Seasons of Creativity

My Best Man has several gifts that he brought to the marriage table.  Some I knew about and were the reason why.....  Some became more evident to me as time passed. Some have 'intensified' over time.  He is a natural supervisor, one step ahead of the workers and has the long range goal squarely in his sights.  The summer projects are planned the season before and sometimes the year before. And, vbsigh, he has only one less than perfect worker (sometimes two) to supervise now instead of 35 so I sometimes look a little haggard!  Mind you, when all the grand kiddies are here he feels like he is herding cats!  lol This month's schedule is My Projects.  And he has even brought in that other worker! We start the morning planning session after his walk about which is a lot longer and more detailed than my saunter around the main path.  We review the previous day's progress and itemize the current day's goals.  Some warm up exercises ...

There was a few years between the ages of about five and ten, my parents rented a cottage on a shady yard at Winnipeg Beach for a week. We would take the train, an old steam engine that was sure to send a cinder into your eye if you stuck your head out the window!  It was pretty basic with electricity, cold running water (maybe by running to the tap at the corner), an ice box that kept things cool, and an outhouse that was serviced by a horse and honey wagon.  We'd walk to the white sand beach or over to the Boardwalk that had games and rides.  Relatives visited and I have wonderful memories of those summer vacations.  I want my summer decor to reflect those sunny, happy, days at the cottage.  I recall simplicity and faded florals. Entrance sets the theme which is summertime cottage!   I have made pillows.  moved pillows, rearranged pillows and finally just draped fabric over the pillows until I finally hit on a happy combo. ...

  Last post we entered the circle from the more formal front.  Lets show were the deliveries take place at the back entrance. Definitely not formal and hopefully Funky!  This is the utility area,  grocery unloading dock, main path to hubby's shop and pet feeding centre.  A wood trellis and gate is on this month's to-do list which  gives a bit of privacy/mystery to this side of the house and should also help with snow dispersal. New building protocols put sheets of styrofoam around foundations which messes up root development.  Another priority is yard maintenance and my maintenance guy does not like trimming.  So... We have installed boardwalks. First the one to the future clothesline and next the second boardwalk will be along the long side of the garage/shop.  We will add a few more pavers at the shop door to fill in that ninety degree corner. I am all about subtle, greenery and low contrast.  Hence the inner cir...

My morning walks are great for clarifying my ideas.  The idea of a colour wheel approach to my gardens has always intrigued me.  I need some kind of focus for my overactive imagination. I now realize my colour wheel actually has inner, middle and an outer rings. This photo shows the property There is the closest inner circle which is the foundation plantings.  The middle ring is the house yard .  Then there is all the rest which has already changed as we evaluate drainage and best areas for orchard and garden.  The inner ring has a goodly layer of mulch to keep weeds down.  Definitely does the job but the downside is they can blow into the grass where they make the lawn mower guy wince every time the blade chops them up!  I have them too close to stems/trunks and too thick.  So I am sending the excess over to the garden box paths.  Plantings in the beds are beginning to expand so hopefully I can keep up with the weeding until the...