Monday 27 June 2016

Summer Day

These lovely clouds greeted us this morning. A very hot day ( make that a hot week!!) was forecast so we were off to the blueberry field right at 8 o'clock.  Filled another 3 pails in an hour. The owners even provide buckets if you prefer to pick sitting down!!




        On the drive home I asked my DH to stop so I could take a picture of this monster home.


Here is another one under construction not far down the same road.  There wasn't much of a shoulder to park so DH took this one out the truck window. Isn't it enormous?


Once we got home and had sat down for a bit we were off to the littlest grandson's sports day. 
DH got tired standing around and went to sit on the Buddy Bench. Aren't they just the best idea?  There should be Buddy Benches for grown-ups too.


I just had to sneak in a picture of flowers.  My poor Hydrangeas don't like this hot weather and are drooping. I will have to do a lot of watering if this keeps up.
 I cut these big Mopheads and filled an old teapot that has no lid. Actually it has a big crack too. This stands on the front landing so if by chance it gets knocked off I won't be too sad. Little boys going past with backpacks can easily hook on you know.
Just three more days of school left!  Yay for summer holidays.


Happy last week in June!!  I hope you're enjoying sunny weather too.

Thanks for visiting.


Granny Marigold

Saturday 25 June 2016

A graduation and some treasures


It occurs to me that my grandson is one of my treasures too!  His grad ceremony was this past week. We're very proud of him.



                    Here he is with his mom, our second oldest daughter.. He's all dressed for Prom tonight.




 We went to a few garage sales this morning and I did find a couple of things. Some books, these lovely tea cups, a new mug for my tea.



Just a day or so ago over at Mamas Mercantile she was showing her collection of old  wooden darning 'eggs' and  darning mushrooms.  Would you believe I found one at a gs this morning?  I might not even have noticed it if she hadn't mentioned them but for .25 you know I got it.

Just one more thing to tell you and it's very good news because my CT scan came back normal.
I am very very grateful.



I'm grateful for you too, for faithfully visiting.  Have a blessed Sunday.

Granny Marigold

Thursday 23 June 2016

Foxgloves and Teddy Bears



While puttering in my garden yesterday pulling weeds and deadheading flowers I noticed a Foxglove that I don't remember having last year. It appears to be a cross between the purple one and the white resulting in a white with a purple/red speckled inside.   The Foxgloves are almost done, sadly, because every year I enjoy them wherever they pop up. And some years they pop up almost everywhere!





You know how fond I am of my Teddy bears. This particular one is enjoying a tea party with blueberries that we picked earlier this week. We've frozen some, shared some, and eaten a LOT. This is all that's left. Next week we must go pick more.


Hope you are having a peaceful and pleasant day.

Thanks for visiting.




Granny Marigold

Tuesday 21 June 2016

Lilies












When my DIL was at Superstore she happened to see that in their garden center the lilies that had finished blooming for this year were marked down to $5.94 ( from 11.99).  Since I needed to go to SS anyway I went to take a look and would you believe they were now marked down a further 30%.
I picked up 2 pots of yellow and 2 of red. They are quite short, growing to only a foot or so high but they are very prolific bloomers and they spread too!  Right now the spot that I want to put them is occupied by tomato plants but I'll keep them watered and fed until the tomatoes are done. I'm quite happy to have them.



It was a quiet day around here. I did go for my CT scan of my head at the hospital because my  headaches are an ever continuing problem.              The forecast for the next few days is for showers so I guess I'll be forced to do housework.  What are you planning to do?


Thanks for coming by.



Granny Marigold


Monday 20 June 2016

Summer

We celebrated the first day of summer by going blueberry picking first thing this morning. DH and I picked these three pails in less than an hour and paid $15 which works out to a dollar a pound.
Did not know that I should leave these at room temperature for a day or two and they actually get sweeter.  Why has no one ever told me before?  Because these have not been sprayed, this year I'm not even going to wash them before freezing. After all, I ate plenty of them while I was picking and didn't worry about a bit of dust/ This field is far from the road and probably doesn't get much dust anyway.


Another little fact.... this year the summer solstice coincides with the full moon. This apparently is not common and hasn't happened since 1948.

Happy First Day of Summer.    Thanks for visiting.


Granny Marigold

Thursday 16 June 2016

Today

At last a day that is sunny right from the start.  On my morning walk these geese were napping on the grass. I noticed that in the foreground of the picture there are 3 goslings still in the fluffy yellow stage while the other young ones are gawky adolescents.


          This is the view from "my" bench which is where I sit for a bit before heading home.



               A photo of the Hydrangeas and other flowers take from the street.


            The same Hydrangeas from the other side of the fence.


