Lavender Cottage

Limelight Beauty

2012-01-28T13:52:00.002-05:00

From the chartreuse of summer to the pastel pink of autumn and then a brittle parchment brown in winter; hydrangea 'Limelight' is one of the most beautiful shrubs to have in a sunlit garden.

I'm linking with Karen for Sunlit Sunday and Mary for Mosaic Monday.

New David Austin Roses

2012-01-25T13:20:00.000-05:00

If there's one thing I've learned from blogging, it is that the majority are women and they love feminine, romantic things, including beautiful roses.
The English bred David Austin roses are a favourite of roses growers. They have a good English upbringing with disease resistance and fragrance like a rose should have. 2012 has two new introductions; 'Princess Anne' that is a compact bushy cerise pink with the full petals of an English rose that flowers over a long period of time. The fragrance is medium-strong.

The second introduction is 'Skylark', a semi-double with deep pink petals and a tea fragrance with hints of fruity apple and cloves as well as a free flowering habit.

If I had a sunny rose bed, nicely hilled, I'd think of juxtaposing 'Princess Anne' and 'Skylark' to make a pretty in pink and fragrant display.

Juxtapose (place close together), my word for the letter J this week for Miss Jenny Matlock's alphabe-Thursday.

A Special Tea of Roses

2012-01-23T11:52:00.000-05:00

Welcome for a special tea this week my friends. Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage is celebrating 2 years of guests gathering with her for tea each week. With her love of roses, this is the theme for our party.

Roses can provide beauty and fragrance in the garden and also when brought inside for a vase.

Top L, then clockwise: David Austin's 'Mary Rose', the climber 'New Dawn', a miniature bouquet of carpet roses and a rugosa rose.

Won't you join me in front of the fire on this cold but sunny day? Royal Albert's 'Lavender Rose' is the perfect teapot for our rose tea and I have Earl Grey brewing.

'Victoriana Rose' for you...

and a lavender teacup from Adderly that has a big rose inside and in the centre of the saucer for me.

The silver spoons have a rose on the handle.

Petite butter cookies in a heart shaped crystal dish.

Although there are no fresh flowers on the table, these small clay ones have the scent of summer roses baked right in. When they start to loose their fragrance, I soak them in water and they smell heavenly again.

If you've felt a pair of eyes staring at you over tea, they belong to my siamese cat sitting in a basket by the fire.

Isn't she adorable? The best cat I made at ceramic classes back in the 80's. The glass eyes bring her to life.

I hope you have time to relax over tea and join me in wishing Sandi a happy 2nd anniversary for Tea Time Tuesday.

I'm linking with Trish at Sweetology , Kathy at A Delightsome Life and Bernideen for Friends Sharing Tea.

Please visit each of my hosts and their guests for tea.

Sunlit winter

2012-01-21T15:04:00.001-05:00

On the days when we do get the sun in winter it's uplifting, and can create some pretty wintry scenes.

Illuminated trees across the road.

Dappled sunlight through the trees in the backyard at sunrise.

The sun peaking through the trees creating little sunspots on the pond.

A small wind chime reflecting the sunlight from a lavender prism.

Good news and bad news - Picnik premium was free to play with and has lots of neat effects you can use but...they're shutting down as of April 19.

I linking with Karen at My Little Home and Garden for Sunlit Sunday and Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Impressive

2012-01-18T15:56:00.000-05:00

I got my first job way back in 1967 while in high school. I was applying for a cashier's position in our local grocery store and I wanted to impress the head cashier who was doing the hiring. This was the era of black fishnet stockings and heavy eyeliner and I thought I looked pretty cool.
The first thing the woman said to me was that I would NOT be wearing those net things while working and I remember replying that I knew that. Was my first impression good? Not likely, but I got the job and worked for the company part time for 32 years.
This is an important part of our society, making a good first impression for a date, friendship, job interview, meeting and a whole host of things. And, if you pull it off successfully, you will be seen as a person with impressive qualities or skills.
But there are other things in life that are impressive too. Think of a newborn baby, the beauty of Mother Nature...how about the 8 wonders of the world? My photo shows something pretty impressive and I believe I took it in either N or S Carolina. We were visiting friends years ago that took us to see this 'Valley of Presidents' as I call it. I'm hoping a reader can properly identify the name of the place and state for my photo file.

So there you have my letter 'I' for Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday: impress, impression, impressive.

I hope you'll visit her students for this class.

Morning Tea

2012-01-16T16:05:00.001-05:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. I usually invite you to afternoon tea but this time we're having morning tea, actually breakfast. I'm on the healthy, whole food diet which has always been a way of life for me anyway. My biggest downfall are the cookies I like to have with my afternoon tea.
Lowfat yogurt and fruit I picked myself last year and then froze. The little bit of green on top is fresh rosemary.

Fresh potted herbs on a sunny windowsill in winter are nice to have on hand for pinching a savoury addition for dishes.

I baked some molasses bran muffins and slathered a bit of seedless raspberry jam (store bought) on, with a piece of cranberry-cinnamon goat's milk cheese.

There is English breakfast tea brewing and since I have a navy tablecloth and handmade placemat and runner from a friend in blues on the kitchen table now, I decided to use this cornflower teacup.

I am so glad I switched to a Mac laptop last summer. The biggest reason is the support available if you live near an Apple store, which for me is about a 40 minute drive away. They have a one-to-one program that you can purchase for $99 which enables you to have a 50 minute instruction period and you could go every day for a year if you wanted. Believe me, I've taken advantage of this option and have learned to do so much more on a computer. I've stumped the instructors on occasion with things I'm trying to achieve but the feeling of accomplishment when I walk out after a session is exhilarating.

This week I was helped with an issue that has plagued me for a couple of years - annual report stuff. These days, being a volunteer means you have to be computer savvy and I'm getting there!

I'm linking with Rose Chintz Cottage, Sweetology, Bernideen's Tea Time Blog and I hope you'll visit them and their guests for tea.

Sunny days, fresh linens

2012-01-14T19:30:00.000-05:00

When you have nowhere to string a clothesline in the backyard or even erect one of the square, removable ones, it leaves a person pining for the fresh scent of sun dried linens.
Thank heavens for Lee Valley and their wall mount expanding clothesline that has allowed me to experience this gratifying part of life again.

Closed

Open

My husband hung it on the wall just outside the back door. It faces east so only gets the morning sun and then a dappled effect as seen here but it doesn't take long for things to dry and a little breeze always helps.

The stainless steel rods don't hold a lot of laundry, but, oh the fresh smell of everything when I bring them back in the house.

I'm linking with Karen at My Little Home and Garden for Sunlit Sunday.

Nectar of the Gods

2012-01-11T16:27:00.000-05:00

I'm joining Jenny Matlock for Alphabe-Thursday and this week's letter is 'H'. I hope you'll visit her students to see what word they have come up with.

Most of us have had an incident with a bee at some time or other, whether stepping on one with bare feet or appearing as a threat, only to be stung and that hurts! My one and only sting came from chasing a queen bee when young, hoping to capture and hold it like a butterfly.

Bees pollinate many of our food crops and honeybees themselves create a sweet honey to have on toast, drizzle into yogurt or tea and to substitute for sugar.

When replacing sugar with honey in a recipe; use 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon honey for each 1 cup of sugar and reduce other liquids by 2 tablespoons. Since honey is acidic, you should also add a pinch of baking soda to neutralize the acidity.

I buy my unpasteurized honey from a local 4th generation family, a mild tasting wild flower derived liquid that is added to my tea every day.

There are health benefits to natural honey, a complex food with over 180 components that may help inhibit the effects of toxic substances present in the body.

Mead, the favourite alcoholic drink of the Romans was made from honey, water and yeast. No wonder it was known as the 'nectar of the gods'.

Gingerbread Treats

2012-01-09T20:24:00.000-05:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. I'm linking with Rose Chintz Cottage, Sweetology and A Delightsome Life. Bernideen's Tea Time Blog is taking a break for awhile and will be included when she comes back.
I have a new herbal tea steeping that was a gift from a good friend, it's called Gingerbread House.

You can even see the steam rising from the infuser of my stainless steel teapot from Paderno. The ingredients include apple bits, candied pineapple and papaya bits, cinnamon sticks, beetroot bits, roasted almonds, popcorn, raisins, peanut bits, coconut chips and some flavouring. The flavour reminds me of the Glugg (probably not spelled right) that is served at the Scandinavian Church Christmas bake sale.

A gingerbread cookie would be nice with this tea and I have several teapot sizes that are fun to use.

Trying to make this tea last, I don't make it too strong and yet the aromatic taste is still delicious.

The teacup is from Royal Grafton.

On Sunday I went to an afternoon birthday tea for my friend Billie, who just turned 80 which surprised us as we thought she was much younger. Billie's a lovely lady I met 12 years ago through my garden club.

The card I made for her appropriately had a tea theme.

Whenever our twin granddaughters came to stay with us when they were young, we would invite Billie, her late sister Margaret and another friend, Ruth for tea or lunch. The girls loved dressing up and using teacups for our little parties. One day the twins' mother phoned while we were entertaining and I'll always remember the short and sweet conversation that was "I can't talk right now, all my grandmothers are here for tea". Those ladies felt so special when they heard they were all considered grandmothers, particularly Billie and Ruth who never had children of their own.

I hope you'll visit my hosts and their guests for tea.

Sunlit Carnations

2012-01-08T11:18:00.001-05:00

During the winter where I live in Canada we have so many overcast days that by February the winter blues have hit numerous people. Today the sun is out and a good opportunity to venture out of doors to soak up some of those vitamin D rays and the overall good feeling that comes from the sun on your face.
When the sun streams through the windows, fascinating shadows are created and various things within become illuminated.
I'm linking with Karen at My Little Home and Garden for her new meme 'Sunlit Sunday'. Share the sunshine in your life.

Sunlit carnations

Gargoyle

2012-01-05T08:18:00.000-05:00

I am a gardener, an educated one too with a certificate in horticulture and I'm a Master Gardener. That doesn't mean I remember everything I've learned but I continue to attend lectures and seminars to wake up the buried facts and learn new ones. I've had a gardening column for over 10 years and like how I can use words to express feelings, make descriptions and even convince readers they should buy a certain plant.
Today I'm joining Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday for the first time as I like the idea of a challenge to come up with words as she goes through the alphabet each week. I see this as an opportunity to learn and use new words, whether they be nouns, verbs or adjectives.
I've been to a couple of famous gardens and have gardens all around our home as we've removed all the grass but 'gardens' is too easy for the letter 'G' and after browsing my photo files, settled upon 'Gargoyle' - how about a grotesque gargoyle? They are faces or figures that have traditionally been placed on the gutter of buildings and they can be seen as part of old architecture in Europe. I suppose they were used to scare off evil spirits and can play the same role in a garden.

