Ode to a Flower

Ode to a Flower

Gerber Daisy Portrait I

Gerber Daisy Portrait IV

Gerber Daisy Portrait III

Gerber Daisy Portrait II

Gerber Daisy Portrait V

All of these images are available for purchase as paper prints 

or panel board prints for immediate display 

and as a set of greeting cards.
Also available in classic black and white.  

Please e-mail me for more details. 

So Bee It!

Syringa vulgaris "Sensation"

I'm sure you're all wondering how my weekend at Bee School went.

In a word, it was Awesome!

The presenters were approachable, informative, knowledgeable, and just generally super nice people.  Others who attended were mostly newbies like me, with a couple of experienced people thrown in for good measure.

On Day One, the weather was a bit cool and rainy for bees.  They don't like to get cold or wet any more than we do, so a lot of the first day was spent inside learning the basics and getting familiar with the equipment and terminology. We finally did get to don our
space bee suits later in the day and spent some time at an apiary located nearby.

I also got stung on Day One.  Yup.  Right on the palm of my hand.  I considered it a rite of passage and, I'm not gonna lie to you, it smarted for a while.  By 4:30 pm the same day, it was gone without a trace.  I wasn't wearing gloves.  I'm not afraid of bees and the gloves just make it more difficult to work with the equipment, so I opted not to wear any.  The experienced beekeepers don't and the literature recommends going glove-less, as well.  That said, the purchase of an epipen is on my equipment list, just in case it's ever needed.

Day Two dawned clear and sunny, so we spent a lot of time outdoors with the bees.  I was in heaven.  I learned how to light a smoker and actually got to get right in there and pull out brood frames and examine them.  The bees are so focused on doing what they do that they don't pay any attention to the beekeeper, for the most part.

The second day was primarily devoted to learning about the diseases and pests that plague bees.  It's weird to think of insects having parasites, but it's a reality, unfortunately.  There are methods of control, though, so it's not entirely hopeless and the problems don't cross species. 

I'm so excited to get a couple of colonies of my own (!), but as with most new ventures, there's a significant start up cost involved.  I'm doing what I can to source used equipment, like a honey extractor which, new, can run into the thousands of dollars (!)  A bit rich for my blood, at present.

Nevertheless, I'm determined to make some progress every day and not let obstacles derail me, like they normally would. Yesterday I bought my first piece of essential equipment - a hive tool (essentially a small pry bar),  today I'm looking into the registration requirements for a business name so I can eventually sell all that honey my bees will be churning out. My imagination pictures us drowning in sweet sticky golden goodness that just keeps coming, but I digress. 

No forward step taken is too small on this journey and I plan on celebrating each one.  In the case of today's goal, not breaking into tears of frustration while searching government websites for information will be  considered a huge success.

Incidentally, you may have noticed that I don't have any photos to share of the weekend.  I was too busy beeing (sorry...) an attentive student and soaking up everything I could, while I had the chance, to bring out my camera.  The local television station did come out and film us in action on the second day and if I can locate a video clip once it airs, I'll share it.

On Staying Small

What if remaining small is not about my comfort level?  What if, instead, it's where I do my best work?

My ex-husband always wanted to expand on my dream, make it bigger, epic even.  It wasn't good enough for me to want to own a hobby farm, it had to be on a scale that could double as a convention venue where companies could host bonding retreats.

For years, my colleague experienced constant frustration with the small gallery owners we worked for.  She couldn't understand why they didn't pursue avenues that she felt would expand their visibility and grow their business larger.  She was dumbfounded when I finally suggested that perhaps they were content at their present size and didn't want the added responsibility and stress that would come with taking on more.

There are a myriad of quotes that say essentially the same thing:  If you want to be a (writer, actor, singer, etc.), you must (write, act, sing, etc.).  Well, yesterday I was a gardener.  Today, I'm a writer, the day before that I was a photographer, and tomorrow, I hope to be a beekeeper and a den mother for chickens.  

