Tuesday, March 26, 2024

A Story: "Splash" and Air Plant Blooming

A Story

Splash

Beaming through bright blue sky patches, sunlight glittered on rain-washed scenery.  Olivia's mood was in sync with the weather.  She slipped on her low-cut rubber boots and danced outside.  Stretching up her arms, she pictured herself as Maria in the Alps.

"The hills are alive," she sang heartily, twirling her way across the lawn.  She closed her eyes, swept away with euphoria.  Then in slow motion time, her foot slipped, her body swirled and gently, incredibly, she splashed face down in a puddle.

Sitting up, she burst into a riot of laughter.  She wasn't Maria; she was Charlie Chaplin.



This air plant is blooming.  Air plants are amazing as they live with no soil.  I soak mine every week in rainwater for a few hours. When I take it out of the water, I turn it upside down and give it a shake to get excess water away from the base of the plant.  Then I put it back in its crocheted pot.  I have the plant in a south facing window but that window is shaded in the summer by the roof overhang so the light is bright but not scorching hot.                                
Once in a while, I will add a little liquid fertilizer to the water.  
I like the sculptural shape of the plant.  The two sections that bloomed other years stay green but do not grow anymore.  After this section finishes blooming in a couple of weeks, the plant will start to make another offshoot.
A close up of a bloom.  Each reddish point will send out a bloom. Funny looking flower that doesn't seem to match the red of the bud.  Each flower only lasts a couple of days.  This plant is about 7" tall.







 

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

A Story - "Lake Swim" and Cabbage Beef Soup

A Story

Lake Swim

Savannah was delighted at the sight of the lake.  After easing herself down the ancient rock that hugged the lakeshore, she pushed off into the spring-fed water.  She gasped with the cold jolt but it helped her to refocus.  Quiet breast strokes sent her gliding over the pristine surface.  Floating effortlessly on her back, she soaked up the unlimited blue of the sky.  Slowly she let her legs sink, treading water in a circle of stillness.  Her mind serene, shivers finally sent her on shore.

Suddenly she shrieked in alarm.  A blood-sucking leech was stuck on her leg.





Winter isn't over yet for us here in Ontario so it's still soup season.                                                              

Cabbage Beef Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups cabbage, chopped

1 large carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 medium potato, finely chopped

1 apple (I used McIntosh), finely chopped

1/2 cup sweet pepper ( yellow, red or orange) chopped

1 cup cooked ground beef

1 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. salt or to taste

5-6 cups water

Saute onion in butter or oil.

Add the rest of the ingredients including the water and simmer for 45 min to 1 hour.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.







 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

A Story- "Once Upon A Time" and Crocuses


A Story

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time there was a little girl.  At bedtime, she always read her story books.

As the years went by, the sunshine of wonderful people and animals nurtured her.  Growing-green challenges and red-fired adventures added interest to her life.  There were dark purple times, too, sad and difficult.  This life was like stained glass, and reading was the lead between the pieces.

When she was old, she started to write a story a stained-glass window made from the rich, bright, dramatic colours of her life.  Books she read were the lead between the panes.  Once upon a time.


My crocuses are not up yet but it is nice to see a picture of them in anticipation.  Over the years, chipmunks have reduced the number of crocuses I have in the garden but there are still some that they miss. 


Tuesday, March 5, 2024

A Story - "Work" and Snowdrops

A Story

Work

The scribe memorized the decree stating that the priests supported the king.  It seemed like a waste of time to write out what was obvious to all.  Adding to the burden, he would have to transcribe it into, not just one, but three languages.  No mistakes would be tolerated.  The task would demand all his concentration and energy.  He groaned as he began his arduous work.

Two thousand years later, in London, a middle-aged tourist gazed at the Rosetta Stone awed by its beauty and importance.  Here was the key that finally unlocked mysteries of the ancient Egyptian world.





My snowdrops (Galanthus) are blooming.  What a welcome sight at the end of winter.  Some years they have even bloomed under snow, but this year the snow is gone and they are in full view.  I have some double ones which come out a little later.  They are pretty as well but not as vigorous as the single ones.  The single ones also multiply more quickly.  I like to put the snowdrops in an area that I can see from a window so I can enjoy them even if the weather is dreary.

I have had trouble with chipmunks eating crocus bulbs but I don't have any trouble with anything eating the snowdrops so that's another good reason for me to have them.

