Wednesday, March 13, 2024
This and That on a Mid-March Day
Monday, March 4, 2024
It's March ~ Tuesday 4
Monday, February 28, 2022
March Weather or Not!
Welcome back to another Tuesday 4 in honor of Toni Taddeo it's founder.
They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Sometimes it is the reverse. March has a lot of happenings like March 1st the start of Mardi Gras, the 13th is Daylight Savings Time, the Ides of March on the 15th, St Patrick's Day on the 17th, the first day of Spring on the 20th this year March 29-31 are the "borrowing days" when weather is traditionally rough or stormy.
1. Do you celebrate Mardi Gras or St. Patrick's Day and how do you celebrate them?
I do not celebrate Mardi Gras or St. Patrick's Day. These two days were never a part of the celebrations in the town and the region where I grew up.
2. Do you decorate for the spring in any way at all?
I do not decorate for spring. When spring arrives that is all the decoration I need. There are beautiful cherry blossoms aplenty and many early blossoming plants all around. (Photos ~ blossoms from March 2021)
3. Daylight savings time doesn't make the day longer. Experts say it puts kids heath at risk as well as contribute to heart problems for adults. Arizona and Hawaii don't change times. It began as "war time" so war workers in WW2 could come home in the light. What about you though? Are you happy to see it return or not?
I do not like to see the time change in spring or in fall. I have a hard time adjusting to even a small time change. Many feel the same way such that our provincial government has passed legislation to keep the same time all year long. It hasn't been implemented yet. I guess we are waiting for our neighbours to the south (Washington, Oregon and California) and our neighbour to the north (Yukon Territory), to do the same thing so we can all be in the same time zone. Our government enacted the change a few years ago. It looks like we could be waiting a very long time for our neighbours. I have no idea why the government needs to wait. Other Canadian provinces have already made the change permanent.
4. How has the weather been in your neck of the woods as March approaches. What would be your ideal for weather?
The weather here has been a little of this and a little of that and a lot of rain. We had snow just a few days ago too though it's a bit late for that. The very short video below shows how fast the snow was flying. It looked quite pretty.
The last of the snow was washed away by the rain on Friday.
My ideal weather is spring weather or early summer with temperatures anywhere from 18C to 25C and the sun shining. I love moderate weather in any season but the ideal weather for me allows me to get out and enjoy a walk, enjoy the spring blossoms or early summer colour and not get too warm while outside.
I'm ending with a few sunflowers that I grew some time back. Apparently sunflowers are associated with the Ukraine so I share them to represent solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
Ukrainian Flag |
Thursday, February 20, 2020
A Bit of Sunshine
Croci coming up |
Two new leaves have come out since mid-December (the small ones at the top). |
When I purchased the two plants this one in the top photo didn't look like it would survive. The large leaf at the top had some holes in it. I'm not sure what causes the problem but it doesn't seem to have gotten any worse. I've called her Mary.
The other plant looked healthier but was very slow to grow a new leaf. One has come out and a second one has been looking to sprout over the past week or more. It might take awhile longer. I've called this one Harry and he is a big brother to Mary.
I've heard it said that one should talk to their plants. This idea has been around since the late 1800s and has actually been a subject of a small study. You can read more about it here. I've never been one for talking to plants but I try it now and then. Truth be told, long ago when my late mom started growing indoor plants, she talked to them because she heard from someone that talking to them helped them grow. She had tremendous success with her plants.
The smaller, lighter green leaf in front is the new one. Can you see the little green shoot coming out? |
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Spring is Here
I hope you are all doing well as the new week begins.
I had a pleasant surprise as the last week came to a close. Debbie over at the blog She Graces Her Home in God's Grace touched me when she gifted me with a beautiful book and journal. It is perfect for me at this time because I've been thinking of journalling during my prayer time and this beautiful book and journal will get me going in the right direction. Take a wander over to Debbie's blog and you will see what a gracious woman she is. The black, gray and white afghan the books are on is my latest project, a crocheted afghan. I think this will be my first make (not my last) of 2019.
I've been super busy trying to get everything organized for spring.
I know some people no longer believe in Spring cleaning. They say if you clean all through the year there is no need for Spring cleaning. I'm not sure I believe that because I do daily cleaning and larger clear outs and clean ups in between. But I always find that come Spring I can see dirt, dust and grime that accumulates over months and as the light improves I can see things that need a good cleaning. Plus I find that living in a smaller home one tends not to move things around too often because it is a lot of work. So some things need a good spruce up every now and then.
This past week I've been washing down a number of things:
1) bathroom doors and walls
2) bathroom fixtures and installed new shower curtain
3) kitchen cabinets (outside only, insides will come later as time permits)
4) a few pieces of Royal Doulton china (Old Country Roses pattern).
