Expiry Date, Can we Predict Our Own? - Loreeebee

Expiry Date, Can we Predict
Our Own?
On what would have been my mother’s ninety-third birthday, I
am pondering whether or not we can predict our own expiry
date. Sounds morbid, I know, but this thought has crossed my
mind many times since my mom passed away suddenly and much too
early at the age of sixty-five.

How Much Does Genetics Count for
our Expiry Date?
As mentioned, my mother died at the age of sixty-five. My
father was seventy-eight although I believe he would have
lived longer if my mother had. He was devastated upon her
early demise and never really recovered. His broken heart gave
out twelve years later.

So, is my own expiry date closer to sixty-five or seventy-
eight, or somewhere in between? I realize there are many other
factors involved, but I admit these thoughts have affected
many choices I have made recently as I approach the dreaded
sixty-five year marker.

Is Sixty the new Forty?
I certainly hope so. I think I am healthier and fitter than my
parents were in their sixties. If this holds true, maybe my
expiry date will be extended for good health. Although each
decade seems to bring its own health issues, mine have been
relatively minor, especially since I have the wheat thing
figured out.

Early Retirement
One of the decisions made due to a potential early expiry date
was to retire early, at the age of fifty-two. Well sort of. I
accepted a severance package to leave my position within a
hospital laboratory at that age but started a landscaping
business the very next day. That was ten years ago already.
Time does indeed fly when you’re having fun! This season I
have cut back on my gardening services to spend more time with
my recently retired husband.

Retirement Plans
With both of us retired, we are hoping to kickstart the
cottage renovations we have been considering for several years
now. Unfortunately, these renovation plans always seem to find
a way to get postponed, with one delay after another. The
latest delay was due to the recent storm and the ensuing and
extensive cleanup here in Ontario.

Travel, something many of us have missed over the past few
years during the pandemic, is also in our retirement plans. We
may need more months and years to fit all the plans in.

Enjoying the Fruits of our Labour
Thinking about expiry dates only increases the urgency to
accomplish items on our to-do list, including renovations.
After all, it is important to enjoy the fruits of our labour!

photo credit

Derecho Aftermath
Ten days later, residents of Ontario and Quebec are still
dealing with the aftermath of the derecho that hit here
recently. Originally no one knew what to call it; however
experts soon weighed in to label it a derecho. Google says
that’s pronounced dr·ay·chow.

What is a Derecho?
The dictionary describes the phenomena as follows:

 a line of intense, widespread, and fast-moving windstorms and
 sometimes thunderstorms that moves across a great distance
 and is characterized by damaging winds.

 Oxford Dictionary

My brother, currently living the good life in Mexico, pointed
out that derecho means “straightforward” in Spanish. Both
descriptions make sense as the distinct path spread across
Ontario and Quebec from the Toronto region heading northeast,
wreaking havoc on its way. Winds were clocked at up to 132 km
(82 miles) per hour.

I am still shaking my head in awe at the fact that plastic
chairs on our cottage deck were untouched while three trees
crashed to the ground all around the same deck. Unbelievable!
Big Bird didn’t even bat an eyelash, while we were hiding out
in the basement in shock.

Dealing with the Aftermath
Downed hydro wires, poles, and transmission towers as well as
magnificent, mature trees ripped out by their roots or split
in two (or more) are still being repaired and cleaned up. We
have now reached the first day of June on the calendar. Many
people just regained their electricity within the past few
days while others, including our cottage, are still out. Over
900,000 homes were without power at some point. We have been
keeping an eye on the (very convenient) Hydro One Storm Centre
site for updates in the rural areas of Ontario so we know when
to head back to the cottage to begin the massive cleanup.

One of the advantages of our (Ottawa) suburb of Kanata is that
most hydro wires are buried underground. So, while we lost
lots of trees, the streets and neighbourhoods within the heart
of Ottawa were strewn with hydro wires, poles (last count is
200), and transmission towers.

Insurance Coverage
The Insurance Bureau of Canada advises those policyholders
affected to be sure to:

 document storm damage to their homes, belongings and
 automobiles using video and pictures. It has also prescribed
 that policyholders should keep the receipts if they are
 having a crew help with the cleanup or remediation of their
 properties.

 IBC

In the Wrong Place at the Wrong
Time
Ten victims of the storm paid the ultimate price with their

lives when they were unable to get out of the way of falling
trees. Many of us were warned to take cover from severe
thunderstorms just before the derecho hit. That was helpful if
you were close to your cell phone or TV and close enough to a
shelter from the storm.

