would do.  She'd return with souvenirs, food containers, posters.  Her apartment began to fill with festival bling.

As her apartment grew messier and more crowded, she stopped having visitors.  When I suggested decluttering, she got angry.  Her collecting escalated to hoarding. Her living space became dirty and unsafe.

When Mom died, I ruthlessly purged her possessions.  I scrubbed every room spotless and tastefully arranged the pieces of furniture I had kept.  I put up a few colourful festival posters as a tribute to her festival visiting days.

When visitors came over, they exclaimed," Her apartment is beautiful. The festival posters reflect her vibrant life."

I kept my comments to myself.  They didn't need to know Mom had lived in squalor.

 

A beautiful view on a warm October day. The fall has been very dry but it is hard to complain when the sky is so blue, and the trees are turning colour. Soon I'll be planting some daffodils in a blank slate of a garden. I'll be happy to see their cheerful yellow blooms next spring.

A Story- "Nature's Friendship" and Coneflower, Sweet Pea, Bicolour Phlox, Lily, Pink Polka Dot.

A Story 

Nature's Friendship

After a last word of encouragement to the dependable perennials, she gazed round the full view of the gardens.  It made her smile to know that her drops of sweat had soaked into the soil.  Something of her would still be here.  A hummingbird whizzed by on its way to the feeder.  The different birds who had nested on her property and raised their families would be part of her legacy.  The next generation would know to come back to this haven.

She leaned her head back and admired the trees that had grown so tall over the years.  They had sheltered the house in winter, cooled it in summer. The wind in their leaves had whispered sweet songs to her.

But it was okay to move on.  It felt right to start a new chapter.  She walked over to her car.  As she pulled out of the driveway,  she prayed that the new owners would be blessed with many happy moments.

 All the echinacea flowers from the center to the right of the photo are on one plant. I've never had so many blooms on one plant - I counted at least 15 flowers and buds.

Some lovely fragrant sweet peas that I grew from seeds I saved last summer.  So many of the seeds germinated that the plants are rather crowded in the pot.  That means each plant has fewer flowers but it doesn't matter.  They still smell lovely.

This is all one plant. It was originally all bi-colour but now some stems are solid.  I like the combination of the different stems. The solid pink flowers match perfectly with the bi-colour flowers. Phlox has such a wonderful fragrance.  It's one of my favourite scented flowers.

I also really like the fragrance of lilies.  Some people find it overpowering but I enjoy it. Lilies are a dependable plants as long as you aren't plagued by red lily beetles.  I used to have trouble with them but I started inspecting the plants in May and getting rid of any beetles I saw and after a few years I was no longer troubled by them. I just squashed the beetles.  With beetles, I find the best way to catch them is to put one hand, palm up, under the leaf with the beetle and then try to trap the beetle with your other hand.  Usually the beetle will suddenly drop off the leaf but it will fall into the hand below.

Three pink polka dot plants that I started in spring  2024 and overwintered last winter in the basement.  They are in a nine inch pot and add a nice pop of colour in a part-shade spot that tends to dry out. I water fairly regularly but they can stand some dryness.  They can be  an alternative to coleus.

A Story - "When Baby Came" - Calla Lily, Native Black-eyed Susan, Astrantia, Hostas and Cherry Bell Campanula, Bridging colours, Aggressive Purple-flowering Maple.

A Story

When Baby Came

 Lisa sighed gently as Peter brushed her hair, stroke after stroke. His hands tickled her neck as he gathered her hair together to make a ponytail.  He playfully swung her hair and then kissed her on the cheek.  She turned to him, and drew him into a full kiss. They had always been deeply in love but now that she was pregnant, they felt even closer. Peter rested his hand lightly on her swollen belly and smiled when he felt the baby's foot pressing outwardly. They were already connecting.

A few weeks later, Lisa went into labour.  Peter, who had attended pre-natal classes with her, knew to massage her back. He sang her favourite songs and wiped her brow with a cool cloth. He told her how much he loved her and how special it was to have a baby with her. When she was finally delivering, he held her hand and never flinched when she squeezed with all her might. Lisa was so thankful to have such a devoted husband.

Baby made a grand entrance, crying heartily and turning a bright rose red. Lisa cuddled her and laughed at her comical face.  Peter, on the other hand, stared at Baby mesmerized, totally enraptured with her.

That was the beginning of the competition between Lisa and Baby.

The summer before last I got these calla lily bulbs for free at the end of the season in August.  I potted them up and they grew a bit before the frost.  I overwintered them in their pot inside, basically just neglected them in the basement.  Last summer, I put the pot outside and they grew nice leaves but no flowers. Finally this summer, I have blooms.  Very pretty and worth the wait. They like a sunny location with ample moisture in the growing season.

Gardening is always full of surprises.  This year  three native rudbeckia (hirta) have popped up around the garden. They are a biennial plant unlike the usual perennial rudbeckia (goldstrum).  Their leaves are narrow and hairy. I guess some bird dropped their seeds in our yard. I'm enjoying having them.

Astrantia is such an unusual flower - spiky yet soft. The white ones have subtle colour variations with touches of green and pink here and there. They form a nice big clump but do not wander.  They prefer a half-shade location and adequate moisture.  A mulch around them to keep the soil from drying out is preferable.

Some of my favourite hostas, especially the green one with buttery yellow centres. I don't remember what varieties they are.  In front of them are some cherry-bell campanula which for some reason decided to make a nice ground cover this year in an area that I have struggled to find a plant for.  Campanulas in general like sun but also adequate moisture. These ones are flopping because they are not in full sun. However, they are growing well because the soil is not drying out.

To transition from the hot orange campion to the cool pink lily, I planted in a couple of miniature red roses.  The red serves as a bridge colour.

