Old Wives and Peonies

Just sitting around waiting for the flowers to bloom . . .

11 AM 4 PM 8 PM VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

OLD WIVES TALE: Peonies need ants to bloom or be pollinated by them.

FACT: The eye buds are set in the late summer into fall for the upcoming year.

Having said that, and this information was found on the internet so it must be true:

Ants like the sweet peony secretions and as they walk about and eat away at the waxy coating it loosens the the very tight cabbage-like blossom holders. I don't think it's required by the peony for ants to be present, but I do notice that my peonies with the most ants bloom all at once and the blooms are fully opened, gorgeous and fragrant, whereas the peonies in a different area that gets regular bug treatments and thus no ants, bloom a lot more sporadically.

 

This little guy thinks he found a new friend . . . that’s our rear view mirror on the motorhome. There’s quite a bit of glare in the photo but not a bad shot through the windshield.

So what do you think his thoughts are here?

The following shots are just random photos taken around our site.

Here’s a couple of shots taken around the park. The white fluff on the water is not snow. We have a few poplar trees around.

Some of you may not recognize the subject in this very rare shot.

SUNSHINE!

God Grant Me The Serenity of My Garden

Hello. My name is Sharon and I’m a Pinterest addict.

There. I’ve said it.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Pinterest here are a couple of definitions:

Noun. pinterest [pin-ter-est]      Verb. pin, pinning, pinned

1. A virtual pinboard.

2. An inspiration board comprised of collections of favourite inspiration in the form of photos and imagery.

3. A place to waste a lot of time.

I’m not sure how it happened. All I can remember is someone sent me an online invitation and I (politely) joined. Wow, this must be quite an elite group (only 48.7 million users) because then I had to wait and see if I was accepted! 

It started out slowly with me just casually browsing the website and thinking how cute and so easy some of the DIY (Do It Yourself) projects seemed.

The boards are simple clean spaces with really cool pictures of crafts, decorating ideas and garden inspirations.. There are tutorials on how to recycle toilet paper rolls to fit any décor or how to upcycle mason jars into lamps that would look great anywhere. Or you can find health tips and just plain old cycling – if you’re into fitness that is. New simple menus and modern updates on your Grandmother’s secret traditional recipes. .

I know. It sounded useless and harmless to me too.

Then I pinned and fell into this black hole.

Now, I’m not naturally artsy crafty but I am resourceful enough if I see something I like I can usually figure out a way to git-r-done . . . or I ask The Cowboy.

So just to let you know that I have proudly taken the first step and admitted I was powerless over Pinterest.

Another glass flower – proving that I am not in the full ‘bloom’ of denial.

Now watch as these yard sale items magically, with some silicone, turn into a wonderful garden display.

The most expensive piece is the little jam jar, top center, which was $1.00. The plates were 25 cents and the other pieces about 50 cents each.

A $2.00 solar light was added later to the jam jar on top bringing the total to $6.00.

Then these mushrooms started sprouting up and spreading everywhere.

Much like my life, they’ve  become unmanageable.

I’m afraid this addiction is contagious and has spread throughout the whole family. This is our daughter, Shy’s creation. She is much more imaginable than I am.

The next one is still a work in progress but we are enjoying it even at this stage.

For those of you who haven’t jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon, it’s not too late. Trust me, you will never look at a Mason Jar the same way again.

Parties, Poutine and Pensions

I have no excuses or reasons why I haven’t been blogging other than there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in a day – or at least enough hours at the end of the day that I’m not too tired to sit upright at the computer and actually process a complete thought. Now after reading this you may think to yourself that the time of day has nothing to do with it. Point taken.

We left Pharr, Texas on March 4th, traveling slowly north and arrived back safe and sound in Ontario in early April. We were able to relocate to our summer place near Long Point in early May.

All of those little white dots in the ravine are actually trilliums.

Pretty obvious why the park is named Trillium Court?

The white trillium serves as the emblem and official flower of Ontario as well as the official symbol of the Government of Ontario. To add, for our U.S. friends, it is also the official wildflower of Ohio.

“While it is a popular belief that it is illegal to pick the common white trillium in Ontario, in reality they are only protected in provincial parks and land owned by conservation authorities. However, the rare ‘drooping trillium’ is protected by law in Ontario because of its very small Canadian population.”

---

We’ve been super busy catching up with our families and friends. There have been birthdays to celebrate.

New Cash for Life Recipient! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Just to clarify that – Our friend Shirley just turned that magic age that qualifies her to receive a monthly cheque from the government. Her hubby Dennis planned a wonderful surprise party complete with a delicious catered steak dinner for about 30 of us.

 

More Birthdays with more amazing food . . . including home made poutine and pizza. The birthday boy’s favourites.

 

Happy Day for Josh VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

That was actually a double celebration – The Cowboy’s brother Gerry, better known by his nickname ‘Buck’ will now be better known as Pastor Buck! We’re extremely proud of his achievement and we were there for the love and support. Oh, and the food.

Pastor Buck and his beautiful daughter Erin, a successful lawyer.

(I’d say this family’s got all the bases covered.)

 

 

 

My brother Ken & Mary Ann enjoying some fresh home made maple syrup – made by my father-in-law.

 

 

More family love . . .

Yup, there’s Ken again. This time enjoying a cook out at our place.