This grotesque gargoyle sits at the entrance to a friend's garden and is expected to keep out unwanted visitors. A little too scary to have in most gardens, but effective.

I hope you'll join my host to see what the letter 'G' means for others.

Donkey Dreams

2012-01-02T16:13:00.000-05:00

Welcome friends for tea, our first gathering of 2012. I've thought about the posts I've done in the past couple of years for Tea Time Tuesday, and from time restrictions I'm often just showing a pretty teacup or something I've baked. But we all know that when friends sit down to tea, they have wonderful conversations too. So, I've decided that although showing tea things is nice, sharing something else with you each time would be just as important.
I received a new book before Christmas and am sitting down with a cup of tea and some Scottish shortbread to browse through it.

The daffodils are starting to fade, but with the snow we've been getting today, they are a welcome sight.

The book is from Hoffman Media and there are so many new ways to make scones.

My dear friend Ruth who will be 92 this year is a firm believer in supporting the arts and favourite charities. One that she has a soft spot for is the Donkey Sanctuary near Guelph Ontario where over 60 donkeys, mules and hinnies live on 100 acres of pastureland.

Two donkey friends look up into a cold winter night sky and dream of running free and playing forever.

Ruth sent me this card for Christmas and it's entitled 'Donkey Dreams', made from an original painting by Valerie Graves. Ruth has visited the sanctuary herself and was amazed at the TLC these animals receive.

Check the website at http://donkeysanctuary.ca to see some cute faces.

I'm linking with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage, Bernideen at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog and Trisha at Sweetology. Please visit my hosts and their guests.

Reflections of 2011

2011-12-31T15:34:00.001-05:00

2011 was a busy year at Lavender Cottage. My husband ripped up the carpet to lay hardwood floor and we had a new countertop, backsplash, sink and tap put in the kitchen.

Being a tea granny, when daughter #2 saw a unique stage coach-looking tea wagon for sale, we bought it and found that they were supposedly made for Wells Fargo executives.

In April, just before Easter my mother passed away. She was in a nursing home with Alzheimer's for a number of years and didn't remember any of us. At least she's with my father again.

I was privileged to achieve two milestones as a freelance garden writer. My column, 'The Gardener's Corner' marked 10 years in The Innisfil Scope newspaper in June and by August, I'd churned out my 500th column. My logo as it appears at the top of each article...

This year we travelled to some basketball and volleyball games to see one of our twin granddaughters play. Cassandra is quite the athlete and wins many awards.

Topaz likes to stay with the grands Sam and Mia at their house and they don't mind his doggy kisses.

We managed to spend time with both daughters and families for the holiday, one on Christmas day and the other on boxing day.

In the summer I switched from a PC to a MacBook laptop and have to say I'm really pleased with the change. A little different to operate but well worth the extra money to buy and the support is excellent.

Today I finished an article for Footprints, the magazine I write for and had bought some fresh tulips and daffodils to photograph. So, I wish to share their beauty with you too my blogging friends; thank you for a great year of visits and your friendship. Welcome to new followers and thanks to those who have been following my blog for awhile.

Wishing you all a healthy and happy new year!

Scottish Shortbread

2011-12-21T14:31:00.000-05:00

Earlier in the week, Karen from My Little Home and Garden made Scottish shortbread that looked so good. Normally I make mine with butter, icing sugar and flour but wanted to try something different so asked Karen if she'd share her recipe. (link to her post for it)
I had to go out and buy rice flour and fruit sugar but feel it was well worth it for the flavour. Also, after looking at a couple other recipes for Scottish shortbread, I changed Karen's ingredients of the all purpose flour to 3 cups and the rice flour to 1 cup. Mine were baked for 55 minutes.

Not being very good at freehand lines, I used a ruler to mark the squares. A number of years ago I had bought a strange looking rolling pin from Pampered Chef but thought it might be useful to roll the dough flat, it worked pretty good.

Thanks Karen for sharing your recipe and I hope everyone enjoys some shortbread this Christmas. Really, why don't we make it during the year too?

A Christmas Lunch

2011-12-19T17:05:00.000-05:00

Welcome friends for tea today. Our 'Circle of Friends' group met for a Christmas lunch and had a delightful time catching up over a delicious meal. We also exchanged gifts as we did last year.

From L to R: my friend Marilyn who does not blog, yours truly, Valerie from Gardening in a Sandbox and Jennifer from A Garden of Threads. I met Val and Jen through Master Gardeners and Marilyn and I belong to the same horticultural societies. Since we all enjoy gardening and tea, forming a small circle of friends as suggested in a past Victoria magazine edition sounded like a good idea.

We decided to have our lunch at The Globe Restaurant which sits on a hill in the rural village of Rosemont. I had the tortierre which was excellent and as you can see below, presentation at this restaurant is awesome.

I'd like to leave you with a holiday treat I had at Tim Horton's the other day - candy cane white hot chocolate with whipped cream. Decadent, and a perfect holiday drink - cheers!

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy new year. Thank you for your friendship over tea and we'll gather again in the new year.

I'm linking with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage, Trisha at Sweetology, Kathy at A Delightsome Life and Bernideen at her Tea Time Blog. Please join my hosts and their guests.

Change

2011-12-18T11:21:00.000-05:00

Change...sometimes easy and a good thing, other times difficult to adapt to.
When my parents retired, they sold their home and bought a winterized cottage near a lake. Their plan was to spend 6 months of winter in Florida and the other 6 months enjoying this small cottage. During the summer we visited often with our girls to play games in the large backyard and at night, sit around a fire toasting marshmallows. After the girls married and had children of their own, they too came to know the fun of spending time with my parents.
Here is the little cottage when it was purchased, perfect for the intended use.

Dad painted the awnings and trim turquoise one year which is how we fondly remember it.

A photo we sent to them in Florida one year so they'd know how quaint the place looked covered in snow.

After Dad passed away a couple of years ago, we sold the cottage as Mom was in a nursing home with no memories left of it since Alzheimer's had taken them all from her.

The gentleman who bought the house barely looked inside, instead intent on the large tree covered lot. He had no idea how much our family loved the times we spent here with my parents and, he had other plans for the cottage. It wasn't long until bulldozers levelled the whole place, burying all those good times and memories of ours amid the rubble.

The new home that was built stretches from one side of the property to the other and towers above the small cottages around it. It's fresh and modern looking.

When we downsized our house, we moved to the same village a few streets over from my parents so we could help when they became elderly, it was a good thing we did.

Will the new owners feed the bluejays and squirrels every day as Dad had done? Most of the trees were cut down so maybe they will not even come around.

Change...something we have to accept as we get older.

I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Tea by the Tree

2011-12-12T13:14:00.000-05:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. I've baked an apple pie to have as we sit by the Christmas tree. When our children were young, we would go to a tree farm and cut down our own; oh how the scent of fresh pine would fill our home. Later we ended up with two faux trees, one upstairs in the living room and the other in the family room. Now, as empty nesters who spend Christmas day at their daughter's home, we have a table top tree and it's silver tinsel! My feeling is if the tree is obviously fake, you may as well have a glitzy one.

Our family tradition is to have a wedge of cheddar cheese with apple pie. The tea is 'Hot Toboggan', a blend of green tea, apple, cinnamon and almonds served in a teacup with poinsettias.

Twice a month I join a small Stampin' Up group of women to make cards and on the table is a couple I made at home.

Here you can see our very minimally decorated silver tinsel tree. The sequinned balls are aqua and purple and there are birds and butterflies attached. The metal Victorian icicles I've had for years, and they are perfect for this small tree.

I'm linking with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage, Trisha at Sweetology and Bernideen at her Tea Time Blog. I hope you'll join my hosts and their guests for tea.

Texture

2011-12-11T13:45:00.001-05:00

Click to enlarge collages

There is still a lot of texture in the garden and from nature in winter. (top to bottom)

*Parchment coloured papery hydrangea blooms, an echinaca seedhead partially eaten by the goldfinches.

*A tightly curled Queen Anne's lace seedhead, frozen leaves on the ground and a really cool seedhead with little spikes. Anyone know what this is?

*Milk pod shells, the seeds having floated on the wind in autumn and an ornamental grass bent over after a light snowfall.

I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Snowflake Tea

2011-12-03T12:38:00.001-05:00

Welcome friends to a special gathering for my snowflake tea. I'm joining hosts Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage for her Christmas Tea, Kathy at A Delightsome Life for Christmas with Victoria and Bernideen at her Tea Blog for Friends Sharing Tea.

These are our pretty silver snowflake winter dishes that are used until the first part of April. The snowflake napkins and rings were bought at the same time as the china, all from a Loblaw's grocery store.

A little reindeer makes a sweet place card holder.

I made a few cream cheese snowflake sandwiches, cut out with two different cookie cutters, I'll have to look for a medium sized one which would be better for these.

Gingerbread snowflakes...

Holiday scones with candied fruit and drizzled with icing. Below, some homemade strawberry preserves to spread on them.

On the top tier there are also some sugar cookies and Christmas fruit cake which I baked in small bundt pans for gift giving. The young Victorian girl carrying a holiday parcel I bought from the Royal Doulton store last year. Although with a loop to hang as an ornament, she sits on my tea cart.

I've put out a few pickles to have with the sandwiches.

Brewing in my favourite Lavender Rose teapot is 'Oh Christmas Treat' from Davids Tea. It is a dark chocolate and orange zest pu'erh blend.

Brown sugar cubes offer a mellow sweetness to tea if desired.

A couple of silver birds with a miniature silver sleigh behind them.

As Sandi asked us to share something we've crafted, my favourite piece is from my tole painting days and it hangs outside by the front door each year.

I love the scene of this family from the Victorian era likely singing Christmas carols on their way to Grandma's with their gifts and even bringing along the dog.

I am thankful for all the wonderful ladies I've met through blogging and a few have become friends. I appreciate your visits and kind comments.

Thank you to Sandi and Kathy for hosting each week and I hope you'll visit their blog and guests.

High Tea at Barkley Square

2011-11-28T22:40:00.001-05:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. I'm linking with Rose Chintz Cottage, Sweetology, Bernideen's Tea Time and A Delightsome Life to join these hosts and their guests, I hope you'll join us too.
This past weekend I attended a high tea at Barkley Square, a country inn style restaurant that served it in style.

