Friday, March 31, 2006

Snowdrops and crocuses.....isn't it beautiful how these pretty little things can push their way out of the hard brown ground?

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Thursday, March 30, 2006

I nipped this off 'superheros' site today and posted it here because I liked these thoughts very much.......

it is customary for the monks to wake up every morning around 4am, collect their alms bowls and set out into the community to receive whatever offerings they get. Some rice here, some curry there, they graciously accept whatever they are given.
What I found interesting is that the monks never actually ate what was placed in their bowls. They accepted it graciously, but had plenty of food back at the monastery. This tradition was kept alive for one reason and one reason alone- to give their community the experience of giving.
So who is really giving to whom? Or as Aretha Franklin says, Who's zoomin who?
Only after I heard this story did I realize that I do this instinctively with my parents. They may offer advice or a story (one that perhaps I have heard many times before!) but I let them tell me afresh because I know how important it is to be able to give.
Or do you remember that feeling when your mom gives you a gift and you know that in a million years of hell freezing over you will never wear it? But in that split second you imagine her carefully picking it out and spending her hard-earned dollars and you just know in your bones that the right thing to do is to exclaim, "Oh thank you! It's beautiful!" We do this because we want her to experience the joy of giving and we know instinctively that receiving is the only way to keep the whole machine working.
To receive graciously is giving a gift. To give graciously is really receiving a gift.A funny little paradox.
I suppose if we follow the wisdom of the Buddhist monks, one of the greatest gifts we can give is to bow and say thank you.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006



They grow up so fast don't they? Here is a picture of Rashida from before last summer when she became my sponsored "daughter" through World Vision. The fuzzy picture is the latest one I have. What a beautiful little girl and I hope some day I can travel to India to meet her.

Monday, March 27, 2006

Snowdrops. Tiny white snowdrops.
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The sun is shining this Monday morning. Yesterday I spent half the day in the garden; puttering, picking up poop and garbage mainly. I did a bit of raking, gazed at the new growth so fresh and green. I am amazed every spring to see the new life - shoots and buds everywhere. My little white snowdrops are up and flowering, earlier than last year. The temperatures are to rise today. My friend L may visit. This is a good day and I must get it started.

Friday, March 17, 2006

I finished a kitchen project. Man alive it feels so good to check one more thing off the list.

The kitchen needs painting. Do I want to paint it? I'd like to snap my fingers and it would be done. I think I like the planning part the best and as I haven't finished the planning part yet, I don't really have to think about the painting part - yet.

The sun is wonderful. But even in my little microclimate out the back door, it is still too cold. If it warms up even a tad tomorrow I think I can manage a little bit of garden work ---- picking up garbage and droppings and things like that. Have a little look-around.

I watched "Crash" last night. Wow. It was incredible, lives weaving in and out and sad too that we seem to need a crash moment to get "it". I'm still reading "The Mistress of Spices". I want to plough through it now because my next read is waiting for me - "The Ice Queen" by Alice Hoffman. The cover says "it is her best work since 'Practical Magic'". Oh good.

I have a necklace to finish that I've had hanging around forever it seems. L's work has inspired me to get the bead bag out again. Thank you for the shove.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

One last tulip picture. I like the effect of the tulips in the front - like a soft water colour. I don't know how I did that but there it is! Posted by Picasa
ha ha! it worked * down at the bottom * a little counter thingie * i've had two visitors since I downloaded it * both of them me
trying to add something here...a counter
Miles of Tulips - spring buds, bulbs & a water feature - wine bottle waterfall - stone and glass stepping stone.


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More from Canada Blooms - A nice place to hide away - textured path - patio















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Saturday, March 11, 2006

Tulips at Canada Blooms Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

JKB Posted by Picasa
Oh I am so in limbo. I can't seem to get moving on anything. Perhaps it is the weather - the end of winter (we hope) and the start of spring (we hope for that too). I feel foggy and not particularly useful to society or anything or anyone in general. Not a deep dark depression, just a feeling of "why", "what for" and a huge need for warmth and sunshine. A wee vacation with cheerful friend(s) would be just the ticket to cheer me up. I went to my first Ballet on Saturday night, with L and thoroughly enjoyed that. During the third act I thought about the fact that 200 or 300 years ago people watched this same ballet, same music and probably the same moves. Wonderful!

Tomorrow I'm going to "Canada Blooms". I have been reading the gardening news and it seems that gardening is on the decline. The next generation are far too busy with work and careers to be outside working in the dirt on a weekend or evening. Some are afraid of the outdoors now with west nile virus and god-knows-what-else-will-get-us.

We, the baby boomers who started this craze, are now aging and it seems we are changing our gardens - they are evolving. Well, I could have told you all that. With my knee problems that is exactly what I am doing with my garden. No longer will I have a lush English garden with oodles and oodles of flowers. Nope. A quiet calm of green lush and big spaces with fresh cedar mulch between. The plants will be drought resistant, easy to maintain. This translates to a lot of flowering shrubs and climbers such as clematus and plants with interesting shades of green and varying textures. I've been working on these changes slowly over the last 2 or 3 years and I hope to have the garden where I want it this year.

All the colour focus will come from a few...very few...i.e. one or two big pots full of annuals. Easy to keep watered during our dry and water-banned summers. It seems the focus this year at Canada Blooms is just that - low maintenance, patio gardens. I'll take lots of pictures.

Thursday, March 02, 2006

March 2. I have rediscovered York Peppermint Patties http://www.candyfavorites.com/shop/p326.htm God help me!

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

March 1.

I have been in limbo, cacooning. The knitting has slowed down and I have to get back at that. One half of one lonely sock is hanging around the living room in a pile, the same with the sweater.

It is still winter out there. Not even a sniff of spring. Grrrrrrrr.

Oscars are soon. Then the Junos. I love a good award show.

Canada Blooms is next week..........yahoooo is all I can say. http://www.canadablooms.ca/ I must call Karen. The spring One of a Kind is at the end of the month. http://www.oneofakindshow.com/ This is our reward for winter.