We’ve been searching for treasures at village yard sales with sister-in-law Lorraine & Bob. This one was in Petrolia.

 

And of course we found food there too:

Another of our favorite past times  is Flea Markets. Now Trails End in London is about an hour’s drive for us and we do need to keep up our strength.

 

 

So a quick stop about half way at PB’s chip wagon in Ingersoll is definitely in order.

 

 

 

Trail’s End Farmer’s Market

More treasures and all that shopping is wearing The Cowboy down.

 

These 2 photos were taken at another village yard sale last Saturday in Port Rowan. What a zoo! Lots of good bargains though.

One other event definitely worth mentioning is a wonderful treat from my daughter Cindy for Mother’s day – tickets to an Elvis tribute! What a great time including a delicious buffet dinner.

Cindy’s sister in law Ann, Cindy, and Cindy’s Mom in law Marie on the right. A very special ladies night out!

So, if you haven’t nodded off by now, you can see we’ve been keeping busy. We’re spending a lot of time working on our site here too. The Cowboy has his Man Cave looking pretty good – more on that in another post.

Some of my friends have been prodding me to not just update this blog but to post some pictures of my garden creations. I’ll leave you with a couple of pictures and promise to post more shortly.

This retired bowling ball has now become a gazing ball in one of my flower beds.

And these dishes have been upcycled to some pretty glistening flowers.

More to come and I may even divulge one of my inner most secrets - my addiction to Pinterest.

Happy Easter Everyone :)))

All I need to know I learned from the Easter Bunny!

• Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

• Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.

• There's no such thing as too much candy.

• All work and no play can make you a basket case.

• A cute tail attracts a lot of attention.

• Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.

• Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.

• Some body parts should be floppy.

• Keep your paws off of other people's jelly beans.

• Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.

• The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.

To show your true colors, you have to come out of the shell.

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.

May the joy of the season fill your heart.

AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

Happy Easter!

**************************************************************************

And now The Cowboy’s version

Since it’s Easter Weekend. One of the most important days of our lives it gives me a chance to reflect on the Cowboy's Ten Commandments posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Fairlie , Texas :

(1) Always remember there ain’t but one God.
(2) Honor yer Ma & yer Pa.
(3) No telling tales or gossipin'.
(4) Git yourself to Sunday meeting.
(5) Put nothin' before God.
(6) No foolin' around with an...other fellow's gal.
(7) No killin'.
(8) Watch yer mouth.
(9) Don't take what ain't yers.
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff.

And end each day with the Cowboy’s prayer:

Lord, I ask keep Your arm around my shoulder
and Your hand over my mouth.

Happy Easter Y'all

Reflections continued . . . by The Cowboy

May: We get back into Ontario a hundred miles at a time, see the family, spend some time in Tillsonburg and then go to the lake to setup out new Summer Place. We get to Trillium Court RV Park and they have assigned us a postage stamp size site.

 

We work on it for a week and are determined to make it work even though it is very small for our size rig. Dig, dig, dig. Move flowers, decks, sheds and anything that is not firmly bolted down. 

I may mention that by this time I can lift a patio stone and carry it four feet before I must sit and rest for 20 minutes. I am up for three hours then back to bed for a four hour nap, but it is a start right?

 

After a week with some REALLY helpful neighbors it comes to our attention that the much larger site on the ravine we have been after is coming available.

That was all that needed to be said. The Princess has the coach packed up ready to roll in less than ten minutes so out we go to back into our new seasonal site. We are both about as happy as a new colt in a fresh pasture after a rain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June: Work and more work getting our new Summer Place whipped into shape. We are laying patio stones, planting hundreds of flowers, adding onto our deck and just hundreds of jobs to do.

Our Great neighbors are over, giving of their time and energy to make sure things get done.

You never realize just how wealthy you are until you can just sit back and reflect what a great bond you have with your friends.

We are nicely settling in and one day we get a call from our youngest daughter. Not that young any longer but she doesn’t realize that. She wants to come down and “VISIT”.

She also informs us that she is in charge of “Survivor” games for her group’s campout on the July long weekend.

Down she comes and with one of the god given talents she has developed, before we know it all of us are neck deep in construction of one fashion or another, building water balloon slingshots and target boards, ring toss boards, survival tribal dummies and just a full six days for us building props.

When the day arrives we load everything up and off we go for a fun filled weekend of being “Roadies” for the tribal Queen in the Survivor marathon that she has planned.

It was a real blast and everyone had three days of some of the best fun at the event they had ever had. It all went off “Slicker than a doorknob on an outhouse door”.

We enjoyed every tiring moment and the memories made will last forever.

The Cowboy Reflects

Hoping everyone had a wonderful Christmas and by now all of those New Year’s Resolutions have been broken.

It’s that time of year when we all reflect on our lives and the past years’ happenings and this post by The Cowboy is just that.

It’s a little bit late in coming – my laptop was in for repair. However, maybe our reflecting should be year round instead of waiting for the end of another year . . .

And Yes . . . you can expect more ‘Çowboyisms’

January: Enjoying the winter in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas  - other than a Doctor’s appointment where he sits me down and says “We need to get you in for a biopsy on your throat”. Have you any idea how long the days become and how little you can find interesting once they throw that on the table? But, “Just 'cause trouble comes visitin’ doesn't mean you have to offer it a place to sit”. