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I apologize for not commenting on the posts in my friends blogs.  It seems that Blogger is having problems, frustrating users.  As soon as they fix it, I'll start commenting again.

Last Hard Days Knight

Marg and I attended the closing of "Hard Days Knight: Music of the Beatles" last night.  It was, as expected, a great show.  They had a sell-out crowd so Marg's table was in the back row.  Paying customers get the premier tables.  Still, it wasn't too bad being so far back.  At one point, I wished I'd brought my binoculars to see the facial expressions of the cast (written with tongue in cheek).

The music was the best part of the show.  One actor (Sir Lancelot) sang two exceptionally great solos.  Now, that show is off to Alberta and a new cast is rehearsing for the opening this coming Friday of the next Winnipeg show, featuring the songs of Buddy Holly, considered the pioneer of early rock and roll.  I'm looking forward to attending that with Marg (hopefully at a better table).

Not a Herbalist

My favorite cousin, Barb, recently asked me, in a comment, if she should start calling me a herbalist now that I'm growing herbs in pots on my deck.  Short answer: no.  Long answer, the term, herbalist, is usually associated with essential oils, herbal therapy, medicine or gardening.  Unless you're a cook.  Then, it's associated with great flavours.

When it comes to herbs, my first thought is using fresh herbs in my cooking, preferable home-grown.  My second choice is freeze-dried herbs, bought in a sealed bottle.  My third and final choice is regular containers of herbs.  Exotic herbs, of course, cannot be home-grown without a greenhouse and an elaborate, expensive set-up.

I've decided to grow the common herbs during the winter, too.  Under a plant stand that I'll build this summer.  I looked at some fancy ones in a gardening catalog thinking I'd buy one but I nearly passed out when I saw the prices.  I can make something that will work fine.  Besides, gardeners need to grow things in the winter, too.

Dandelions

Dandelions are amazing plants.  When they're brilliant yellow flowers, they're quite attractive.  When young, the leaves can be used in a salad.  If you're really desperate or want to try something different, you can even make wine from them.  Personally, I hate dandelions.  Especially in my lawn and flower beds.

So, I vainly attempt to control them with my long-handled dandelion probe during the spring and summer, every weekend.  It's a completely futile exercise, of course.  Unless you can remove the entire tap root, they'll simply reappear a week or so later.  A fall treatment with Killex will knock them back but seeds blown in from the neighbours will necessitate doing this on an annual basis.

Thinking positively, one could argue that it's great exercise digging them out weekly.  My back and thigh muscles would disagree.  Theologically, I think it's just another curse because of Eve eating that fruit offered to her by the serpent, back in the garden of Eden.  A curse, much like me having to shave every day.  I could grow a beard but I look worse with a beard than I do clean-shaven.  Dandelions suck ...

Herb Garden Established

There is nothing quite like growing your own herbs for the kitchen.  During the long winter months, I will sometimes buy various herbs from Safeway or some other grocery store to bring the flavours only fresh spices can give a dish.  But, those herbs are expensive and sometimes disappointing in their quality.  So, come spring, I eagerly plant my own in pots.  On my deck, I'm now growing dill, basil, thyme, and rosemary.  And, in my small vegetable garden, I have perennial oregano and (too many) chive plants.  When I watch some shows on Food TV, I'm very jealous of all those cooks who have huge kitchens with their pots of flourishing herbs handy on a sunny window shelf.  Oh, to just reach over the counter and snap off a handful of a needed herb!  Of course, I wouldn't be satisfied with just being able to do that.  I'd want the entire kitchen!  But, I'm neither rich nor do I have a crew of people polishing everything in my kitchen until it gleams.  If my potted dill does well this summer, I'll plant it my vegetable garden.  It'll survive the winter and do well there for many years.  The rest will have to stay indoors this fall.  I'm hoping that I can buy a grolux stand this fall and keep them growing under artificial light next winter.  Where there's a will (and a little money), there's a way ...

Spreading the Wealth

After supper last night (giant scallops, herbed rice, butter lettuce and tomato slices ... yum!), Margaret and I decided it was a good time to start splitting off some clusters of perennials from our flower beds to give to Josi.  After placing them in various sized pots and giving them a watering, we loaded them up into the Escape and took them over to Josi and Greg's.  We were welcomed by Matt and Alex, who quickly drenched us with their water pistols.  Ah, grand-kids!  Josi was pleased by all the plants and the promise of many more.  Mike and Tasha showed up there soon after, with Katie in tow.  Mike had bought a new laptop for his mom and proceeded to unpack and set it up for her.  Impromptu get-togethers can be fun.

Gardening Time

Yesterday, after a somewhat futile attempt to control all the dandelions, Marg and I planted the annuals that we bought the night before, into our large pots placed in the front and back yards.  Added dashes of colour!  As if there isn't enough already!  There are so many plants are emerging from the flower beds right now (or are already blooming) that it's hard to decide where to plant some of the new perennials that we bought.

One of our next jobs is to split off some spreading clusters of perennials into pots, to hold for Josi's landscaping at her new home in La Salle.  Maybe I'll be able to slip some of the new perennials into those spots.  We'll see how it goes.  I'm looking forward to seeing the landscape plan for Josi's new yard and providing lots of starter plants to her.

A Great Time of the Year

Every day now, with the return of fine, sunny warm weather, I tour my flower beds, watching for the emergence of new plants and flowers.  It's quite rewarding.  Right now, the most spectacular blooms are the multicoloured tulips.  There are many others, of course: including marsh marigolds,small and large daffodils, anemones, squills, forsythia, bergenia, trilliums (white, red, and nodding), violets, and pansies.  There are others that I've forgotten the names of and will have to look up.  And, of course, many other flowers are just starting to bud out.  Happiness is ...

