How to Get Ahead in Gardening

Last fall Nick and I made a feeble attempt at buying some tulip bulbs to plant in the garden, so that we would have some flowers in the spring. Really, in general, it is I who cares more about having flowers in the garden, while he cares more about keeping the yard looking relatively trim and tidy. Regardless, he accompanied me on my search for bulbs, so was aware of the fact that I didn't find any downtown.

Then in the spring, we had one measly daffodil (sad) and a couple of tulips in weird spots that had been planted by the people who lived in the house before us. It wasn't the end of the world, and we got along just fine without tulips.

However the whole concept of planting bulbs in the fall so they'd bloom in the spring must have stayed with Nick, because last Thursday he surprised me with an invitation for a drive to a place where I would find all the bulbs my little heart desired. He had researched it and knew exactly where to go!

So I got a variety of bulbs, including some crocuses, and he got a new rake. And while we were at it, we picked up a couple of packets of cat-grass seeds for Eddie =↑..↑= The whole fam-damily got something they wanted at the garden centre. Oh it's the small things in life, right? lol.

Out to a Friend’s Book Release Party

My talented friend Nyla released her first full-length book of poetry this week, called 'Sumptuary Laws' and Nick and I went to the launch party.

It was held at Reposado. The bar specializes in Tequila and had quite an array of choices, however neither of us is overly accustomed to drinking tequila, but we're curious to learn more about it. We both liked it there and are looking forward to going back.

Nyla read some of her poems and we enjoyed the good snacks served by the bar.

While waiting in line to get our books signed I had a nice conversation with a person I hope will become a new friend, Julie. She also has a blog, Knitted Bliss.

Happiness is Being One of the Gang

c="http://www.loulou.to/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/eddie-looking-up.jpg" alt="" title="eddie-looking-up" width="640" height="427" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-12548">I know there are other Peanuts specials, aside from the one for Halloween called, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", but for me, that is the one that left an indelible memory. In order to explain why this one is so special, allow me to describe a scenario ...It is late October and a little girl and her family are gathered around the television, waiting for the Charlie Brown special to begin. Half way through the program, one of the brothers notices something that everyone else in the room has yet to notice. He announces what he has spotted stating loudly, "Louise is crying". And it was true, the girl (me) was crying because what was happening in the show was just so sad.I simply could not take the idea of the gentle sweet boy, Charlie Brown, going trick-or-treating with his friends, and at every single house, while the others received nice treats, the boy only got rocks put into his bag. Why were these grown-ups only giving him rocks? I didn't understand. Poor Charlie.I still can't watch that show, though I think I'd be able to hold back my tears now. But the truth is, I love that I was a child who had such empathy that this scene would make me cry.I remember, the next year that it was on, being tense and agitated about it all day long, even though I wanted to experience the treat of seeing the cartoon. Moments before it came on though, my mother sent me to another room. I felt I was being punished but now I know that she wanted to spare me the grief of seeing Charlie go door-to-door for his rocks.Good grief, indeed, Charlie Brown. :'(

Food Friday : Trying Something New

Greetings! This week's food post is about trying 2 new things. Firstly, I finally made it to the Farmers Market, held in Trinity Bellwoods Park on Tuesdays. It's something I've been meaning to do all summer but never got my act together for, until this week, when I headed out in the pouring rain, on my second to last chance to go to this market this year, as next week is the last week it is being held.

And may I tell you that it did take a bit of 'talking myself into it' to get out there because it had been raining non-stop all day and showed no signs of stopping. In the end, I didn't want to miss the experience of a full-fledged Farmer's Market right in the city though, so I pulled on my pink raincoat and out I went. (Aside: My coat is a cute vintage one that Nick surprised me with for my birthday one year ... if you're going to be out in the rain, you might as well have a cute raincoat, right?!)

The park was nearly deserted when I arrived and made my way to the Market grounds, located at the north-western corner. And while it was as gloomy as could be, it was quite neat and different to be in the park in the rain. The brightness of the changing leaves stood out like they were lit from within. I saw funny little wet squirrels and a family of robins cheerfully bathing in a huge puddle.

A Falcon Sighting

A flock of Starlings flit among the boughs of a large tree, that had lost all of its leaves, their chirping loud and incessant. Suddenly there was silence and in a moment they all flew away, together, as though they had received a message that they each clearly understood. My viewfinder settled on what had disturbed them. A falcon now sat on a branch, in that large tree.