They are delicate, petite flowers and if you look closely at them, you will see how pretty they are.


Tuesday, February 27, 2024

A Story: "Wedding Bells" and Primula

A Story 

Wedding Bells

"Weddings: great places to meet guys."

Sandy had her eye on a guy when an attractive young woman came up to her.

"Hi, I'm Lily.  I love your dress.  You must work in a creative field."

"I do.  I'm a fashion designer."

"Fabulous! I'm a visual artist."

The conversation took off like a mustang galloping over the range.  Sandy felt like she'd known Lily for years.  They exchanged phone numbers and hugged before Lily finally dashed off to find her boyfriend.

When Lily reached Sandy's chosen one, she gave him a big kiss.  Sandy's heart sank.

When was the next wedding?



 


Primulas are one of my favourite spring flowers.  My zone 4 garden is just barely warm enough for some of them. They are considered a short lived perennial even where it's warmer.  Ones I have bought in stores will only make it through one or two winters.



However, some that I have started from seed have come back for many years.


This lovely yellow one was given to me as a plant several years ago and it is very hardy and vigorous.  I have split it a number of times so I have quite a patch of it now.  It's a bit of mutant, though, because it has multiple crowns that all bloom.  Most  plants have one or only a few crowns.

Primulas like to have spring sun and summer shade like a lot of spring blooming flowers.  They do well in the shade of deciduous trees.  They need to be fed compost every year and should be watered if it's been dry. Apart from that they are pretty easy and not prone to pests or diseases.  They are easily split into more plants.  In fact, that will keep them vigorous for longer.


This year I bought Primula Lighthouse Mix from William Dam Seeds in Ontario.  I have been happy with their seeds in the past - they are never treated and they all germinate well. The package of primula seeds contained 12-15 seeds according to the package.  13 have sprouted so that's great.  They are slow to grow so they likely won't have time to bloom this spring.  I will pot them up and leave them on the deck where they will get morning sun and maybe they will bloom in the summer.  If not, then next spring. I'll plant them in the ground at the end of the summer so they can settle in before winter.





Tuesday, February 20, 2024

A Story -"The Boring Conversationalist" and Bougainvillae



A Story

The Boring Conversationalist

Barbara felt lonely a lot of the time.  She knew she should get out more but it was challenging facing people.  She felt self-conscious because she was such a boring conversationalist.  She didn't have much energy because of her chronic condition; her brain brain fog made remembering things difficult.  If someone asked about her week, she usually drew a blank.  Later she would think:  I showered, I did laundry.  How pathetic is that.

One day a widow called, wanting to discuss some problems.  After their conversation, she thanked Barbara.

"You're such a good listener.  I feel so much better."











The Bougainvillae is blooming again.  Not as well as other years. I need to repot it and give it more fertilizer.   It has another bunch of blooms higher up but it is definitely looking scragglier this year.  I was looking online to see where you can buy bougainvillae plants.  Home depot lists them but not available right now.  Pick Ontario, an umbrella site for Ontario growers, says they become available in March which makes sense because that's when they are blooming.  You probably won't see them with the spring plants at garden centres because by then they have stopped blooming.  It doesn't have the prettiest plant habit because it is actually a tall shrub but the bright flowers are a welcome sight in February.

 

Monday, February 12, 2024

A Story -"Indolent" and Easy Orange Chicken with Pecans

A Story:

Indolent

"Indolent!" his wife exclaimed.  "How does that word in any way apply to me?"

He looked at her slim body toned by regular trips to the gym, her stylishly cut hair and her tailored suit perfect for her position as partner in a progressive law firm.

"Definition of indolent: lazy, careless, slow-moving.  That is so not me."

"He didn't mean it as an insult."

"Well, it sure felt like one."

Her husband tried to look supportive but found it hard to dampen his smile.

"The doctor was just describing your cancerous thyroid tumour.  Be glad it's not ambitious."


 


Easy Orange Chicken with Pecans

1 cooked chicken breast cut into chunks

1 chopped onion

1 cup orange juice

2 tbsp molasses stirred into 1/2 cup warm water

1 tsp ground ginger
 
1/2 tsp black pepper

2- 3 tbsp chopped pecans

Saute the chopped onion in butter or oil.

Add the orange juice, molasses with water, ginger and pepper.  Salt to taste.

Add the chicken chunks and simmer together for about 30 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb the flavours.

Serve with rice and top with some chopped pecans. 

This makes two medium size servings.