Random

We're supposed to eat colourful food, right? Well, I think we eat well ... perhaps a little too much, but good food none the less. This cutting board is full of organic veggies ready for the stir-fry, and it was just so beautiful I had to snap a picture.
The pink and bright yellow is rainbow chard!

Here's a pic from last year. Rhubarb is just starting to show now, so I'll put a plastic cover over the bed for a few weeks to protect it from our very cold nights, and soon it'll be looking as good as this.

Eye candy! 
 It's fairly apparent that I'm itching to get into the garden. Today I went out to clear away debris, ... old clematis vines, and raspberry canes etc. Then inside for a warm cup of tea, as it's still cold.
Pretty Random today, but then again, so is my life!

It's March, which can only mean sheep!

I remember  ... long long ago and far far away... Grade three, actually. And every month we made a picture for our calendars. And the March picture was (always) sheep. Spring lambs, so sweet, and then they are let out to pasture, and March weather being what it is, they get all muddy.
I was surfing the net and found this fun site. Sheep and wool.

They have a yarn CSA. Community Supported Agriculture. Good on them. Hope you go to their page.
Yesterday I soaked a few Sweet Pea seeds, and today I planted them, just outside the office window. I feel very lucky to have found Renees Seeds at our local Buckerfields store. I've only grown the Spencer or Cuthbertson varieties, which are lovely, but I'm really looking forward to seeing these. I planted "April in Paris" and Cherie Amour". How can I go wrong?


Happy Spring Gardening!

Still Winter

A few days ago, the weather was almost Spring-like. Then we woke up to a lovely snowfall, reminding me that my gardening plans were a little premature!
I'd been looking through seed catalogues, .... gardeners' porn. Everything looks so good. Some of it had to be 're-touched' doncha think?

 I planted leeks today, and on my way to the shed, I did a garden walk-about. Look what I found! Cute little aconites. The other 'stuff' in the picture is my long suffering lavender patch. Poor things really want to be in the Mediterranean where it's warmer and drier. I so appreciate them in our garden.

Snow's here for a while, but these pleasures of early Spring are a treat.

Hellebores

Lovely Spring!

Here are some Hellebore's from wild acre blog Her photos capture these beauties so well, and her garden is so interesting, ... worth a visit! 

Garden Stuff

Just a bunch of cheery pictures to enjoy on a dreary day.

This years' date is April 29 (last years' poster), ...Dahlia Tuber Sale

Also, there's a great garden tour going on at:

Sooke secret garden tour

My computer is tired, so I'll stop frustrating it, and sign off :)

Open Studio

Last Fall I went to the Fleece & Fibre Show in Duncan BC, and there I saw lots and lots of inspirational vendors. As an admitted 'textile junkie', I was in Heaven! Raw wool, yarn and fabrics, knitting, spinning, felting and all that "Sheepy" stuff I love. I found I was really intrigued by Rug Hooking, and the more I researched about it, the more I wanted to try it.

I did take a workshop in Victoria at Blue Heron Studio and started my first project. Then the busy-ness of Christmas happened, plus I ran out of supplies, so my hooking came to a halt, ... until yesterday! Sunday I went to an open studio at Val Galvins' in Chemainus. What fun!

Supplies galore, and inspiration from the other rug hookers, and braiders, and some of Vals' finished work in every nook and crannie.

This is a corner in the studio showing braiding kits ready to go, plus completed rugs, both hooked and braided.

Inspiration comes from everywhere, and here on the coast, we see a lot of seaweed. This is Vals' rendition of Bull Kelp. My photo doesn't do it justice.
Most of the work is done in re-cycled materials, which is a big draw for me. Imagine turning the stacks of clothes, preferably made of wool, into a useful, beautiful rug. Lovely.

Water Dragon

As we know by now, 2012 is the year of the Water Dragon, which is me! I didn't know there were Dragons associated with elements before this year. I'd always celebrated the Chinese New Year, especially the Dragon years, but had no idea of the different elements. So, yes, if you do the math, a cycle of twelve animals times five elements makes me sixty this year. I feel that this year is my year to shine, and I'm in pretty fine company.

THE WATER DRAGON 1952 AND 2012

Water has a calming effect on the Dragon's fearless temperament. Water allows the Dragon to re-direct its enthusiasm, and makes him more perceptive of others. These Dragons are better equipped to take a step back to re-evaluate a situation because they understand the art of patience and do not desire the spotlight like other Dragons. Therefore, they make smart decisions and are able to see eye-to-eye with other people. However, their actions can go wrong if they do not research or if they do not finish one project before starting another.



I must keep in mind that finishing projects is a weak point. Starting them, is something else. Fun fun fun! I often think I like making plans, gathering materials, and making journals more than actually doing the work. Focus might be my 'word of the year'?
Last year I started growing more flowers than I had ever before. I've been researching Flower Farms, and that is the direction I will be going in 2012. More flowers, selling at our Market, experimenting, as I've never grown Gladiolas before, and last year was my first attempt at Dahlias, which were a success and a pleasure. This means more flower pics, more flower farm info, and generally focusing more on the garden, living outdoors more this year! Yeah!!
Hope you'll come along on my travels.

Here's a look back at some of last years inspiration.