I don't want to wear just one hat, I want to be a hat collector.  I want to switch hats according to where my creative muse leads me on any given day.  Don't get me wrong, I want to do great things with my creativity, sell my artwork and have my long dreamed of farm, with its collection of animals, bring something of value to the world.  

I also feel, in my heart, that it can remain small and that it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.  Small allows space for intimacy and serenity that's often missing on a grander scale.  The development of relationships with new clients destined to become friends is more in keeping with the small town feel that draws me away from the hustle and noise of big urban centres and into the country.

I don't have anything against "big", or those who gravitate to that state of beingness.  There's a need for their special talents in the world, too.  I'm only just now able to recognize that it's simply not my preferred way of operating in the world, and that's okay.

I think there's a certain courage required to resist the pull of accepted definitions of success and seek instead, the intangibles that bring about joy, peace, and a sense of well being.

I don't need an interview with Oprah or a walk down a paparazzi-lined red carpet to set my heart beating faster.  Give me a freshly laid hen's egg nestled in a bit of straw still warm from the hen's body and I'll be happy.  Let me taste the sweet flavour of honey freshly extracted from my own colony of bees and I would experience a profound joy. To be able to share those experiences with others some day, to me, feels huge.

That's the magnificent contradiction of small that draws me in - the sheer bigness of it.

Go on. Say it.

For those of you who have been patiently awaiting your chance to say "I told you so", your time has come.

After setting a live trap in my mouse drawer and finding poop on top of it, I determined that the cute little doorway must be too small for the giant mutant rodents we obviously have living in our house.

When both The Frenchman and I awoke to the sound of loud gnawing in the rafters above our heads one morning, I finally acquiesced and gave The Frenchman the go-ahead to purchase more lethal means of ridding our home of squatters - well, keeping them at bay, anyway.

You see, we've discovered that our charming 100 year old home has a structural defect that practically rolls out the welcome mat to anything that wants to take refuge in our basement and, from there, to any other part of the house it can chew it's way into.  

The main house doesn't sit properly on the foundation.  There, I said it.

So, every other project, with the exception of the garden, has been relegated to the back burner as this repair takes immediate precedence.  Most of the heavy lifting will fall to The Frenchman, unfortunately.  This also means, no chicken fortress, chickens, or fresh eggs, this year.  Bees will happen, but it will take some time for me to get 'set up' first.  

The Universe has however, with divine grace, given us a small break, in that this isn't a bad year for vermin.

We've caught exactly three peanut butter loving mice in our miniature guillotines, so far.  But, it's spring and it's warm outside.  Come the fall when every whiskered creature and their relative is looking for a place to crash for the winter, I'm afraid...well...you know.  *shiver*

And, Sydney - you remember Sydney, don't you?  She is officially personae non grata around here.  The little s**t ate every last one of my freshly planted flowers down to the nubs on the ground.  She favours the daisy varietals, evidently.  A master of destruction is what she is.  And, after the long, harsh winter we had, she's the only prairie dog we have on the premises.  I can't imagine the chaos that must reign when they number in the hundreds!  

The Frenchman and I have teamed up and are facing this battle together.  I spread the peanut butter (crunchy, of course) and set the traps.  He discards of the remains.  I don't recall that being part of our marital vows, but there you go.  

The work on the house is going to be a big, exhausting job, and it has to be done.  It will involve digging out a section of earth around the house, setting forms and pouring concrete.  When it's complete, we'll have a shiny new "sidewalk" rimming the entire house and sealing any access points, for rain, as well as rodents.  I'm not naive enough to think that we won't still find mice in the house, afterward, I mean we do live in the country, but, I am hoping that it keeps us from being overrun.

Oh, and if you're wondering where our intrepid animals are in this story, you can forget about them.  

Sydney was careless enough to get herself trapped behind a storage unit we've installed on the front porch, the other day.  Frozen in a fear so complete she couldn't even blink, she laid there while our cat sat over top of her, staring back, until finally giving up in evident boredom and walking away.  