The tea was a fund raiser for lupus and each woman that entered the tea room was handed a gift bag as they were seated at their table. Inside was a DVD movie and a brochure explaining what lupus is.
The food was excellent and hot tea flowed freely.

Barkley Square is always decorated beautifully to enhance the cozy ambience inside.

The owner has decided the tea was such a success that she will hold two next year, one in the summer and again in fall. I'm looking forward to attending again.

Christmas Magic

2011-11-27T17:52:00.001-05:00

The magic of Christmas tends to fade when the children, and then the grandchildren get older. It's their anticipation and excitement that motivates us grandparents to decorate, bake and become enthusiastic as well.

If you are a grandparent, I hope the magic is alive for you this year!

Mosaic Monday is hosted by Mary at Little Red House, she welcomes you each week to participate or enjoy the collages put together by others.

Vintage Tea Dining

2011-11-22T14:08:00.001-05:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. I'm sitting on the sofa perusing the new tea book I purchased and received in the mail. A couple of Magic Cookie Bars made with Eagle brand milk and lots of chocolate to nibble on with our tea.

It's on the side table with an angel and few birds that stay around for the winter.

The book was written by fellow blogger and journalist Angela McRae. Her blog Tea With Friends is a wealth of information on recipes, traditions and anything tea!

'Dainty Dining' is filled with vintage recipes, memories and memorabilia from America's department store tea rooms. Although I didn't recognize most of the departments stores, celebrity names I did know. Who would have guessed that the big, strapping 'Duke' John Wayne would have visited a tea room?

From a Snow Princess to Mr. Bingles, many famous recipes are included and all kinds of tea trivia to thoroughly enjoy.

Congratulations Angela, your book is a real delight to read.

I'm joining Rose Chintz Cottage, Sweetology and A Delightsome Life and their guests.

Holiday Sparkle

2011-11-20T17:20:00.001-05:00

Click to enlarge

We're coming closer to the time of holiday sparkle and chandeliers cast their glow with elegance.

The one on the top right I liked because of the green prisms and the other three are from Dundurn castle (Ontario, Canada) when I visited a couple of years ago. The bottom right has real candles and oranges hanging from it.

Chandeliers with burning candles were quite the fire hazard as we found out 40 years ago when a friend got married. The reception was held at the very old family homestead and when my friend leaned over to cut the wedding cake, her hair caught on fire - nothing dramatic but singed hair on your wedding day is something you never forget. Oh yes, and laugh about years down the road!

I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Gratitude

2011-11-17T10:33:00.001-05:00

Our horticultural society had their annual general meeting on the weekend and I was surprised, and humbled to receive a gift for all I do for my society. I've been president, secretary and continue to write the newsletter but have also given lectures, run tours and all the other things we do as a volunteer. Not because I'm looking for accolades, because I love gardening and giving to our community.
It does make one grateful to know they're appreciated. The gift is one I'll treasure, and was purchased knowing how much I'd like it.

My new butterfly is now hanging in the front window where it dances with sunbeams every afternoon.

The dinner at this meeting is a pot luck and my friend Ruth who is 91 brought a cake she had a woman make that I just have to share. Whether a gardener or baker, you'll be sure to admire this work of art.

Although we hated to cut into the cake, it was delicious!

Just Because

2011-11-14T13:14:00.001-05:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. My hosts are Rose Chintz Cottage, Sweetology and Bernideen's Tea Time.
I bought a new teapot at the small country store called 'Just Because'. How appropriately named, for that's the reason I bought it. A cream coloured Skye McGhie, one I'm sure Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage has and it was the feminine lacy effect that I drew me to it.

Inside is brewing some 'Oh Canada', my favourite blend of rooibos.

A pretty pink Limoges teacup and a small purple plate with a couple of ginger snap cookies.

I've never been one to decorate for Christmas with red and green but do love to use pink, burgundy and silver.

The shimmery pink fruit and silver candle add some glitz for this time of year.

I've set our tea on the low round table that will hold the silver tinsel table top tree soon.

Back when we would have a full sized tree, I bought this tree skirt and a matching table runner. The pink and burgundy in it are set off by the black lace, a nice Victorian effect.

Oops! I guess it would have looked better if the skirt was even on the round table but it's just one of those things you notice when you post the photos on your blog.

Please join my hosts and their guests for tea.

Cixiu, the Art of Chinese Silk Embroidery

2011-11-13T09:54:00.001-05:00

At a Christmas craft sale I recently attended, a young Asian man had a booth of beautiful framed works of art. He explained that it was called Cixiu, the art of Chinese silk embroidery and that his whole family created the pieces for sale. There were many designs to choose from, but as a gardener, I was attracted to the one above showing a shimmery clump of ornamental grass. (and bought it)

I wish I had asked permission to photograph some of the family's work, the intricate details and colours produced some fabulous outdoor scenes, birds and mythical creatures.

Click to enlarge

China domesticated silk worms 5,000 years ago to produce silk thread and fabrics.

From the web I was able to find a picture demonstrating the feathery stitches that can be achieved and a dragon that is often embroidered.

I'm linking with Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Flaunting our First Snow

2011-11-11T11:52:00.001-05:00

I've been reading about bloggers getting snow across the country and this morning when I got up and looked out the window - a winter wonderland!

It's beautiful, and the dwarf crabapples look like little red jewels hanging on the tree.

The miniature apples and the seed heads from echinacea will feed the birds for a good part of winter.

I'm linking with Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday.

11.11.11

2011-11-10T19:12:00.001-05:00

Web Image

Poppy Facts

Poppies in Canada used to be made by disabled war vets but are now made by Dominion Regalia Ltd.
Poppies should be worn on the left lapel or as close to the heart as possible
In Canada, the centre of the poppy used to be green felt to represent the green fields of France but was changed to black in 1986 to more resemble a real poppy
Poppies are an international symbol distributed in 53 Commonwealth countries
The Royal Canadian Mint issued a quarter emblazoned with a red poppy in 2004, the first coin ever to have colour on it
The Royal Canadian Legion recommends that after November 11, place discarded poppies at the base of your community Cenotaph as a sign of respect to veterans

From the files of the Toronto Star Library

Remembering those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we have today.

Tea with Lillian

2011-11-07T17:11:00.001-05:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. I'm joining my hosts at Rose Chintz Cottage, Sweetology, A Delightsome Life and Bernideens Tea Time Blog. Please stop by the blogs of these lovely ladies and their guests.
I didn't have a close grandmother relationship as some girls did for one died when I was very young and the other, lived a long distance away and spent 6 months of the year in Florida.
However, when a cousin that lives out west recently posted a couple of photos of Gram, as we called her, it made me think of the visits to my grandparent's home so long ago.
Lillian was born in 1900 and lived to be 87. She grew up on a farm and married a strapping fellow from a nearby farm who was also a first cousin. My dad's mother loved to play badminton and any shopping outings always included a stop at a restaurant for pie and coffee. This shopping tradition has been passed down, except I prefer tea...isn't it funny the things we remember about someone?

My grandmother at 19

Family gatherings at my grandparent's house often consisted of fancy sandwiches, cookies and squares with tea served in teacups. I remember as one of the oldest grands, the privilege of sitting with all the women talking while we balanced a cup and saucer on our lap and a small plate of goodies in one hand - something we've all done many times but so difficult when you're only 7 or 8.

Gram was a good cook and always had pies and tarts for dessert after dinner.

She was a whiz with a wood stove, similar to this one and when Grandpa bought her an electric stove, she rarely used it, preferring what she knew best. The house had a back kitchen where cooking was done in the summer so the house didn't get too hot.

Gram in 1986

I'm using a Victoriana Rose tea cup by Paragon for my tea.

My selection is 'Earl's Garden' which is brewing in my favourite Lavender Rose teapot.

What's afternoon tea without a scone? I've set out a couple of vintage napkins as well.

I fell in love with this vintage inspired iron centrepiece found at a florist shop that holds flowers in the centre and a candle on either side. I've modified the candle holders for tea lights and had a winter and summer silk arrangement made in glass bowls that are interchangeable. The winter design has roses and hydrangeas.

Some oatmeal cookies with autumn coloured sprinkles are under glass for us as well.

I wish I had of been able to get to know Lillian better for she was a great story teller as well.

A Walk in the Park

2011-11-03T21:02:00.000-04:00

As I age in the world it will rise and spread, and be for this place horizon and orison, the voice of its winds.

I have made myself a dream to dream of its rising, that has gentled my nights.

Let me desire and wish well the life these trees may live when I no longer rise in the mornings to be pleased with the green of them shining, and their shadows on the ground, and the sound of the wind in them. ~Wendell Berry, Planting Trees~

I have written many articles about our community arboretum, a tree garden that is a place of tranquility where one can walk and lose themselves in the natural beauty.

It changes with the seasons and in autumn takes on a soft glow from sunbeams on faded leaves and lasting remnants of summer.

The ornamental grass garden with parchment coloured seed heads that will feed some of the wildlife over winter.

Two pine cones lingering on a forlorn pine; some of the trees are short-lived.

An unusual phenomenon this year, a large fairy ring around the dripline of a red oak. Fairy rings are actually a ring of dark green grass caused by fungi, believed to have been made by the fairies dancing.

So although this is not a true fairy ring, it is a circle of large fungi around the tree. (and fairies are dancing) The trees can be sponsored as a memoriam to a loved one and a plaque is placed at the base of the tree.

Metasequoia glyptostroboides - dawn redwood. The green needles turn this rich bronze colour in fall and were illuminated by the sun when I took this photo.

A foxhole, purple martin house, arbour off in the distance and wooden pickets that were a fund raising project with youth long ago.

I'm linking with:

Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday

Little Red House for Mosaic Monday

Happy Halloween

2011-10-30T19:46:00.000-04:00

'Tis the time to get the brooms out and go for a ride.

Compliments of The Graphics Fairy

I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House as we celebrate Halloween for Mosaic Monday. Not too many decorate the outside of their house in our neighbourhood and last year we had about a dozen kiddies. Way down from the 70 or so we had 14 years ago when we bought our house.

Click to enlarge

This isn't the front of our house, but one I pass each morning walking the dog so I thought I'd share it.

Please visit our host Mary where I'm sure there will be plenty of ghoulish mosaics this week.

Friends Sharing a Halloween Tea

2011-10-28T21:05:00.000-04:00

Saturday is when Bernideen has friends over to share tea. With Halloween in a couple of days I looked for a black teacup and found one with some gold on it. Old Royal 'Wetley Rose'

I brought a black lacquer vase with clay roses to the table; the roses become fragrant after they're soaked in water.

