Saplings and Somethings

 Yesterday was mostly routine - cut some grass, cleaned up a garden.  But then, I had some fun digging up and potting six oak saplings that a squirrel planted under the pine trees.

I'll keep them watered so the root systems develop and plant them in September.

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Today we held a birthday party for Kathryn to celebrate her 60th.  Don't be surprised - you knew I was really old, so it figures!

I rented the Optimist hall and friends and family were invited.  I didn't remember to get the camera out until the friends were gone and we were stuck with just family.  Sorry, but I'm too lazy to crop the picture.

The Craig boys were there in force.  I'm the tiny one in the middle.

But the prettiest were these two ladies.

Happy birthday Kathryn!

Stay well everybody.

 To get me to church, they have to either provide food or entertainment.  And this past weekend they did both - dinner on Saturday and a choir performance on Sunday.  My sweetheart sang her heart out.  She's centre back.

And other than gardening and pretending to play golf that's about it for the past four days.

But, today was different.  First, a wild turkey sighting in the back field.

Then, Kildeer pretending to be injured, to keep me away from their nest or chicks - some have hatched already.

And finally, being the Pied Piper of Swallows as they swooped around the mower picking off the insects that I disturbed.  I love those moments.

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Before I cut the grass, this was my morning project - to turn this weed filled scene...............

....into this.

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As Mardi and I navigate our aging decline we have decided that it's time to revisit some of our favourite places.

First up, hopefully in late July - early August, will be a trip to Canada's east coast.  P.E.I., Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.  

Then, on our March return from Florida, Biloxi's sand beaches, New Orleans and Nashville.

Finally (for now) a trip to Hawaii in April.

Sorry about the inheritance kids!

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Jays have won two in a row from Boston.  Time to start believing again?  Maybe.

Stay well.

A Winning Day

 Mardi returned from her sojourn with the ladies in time to join  Kathryn and I at Chuck's Roadhouse.  She was on cloud nine while she was away.

They saw a show in Grand Bend, then went Mexican as seen below, before heading to Forest for an overnight bash and golf yesterday.

Certainly sounds like fun!

And Maureen got home in time to celebrate today her 22nd anniversary with Matt.  Congratulations!

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And we welcomed A.J., Michelle and Reggie for dinner.   More of that Miceli lasagna and garlic bread!

Hate to brag 😇, but I won the Uno game.

Canada did well in their soccer match and Kirk's return to catching (and hitting!) carried the Blue Jays to a win over the Yankees.

A good day.  Stay well.

 A bit of a gardening update.  I started on this garden the other day - Mother Nature was looking after it up until now.

I wasn't happy about the weeds and field grass that she had cultivated, but lo and behold, I did find a couple of items to be saved.

One was this Oak tree.  I don't know where she found the acorn.  The only Oaks on the property are the three that I transplanted here and they haven't started bearing acorns yet.  And I've never seen squirrels on the property.

The other was a Smoke Bush.  A seed must have blown from the one that I planted a few years ago on top of the hill - it's about 80 yards away from this one.

The one on the hill is getting ready to blow smoke.  I'll get a picture when that happens.

In any event, the garden looks somewhat better.  Now it will go on "hold" until I clean up some other areas.

A bit more tidying and the front will be finished.  Then I'll start to work my way up the driveway gardens for a stretch.

I finished my "day" with a couple of hours cutting grass.  Enough time in the sun!

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At our Optimist meeting tonight we celebrated three students who we sent to the Optimist Central Ontario Leadership Seminar.  It started in 1958 as the Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Foundation - remember the actor who played Wyatt Earp?

The kids (and their parents) commented on the positive things they had absorbed at the seminar.  

And the winner of our Essay Contest read her composition on "Community".

A very rewarding night to hear how our work is affecting our youth.

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Mardi is away on a fun junket with "the girls", attended a theatre performance in Grand Bend tonight and probably having a drink as I write.  So I'm batching it.  Dinner tonight at the Optimist meeting, tomorrow night with Kathryn at Chuck's Roadhouse.  I think I might survive until my sweetie comes back to me.  I'll drink to that!

Stay well.

Garage and Garden

 Mardi has been inviting me to join her and Pat on their Saturday yard sale jaunts and yesterday I gave in.  Glad that I did.

First purchase - Marmaduke, the Red Nosed Moose ($5).

He will likely join Rudolph and the other deer at Christmas in the garden centre.

