At Lac La Hache at a friend's ranch
Chloe and I are visiting our friends at Lac La Hache.It's magical here in B. C.'s Cariboo; even if we've caught a cold spell of -20 for a couple of days.
The horses here at the ranch don't care one bit.They have their beautiful velvet coats on.
This is Duke. He's the ranch dog and the most obedient, friendliest, snuggliest thing on 4 legs.He loves chasing ice and snowballs. Actually, he'll play fetch forever.
Just as we got here, Doug finished a massive hike thru knee-high snow back to the ranch because his snowmobile got stranded miles away.He enlisted Chloe as copilot and they rescued the wayward sled.This was the first time Clove ever drove a snowmobile and she loved it to pieces.
We were originally going to ranch-sit for a few days while our friends went on a Las Vegas holiday, but the world being what it is, they decided to be safe and cancel. Instead, they went out for dinner and a movie and a lovely stay overnight in the nearest city.
This meant that Chloe had the responsibility of holding down the fort ranch for a couple days.
The house is heated via this wood burner which needs fueling every morning and night. This means 4 sledges of wood daily.
But there's always time for tea.
The horses need tending to and moved from one pasture to another.
After their morning feed, Chloe has to try to move them.
Happily, all she has to do is ask Duke for help.He barks and herds them to exactly where they should be.
Ruby tries to help, but all she wants to do is eat the horse treats.
I'm completely in love with these purple shadows cast on this gloriously white snow. I know that purple shadows on snow are a bit ubiquitous, (kinda like sunsets), but who can resist them? I can't.
But just as I get a pristine shot lined up, one of the pups runs or digs thru it!
Ruby has been a bit of a city dog while Bryson has been in UBC, and is not quite used to the temperatures up here in the North, so we make sure we run the dog around a lot to keep them warm outside.
I did have a few hours to dedicate to a little sprig of ponderosa pine in my nature journal. (Note to self: get the photos up there on Instagram!)This is the first layer of watercolour. One or two more layers to go. Intricate little paintings like pine needle branches take so much time!Our first day went by in the blink of an eye.Soon it was sunset and time for all those stars not obstructed by city lights.
Tell you something.I could get used to this.
Happy Lunar New Year
Hi everybody,The new lunar year has begun. The year of the pig; which, incidently, is my year!Here in Vancouver, it arrived with a spring like feeling...
...but don't be fooled, February is an unpredictable month here.
I went to the local asian market to stock up on the kinds of things I needed to make the most of the festivities.
While I was walking around, I spied a sweet little paper pig hanging from the ceiling. I tried to find the decoration, but it seemed that that was the last one in the store.
So I picked up a bright and cheery lantern and asked a market person if I could buy the piggie hanging from the ceiling. He said yes, but would have to wait while he fetched the bar code for the checkout. So I agreed and waited.
While I was waiting, an older Chinese lady was choosing candies and I asked her what I needed for my festive eve.She told me I needed lotus blossom candies...although chocolates were fine.Her friend beside her said I also needed dumplings...and door stickers...and orchids...
...and a money plant...and fish.
I already have several jade plants and my orchids are blooming beautifully right now, so I picked up the lotus blossom candy, some chocolates, the dor stickers, some paper fish, and my little piggie, and headed home. The whole trip was so much fun, as was decorating the house with my red and gold treasures. I understand that they will now stay up until the 16th.
I've been feeding the birds in the garden...much to Morgan's delight. But don't worry, she wouldn't know what to do with a bird if it flew into her mouth.
But while feeding the birds I'm feeding the squirrels by default, and those squirrels and getting so fat that they took down one of the bird feeders!OK, maybe it wasn't the squirrel, maybe it was the frozen air that broke the rope, but the squirrels do have a habit of sitting in the feeder and noshing down on the bird seed.I don't mind, everyone has to make their way. It's an equal opportunity feeder.
I hope some of you had fun celebrating the lunar new year, and I hope that the year of the pig brings you much prosperity, happiness and health.
Hello from Sunday night
Oh my gosh! You know how I watch for the first winter blooms.I'm not a fan of winters and so look for signs of spring the day after Christmas.So it's no wonder that I'm anxious for the snowdrops to start blooming. I was so excited watching them every day because the whole shade garden just outside my dining room window is full of them.Then, this!