A couple of Irish soda bread teapot cutouts and a few blackberries to have with tea.

While we're sipping and talking, I want to show you the magazine I just picked up from Chapters.

A special Christmas supplement was tucked in with it for reading on traditions and recipes. With the interest many of us have in English decor and the art of afternoon tea, I highly recommend this magazine.

Make yourself a cup of tea and join us, Bernideen always sets a lovely tea table at her blog.

Wings of Hope

2011-10-24T22:28:00.000-04:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. As we all know, October is breast cancer month and it is important to have regular mammograms.

This is Hope from the Thomas Kinkade 'Wings of Hope' collection. I couldn't resist a beautiful pink fairy with a butterfly and she signifies hope for the cure.

Earl Grey tea is brewing in the Royal Albert Lavender Rose teapot.

And the teacup I'll use that compliments this pattern is Paragon Victorian Rose.

Something to nibble with the tea...how about cranberry scones?

Our family is fortunate not to have any members with breast cancer, although we all likely know someone.

Last year after having numerous tests and seeing a specialist, I decided to visit a naturopathic doctor. My wrists, knees and ankles were constantly swelling and enough to wake me up nights. My general practitioner was at her wits end so I had nothing to lose by having a second doctor check me out.

Within the first hour of my interview, he told me he knew what was wrong. I didn't realize a naturopath was a digestion expert and what I required was digestive enzymes. The swelling was caused by a buildup of toxins in the joints as my body was very acidic and probiotics were also prescribed.

The most important lesson I learned was that an acidic body is a breeding ground for cancer. I checked this fellow out with some research and found what he told me was true.

So, my advice to you is to have your pH checked and if too acidic, diet can correct this. Little booklets of test papers can be bought and although a urine test is best, saliva can be used.

I'm linking with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage and Trish at Sweetology. Please visit them and their guests for tea.

My Feathered Friends

2011-10-23T20:57:00.001-04:00

Click to enlarge

I posted this mosaic a couple of years ago but wanted to share again some of my feathered friends that come to visit.

Our host for Mosaic Monday is Mary at Little Red House.

One of Life's Great Philosophers

2011-10-19T15:10:00.001-04:00

'No philosophers so thoroughly comprehend us as dogs and horses.'

Driving along one of our country roads yesterday, I saw some horses in the trees for the first time on a property and pulled over. The farm could be way back as no buildings were in sight.

I grabbed the point and shoot out of my purse and went to the fence to have a better look.

Like most young girls, I loved horses and fulfilled my dream of riding at one of local farms while growing up.

A little shy at first, the white horse headed my way in hopes of a kind rub or treat.

Not having any apples or carrots to share, I pulled some grass on my side of the fence hoping it would be an acceptable offering.

Yup, the grass is always greener on the other side.

My heart went out to this gal, look at that mane! And the tails of the horses were entangled with burrs as well.

I think she was self conscious about her state; perhaps the tightening of hair from burrs could even be painful.

There would have been a day when she was young and beautiful with caring hands to comb her flowing mane.

The Horse

Where, in this wide world,
Can man find nobility without pride,
Friendship without envy,
Or beauty without vanity?

Here, where grace is laced with muscle,
And strength by gentleness confined.
He serves without servility.
He has fought without enmity.

There is nothing so powerful,
Nothing less violent.
There is nothing so quick,
Nothing more patient.

A neat tea infuser

2011-10-17T14:25:00.000-04:00

Welcome for tea this week my friends. Although I'm not making tea for us today, I wanted to tell you about a couple of things.
If you frequent Starbucks at this time of year, you know they have a pumpkin spice latte that is to die for. I hadn't had one yet and during the running of errands last week saw a Starbucks while out. Mmm, delicious.

On the counter, there were some small packages of madeleines and I wondered if they would taste as good as the ones I make?

Well, they weren't as good as my home made ones but were a nice treat with the latte.

In the summer while at a tea room with some friends, we were given a really neat infuser with loose leaves in it. David's Tea, where I've been buying tea lately, has one the same and so I purchased one.

We have a Keurig machine for coffee so I just run hot water through it into the infuser and instant brewed tea! Of course you could boil the kettle too.

When the brew is to your liking, sit it on your cup and when rim and infuser connect, a spring is released to allow the tea to run out the bottom into your cup. The infuser makes one full mug of tea at a time. You can see why these are so popular in a tea room, everyone can have their own selection and when water is added for a second cup, it still makes a strong enough tea.

I'm linking with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage and Trisha at Sweetology. I hope you'll join my hosts and their guests for tea as well.

Collections

2011-10-16T20:12:00.001-04:00

Many of us have collections of things in our homes. One of my favourites is butterflies; they're on the china, hanging on the walls, embroidered on linens and other places I've probably forgotten about. Do click on the photos to enlarge.

This is 'Symbolic Love' by Debi Fitzpatrick with 2 monarchs on a pink rose. Above the print is the set of butterfly plates by Lena Lui.

I was excited to find a set of butterfly mirrors in Bowring as I already had a single one from Pottery Barn from a trip to the US a few years ago.

The front of a card I framed.

Vintage perfume bottle.

And, a mosaic with a few more. I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday where you'll find more collections, of photos, displayed in interesting and fun collages.

Northern Beauty

2011-10-14T14:43:00.001-04:00

We travelled to northern Ontario to spend Thanksgiving with our oldest daughter and family. The drive is through some pretty country well known for the rock faces and outcrops.

The forests in this region are mostly deciduous which makes for the most colourful autumn display.

While the turkey was cooking in the oven, we went to the university for a nature walk amongst the trees. There is a strong native influence in this area and the grounds have a full size teepee which the two youngest granddaughters were enthralled with.

It must still be in the ancestral DNA to be in a tree. :-)

Other times when we've visited up north, I've seen an unusual hedge that I managed to get a shot of this time. I don't know what type of trees have been manipulated but they form a courtyard at the front of the house.

I'm linking with my friend Beth from Beyond the Garden Gate for Travels Near & Far, held on the 15th of each month. I hope you'll join us too.

Fall Fireworks

2011-10-13T12:15:00.000-04:00

At this time of year there is an explosion of colour; think of it as fall fireworks. If I had to choose one shrub as a favourite for spectacular fall foliage, it would be Euonymus alatus, commonly known as spindle tree or burning bush.

Native to northeastern Asia and central China this plant was introduced to North America around 1860 and has become one of the most popular garden shrubs because of the brilliant red fall display it puts on. The rest of the year the leaves are a dark green colour with inconspicuous pale yellowish-green flowers appearing in late spring. After the leaves drop, small red fruit capsules are evident and they split open revealing an orange aril which the birds like to eat. These seeds are poisonous to humans so it is important that they do not get into the hands of little ones.
The species shrub grows to 200 cm high and is easily trained to grow as a small tree. There are shorter varieties rated zone 4 for small yards such as ‘Compactus’ known as dwarf burning bush that only grows to 150 cm tall and wide.

Often this shrub is called ‘winged’ euonymus as well which is because of the corky wings and in the winter when the horizontal branch tiers collect snow, they make for interesting backyard sculpture.
Burning bush looks great in massed plantings, a shrub border, as an accent and even as a hedge.
I'm linking with Tootsie at Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday.

Frosty Morn

2011-10-06T12:45:00.000-04:00

As the saying goes, "the frost was on the pumpkin" this morning. There was a sea of white on house tops and lawns, and the edges of plants and leaves had a pretty fringe on them.

A really nice plant that just starts to open the first part of October in my gardens is Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate', commonly known as chocolate boneset.

Other plants in this family are E. maculatum (Joe pye weed) and the species rugosum or white snakeroot. White snakeroot flowers from August - September while the chocolate with dark bronze-purple stems blooms later.

A closeup of the flowers shows they resemble annual ageratum. The plant grows to about 3 feet tall and is at home is moist to average soil.

I'm linking with Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday, come flaunt your flowers too!

Winner of My Memories Giveaway

2011-10-06T08:56:00.000-04:00

Thank you to everyone that entered my giveaway for the My Memories Software. Most bloggers had 2 entries each and the names were put on pieces of paper from which hubby drew the winner.

And, the winner is - Pondside who will have lots of fun putting pages together with the upcoming wedding of her daughter Lily Pad. Congratulations! I will be emailing you with instructions on downloading the free software.

Pumpkin Harvest Tea

2011-10-03T15:54:00.000-04:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. The pumpkins are in from the fields and for sale at the farms and in the stores.

Have you ever seen a peanut pumpkin? Click to enlarge for a better look.

It does look like there are peanuts growing all over it, doesn't it?

There is apple cinnamon tea brewing and I'm going to use this Elizabethan by Staffordshire teacup.

The autumn Victoria magazine from 2008 had an interesting article on the harvest of pumpkins and showed various types.

One of the baskets I made when I did ceramics back in the 80's. It holds a bunch of tiny ceramic pumpkins purchased from Bowring.

Chocolate cupcakes with fall colours. I feel sorry for hubby that I'm not that fond of icing, otherwise there would be a thick layer of swirling sweetness.

The turkey came with a small ivy in it years ago but today holds more pumpkins, soft wooden potpourri ones with tiny pine cones.

I hope you'll also join my hosts and their guests for tea today:

Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday

Trisha at Sweetology for Tea Party Tuesday

Kathy at A Delightsome Life for A Return to Loveliness

Bernideen at her tea time blog for Sharing Tea with Friends on Saturday

Forest Bathing

2011-10-01T21:53:00.001-04:00

Forest bathing...or Shinrin-yoku as it is called in Japan. Research has shown that stress can be reduced by walking leisurely, or even sitting in a forest. Japanese scientists discovered that the scent of trees, the sound of a babbling brook and the feel of sunshine on one can have an immense calming effect.

Above is the forest my hubby and a friend hiked in this weekend along with a small group of people eager to learn more about the trees and just enjoy being in the outdoors.

Walking in a forest engages the senses and powerful hormonal and cellular responses are released.

Various kinds of moss are growing on old stumps and living trees.

Life is abundant on the forest floor.

And there's a diverse pallet of colour in the overhead canopy.

Click to enlarge

A path beckons walkers to follow and a winding road leads to new vistas.

Essential oils released from the trees are a natural form of aromatherapy resulting in a wide range of psychological benefits.

I'm linking with Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Late September Blooms

2011-09-29T21:56:00.000-04:00

I strolled around the garden the other day amazed at the colour I still have late in September. And, there were a couple of pleasant surprises. I'm linking with Fertilizer Friday where gardeners like to flaunt their flowers.