Willow was no better.  When I'd finally had enough of Sydney hiding out there and shrilling a distress call every half minute, I moved the unit and shooed her away.  Willow gave chase in what was a very impressive show of unbridled enthusiasm that ended with her running in circles on the lawn, completely mystified by the amazing disappearing gopher.

What can I say, we're all city chicks.  I'm sure we're an endless source of amusement for the farmers in the area.  I already know they talk.  Word gets back to me and I'm taking names...

Silent Sunday - Spring!

"It's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  

And when you've got it, you want...

oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, 

but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"

Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)

American Author and Humorist

My Prairie Country Love List

After getting over my initial homesickness several weeks ago, there are a few things I'm beginning to love about my new country home.

#1.  Sitting on our porch in the morning with a freshly brewed cup of coffee warming my hands and listening to the sounds of nature.  Utter peace and quiet reigns, but for the melodies of birds and the lowing of cows in the distance.  Pure bliss.

#2.  The neighbourly wave by - and to - drivers passing our home while we're out in our yard.

#3.  Animals happy to have the freedom to roam and romp in relative safety. 

#4.  Fresh farm eggs delivered to our door by generous new friends.

#5.  Taking a break from yard work to visit with neighbours who have stopped by to introduce themselves and enjoy a friendly chat over a cup of coffee.

#6.  Recognizing the vehicles that pass by our home and the people who are driving them, by name.

#7.  Falling asleep at the end of a full day to the cooing of mourning doves - not sirens, traffic noises, and other sounds of the city.

#8.  The feeling of self reliance that comes with tending a garden.

#9.  Watching the farmers work the neighbouring fields.  It's a new and interesting process for me.

#10.  The opportunity to pursue long held interests, like beekeeping.  I leave on Friday for my weekend introductory course!!!!

What do you have planned for your weekend?

Of Seeds and Dirt

This whole gardening thing is very new to me.  Those of you who have followed my adventures over the past  year, or so, will recall my first little garden patch in the corner of my mom's much larger one.  

This year, I'm more or less on my own out there.  Mom gave me some tips and pointers and fixed my potato plantings while she was here earlier in the week. 

It's back breaking work turning soil by hand and the plot of ground that has been established as the garden space is sorely overgrown with weeds and thistles and grass greedy for more territory.  

I emerge exhausted and aching after a couple of hours work.  It's a daunting task and I'm choosing to dig and plant as I go.

Gardening, I'm finding, has a lot in common with painting.  It's a solitary pursuit that provides for lots of contemplation and I've discovered that I take as much pleasure in surveying a newly turned patch of soil as I do a freshly painted wall.

As I lovingly place seeds in the crooked furrows I've created in the dirt, I marvel at the miracles contained within each one, silently awaiting the right moment to awaken in the dark and stretch upward, working their way through the soil toward light and life.  So tiny and fragile, they face so many dangers before reaching maturity and delivering up their bounty.  Marauding animals, birds, and clumsy dogs bring total disaster for many.

I know I'm not the first to look with delight at tender sprouts poking through the dirt and wonder at the mysteries that convey to one seed "You are corn" and to another "You are beans".  It boggles my mind and I  can't help feeling the presence of the Almighty watching over my shoulder as I gently place each seed in the soil and turn the task of growing over to them.  "Do your thing", I whisper to each tiny life as I imagine a wee sprite-sized guardian angel hovering protectively over each one.

In my mind's eye, I imagine my garden fully grown and lush with wholesome goodness and I hope and pray that my efforts won't be for naught, as the specter of deer and rabbits looms large.  I tell myself that I'll be thrilled if even one plant survives and thrives.  The truth is, I'll be devastated if any of my tiny charges come to harm, in any way.

Gardening, I'm quickly learning, is an exercise in faith and surrender.

Silent Sunday - Experiment

"Don't be too timid or squeamish about your actions.

All life is an experiment.  

