TWENTY-ONE

A.T. reading cards that he got. Thanks, Mom, Cam, Rick and Carol. He sure can use the $. Thanks again to all for the phone calls on our message machine and emails. A.T. went out Friday night to a "KEGGER" ---Saturday morning he had a massive headache - He ate pickles and drank some of the juice to relieve the pain - I never knew that - we always had a RED EYE to relieve the pain in the older days (beer and tomatoe juice) - Draft will do that. On Saturday him and his GNOMIES went down to the Air Canada Centre for the Lacrosse playoffs. Toronto ROCKS was losing at 6 and then came up to win the game. He said it was a most amazing night!



































We went to Islington Golf Club today for dinner with Mom, J.T., A.T. and Moi. The food was amazing. Adam wanted at first to go to the Red Lobster but Nana encouraged him to come to the Club. Today they had for the first time ever Surf and Turf. A.T. and I had Surf and Turf (Filet Mignon and Lobster) , J.T. had the soup of the day (Split Pea and Ham) which he said was amazing and Steak and Mom had Salmon. Islington has a new Chef and all we can say is "WOW"! The food was excellent.

















Happy 21st A.T. J.T. and Moi's card said - "SON - TIME PASSES, THINGS CHANGE, BUT WE'LL ALWAYS BE FAMILY (and then inside it said) ......AND WE'LL ALWAYS LAUGH AT THE SAME IMMATURE STUFF. These pics say it all!!!


































Went back to Mom's and she gave us her rendition of working out:




















Jim looked over her balcony and saw that someone had designed two hearts as one:

Zinnia's

Last week got 3 flats of Zinnia's planted for under the grow lights. The 6" multicoloured Thumbelina, 3' Canary Yellow, 12" Lilliput are all coming up. Next to get the 200 lb. pumpkin, Autumn Splendour Sunflowers, Merlot Mix Cosmos and Moon Flower (like morning glories only they have a 6" spread white flower that comes out in the evening and stays until the morning and is ultra fragrant).

Out Front

Our front maple tree starts off burgundy and then turns green.







Last year I put in 60 tulips, 45 came up on either side of the front door. This is the left side. They have a hard time growing out front as it faces north and the big tree and the roots mean that our tulips come out later than most others. Albeit still pretty. This fall will plant another 60.

AT's Pull-Up Bar

On Friday, the boyz got A.T.'s Pull-Up bar into the entrance to the Secret Place. Note - A.T. is not a labourer but a supervisor - LOL! Will you look at J.T.'s white hair.

Garden Update

Getting older really isn't all that bad. It just means that what I used to be able to accomplish in one day has slowed down and well - I just putter these days. More relaxed! Today I finished the raking out front and pulled out around 30 dandelions and then I went out to peruse the backyard to see what I will do tomorrow. I never know what to expect in the vegie garden and this year there are at least 25 Forget-Me-Nots coming up. The latin name is Myosotis which means "Mouse Ear" - One legend from Germany is: God named all the plants when a tiny unnamed one cried out, "Forget-me-not, O Lord!" God replied, "That shall be your name." Anyway, they can't stay there and will be transplanted around the soon to be planted Butterfly Bush (very fragrant) on top of where Mr. Buck is buried. This is by the entrance at the left back entrance to our Secret Place. Stay tuned for Adams request. A push-up bar in the entrance to the Secret Place.

1907 Postcard of Forget-Me-Not

TOO FUNNY - MOMS NEW TECHNOLOGY

On Friday, me and J.T. and A.T. took mom to Best Buy to get TECHY! ALLLLLLLL she wanted was a TV that had a working Clicker! (her old tv clicker did not work and - well - you know - that we all need a CLICKER these days) Anyway, she got herself a new flat screen T.V. - A.T. encouraged her to get a box that makes all 3D High Def or why buy the new HD anyway...... - She wanted to wait - sooooooooo tonight she phoned me and said - ALL THE PEOPLE LOOK FAT - A.T. re-explained to her - NANA - you need the box that turns all into 3D High Def for your T.V. - She said - Just get the box so that people don't all look fat! LOL! So, on Friday, we will go out and get the High Def box and phone Rogers (another $6.00 extra for VISUAL) and MICRODOT will be alllll set up and people won't look so FAT! LOL!

