Another garden

This year we had opportunity to rent another garden space. I called it a plot and my friend Doris laughed at that, thinking quite the opposite of living and gardening. Oh, well.

how the new space looked a couple of weeks ago

At last our garden looks like one. Most things are emerging from under the soil and some look quite at home. I worry a little though since the promised fence is not yet erected. The hardware and wire are certainly there. It only needs strong backs of available volunteers to get it together. Not a place I can help.

all the hardware is present

The mulch has been spread around the garden boxes and many of the boxes sport tomato plants and lettuce and beans among other things. There are even some flowers.

Last week when our granddaughters, 7 & 9, were going to be with us overnight, we stopped at the community garden space on our way home. One helped me fill a pail with water and held the watering can while I poured it in. The nozzle on the tank is quite large and water comes out pretty fast. We’re trying our best not to waste water.  Once we’d watered the plants,  we put our own watering can in the car and I retrieved my cell phone for a couple of photos.

Our garden is still quite young here, compared to the others planted earlier, but it took a bit of time to assign boxes and get some of the things in place for the enlarged community garden.

At the church there are two boxes assigned for their community cupboard, which is generous. People from the congregation may be tending those.

how it looks now

I have back-up help for the time we’ll be away, to make sure the garden is tended, the weeds are pulled and produce harvested. We’ll have beans, onions and cucumbers here. And a few marigolds to help keep bugs away.

Perhaps the girls can come again with me to pick things from this garden as well as our garden at home, which is coming along quite nicely, protected from small animals.

 

home garden raised beds

 

The rain last evening certainly refreshed the soil. The grass is damp but the sun is shining and that helps the gardens along too.

 

a mix of herbs, tomatoes and veggies

parsley and basil in an extra space

And the fairies welcome a visitor

Last year, we continued our fairy garden, and this year my oldest granddaughter set it up, complete with a sparkly path and the fairies. This is our third season for it.

There was a discussion about which fairy belonged to which girl. The younger one of the two was tired from her weekend of camping with the Brownies and Guides. She wanted to trade fairies. Maybe another day it will go better.

The older girl, aged 9, created a new path among the flowers and stems with coloured stones. They’ll be shaded for sure once the heat comes and the daisies beside them grow even taller. (The fairies reside indoors between play times so no little critter makes off with them.)

 

Set up on my garden stone, a perfect foundation for the fairy house

Our first fairies, made of clay, didn’t stand up and the process was disappointing. Then it was Grandma’s decision to go looking for these fairies, found at a local craft store. Last summer, we made some extra fairies with wooden clothespins and silk flower petals.

When a third gardener was added to our annual planting event, we needed a new fairy for her. And again a new one was found, this time at a garden centre gift shop. Oh, the interesting things they had. Alas one of that fairy’s wings was broken and we haven’t quite worked out how to fix it. We may need a new fairy and then retire the other one.

And so the fairies we created with clothespins are still hanging around… and one comes to visit. What stories will they tell of tea parties and running through their garden, and playing beside their path?

 

See the visitor coming with her purple-petaled hat and skirt?

 

Note: Fairies give way to other popular things in the market. Anyone know where we can get a new fairy?

Gardening with my Grandchildren

 

We have five grandchildren, ages ranging in age from 2-9 years old. The oldest two at 7 and 9 have had opportunity to help me plant my vegetable garden since they were three, and the youngest of our gardeners turned 4 in March. The little boys, currently two, will get to help next year, once they’re three, but if they should happen to visit, they can still help give the plants a drink, with a little help. They can also begin to understand now, that just as they need a drink, the plants also need water to grow.

Helping with the watering

The oldest two girls know what to do with the plants once I show them where I want the plants arranged. I show them the spot, hand them the plant and they manage very well. One even pops the plants out of their pot and divides the seedlings. All three were excited to help me plant this year again.

In process, watering as we  go along

 

The four-year-old is learning to dig the hole, put the plant in, fill the space around the plant. She’s learning to pat the soil gently around the stem and knows that the plant needs water right away. We give her the small watering can, for she’s just a small girl herself.

We do these tasks together, then everyone gets to play awhile afterwards, along with having a little snack and a drink of water too.