Purple-flowering maple has attractive flowers and will later make red raspberry-like fruit.  It is native to my area (zone 4).  It makes a shrub up to 5' tall. Sounds nice? Not really.  It is very aggressive and I would gladly do without it.  I spend considerable time trying to root it out of my gardens. It is sometimes sold as a garden plant  but it is a real thug. I didn't plant it in my yard - it was already here as it is a native plant. The bees like it though and birds will eat the edible, but not tasty, fruit.

A Story - "Secret Pleasure" - Pink Winky Columbine, Air Plant Blooming, Old-Fashioned Iris, Foamflower, Gerbera Daisy

Secret Pleasure

The book club met every Thursday morning.  Lisa enjoyed the discussions about the books, but also the joking banter that got the group laughing.  Over the years, the group had become close.  

The members liked to share their latest projects.  Susan had started taking singing lessons.  Pamela was making stain glass ornaments.  Laura was volunteering with vulnerable children.  Tanya was trying out recipes from around the world.  Lisa was busy knitting socks but she also had a new hobby, one she didn’t feel comfortable sharing with the group. Even good friends can find certain interests unsettling.

In the evenings, Lisa was working her way through a college calculus course.

This is a pink Winky columbine. I have found that the Winky (blue and pink) columbine variety blooms better than the single types.  They like part shade and adequate moisture. Lovely little flower to start off the summer blooms.

One of the air plants sent up a couple of blooms this morning.  Fascinating plants that don't need any soil. They do need to be soaked in water every week or so, and occasionally given a weak liquid fertilizer in their water. I always use distilled or rain water.  This plant was put outside on a rainy day which is another way to water them. They like to be in a window that gets gentle sun.

Old-fashioned iris.  Not frilly or fancy but still very attractive.

The foamflower is literally growing on top of a rock. I guess the moss on the rock provides enough medium for it to hang unto and there would be a small amount of soil under the moss. Very pretty with blue Siberian bugloss and pulmonaria around it.

All six gerbera daisies that I overwintered in the basement survived until spring. I put them outside late April bringing them inside if there was frost.  In May, I planted them in the garden.  Now they are starting to bloom in the outside garden.  One of the plants was big enough that I was able to divide it into two plants.

A Story- "The Page Turned" - April Posey , Chickadee at Feeder

The Page Turned

The story had been moving along in a fairly mundane manner. Minor difficult disturbances and small pleasant surprises dotted the pages.  The overall curve of the plot proceeded along predictably, and glimpses of foreshadowing hinted at the probable denouement. 

But life can be special. You meet your soulmate in the most unlikely place.  You suddenly have a wonderful job opportunity that you never imagined you could get. You travel to a place that you always dreamed of visiting.

Yesterday does not predict tomorrow.  In the blink of an eye, the page turned for me and new excitement and life came streaming in. A new home full of family.

 

Some sweet April flowers.

In order to enjoy the frilly snowdrops, primulas and blue scillas, I put them in a glass bowl.

The small winter birds are still coming to the feeder although they aren't eating as much.  This feeder is squirrel-proof. The pegs that the birds sit on are spring loaded and will close access to the seed if a squirrel gets on it. Sometimes the squirrels try to stretch from the top down but the tube is just a bit too long and they end up falling to the ground.  After a few unsuccessful attempts, they go back to picking up the dropped seed on the ground. 

We will only feed the birds for another week. Feeding them in the summer is unnecessary and can attract mice and other undesirables.  In fact, a raccoon has been coming the last few nights and taking the lid off the metal garbage can that stores the seeds. We have tried tying the lid on with bungee cords but that doesn't stop the raccoon one bit. Surprisingly, he (she) doesn't spill all the seed on the ground - quite tidy about snacking on the seeds.

A Story - "One Way to Get Paid for a Painting" and Snowdrops, Gerbera Daisy, and Vegetables for My Eyes

A Story

One Way to Get Paid for a Painting

Humming a cheery tune, Rebecca sauntered over to her photography studio that was tucked into her backyard. The sun had finally chased away the rainy weather and she couldn't wait to get going on her latest project.

But when she got to the door, she realized that something was very wrong.  The door wasn't fully closed. Apprehensively, she listened with prickling ears and when she didn't hear anything, she gingerly nudged the door open. No one was there, but someone had definitely been there. Several pieces of expensive equipment were gone. Her fear transformed to anger and frustration.  Gritting her teeth, she took out her phone to call the police and the insurance company.

As she spoke to her insurance agent listing what items had been taken, she glanced around the studio, and suddenly she smiled and gave a little giggle.

The thief had stolen her acrylic landscape painting that she had never been able to sell at any of her shows.

She wished the thief luck trying to sell it on. 

After a long dull winter, there is nothing sweeter than seeing the little snowdrops.  This little patch was under a few inches of snow one day, the next day after some warmth, they were uncovered, already blooming.  Amazing. Snowdrops are very hardy and will slowly spread.  So far nothing has been eating them unlike the crocuses that chipmunks like. This patch is a double variety which you can't really see unless you tip the bloom up. 

Another gerbera daisy bloomed. This is the third one out of the six that I have been over wintering in the basement that sent up a flower shoot. All six plants have survived.  I kept them barely moist.  They look scraggly right now but they will perk right up when it's warm enough to put them outside.

Because macular degeneration runs in my family, I am making a more concerted effort to eat food every day that contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two nutrients that are suppose to help keep the macula healthy. In general, dark leafy greens, orange and yellow vegetables and fruits contain lutein and zeaxanthin.  So in my garden I will include beets (for the tops that I eat as greens), lettuce, peppers (Just Sweet in the photo), squash (butternut,  yellow and green zucchinis), cucumbers, broccoli, and hopefully cantaloupe.   Other vegetables that are good but that I can't grow in my garden are corn and sweet potatoes.