Monday Chit Chat

 

 It's amazing how quickly September is passing.  Our weather is just beautiful although we had fog this morning but now the sun is out and there's not a cloud in the sky. Sunrise was at 6:47 and the temperature had already risen from 10 to 13C  by 7 o'clock.  We had a pleasant walk and when we got back I started on the usual laundry.

Over the weekend we got a load of bark mulch and youngest son began spreading it for us. We're trying to get the "wild area" in the very back less weedy and mossy. He scraped quite a bit of the moss off and this morning I went out and, using a watering can filled with water and bleach I watered those areas.
I also sprinkled lime on other mossy spots and I will keep an eye on it to see which, if either, method works to eliminate the moss.  We don't plan on ever growing anything right there so we don't need to worry about any effect on future. I'd really prefer mulch with maybe pots of plants here and there.

There are leftovers for the next couple of suppers so I don't have to think about what to make so I'll just enjoy the sunshine. Maybe finish the book I'm currently reading.

Thanks for visiting 

Fall Weather

 

 We are definitely enjoying Fall weather.  We walked in a light rain this morning but that has stopped and the temperature is 16C,  about 60F , so I'm wearing a cardigan and slippers and I'm so comfortable.

This weather calls for soup and since my tomatoes are producing abundantly I made tomato soup ( but please don't ask for a recipe because I don't use one). 

Our yellow Honeysuckle  didn't bloom at all this year but the red one did. I like how the white Clematis wandered over to mix with the red blooms.

Nothing much to blog about today. Sheila is dropping by for a visit after work. She often has packages delivered here to our house and picks them up and has visit at the same time. Today she will also leave with tomatoes.  It's so handy for her since the hospital is just 5 minutes away.

Thanks for visiting

Monday Chit Chat

 

Good Morning!  Another week begins and here our weather feels very Fall-ish today. Cloudy with a mist in the air. We hadn't walked around Mill Lake for a few days ( chose other places ) and we noticed how many more leaves had fallen. Not much colour yet, I think the poor trees were stressed by the long hot and dry Summer.

One of many things I like about Fall is all the fruit that's available. We bought lovely Plums and Pears at a stand.

 

Made Pineapple jam with 2 of the Pineapples that DH brought home from Gleaners where boxes of them were donated but of course they can't use them in the soup mix that they make so volunteers are encouraged to take some so they don't go to waste. I must admit I find Pineapple jam strange but not unpleasant. Had some on my morning toast.

Remember that web that I showed last week? Some knowledgeable commenters have suggested it was made by tent caterpillars and from the pictures I saw on the internet I think they are right. These caterpillars are considered pests.

Margaret  asked if I put fruit in my scones and the answer is yes.  I used to use raisins but in recent years I use that glace fruit that I also use for fruit cake ( Christmas Cake).   Which makes me wonder...do you make a fruit cake for Christmas?  If so, how soon will you do so and where do you store it in the meanwhile.  

I'm quite sure that by now both the washer and dryer are done so I better get working.

Have a good week.  Thanks for coming by.

 

Saturday

 It was quite foggy when we went on our walk this morning. My fog pics didn't turn out so this one is off the 'net.

It cleared up enough so I could get a few pictures. This web is certainly interesting. I wonder if it's a spider's work or???

This is Jewel Weed I think......

....and this looks like Common Tansy. I'm no expert on wild plants so anyone that knows...feel free to correct me.

On the way back home we stopped to buy fresh corn which was delicious for lunch along with some of our tomatoes and basil.

After lunch I baked scones and then I had a nap.  It was a lovely day.

Thanks for visiting

This and That

 Our hot weather continues and  not much gets done outside after 9 A.M.  I water the plants that most need it and the rest have to fend for themselves. The tomatoes are doing great and the parsley, which I grow mostly because my rabbit loves it, is huge.  (There are volunteer Rudbeckias growing in with everything else in what is supposed to be a herb bed).

 My neighbour came across the street to ask if I could use some beets and potatoes.  This is the neighbour that took two of Miss Kitty's kittens. She reminded me that the kittens ( now full grown) turned 2 this week. She and her husband are true cat lovers💗.  From time to time she brings over special treats for Kitty.  She sees her out on the driveway and often tries to pet her but Kitty won't let many people get that close. Of course the neighbours keep their cats indoors at all times. I see them sitting on a windowsill and looking out at the world.

 No plans here for the weekend. The heat will last until the beginning of next week according to the forecast. We'll be trying to keep cool.

In the comments on Clayborn Village Betsy wondered if the old brick houses were kept as museums or lived in. They are very much lived in and loved by the looks of them.

Another comment was by someone anonymous that has actually been there and visited the store. How I wish I knew who that someone was. Please don't be shy!!!

As a blogger do you ever go check your stats?  I see that 77 people visited this last post of which I believe 15 commented.  When you go looking at a blog that you don't normally visit do you leave a comment?  I'm curious. I try to but don't always. 

Thanks for visiting

Clayborn Village

 

 After we had our walk on Monday we decided to continue on down the road to Clayborn Village.  It's a cute little village with a lot of history.  The internet does a far better job of describing it so...

Clayburn is British Columbia’s first company town. It is situated at the foot of Sumas Mountain within the boundaries of the City of Abbotsford. Today the village and the brick plant site are classified as the municipally designated Clayburn Village Heritage Conservation Area. The Clayburn church and Clayburn schoolhouse are provincially designated heritage buildings. Clayburn is home to the Clayburn Village Store, which sells UK candies and sweets from other countries. The storefront of the building is often used for filming Hallmark Christmas movies. The Clayburn Schoolhouse is also often used as a film set. 

