Wrapping it up......

so to speak... i simply couldn't stand it anymore.. all this beautiful weather, seeds to be planted, decks to be sat on, tea to be sipped on in the afternoon sun... ahhhh pre-spring... so back to the 'wrapping it up', i have the greatest little gadget which i got a few years ago and i LOVE it... didn't cost much, easy to use, no mechanical or technical devices.. just my cuppa tea!!

tada!!!! all ready for some potting soil... no trip to the feedstore for peat pots just recycling newspaper and recycling those plastic flats from way back when... gotta love it!!!

yesterday i splurged and bought myself 2 heat mats.....

today i planted up cilantro/coriander, lettuce, dill, some very old seeds which are some sort of greens... i figure if they grow, they grow, if they don't... i still have plenty of time to replant with something else..

i found a baker's rack at the salvation army that i've  converted into my seedling stand(mini greenhouse)...

i also recycled the stupid styrefoam packing container that a heater came in.. it's just the bottom piece but i think it's going to work just fine...

all got wrapped up in more 'recycled' plastic... thanks Home Depot!!!

it's located under the covered portion of my deck, i'm monitoring it with a thermometer and later tonight will put a blanket over  the rack... should be warm enough for the seeds that i planted... all are semi cold season crops so have my fingers crossed and said a prayer, grow babies grow!!!!     if necessary, in the event of a cold snap or spring snow, i can move all of it into big shed, where it's not heated but warmer than my deck...

Mr. H.. thanks for the great link to BugGuide , i had been there, many moons ago, and had forgotten about it... in my own quest for good sites, i've found these sites too... the MOST INCREDIBLE photos about bees from THE BEE PHOTOGRAPHER .. if you've not been to his site, please go check it out, snoop around, the photos are absolutely amazing...a very complimentary site to The Bee Photographer and where i read about Eric Tourneret's site is Pencil and Leaf  an interesting blog by a very talented artist with a passion for bees....  another pretty awesome site is An Inordinate Fondness which is dedicated to Beetles....

A Sad day.......

for us doggie folk, who were fans of Daddy, Cesar Millan's pitbull who passed away at 16... 16 is a very very old age for a larger dog... Daddy was an ambassador for Bully Breeds may he rest in peace....

i confess, i'm a pittie lover.. i do love all dogs, but i especially love bully breeds, i love big stocky short haired dogs..... my previous love was Pit/Shepard cross... i knew his 'daddy' and 'mommy'... he was also an ambassador for the 'bully breeds' in my local circle... he loved life, loved people, most dogs, unless the other dog was aggressive, then he was assertive, but not agressive... my Shadow was just short of 14 when he passed away with cancer...  

my dogs that i have now are 'rescues'... Sampson removed from a previous 'home', with a previously broken leg and slated for amputation, and Dora who was 'fostered' from the SPCA, when she was feverish after surgery...

Sampson on the left (with 4 legs), Dora on the right... thanks to The Dog Whisperer show we've come a long ways... has been difficult sometimes to train 2 puppies at once, especially after my leg injury last year.. but we're getting there!! i know there is a lot of controversy over Cesar Millan's methods, but for me, i've utilized some of his pyschology technics and had great success... they both need more training, it will be a constant work in progress...and i assure you, this is a rare photo of Dora, she's most camera shy!!! 

One wee Caterpillar......

only about 1/4 inch long... i'm sure fully grown would be trouble for some poor plant... found this little guy in a patch of just greening grass...

this little guy was about the same length and had an injured leg... found him in my compost bin... hmmm looking for a mate perhaps??

the next beetle? i found in my shed... almost squished the poor little fellow...

note the long proboscis... hmmm perhaps for boring in wood?... i 'think' it's a Western Conifer Seed Bug....i really need a good insect book...

he did a most delicate balancing act... balancing on his 'butt' and back legs, while cleaning his proboscis...

i wanted to show you the exquisite markings... the outer wing coverings in mirror image, his wings tucked in, looking like grainy wood.....i'm forever amazed by the beauty of nature... the awakening in spring allows me to take photos of insects because they're still slow and rather still without a bit of prompting... now lets hope these little fellows and their relatives don't eat too much of my garden or my trees...

True Love....

was looking for some other pictures to post and came across this one.. i'd been wondering where it was... my mass disorganization in effect....sometimes nature appears to be gentle and loving...
the weather is wonderful... warm during the day, freezing at night.. not time to plant... must control my urge... soooo have been sorting out more things, transfering 'junk' ( you know the 'stuff' that you've saved and just KNOW that one day you'll use it for that whatchmacallit) from the little shed to the bigger shed/studio... the little shed will become what it was supposed to be.. a garden shed... also some 'recycled' cabinets will be coming in a couple of weeks... hoping they will work in my small kitchen, if not.... out to the big shed they go and will work as a great work station!!