Wonderful Weekend

It's really quite amazing how the warm, sunny weather appeared on Saturday and Sunday.  Such a pleasant change from Friday with its sleet and rain.  It allowed us to do some yard work, with frequent breaks on the deck.  Saturday night, Marg took us to Applebee's for good old burgers and fries, items we occasionally lust after.  Sunday morning, I picked up Vladimyr and took him to Kum Koon Gardens for dim sum.  So many tasty items.  We hadn't been for about a year so we were overdue for these treats.  And, of course, we solved many of the world's problems over our meal.  Sunday afternoon, being a day of rest, I had a nice long nap.  Marg made a great supper: BBQ steaks, roast potatoes, and Caesar salad.  The weekends are a nice break from cooking for me.

A Welcome Change

Last night, the sunset was beautiful.  So different from the previous evenings.  Looking at the latest weather forecast, the next 7 days will be sunny and warm.  I am so looking forward to drier conditions, to being able to sit out on the deck again, to putter in the flower beds, and to go for pleasant walks with Margaret and the dogs.  And, of course, this coming weather will help in the flood fight if only to cheer up people working on dike building and maintenance.

This morning, the province is supposed to cut a breach in the dike near the Assiniboine at Hoop and Holler.  The intentional cut is supposed to relieve the strain on the dikes.  Although the spilled water may threaten 100's of homes nearby, it is supposed to prevent the uncontrolled flooding of many times more homes.  But, there are so many unknowns.  The impact of this year's flood will undoubtedly be severe.  Especially to many farmers in the area who will be unable to work their fields.  There are many angry and frustrated people in our rural areas.

Interesting Weather

Today?  Windy, wet, and cold.  Only 4 degrees!  The wet varying from light rain to sleet to snow.  Fortunately, the brief snow flurries melted as they hit the ground.  As the cashier at Safeway said to me this afternoon, it was "heavy water".  Unusual conditions, for sure, for mid-May in this province.

Not great weather either for all those heroic souls manning the dikes ... big and small ... across southern Manitoba.  Many people already have water in their basements and many others are worried that their basements will be destroyed as the flood waters spread.  In Manitoba, we are so used to seeing flooding from the Red River.  Now, on top of that, we're seeing terrible flooding along the Assiniboine and other rivers in SW Manitoba.  My heart goes out to all those affected.

Happily, our weather is supposed to improve dramatically, starting tomorrow, with warmer, sunny skies.  Here's hoping the weather office people are correct.

Nothing Like It!

A visit to Shelmerdine's on a cool, cloudy Spring afternoon is like walking into paradise.  So many herbs, vegetables, and flowers to look at and, because of the their prices, to choose a few from to take home.  Although I would have loved to have filled my Escape with herbs and perennials, I limited myself to some poppies and geraniums, at least for today.  The woman ahead of me in line obviously was not on a budget.  I  winced when I heard her cart-full of gorgeous plants came to over $700.  I even winced when mine came to about $50.  Hopefully, my selection today (and hers!) will give years of viewing pleasure.

Spring Blooms!

Trilliums (red, white and nodding), daffodils, tulips, squills, marsh marigolds, fern peonies, rhubarb, lungwort, forsythia, Solomon's seal, and others are all flourishing in our garden beds.  And the blooms on the ornamental trees should be appearing very soon.  Everyday, a walk around the beds reveals something else beginning to appear, budding out, or starting to bloom.  I love Spring and all it brings!  Happiness is ...

Age is Relative

Like most children, I thought my Mom was getting really old when she celebrated her 40th birthday.  Funny, now that I well beyond that in years, 40 doesn't seem very old at all.  I have some friends who are much older than me and are doing fairly well, in body and mind.  Sure, they can't do a lot of the things they used to do with ease but they're taking care of themselves and being nearly as independent as they always were.  And, they laugh at me when I respond to their questions of how are you doing by answering that I'm feeling kind of old and weary.  They give me a new perspective and appreciation for how I'm doing.  It's good to be alive and to enjoy my kids, grand-kids, and friendships.  Happiness is ...

Still Kicking

Birthdays are more fun when they're not your own.  But, they happen and they give me a chance to get together with some of the people who mean a lot to me.  My kids are coming over soon with a cake to celebrate.  I'm really looking forward to seeing them (and eating black forest cake, my favorite).  I'm kind of amazed I'm still around, after all these years.  Glad, too.  I have a wonderful couple of kids and some fantastic grand kids.  And, I'm looking forward to having a couple more this summer.  Who knows?  Maybe, I'll even become a great-grandfather some day.  Wouldn't that be a hoot!

Surprise ...

... I'm writing here again.  What else are you going to do when you wake up in the middle of the night and don't want to disturb anyone?  Besides make a wonderful cup of coffee?

As predicted, on my Facebook page, life goes on after the election.  Now, all we have to do is endure all the talking heads and their inane speculations on Canada's future.  Those of my vintage have heard all this before.  Some things will change; some won't.

One good thing is that it's over and we can get on with watching the buds break and the leaves form.  The beauty of nature, even in our backyards, is wonderful to see when spring sets in.  Being able to sit on the back deck, breathe the fresh air, and think about the summer to come is a fantastic feeling.

Whistling Wind

One would never know it's May 1st, looking outside this morning.  Blowing snow.  North winds gusting to 50 km/h.  Temperature at -7.  Brr ...  It's good to be indoors today.  Hopefully, the spring blooms in our flower beds will survive this turn in the weather.  I imagine they will.  And, the spring weather will return over the next few days.  Hmm ... soon, we'll probably be wishing it was cooler.  I hope everyone has a great day.