Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Daylily’s for Pati….

 

Well I did it…I went outside this evening and started taking pictures of daylily’s for Pati.

 

 

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My first picture…thinking “my light isn’t to great”

Next…

 

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Ya…the light is bad and the daylily’s are past their prime…should wait until tomorrow morning.

Wait! what is that funny shhhhht…sound behind me? Oh my God! A skunk! I’m frozen…can’t move…do I smell anything…pant pant…no I think I’m okay. RUN!

I make it to the deck…oh why me…skunks shouldn’t be out until it is dark. Okay my heart is slowing down…nothing like getting the old ticker going…I prefer walking up our hill though.

There it goes…the skunk…wait…a picture for Pati…panic, panic, camera won’t work fast enough…and I was well…panicking.

So here is the picture of the skunk for you Pati…

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At least I tried!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Response from “snail guy'”

Hi Pati,

You’re right. This is Cepaea nemoralis, the Grovesnail. It is an introduced species, originally from Europe, now widespread in some areas of B.C. In the Vancouver – Fraser Valley region, it is very common. Incidentally, it turned up in Smithers last year for the first time. These ‘distant’ (perhaps occasional or single) snails may just be from strays coming in on plants – I don’t know for sure – or perhaps there are established populations in your area and mine?

Regards,

Robert

Kind of cool…I have a random snail show up in my yard, and I found him…..

Have a good day all :)

My Garden Friend

Today while weeding the back steps I spotted this little guy…2009 July 003

He was all tucked in his shell :|….I still was so excited….I have lived here almost my whole life, and been a gardener for 20 and have NEVER seen a snail here!

I put him on a plate, and waited…..and waited….and finally went outside to finish my chores.

I decided to make strawberry jam and so picked my strawberries and went to the store to get certo. When I got home my son asked me where the snail was. “On the table” I said “behind you”…he kept looking at me like I was loonie…and I kept telling him “behind you"…right there”!! He finally was like Mom…he is not there…”What!!!” I said and raced over….and this is what I saw.2009 July 007

We searched all around and under the table…….and whoohoo we found him! Do you see him?

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He was so cool and finally was moving around.

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We put him in a jar with lettuce and some rocks. I looked him up and he is a Brown Lipped Snail….or so I think . I did email a snail expert from Smithers BC and haven’t heard back from him yet. We will see….I think I should put some different food in there for him…rotten leaves and maybe an apple or something?…

Ok so that was my adventure for the day….oh I made strawberry jam too.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Birthday and more tiling.

Yesterday was my hubbies Birthday, we had a nice supper, friends over for cake….my cake turned out very good so thought I would post a pic.

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Dense white cake with fresh picked strawberries.

Oh and we tiled more….. 

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Have a nice weekend everyone.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Mid week project

My husband is home for a few days….So I decided to start a project. The thing with my husband is, if I start a project…he takes over. He doesn’t do it in a totally controlling way…he actually likes to do home  improvements but doesn’t ever have time off work. Anyways to make a long story a bit shorter….I hauled out tile for my kitchen back splash……I said “I think I need to start this”..and i did…I started ripping off the tongue and grove wainscoting I had temporarily put up about five years ago. Did not take long and had it all cleaned up and walls all cleaned and ready to go. That’s when hubby walked in…and took over started to help. So here are a few pictures of the process.IMG_0003

Tile #1 going up on the wall!! Started behind the stove.

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Coming along nicely…..while I clean up after him and take pictures.

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OOps and also got a little side tracked….well he does get bossy and was nice outside!!!

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Stopped here after realizing it was flippin Canada Day, and couldn’t rent the tile saw!! ArrgghhIMG_0039 

Yaaa for neighbours!! Earl borrowed a cute little wet saw…

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So we kept going…..I made supper and he kept tiling. Son Jordi even helped!!IMG_0048_1IMG_0055

And last piece went in around 10:00 at night….pheww I was tired…..

Woke up and started grouting….I had to watch that too…He had the grout WAYYY to thick and man did he sweat filling all the lines…. I tried to tell him, but would he listen???? NOOO!! I didn’t take a pic of that as this morning he decided to shave all his hair off his head!! ..and while grouting  he had on no shirt and was literally dripping with sweat……umm ya. I did eventually get some control and do it my way….His brother came over, and they went and had a break outside…(beer)..so I remixed the grout to what I THOUGHT it should be…..and I started to touch up and fill in. When he came back in he did use mine and maybe he didn’t say he was WRONG but he did find it easier to fill in the lines….Men!!! All I said was “look your not sweating”……whatever….dumm da dee. So we finally finished and I think it turned out great! My grout is a bit darker than I  wanted but maybe it wont show the dirt as fast.

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Still have to caulk around the bottom and repaint some mouldings, but I am happy!!

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IMG_0097  Even made a friend when I picked some flowers for the window sill…..A Cute little Weevil!!!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Why I garden..