The more experiments you make the better."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Meanwhile

We have acquired at least two regular customers at our bird feeder - a handsome Goldfinch male and his smaller mate.  I finally figured out why no one was enjoying the buffet we'd set out for them after watching this fellow make repeated attempts to perch on the rim of the feeder and finding it too small.  Once I installed the makeshift perches - a pair of chopsticks well past their prime - he settled in to enjoy a hearty feast.

Apparently, Goldfinch enjoy snacking on dandelion seeds, so they should be very pleased to see the prolific crop of yellow flowers popping up all over my yard.

My Mom departed for home yesterday morning and left a few seedlings with me for my garden.  I managed to transplant the garlic and the corn before being driven back into the house by our first thunderstorm of the season.  (Ignore the weeds you see there.  I am).  

Everything got a good soaking and I'm grateful for that.  Next up - beans.

I noticed that the lilac bushes we inherited are BLOOMING!  I've always wanted lilacs and I was thrilled to discover that the six bushes already established had not only survived our winter but appear to be thriving, as well.  

I can't wait for these beauties to open and spread their scent around.

I'm hoping that the deer and the rabbits will be good neighbours and leave my flowers and vegetables alone.  I may be expecting too much though, as "someone" has already nibbled several of my newly planted flowers right down to nubs on the ground.  This does not make me happy.  

I may, or may not, be contemplating the installation of a scarecrow in my garden.  It probably wouldn't do anything more than provide character and without a deer fence to protect my lovelies, there is a very real possibility that it may be the only thing left standing out there come harvest time. That may be reason enough.

Weekend Wedding

The Frenchman and I enjoyed a lovely few days in northern Saskatchewan at the wedding of my niece this past weekend.  Many of my family members were in attendance and it was like a family reunion with people I haven't seen in two years.

At the eleventh hour,one of our friends let us know that she'd be able to stay at our place and look after our dog, so we didn't have to take her with us after all.  As you can see by the above photograph, the wedding took place out in the country, so there would have been plenty of room to let her run and play, but it was so much nicer not to have to worry about her at all.

I couldn't resist capturing these two smallest members of the wedding party, as they waited outside the chapel for the bride to arrive.  

The young man is my grand-nephew and once the formalities were over, his dapper appearance didn't last long before he was off and running.

The bride and groom are motorcycle enthusiasts and looked so cute as they drove away together in his bike and sidecar after the ceremony.

The Frenchman and I met while taking dance classes, so I know I'll always have a willing dance partner and he didn't disappoint, as we danced the night away in the barn with the other guests after the reception.

I leave you with a shot of my party shoes.  I just think they're a thing of beauty.

My Mom followed us home (at our invitation *snicker*) to be our first official out-of-town guest in our new home.  We've enjoyed a good visit and yesterday she worked in my garden, turning soil, weeding, and preparing it for planting.

Now...if I could just get our local bunny to stop eating my flowers...  

Silent Sunday - Our Troubles

"Nothing is permanent in this world,

not even our troubles."

Charlie Chaplin

Firsts

My Christmas cactus doesn't seem to know what time of year it is, or perhaps it's an Australian varietal.  In any event, it's been blooming prolifically for the past several weeks in the most exquisite shade of pink and it practically vibrates with colour in the light of the morning sun.

The Frenchman and I have been busy getting our fingernails dirty (literally) outside lately and I've been enjoying a few "firsts", as a result.  

I've lived in houses with yards before, but never one that I've owned.  I now have my very own lawn.  Essentially a weed, in my opinion, grass admittedly looks nice when it's freshly mown and the edges are trimmed.  

Which brings me to my second "first".  I vaguely recall having mown our lawn once with a push lawnmower when I was a kid.  That was typically my brother's job.  Mine was dusting and vacuuming.  This past weekend, we brought home a shiny new lawn tractor and I personally cut a large section of grass after receiving operating instructions from The Frenchman. 

Generally not a fan of football field landscaping, we're following established protocol and keeping the grass trimmed around the house to keep the field mice in check, as well as the ticks.  Yes, the dreaded tick season has arrived and I found the first one on Willow's ear.   Eeew, ick, I know.

