Clouds

  Happy new week! It is the last full week in July and I for one will not be too sad to turn the calendar page. Although August may very well be just as hot as July has been.  Actually we've had a few days that have been cooler so I shouldn't complain.

Not many people out walking this morning.  I thought the clouds were so pretty.

Yesterday we walked at Willband Park. This picture of the water with Mt Baker barely visible in the clouds was not taken by me. A fellow walker took it.  It's a beautiful place to walk.

 That it for today.  Thanks for visiting.

 

 

 

A Rather Long Story

 Karen posted a picture of a house in her town that she finds attractive. ( her lovely blog is Life is Good). I've always liked doors that are unusual and this front door also appealed to me but it also brought back a memory of a weekend years ago when DH and I celebrated our wedding anniversary by staying in a hotel in Victoria. ( Victoria is the capital of B.C. and the site of many important buildings including the Parliament Buildings.)

 We're not that far from the coast but of course we have to take a ferry to get to Victoria where the Royal Empress Hotel is located. It's a hotel that normally is way out of our budget but it happened that they were also celebrating some occasion and were offering rooms on the very top floor for quite reduced prices.  I wish I'd taken pictures of our small room which was no doubt originally meant for staff.  We had an adjacent bathroom which was very tiny and because of the sloping ceiling it had a door which was cut off on one corner.

The Royal Empress Hotel

When we added 2 bedrooms and a bath and a half to our house in 2006 (?) it just worked out that one of the doors had to be cut off in exactly the same way ( much to my delight).  This is a door that leads to a sort of mudroom.  On the left is a bathroom and on the right, under a short flight of stairs, is a tiny closet where I keep Christmas decorations and such.  I have always loved old houses with nooks and crannies and the addition gave me the chance to add them. With DH and 2 of our sons in construction I was able to get almost  all my odd ideas included.
 

 My but I have gone on and on. Hopefully you're still reading. Thank you for visiting today.

Books

It continues to be hot and dry.  The main part of the house, kitchen, living room, and sunroom were 
31C which is about 86F, so too hot for comfort.  The bedrooms have A/C thankfully and that's where we have our computers and our books. Also comfy chairs. I finished reading Into the Darkest Day by Kate Hewitt and found it very interesting. I can heartily recommend it.

 Abby has done everything she can to keep her life quiet, unassuming and safe. Living on an apple farm in rural Wisconsin, nothing can shake her stability. Until a mysterious stranger arrives—with a Purple Heart he insists belongs to her grandfather. A medal that his own grandmother had kept for decades. But how did she end up with Abby’s grandfather’s medal? And what secrets and lies will be uncovered when they find out the truth about the past? 
A heartbreakingly powerful, epic love story about courage, true love and broken trusts, Into the Darkest Day is an unforgettable story perfect for fans of Nora Roberts, Kristin Hannah and The Notebook.

I've heard about Alexander McCall Smith's books and have often wondered if I'd enjoy them so when I saw this one at the thrift store recently I bought it. I'm sorry to say that I couldn't get into it at all.
The internet says he is the  best-selling author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.  I wonder if any of you have read his books and liked them. I'd like to know if I'm alone in not caring for his style.

 

On a brighter note we had the first green beans of the season for supper.  We made a soup using those beans as well as onions and also potatoes from our garden. Even the Summer Savoury was home grown. Only the Bay leaf was not.

As well as the first beans ( which were Rattlesnake beans. The other 2 varieties I sowed are not as early obviously) we had our first ripe tomato. Two more are almost ready. I wonder if we should bring them in because of the raccoons that seem to pay nightly visits.  

 

Thanks for coming by.

This and That

 Reflections in the lake at Willband.  

 

My effort to keep the pink Hydrangea from burning in the July sun. You can see the one flower in front is burnt where the sheet didn't cover. I should have found a king-sized sheet!

 The body shop still can't find a side panel for our truck ( after DH was side-swiped in a roundabout
(traffic circle).  Meanwhile insurance provides us with a nice car but we'd really like our truck back.

 Otherwise it's a quiet Sunday. It's hot and the forecast is for even hotter this coming week.

I hope your Sunday is a pleasant one. Thanks for visiting.

