Ponies, French Fries and mutant flowers

We had an eventful weekend...and lucky for you (ha ha) I took a lot of pictures...

My favourite bouquet every year...lilacs from the front yard and clematis blossoms from my early clematis vine

I'm slowly getting used to Calvin's new haircut

Seed potatoes ready for planting...

We finally got the remainder of our garden planted.

Our friends from Maine arrived for a weekend visit....we are so jealous of their VW camper van...I really want to steal it and take off across the country on a road trip.

This huge blossom appeared on a rather modest looking houseplant...any idea what it is?  We have no idea.

We visited my brother-in-law's place....there were photo-ops everywhere...

One of his ponies had a new baby last week...so sweet and tiny...

Snapped this lovely little vignette on the veranda

His chickens are laying eggs here, there and everywhere...

I guess when you find a cow skull the best thing to do is stick it on a post and plant a honeysuckle vine to grow around it (Martha Stewart would be so jealous....)

We finished up the weekend at my sister's camp for a birthday barbeque.....where we had homemade fries....

Made in this outdoor deep fryer

These lady's slipper orchids were growing wild at my sister's camp...pink ones...

And this beautiful white group

I told you there were a lot of pictures...

Bad hair day

I had to go into the city on Friday as Calvin had an appointment with the groomer.  We decided to get him shaved this summer so he could go swimming in the lake as previously every time he would go for a swim he would get a hotspot which would require an expensive trip to the vet.

After I dropped him off I went downtown to do a few errands and had to take a picture of my favourite building...

I went here to find some supplies for making home made soap (more on that adventure later)

Feeling a bit guilty here eating an ice cream sundae while some young guys washed my car....but I got over it.

I cannot tell you how amusing it is to look in the rear view mirror and see this giant creature filling the back of the car.

I know...he looks hilarious...even HE is embarrassed about his new cut.  The funniest part was when I picked him up the groomer had given him a new hawaiin-printed scarf that she tied jauntily around his neck.  He looked like a gay golden retriever all ready for a cruise vacation.

Poor thing...I hope swimming at the lake it worth it.

Victoria Day Long Weekend

We are enjoying a beautiful Victoria Day long weekend and it is very fitting that Prince Charles and Camilla are in the province.  I didn't go see them however I was too busy doing other things;

The rhubarb is ready...I'm not a huge rhubarb fan but I do love these muffins:

Recipe:
Mixture one: 2.5 cups of flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 
1 and 1/4 cups brown sugar

Mixture two: 1/2 cup veg oil, 1 egg, 1 cup sour milk (add 1 tsp of soda to milk to sour), 1 tsp vanilla, 
2 cups chopped rhubarb

Topping: 1 tsp melted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine mixture one with mixture two and spoon into well-greased muffin pan.  Mix topping and sprinkle evenly over the 12 muffins.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

We enjoyed all our meals on the porch

The barn restoration continues....putting on shingles is a SLOW process

The south side of the barn was finished in the fall

Our neighbor was doing a bit of bee hive maintenance so we had to go over and check out the bees.

The hot weather meant the return of the blackflies so the screens were put in the veranda....I spent a lot of the weekend out here reading when I should have been doing more yard work.

My yellow magnolia tree is covered with blossoms....I planted it 9 years ago and I wasn't sure how it would survive the winter here but so far, so good.

How was your weekend?

Evil mother-in-law of doom

My oldest son has a new girlfriend.  I am not a fan...strangely he did not ask my opinion (that does not mean I didn't give it to him...I'm generous like that).  You know in the movies when the parents don't really like the girlfriend/boyfriend....and everyone is rooting for the girlfriend/boyfriend?  Well this time...could you root for the parents?  


Oh...and if you haven't figured it out...my blog is still a secret...shhhh. 

Ramblings

I've noticed something lately in blog land, some recurring "themes".  Is it just me or have you noticed this as well?  I'm talking about the following subjects; cupcakes, homeschooling, keeping bees, coffee, donuts, bicycles and colored jeans.


I'm beginning to fear for the the future of this little blog.  The best hints I can  pass along on these common blog subjects are.....cupcakes (eat them), homeschooling (since I have one son left at home and he is going into grade 12 this fall...I don't think this will happen), keeping bees (no), coffee ( drink it), donuts(eat them), bicycles (I have a scar on my knee from an ill fated bike ride in my teens), and colored jeans (the thoughts of the red jeans I wore in high school haunt me still)...so as you can see if these are the common blog topics of late...sadly...I have nothing.


I do wonder how to keep this little blog interesting......do I just continue to post gardening pics, recipes, funny stories?  Is that mundane and boring?


Should I feel bad that I only have 16 followers...are more than 16 people reading this just not "officially" following?  Should I make this blog known to family and friends?  So many questions....

Mother's Day Weekend 2012

On Mother's Day in my dreams...I would awaken to breakfast in bed lovingly made by my sons.....in reality we had a little brunch for my mother and Scott's parents and after Scott and I got up and made all the food....I woke the groggy teenagers at almost noon and told them to hurry up and get showered before their grandparents arrived. 

My mother was the first to arrive.

Brunch consisted of crepes with strawberries and whipped cream, home fries and egg,bacon and toast cups.

These toast cups were so easy to make

Scott and his mother

Since it was Mother's Day my boys indulged their mama with a picture.  I needed to document Cameron's teeth as he just got his braces off last week.

After brunch we went for a drive and the guys "made" me supper at the fish and chips takeout.  And...as Cameron reminded me...they even did the dishes....am I spoiled or what? ha ha

10 on 10 May 2012

Today I'm joining with Rebecca for 10 0n 10 .  Here is my set for May:

#1 Minestrone soup in the slow cooker on this rainy day

#2 New clay order arrived....going to be a busy month in the studio

#3 Gloomy day

#4 Quick trip to the city for errands, means a slice of veggie pizza for lunch

#5 Saw this car in the parking lot

#6 Love this sign in the window of the micro-brewery that I stopped at 

#7 Cute dog in the window of the yarn store

#8 Lady at the micro-brewery filling up our growlers

#9 Growlers filled

# 10 Ukuleles at the music store