Speaking of my dog (spoken through clenched teeth), she's been getting ill in the wee hours of the morning for the past week.  She's not sick during the day and we haven't been able to figure out what the problem is, until yesterday.  There is evidence that she has been consuming sticks again (!) and they've been upsetting her stomach.  She's otherwise happy and energetic, and I'm praying that her nasty stick habit isn't causing any internal damage.  My vet is aware of the problem and we're watching her closely.  It's a seasonal thing with her, although she's always been a chewer.

Her timing couldn't be worse.  We're preparing to go out of town to attend my niece's wedding this weekend.  Because of our dog's proclivity for eating anything that can't outrun her, we need a sitter who can move in and stay at the house with her.  We haven't had any success with that, so we're having to take her with us.  It's going to be a challenge logistically, but we'll all have to make the best of the situation.  My good friend, who I shall refer to as Saint Catherine, will be coming in to check on our cat and dole out a few hugs and cuddles, if Luna isn't feeling too shy.

Our local rancher dropped several young calves off in the field behind our property and I'm hoping I can squeeze in a visit soon. I'll bring my camera.

In other news, Weight Watchers and I have (temporarily) parted company.  I lost an inch the first week and then had no success after that.  In and of itself, that wasn't a problem, but I was also feeling extremely run down and Irritable.  In an attempt to save my marriage, I decided to shelve the new eating program for a short while and start it up again after the wedding.

What's new in your world?
   

Silent Sunday - Thank you

"I hope some day to meet God,

because I want to thank him for the flowers."

Robert Brault

Meet Sydney and Other News

Meet Sydney.  I've decided she's a girl gopher.

It would appear that Sydney has decided she no longer wants to be a country gopher and has decided to sublet a little apartment up at the Big House.  

I can only assume she's decided that the space behind this white box, atop which sits our little Hibachi bar-b-que, is a good neighbourhood to raise children in.  Here she is checking out the new landlord.

She hasn't met the local ruffians, Luna and her trusty sidekick, Willow.  I'd rather she set up home there than in my garden, but I'd hate to see her or her brood come to any harm.

Speaking of my garden.  I am officially a potato farmer!  

Remember how, a month ago, we had to move all that snow by hand with shovels?  Well, the same is now true of the garden soil.  I'm having to turn it all by hand and it's a big, back breaking job, so I'm turning and planting as I go.  

As I make my first real foray as a gardener, it's becoming painfully evident that what I know about growing vegetables could fit on the head of a pin.  I find myself apologizing to the plants.  Seriously.  All evidence so far would indicate that I will reap an outstanding crop of weeds, nevertheless, I'm proceeding in good faith and trusting that the plants know what to do.

What's new in your neck of the woods?

Happy Anniversary, Frenchman

"Happiness is having a dream you cannot let go of

and a partner who would never ask you to."

Robert Brault

Happy 2 Year Anniversary, Frenchman.

Photo courtesy of Christopher M. Johnson Photography

Silent Sunday - Faith and Fear

"Faith and fear both demand 

you believe in something you cannot see.

You choose!

Bob Proctor

Snakes in the Grass

So, I saw my first garter snake the other day.  Two, in fact - can you see them both? 

I never would have spotted them if Willow hadn't been nosing around them.  To quote my friend, Christina, I don't know a garter snake from a cobra, so I had The Frenchman come outside and identify them for me.  After he assured me - several times - that they weren't poisonous, I got up close and personal with them.

I'm not a fan of snakes, but if they help keep the mice population down, they're welcome to stay.

Fun and Games

Now that the weather is beginning to warm, our animals are taking great pleasure in spending lots of time outdoors.  It pleases me to no end when Luna joins Willow and me outside, boldly trotting along behind us like a puppy-cat.  Willow remains pretty focused on (read: obsessed with) playing fetch while Luna explores and expands her territory.  

I marvel at how well she blends in with her surroundings and I almost lose sight of her completely when she's sitting on our gravel drive.