 

 

Daylilies and Hydrangeas

 It's another beautiful sunny day and I am at a loss what to post so I will post about the various daylilies I have blooming now.

Hydrangeas are also at their best now except those that lean too far into the sunshine and get burnt.

Last year I draped the pink one with an old sheet and I still might do that if the 34C temperatures forecast for next week come to pass. It's sad to see the lovely flowers frizzle in the sun.

 

I saw this cartoon and I thought if that were me I would have marked the thrift stores instead of quilt shops :) 

Thanks for visiting.

 

Monday Chit Chat

 Monday morning once again ( they keep coming quicker than ever!). We're enjoying a lovely sunshine filled day which may very well be uncomfortably hot by mid afternoon. Oh well. It is July after all.

 

 My Hollyhocks are loving the sun. So far I have 2 colours.

 

New Daylilies open every day. I have not had a lot of infected buds this year, thankfully. I try to be diligent in searching and destroying  them.

On the weekend we were walking on a path in Willband and this tiny head popped up from behind a rock beside the path. He looked at us then popped back down only to peek up a few feet away. He did this a number of times before running across the path and off on to his destination. From what I can see from images on the 'net he was a young weasel. He was so sleek and handsome. Who ever thought of a weasel in those terms? *smile*

 

images from the internet

Thanks for coming by today. 

A Raccoon and an Old Car

 We knew that raccoons were coming at night and looking for anything they could find near the compost bin  but last evening when it was still bright out we had a cheeky one come right up to the house and check out Kitty's dish. I quickly went for my camera but he was too quick so the picture is from the internet.

 Today's weather was so pleasant. 22C with a breeze meant puttering outside was comfortable. Tomorrow's forecast is for 26* then the week begins with hot days (nearing 30C)

Nothing much has been happening, certainly nothing worth blogging so here's something I saw on Facebook Marketplace.

 

 1949 Chevrolet caprice for a mere $4,500.  Are you tempted? I like the looks of the old cars but just think of coping with no power steering, no power anything including no  A/C.  No thanks.

 

That's it for today. Thanks for visiting.

 

 

Jam and Roses

 Cool and cloudy this morning. We did our weekly grocery shopping and I treated myself to some jams...sour cherry and also apricot. As a rule I make our jam using far less sugar than store-bought but once in a while I want something different on my toast. Now I have choices 💗.

 

 We have a Queen Elizabeth rose that we bought over 20 years ago. Initially we put her in the front along the driveway but she was plagued with Black Spot. We gave up trying to deal with that but couldn't get ourselves to throw her away. Instead she got plunked in the very back in what was the "wild area". She amazed us by thriving there and every year she produces many lovely blooms which DH has to cut with a long lopper because she has grown to over 10'high and the flowers are always right on the top. ( Black Spot still ravages her and she has few leaves left).

 We had a great Canada Day gathering. Thank you to all who sent good wishes. I'll return those wishes for all Americans celebrating tomorrow 🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈

  

Thanks for visiting

 

 

 

 

Canada Day and Flowers

 

 

 Happy Canada Day 2025 

 

It's going to be hot again today. DH has been rigging up  various large umbrellas to create shade for our BBQ this afternoon.  The existing covered part is too crowded now when we all get together. I guess we never envisioned our family being so numerous ( but we wouldn't wish it any differently💗). 

I was outside early watering some of my Hostas and flowers. I don't mind hand watering  because then I notice what needs deadheading and what needs propping up. It also give me a chance to stand and admire what is at its best at this time. Today it was the row of red Astilbes. I cut a few tall spikes to augment a bouquet on the dining room table. My picture doesn't capture the intense red that they are.

Another perennial that is doing well is the Lysimachia Punctata or Yellow Loosestrife.
It is considered invasive in some areas of Canada and attention must be paid to make sure it doesn't escape our gardens. Many years ago I was given a couple of small plants of Lysimachia "Alexander" which had lovely variegated leaves and for years I was able to pull out any that reverted to solid green. Eventually they did all revert in spite of my efforts.

 

 

Last picture is the lavender that looked so woody and unattractive in spring.  

Thanks for coming by.