My car sunk and grew 6 inches overnight!
There was only one thing to do to drown my winter blues!
And then it rained and rained and rained for days.But suddenly, the sun came out.
The snow was gone in the city and reduced to the mountains where it belongs, and everything started to wake up.
Yesterday, was the first day that felt like a spring day.
Even Morgan felt it and ventured outside for a few minutes.
I did a little survey of the garden...
...and found the first sweet violet bud.It's a small thing, but I can't wait for the violets. I have a tiny vase which I've used for the first violet buds for a million years, so I had to get that out of storage.
It's time to trim the roses too.There may have been an increase of roses in the garden.Oh boy, it might turn into a full-time job soon!The other day I got an email from Select Roses, my favourite rose grower in the Lower Mainland, who is opening March 17th, and I can't wait to pick up a new rose.There might not be room in the garden, but still...lol
How has March come in for you?It's come in like a FINANCIAL LION for me!There's been car insurance, Chloe's wisdom teeth removal operation, and a broken, therefore new, kitchen faucet all in three days.Whew!
It's a good thing I grow some of my own fruits and veggies in my garden.
Along with some saved seeds from last year, this year I'll plant these packets.
And, speaking of bargains, I was at the local thrift and found a bird cage for $10.Now, keeping birds captive, actually any free spirits captive, is an anathema to me, but the cage has a beautiful structure and I thought it might make a great screen between me and the neighbours if I filled it with plants.It's covered in chicken wire zip tied to the original wires.
But look, clipping off the chicken wire showcases the simple, elegant shape.A small tag fell off of it and as it turns out, it's a $300 ferret cage!Whoosh!Don't you love thrift store bargains?I hope the vision of birdcage turned into a plant stand works out.Somehow I think it will.
Did you guys find any bargains lately?And, how's the season coming along in your little corner of the world?
Lately: Car port, Oxford, and lunch at The Vaults, plus video!
Hello everyone,
It's been quite the busy week round here. We've (when I say we, I mean Robert), have chopped down an apple tree.
It was a hard decision to chop it down, mainly because it was such a hardy and healthy tree, but we planned to put a carport up against the garage and, as much as we loved the occasional apple crumble, the best thing for us was to remove the tree.
So down it came. The wood will be used for fire wood plus a little of it will be handed out to friends for carving.And the best thing is that Robert won't have to pick up millions of apples from the ground.
Speaking of the apples, I put out a great big bin full for anyone to help themselves and some people did.
After several days of apple tree, clean up and building the foundations for our new carport, we took a trip into Oxford for the Thursday vintage and antique market.We were after a hat or two for our costumes for Saturday's Retro Festival.
We were not very successful with the hats, so went to have lunch at one of our favourite cafes, The Vaults.
The Vaults is a basement room under St Mary the Virgin church dating back to 1320. It served as the first ever library in Oxford belonging to the university of Oxford.
Now our friend Will Pouget runs the space as the most amazing organic cafe.
We ate our lunch on the patio and Will came for a lovely chat.Here is a little video of our day:https://youtu.be/m9n3ONuSrfE
On our way home we drove thru the neighbouring village of Appleton and I picked up enough beautiful dahlias from one of the roadside stands for four bouquets.
The post and video from our Retro Festival day coming tomorrow. :D
hello from Sunday night, and a goodbye
Hi everyone!Well, what a surprise weekend.We have a new family member. Please meet Asher Neal Roth, my brand new grandson, baby Mega.As his wonderful mother Chantal says, Megababy decided he wanted to be a Pisces and not an Aries like he was supposed to be.
Lucky for us. We're so in love.
And, lucky for Chloe because Chloe is leaving on Wednesday for Japan and will be away for 6 months and up to a year.
Chloe's already had a giant going away party with her friends, which lasted till 4am as only 20-something parties can last, but this weekend we had an open house for the rest of us who know the value of our sleep! And had some friends and family stop by.So we cleaned the house, baked a glazed ham and made some yummy potato salad.
Baked a brie and some banana bread, bought chocolate croissants made a pot of tea, and opened a few bottles of wine.
Friends and family came and said goodbye all evening.