Second purchase - two unopened first aid kits (2 for $5).  Another purchase for the greenhouse.  Safety first!

And, finally, a set of electric drill fittings ($10).  That will certainly come in handy at the greenhouse!

A good time was had by all.  I guess that means that I'll be joining them again next Saturday when Caledonia is holding a community yard sale.

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Last year, one of my cactus plantings outgrew its space, so I dug it up and separated it.  Now we have several almost ready to sell or plant. As soon as they begin to flower I'll offer them to Sean.

However, as Monica can attest, you need danger pay to play with these guys.  They got me right through my gloves and I had to throw the gloves out - second year in a row!

I finished the day cutting the grass.  It should be OK now until I return on Tuesday.

Today, I continued working on the main garden.  Took an area that was choked with field grass.

Dug down about six inches to try to get rid of the extended roots, and ended up with this.

Those Ice Plants will spread to 18 to 24 inches and, eventually, will pretty well fill the space.  They flower throughout the season.

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Last night and again this afternoon I watched the Blue Jays blow games against Baltimore.  Their pitching injuries have put extra pressure on the bullpen and the 16th and 17th games in a row proved to be too much for them.  Day off tomorrow will help, but it's going to be a few weeks before they (hopefully) get the injured pitchers back.

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Invited Kathryn and Anna for dinner and cards tonight.  Lots of laughs at our UNO results.  They left at 8:30 because Anna has a company video meeting at 4 a.m.  The company is doing very well.

And so are we.  Let's stay that way.

Believe it Or Not

 I had a very interesting, and unexpected, experience yesterday.

The background is that my Grand Caravan is now 7 years old and has covered 175,000 km.  It had been a National Car Rental vehicle when I bought it 6 years ago for $22,000.  It has electric side and back doors and a rear view camera, but few other gadgets.  Those fancy toys don't hold any interest for me - just get me where I'm going without worry.  It still looks good and I figure that it will last as long as me if I take good care of both of us.

So, I took it to Bob McDougall's garage (his family has operated out of that location as long as I've been in Stoney Creek) and asked him to do a full "medical" and told him to do whatever he found necessary to make it pass the tests.

Two hours later I got a phone call that it was ready and he found no problems.  When I showed up and pulled out my wallet, he said "I'll catch you next time."

Who does that?  So, I'm giving him this free commercial.  Thank you Bob!  

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Today I finished the drought resistant half of the main front garden.  I was working on it when Jill and Gary visited.  Now it looks like this.

It includes Echevarria, various Sedums, Cactus, Sage, and to the left some Forget-Me-Nots who decided to join the fun on their own.  I may add a Portulaca in the open space as well.  That's a Peony on the left, ready to bloom.

David changed the sign that you see in the background.  Customers have enjoyed it and stop to take pictures.

After I got tired of gardening I cut the back lawns, stopping to admire the Yellow Water Iris that I planted along the shore of the pond a few years ago.

A very pretty plant that has established itself all along the shoreline.

And here's one that I didn't plant.

In an earlier life, the land that became Trillium Hill was an Asparagus farm.  Remnants still grow along the borders of the property.

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After being down 5 - 0 early in the game, the Blue Jays came back to win 6 - 5.  My prediction about them folding during this 17 game stretch wasn't even close.  

Stay well.

Life Is Crazy Good

 Today is Mardi's cousin Janet's birthday.  All the best!

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And it was a good day for me too.

I started with my Head Gardener duties, and during the gardening phase I was visited by Jill and Gary who had loaded their car with plants.  Gary took these pictures of me in my Head Gardener shirt.........

 ............and relaxing on my "deck".

Then I cut some grass before heading home for the Blue Jays game.  Surprisingly, they won again.  Wonders will never cease!

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Tonight was our Optimist meeting and the guests were students from Orchard Park High School who demonstrated their robot.

It chases and shoots out those yellow balls.  The schools are advised in January what the goal is and the restrictions regarding the robot build.  They have six weeks to get the robot into competition form.

Team 2056 has been very successful in the past and this year came fifth in world competition.  An amazing accomplishment!  Our club is certainly glad to contribute to help them in their efforts. 

Following the meeting, Optimist Ed Strecker (Mardi's and my matchmaker 😍) presented me with an example of his latest hobby.

That is very fitting (other than regarding my golf game).  Thank you Ed.

Stay well folks.