terra cotta

A summer's day today. Hardening off tomatoes, peppers, miscellaneous plants. Working on the porch with my laptop. Clothes drying in the sun, dog panting and sleepy, cat playing in the grass (we've been letting her out... supervised), bees and hummingbirds stopping to visit, a peaceful wind, and earfuls of glorious birdsong.

Alas, off to Toronto tonight. But small price to pay for this beautiful lifestyle. And I'll be staying with great friends, checking in at the office, and practicing for our show on Saturday in Mississauga. Good things. My finger is starting to bend again, so should be a better practice than last week (could barely play plus my amp died. ugh). Strack is lending me his music man till mine's outta the shop. Will have to tape my finger up good so it doesn't split... stitches are out!

Plant splurge on Saturday: two hydrangeas (anabelle and pink diamond), rosemary, pineapple sage, silver thyme, woolly thyme, curry plant, oregano, chocolate mint, english ivy, a pretty trailer called helichrysum 'mini silver', some red onions, and a japanese barberry bush. ta da!

It was an otherwise lazy long weekend, but much needed, and we spent some time exploring the bush a little - it's so beautiful. Photos to come.

merrily may

Back home...
And spring has arrived!
Lovin' it. Despite laziness, travel, a broken tiller (my fault trying to be handy with the recoil starter. oops), four stitches and a tetanus shot (from washing dishes of all things), I've finally got some seeds in the ground! Radishes, lettuces, spinach, arugula, peas, carrots, beets, and onions are now ready to rock. Soon I'll transplant broccoli, cauliflower, and kale...

While I was away in san fran, D kept almost everything alive ♥ (didn't really need that german thyme anyway), so my small army of seedlings are still happily growing inside, awaiting warmer weather.

San Francisco was lovely. Tho mostly kept busy with work, I managed to get out a see a few things:

Lookout tower at de Young Museum (self-portrait w timer)
Sea Lions!
Redwoods!
I also rode the cable car. Twice.
This was my first time travelling like a grown up (i.e nice hotel, work), and I really enjoyed it, but always so good to be home.

a week away

I'm in San Francisco! WOOO!

Enjoying work, spring blooms, and hilly streets.

journey

It's a long ways away but it's a good way. Quietest GO ride yet. I suppose we were all solo travellers in our particular train car. I read my newest issue of 'Canadian Gardening' (thanks mom!) with heavy eyes. Wasn't till the later stops when came shuffling, key jangles, coughs - humans readying to get off, go home, hug family, put feet up. I still had another 100km of sunset till home, family, feet. A pink sky sailor's delight. Sang out loud to old cassette tapes, sipped coffee from Brooklin Timmy's, thought about life and the journey here and now, life and roads, memories...

Pulling in in the last shards of twilight to my babe on the porch and our dog (Mo was pressing against the front door with tiny paws. She's not allowed out as we're scared of loosing another to coyotes). Sat down and compared days, his on a roof with a hammer, mine in the office with a computer. Looked over the beautiful fields, starting to green, the nights getting warmer. It's good to have got here, through it all.

spring take two

Another snow fall, another big melt. But this time I think we're in the clear - temperatures for the week are calling for above 10C every day which means... actual SPRING. YES.

This long Easter weekend, some family came to see me! Mom arrived Friday and bro came for a bit on Saturday. Scrabble, wine, grilled-cheeses, and lots of yardwork. Old gardens remade, and other old gardens dismantled. A little effort to make the place look cared for. There's still a lot to do, but it's a good start. Also, Mom brought me a chocolate bunny and I've almost demolished the entire thing. Wheeeee!

We also did a little trip to Bobcaygeon. With Bigley's store being the big destination for many, we dropped in so mom could check it out. And we bought shoes. Boy, did I ever buy shoes:
Shiny!

In other news, Mo is really into the blanket mom crocheted me.
I guess she likes being able to hide but still see through the holes? She falls asleep like this, buried. It's adorable.

One more thing - work is sending me to San Francisco for a week! I leave Apr 25th and get to stay in a nice hotel and work on a cool project at Berkeley. Pinch me.