The Beach and Other Stuff.

The Honeysuckle is in bloom.  This is a plant largely ignored by me until one day I go by it and wonder where the most beautiful perfume I've ever smelled is coming from.   I wish I could bottle it and carry it around with me forever.  

The weather has been lovely.  I wish this would stay forever as well.  Winter will be here soon enough....not a season I look forward too.   My daughter and grandson came for a visit last week.  It was great to see them.   One evening after supper we went down to the beach.  It's only a few minutes walk down the road, something I should take advantage of more often.

Grandson on beach.

 Around the beach.

Pretty flowers in the garden.

Two of the boys enjoying the sunny day and one sleeping baby.

 

Another few Garden Pictures.

We had a lot of rain overnight during the week and found a leak in the ceiling.  When the rain held up I went up on the roof with the roof patch and think I found where the water was getting in.  I'll know for sure after the next heavy rain.  Fingers crossed.

The crows have been bringing a young one.  It hasn't gotten a handle on how to crow properly yet so it's quite funny to listen to the various sounds.  Lots of bumble bees in the garden and they are quite large.  There seems to be more butterflies than normal as well.  Have yet to see a dragonfly this year. 

There's a lovely soft wind this morning and I delight in the sound of the Aspens.  Especially in the early morning when I have the world to myself.  The rain has caused everything to explode.    I love the buttercups and look forward to them every year.   The path shown turns right at the end and comes out where the Buddha is sitting.

I also love these little blue cup like flowers.  I don't know what they are called.

Some ferns near the stream.

Scottish Thistle,  the bees adore it.

Lupins, lupins everywhere.  Another plant loved by the bees.

I've started a variety of herbs to make smudge wands and they are coming along nicely.  I have to take them out of the pots and plant them in the herb garden   This may be a good day for it.   I'm off now to put screening on the storage room window. 

A Walk Around the Garden.

A few parts of the garden.

There's still not a lot in bloom but things are coming along.

Someone gave me the top part of this so I found a stump and made a table.

I love taking macro shots of insects so when I saw these moths I couldn't resist.  Don't know what they're called.

That's it for now.  All is well and the weather has been fabulous.

Birds And Bees.

As it's turned cold this afternoon and I've been gardening for days, I figured I'd take some time and blog.  The weather has been beautiful lately.  We get two weeks of cold and wet and the first nice day we seem to forget about the miserable weather.   I've gotten an awful lot done outside and am well pleased.  There's not much in bloom yet so will wait to take some pictures.   There seems to be a fair number of bumble bees and butterflies in the garden although there is little in bloom at the moment.  However, the bees are making good use of the lungwort, one of the first bloomers.  I've managed to take a few pictures......  These bees are on an annual I bought at the greenhouse. 

I managed to get one shot of this butterfly.


I'm pleased with these pictures I got of my favorite bird, the crow.

This little nuthatch was having a nap, taking a break.  They never stop it seems, back and forth to the feeders all day long.  He opened his eyes after I took the picture.  I think I woke him up.

A robin who's nesting nearby.

There seems to be quite a few squirrels around.  This little mother is resting.  She cut through the top of the feeder again and as you can see is sitting with her bum down through the top. 

Her little hands.

And, that's about it. 

Saturday

It's been so long that I hardly know where to begin.   We had beautiful summer weather for a while but now it's turned wet, overcast and much cooler.  It's been like this for a week and is suppose to continue on into next week.    We had a hard frost one night and although covered, I lost two tomato plants and my basil.   Himself has been having some health problems but seems to be much better at the moment.

Let me see now......This week with the rain we had a leak in the living room ceiling so in the wet and cold we were both on the roof trying to find where it was coming in.  We patched up any suspicious places and it looks like we managed to find the guilty one as it hasn't leaked since.  Then, my old washer finally bit the dust and died.   This is all sounding much too depressing so here's some good news:

All the plants and trees are about three weeks ahead and growing beautifully.  The birds are very active these days.  I imagine they are nesting.  The squirrels are here all the time and are quite bold.   And..........drum roll please..........himself is going to Spain for a few weeks in July and I'll have lots of time alone.  Now, I know this may sound terrible to some but when you are retired and are together 24/7, one needs some space and time to oneself.  At least I do.

The pine grosbeaks are here once again.  They are lovely birds.  The male has been here with his lady every day.  

First Bee of the season.

Freya and Frankie on a good day.

What cats do on a miserable day.

Can't finish with out adding one of the little imps.

The Saskatoon berry trees and Wild Cherry Trees are all in blossom so things are looking up.

Cold and Wet....grumble, grumble!

I thought this morning that I would take the camera, leave the property and start getting out and about more.  Went to two of the local beaches and it was so thick with fog that you couldn't even see the water.  So, that notion was killed.  

It's been overcast, rainy, cold and just plain miserable lately.  We did have a few lovely summer like days a while back but now there is a low pressure system covering the whole island and because there is no wind, there's little chance of it moving off for some time.  I had been working in the garden but it's just too cold to go outside at the moment.  

I did chance a short while outside yesterday afternoon and put the two gate back on the front porch and also planted some onion sets in the ground.  When I watered them in I thought my hands would freeze.  Is this a portent of what the summer holds.  Last year we had such a miserable season that all the annuals were stunted (no sun, or not much) and most peoples vegetables came to nothing worth talking about.

There is lots of bird activity on the go these days.  This lovely Robin was here the other day.  I don't get many robins and I think it's because I have so many trees around that they don't feel safe on the ground.  

 I'm still seeing a few Juncos but not as many as I see through out the winter.  This one decided to sit a top the head of the statue.  He was there for some time.  In contemplation no doubt.

 A white throated sparrow put in an appearance after supper last night.

I was shocked to see these mini daffodils growing in the garden.  There are four or five bunches of them.  I don't remember planting them at all.   Also, as cute as they are if I were going to buy daffodils, I would have gotten the regular sized ones.  I have to say though that I was thrilled.  They are so bright and perky.  They made my day.

I can't end this post without another picture of one of the little darlings that come to my garden.

With any luck, it might warm up a wee bit today and overcast or not, I may get outside to get more things done.