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Tuesday 31 March 2015

A Spring Outing


A Garry Oak reaches, gnarly and solid against the somber sky.  Below it, a drift of Magnolia billows and blows.


Signs of Spring are everywhere in Beacon Hill Park.  Flowers bloom.  Ducks beg for (and often receive) handouts.  Peacocks strut.  Best of all, goats at the Children's Zoo sit patiently to be brushed by adoring, but not always, gentle little hands.

Thursday 26 March 2015

Burlap Birdies

These adorable little birdies are the result of an bad bout of boredom and an overfull scrap box.  They're bright and cheerful in a simple way.  They make me smile.



I'm repainting a small wooden frame to catch the blue one in.  Something fresh to hang in my new house.

Given the popularity of my Simple Burlap Place Mats over on Etsy, I'm wondering about making a set of Burlap Birdie Place Mats.  Which design do you like best?

Tuesday 24 March 2015

Somewhere New

In a city that draws bus-loads of tourists to Butchart Gardens, you might understand how the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific escapes notice.  I had never heard of it, and certainly never visited, until last weekend. 



Perhaps I would never have visited had Miss S not been invited to a birthday party there.



A flock of pre-schoolers swooped and swirled through the mazy pathways in search of treasure (chocolate coins and dollar store bead necklaces) before settling down to a feast of cut veggies and cake.  What fun!



But not the best way to take in the gardens.  I did notice an abundance of Heather and Hellebore.  There seemed to be a Japanese garden with a steam and a bridge.  I got off a very few photos, chalked the Horticultural Centre up to a delightful discovery and resolved to return soon on my own terms.



Have you made any new discoveries this spring?

Saturday 21 March 2015

Leaving

Part of the swirl that I've been caught up in these months has to do with an impending move.  It was never the plan to live in our current house forever, but the week after New Years we found a notice in the mail box that spurred us to action.  We renovated, spruced, listed and sold.  We explored neighbourhoods and looked into schools.  We hunted, pondered, wondered and finally bought.  All in just nine weeks.  We're exhausted.


As I wandered the backyard yesterday, it hit me.  This is the last time I'll see the blue Muscari under the apple tree.  That young plumb tree might fruit for the first time this year, but someone else will (I hope) harvest its fruit.  When I trimmed back the peonies last fall, I had no idea that I'd never see those deep pink blooms again.  Suddenly all the spring blooms and early green shoots are even more precious than usual.


There will be a new yard, a blank canvas.  But this was my first garden.  I know the ways the light dances through the leaves and I will miss it.

Joining the Sunlit Sunday fun at My Little Home and Garden.

Friday 20 March 2015

Tags Tags Tags

The Great Sorting Out has begun in advance of our May move (yep, we're moving; more on that later) and the craft room is at the eye of the storm.  I'm coming across the most amazing things.  Projects begun and never finished (terrible, I know).  Supplies for projects never begun (cringe).  And a few real treasures in the bottoms of boxes.  Like these . . .


and these . . .


There're left over from my book paper crafting bonanza of a year or two back.  I punched my way through thrift store copies of Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice in a matter of months (if you're interested, you can view some of the results here and here).  Then the obsession passed.


Today I came across a very few leftover tags.  Guess what.  They're still as cute a can be!  Creamy paper.  Black typeface.  A little jute.  A little love.


But I'm moving, so these pretty little tags are going into the shop and you (lucky you) may have them if they call your name.


Wednesday 18 March 2015

The Amazing Thing About Spring

The amazing thing about spring is that it comes whether you want it to or not.



When the inner landscape is grey and drizzly, spring explodes in sunshine and cherry blossoms.  It's a good thing too, because it's hard not to be drawn out, to feel the warmth and smile at the exuberant green.


I took a walk, yesterday, past a naturalized lawn all a dazzle with blue Scilla, spotted with pink Shooting Star.  The flowers and the beautiful morning sang together of fresh beginnings.  Miss S and her Nana walked ahead of me here, hand in hand, seeing the world together.  The loveliest sight of all.

Sunday 1 March 2015

An Explanation


January dawned with such expectation this year.  It always does, but this New Years Day I had an idea of what the coming year might hold for better or worse.  Either way, it was not going to be a mundane year.


How little did I know.  Things have really snowballed around here.  And some of these snowballs came completely out of the blue.  So please understand if I don't post for a bit now and again.  I'll be back.