Sadly, not everyone was. My heart aches for the victims as
well as their families and friends.

Our cleanup pales in comparison. For that fact I am grateful!

Thrillers,                    Fillers,                 and
Spillers
When designing summer, autumn, or winter containers be sure to
follow the thrillers, fillers, and spillers rule for maximum
effect. The “thriller” is the center, tallest plant. The
spillers go around the perimeter of the pot; choose ones that
sprawl “spill” over the edges. The fillers go in between the
thrillers and the spillers to fill in the bare spots.

photo credit

Annuals or Perennials?
Most people choose annuals over perennials for their summer
containers. That’s because annuals bloom all summer until
frost kills them off. Perennials, on the other hand, bloom for
two weeks on average, if you’re lucky. You can use a
combination of both for your thrillers, fillers, and spillers.
For example, perennial ornamental grasses make an awesome,
inexpensive (dig a clump up from your garden) “thriller”
(center) for containers.

Sun or Shade?
When designing your container, be sure to take its intended
location into consideration. Some plants (both annuals and
perennials) like full sun, others full shade, with others
somewhere in between. Don’t try to combine these different
requirements in the same container. If you do, some will
thrive, and others will fizzle.

You can probably tell from these pictures that coleus and
hibiscus are my favourite annuals for shade and sun containers
respectively….

Fertilizer
Containers of annuals can be fertilized weekly right up until
frost. This practice will keep the annuals looking cheerful as
long as possible. Perennials need less fertilizer, especially
those in garden beds when monthly is ideal up until August (in
zone 4/5).

Deadheading and Pinching
Deadheading, or removing spent blossoms, helps to keep your
containers looking nice all season. For annuals and perennials
with flowers on stalks, remove the stalk right back to the
first set of leaves after the flower has passed its peak. This
practice often encourages repeat blooming. Others just need
the faded flowers picked off.

Pinching the center of annuals and perennials encourages them
to get bushier instead of leggy.

Frost Warnings
While annuals will be affected by frost, most perennials will
not. Some annuals tolerate a light frost, others not so much.
Of course, the first frost date varies across the globe,
sometimes year to year within the same area.

In other words, frost is unpredictable.

Perennials can overwinter in your containers if you choose
plants two zones hardier than what is normally hardy in your
area. Otherwise, you can stick them in the ground to
overwinter, to use again the following spring.

You can extend the season on both ends by heeding frost
warnings in your weather forecast. In the spring I tend to
start my containers early to ensure I get the annuals I want.
If a frost warning is issued, I move the containers into my
garage, off the (cold) cement floor, for the night in
question. The same technique can be used in the fall when a
sporadic early frost is in the forecast.

Once frost has set in for several days, you are fighting a
lost cause. It’s then time to switch your concentration to
fall or winter containers. Use the same thrillers, fillers,
and spillers technique to create unique designs…

Leashes for Cats, Should they
be Mandatory?
I vote yes, leashes for cats should be mandatory. Why are dogs
not permitted to roam at will through neighbourhoods but cats
are?

Last night we came home from a stressful day at the cottage
spent cleaning up our property from the storm damage. We also
spied a black cat prowling around at the side of our house. It
took off when my husband chased it away. Why did he chase it
away? Because last year he watched the same black cat kill a
baby bunny in our (private) backyard. This morning, we
discovered a dead chipmunk on our back deck. Coincidence? I
think not! We’ve seen a few baby bunnies in our yard recently,
so we’re hoping the cat did not get them too.

As you can probably tell, it annoys me to no end when I see
cats in my yard. I believe it is irresponsible of cat owners
to let their cats roam indiscriminately. Our backyard is an
oasis for birds, rabbits, chipmunks and the like, so cats are
not welcome. Our backyard, our choice, right?

I have a good reason for this opinion, besides the fact that
cats prey on small animals just to torment and kill them for
their amusement. I am not amused.

Cats and Toxoplasmosis
Years ago I suffered three stillbirths. We were told the most
likely cause was toxoplasmosis contracted from cat feces.
Well, we have never owned a cat. But, several cats used our
front garden as a litter box back then as it was hot and dry,
sandy soil. When we first moved into our home, this south-
facing garden was newly planted, so cats could access the soil
easily. We’ve since covered that area with a veranda and moved

the garden out from the overhang of the house so it gets more
moisture.

 Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the single-
 celled parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). It is one of
 the most common parasitic diseases and infects nearly all
 warm-blooded animals, including pets and humans. Although
 cats are a necessary part of the life cycle of T. gondii, the
 parasite rarely causes clinical disease in them. While T.
 gondii seldomly causes significant symptoms in healthy adults
 either (see below for exceptions), the Centers for Disease
 Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently identified
 toxoplasmosis as one of five neglected parasitic infections
 of people due to its high prevalence.

 Cornell Feline Health Center

 Toxoplasmosis is a common infection that is usually harmless.
 But if you get toxoplasmosis for the first time while you’re
 pregnant, or a few months before you conceive, there’s a
 small risk the infection could cause:

 miscarriage

 stillbirth

 birth defects or problems after the baby is born – this is
 very rare

 NHS

Outdoor Cats
I belong to a neighbourhood Facebook group where posts often
discuss missing or found cats. There also seems to be a large
presence of “lost cat” signs pasted on any flat surface on our
streets. Am I the only one that finds it hard to believe
people let their cats wander around the neighbourhood,

especially with the steady increase of coyote and fisher
sightings in our neighbourhood? Perhaps if cat owners didn’t
let their cats roam, these wild animals would stick to the
wooded areas. Instead, they are enticed by a buffet-like
selection of victims.

Leashes for Cats
Are leashes the answer? They certainly would be a start. If
you want your cat to walk through the neighbourhood, take it
for a walk on a leash. Just like the dog owners do.

And, while you’re at it, take along a bag to scoop up their
poop.

photo credit

Storm Hits Ontario, Hard but
Selectively
Parts of Ontario were hit hard by a violent storm yesterday.
Depending on where you live or happened to be at the time, you
may or may not have experienced incredible damage. Most of the
damage was to trees, some completely uprooted while others
literally split in half. I was one of the (un)lucky ones to
have the storm visit both of my properties. The first map
shows you the extensive power outages in the Ottawa area. The
second one shows you those affected in Ontario:

Cottage Property Damage
We were working outdoors at our cottage when the storm hit. If
this sounds familiar, it’s because the tornado that destroyed
neighbourhoods in Ontario back in September 2018, came close
to our cottage property too. I thought I had posted about that
story, but apparently not. I’m sure many of you heard the
details though and have stories of your own. In short, two
sons and a friend just finished installing a new roof on our
cottage and were heading home when one son called to tell us
of all the trees down and power outages on their way home to
Ottawa. We had no damage to our property.

Yesterday’s (? tornado, the verdict is still out) storm hit

closer this time. Hubby and I were working on outdoor
renovations when the skies got dark and the wind picked up.
That was the only warning we had. Others have said they heard
warnings on TV and on their phones. As mentioned, we were
outside with neither technological device handy. Just like
last time.

This picture was taken by my daughter-in-law who was visiting
her sister in Carleton Place. They were hit there about 20
minutes after we were hit in Ompah. The storm was cutting a
swath from southwest to northeast Ontario, at least according
to my contacts. From the map above it appears to have hit
further north and west as well.

We quickly stashed our tools in the garage and headed indoors
to watch the approaching storm from (relative) safety. I
watched in disbelief as the first tree split and crashed
thirty feet in front of me, then a second snapped like a twig
landing on our paddle boat that was leaning against the tree.
That’s when we ran for cover in our basement. These fallen
trees were tall, healthy, mature evergreens (pine), part of
the skyline I love so much on our property. They now lie
across our lawn, between our cottage and the lake…this could
take weeks to clean up….so much for renovations……again.

Many of our neighbours were not so lucky. Right next door,
three massive evergreens were uprooted, two falling on their
roof and one hitting the (old, unused) antennae on our roof.
If not for the antennae it would have hit our roof. The good
news is since these trees were uprooted, they fell slowly, so
there is no damage to the roof.

Many of our other trees remain intact and unharmed,
thankfully. Walking around after the storm subsided we could
see an incredible number of downed trees and wind-blown
furniture. What I found amazing was the sporadicness (?word)
of the storm. We have a row of plastic, kid-sized lawn chairs
on our deck, a few feet from the downed trees. The deck was
littered with leaves but the chairs were unscathed, not even
moved an inch!