This bright pink aster called 'Alert' (A.novi belgii) is a low growing variety reaching about a foot tall.

Colchicums, often called naked ladies since their leaves appear in spring and only the flowers bloom from the bulb in fall. Behind them is sedum 'Autumn Joy'.

Part of the prairie garden with the glowing goldenrod hybrid 'Fireworks', 'Red Baron' Japanese blood grass, at the back the seed heads of 'Heavy Metal' switch grass, cup plant to the right of the bird feeder and the lower right corner is northern sea oats grass.

Surprise #1, I rounded the corner at the front of the house and there was this delicate pink lupin where others had flowered much earlier in the summer.

Surprise #2, the veronica 'Fairytale' had been cut back twice already and rebloomed but I didn't think it would ever come back a third time.

This frog blends in well with the leaves of viburnum lantana, one of the few viburnums not bothered by the viburnum beetle. The variegated leaves tumble down one side of the waterfall by the pond.

A Rainbow for You

2011-09-26T16:59:00.000-04:00

Rather than miss tea with my friends this week, I'll repost a picture from last week. You see, my poor Mac laptop had something strange happen to it and it's in the shop to get fixed. It must have been anticipating winter because instead of going into sleep mode, it would hibernate and not want to wake up.
Downloading temporary photos to hubby's PC is not something I want to do although I did want to see how the photo below turned out.

Rainbows are so pretty aren't they? And, seeing one always reminds me of Judy Garland singing "Over the Rainbow" in the Wizard of Oz.
I have been playing with some really cool scrabooking page set-ups from My Memories and even have a giveaway of the very same software for one of my readers. Check the giveaway and details here.
One of the first pages I made was of some favourite tea posts.

I'm joining Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage, Tea Party Tuesday at Sweetology and Friends Sharing Tea with Bernideen each weekend. I hope you'll visit them and their guests too.

Nature's Halloween Decor

2011-09-25T16:39:00.002-04:00

I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.
On a cool autumn morning I came across some of Mother Nature's Halloween decor - soon we'll see similar faux spider webs as people mimic nature when they do their decorating.

click to enlarge

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here. The deadline is October 5.

My Memories Giveaway

2011-09-21T08:22:00.000-04:00

I was tickled pink to receive a note asking me to try My Memories digital scrap booking software. I did try my hand at scrap booking years ago but it was a lot of work.

However, like many people, since switching to a digital camera I rarely print my photos. Looking over what My Memories software had to offer, it was exciting to see the possibilities with much less effort. My plan now is to take all those photos from vacation, gardening and grandchildren growing up and make some really nice pages that can be printed and made into a book for gift giving.

By now, you must be curious about my giveaway. Well, you too can have the fun of creating your memories with this same digital software!

One lucky person will win My Memories Suite, a $39.99 value and all you have to do is:

*become a follower for one entry, or let me know if you already are

*visit www.MyMemories.com and choose your favourite paper pack and let me know what it is in your comment for a second entry

*blog about my giveaway for a third entry

The Giveaway ends

October 5, 2011

and the winner will be announced on my blog October 6

BUT THERE'S MORE!

Everyone can be a winner as I've been given a code to offer you a $10 coupon off My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software and $10 to spend at the MyMemories.com store.

Go here

to apply this code STMMMS25575 (simply copy and paste and it has no expiry date)

I've had fun just playing with the software and when the colder weather is here, will get the creative juices flowing for some serious scrap booking and card making. One more thing, if you're not all that computer savvy like me, there is excellent technical support.

The Scents of Autumn

2011-09-19T16:17:00.001-04:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. It's cool and raining today, perfect for sitting down with a cup of steaming tea while we visit.
I've said it before, I love this time of year! It's not just the stunning fall colours, but also the smell in the air. The coolness, along with fading leaves and gardens produces an earthy scent. Even the asters, mums and other flowers in bloom now smell differently than the ones of spring and summer.

It's a time for harvesting vegetables, apples and other fall bounty.

The tea for today is an apple cinnamon chamomile and I thought I'd use the chocolate brown tea for one set.

A little glass pumpkin has a battery operated tea light in it.

As I prepared the sweet to have with our tea today, I wondered if anyone else has served the same thing two weeks in a row? We still have some pumpkin nut tea loaf (recipe on left sidebar pages) left so I smeared it with a peach passion fruit curd and oh, is this ever good!

I'd like to thank Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage for hosting Tea Time Tuesday, I've met so many kind and caring women through her blog and enjoy meeting each week for tea.

Trisha at Sweetology shares the neatest tea food, whether sweet or savoury that she creates in her kitchen. I look at a recipe and think it would be nice to make but Trisha sets to work and makes a masterpiece, even simplifying the original directions for us!

Bernideen at her Tea Time Blog is a wealth of information for all things tea and sets an elegant table.

Thank you to the above hosts, please visit their blogs and guests.

Dig Drop Done

2011-09-15T17:13:00.000-04:00

I'm calling on all gardeners, particularly the baby boomers like me to educate younger gardeners about the virtues of bulbs.
'Dig,Drop, Done' is a new campaign for consumers in Canada and the US to help promote and ensure
the future of the joy of bulb gardening. My information of the DDD Foundation came via Vanhof and Blokker Ltd. in Mississauga, Ontario, one of the supporting companies when they sent me a package of red 'Canadian Liberator' tulips. The name chosen by Princess Margriet is to honour all members of the Canadian Army, Navy, Air Force and Merchant Marines who took part in the liberation of Holland during WWII.
Planting red tulips to honour the military has been done for many years as seen in a bed at our local arboretum that is a colourful tribute to them every spring.

Older generation gardeners known as baby boomers have been planting bulbs for years but the goal of the campaign is to attract a new generation of women (and men) to the effortless beauty that bulbs can provide.
Research and gardening trends have indicated that Generation X and Y tend to lean towards instant
gardens. The nurseries have complied by featuring groupings of plants including container gardens, bird baths and even furniture for their visual pleasure and easy shopping.
Now, even though these generations are busy with two income families and parenting, they can be shown how easy it is to fit bulb gardening, that will produce an instant garden in the spring, into their lives.
This is where the ladies come in: Marcy, Juliana and Evelyn.

Image Courtesy of Woodbine Advertising

Marcy is a super Mom just over thirty with three young children who does substitute teaching and has a busy life between job and family. However, she's competitive and proves she is organized with her colour coding of children and bulbs.
Juliana is a single fashionista interior designer in her late thirties. She gardens on her balcony and always follows the latest trends and colours for her wardrobe, and her bulbs.
Evelyn is a fifty something mother and empty nester still working and as she sits in her housecoat, hair in rollers, she'll have you smiling as she relates her success with bulbs while ogling the neighbour's gardener.
The ladies can be found on the website as well as bulb facts, tips, how to plant, inspirational photos and much more. Go to http://digdropdone.com
As with flowers, plant in groups of three or five and press the bulbs gently into the hole, cover with soil then water. There you have it: dig, drop, done!
Plant bulbs around perennials so that they'll hide the fading leaves in spring as they return nourishment to the bulb for the next year.
Creating drifts of colour with bulbs will result in a stunning show in the spring.

I'm linking with Tracie at Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursday and Tootsie at Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday.

Travels Near and Far #2 with Beth

2011-09-14T20:21:00.001-04:00

It's mid month again when I join my friend Beth at Beyond the Garden Gate for her 'Travels Near and Far' meme. The most memorable vacation we've had recently was a cruise to Alaska last fall when we did the inside passage. I remember my grandmother talking about this cruise years ago when she took it so I was happy that we could finally see the beauty she described.

There were 14 of us from my garden club that travelled together.

The views from the ship were breathtaking as was this mountain shrouded in mist.

We were allowed into an area where there were lots of seals on floating ice.

Being gardeners, we enjoyed the colour and design at Butchart Gardens the day before the cruise started.

We have many more photos from this trip but I hope these are enough to convince anyone that hasn't cruised Alaska, to go.

Beth would love you to travel over to her blog to see her trip, and where her guests have been!

Pumpkin Pleasure

2011-09-13T10:09:00.001-04:00

Cool crisp morning walks make me think about the shifting trend of baking with summertime berries to autumn pumpkin and cranberry recipes.

Welcome friends for tea today as we turn to pumpkin for our tea bread and refreshment. I'm linking with Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday, Sweetology for Tea Party Tuesday, Bernideen's Tea Time Blog for Friends Sharing Tea and A Delightsome Life for A Return to Loveliness.

The tea is brewing, it's a Pumpkin Chai; cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and the sweetness of caramel and pumpkin. I've set out a pretty yellow teacup from Bavaria, Germany that is sitting on the autumn leaf cutout table runner in the dining room.

Some Indian corn and a couple of glittery pumpkins with the fall centrepiece behind that is a wire pumpkin with a candle inside.

Pumpkin nut bread that is the perfect accompaniment to the chai. Sometimes I spread it with a little butter or marmalade but it's delicious plain too. (see Pages on left sidebar for recipe)

The new Tea Time magazine came in the mail yesterday and it has pumpkin cakes featured as you can see at the bottom of the front page. Next to Victoria, this is a favourite magazine for recipes and tea time ideas.

Please visit my hosts and their guests for tea, you'll find shared recipes and good company.

The Tapestry of Autumn

2011-09-11T20:21:00.001-04:00

I'm reposting this mosaic from a couple of years ago for Mosaic Monday at Little Red House. It is a real tapestry of colours that make autumn a favourite time of year. Miss Mia, our granddaughter in the centre had been apple picking with her family, something they enjoy together every year.

I hope you will visit our host Mary at the link above for more fun collages.

Autumn Tea in the Garden

2011-09-09T20:26:00.001-04:00

Welcome friends for tea in the garden on Saturday, hosted by Bernideen at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog.
After seeing many of my blogging friends already decorated for autumn, I felt it was time to pull out my few things.

What better way way to celebrate the coming of this season than with a tea that has a perfect blend of orange peel, cinnamon and caramel called Caramel Spice.

Many times I just fancy my tea in a mug, this pretty sunflower one was filled with chocolate as a thank you gift after a garden presentation I did at a library.

Although we don't have any autumn china, I've saved this rustic coloured cream and sugar from back in the days when everything we had was browns and oranges...that would be the early 70's. :-)

The sweets with our tea today are simple, green tea cookies served on a sunflower plate.

A small side table with the tea tray was placed in front of the Limelight hydrangea for our tea, thankfully the weather was warm enough to still be outside. I hope you will visit my lovely hostess and her guests.