MY FIRST NEW YORK CHEESECAKE!

How's that for YUMMMMMMY! Drooooooool!

SPRING IS JUST ABOUT TO BECOME SUMMER!

WOW - the earth groaning - earthquakes and volcanoes AND well LIFE GOES ON - We had a quiet Easter with just US - I Went up to my fav nursery to get started with the seeds. New things are happening in our garden. I am going to become moreso a Rose gardener.

This is THE BLUE LADY one of the most fragrant of all roses. She will be planted at the back of our vegie garden beside the BONICA - stay tuned for pics of this in August. But for now - for those of you that have lost their sense of smell - EAT ZINC!




















This is the JACOBS COAT - filled with colour and a climber. This one will go on the other side of the Pussywillow (whose mate on the right side is the CANADA DAY ROSE). Stay tuned for August to see how this one climbs on the back fence




















Here is the dream that will be planted under growlights in the workroom- On the far right side all by itself is a new mix of double cosmos. At the top from left to right is - a smaller but still great pumpkin which I have made room for - up to 200 lbs; Autumn Beauty Sunflowers; 3' high Canary Yellow Zinnia; Lilliput Zinnia (the more you cut them for flower arrangements the more they will grow); Ornamental Blue Corn; mixed colour Morning Glories; MOON Flower to be planted with the mixed Morning Glories - The MOON flower comes out at night (6" across) and closes in the morning and is very fragrant; and Thumbelina Zinnias. I got all my peat pots and seed starting mix yesterday and this week will get them going. I am a person of MAY 24th - nothing out until May 24th - no matter what - CLR - the snow will be gone soon BUT WHO CARES soon you will be in Greece and then Italy - JOY! friend!

FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND

When Jim and I first moved to our community I attended a little United Church just down the street from us. It was the Fall of 1990. J.T. was working alot but I got our son to Sunday School. I loved to dress him up . He was just around 3 years old and I made him a jean jacket outfit and he had a Davey Crocket hat. We would walk down together to Church on Sundays - with me all dressed up and little Adam in his Davey Crocket hat. When we got to church Clyde Crawley was always there to greet us. Clyde went to be with Jesus in 1995. On Friday, March 19th his wife Myrna went to be with Jesus. Yesterday was the funeral for Myrna and I attended. It was a great service with tons of food as Alderwood is known for. The people that I talked to still remembered our little guy with his Davey Crocket hat. I do not attend Alderwood these days but I will always remember them as the Body that loved us. In dedication to Myrna who taught my son Sunday School some 18 years ago:
Myrna and Clyde Crawley forever with JESUS!

LAST NIGHTS GET-TOGETHER

My friends grandaughter is happy for shoes - I would be too if I was her age. And who dosn't like anything sparkled (eh CLR). I remember when I was little getting a pair of sparkled plastic high heels - You would walk around with them and they would CLOMP! CLOMP! CLOMP! and you would also have long hair by putting in the back of your hair one of your mom's silk scarfs held in with a hair clip - you felt like a Princess! Those were the days my friend!












Last night was a Lady get together - Two gals had their Birthdays - Lori and Cathy - Happy Birthday you two CRAZY DIAMONDS!

ART

Our friends daughter got a pic at Sears of her newborn:








My friends husband recently retired started to go to an art class and reproduced this pic at his art class. He sure has the gift! C.O'B you always amaze me! What a summer you will have on the back fence creating a pic for the background of the pond and a place of rest! When I saw this last night a Sharon's dinner I could not resist to put onto my blog. A great work of art C.O'B.

INTERESTING!

Several species of long-needled pine trees produce these at about Easter time. Sometimes the whole tree-top is full of tiny crosses. I am going to keep my eye out for this and remember to take the digital with me in the days to come.




