Kanata (Ottawa) area Damage
Shortly after the message from my DIL in Carleton Place, I
received pictures and messages from a neighbour in Kanata. I
could follow the sporadic yet destructive path of the storm
from my contacts. It was eery how some trees were demolished
while others missed completely. Some areas (just) received

heavy winds with patio furniture rearranged, but undamaged.

The trees on our street (Katimavik area of Kanata) were hit
hard, at least those on the south side of the street. We live
on the (north) lucky side, let with just a few small branches
littering our lawn.

Upon return home, we walked around our neighbourhood gawking
at all the damage. This is a video posted today.

Ontario Hydro and Hydro One
Both hydro companies are working overtime this weekend, trying
to restore downed power lines and outages across the region.
Reports of downed lines, towers and power outages are rampant
on social media and news stations. These pictures are from
Ontario Hydro:

Tree Removal
Tree removal services are also in great demand this weekend.
Davey tree services were on our street shortly after the
storm, working well after dark, then back again this morning.

Update
As time goes on, we have several updates. Environment Canada
now calling the storm a derecho! Huh, a new word in my
vocabulary. Here’s another one… atterradora is Spanish for
scary! I’ve never heard of a derecho, but I’ve survived one!
My Mexico-residing brother tells me derecho is Spanish for
“straight-ahead” ………..interesting!

I hope you were one of the lucky ones that could watch the
storm on the news, from a safe distance.

Herbs for Homemade Remedies
Recently I told you about my penchant for alternative
medicine. A big part of that is using homemade remedies, many
of which come from backyard herbs. Reading The Lost Book of
Herbal Remedies from cover to cover I was itching to try many
of the herbs in my kitchen or garden.

Oregano
Oregano imparts a unique and subtle flavour to Mediterranean
dishes, so is a staple in many kitchen spice cupboards,
including mine. It is a hardy, low-growing, perennial plant,
perfect for the front of your garden beds. The tiny leaves can
be used fresh or dried and crumbled for storage. The leaves

can be sprinkled in dishes or steeped as a tea. Oregano oil
can be extracted from the leaves and stems or purchased as an
essential oil but must be used cautiously (diluted with
carrier oils) as it is quite potent on its own.

Uses for oregano include:

     eliminating skin blemishes and dark spots
     contains omega 3, heart-healthy fatty acids
     improves cholesterol levels
     treats yeast, fungal and viral infections
     asthma and bronchial infections
     weight loss, metabolism stimulation
     boosts immune systems with its vitamins A and C

Rosemary
Another common herb, rosemary is also found in many kitchens.
It lends flavour to roasted meats, especially lamb, or
potatoes. Its tiny, needle-like leaves can be sprinkled
directly on food or steeped in a tea.

According to research, rosemary is beneficial to:

     improve concentration and memory
     treat circulation issues and headaches
     reduce joint and gut inflammation
     treat fungus and bacterial infections
     increase energy
     treat hair loss
     treat bad breath

Thyme
Varieties of thyme are endless as hardy garden perennials.
Their leaves can also be sprinkled on food in the kitchen.
Thyme oil or thymol is a respected disinfectant known to kill
bacteria and viruses. To wipe down household surfaces, I swear

by Soluguard, a product from Melaleuca that combines thyme and
lemon.

thyme and lemon disinfectant
Thyme can be used for the following ailments:

     a disinfectant as above due to antiseptic, anti-viral,
     anti-fungal, anti-parasitic properties
     sore throats, bronchitis, and coughs
     gum disease, cavities
     acne
     boosting the immune system
     stomach flu symptoms
     epileptic seizures
     lice, crabs, worms, and scabies
     skin lesions, sores, and warts

Dandelion
Everyone knows what a dandelion looks like. All parts of this
common weed are edible. The flowers and leaves can be added
fresh to salads and the roots dried for tea. The flowers can
also be fermented to make dandelion wine.

The many advantages of dandelion include:

using the roots for liver, kidney, gallbladder, and GI
     issues as they remove toxins, help digest fats, and
     restore electrolyte balance
     the leaves can be used as a diuretic and antibiotic to
     treat urinary tract infections
     high levels of iron, other minerals, and vitamins
     prevent anemias caused by deficiencies
     enhances milk production and treats mastitis for
     breastfeeding women
     reduces inflammation in arthritic sufferers
     protects bones from osteoporosis
     controls blood sugar by stimulating the production of
     insulin and eliminating excess sugar from bloodstream

Chives
The pretty purply-pink flower heads on chives are very
recognizable in our gardens. The leaves can be clipped at the
base of the plant and used to:

     lower cholesterol
     prevent strokes
     detoxify
     flush our systems as a diuretic
     boost the immune system

Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is not as common (at least in my neck of the
woods) but can be ordered from health food stores. Its
berries, leaves, and roots are all useful.