Fall Harvest

2011-09-08T16:06:00.000-04:00

Autumn is not only the time for us to harvest our gardens but the birds, bees and other wildlife begin their harvest too of juicy berries, apples and nectar.

Yellow twig dogwood which the robins love, and this is the second batch of berries, the shrub flowers and forms berries in the spring too.

Elderberries, one year I'll pick some and make a pie.

Dwarf crabapples, the birds and squirrels fight over these.

I love the dainty red berries of barberry 'Rose Glow'. Not sure if these are eaten.

Holly berries at last! I've had this shrub that came in a pot with the male and female pieces for about 10 years. It is by no means loaded with berries but there are lots and that makes me happy.

A male house finch is feasting on the crabapples.

A bee is gathering nectar from the 'Sky Blue' native aster.

The harvest from a friends vegetable garden. Don't you love this time of year?

I'm linking with Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursday and Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday.

Tea in Miniature

2011-09-05T22:02:00.001-04:00

Welcome for tea this week. I didn't have time to set a tea table but thought we could enjoy a tea in miniature together anyway. I'm linking with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage, Trisha at Sweetology and Kathy at A Delightsome Life. Please visit my hosts and their guests for tea as well.

An Old Country Roses teapot that is actually a hanging ornament sits instead on my tea cart.

I photographed this adorable tiny teacup arrangement at a flower show.

A blue glass garden hat.

This three-footed demi-tasse teacup was a gift from a friend and is perfect for a small spot of tea.

Dainty squares and cookies that are perfect in keeping things small, especially our waistlines!

Thank you for joining me and I appreciate your comments.

No Garden is Safe

2011-09-04T21:20:00.000-04:00

No garden is safe when I'm out with my camera looking for things to photograph. Especially art in the garden. The potman sits in a friend's front yard and ended up as part of a presentation I was giving to our horticultural society on art in the garden. You should have seen the look of surprise on her face when her potty fellow came up on the screen! :-)
I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Garden Tranquility

2011-09-01T15:15:00.000-04:00

How tranquil it is here at Lavender Cottage. As summer winds down, a chorus of crickets can be heard from dawn and far into the night. The birds are not as vocal as they were at the height of summer but can still be seen eating at the bird feeders. The temperature is cooler in the mornings and refreshingly so at night and today there was a soft lulling rain that made you want to curl up with a good book.
The golden petals of rudbeckia are still glowing in the garden but sadly the purple coneflowers are fading. The 'Fireworks' goldenrod is about to open as are the native asters to give a regal show of purple and gold. One lone New Dawn rose with a bud and spent blossom reaches out from the arbour that leads to the back yard.

The pond is still a busy place with goldfish chasing after morsels of food and the frog count is still at 10 even though some come and go.

The magnolia has a new look, having had a severe cutting back earlier this summer to rejuvenate it and by spring should look fine in time to bloom.

The Proven Winners trial bed is filling in and I planted several peonies here as well. 4 different bird feeders and the bird bath are in this bed as well.

The obelisk in the friendship garden has cardinal flower in front and a garden phlox to the side of it.

Front and centre in the fairy garden is a 2 foot high weeping pussy willow that is quite vigorous even with the passing bunnies eating the leaves off many of the branches.

Lastly, a quick look through the arbour of the front yard.

I'm linking with Tracie at Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursday and Tootsie at Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday.

Dressing up for Tea

2011-08-29T15:28:00.000-04:00

Welcome for tea this week my friends. We'll have it in the tea house, even though it is a bit windy but the sun is shining which makes it a beautiful day.

Deep pink phlox, purple coneflower and rudbeckia are flowering beside the tea house and there's a large pot of geraniums sitting on top of the bird bath.

A white porcelain teacup rimmed in gold will hold a cup of refreshing green tea.

Beside the cup and saucer is a vintage linen tea napkin.

Generally when I attend a garden tea party, I like to wear a pretty dress and my favourite straw hat. It's made by Bonnielle, a Canadian woman with expert know-how.

A couple of weeks ago, hubby and I took a drive to a town north of us to walk through the little shops and along their water front. Inside one of the stores that sold clothing was also a large selection of hats to wear to garden parties, weddings and any other time a woman feels like dressing up. How I wish I'd been to this store before the Victorian Garden Tea I attended just the week before.

I chose a fairly plain white organza hat that will go with any of my summer wear.

Click to enlarge

A closer look at the hat; the organza is stitched to form a large flower at the front.

How we girls still like to dress up! Growing up, females entering a church always wore a hat on their head and we also had white gloves then too. As a young girl, it was too much fussing but now it's a lot of fun. Some older women still wear beautiful hats to church and other occasions and I admire them for keeping the fashion alive.

Thanks for joining me for tea. How about you? Are you wearing fancy hats for garden tea parties and other events?

I'm linking with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday, Kathy at A Delightsome Life for A Return to Loveliness and Bernideen at her Tea Time Blog for Tea in the Garden on Saturday.

White Lightning

2011-08-28T17:17:00.000-04:00

Click to enlarge

The corn is ready in Ontario and there's nothing like piping hot sweet cobs dripping in butter. There are several farms around us that grow corn which is really tasty and this year we were happy to discover White Lightning from one of them.

Snow white and sweeter than the peaches and cream variety we normally buy.

I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Hosta Fever

2011-08-24T20:24:00.000-04:00

'Hosta Fever' could apply to many obsessed gardeners but it is the name of a business and with over 700 varieties, you could say this woman has 'the fever'. Cindy Mitchell spoke to our garden club this summer and so we decided to pay a visit to her home where she has her display gardens and plants for sale. I'll just let you have a look as we tour about her property.

I liked all the statues and other yard art that were found nestled amongst the hostas and ferns.

Cindy did a demonstration on how to check for hosta mosaic virus with a kit too.

Beyond the lawn by the house, paths wound through a wooded area and here was where all the hostas for sale were - in alphabetical order. Every hosta in the display gardens had a name tag so you could see the mature size and then shop for a pot of your favourites.

There were lots of minis to choose from as well.

Everyone left for home laden down with pots and happy faces. My new hostas are 'Allegan Fog', 'Praying Hands', 'Fire and Ice', 'Gypsy Rose' and 'Rainforest Sunrise'. The third photo down shows 'Gypsy Rose' and I will admit that I'm only buying hostas with thick and waxy leaves now. No more food for the slugs and snails!

I'm linking with Cottage Flora Thursday and Fertilizer Friday.

Peach Cobbler Tea

2011-08-22T21:18:00.001-04:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. Baskets of juicy peaches are in the grocery stores now, perfect for fresh fruit in hand or to be baked in an array of tantalizing recipes. I decided to make a cobbler for us with just a hint of nutmeg. Tea is being served on the lower deck on my outdoor tea cart.

The cobbler is warm and has a dollop of cool whip on it.

I've brewed a new tea to try that I received from a tea swap earlier this summer. Harney and Sons Pomegranate Oolong which is a light golden colour with just the right amount of pomegranate essence. I like the big handle on this Wild Flowers teacup.

A few flowers from the garden in a petite vase.

The tea cart against the wall with the hydrangea wreath I made.

Click to enlarge photos

The above photo probably seems odd seeing that it's not completely centred but a vent is right beside the tea cart and I felt I should crop it out.

Thank you for joining me, I always enjoy your company and comments. I hope you'll visit my hosts and their guests as well.

Sandi from Rose Chintz Cottage, Trisha from Sweetology, Kathy at A Delightsome Life and Bernideen from Bernideen's Tea Time Blog. Bernideen's link is for Saturdays when we try to have tea in the garden, weather permitting.

Around the garden in late summer

2011-08-18T22:40:00.000-04:00

With mornings cooler and more inviting to work in the garden after the heat wave we had, I've been doing some deadheading and poking around the flower beds.
The 'Limelight' hydrangea is in the white flowers turning to chartreuse phase.

H. 'Little Lime' blooms are becoming tinged with pink.

Weigela 'Ghost' is a Proven Winners trial shrub that has a nice shape and light greenish-yellow leaves.

Northern Sea Oats are one of my favourite ornamental grasses which grow well in part shade and this plant is on the east side of a pagoda dogwood. The dangling seed heads will turn an autumnal tan colour over the next month or so.

Knautia Macedonia will flower past the first frost and keep going even when the snow flies.

There's lots of insect activity too as monarch butterflies light upon butterfly bushes for nectar and compete with bees, other butterflies and this little hummingbird moth I managed to capture with my point and shoot camera. Enlarge the photo to see his long tongue.

There's always dragonflies, darners and the petite damselflies around like this one on the pearly everlasting.

The pagoda dogwood I mentioned above was loaded with juicy dark berries until the starlings decided it was berry picking time. A dozen or so of them have been hitting it several times a day and this morning even the chickadees wanted their fill. I managed to get a picture of the berries before they quickly disappeared.

I'm linking with Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursday and Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday.

Victorian Garden Tea

2011-08-15T16:52:00.000-04:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. I'm not serving at home but sharing photos from a Victorian Garden Tea I attended with a friend. What fun it was to get all dressed up with lacy white gloves and a garden hat. Unfortunately I didn't think to have someone take my photo and once the dainty food was being served, I didn't have the nerve to pull out my big SLR camera. So, some things I'll have to tell you about.

The tea was hosted by the Collingwood Horticultural Society and held at the Joseph Lawrence House B&B that a couple from their membership owns.

Such a stately older home with a large porch on the one side where several tables were set up, others were on the grass.

The grounds are surrounded by a black wrought iron fence with a gate to enter through and this tranquil sitting place with a fountain caught my attention.

Red Hat ladies always look elegant when they're out.

The president of the society was decked out all in white and looked beautiful as she went around to say hello to everyone.

This gentleman was really into the Victorian spirit with his clothing.

Another lady making the rounds was the mayor, she's the one standing wearing the stylish boater hat.

Piping hot tea was brought around constantly by several ladies.

The teacups on our table all matched and underneath each was a hand embroidered cloth napkin.

Mmm, the sandwiches were delicious, followed by scones with jam and Devonshire cream, then an assortment of tiny squares and shortbread. I had already eaten half of my sandwiches when I remembered about taking a picture so I quickly took these that belonged to the mayor before she sat down. After that, it didn't seem appropriate to be photographing the food on the table. (sigh)

I'm linking with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage, Kathy at A Delightsome Life, Trisha at Sweetology and Bernideen at Bernideen's Tea Blog. Please visit my hosts and their guests to join them for tea as well.

King's Wharf

2011-08-14T17:56:00.000-04:00

I'm linking this post with Beth's first time for her new blog party 'Travels Near and Far' held on the 15th of each month.

