Another Year Has Come And Gone....

                 Wanted to wish all of my friends who read my ramblings....A Very Happy New Year........

   From my favorite spot in the world....
We drove out there today....pretty darn dreary...
No snow....no sun...no blue calm waters...


So...I decided to spice up the photo...some fireworks
a few bottles of wine...   :o)
and a couple of pointy hats for me and Greg


Hope you all have a wonderful evening...we are havng rack of lamb, wild rice, asparagus, and a greek salad

                               YUMMY!!

see you all next year...same place....more flowers!!

                           Linda v  :o)

Once Again....My Thoughts Turn To The Garden

Now that the hub-bub of Christmas has passed...:o(...
my thoughts turn once again to my passion....gardening..


This day I would like to showcase what I call "my Beach Drawer Vegetable Garden"...so named, as I had taken an old bedroom dresser of my daughters, from when she was a child, to the lake.

 

As usual. I did not want to waste any part of it. I put the body of the dresser, behind my garden shed, to hold things there. I reworked the drawers, by filling with soil, and planting veggie seedlings in them, on the beach. They are protected under the shade of my mulberry tree.I also filled an old wicker planter that I had found by the roadside.

 

I don't plant a lot of fancy stuff...
just the usual...small tomatoes..
green peppers...gourds...zuccinni...
and for some reason, extremely HOT
red peppers!!!




The zuccinni do really well, and the tomatoes do as well. Putting out pretty
little yellow flowers before the fruit.

These gourds were crazy!!!! had tons of them, and they also have a very delicate pretty white flower. I have a photo of my daughter with an "armful" of them...

The tomatoes are a best seller....just keep flowering and putting out fruit

These are the "hot" ones I mentioned...not next year!!

Tried cucumbers this year

Can you believe this is as big as they got!!!

Cute as buttons!!!!

Not much of a meal, though! 

Ahhhhhhhhhh

the zuccinnis...gorgeous
flowers and delicious as well!! 

How adorable are these??

These are 3 little squash (and I mean little!)

And 2 bottle neck gourds...pretty impressive, eh??

Aren't they a proud little bunch?

And in the Fall...close to Halloween...I can display them for all to see!!!


Hope you all enjoyed my re-visit to my somewhat small, but cute...
                 Beach Drawer Garden........:o)

Two Days Later

He was expected...






He finally came...




And in the wink of an eye.......





He was gone!!!!

The table was set.....




The feast began......




And in the wink of an eye....it was over!! 

The family was all here.... we ate, drank and got rather merry!!! We were joined for dessert by my brother-in-law and my nephew....and we celebrated 'til the wee hours........1am to be precise......I was pooped!!!

And who did I spy in my garden yesterday.....a big fat Robin!!!


Looks like good news to me!!!


But, alas, it is snowing this evening...
was kinda hoping for Spring!!!


Wishful thinking I know....but wouldn't it be nice??!!






                           Cheers friends....hope you all had a splendid Christmas, and a lovely time with family and friends.....I sure did!!!


  
                                          :O).

Made My Festive Table Arrangements

   

Nearly there.......yesterday I visited our local greenhouse, and picked up a few bunches of festive flowers. They were already out of most of the red flowers, so I opted for white, mixed with pale green and some orangey-reddish roses.


I used 3 of my vintage scallopped-edged milk glass containers. I always use "oasis" as they keep the flowers good for at least 10 days.

This year I inserted the candles into the oasis, as I sometimes end up with "too many" candles on the table....although, I don't ever think you can have "too many" candles...except when there is no room for the all important gravy boat!!!

I think they turned out very well indeed!

Now, all I have to do (well....not ALL) is iron my tablecloth and napkins...set the table...get the china out...stuff the stockings...cook the turkey...make the dressing...bake  the ham...peel the veggies...make the cheesecake...still make the meatballs...few more presents to wrap...find something to wear...

No wonder Santa only works 1 day a year!!!

Hopefully 1 more post before the big day..


Take it easy...until then...

Cheers!   :O)






Have a great day.......

Getting Back To The Festivities

I have been a thrift shopper for many years, and the idea has rubbed off onto my children. My son especially loves anyting "retro"...'60's and '70's.

When my husband and I went to check out the cottage last Friday, we visited 2 thrift shops in Port Colborne. The Sally Ann and another very interesting one called "Port Thrift". 

