Monday 30 June 2014

Good Bye to June

I don't know how time can pass by so quickly. The days don't seem short but the weeks seem to fly by. Now we are enjoying the sunshine and warmth we've been waiting for. Here are some of the reasons I love Summer:  I love to watch birds; they come regularily to my bird bath and amuse me.   They sing their lovely songs ( well, not the House Sparrows. Or Crows).


                     No one will be surprised if I list Flowers as one of the joys of Summer.


Fresh Produce. MMmmm! Salads made with the freshest of ingredients, straight from the garden if we're lucky enough to grow them.

             The first Berries of the season are always the sweetest and juiciest!




In July I am going to make an extra effort to be aware of each passing day, really live in it and not sail through not noticing what's all around me.



                                 GRANNY MARIGOLD

Saturday 21 June 2014

Welcome Summer

We had a lovely sunshiny day to celebrate this first day of Summer. The air was warm and there was a light breeze...perfect.  It being Saturday we were off to see what we could find at garage sales. I know I keep saying I should stop buying more dishes ( especially tea cups)  but buy more is just what I did. I justified this purchase since all proceeds from this gs were going to mission work in Mexico.



    
          Don't these pieces look nice on my sideboard?  Sorry about me in the mirror. Didn't think about  the reflection.  Also, notice the roses?  I have a very old Queen Elizabeth Rose way in the back yard, neglected because she always loses her leaves. But the blooms keep coming. ( That's a sprig of Mint that I stuck in with the flowers).

    This cute tea pot caught my eye and I think it will be great for a Spring vignette, don't you?


When I came home from the garage sales I went through my cupboards and got rid of a huge box of dishes I no longer wanted. See how much room I managed to make?  We took the box to the thrift store right away before I could change my mind.


At the same gs where I bought the tea set  I also spied these handles and I just know someday they will be part of a project that I have yet to dream up.

        

     I will get a lot of use out of this little metal tray with raised sides. Only .50
 

I can always use another storage piece. This one is wire and wicker and for now at least will be out on the porch.
 

                             One more peek at my roses and that's it for today.


                                                        Granny Marigold

Thursday 19 June 2014

Thrifty Thursday


I have just two thrifty treasures to share today. The first is a very pretty little quilt that had 'twin size' on the tag but it is wide enough to cover a queen sized bed.  I'd say it is 60 inches wide. Lightweight, just right for cool spring/summer nights. And, only eight dollars.



This second treasure is something that I just thought so cute but once I had it home I couldn't decide where to hang it. Finally decided to hang it on my walk-in closet door. The glass candle holders are loose on the little stands and I have to be careful not to swing the door open with my usual haste.


It's cool and rainy where I live. I hope you have sunshine and warmth.  One of these days we'll get our summer weather and no doubt I'll be complaining about how hot it is. Have a great week end.

                  Granny Marigold

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Teacup Tuesday

What to do when lovely teacups tempt me with their beauty and their price? I couldn't resist so I now have even more teacups than before. One of these days I'll run out of space.


         This lovely teacup has what might be a guitar-playing troubadour and his lady in colourful ovals on gray patterned background. The bottom of the saucer merely has the words "made in Japan" on it.

 I had no success with photographing this cup and saucer without a glare. You'll have to believe me when I say it has pretty roses and a gold border.  Again, only the words "made in Japan" on it.

 This one, by Royal Grafton,
 is also covered with flowers, mainly what appear to be roses.
  Again I had trouble with glare  with this cream teacup with bunches of flowers and gold border. The outside of the cup and the edge of the saucer have a pattern in relief.  It is a Crown Ducal "Picardy"



This cup came without a saucer. It's Royal Albert "Forget-me-not Roses"  a pattern I have not seen before. I love its graceful shape and delicate flowers which are very like the flowers on the next cup, one I've had for some time.



This last cup and saucer is small ( demi-tasse?) and is not a recent purchase but I couldn't resist including it because the Strawberry pattern is  so appropriate with what's been happening in my kitchen this week.
I'll try not to post about tea cups again for a long while. I promise! 
         
          Granny Marigold

Monday 16 June 2014

Monday's walk


I never get bored with my morning walk around Mill Lake ( and I hope you are not too tired of my pics of it). There's always something a bit different to see. Like  this stand of Lilies in front of a neighbour's house. Every morning I pass by the various houses, some well kept, others less so.
Each house has its own family with its unique story.


This little bunny was quite brave and let me take his picture before hopping off into the trees.



As you can see the sky is overcast but no rain is forecast for today at least. The weather remains unseasonably cool though.

The waterlilies that are growing and covering more area every day it seems.


                                             
                                                               The boardwalk


By the time I'm over the boardwalk I'm two thirds done my walk ( and definitely slowing down).

That's my Monday walk.  Have a great day.    Granny M.

Sunday 15 June 2014

Mystery Plant

A couple of years ago my son brought home a potted plant left by behind by a tenant. It had pretty and unusual leaves so I transplanted it into a larger pot and left it outside in a semi-shaded spot
 ( which apparently was exactly what I should have done). The plant died down in mid summer and I sort of forgot about it until the next spring when in March tiny nubbins of pale green came up and 'exploded' into gorgeous white flowers. The flowers were somewhat short-lived and after they faded the plant sent out lots of large lobed leaves.  I have tried a number of times to get an identification but until today I was unsuccessful. At our local nursery this morning an employee took the leaf I brought in and searched the internet until he found it. Sanguinaria Canadensis  also known as Bloodroot.

Bloodroot has many medical attributes and googling it reveals how it is used.


         This is what the plant looks like in March as the flowers just start to peek out.

               This is the plant in the wild. It obviously has single flowers.


This is what mine looks like when in full bloom. If I remember correctly the flowers have a sweet scent.
 While employee #1 was searching the internet employee #2 came up to see what was happening. ( It was a very slow morning . Guess no one buys plants for Father's Day).  This second man said he had seen this plant WITH PINK FLOWERS near an old house in Chilliwack.  If I ever find a pink one you know I'll be trying to get one.
    I'm happy to have my mystery plant identified. 

                       GRANNY MARIGOLD