Every summer for about six years now my husband and I have enjoyed plays and musicals at the Drayton theatre in Penetanguishene called King's Wharf. We see four shows starting in June and ending in August. Actors and actresses have been on stage at Stratford and many on television as well.
The drive is just over an hour for the 2 pm show and its through some pretty countryside.

As you walk up to the theatre, this old anchor is propped up on the grass.

Rum barrels line the upper walkway.

The lake beside the theatre, and docked is...

this ship that always reminds me of the Black Pearl. Do you think Jack Sparrow could be lurking about? I must confess that I like Johnny Depp and have seen all of the Pirates of the Caribbean series with our grandson.

Last week at King's Wharf we saw a musical called 'Blood Brothers' and at the end, many tissues were dabbing teary eyes, yours truly included.

Please visit Beth at Beyond the Garden Gate and join in the fun yourself!

Tulips & Windmills

2011-08-11T17:47:00.000-04:00

What do tulips and windmills have in common?

Why, Holland of course! I have been asked to host a Viking river boat cruise to Holland and Belgium next spring August 1-12 with a fly out date of March 31. The intent is for me to get together a fun group of gardeners to enjoy each other's company and see the sights.

Cruise a canal in a glass-topped boat, visit museums, a castle and gardens...Keukenhof for one and the icing on the cake - Floriade that only takes place every 10 years.

If you're interested, and this is open to everyone, all you have to do is email me from the 'contact me' button on my sidebar and I'll send you the flyer. Registration is made through the cruise people and from what they tell me, the rooms are booking up - they've set a deadline of September 5.

Ever since I got involved I've had Tina Turner's song Proud Mary going around in my head..."rolling down the river".

Summer luncheon

2011-08-08T16:20:00.000-04:00

Welcome friends for tea this week. If you're new to my blog, last fall three other women and myself created a 'Circle of Friends' that would meet once a month for lunch. The idea came from Victoria magazine and has proven to be a success as we each take a turn hosting.
My weekly hosts for tea are Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage, Trisha at Sweetology, Bernideen's Tea Time Blog and Kathy at A Delightsome Life.
The August host for the Circle of Friends lunch was Val from Gardening in a Sandbox and her table looked very welcoming.

Each place setting had little blue glass leaves strewn about.

We had a colourful salad that had borage and nasturtium blossoms in it.

A delicious quiche,

hot flaky biscuits, and for dessert...

peach upside down cake.

I had Earl Grey vanilla tea in the 'Madonna Lily' teacup by Royal Albert.

Thanks for joining me this week and do visit my hosts for tea as well.

New Blog Party

2011-08-07T19:35:00.000-04:00

Click to enlarge

My friend Beth at Through the Garden Gate is hosting a new blog party each month on the 15th called Travels Near & Far and it starts this month. I've shown a couple of places travelled to in my mosaic this week.

Follow this link on my left sidebar to Beth's blog for more information.

I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday where you'll find collages of all sorts of things.

Late summer fireworks

2011-08-03T21:13:00.000-04:00

It is said that in Europe, goldenrod is a much sought after plant for the garden. Here in America where it grows freely along roadsides and in fields, it's considered a weed and often blamed for the nastiness of hay fever. (we all know it's ragweed) Many native plants are listed in resource books as both a pretty wildflower and a lowly weed. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, is it not?
For me, I've always loved the yellow glow of goldenrod flowers and I like to observe all the insects that find them a source of nectar.

Occasionally the native goldenrod will creep into the garden beds and I let it stay.

The yellow flowers look amazing paired with fall asters.

Purple coneflower is right at home too with goldenrod. And, of course I've saved the best for last. For when the native variety is slowly fading away, the hybrid 'Fireworks' is just starting to explode.

Forming large upright clumps with long waving branches, some would not even recognize it as a goldenrod.

Even in the winter, 'Fireworks' remains a plant of interest.

I hope I have convinced you to try this plant in your garden if you're not already growing it. Mine never get watered or fertilized and have taken the hot weather this summer like real troupers.

I'm linking with Tracie over at Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursday.

Cottage Finds

2011-08-01T15:43:00.000-04:00

Welcome to tea this week my friends. It's good to be back from a restful week at a cottage where there was no internet or telephone. I spent time at the beach, relaxing with good books and couldn't resist a trip to the local flea market where I bought a couple of things. I'm embarrassed to confess this but I didn't barter with the fellow - not at all! Hubby couldn't believe I paid what he asked so I'll need to practice this aspect of buying from dealers at a market. Many of you are experienced at this and I envy the gumption you have.
I'm linking with several hosts and I hope you'll visit the guests on their blogs.
Sandi - Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday
Trisha - Sweetology for Tea Party Tuesday
Bernideen - Bernideen's Tea Time Blog for Tea in the Garden on Saturday
Kathy - A Delightsome Life for A Return to Loveliness
The teacup with the pretty rosebuds caught my eye right away; it's Victoriana Rose by Paragon.

And who wouldn't love this adorable gazebo wind chime covered in twining roses?

The table is set with my pink butterfly damask tablecloth in the garden by a patch of purple coneflowers. A rosebud tea spoon is resting on the pink heart I won from Sandi.

We also went to a fabulous Scottish bakery and I brought home some sweets to have with tea. Big empire cookies and shortbread buttons.

Since I went blueberry picking early this morning, a dish of fresh juicy berries are on the table as well.

The weather was perfect for tea in the garden today, one of life's pleasurable things to do with friends.

Thank you for joining me and for all the kind comments I always receive. Blogging has brought many friends together, especially those of us that meet over tea each week. Special thanks to our hosts that invite us to share our lives with them.

Ivy Trees

2011-07-31T21:06:00.000-04:00

Have you ever seen ivy trees? During vacation last week, I noticed that many of the cottagers had planted ivy on their shady properties and over the years it has densely covered the ground and even started growing up the trees reaching heights of 20 feet and more. Although it looks nice, the negative effect is that native plants have been displaced and cannot get started in this thick mat of leaves.

Click to enlarge

I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Taking a Break

2011-07-22T18:05:00.000-04:00

It's vacation time with the family and my good neighbour is going to look after the gardens. No internet and no phones.
Returning in a week to share our adventures.

Heat lovin' plants

2011-07-21T18:02:00.000-04:00

Here we are in a heatwave like we've not had for years! In the garden, it is survival of the fittest and there are several plants just not holding up. Our water is metered, so too expensive to use except for the vegetable garden and containers.
There are a few plants that don't seem to mind the hot and dry conditions, most are native or nativars which are cultivars of native plants.

Purple coneflower 'Magnus'

Sundown

Cup plant

Ironweed

Quinine

Joe pye weed

I'm linking with Cottage Flora Thursday at Fishtail Cottage.

Christmas in July

2011-07-18T21:25:00.000-04:00

When my friend Beth from Beyond the Garden Gate had a tea swap in June, I sent my parcel off to my partner Rett at The Gazebo House. Unfortunately Rett's parcel for me got held up with the Canada Post lock-out of employees and sat for a good couple of weeks.
I was excited to see it finally appear last week (and so was Rett) and when I opened the box, it was like Christmas in July!
Welcome friends for tea as we join Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage, Bernideen for Tea in the Garden, Trisha at Sweetology and Kathy at A Delightsome Life for A Return to Loveliness, all very nice ladies that would love you to visit them and their guests for tea.

We'll have Earl Grey tea in my Lennox Butterfly Meadow mugs and I have some cheese scones for us.

If you're comfortable with your tea, I'll show you the contents of my parcel.

A large and small note pad with a tea pot.

Stamped bookmark with butterflies.

A sweet little book of tea quotes.

Kimberly Shaw card to invite a friend for tea.

A great selection of teas.

Lapel pin and frilly collars for tea drips.

Picnic basket trinket box that had chocolate inside.

Look at the tag with the shamrock cookie cutter. Rett had gone through my blog to know all about me, what I needed or wanted.

A game to play with the grandchildren, how thoughtful is this?

And, I've saved the best for last, Rett is a talented lady with a sewing machine.

I've been looking for a monogrammed hand towel which I mentioned on a tea post one time, isn't this lovely?

My collection with a handwritten note from Rett. Thank you so much for all the wonderful things you spoiled me with and indeed, it was like Christmas in July.

Flying Flowers

2011-07-17T21:30:00.000-04:00

A trio of pretty butterflies I captured in a sanctuary this weekend. Butterflies have been referred to as flying flowers by some gardeners, a description that I think is very fitting.

I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Where Bloggers Create

2011-07-14T16:00:00.003-04:00

The lovely Karen Valentine who designed my blog hosts a fun annual party at My Desert Cottage where bloggers can show where they create things. This year I thought I'd take part so I perused some of the participants from last year. Wow, I have to say I am envious of where some of these people do their crafts, sew, quilt and lots of other things. Oh well, my space is my own and I can still create even if it isn't a spectacular area.
There are two places where I create, the first being my gardening side and office where I write a weekly gardening column and an article for our local magazine; oh yes, and a couple of garden club newsletters. This used to be #2 daughter's bedroom and when she moved out, my desk moved in!

The work desk with a few of the ceramic animals I made years ago to keep me company.

A little pair of wellies hold my pens and scissors.

This bookcase holds most of my resource books. Disregard the bag of pretzels behind some books on the top shelf - out of sight and out of mind for our dog who usually lays in the room with me while I work.

More books, labels and paper on this bookshelf.

A swag I crafted from willow and wildflowers and adorned with pretty ribbons hangs over a bird identification chart.

Now I can show you where I do crafts and it's just an area in the basement that's not finished. As mentioned above, I used to paint ceramics and still do the odd thing as well as some tole painting.

Ceramic paint bottles.

Spray paint cans, mostly Krylon for painting garden yard art and anything that chips. I know many of you like the chippy look, but what I can I say, I sand and paint them over. :-)

A box with silk flowers and other stuff. I went through a period of decorating straw hats and each bedroom door has one hanging on it.

My latest craft endeavour is making my own cards. I attend, when I can a Stampin' Up workshop twice a month to learn techniques and the nice part about it is, we're all about the same age. Except the pretty 30 something instructor but she feels at home with us grannies.

Heat embossing material.

Ink and punches. I'm slowly building up equipment but this is not a cheap hobby. Michael's has a 40% off coupon in the paper each week and I use it if I need something.

Other toys. Yes, that is a label machine and I know how to use it very well. (Just call me Martha.)

Lots of boxes and containers for organizing things.