Yesterday she shared a couple of her favourite impressions with us.

Safari Cat

Pointer Cat

Curious Cat

Luna: "Hmmm...I wonder what's down this hole?"

Eventually, she settled in and watched with disdain as Willow attempted to rescue her ball out of the gopher hole she'd dropped it into.

Luna: "You're such an embarrassment."

Silent Sunday - Beginnings

"Let's begin by taking a smallish nap or two."

A.A. Milne

IT'S HERE!!!!

Warning:  The following post uses a ridiculous amount of exclamation points.  !!!

MY BEE SUIT ARRIVED!  

*wild happy dancing*  

Last month, I registered for an Introductory Beekeeping Course scheduled to take place in June. It's being held in some obscure location outside of Regina, SK, roughly a 2 1/2 hour drive away.

I haven't been this excited about anything since I found a kitten under our Christmas tree when I was six.  

I still don't know how I'm going to make it work, given that I'll be away from home for two nights and I can't take The Dog with me.  The Frenchman will be working and his company will be in the midst of their busiest season then.

I've done all I can do.  

I've set my intention ("I'm GOING!") and thrown the details into the wind with a hope and a prayer that it will all sort itself out.  

I'M SO EXCITED!!!

I can barely contain myself.

Incidentally, it's impossible to look chic in one of these get-ups.  I don't care!  Colour me Happy!

Checking In

Life has been pretty mundane around here lately.  I don't mean to disappear, but I just don't feel the urge to blog when I don't feel like I have anything meaningful to share.  You don't really want to know about every little event that occurs here, do you? 

I finally faced facts and accepted that 99.9% of the clothing I have hanging in my closet doesn't fit me anymore.  They all appear to have shrunk.  With the wedding of my niece looming a mere 25 days hence, I'm now, in the eleventh hour, attempting to drop a few inches.  I'm being diligent about putting Spock through his paces (if you're new here, that's my pet name for my treadmill), and I've also begun to follow the Weight Watcher's Points Program.  I'm very determined to trim down.  I just hope I see some positive results early on, so I don't get discouraged.

We got more snow here a couple of days ago.  I swear!  It didn't stick around for long though and the temperatures are forecast to get warmer as we near the end of the week.  I sincerely hope so.  

Spring, if you can call it that, is not pretty in these here parts.  Everything is a dull shade of brown, dusty and dirty from all the sand that was spread on the roads during the worst of the winter season.  Consequently, I've not been inspired to get out my camera much.

So...ho hum, right?  What exciting things have been happening in your world?

Temptations

This past Saturday, my neighbour and blog buddy, Catherine and I went to a farm fair together.  For one day only, local farmers gathered together to bring a few of their animals to market and offer them for sale.

We're still a long way from being ready to properly house any new animals, so I exercised extreme restraint and opted to bring lots of photos home instead.  Just look at all the fabulous critters that I had to leave behind!  I should be sainted, seriously.

That said, if anyone had placed a baby bunny in my hands to hold, I would not have been responsible for my actions.  Just sayin'.

There were lots of different chicken breeds in various stages of growth from wee newborns just minutes out of their eggs to full grown roosters and egg layin' hens.

There were ducks, and pheasants, and geese, and quail, too. 
  

There were donkeys, and goats, and sheep, and alpacas, and miniature Zebu cattle.  

Listen...Take me home...did you hear that?

Why is it that these little creatures are so appealing when they're nestled in wood shavings and doing their best Disney character impression, but they're not so adorable when they're in my kitchen drawer?  His bad luck that I may have several of his distant relatives moving in with me soon.

Then, we happened upon these darling miniature pigs and I nearly lost all my resolve.  

Knowing how The Frenchman loves pigs, I sent him a text and attached this photo. 

He replied with (and I quote) "Oh my God...just get them."

My mistake was in asking if he was serious.  When will I learn?!  I came *this* close to bringing home a miniature pig, people!  

I did get their contact information for future reference and The Frenchman does have a birthday coming up.  *grin*