Whew! What a wonderful and long weekend. :D
We'll miss our Chloe, won't we? But she promises to get her blog going full speed so we won't miss a thing. :D
Hello from Sunday night, the our little girls are here edition
Hello from over here on Sunday night everyone.We've had an amazing, fun, but tiring weekend.One wonderful bit of news is that Kerstie brought our little girls for a visit.Luckily the rain stayed away and we did a little gardening and a lot of playing. All three have a lingering cold, so we mostly just stayed at home.In one of the thrift stores we found a cabbage patch kid born in 1982, the same year as Kers, with red hair like Isla, so we bought her. I washed her by hand...mainly because I wanted to preserve her and also because I read that sometimes the 1980s hair colour can leach...and then hung her up to dry. Practical...that's me. Everyone said she looks creepy like that, but what are you gonna do? :D
The best granola and love poems for Valentine's Day
Happy Valentine's Day guys. :D I hope you have the best day.I've had several of you ask about my super healthy granola recipe and so here it is, mixed up with three of my most favourite love poems, because, Valentines!Poem 1 is very personal and just for you to keep in your pocket.Lorna Crozier from her book Sex Lives of VegetablesOnionsThe onion loves the onion.It hugs its many layers,saying, O, O, o,each vowel smallerthan the last.Some say it has no heart.It doesn't need one.It surrounds itself,feels whole. Primordial.First among vegetables.If Eve had bitten itinstead of the apple,how differentParadise.
The best crunchy gluten-free granola as adapted from the original recipe from my wellness centre-4 cups rolled oats-1 cup quinoa flakes, I use plain quinoa and not the flakes because I like the crunch.I usually mix the black and the sprouted. (If you're avoiding oats, feel free to use all quinoa flakes, millet flakes, or buckwheat flakes)-1 cup sunflower seeds-1 cup chopped almonds-1 cup chopped walnuts-1/2 cup sesame seeds-3/4 cup melted coconut oil-1/2 cup maple syrup (or honey when you’re on a gut bacteria cleanse) I always use raw honey.TO ADD AFTER IT'S BAKED:-1 cup pumpkin seeds (they explode if they're baked in the granola. Seriously! Actually, it's kind of fun and silly to have exploded pumpkin seeds :D )-1/2 cup - 1 cup flax seeds-1/2 cup - 1 cup Raisins, dates, goji berries or other dried fruit. I use dates and goji berries.-Shredded CoconutActually, there have been batches where I forgot and added all the ingredients together at the beginning, and nothing happened, (except the goji berries become crunchy and the pumpkin seeds explode...lol). Actually, it was just as fantastic.
DirectionsPreheat oven to 325 degrees, but some days I need the oven at 350 degrees because the granola isn't toasting. No idea what that's all about.Combine the oats, seeds, and nuts in a large bowl. In a small bowl, melt the oil in the microwave, stir in the honey and add to the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly.Spread on the baking sheet and bake for 30 -35 minutes. You can let it go for about 15 minutes safely, but then you MUST watch it and stir every 5 minutes to prevent from burning. Seriously! The edges like to brown fast so make sure you mix them into the middle.Then I mix in the last three ingredients and put it into the hot oven and let it warm up for another five minutes.
Poem number 2 for all of us who understand love is so much more complicated than red roses and chocolate.Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy from her book Love PoemsNot a red rose or a satin heart.I give you an onion.It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.It promises lightlike the careful undressing of love.Here.It will blind you with tearslike a lover.It will make your reflectiona wobbling photo of grief.I am trying to be truthful.Not a cute card or a kissogram.I give you an onion.Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,possessive and faithfulas we are,for as long as we are.Take it.Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring,if you like.Lethal.Its scent will cling to your fingers,cling to your knife.
I know! So true! Wipe that tear away and go reread that poem, I'll wait.
The third poem I have is a love poem to YOU, and is from one of the most amazing poets in my world.I know you probably read it a million times, but I know you will want to read it again.It's Mary Oliver's Wild Geese because you CERTAINLY ARE good enough for the world. I know! I know! You're welcome for the reminder.You do not have to be good.You do not have to walk on your kneesfor a hundred miles through the desert repenting.You only have to let the soft animal of your bodylove what it loves.Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.Meanwhile the world goes on.Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rainare moving across the landscapes,over the prairies and the deep trees,the mountains and the rivers.Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,are heading home again.Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,the world offers itself to your imagination,calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -over and over announcing your placein the family of things.