I don't have a china cabinet, nor do I want one. These days my few pieces of china sit on a shelf atop the microwave.
It's also time to get the patio cleaned up and I've made a good start by
1) plucking all the dead growth and leaves
2) piling all the garbage in bags readying them to take to the garbage room
3) washing all the garden gloves to make sure they are clean and ready for the gardening season (I probably should have done this last year. I had good intentions but never got to it.)
4) scrubbed down the large patio table and put up the patio umbrella(this is where I sit with family and friends)
5) scrubbed down the smaller, round patio table (this is where I do my planting).
Photo taken before I washed down the tables. The pavers need a good wash too. |
Last year I purchased plastic table cloths from Dollarama for both patio tables. It helped to keep the tables clean of grit and grime. I know it's not that great for the environment to use all that plastic but it was labour saving for me and with some of my health challenges this is important. I was going to wash and save the ones from last year but by the end of season they didn't look like they would last through a good wash.
I also made it to my new community allotment to clear out the debris and put in the fertilizer. I will return this week to see if there is any more fertilizer I can add before I plant.
The plot before cleaning. |
I need to think about what I want to plant here at home and at the community allotment and see what I have on hand before making a trip to the stores for seeds, fertilizer and so forth.
This past week has been all about baking and cooking from scratch for make ahead meals. I've made home made bread and lots of lasagna for freezing ahead. Lasagna is something I seldom make but I felt like having some so I made enough to last awhile. It will help me during the busy week ahead to have something on hand to take out of the freezer and eat with a green salad.
Dough is rising. |
I've finished a book that I received from a woman who also has a community garden plot. I found the book quite entertaining as it is an account of one woman's effort to grow food and raise animals for food while living in Oakland, California and the interesting and sometimes funny situations that arose.
I leave you with some signs of Spring in my part of the world. Like many people, Spring is one of my favourite seasons
Monday, April 23, 2018
A Busy Week
Most of us have become aware that machinery and equipment of various kinds are no longer built to last even if they don't become obsolete due to technological advances.
It feels good to clean in nooks and crannies and get all the dust bunnies out.
Soon I will need to prepare the garden.
In the meantime I've started some seeds, both flowers and vegetables. This is the first year of starting my garden mostly from seed. Usually I purchase starter plants because I'm often behind schedule.
This year due to late warming weather, I think I can garden in the old fashioned way which is how everyone did it when I was younger.
I've put together several completed books to gift to my hairdresser tomorrow. I usually get books on loan from the library but from time to time I purchase a novel or two from the thrift stores. I often return them to the thrift stores once I'm finished but this time I am happy to give them to someone I know enjoys reading.
Considering they live so far away it was touching to know they made time for me.
This particular set of relatives always does.
It's always nice when someone remembers me on my birthday and I try to remember special days of friends and family members.
I missed out on a lot of them but there are still some beautiful ones around.
I hope you enjoy the few I've posted here in this space today.
I think this variety of cherry blossom is the Prunus kanzan or the Prunus serrulata.
Sadly the trees are getting rather old and I never see anyone pruning or tending to them but they are still blossoming each year and bringing a lot of joy to me and to others.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Spring Is Here
Two months ago, I said that Spring was coming, lol. We had signs of new life in the garden. Sadly it ended up being quite cold for much of the time since but at last I think we've turned the corner. We've had glorious sunshine and warm temperatures this past week.
Currently we are back to rain but the sun will return in a few days. I am enjoying the cherry, apple and plum blossoms at this time of year. I took these photos in my neighbourhood and deliberately shot into the sun on a hurried trip to the market. I would like to get out to other parts of the city to enjoy more blossoms if I have time before these fleeting blossoms are gone for another year.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Spring Has Arrived
Also, last year I didn't even clean the garden or plant it. A friend of mine cleared all the dead leaves and plants and my brother planted the garden with various seeds and starter plants I bought. The birds unfortunately demolished and ate everything that did grow. It seemed they were rather more destructive last year than any other year. I'm not sure why. Though I didn't get to eat anything from the garden, I am glad that at least the birds got what they need. This year I will try again but I hope to eat the fruit of the labour.
I have my little kitchen compost ready so I can store vegetable and fruit scraps in there before it gets added to the larger compost bin on the patio.
The kitchen compost pail. I've used other pails, like old ice cream pails and coffee cans but they didn't keep the odours contained. |
The patio composter. |
I will have to buy a few perennial flowering plants. Other than that I will primarily plant vegetables. I will also have to use some kind of netting to protect the seeds and plants from being eaten before they have a chance to grow.
These are supposed to be some kind of spring flowers. I haven't actually "tidied up" the garden this Spring as it has been too cold but I hope to do it soon. |
This past weekend of sunshine finally brought out the tree blossoms.
A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
Song of Solomon 4:12Please click here to join others for Our World Tuesday. |
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