The chair I sit on is very special to me. It used to have black paint and varnish on it but hubby stripped it down and made it look much nicer. My great grandfather had a set of these chairs on his farm and when he passed away, each grandson received one. My dad always kept his around for a spare when company was over and when he passed on, I inherited it. It's well made and comfy.

I suppose you would like to see some of the cards I've been making? These are a few, I've already sent many to family and friends for different occasions.

I hoped you enjoyed my two creative spaces and will visit the others over the next couple of weeks.

Believe me, you'll find some great ideas and inspiration.

A Lavender Tea

2011-07-11T16:09:00.000-04:00

The lavender at our cottage is in full bloom and so fragrant to brush up against along the path it borders.

A versatile herb that makes an aromatic potpourri, adds flavour to cooking and baking, can be inhaled to help calm a headache and rubbed on the skin to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Welcome friends for tea. Although there are a few ladies in Blogland that host tea parties, because I don't have the time to be polite and visit all their guests, I only participate in Sandi's Tea Time Tuesday each week at Rose Chintz Cottage and Bernideen's Tea in the Garden on Saturday. Of course with my love of Victoria magazine, I try to remember to include Kathy at A Delightsome Life for her A Return to Loveliness party each week. I hope you will visit the blogs of these lovely ladies I'm linking with.

Tea with Sandi this week is a special one as she asked to feature me, what an honour!

Our afternoon tea is set up in the tea house in the backyard and the dappled shade is casting intriguing shadows over the table.

Lavender tea is brewing in the teapot I found all the way out west in Alaska at a garden store while on our cruise last year.

I have yet to find a teacup with lavender on it so I've brought out this pretty Adderley one with the pink roses inside. The table cloth is the palest lavender damask and the napkin is one from a set that was a vintage find at a local antique store.

A few fresh lavender stems in one of my vases and an adorable fairy left in the garden one time by a friend for me to find.

A lavender tea light, also a gift from a friend.

This miniature crystal wheelbarrow was on a garage sale table calling to me. It has purple decorating sand in it.

I like making these sugar cookie butterflies, they're a perfect sweet to have with our tea.

I just found this sweet little Beatrix Potter bunny with our surname initial at the Royal Doulton store and thought she should join us too.

The weather's not too hot and it's cozy under the roof of the tea house where you can see a big pot of pink geraniums and an ornamental grass sun lit behind the table.

I enjoy serving tea to friends and I'm so happy to have found new ones with the same interest that share tea on their blog each week.

Summer Pastels

2011-07-10T18:09:00.000-04:00

Pastels around the garden include spikes of pink veronica 'Fairytale', a new sign I bought for the wall and painted lavender and some light pink peonies floating in a birdbath.
I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday; I hope you'll join us and share your collage.

Click to enlarge

After dinner tea

2011-07-08T21:17:00.000-04:00

Welcome blog friends for tea after dinner. I'm linking with Bernideen for Tea in the Garden Saturday.
Today, I'm sitting out the front on our bench and using a teacup by Colclough that has blue cornflowers on it.

The grocery store had a 2 quart container of blueberries on sale this week so blueberry coffee cake it is with our tea.

A tiny bouquet of clematis flowers from 'The President'.

As the evening is cooling off it's the perfect time for tea and cake after dinner.

Just beside the bench which would be behind this photo is the butterfly garden that runs down the side of the driveway. It contains larval host plants such as pearly everlasting for the American lady and two varieties of milkweed for the monarchs. The nectar plants are different types of echinacea, bee balm, butterfly bushes, garden phlox, liatris, lavender, many asters and some daylilies.

A monarch on a butterfly bush.

I hope you'll visit the other ladies for tea in their garden.

Carpet Roses

2011-07-06T21:47:00.000-04:00

I don't have a lot of roses but I did want to create an English cottage look at the front with roses lining part of the walkway. The easiest for care, and the right height turned out to be carpet roses which were chosen in a light, and darker pink colour. They're barely fragrant but at least give the effect I wanted.

Of course like any other rose, they are a host for insects in the garden.

My gardens are in zone 5a (Canadian) and there is a fair bit of die back with the carpet roses over winter, even with the snow cover. I sprinkle half a cup of Epsom salts around each one in the spring to encourage new branch growth from the base of the plants.

I'm linking with Tracie at Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursday.

I am Thankful

2011-07-03T17:17:00.000-04:00

I am one of those people that has the best of both worlds, so to speak. I live in farm country where there are fields of dairy and beef cattle, sheep, and crops of corn, sunflowers, hay and others. We don't live on a farm but rather in a pocket village of homes surrounded by the sights and sounds of the country. Growing up, several family members had working farms and to visit and play in the barns with baby pigs and chickens are memories I'll always cherish. My cousins and I even tried to ride the holsteins one year but they didn't take too kindly to young people on their back.
So, I am thankful for the families that still farm and provide us with milk, meat and vegetables. I once heard that a teacher in the city asked his class where milk came from and one child answered 'from the store'. With a show of hands, not one of the children had experienced a visit to a farm.
I'm linking to Little Red House for Mosaic Monday and my collage shows a few of the things I see while driving the country roads here. Click to enlarge.

Happy 4th of July to our friends in the US.

Green Lace Tea

2011-07-01T21:50:00.000-04:00

Welcome for tea this week my friends. I'm linking with Bernideen's Tea in the Garden, Sandi's Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage and Kathy's A Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life.
At one of the local antique shops I picked up this green lace china set, obviously not antique but I liked it and the price was cheap.

A rose from one of the carpet roses from the front in the votive holder as it is too windy for a candle,

a few juicy cherries in the heart-shaped dish,

home made strawberry rhubarb preserves in a cute little jam pot,

to have on a piece of rosemary focaccia from the bakery,

and chocolate mint tea brewed from the fresh picked herb I keep in a pot.

A piece of the chocolate mint on the side of the Aynsley teacup I'm using today. This mint is low growing and rarely overwinters in a pot so I may try burying the container in soil this year and piling leaves on it.

The flowers seen behind the table are annual diasia in an ornamental wheelbarrow which bloom all summer. A little bunny is curled up having a nap.

I also want to share photos from a magazine article I did for our county coffee table publication called Footprints. The editor assigns me a topic, I do the research, write and provide my own photos. For the summer edition, part of the topic she wanted was 'tea in the garden' ...be still my heart, she wants an article about having tea in the garden? I only had a few pictures of tea outdoors and was able to conjure a couple more to send but I never have people in my photos.

This is where kind and generous bloggers will help another in need. Carolyn in PEI at Aiken House Gardens had posted photos of her and a friend all dressed up for tea in her garden. Would she allow me to use a couple of her photos? Of course she replied, and graciously shared a few. As it turned out, I only sent the one of Carolyn and her friend from those she sent me and I hoped dearly it would be chosen for my article. (The editor and team only select a few from the 10 or 12 I send them each time.)
If you follow Carolyn's blog you'll recognize the photo I'm referring to.

The right hand page is about growing your own herbs and veggies with some recipes to tie in to the tea at the bottom of the left page. Click to enlarge the pages.

I'll be sending Carolyn a copy of the article as requested, after all, it is exciting to see yourself in print.

Thank you for joining me for tea and please visit my hosts.

Happy Canada Day

2011-06-30T21:02:00.000-04:00

To all my fellow Canadian bloggers, a very happy Canada Day. Linda at Crafty Gardener has a list of fellow Canadian bloggers which I view from time to time. This week I found My Little Home and Garden, a brand new blog I'm now following so I hope you'll visit to say hello.
We'll be starting the day with a community pancake breakfast and then for dinner, since it's our anniversary, we're off to a romantic little restaurant. We're celebrating 39 years, how time flies!
The talented Karen Valentine has created a button for me, something I wasn't sure I wanted when she first designed my blog but I've decided to have one now.

It's a sweet little replica of the header from my blog and if you care to take it for your sidebar, it's on the left side of my page. I also wanted a signature for each post to thank guests for visiting me. Karen's logo and link is on the right sidebar, her prices are reasonable and her work, excellent.

Blooms in the Garden

2011-06-27T20:43:00.002-04:00

I was out in the garden today cutting off the spent peony blooms, most still soggy from all the rain. Fortunately, there are still quite a few to open and their fragrance can be enjoyed for a few days yet.
The un-named pink variety at the front has some pretty blue drumstick alliums flowering in front of them.

A couple of weeks ago I did a post on pocket hostas that you can find here and now that they're starting to flower, I thought I'd show one. They're just minis that will stay small in a tufa trough or get a little bigger when planted in the ground.

There are a couple of mini hostas in the bottom right tufa trough. Making one or several of these is a great workshop for a group of gardeners. I leave mine outside all winter with the plants inside.

I'm linking with Jean at Bloomin' Tuesday and Tracie at Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursday.

Pink Ladies

2011-06-26T21:03:00.000-04:00

Click to enlarge

Three beautiful ladies in the garden that are withstanding all the rain. L-R Cora Stubbs, Sarah Bernhardt and Farm Girl. Actually the last one is from a friend who lives on one of the local farms and the un-named peony has been there for years. They are all wonderfully fragrant, but what girl isn't?

I'm linking with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Circle of Friends Canada Day Tea

2011-06-24T22:15:00.000-04:00

Welcome friends for tea. I'm linking this post with Bernideen's Tea in the Garden Saturday and Sandi's Tea Time Tuesday. It's been rain, and more rain the last few days so I was not able to set tea in the garden this week but with Canada Day coming up on July 1, I'll share the latest circle of friends lunch that had a Canada Day theme. I must mention though, that north of the border, we don't decorate inside or out in the patriotic way our friends to the south do for July 4.

My simple centrepiece; the maple leaf is an iron one normally outside in the garden somewhere and inside the red glass vase are red and white, strawberries and cream jellybeans.

Each napkin had a Canada pin for the guests to wear and mine just happened to have butterflies on it. :-)

Red is not a colour I have for dishes but a couple of Johnson Bros. red and white teacups plus two other patterns that had some red in them would have to do.

And the tea we had with dessert was a new one I'd recently bought especially for this luncheon called 'Oh Canada'. It's available from David's Teas.

Just look at those tiny maple leaf candies and bits of toffee that give this rooibos tea a hint of maple and it is sooo good.

A few plastic flags from the dollar store ran down the centre of the table and the wine glasses are for water with slices of lemon and lime in it. I tried to come up with a menu that would say Canada Day to us and so we had fried chicken, potato salad, cole slaw and corn bread. Dessert was not for anyone watching their waistline.

Pecan pie; I had baked two of them, one for us and one for our family Father's Day celebration. You can never have too much pecan pie, can you?

Thanks for visiting and do pop over to my two gracious hosts to have tea with them too.