The many benefits of ashwagandha include:

     anti-inflammatory, for managing arthritic pain
     improves immune function by reducing stress hormones and
     increasing white blood cell production

protects the brain from degenerative disorders like
     Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
     anti-oxidant properties that help treat colon, stomach,
     breast, ovarian, and lung cancers.
     improves memory

These are just a few herbs for possible homemade remedies that
caught my eye. There are many more out there; do your own
research!

photo credit

Ticks Do Not Jump
Contrary to popular belief, ticks do not jump. Only a few are
found on maintained lawns. Instead, they tend to prefer shady
areas where they wait for a host. Doug Tallamy of Bringing
Nature Home says this:

 Ticks do not run after us when we go into our yards. They
 climb up on vegetation and ‘quest.’ That is, they wait for us
 to walk by and then grab on when we do. So, one easy solution
 is to reduce your lawn to wide mowed paths, and then stay on
 those paths during periods of high tick infectivity (May and
 June in Southeast PA.) For me, staying out of the woods is
 not an option I choose to follow, so I remain vigilant. I
 (with a little help from my wife) check myself after I’ve
 been playing outside. Deer ticks like bare patches of skin
 near waste and sock bands or tight undies and with close
 inspection they can be easy to find. They also like to get
 between my toes. Fortunately, they avoid our hairy heads.
 When I find an embedded tick, I pull it off (sometimes I need
 tweezers for those tiny nymphs) and put Neosporin on the bite
 site. A Lyme researcher told me years ago that the Neosporin

kills the Borrelia spirochete before it gets into the blood
 stream. I don’t know if that is true but I do know that I
 have never gotten Lyme disease when I follow this routine.

 Doug Tallamy, 2020,

Deer or Blacklegged Ticks
 The   blacklegged     (deer)   tick   is   a   notorious   biting
 arachnid named for its dark legs. Blacklegged ticks are
 sometimes called deer ticks because their preferred adult
 host is the white-tailed deer. In the Midwest, blacklegged
 ticks are called the bear ticks. Deer ticks are found
 primarily in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, southeastern,
 and northcentral United States but extend into Mexico. This
 tick is of medical importance because of its ability to
 transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, human babesiosis,
 Powassan encephalitis, and more.

pestworld

How  to   Make                  Your            Yard        Tick
Resistant
There are several things you can do to deter ticks in your
yards:

       use natural plantings to encourage tick-eating creatures
       in your yard. These tick predators include frogs,
       spiders, birds etc.
       ticks do not like dry, sunny gardens, so plan

accordingly
     ticks do like woodpiles, brush or leaf piles, and stone
     walls
     choose deer-resistant plantings as deer are primary tick
     carriers. Other options include deer fences and
     repellents
     Japanese Barberry has a higher incidence of ticks
     discourage raccoons, skunks, and opossums (all tick
     carriers) with tight-fitting garbage can lids
     keep your lawns cut low especially around features
     difficult to cut around. These include around trees,
     fence lines, play structures, sheds, shrubs, etc.

Personal Tick Protection
To decrease your risk of tick infection, you can try the
following preventative methods:

     spray clothing with DEET repellent
     tuck pants into socks or boots in wooded areas
     wear light coloured clothing to spot them easier
     inspect children, pets, and yourself upon returning from
     wooded areas
     remove any ticks with tweezers

photo credit

Habs Fans                Boo        Stutzle             in
Ottawa
I’m wondering why Habs fans felt the need to be so
disrespectful and tacky when playing the Senators in Ottawa

last night.

The loud booing by the considerable number of Habs fans every
time Senator’s superstar Tim Stutzle touched the puck was
annoying and disrespectful. The booing was a result of Habs’
Brendan Gallagher’s comments after the last time the two teams
met. Basically, Gallagher alleged that Stutzle fakes injuries
to draw penalties. Ironically, I saw a statistic today that
showed Gallagher and Stutzle have the same number of
diving/embellishment penalties, meaning Gallagher’s criticism
is the pot calling the kettle black, so to speak.