My "Endless Summer" so full of blooms it needs a support. Instead of the usual blue and pink flowers mixed this year it seems to be that the blue ones are in front and the pink ones closer to the house. I wonder why?


                   A few more pics of the front flowers



Nothing much is happening right about now so my post is rather blah. Hope your day is anything but blah.

Thanks for visiting.


Granny Marigold


Friday 10 June 2016

This and That


Bindweed is one of the most difficult invasive bad guys to ever appear in anyone's garden. It is related to Morning Glory and actually looks quite pretty and here in the park it is allowed to spread and  bloom.

On our way to the plant shop this morning we stopped at my BIL's place to drop off something and we were surprised to see he has two gorgeous roosters. No hens. Just those two. They are not friendly and have been known to attack him. Since he resscued them from becoming soup you'd think they would show some appreciation.



At the plant shop I chose lots of lovely flowers including this Coleus that has what I think are impatience planted around the base. I needed a pot to go on the North side of the house so this will do fine.

The rest of the various flowers are sun-loving. I also bought more tomato plants that were now only .49.
If tomatoes do well this year we'll have more than enough!!

The mixed pots were 4 for less than $20.

Our day started out with rain but eventually the sun shone through the clouds and I got about half of my new plants either in the ground or in pots. I'll finish the rest tomorrow.  Maybe even go to a few garage sales.

Have a lovely Saturday!!

             Thanks for visiting,   Granny Marigold

Wednesday 8 June 2016

Bewick's Wren






For some time now I have heard a bird singing back in the "wild area" in the back of the garden. I have not been successful in spotting him there but today I happened to see and hear him in the front yard. I knew right away that it was a wren but had to look up which one it was. Turns out it's the Bewick's. ( I also learned that I have been saying Bee wicks but it apparently it is pronounced Buick's. Like my car. )

Just a shade over 5" long he sure has a loud song and pretty too!  According to the internet  male Bewick's learn to sing by listening to and imitating various other Bewick's  but somewhere between 30 and 60 days ( I'm thinking they mean after he has fledged) he develops his  own variation.

So, I'm happy to have my mystery singer identified. Now I'm going to sit on the porch again and listen for him.




Thanks for visiting,

               Granny Marigold

Tuesday 7 June 2016

In My Kitchen

  I went to the fruit and veg. market this morning to buy some bananas and came home with some lovely local cherries as well. Don't you love cherries? They're one of my favourite fruits. I put them in the pretty bowl I got at the thrift store just yesterday. I also bought some new potatoes for the soup I'm making for supper.


It was somewhat cooler this morning so I decided I would bake. Fresh bread will go very well with the soup. My bread machine mixed up enough dough for 2 small loaves and three buns ( which I put some cheese on to.)

While the oven was hot I mixed up some raisin scones and also chocolate chip cookies ( to which I added the last of the Reese's pieces as well)


Now it's almost suppertime and the thermometer has slowly crept up to 27 C. (80 F.) , warmer than predicted but not as hot as it has been the past days.  Hope you're having a great week.



        Granny Marigold

Monday 6 June 2016

Paper Dolls and Hot weather


Of course paper dolls and hot weather have absolutely nothing to do with each other .  I loved paper dolls when I was little so when I saw these two sheets at a garage sale I bought them ( .50 ). I also have a number of the sheets of paper dolls that used to come in Mary Englebreit's magazine ( I think it was called Home Companion).



We have been having very hot weather and my bird bath has had a lot of traffic. On Saturday, when I took this picture, at one point there was a Robin, a Starling, a House Sparrow or two and a bush tit. 
By the time I got my camera there were only three left. The Starling is bathing so vigorously that all you really see of him is his yellow bill. It looks like it's in a big bubble.


My second oldest daughter is on holidays this week and next. She came over this morning and we had lemonade on the porch. Now it's definitely too hot out there
. I must go empty the dryer and get a bit of ironing done.

Have a great week.


       Granny Marigold

Wednesday 1 June 2016

Morning Visiter

Happy month of June!!   My morning began with a visit from this handsome fellow and his mate.  I knew if I made a motion towards my camera I'd spook them so instead I just enjoyed them until they flew away. This pic is from the internet.


Actually my morning began much earlier than my coffee and toast on the porch watching for birds. I was the very first person at the Lab at 6:30 this morning.  Good thing too because as I left the seats in the waiting room were all filled.  Anyway, a pleasant young lady took three vials of my blood and sent me on my way.
After breakfast we went to pick more strawberries. Also picked some raspberries and feasted on them right there in the field. To me a raspberry tastes the best just picked. The ones we brought home we'll see if any of the kids want some.
Must get on with my day.  Thanks for coming by.


       Granny Marigold