The weather here today is 18 degrees celcius (still being a Fahrenheit person that would be 64.4 F) - I was just out raking up and taking out the chicken wire over the front tulips (bad Fall squirrels) and actually got too hot to work. Some of the older tulips are popping out but the 60+ that I put in are still awaiting. Once they come up I have to get some CRITTER RITTER so those bad Spring squirrels don't eat the blooms. Nevertheless, a wonderful day gardening....YET, OH sooooo much more to do!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLAKE! March 17th 2010

Have a great day Blake - Love you - Great Uncle Jim and Great Auntie Marilyn! Have a fun day darling - Thinking of you today on our blog! Thinking back - the day you were born the family was at Adams hockey game and they won the tournament. We have pics of that day minus your mom and dad. Will show you one day. Have fun today though Blake!

PUSSY WILLOWS AND FORSYTHIA

We have a pussy willow tree in the back vegie garden and this year it has tons of pussy willows blooming. Today is awesome in TDOT and J.T. went out to collect some early spring glories. (with a few forsythia and wintered blooms)

Thinking about ELONGATED ART

There are so many possibilities for creating. We got an art table just after Christmas and the other day I got a great deal for some watercolour paper. Just cut in in half to get the elongated look - I like elongated pics. Found this one today:

How fun is that for an elongated pic of everyday life. While it is Retro - one could consider the irritation of going to get a cart nowadays and pay 25 cents and the freakin thing is locked or something else like at No Frills where I go most everyday. Kind of a now and then idea! LOL! I am thinking of me pulling my hair out to just get a shopping cart in 2010 - LOL! Even shopping carts are a trip these days!

CONGRATS TO MY COUSINS DAUGHTER

My cousins daughter is on the front of the new Harlequin Romance novel - coming out on April 1st - NO FOOLIN!

SUNDAY DAY TRIP - AC*TON

The weather here today in TDOT is amazing. Thanks Rosa for taking me on a trip back to my past. I put on my vintage 70's suede fringe jacket (that I just acquired) and splashed on some PETULIE OIL to get me into the mood. We met at our local coffee shop and then went along the 401 which used to be fields but is now business buildings after business buildings. I sure don't get out much - sounds like Willie Nelson eh - 'DON'T GET AROUND MUCH ANYMORE' -




























































Thanks CLR for the early 70's pics of our home on 25th sideroad in Ac*ton.















WOW, the next pic is me Nice to remember those days! Again, thanks CLR for your quick finding of these pics - the photographer of the old days:

Then and now:

SUNDAY DAY TRIP - ROCK*WOOD

After Ac*ton we went up 5th line to #7 and found the secret entrance that I and CLR and others used to go into to the Rock*wood gorge and mill. It was a bit treacherous for us as the snow and ice is still on the ground. We held onto each other and Rosa just loved what she was seeing. We stopped for a quick pick by a bridge - note the word PEACE OUT beside Rosa and then down the path further to an abandoned stone house. It is from that stone house that you go up and around small paths to the bigger abandoned mill that CLR and I used to take pics at . Due to the snow and ice we are saving that trip for the summer.

SUNDAY DAY TRIP - COMM*UNE FARM

From Rock*wood, Rosa had Mapquested the most beautiful country drive to Well*ington 7 - the road into El*ora. I finally found the farmhouse that our friends lived at almost 40 years ago. The chap that owns the place now had done a beautiful job of fixing it up with a pond out front. He was ice skating today. He remembered the stories about the commune. The black bedroom, the peace signs and other art of that day drawn on the walls. I can only imagine that they would have been known as those dreadful hippies back in the early 70's - LOL!

SUNDAY DAY TRIP - El*ora Mill

We went to the El*ora Mill pub and had a delicious Oka*nagan draft. After that we went to peruse where I and friends used to go right into the Gorge. (which is now almost 40 years ago) We found the entrance which is blocked to cars for the winter and will return in the summer. This place is gorgeous to sit and watch the Falls.