The pre-1909 brick row of houses in Clayburn Village achieved a unity of appearance,

All the homes in Clayburn Village were inhabited by the employees and rent was paid to the Company. Terms for renting a brick house in the original subdivision in 1909 were $3 - $5 per month. (Following the post war inflation in 1920, a foremen’s cottage rent went up to $8). 

 

 A few pictures of cute front yards. Most of the homes are being kept up beautifully.

 

Years ago we went to have tea at that little store.  It was closed on Labour Day or we might have gone in and looked around. Another time, perhaps.

Thanks for dropping by.

Holiday Monday

 

 We walked in a park where we've only been a few times. The walk is shorter than our usual ones and ends abruptly at a bridge that washed out a few years ago when the area flooded. 

 There's a sweet little stream that flows beside the path and we enjoyed the sound as we walked.

 We passed 3 or 4 of these bridges.

 Here is where the path ends.

 The last time we visited this park was in late Fall and the stream was much deeper. There were fish  spawning. I must ask DH if he remembers were they salmon.

It was Labour Day but for me it was still laundry as usual. I did a bit of baking since it was cloudy and cool. As the week progresses the temperature rises and we'll be back to hot.

Thanks for coming by

September

 

 

Our hot days are back and it feels like summer but the calendar says September.  We walked by Willband Creek  yesterday and the mist/fog was caught in the hills and trees nearby. There were lots of spider webs, some of them quite big. Makes me wonder if the bigger the web the bigger the spider.

This morning we walked around Fish Trap Creek. Most of the path is shady so it's a lovely place to walk when it's hot. Stopped at the market and bought plums and apples. These are some of the new crop of apples. ( this variety is Gala).

Nothing much to blog about so I'll close and hopefully be back soon.

Thanks for coming by.

My Day

 It is evening as I finally sit in front of my computer.  I was sitting on the porch enjoying the cool air and also the silence.  All day the noise of the construction continued. In the picture you can see a crane lowering a set of metal stairs down to the second floor.

Tomatoes are loving the sunshine .

 

I made 4 little jars of blueberry jam plus a jam pot for the last bit . Almost immediately I noticed fruit flies hovering in the area so I quickly made a fruit fly trap using apple cider vinegar in a glass covered with plastic wrap in which I made a couple of small slits.   I'm happy to see it is working and there are victims floating in the vinegar.

My helpful gardeners came for an hour or so before lunch. They are putting down cardboard in an effort to keep weeds down in some areas especially near the fence ( where it won't really show).
Now the day is about done and I'm going to read until my eyes start to fall shut. Somehow I don't think that it will take long.

Thanks for visiting.

 

Signs of Autumn

 

 The mornings are cool and there's a feeling of Fall in the air. This morning the thermometer read 10C  which is about 50F. The chilliest morning this season.  The sun shone and we reached 21C. I puttered outside and DH washed the truck.

These are a couple of pictures I took in the dining room. Just a few hints of September.

 

 I know many of you are waiting to get out anything Autumn-ish.
We have a long weekend coming up with  Labour Day next Monday.  I believe the U.S. also has a holiday on Monday. Anyone else?

More birthday wishes have been coming via the comments and I just want to say THANK YOU. You're all too sweet.

Thank you for coming by and reading my ramblings.   GM

 

 

Cake and Flowers

 The family came to celebrate my birthday. The weather, which had been very wet, was mostly clear and a pleasant 21C about 70F  so we were very comfortable sitting outside.  We couldn't remember when all 5 siblings and all 5 grandchildren were together. All together with partners I think we were 17.

Since there's really nothing that I need ( and I am trying to get rid of a lot of stuff) I was the happy recipient of lots of flowers.  Eldest Daughter took a small red wagon that had Merry Christmas written on the side and transformed it. She had everyone sign their name on it to make it truly a treasure. She filled it with plants and set it between 2 jugs of yet more flowers.

 

 There were gorgeous bouquets for the tables in the dining room and sunroom.

No party is complete without cake. There were bought ones and...

 these lovely cakes made by the DIL who has the talent to create miniature masterpieces. Each cake was a different flavour and all were delicious💗.

It was definitely a day to remember.

Thank you for all the birthday wishes here on my blog.  I appreciate every single one.

 

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A Good Day

A lovely morning to go to the nursery and admire all the beautiful flowers  DH drove and patiently waited for us to walk around and look at the Fall arrangements.  Here I am with  Eldest Daughter  Shannon  on the left and her daughter Kate on my right.

 I chose this basket of Fall Mums with a few other flowers tucked in. I put it on the porch, out of the weather.
It was a pleasant way to spend the morning of my birthday.  On Sunday the family will come over and  celebrate my 79th. Hard to believe I'm going into my 80th year!!! How did this happen?

 

 

 

  Thanks for visiting

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Digging Continues

 

 

Digging up the street continues and work slowly moves closer to our house. I don't know if I'm better off watching what they do out there or not. I mean, they'll move whatever they need to in spite of me standing there and moaning. Getting off our street is difficult. The workers are on both ends of our short street now.

 

On to a more cheerful subject, Eldest Daughter is painting flowers on my very old milk can. It's already looking so nice. I don't know where she got her talent but it wasn't from me :)

 

 Thanks for coming by.