Summer at Last

Well, it seems that I'm in the mood to blog this weekend.  I'm coated in paint, slightly dehydrated, but completely happy with the progress we've made with the front porch.  It's a daunting task as everywhere we look is something else that needs to be scraped and washed and painted...pillars, trim, window & door frame...oops, don't look up!  Yes, even the ceiling of the porch needs attention.  The new storm/screen door looks fantastic...it was a bit tricky to put in, but the results are well worth it!  Ron is going to paint the triangles etc in the peak of the porch yellow, to make the details stand out more.  (See picture below.)

Pillars now painted...not like this picture!

Window frame?  Painted, too.

Day lilies, so called as they only last a day, I believe.

My little herb garden seems to be tolerating my amateur care...the chives and thyme are blooming:

 What?  You didn't think I wouldn't put flowers pictures up again?  Silly you!

We've been doing quite a bit of barbequing.  (I did a rather nice halibut steak on the grill last weekend and it turned out very well, considering I've never barbequed fish before.  I also ventured down a new gourmet path by trying out some tilapia.  (You'll have to google it, I'm afraid, if you don't know what it is or where it's from, as I haven't the foggiest!)  I did it Cajun style and made a nifty little nectarine salsa (you heard it hear first, folks) and steamed veg.  Here's the outcome, sorry about the splotch on the plate...but hey, I'm not Michael Smith now am I?  (If you can't see it, well then bless you for it!)  The salsa features cilantro from the aforementioned herb garden, as well as a bit of garlic chive (NOT blossoming, fiendish thing!)

The fish came out moist and everything was actually quite delicious!  I shall add the photo to my meal of fame album on Facebook.  We'll it's getting late (supper a la Island time) and we haven't yet eaten.  It's hard to pull away from my view; dark green potato fields interspersed with citron green fields of waving grass.  (No amber waves of grain here, nope this is Canada!)  Until next time!

Unretired and Ready for the Western Invasion!

Yet some more time has passed since our last post.  Here on the Island many things change rapidly and yet, everything stays the same.  (Sorry if that sounds trite, but honestly, it's the truth.)  Most of the flowers have come and gone, but we have some hold outs in our hydrangea, day lilies and other bushes that I don't know the name of.  The bird life is very active here and we daily witness the battle for the bird feeder (both seed and sugar water).  The hummingbirds are the dare devils of aerial manoeuvres, as they all seem to take the same stand "Step away!  Get your own feeder!"  Its fascinating to watch them hover with their tail spread trying to look threatening.  I don't imagine it helps when I laugh and say "Aren't they cute???"

Stolen shamelessly from the Internet, but ours do look like this.

We had big news last week, Sami delivered a beautiful little girl.  Her name is Mackenzie Grace and I guess that makes Ron and I grandparents.  I think it's all very surreal, but we're glad that mother and baby are doing well and are looking forward to hearing all about how Mackenzie is growing and learning.  Pictures are pending, as we aren't there to take any!  Congratulation Sami & Chris!

Ron has picked up a part time merchandising position.  We're hoping it will keep him from being house bound and having the extra the extra money doesn't hurt either.  I have yet to make another cake and we aren't sure whether the business will work here, but as previously mentioned in some earlier installation, we haven't really advertised.  We didn't plant a garden this year, but we did a couple of planter boxes and Ron grew grass in the places that didn't have any.

I managed to grow the fuzzy thing in the middle.

My sister and hubbie are due to arrive in a couple of days, so we're preparing for the visit.  There is much house cleaning and sprucing going on.  Ron is currently hanging the new front storm door and has done most of the hard work on the front porch.  It looks really great and suits the house style, unlike the previous incarnation with it's dirty vinyl lattice and unpainted hand rails.  The deck is also quasi-level and much more solid.  Ron's handyman skills continue to grow.  I think at some point he'll be able to build a house.  That's all from the wilds of the East Coast, be well and know that we think of you all.  Back to vacuuming!

Spring in to Summer! (?)

Okay, I admit that the title of this installation sounds like a bad department store flyer premise, but it was the best I could come up with!

We woke to another misty morning which presages a fairly decent day.  It gives an eerie sense of calm and isolation which is both comforting and disconcerting.

We've been forced to patiently wait for spring to arrive and I'm horrified to realize that June is coming to an end and I've only updated the blog once this month. 

Our garden is a voyage of discovery, we're slowly finding out what all the buds actually are and enjoying the little surprises.  The weather seems to finally be reaching some sort of summer-like temperatures, but we've experienced the coldest wettest Spring in who knows how many years here.  (Much like all you "Wet" Coasters! Oh, come on,  you know that what everyone call it!)

Due to the weather progress on the house has stalled.  Ron works on things whenever he gets some good weather, but by then the grass needs mowing again and the regular chores need to get done.  We have no news on the cake front...but we haven't even attempted to advertise, so what can one expect?

We are experiencing an influx of adorable golden finches and have purchased specific bird seed to entice them in to your yard and we've also invested in a hummingbird feeder.  It was successful, but the hummingbirds seem to have fled our property.  Additionally on the wildlife front, Ron has been matching wits with a wily raccoon (nicked named Rocky, of course - an homage to the Beatles!)  He's not around all the time, but we don't want him getting any ideas about a cozy winter nest in our lovely home.  I was, I want to say yelled at, but it's not quite right...thrummed at by a hummingbird yesterday.  I was at the front of the house checking out the garden and he hovered at face level just out of arms reach, staring directly at me...it was the most interesting thing.


Happy Canada Day to all of you!  We're hoping that you get a sunny beautiful weekend.