And there we go!

Here we are!

Don't hold your breath!!

The weather is cooperating and of course the hubby has some sort of strept throat.
We revived him long enough to remove the boat roof
Now we are at a standstill as we wait to borrow a special tool to remove the bolts from the railings. We need a deep throated wrench to get at those buried bolts.
Hopefully it will be available in the next day or two and then onward hoe while the weather holds@

EH?

Went to the hearing specialist he thinks I have inherited deafness.
I asked if that counts if you are adopted?
He stopped and starred at me
Then I said - doesn't matter cause I am not!!

Boy no one has a sense of humor

Then he proceeds to tell me that I am missing the high pitch sounds I tell him no _ I have high pitched sounds called tinnitis and I can hear everything but I can't distinguish between the high pitch of the hearing test and the ringing in my ears. His response_ Oh yes you are right I forgot to tell you about that part

The Dr. says he will refer me to the tinnitis clinic at the General Hospital, I then say why? I know that tinnitis can't be cured, I cut out 90% of my caffeine I don't take meds and I put the ceiling fan on so I can sleep at night and not hear the ringing in my ears,- ( the fan is called white noise) So then he says well they will teach you to live with it and to apply certain modules to help alleviate the
irritation. At this point I am thinking it is him ( the irritation) and he probably things it is me!! Then he adds they will teach you the value of white noise.

It all boils down to this
1) I will have to drive an hour to get to the hospital
a) sit in a crowded infected waiting room
b) I will see another health professional who will tell me how to do exactly what I am doing
c) I will pay over $12 in parking not considering the fuel costs in traveling
d) I will get the words of wisdom from a "health professional" who
probably is going to tell me exactly what I already know


HMM and I will see a real Health Professional?? So why don't I just stay home and talk to myself!

Tulips of Ottawa

In the fall of 1945, Princess Juliana of the Netherlands presented Ottawa with 100,000 tulip bulbs. The gift was given in appreciation of the safe haven that members of Holland’s exiled royal family received during the World War II in Ottawa and in recognition of the role which Canadian troops played in the liberation of the Netherlands.

The tulips have become an important symbol of international friendship and spring, with special meaning to the people of Canada and its Capital Region.

In early June 1940, Princess Juliana and her two small daughters secretly boarded a Dutch vessel bound for Halifax. After a long sea voyage, they moved into Ottawa’s Government House. Safe in the Ottawa region, Princess Juliana was able to take over the reins of government-in-exile if the need arose.

The birth of Princess Margriet Francisca, the third daughter of Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard, was a symbol of hope and a source of inspiration for the Dutch who were fighting for their survival in Europe. The only royal baby ever born in North America, her birth created a living bond between the people of Canada and the Netherlands. To ensure the baby’s Dutch citizenship, the Canadian government temporarily ceded a room at the Ottawa Civic Hospital to the Netherlands. On January 19, 1943, the flag of the Netherlands flew on Parliament’s Peace Tower and Princess Margriet was born a Dutch citizen on Dutch soil in the safe haven of Canada. Once the war had ended, the people of the Netherlands and Princess Juliana sent the Canadian people many magnificent gifts, including 100,000 tulip bulbs to Canada’s Capital in gratitude for the involvement of Canadian troops in the liberation of the Netherlands. In 1946, Princess Juliana herself gave an additional 20,000 bulbs to the country that had given her refuge. A few years after the Dutch tulips arrived in 1945, they became a strong attraction in Canada’s Capital, and stunning pictures appeared in newspapers nationwide resulting in more and more events around the annual bloom of tulips.

http://www.tulipfestival.ca/

This year with the rainy weather the tulip festival got off to a slow start, with kiosks filled with artistic pleasures,food and music it is a grand show of the Ottawa Valley talent. Plan to attend next year but bring some dry weather with you! Or at least an umbrella to ward off those May showers!

Sweet Treats for Sweet Dreams

I am on a mission , one of many!!
My daughter wants a candy buffet at her wedding reception. A new concept foreign to most of us. SO what is a candy buffet you are asking yourself. You may google it if you dare. However, you will find it is an assortment of sweets from Mints to Skittles and well wrapped Caramels, and Social Tea bisquits for those who are already far too sweet!!

