Hollyhock heaven

I am absolutely astounded at these hollyhocks!  Look at the colours!  They are at least 8 feet tall.  These were volunteers that I sort of repositioned when they weren't looking to the south side of the house.  Apparently they love their new space because they are rewarding us with the most delightful blooms.  I love it when things seed themselves, and being new to gardening about 3000 feet, I honestly don't know what will survive and what will give up after a season.  The Hollyhocks are troopers for sure and a wonderful old fashioned addition to the side garden.  Since they are performing so well, I'm going to let them go to seed and see if they decide to march down the length of the garden.  That would be fun.

I am trying out a new lens for my camera - a canon F2.8-60mm macro lens. What a beauty!  In the "old" days, when I shot film, I used an Olympus OM-1, with an f2.8 -50mm lens almost exclusively and I loved it.  I loved honing in on the bee in the flower.  On Sunday, out with a friend to an outdoor jazz concert, I was distracted by the swarm of bees in these purple flowers. The nectar in those flowers, apparently, was an irresistible attraction. I wish I could tell you what the plant is.  I'd love to know.
 I was able to get in close with this lovely new lens and get a few shots of the bees in action.  The other shot is nostalgic.  My Grandmother Landry was very fond of Oxalis.  In the family we call it Grandma Landry's clover.  My little plant is in bloom right now with the most delightful tiny pink flowers.  I've hauled that plant with me over three moves in the last 3 years, crazy person that I am.  I was very afraid it might have died in the winter but here it is, I'm thrilled to say.
The new afghan is growing slowly.  Right now it is very hot here, and knitting with a growing wool blanket on my knees is not good.  But being as how the Olympics are on, and being as how the downstairs stays pretty cool even in this heat, the afghan and I are spending time in front of the telly cheering on the Canadian team.
Afghan pictures to follow soon.

Mid July in the garden

All the hard work is paying off.  The tomato plants are healthy, and fruit is forming.  the cucumber plant is alive - and well...we'll see how it goes there.  We have brussel sprouts.  Some things worked well.  Some didn't... but my, it's been fun making this new garden. 

One of those days

Sometimes I just have to make a list of everything I have accomplished in a day, in order not to beat  myself up for what I haven't done.  What is with that, I ask you.   I've made two loaves of bread today, one a kettle loaf - my favourite - and one for sandwiches for Scott.   Well, technically the second loaf is rising and hasn't gone into the oven yet...but it will before long.  And the "no-knead-kettle-bread" is sitting on the breadboard, just begging to have the crust cut off, slathered with butter and eaten. 
Libby and I have been for one walk and as soon as it cools down, we will venture into the back yard to play with her new yellow frisbee and then go for a second walk.  Our river walks have been severely curtailed with all the flooding, the humidity, and the mosquitos in the river valley.   I'm teaching her to jump through a hoola hoop too.  She looked at me yesterday like she couldn't quite make out why she should go through this strange plastic circle I was holding in the air.  Funny little dog.
I have been to a guild meeting this morning.  I have high hopes for this guild and for the cameradry that will be there for me.  The Wild Rose Quilting Guild meets once a month in Cochrane at Addi's quilt shop.  This particular guild specializes in applique.  And what an amazing bunch of creative women they are!  I hope I can be part of it.
I have taken the bins out to the back alley for tomorrow's pick up.   And I have crocheted two applique flowers to add to the stash.    I'm also working on some leaves.  So there you have it, a "small things" day all round but still better than nothing. 

Crocheting purses

  It's been so hot here for the past few days that I can't bear to go outside.  I've been huddled in my studio with the fan blowing while I finish work on the five bags that will be the next "flight" to go up on the ETSY shop.  Even with the windows open in the back on the north side, and the entire front of the house, which faces south, shut up, and all the fans blowing, the inside hovers over 27 degrees celsius by supper time.  This is not good for my state of mind.  Libby and I venture out first thing in the morning for her constitutional, and then she beetles down to the basement and hibernates with the rabbits. I disappear into the studio and turn the fan on high.  

I'm very pleased to have finished these five bags. I pinned them up on our new trellis to have their pictures taken.  Each is it's own self. I found some great buttons in my stash.  And I made crochet flowers for the red bag.  And I have lined every bag, putting pockets in the two largest ones.  The grannie square bag is a good shopping bag size, or travelling project size.  They go down in size from there to the smallest one which is 4" by 6" , nice little evening bag size.  It has been a satisfying few days. 

Up in the Air birdmen

I walked out my front door this morning for my morning walk with Libby the intrepid border collie when what did my ears pick up?  The unmistakable sounds of two small planes - and not just any two small planes.  Both of us looked up (Libby tracks planes - sight dog that she is) and what did our wondering eyes see but two Snowbirds, those gorgeous little red and white acrobatic planes we in Canada are so proud of, flying in tight formation right over my house.  Very auspicious to my way of thinking. 
I was thrilled to see all nine Snowbirds fly their show a year ago, and I have seen them many times during my time on Vancouver island.  They are a sight to behold.  One time our little seaside town was privileged to have a special flying show just for us.   They even made a big smoke heart and then flew an arrow through it to the wild cheering of everyone on the beach.   Fly on Snowbirds!

Canada Day here and there

Last night a killer storm full of hail, lightening and thunder blasted through here and I watched in horror as it pounded away on my new little garden.  But...we survived , the pansies took the worst hit, but they will recover, and we move on.
We move on to the smashing success of the Potato Barrel!

Now, I'll admit this probably isn't the most elegant potato barrel you've seen.  It's an abandoned metal garbage can with holes punched in the bottom for drainage.  I followed the instructions, obediently putting a few inches of soil and compost in the bottom, then the potato seeds and then covering them with more dirt - the deal is every time green appears, cover them again.  And now, like layering a lasagna - green, dirt, green, dirt, -  the green potato leaves  finally have fought their way to the top of the barrel.  I'm that proud!  Hopefully there will be a wonderful potato harvest come September. 
It's Canada Day Weekend.  The Bow river is still extremely high and the colour of chocolate milk, so most of our lovely paths by the river are under water much to Libby's dismay.  We persevere though and she comes home wet and full of sand from dipping herself in the edge of the water, diving for rocks to bring me.  Dear silly little border collie dog. 
It's time to go and light the new barbeque.  Steaks and baked potatoes on the barbie for supper tonight, and fresh salad greens from the garden.  Happy Canada Day!