The penalty in question was a dirty, potentially career-ending
knee-on-knee hit delivered by Nick Suzuki. Stutzle did lie on
the ice after the hit but recovered sufficiently to continue
his shift. He did miss two subsequent games due to the injury
though. Who remembers way back at the beginning of Sidney
Crosby’s illustrious NHL career when Don Cherry ragged on
Crosby for his “turtle” reaction that drew penalties? I do, I
bet Crosby does too. He appeared to learn from that criticism;
perhaps Stutzle will learn something from Gallagher’s comment
and the booing fans. Stutzle’s obvious talent will draw enough
hits from frustrated opposing players, he does not want to
encourage more.

Ottawa began last night’s game with a touching (and yes,
respectful) tribute to the late Guy Lafleur, a hockey legend
that led Montreal to most of their Stanley cups. Lafleur never
played for the Ottawa Senators, the gesture was to show
respect for a Habs hero. To top it off, Senators goalie Anton
Forsberg stopped 44 shots on net last night to lead his team
to a (nother) win against Montreal.

Back to the previous game…Suzuki apologized for the hit the
next time he met Stutzle in the faceoff circle. Well before
Gallagher’s rant and the Senator’s victory.

Now that’s classy on Suzuki’s part.

Habs fans could learn something from both examples of respect
and sportsmanship. And lose the tackiness.

Retirement   Woes:   Is                                  it
Tuesday or Wednesday?
This quote is from a post written nine years ago already; wow,
time does fly. At the time I was describing the changes in my
lifestyle since my retirement from the healthcare industry:

 Since retiring last April, it seems I never know what day of
 the week it is. I rely on my fifteen-year-old son’s school
 and hockey schedule to keep me somewhat on track. My other
 two sons are older, can drive themselves around and so keep
 track of their own schedules. The rest of the side effects

of retirement are all positive…

To start, I spent a lot more time doing the things I had
previously called hobbies…

I have read more books in the past year (since retirement)
than I did in the previous 25 years combined. My favorite
was the Millenium trilogy from Stieg Larsson; the Girl with
the Dragon Tattoo, the Girl that Played with Fire, and the
Girl that Stepped on the Hornet’s Nest.    I had a hard time
putting these books down once I started reading them, the
suspenseful storyline and believable characters were
gripping, from the beginning of the first book to the last
pages of the third book.    Yes, I did read the Fifty Shades
of Grey trilogy, but it didn’t rate nearly as high in my
books (pun intended!), and by the third one, I found the plot
to be quite predictable and boring.

My other (pre-retirement) hobby was gardening, which
currently moved to the front burner in the form of a new
business called Gardens4u. This was a no-brainer for me as I
had spent many previous gardening seasons volunteering my
green thumbs to friends, family and neighbours. I now do
gardening on a full-time basis from April to October,
depending only on Mother Nature for restrictions.

I was also able to spend more time at our family cottage, and
what a summer it was for living lakeside.       The water
temperature was the warmest it has ever been; I’m sure I
spent more time in the lake than I have in the previous 10
years combined.

In the last half of 2011 and throughout 2012 I discovered
firsthand the health benefits of a wheat-free diet. Just
recently I began to share my knowledge with friends and
family concerned about the same health issues. Please share
your knowledge on this important subject by visiting my blog…

Retirement takes getting used to, but I am game!

Update:
Fast forward to 2022. My interests are still the same, just
evolved over time. My husband has now joined the retirement
club. This means neither of us knows what day of the week or
month it is. His work schedule kept me (somewhat) organized
chronologically since my retirement.

Compromises
Hubby’s retirement also means lots of adjustments and learning
to choose my battles. Compromise is key. For example, I have
learned to find the positive aspects in his need to re-
organize the kitchen cupboards after almost forty years. As
long as they are decluttered, something he is not known for, I
am happy. Another example? Loading the dishwasher, something I
have (predominantly) done over the same forty years. Knock
yourself out, dear, I have other things to accomplish.

Extended Family
We are now empty nesters. Our three sons are grown up and long
gone, graduated from post-secondary schools, and doing well in
the workforce. Two have purchased homes of their own and the
same two are parents themselves. The third son (almost 25) is
finding it harder to break into the homeowners market with the
current real estate conditions, rising inflation, and a
struggling economy. But that’s a whole other post, and
fortunately, he has time on his side.