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Yesterday I realized I needed to pick a big bouquet..Peonies in full bloom, Alchemilla, Blue bells, Mock Orange, Fox Gloves and Blue Veronica. It  took me about five minutes to pick and arrange this…and what a reward. it makes me so happy to have this in my house. This is why I garden. Filling your house with beautiful flowers….

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Thursday, May 7, 2009

This I know….

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This post is a long time coming…..Ok so quick update since March……It snowed some more, it warmed up and the snow melted….then the work began. Raking, pruning, raking some more…burning, rototilling and mowing…..THIS I KNOW FOR SURE…. gardening and having an acre of land is alot of work!! I am pooped already. Today I dug a 12 by 8 section of lawn out of my backyard…I filled my wheel barrow up about 10 times with sod and had to wheel it way into the back 40…..But at least it is done now and I can figure out how to loosen up the hard pack clay soil now. Still have lots to do in my yard but at least it is starting to look nice and green out and all the leaves are popping…Even took out the new camera after the rain and took some pictures. Here are a few.

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Monday, March 2, 2009

Spring in the air…

Just came back from a nice walk around the block, takes about 35 minutes. I wore boots but it is so mild and melting out there my feet are soaked! Me and my dog Jack just enjoying the nice spring like break in the loonnng BC winter.Copy of 2009 February 063-tiltshift This is what it looked like last week….OMG hey. This is my back yard.

So have been busy and haven’t written much. I have been painting a triptych for my niece and trying to sew purses…I have one cut out and ready to go. The thing is as soon as the weekend hits all my crafting stops. My husband works out of town and when he comes home…well just say I don’t craft much. We watch movies with “the kid” and catch up on all the to do chores…I will post some pictures when I have got something to show. Here is one I made for my daughter awhile back and another one I gave away to my GF

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For my daughter.

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First try….gave it to a friend.

Ok so will try to post more this week…..You too Shirl!!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

What the H…

I love Etsy…to much to look at, some really cool stuff.

The other day I decided to check out the “Vintage” stuff. I like old glass dishes and just to see what's hot, I typed in bowls and what the H..!

What I found on Etsy…

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and here is what I have in my cupboards, I do have a few more in the fridge with stuff in them.

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These aren't vintage! I use them everyday… So what if they are “harvest gold” but I don’t think of them as VINTAGE! Isn’t vintage OLD stuff? Like old OLD…??? What’s that you say Pati?… I am old???

Okay I admit I’m getting up there. But this is such a shock to me. I always thought Mom’s stuff was old and dated. Now it’s me that is OLD and DATED!

I sat here and really thought about it. Isn’t “Retro” really cool right now? So that makes me cool! … Cooooool! I have real cool collectable bowls now… maybe I should put them away to save. If I only had a china cabinet to display my really cool stuff.

Hey! watch that bowl, it is worth something…I think we should go and buy some new bowls and put these away…there worth money now!

I wonder if I have anymore really cool “old vintage” stuff…

Friday, February 13, 2009

Happy Valentines Day!

Here’s a Valentines blog for ALL our loyal readers. I guess the two of you will be thrilled…lol

If you do read this blog…send us a note so we know that you are there…someday we just might be famous…ya right!

Pati is busy sewing purses. She is so talented. Her daughter Brooke’s birthday is on the 18th and so she is under pressure to get the purse done. Wish my sewing machine worked…I have been wanting to sew the past few months.
Maybe we can get Pati to show us the purse she made for Brooke…hope Brooke isn’t reading this…

Anyway on to Valentines Day Wishes…

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Here are the cards I wanted to send out to friends…I lost them and found them today. So take a good look Suzan and Liz, these would of been yours. Maybe next year, if I put them somewhere I will remember where they are. And “Happy Valentines Day” my dear friends!

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Isn’t this picture lovely? These are Morning Doves waiting their turn at drinking from the fish pond. I took the picture from my kitchen window…just holding the camera up and zooming in, hoping that it would work. These birds are SO shy and any movement or noise scares them away. I was very lucky to get this shot.
So this is your Valentine gift to you all!

Happy Valentines Day!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Here I am!

Yes I know…the blog thing…lots of excuses and stuff like that. To say it plainly it is boring around here. So boring that Pati has to clean behind fridges and stoves…She must be really really bored!

At least it is warming up in Keremeos and the snow is melting. I can see some patches happening and I keep thinking I hear a Robin…must be all in my head  because I can’t find him with my binoculars. Saw a huge flock of Cedar Wax Wings and a flock of Gross Beaks. No Robins…yet. I even went for a little walk around the yard to see if anything is popping up…nothing yet. Okay! I know it is only the beginning of February but I can dream can’t I?

Today I got a manicure…first one ever! I got a French manicure…now I can’t do anything. It has to last at least the weekend.

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What do you think? Don’t look at the “old” hands…just the pretty nails. Even got a heart put on my pinky for Valentines Day. I told hubby it was his Valentines to me. Such a nice guy!