And of course what are you going to put them in? Well this is the trick a full array of color candy incarcerated in crystal bowls, tall and wide, fat and skinny. The hunt is on I have now a collection of 5. My most important question is how large is this going to be? Of course Ben doesn't care he will be supplying all the candy of course those that he likes so he can bring them home.........

My thought was that I would auction off or give the left over as door prizes,containers included!

Here are a few inspirational pictures for me to work from
http://www.projectwedding.com/photo/browse?tag=candy+buffet

Last but not least my question to you is>>>>>>
When you don't want to give kids sugar before they go to bed at night.............
Does the sugar have the same effect on the folks from the golden era????
Then again maybe we don't care because we don't have to go home with them!

Jane's dilema!

 

Here I am new windows, new vinyl and clad. Too pretty to muckup or mar. Now do I leave them in their present beauty ? Do I dress them up putting holes in the vinyl clad to hang some sort of covering? Hmm it is oh so tempting to leave them as is..........at least until they tarnish . Oh what is one to do???

Hard at work!!

 

 

 

This drove Ben nuts. WE usually do everything ourselves and he was pacing! The men did a great job the two large windows were in and out in no time. It was a very clean and neat job and no surprises!!

Out with the old in with the NEW

 

Here is the view after the old windows were ripped out and replaced- clear and clean as a whistle

The grass is RIZ!!!

The little drizzle has come just in time, after the flood waters have receded!


The extra dampness has certainly enticed the garden to start to sprout , from Lillies to Hostas, periwinkle,and wild Viola's the yard is starting " sprout". The grass doesn't look too badly either, with it's high power fertilizer I added two days ago.The flood water brought extra fluids to the grass's roots and it is lush and green. Ok in most spots. Then there is the piece by the road, the salt attacked the grass. Maybe my wandering wild Violets and Periwinkle will soon fill that piece in! One can only hope!!

Now for a little more sun and warm weather I should be once again in a lush green forest, Let's see!! I once belonged to a horticultural group, I was plant wise but realized that I had my own type of soil to contend with and loads of shade thanks to 60+ old trees. I found my grass to be thin and sparse without direct sunlight. I laid down a hose, gave it a few swirls and curls and used my spade to dig a trench. Then I took off the top layer of wild grass, visited a local horse farm for manure and away I went.


The first two years things looked a little sparse but finally came to fruition. As the plants finished up in the fall I transplanted them to green pastures!! I have my own compost and a growing bed where there is a little plot I baby the plants for two seasons then dig them up and replant them in the yard. My gardens take up a good lot of my yard and swing around the house where it would be far too shady for grass.


The good news is that I love Hostas and they love my yard! I have many varieties that are very prolific my biggest decision is to think of how large I want these beds to get and where should I plant the offspring!


I am just soo cheap, I only have a few pots of annuals, the perennials keep the yard lush all season, that is if I can keep the red spider and deer away. With special blends added a different times it is a full time job!! Just enough to keep me busy an hour or so a day. Ben better enjoy that hour of quiet time!

Happy planting!

 

Peek a boo!

 

Double Click on the pic for it to enlarge, can you name the two varieties of plants?

It's going to be a ducky of a day

 

These two are lost they exited the river and looking for a good spot to sun themselves, they walked across our lawn, under the fence and into the neighbors. Nesting time??

Buttervcup yellow

 

The daffodils are blooming, the periwinkle is spreading and the tiger lilies are 6 inches above the soil, trillium are near opening and the apple trees are budding, It won't be long now until SHOW TIME!!

Sweet tooth?

 

 

One more thing off my list. This is making a trip down the street
Good thing with those calories!!

The great flood of May 2011 here it comes!

Three hours from start to finish

 

Wouldn't it be esier to go to the store?
Too bad this is not calorie free
It is a spice cake with Buttercreme in between the layers and then iced in the same creme
The calalilies are fondant and the roses are buttercreme

Slip Slap Twap

Here comes the River!!

Where are my Wellingtons??