The older girls and I talked by Facetime the week before about what we’d plant. We honour their requests in as far as things they like to eat and the available space, so we have a small variety of items. We’ll always have tomatoes and cucumbers, those two are assured, and parsley, but other items may change from year to year. Their Mom requested jalapeno peppers so that’s new this year. We’ve added squash, lettuce and zucchini as well.

 

This year, in addition to our own raised beds at home, I decided to rent a bed at a church that’s expanding their community gardens. I’ll plant some of the extra bean seeds there, carrots, and perhaps a few extra herbs. That garden isn’t ready yet, but it will be very soon. The water tank is waiting and other supplies are already there. It just needs a crew to complete the tasks and put up a fence around it.

New garden beds being prepared

In time our grandchildren learn about planting and harvest. When veggies and tomatoes are ripe throughout the summer, they’ll have some to eat. They already recognize seasons as a time to ski and make snowmen, a time to plant, and a time for swimming outdoors. The planting season is part of this wonderful creation of which we’re simply caretakers.

 

Photo credits: L. Shaw, L. Wilker and C. Wilker,

 

 

 

Changeable Weather

It’s that time of year when the weather is a little fickle, when it’s not completely spring and winter still wants to hang in. We woke Sunday morning to a thick coat of snow on picnic table and lawn, and the car covered with a coating of white.

When we thought we might be done with winter, snow and snow shovel, it made another appearance to keep us guessing. It did look pretty and it was very cold. And very much a surprise.

 

However, we are in April now and there were flower stems shooting through the ground and buds on trees before this snowfall, so surely we’ll feel the warmth coming again soon.

 

shoots poking through the ground for lilacs and other early spring flowers only last week

In a few days, perhaps, we’ll smell spring in the air. We’ve seen the robins and know they’re back. I’m ready for spring. Maybe you are too.

 

A little fairy garden

 

One only needs to do a little investigating to find figures and houses for little fairies. My granddaughters are young enough yet to enjoy them.

Last year was the first year for our fairy garden, tucked in among one of my front flower beds, ideally with a bit of shade for said guests. We had the house which our fairies wouldn’t actually fit into, but with the imagination anything is possible. Beyond that open door is a little set of steps, set against the verandah wall, one could imagine a door at the top that the fairies could enter another space.

But imagination was needed outdoors too. We had a path of coloured stones that they could follow around the garden. This year, I looked everywhere—that is, everywhere but where they actually are tucked away—but I couldn’t find the coloured stones so I got some new ones. The other ones will show up when I least expect.

And this year, because there is another small girl old enough to imagine fairies, I invested in an extra fairy figure for her.

The set up is different this year. The oldest one, 8, figured the house could sit on my garden stone, itself full of coloured stones. The next one, who’s 6, wanted it somewhere else. We finally worked out a solution, after some tears, and she helped invent the new pathway for the fairies and when we added a seesaw and a well at a later date, she got to place the one of her choice.

 

The fairies showing off their new space for this year. The smallest fairy lives with the three-year-old for now.

the well along the path

The see-saw and a lamp for night time so fairies can find their way home

 

And one day when the three-year-old comes to visit, she can bring her fairy along to play in the garden.  I imagine also when the older two come for a day in August, there might be some changes take place even in the fairy garden as in the world around them.

The Heat Goes On

Today I posted over at The Word Guild blog as I usually do once a month. Here’s the opening of my post.

No, not the beat. It’s the heat. Not so long ago we waited for the heat to come. Now we’ve got it in spades. The ground is dry again, the grass is dead, but thank goodness for the rain we had that filled  our water barrels and soaked the ground. Our plants stood up taller and had a great growth spurt afterwards. it’s as though they were saying “thank you.”

 

 

This spring’s garden after the rain

 We could use another good rain shower for the crops and gardens. Then people wanting to picnic and have outdoor events might holler no. There’s no pleasing us humans. Some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it … in between.

We can be picky, or maybe it’s particular. Many times we just complain, but God is used to that. He’s heard it before. Centuries of it. One most notable being the philosopher in Ecclesiastes who felt nothing was right. People worked hard and got nothing for it.

 

granddaughter helping with gardening tasks, 2017

Read more here.