I’m going to Port Coquitlam tomorrow. We have been invited to our niece's book release party. Cool that she wrote a book, Heart Songs to Apron Strings…A Mothers Journal for her Daughter by Carissa Jackson. I have found it all over the internet, all the way to Great Britain. Wow…I just might know a famous person. There for the “nails”…party?…with young Vancouver people?…and then me? Well I will have nice nails!

51TYzgagy%2BL__SL500_AA240_So must get busy with the packing and cleaning. Not looking forward to the long drive. It will be fun once we get there and just enjoy family. 

Where have you been??

Okay so I know Shirl and I haven’t been writing here much this last month. I can’t speak for Shirley but I know I have been busy catching up on mundane things. Things like painting the ceilings in the kitchen and cleaning. Why today I cleaned my fridge, stove and on top of my cupboards EWWWW. Not being too crafty lately. I did make a few orders from Etsy this last week though, and am sooo excited. I ordered two purse patterns and five different fabrics…..here I will show you.

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And the fabric

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All these are from afabricoutlet and are by Furuya Echino. LOVE THEM. I hope to try to create a few cool purses. I have been thinking of doing this for over a year……I keep thinking I will find the perfect purse pattern. I think it only exists in my head. Maybe as I go I will get more confidant I will make my own.  Okay so will try to keep this up……even if it’s really boring.….See ya later…….

Monday, January 5, 2009

Hmmmm....


My picture didn't come through right. So I will try it again....

My Christmas Gifts…

That's quit a haul Pati! I sure would love to have a laptop computer. But no Ron wants a 40 inch flat screen TV, which we will get on the 19th. My friend Liz’s Birthday…I will tell her we are getting a TV for her Birthday…she will like that.

I was pretty lucky this year too and got my own haul of gifts. It took me awhile to find them all and place them “just” right…got to keep up with the Pati girl! We do that to each other…heehee

 

Christmas Haul

A beautiful Afghan from my Mommy. A cool purse that “Pati” made…isn’t it lovely? A set of three phones with answering machine from Erin, A scrapbooking carry case from Corey plus a real cool robot bug…see him on the book?, a Crop a dile (scrapbook tool) from Brendon (that weird pink thing) oh and an ultimate Jewel Quest pc game, a cool flashy candle holder from sister Penny, A garden journal from Corey’s girl friends parents…eek… and from Ron a set of expensive perfumes and a book on Survival by the survivor man…he is so romantic. I will be wearing my perfume when I’m surviving in the desert or tropical forest. Maybe you could use it for firestarter (not the book! the perfume silly!)……hmmmm…maybe I will give it a try? Ron did get me a lot more stuff…but I ate it all…

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Here is a picture…

This is a horrible picture…..I cannot take pictures at night. I don’t like using the flash first of all, and the incandescent light just casts such a ucky glow. Please forgive it as it was about the best one….christmas gifts1

So at the top of my Christmas gift is my Acer laptop. It is dark blue and 14.1"…I love it soo much and can surf anywhere in the house which is so freeing….

Secondly I love the wireless mouse my daughter bought me along with a 4gig thumb drive and also the ipod cover and headphones. She also got me an awesome laptop case which I forgot to take a pic of.

Next Shirley made me a very cool necklace that is very funky and has a dragon fly on it! Which I love.

Penny gave me the funky water lily candle holder…and my friend Debi made me an awesome makeup back filled with amazing makeup.

Okay so there they are….my favourite gifts of  Christmas 2008.

My favourite Christmas gifts…..

I am running a little behind with this Shirley. I woke up later then normal. I then had to clean and head up town in a blizzard…I phoned Mom to make sure she was okay, and if she needed anything.(She has a cough..flu?) Then I phoned my neighbour to see if she needed anything…which turned into an invitation to come for coffee once I had finished shopping. I sped uptown in a snowstorm, with limited visibility, as my wind shield wipers are useless……..so got some groceries came home unloaded them and put supper in the oven. My husband has to work out of town and leaves at 10:30 at night, so I needed to have supper ready for him early. Ok so it’s now 4:00…off to the neighbours for a visit….Home again at 5:oo and eat supper and do laundry and start packing for hubby. So it’s now 6:44 and still haven’t taken any pictures of my gifts…I still have lots to do. I will post this first and pictures to follow….. tonight or tomorrow, which ever works out. Sorry…it was one of those days….

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Photo Challenge

The dog and I journeyed out in the minus 20 weather to get these pictures. I had waited too long to get the best light….It was after 3 and getting too dark. I took over 100 pictures….haha. Not one made me go “wow”. Not like Shirl’s…Love, love your pictures. The light, the colors…

This is the dog..with the word squirrel said to him…

 2009 January 166This picture reminds me of a small little world….living on a branch. The snow is like a forest.

january blog pic….This one is of my maple.

january blog pic 3….This is my backyard zoomed in so you can’t see all my neighbours stuff.

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I know we were supposed to do three, I just wanted the one of Jack on here, as he did follow me around, thinking we were going for a walk.