Oops, look, one more. For the true love. For your true love. For my true love. For Robbie. A very personal love. Pablo Neruda:“Of everything I have seen,it's you I want to go on seeing:of everything I've touched,it's your flesh I want to go on touching.I love your orange laughter.I am moved by the sight of you sleeping.What am I to do, love, loved one?I don't know how others loveor how people loved in the past.I live, watching you, loving you.Being in love is my nature.”
Happy day my loved ones. :D
A visit to historic Stewart farm
About an hour away from home, almost at the US border, is a little farm preserved since the 1800s. It's now run as a little museum/photo/wedding/school trip/other venue. We were driving out in that direction for a car show and I remembered taking a two day plein air session there about 13 years ago, and wanted to have another look.I'm so glad we stopped by because it's just such a little time bubble, and I love all things vintage and time bubble like. :DCome walk with me.From the front parlour, reserved for the occasional visitors, to the drawing room and the dining room table set for afternoon tea, this little jewel is so traditionally Victorian.And practical! You know, from the central cast iron stove to the bath room right beside the kitchen so the hot water doesn't have to be carried far, from the staircases relegated to the odd corners of the house, to the wrap around porch for maximum summertime enjoyment. Those Victorians knew how to build a home. Actually, as I walked around this house, it occurred to me that I own and use many of the household goods I see on display.On the farm grounds is a lovely garden with 20 ft tall sunflowers. The farm offers packets of seeds so I bought some for my garden here in Van. Among the packets I bought are Giant Russian sunflowers, a mix of annuals called The Children's Victorian Flower Garden Mix, and a pole bean called Lazy Housewife (apparently the first stringless snap bean).Further there is a beautiful old barn, an apple orchard and a well stocked root cellar.(sigh)Next life I'm so living on a Victorian farm.Sharing with Judith and the mosaic bunch.
Opening up the cabin 2015
It's time.It's time to open the cabin for the year. All winter the cabin sits in a frozen valley 200km from the door of my city house. It's still chilly up there, but the promise of spring is in the air.I took a lot of photos, and it's probably going to be quite boring for all of you who've seen the cabin before, but, you know what, mostly I write these posts with Robbie in my heart, (because right now we're apart.)So here we go, for Robbie, but also, most definitely, for you! :DDriving in, there was a small, dead birch across the access road. I moved it off to the side.
Outside the cabin Clover's and Kers' bespoke wind chime is still hanging up. They built it from the scrap iron they found along the railroad tracks, which are only about 100 ft behind the cabin.
The lake, (which is actually a pond, but the previous owner and all the neighbours always referred to it as "The Lake") has filled up already.
And the cabin is still standing after the winter!
I lit a fire to warm the cabin up and invite in the new year.
Then, a quick check: Kitchen's fine.
No mouse droppings on the stoves or counters! A year ago Robbie and I went all over the place sealing up any little hole that a mouse might pop thru, and guess what Robbie, we did a great job!
Dining area, living room all fine too. I didn't take the shutters off the bottom windows.
Fireplace working brilliantly, we'll need to chop some more wood this year though.Up the stairs to the sleeping loft...
...everything's just fine. No mice, clean linens, fluffy, warm duvets.
The games are all waiting to be played with.
It's lovely to look thru the contents of the vintage medicine cabinet. A photo of my grandfather camping, my aunt's silly doll from her studio, silver ore, a dried bat, a hummingbird skeleton, dragonfly wings, hand painted Easter eggs, C's silver baby rattle, love all these treasures.
Nothing is the worse for winter, nothing got knocked down by the vibrations of the passing trains.
Everyone is fine...if a little cobwebby.
On the property, the tool shed is fine. I think some mice snuck in under the door, but, since it's such a mess there anyway, nothing bad going on.Odds and Ends, the heritage train workers trailer guest cabin, will need a new roof and the metal chimney toppled off. Must do that this year before something happens to the interior.
A beaver's been thru and there are about 10 small trees...
...and one rather big tree down. There's our firewood, right there!
