Art and Earth, a gardeners quest.

Jude the Obscure

Hey Jude!

I cannot get enough roses in my garden.

I love them.

When we first moved into the Bungalow nearly 30 years ago there was a thriving crop of blackberry bushes, tall unmowed grass and invasive morning glory.

It was a war zone.

We worked hard at getting rid of the weeds...

many many hours of "sweat equity".

I really dislike the word SWEAT!

but perspire equity just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Our Bungalow Garden is constantly evolving and changing.

Most gardeners that I know say they are never really finished designing their patch that there is always something to tweek or change and a good weeding is in order.

We are a funny bunch.

We are modest and when someone raves about our garden, we find fault in one area...it's difficult to explain...we are never at rest...always striving.

It's a quest for beauty I suppose, not perfection.

New plants tempt and woo us are popping up in Garden Shops as fast as they are being hybridized.

It's a fashion show of sorts...

that new Black Mondo grass is divine

and newest variety of euphorbia with it's variagtion is sublime.

I stumbled upon a new (to me) Garden Shop this weekend

and fell instantly in love.

The pots and garden accessories made me swoon,

I gushed,

I rambled on to the owner and Mr. HB as I whirled swiftly through the plant displays.

I felt giddy!

It was intoxicating and exciting to find such a treasure trove of art and earth in the same place.

It reminded me of Thomas Hobbs' garden shop.

I will go back...

Foxglove with a different agenda!

I let these reseed themselves and they are star performers.

Peony alba

Clematis Nelly Moser

My new Route-tine...talk the talk and walk the walk.

Walking daily...in my neighbourhood is helping me in many ways.
The benefits are improved sleep and a sense of calm.
I hope to report a change in my weight and more muscle tone...in a few weeks.
In the meantime, I am delighted by the scenic route that I walk....

The oceanfront 1 block from The Bungalow

If I got tuckered out I could sit a bit and rest

I am on the beach here

Bull kelp

(gardeners drag these home chop them into chunks and lay them on the beds)

That must have been one very big tree!

Driftwood art

(unsigned!)

Lush beach garden

Driftwood steps

I'd love to walk up the stairs and see the rest of the garden

Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk

see here

There's really no excuse for me not to adopt a new routine that has healthy benefits and costs nothing...

except time.

 Summer will be here soon and the sun has been making itself known.

Thank goodness for that as I was beginning to wonder if it would ever shine down on our patch!

I have sunscreen and sunglasses and shoes.

Walking away from the computer now...

hope that your weekend is wonderful.

Hugs from the Hostess.

Definitely not from Paris!

Hermes sends me regular updates

I am on their mailing list

I love the look of this new equestrian silk scarf!

I adore the colours

I could wear it when I go and visit my sister and see her horses.

Grammy-in-waiting here, that's me aka The Hostess, has started to buy a few little toys.

Grammy wants to have a collection of play things at the Bungalow

I found these two charming little finger puppets which were hand knit by women in Peru

I was smitten with their faces

I took an inordinate amount of time selecting just two

they all were so adorable!

LPC from the blog privilege recently returned home from a trip to Paris.
She showed us her designer mitt purchases and I realized that my mitts would be in the Hall of Shame!

Look at these disgraceful mitts!

I have washed them too.

Here are the new ones.

Not designer mittens

not from Paris

from the local cookery shop

I can feel much better now

I am Keeping Up Appearances.

Feeling a wee bit persnickety....

Oh my!

 June in the Library can be so taxing....

 sigh.

I am trying so hard not to be the cranky pants librarian...

the students are studying for finals,

catching up and finishing off their research papers

have deadlines to meet and are stressed out

AND have lost all respect for the space.

I have had to become a disciplinarian

and I so dislike this part of me.

Where is a magic wand when I need it?

I believe students should self regulate their behaviours with a minimum of guidance and support.

I've got a bag full of tricks,

and I might need to pull some of them out...

 they are not MAGIC,

they're TREATS!

(candies)

I am an optomist, not a pessimist...

 How can anyone have a bad day if they are wearing red shoes?

I am so glad to be walking everyday now

it puts those persnickety feelings far and away.

Peaches n' Green....

I love roses!

Abraham Darby is a top notch performer.

 Petals of peach

 with the chartruese of Ladys' Mantle.

Peaches n' Green

a beautiful pairing.

This is the pairing today.

Our new teak deck furniture arrived.

I enjoy walking in our neighbourhood.

We are a block from the ocean where I tend to walk most often.

 I love to breathe in the salty air

there is usually a breeze

  and fierce gusts of wind are not uncommon.

I find myself garden sleuthing

looking at and making mental notes of ideas and plantings.

The drought tolerant gardens fascinate me...

river rocks, wood features and masses of grasses.

There are the cottage gardens which stop me in my tracks...

I am compelled to smell the roses that are near to the sidewalk.

 The gardeners who are out digging and weeding their patch are easily engaged in conversation...

I wonder about the owners of the gardens where the weeds have grown large and the grass is not trimmed...I am not judging, just curious.

I think perchance an elderly resident

or possibly the home is vacant.

Thinking and breathing come naturally when walking....

meditative mulling of minutiae.

My posts may be shorter and less frequent as I am embracing the walking regime...

 less time sitting at the computer...

 more time pounding the pavement!