There I found this Santa...still in his original box...from Woolco (remember that store)...priced at just $4.50! How could I resist???


 

He stands about 10" high, and is poseable!! Love his sack full of presents!

Have you ever seen such an adorable life-like face?! I could just squeeze him to death!!

Then I spotted this trio of candles.
I remember these from when I was a kid.

They were a whopping 50 cents each!!



I know my son will be thrilled when he gets these in his stocking...especially since he will be moving into his first home in the Spring, and will decorate next Christmas. 

                       this is a close-up from my tree....white poinsettia

                            
                           Have been working on some food treats. Got the spinach dip ready for dipping....going to bake 2 more batches of shortbread...meatballs to roll....squares to prepare....busy,busy,busy.........but never too busy to make a post for all my loyal readers....and you KNOW who you are....I always appreciate your kind comments....will be back, with some shots of my goodies



                                                    Enjoy your day!!!

                                                                 :O)

Another Gloomy...But Mild Day....Now For Something Completely Different

 The topic of the day, has , obviously been Christmas...and assorted decorations etc.  So, I thought.... (oh oh...there's trouble)....why not share a few of the furry, feathered friends that I have caught on film, over the last little while.


There seems to be a never-ending parade of nature always crossing my path. From flowers to these next few little friends. I am an avid bird watcher, and I will just show you a few that I have had visit my yard here at home, and at my cottage.

This male black-capped chickadee delighted us last Spring at the cottage. 
He was mating, and kept attacking his own reflection in the mirror on our kitchen porch. We took the mirror down , but he quickly found another mirror on the side of the garden shed! It was cute, but sad at the same time..He eventually moved on, but wore himself out, "attacking" the other male chickadee!!!!

 These gorgeous horses didn't actually "visit" us, but they are on one of the roads we take to the lake, and I couldn't resist taking their picture! They are Clydesdale horses....I remember my Dad had 2 when I was a young girl...lovely..




Thought of my youth, and decided to add them to my collection.

This little guy, appeared on my kitchen steps last spring....hopped into one of the  hostas I have in  baskets, and was quite happy there for several weeks....then he was suddenly gone!!

He would appear late afternoon, to sun himself on the sunporch steps, for a late day siesta!!

I captured this possum in my bird feeder at home!! Just climbed in, adn proceeded to stuff his face with seeds!

One evening in September, my husband and I were soaking up the last of the sun on the deck at the lake, when we were surrounded by dragonflies...must have been a mass migration of some sort ...When we stood up, they were actually running into us..I made a small movie of the event...unbelievable...the next morning, there was one perfect dragonfly on our table, on the deck.....unfortunately he was dead...but STILL...amazing

This little guy walked up my front walk at home...the detail of these creatures is awesome...check out the black spikes on his back!!

This snail happily lived in one of my kalanchoes!

Don't get me wrong....I love bunnies...but this guy came every evening to feast on my young spring plants...he particularly liked one  of my perennial grasses

This is one of my favorites...we were having the floor re-done on our sunporch, so I removed all of my planters etc. When I brought my baskets back onto the porch, this guy was inside!!! I was walking by the porch, and saw him standing up against the side looking out!! We helped him to safety, and he hopped away

Another snail....just poking along beside the pool

Caught this red squirrel at the lake...helping himself to the bird seed...when I shooed him away...he turned and stared at me....." are you talking to me?"

Beautiful butterfly on the lilacs...not sure what kind

Red Breasted Grosbeak at home. These guys only come by the feeders in the spring...very large and brightly colored.

Always lots of cardinals...I think they are my favorite..very shy, and patient eaters...scare easily...they love peanuts in the shell

He joined us for easter dinner one year...came right up the dining room sliding doors..."please sir...could I have some more?"

This tiny Junco sat on our kitchen window looking at us!!! Where's the food??

To end this post, our favorite "pest"..I want you to meet "Red"..our backyard red squirrel...he runs the place!!! Forever begging for food...ripped our BBQ cover apart to line his nest... but we love him...chases the black squirrels away....which is a good thing...he is just part of our yard!!! You have to admit....he is pretty darn cute!!

                      Hopefully this was a nice diversion from all the christmas regalia. The posts that I have been visiting lately are UNBELIEVABLE...so many talented ladies out there...I can't compete with them, but I hope to add my spin on things..
                             Have a great day....the sun is supposed to come out tomorrow...but chillier...........Cheers
                                                                          :o)