And I think you're right Robbie, some of the trees need to come down. Perhaps I'll talk it over with Jon, Kers and Clove and talk to Billy Jr and ask him to harvest that great big cedar right behind the cabin...maybe the one by the side door too. And the blue spruces in the meadow need to be trimmed up, and maybe some of the alders need thinning out too so we can see the meadow and the river from the cabin.
Apart form that, the porches need rebuilding and the broken window need replacing. (Darn Canada goose)So that's on the project list this year: Thinned trees, one small roof, one wrap around porch, and a window.
But guess what happened as I was locking up and leaving? I got the feeling that I was being watched!
From up high by the window of the loft. Who's that? Could it be a great horned owl?
It is!
Who is the luckiest girl in the world! That would be me. Who else do you know who has a great horned owl as the guardian of their cabin? :D I need to paint him, don't I?
Who's a spoiled princess?
That would be me! And it's not even Christmas any more. :D
The other day I spied the first snowdrop in my garden. So I ran out, picked it, and put it on my bedside table inside the little ink bottle where I've forced some forsythia, pussy willows and poplar twigs. Waking up to this little bit of captured spring makes me feel so very pampered.
But then, you'll never believe what happened next!A gift arrived from Norway, from my wonderful friend Vibeke. In it was this beautiful hat, the rosebud hat, which she knitted herself. Isn't she so clever to be able to knit such a beautiful thing? But I didn't just get the hat. V also included a lovely notebook and some tea. I absolutely love notebooks and absolutely love tea.
I've already worn rosebud on a walk at the beach and it's so soft and warm that I can tell it'll be a treasure for years to come. The notebook will be filled with daily positive thoughts, and, in that way, will also become a treasure for years. Thank you so much dearest V. If you all have a chance, go visit Vibeke's beautiful blog "a butterfly in my hair". Guaranteed you'll love it...and her...as much as I do. Oh, and I have a big secret to tell you. She will be hosting a humongous giveaway in the month of March as part of her birthday celebration, and some of my stacking rings will be involved.So I was just feeling spoiled to the max, when a lovely lady came to the door. Her name is Rosemarie and she reads my blog. She came to my Art in the Garden weekend, and has been keeping in touch ever since. She is so sweet. She brought me a beautiful little book and some Ms Grey tea.She had to send away for this sweet little book to Castleton, New York!!! It's called "If You're Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbows". It's written and illustrated by Cooper Edens.I love each and every page, like this one; which says:If tomorrow morning the sky falls, have clouds for breakfast.
And this one:If you have butterflies in your stomach, ask them into your heart.
Butterflies in the heart. I love that. Much better than asking them into my brain...which I must be doing because it's where they usually end up...butterfly brain...that's me. :D Thank you so much for your thoughtful gift Rosemarie.I also have to show you two other little gifts from two more thoughtful friends. My neighbour to my East snapped this photo of Morgan sitting on the old window box supports outside my bedroom window. My neighbour loved it so much that she made some cards from it and gave one to me. And, the last time I visited Dalyce, at my most favourite used book shop, she threw this little booklet into my selection of books for free. She's incredibly generous and always saves me old books, photos, pictures, old magazines, anything she thinks I would love or can use in my art.
Love this little booklet. It's written in that strong salesmanship style which promises financial freedom, untold riches and fame if only the customer buys the course. The 4 page, hand signed letter was written to a Mr. R. T. Williams P.O. Box Drawer 687, in Victoria BC on May 3 1921. I wonder if Mr. R. T. ever took the school up on it's SPECIAL OFFER FOR TWENTY DAYS ONLY SO ACT TODAY splashed in red all over the newsletter, and, especially since the cost is "a trifle" at $65, and 15 yr old Rob Brennan is already selling cartoons to a newspaper just days after beginning the course.Somehow, I suspect not, because the stamped return envelope is still there in the pocket on the first page.What fun for me to have this pristine little piece of history.
What ever shall I do with it now. I think I want to paint on it. Hey, do you know about my FB friend Mark Powell? He's the most incredible artist, and, like me, loves to draw on old documents. Except he uses black pens. He's amazingly talented. Bet he'd fill the pages with some wonderful portraits.Off now to gather my thoughts and maybe do some painting.Oh, Drawing challenge, if anyone would like to join, is hosted by our friend Joke right over here, and the the words are: The Unexpected. Pop over and tell her you're in and she'll link you up for the weekend. What fun we're having. :D