Shedy Stuff

We have been busy little beavers, working on a few improvement projects in our garden. One of them being a new shed. Keith has acquired quite the collection of "junk"/"treasure", depending on how you look at it. Not too pretty, is it? It has accumulated on our patio and has become a full blown eyesore! Hence...the shed!! I will admit though, that the clematis looks fantastic!!

Taking up the old diving board and pool cover roller. (With the help of the dog). The black tarp is the winter cover. It keeps the water clean over winter. It blocks out light so algae cant grow. Keith's Dad was a big help. With Keith being so busy these days, we asked Dad to give us a hand. Dad pre-fabricated the base and walls at his place. Keith then brought them to our place in the utility trailer. Then they assembled it here.

In one day, we had the base and four walls up. Of course the men in the neighbouring homes had to inspect it too. When Keith was up on the roof, I recited the verse from the Bible in Proverbs that goes "It is better for a man to live on the corner of the roof, than to dwell in a home with a nagging wife". They all had a good laugh at that. You dont think they could have overheard me nattering at him occasionally?

The view from inside, looking towards our house. Here comes a little helper! Young Nick came by for an inspection and gave it a thumbs up!
The second day, the roof went on, including facing boards and the windows went in. Heidi and I tar-papered it and painted the trim.

I must admit, I was more than a little nervous to see dad on the ladder at the deep end of the pool. He is in his late seventies, he can't swim and the water is only about 10 degrees c. But I worried needlessly as he was as nimble as a man half his age. I had to include this shot to show off our mountains!

So, at the end of day two, we just have the shingles and gutters to put on, and a few finishing touches.

Don't they deserve to look so proud of themselves? Dad was especially pleased with his craftsman style door. In the morning, I start sorting out the junk pile! Ill post the finished product soon, along with pictures of our other projects. The fun never ends!

Garden of Gethsemane

On May 2nd, we took a drive out to Surrey and had a little walk around the Garden of Gethsemane Cemetery. It is a beautiful park like, place of rest, and in spite of the rain, was a lovely place to go. This is Kaylas place of rest and it was two years since she passed. I dont need to go here to feel close to her, but it is something I felt drawn to do.

Here some of the living residents patrol the grounds with their young. They probably live here as there is a nice pond in the park and a marsh area abuts onto the rear of the gardens.

It was spring Clean up week. So the graves had been cleared of old potted or artificial plants. And most of the graves had fresh new flowers on them. This section is the Chinese memorial. You may think I am morbid, but I actually like visiting cemeteries. I find them so peaceful and enjoy the reflective mood that comes over me there. I always leave with peace in my heart and a renewed appreciation for the people I have loved my life.

A Magical Mothers Day

I trust all my lady friends and families had a nice Mothers Day. Although for many it can be a poignant day, for those missing a mother or child who has passed on.

Hopefully you will have enough happy memories to have made the day as sweet as possible. I am thinking especially of Kayla's Mom and also of our Friend and his six children who lost their mother a few months ago.

I have seen many an elderly lady or gent moved to tears on mothers day upon hearing the Flower Talk recited by a young boy in Demolay. So it is a special day of remembrance and appreciation.

I had a lovely Mothers Day. Heidi gave me the gift of a tour in the nearby forest in all its spring time glory.

This is Harry Hooge Park, just a two minute walk from the house. It is behind the local Elementary school. It is a fair size park that is a forested ravine with a small fish bearing creek at the bottom.

The creek eventually empties into the south Alouette River. There are occasional black bears that wander up the ravine, causing the schoolchildren to have to stay in at playtime. We have also seen deer and coyotes. But they all stayed out of sight Today. The wildlife only like to show themselves when I don't have a camera handy!

It has some formal type, easy paths that are open and surrounded my lawns and other well kept paths through the trees.

Some trails though are only accessible at this time of year, especially to the less adventurous types, such as myself.

One of my favorite plants in here is the ferns. They grow here by the hundreds and are so big and lush, I almost expect to see fairies sitting upon the fronds! Just a magical place.

Oh! But what do I see here? A wee fairy perched upon the root of a cedar tree!

During the rainy weather, these steep dirt paths are treacherously slippery. In the the height of summer, the undergrowth and brambles become too dense to get through.

Heidi wanted me to see the masses of wild flowers. We saw buttercups, bleeding hearts, Lady's mantle, forget me nots, some gorgeous fungi.

She also showed be the "butterfly" leaves and several nurse trees.

Nurse trees are fallen trees or rotten stumps that support a seedling such as this baby cedar tree.

Thank you Heidi for this wonderful gift. She also made me a fabulous breakfast and gave me a beautiful peice of driftwood >sculpture" for the garden. David called from Powell River to say hello and Andrew dropped in with a coffee and a gift card for Timmies Coffee Shop!

Have a good week everyone.