Warmth for our gardens

A fellow writer spoke of the flowers shivering in the cold temperatures earlier this week. And I replied that the garden veggie plants are likely doing the same thing. Quite a picture when you think of it — a plant shivering.

I was glad to feel more warmth today. It gives me hope for the garden doing well. After all there are blossoms on the tomatoes and the zucchini; they need sunshine and warmth to grow.

 

tomatoes have blossoms now too

We need to be mindful of our environment. Global warming is for real. We need to eat, we need to breathe; we need so much for healthy living.

I  won’t say more except to declare that some in government don’t believe in climate change. I shake my head over it. They’re not in tune with what’s going on.

 

If you’ve planted a garden, may it grow well for you and produce good food. And beautiful flowers and shrubs.

 

The veggie garden is planted

 

This past weekend three granddaughters came to help plant our vegetable garden. They arrived together and were ready to begin. I could have done it myself or I could use it as time together and teaching moments. I chose the latter. It’s busy, but it’s fun too. And they feel a part of the process.

We talked about setting up the fairy garden before they were all out of the car. That was part of the plan for the time together. The small one said, “I didn’t bring my fairy,” but she didn’t seem upset. The other two chimed in that they’d share their fairy for her to play with.

“You can bring your fairy for a visit another day,” I said. She seemed pleased by that.

While I was getting some things ready, the eight-year-old helped the newest crew member to get her garden gloves on.

The plants were set up in the garden ahead of time, where I wanted them to be. The youngest one, at three, needed help digging the hole. The older girls understood that’s where they were to dig. The 6- and 8-year-old proved that they could dig the hole, put the plant in, and fill it in with soil, then smooth the ground around it.

Everyone had tools to use. The little one loved her new little shovel and fork and the little garden gloves that stuck out farther than her fingers. Eventually the gloves came off and she settled at digging holes, a tool in each hand. You can picture it, a purple shovel in one hand and a green fork, that looked more like a shovel, in the other hand. I helped her dig deeper and helped her fill in the hole with the tool and smooth the ground around a plant. She had a hand at it anyway. That’s good for her first time.

The older two dug holes on their own, put in the new plant, remembering to break up the root ball first.  “I don’t need gloves, Grandma, ” one said. They knew the plants need water. The bigger girls put the cages over the tomato plants. The plants will need it later as they grow heavy with fruit. They remembered that from the previous year, I think. Placing the wire cage was a bit tricky for one, but she got it too.

We set in plants I got at the nursery and some we’d grown ourselves: tomatoes, zucchini, yellow beans, cucumbers and basil plants, and then we put in carrot seeds too. (One of the cucumber plants was started in Brownies and Sparks.) Now we’ll watch them grow. Oh, and we gave the plants a lot of water before we went inside for a bit, to play and have a snack.

 

Our garden planted and cages around the tomato plants

 

Time to play. Sidewalk chalk is good.

“Here’s my picture”

 

Fairy garden is in process after some controversy over how the house and garden stone were to be placed.

Soon it was time for the girls to go home as parents arrived. They wanted to stay longer, but they’ll come again soon, I’m sure, to check on the garden and to give it a good drink.

The fairies seem happy to be outdoors again after the winter inside looking out

Later in the day my husband and I placed the netting over the garden beds and secured it  in place, to keep the birds and small critters out of the garden. Now we tend it and watch the garden grow.

The Great Outdoors

Beautiful basket of flowers at St. Jacobs Country Gardens

Last Saturday I went to the garden centre to promote, sign and sell my book, Harry’s Trees, and then on Monday, I visited another garden centre closer to home (one that also helped me promote my book) to get plants for my own home,  both veggies and flowers.

There were plenty of flowers left and I found that the food plants (tomato, cucumber, etc) were in limited supply. I managed to get tomato plants and a couple of cucumber and zucchini plants that were outgrowing their starting pots. No worries though, the plants will soon be in my garden, with the help of three granddaughters.

Garden stone, made at retreat one year. Back in my flower bed

 

 

 

Raised garden beds ready for planting

Window box from BAK to Basics, planted

Veggies and herbs

My parsley needs to be replanted this year. Two of my granddaughters love the taste of parsley. The first time they saw it, they asked, “What is this?”