Leftover soup....

just how many times can one eat the same soup........ i don't seem to be able to manage to just make a small pot of soup, it always ends up to be a big pot of whatever kind of soup i'm making... yesterday's  fare was leftover leftover potato leek soup... not the mushy creamy kind but soup with chunks of potatos, leeks, carrots, celery and whatever else i had handy that i thought would make it tasty.... when i made it a few days ago, it was fresh and tasty, served with fresh french bread, butter, cheese and a most delicious lemon cake, which my friend brought.. mmm was very good... but unfortunately that was a few days ago.. now the soup flavours have melded together,  the potatoes more than soft, the leeks turning to semi-mush... still tasty, but i'm sick of it, and i've still got a quart or so leftover ... time for a transformation i'd say... Veggie Pot Pie ...  i cut some cabbage, red peppers and mushrooms, sauteed them in a bit of Olive Oil, added a cup of Barley and about a teaspoon of Bragg ...  for those who might not know.. Bragg is a tasty 'alternative' to soy sauce... the flavour is close enough for me... adds a rich flavour to whatever you add it to... and according to their website 'good for you' and all i know is  that it's been around for a long time .... for the pot pie, i made a biscuit topping from my biscuit mix recipe  and baked for 30 mins... i tried taking a picture of the end product but nothing seemed to work.. my lighting just wasn't co-operating so i gave up and ate some!  was delicious... the barley worked great in soaking up the excess flavours and liquid, transforming my 'soup' to a great little pot pie... kitchen recycling at one of it's best!!!

here's my photo for today... in the Bee Theme... i took this a few years ago... the Comfry flower supplied the backdrop for a bit of drama....

Valentine's Visuals.......

today was an absolutely stellar day... the sun shining, the crocus and primulas blooming.. and the bees!!!!

there are some hives at a neighbour's and for the past 2 years, the bees have arrived early, unfortunately if there is a cold snap or snow it could be disasterous for them..... but for the moment, i had a great time, just sitting and watching them be 'in love' with each and every flower... 

 i got to sit and bask in the sun... my vitamin D fix!!

 'just hanging around'  

  

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Wanna see........

 my new deck!!!  and with the extension to the small shed... originally it was supposed to just be the upper part then do the rest later when i had more money... but i changed my mind, the idea of 'running out to the shed' without walking in muck was very appealing... so much against my better judgement i bit the bullet and did it all at once... and yesssss i'm sooooo happy.... i can't wait for summer to have it all painted or solid stain... the half with the table and chairs is covered, the lower half is not.. later later!!  my handy dude put up a great gutter system which will drain into some of my barrels... just can't get enough rainwater in the summer.. every drop is precious!

i'm afraid my greenhouse dream has been put on hold for this year... but am thinking of making some cold frames with the windows that i got from freecycle... will have to scrounge up some more boards for them, but since it's only early February, i'm not too concerned yet...i need to be content with cruising the internet for ideas and watching diligently for freebies... for this year i'm going to use my big shed for starting my seedlings, i already have the lights and racks set up, it's not large, but enough for me... i'm thinking that my new deck will cheerfully be graced with potted peppers and tomatoes... mmmmm can't wait!!! 

i've been checking on the garden to see what is growing... my rhubarb is peeking out, the swiss chard is looking very soggy and just hinting at waking up, i still have brussel sprouts to use up and the kale is wonderful... green and lush looking...just daring me to pick and cook... my favorite way is steamed and top dressed with butter and sweet pickle juice... yum yum!!!  i've found some recipes online for a Portuguese Green Kale Soup so my next soup will be some sort of variation of it.. i love to make soups, nothing says warm and comforting that a big bowl of soup, besides what better way of getting rid of leftovers....

A walk in the woods......

turned up a very lovely suprise... beautiful orange fungi

i wish i knew what kind it is, but i'm fungi challenged.. i've never really gotten into mushrooms, beyond buying them from the store, at one point many many years ago i did pick some shaggy manes and did a stirfry with them but that was it... i'm afraid i'm hesitant to go out in the woods and pick dinner... anyways if you scan the fungi, you will see 'someone else' is having some dinner!! Someone once said to me 'don't you get tired of viewing things through your lense... i don't.. and as you can see, this is why... when i looked at the fungi with a naked eye, i didn't see those wee critters, it was only when i uploaded the pictured did i SEE... if you click on the photo you will get to see a larger version... if anyone knows what kind of fungi and or insect i'd love to know!!!

another one

whatever they are, they turn into this gelanitious blob

as i mentioned in an earlier post, i've been going through old photos and on a buggy note here is a photo of a very large and exquisite wasp 'abode'... i'd had some foamies rolled up in the garage.. one was green and one was cream coloured... the wasps had utilized the foam to make their home...i wish that i'd gotten a better picture

this picture didn't do it justice.. nor does it show the size of the nest.... it was HUGE, this was only one portion of it.. originally i'd gone into the dark garage, spotted a blanket which i'd been looking for... went to grab it and realized that it was moving!!... it wasn't a blanket at all, it was wasps, thousands of them!!! anyways... sadly, i had to get someone in to 'remove' them ... did i feel bad? Yes... us gardeners KNOW that wasps are equally good, just don't get in their way!!!