We are currently blessed with six (!!) healthy, adorable
grandchildren. I must admit that my life revolves around them.
I figure in a few years when they are all registered in school
and extracurricular activities, Grandma days will be few and
far between.

Gardens4U
My beloved gardening business is winding down this year, with

my current focus on design instead of maintenance. I’m okay
with that as garden design was my original business dream.
Several of my garden designs can be viewed on my YouTube
channel in a time-lapsed format. Modern technology is
wonderful!

Cottage Renovations
Cottage renovations have been in our conversations for several
years now but unfortunately we have not accomplished much. My
father-in-law’s declining health and subsequent passing
created the first delay, then Covid and the resulting pandemic
extended the delay. Hopefully this season we can get our
renovation plans back on track instead of spinning our wheels.

Health Issues
My health issues from the last decade have been resolved,
mainly by eliminating wheat from my diet. Of course, new ones
have developed this decade, as I am not getting any younger. I
am finding though that regular exercise and clean eating keep
me relatively healthy.

Travel Plans
Something else that moved to the back burner thanks to the
pandemic was our travel plans. We did squeak in a trip to
Mexico last November between covid travel restrictions. My
brother’s destination wedding was a great excuse to find a way
to plan the (much needed) getaway. Hopefully, more travel is
in our future.

We are counting on the next decade (at least) to be full of
adventure and compromise.

photo credit

Update on Wildflower Garden
To start off this season I want to provide an update on a
wildflower garden I started at the very end of last garden
season. It was an experiment I convinced management at our
local hospice to permit me to try.

I called it the lasagna method.

Surviving the Winter
Today I visited the site to see how it looked now that winter
is (hopefully) behind us. The leaves are long gone as expected
in such a windy area. Watering them down did not do the trick
as hoped. Wildflower gardens in my future plans will be sure
to include an additional layer of soil on top of the leaf
layer. I thought of that for this one but the budget did not
permit it as it is a huge area.

The good news is that the soil is all still in place with no
cardboard peaking through.

There are no new green sprouts yet but it’s still a bit early
to expect those. Especially considering we had a few snowfalls
as recent as three days ago! There are a few dandelions, of
course, something you have to expect from bulk orders of soil.

Winter Sowing Experiment
I do however have sprouts in the other half of this garden
experiment. Remember my post on Winter Sowing of seeds? I was
ambitious and started seeds in 22 clear plastic containers.
They lived out in the elements on my back deck for the winter.
We had lots of snow and extended stretches of cold
temperatures, so I was leary on how successful this experiment
would be.

Permanent Markers not so Permanent
The biggest problem with the experience was that the permanent
marker I used to label the containers with was not so
permanent. Fortunately, I recorded the numbers in several
spots on each container. With the help of my strongest reading
glasses, I was (barely) able to decipher the numbers. Phew!

Sprouts!
I did discover a few sprouts in some of the containers, also
with the help of my reading glasses. Amazing! I cannot wait
until the sprouts are big enough to transplant into their new
home. Sorry, these pics are so blurry, the condensation within
each container prevented clearer shots. The white squiggly
things are sprouts, the last two even have green leaves
reaching for the sunlight at the top.

Starting Seeds Indoors
I also started seeds indoors. This I have done before,
although I have never had much luck. To increase my chances of
success, I purchased two warming mats to keep the seeds and
seedlings warmer. Especially as I have them growing in my
basement in front of a sunny window…

Designing the Wildflower Garden
In the meantime, I plan to create a design for the placement
of the new plants within the sections of the wildflower garden
created by the stepping stones. Each type of plant has been
assigned a code (A2 or C4 etc) based on the plant’s height at
maturity as well as flower colour and bloom time. This way the
RSH garden team can simply follow a detailed diagram.

In the center of each section, I will plant tall yellow
sunflowers, boneset, purple aster, cleome, and Joe Pye Weed.
The next layer will consist of plants a bit shorter in
stature. Think purple and grey coneflowers, red sunflowers,
various colours of poppies, cosmos, milkweed, goldenrod,
steeplebush, and bugbane. A bit shorter yet, black-eyed
susans, penstemon, rudbeckia, and verbena will be planted. The
final layer will consist of edging (short) plants such as
lavender, heuchera, salvia, stonecrop, lamium, and more.

Can you picture it? I can!

I will post another update on this wildflower garden when
planting is complete.

Stay tuned!