“Parsley, ” I answered. Seeing their puzzled faces, I said their mom might put it in a salad.

“Can we taste it?” they asked.

I showed them that they could pinch off a small leaf and eat it. And so they did. Every summer they look for the parsley and ask if they can have some. They love the flavour.

 

Tomato plants, the non negotiable plant in my garden each year

My husband rescued the overgrown yellow beans from the garden last summer and saved the seeds. He planted them in a shallow plant of soil. We have to get those planted because they’re growing.

Today I’ll go and purchase a small shovel for the youngest member of our planting team. New to it this year, the three-year-old must have her own. It seems she wanted some gloves too. She must have seen someone else wearing garden gloves. Perhaps her other grandmother wears them.

 

And a planter with spikes and other flowers

I like to purchase the flowers and plant them in my own pots so there’s room for them to fill out. And one other thing to do  this evening is to soak the morning glory seeds I’ll plant tomorrow so the shell breaks open and they start germinating sooner.

 

A small one in my life loves being out of doors, looks at the trees with great interest,  even follows a bird across the lawn, now that he’s walking well.

Hoping to get some good pictures of planting tomorrow then I’ll post some.

Happy planting. Enjoy the beauty around you!

 

Book Promotions

This season I’ve been busy promoting my picture book, Harry’s Trees. When I take those books to places, I’m also taking along several others.

Recognizing the connection between trees and plant nurseries, I decided to contact plant nurseries. Several were glad to be asked and accommodated me and a few other places had already booked sufficient activities to fill their spaces at an extremely busy time of year. Fair enough. I’ll check back in with those later when their pace is a little less harried.

This little doll will have my book read to her as she grows. And one day she’ll read it herself. At Belgian Nursery, Breslau.

For the nurseries where I did  go, I had a variety of guests come to see me, some I had invited and others who came to the nursery for plants, albeit on a cold May day, and wandered in to see what was happening in the classroom area of the building.

Invited guests who travelled a distance, and of course my illustrator, Maja, on the left. At Sheridan Nursery, Kitchener.

 

Sheridan Nursery, the first to accept my idea of shared promotion, gave me the space and opportunity to read part of my book to children, including four of my own grandchildren.

It seemed most of the children, if given a preference, liked the spring and summer seasons best, but a few liked the colours of fall as well. Maybe it’s that they could be outdoors then.

All children coming to my table with their parents get a colouring sheet to decorate in their favourite season, but only the first location provided opportunity for hearing part of the story.

 

I was glad I had brought along markers so these two girls could colour their tree picture while their mom shopped.

See the birds flying to and from the tree? And the new leaves sprouting on the tree?

 

Another young reader in the making. For now, it’s the colours in the book and this little one already loves trees and the out of doors.

And long-time friends (since 4-H days) coming to celebrate with me and taking pictures for me.

Sheridan offered opportunity on Earth Day weekend for advance promotion of my book, Harry’s Trees. As my calendar was already filled, Judy, a friend of mine, was willing to read my book at the event. She reported some interesting conversations, especially one with a girl who was interested in the art in my book.

And Amanda, my helper at two of my events thus far. Thank you.

Thank you, Amanda, for taking such a great photo for me. You’ll see this one on my new website very soon.

Belgian Nursery generously provided maze pens that I could give out to people, especially children, coming to my table. There were engaging conversations and people admiring Maja’s art in my book and getting to choose a bookmark, hand stamped or decorative ones created by my illustrator. And a colouring page too. One of the employees told me that the children were delighted with the page to take home.

 

Then there was the turtle pond and the fish pond at St. Jacob’s Country Gardens and Plant Nursery.

And the fish pond with a small waterfall too, because they also have a pond specialist.

 

And here I was stationed between the two. It’s a lovely place to sit and chat with people.

Thus goes my book promotion for this spring. I’ve been offered the opportunity to return to this third place as often as I wish, and I will take them up on the offer.

Thank you all who came or helped, and for purchasing a book. I hope you will enjoy reading it to your children or just to share with others who you know.

May the children who hear the story come to understand the value of trees to humans and nature. When they do, I know my father would be smiling because he loved them too.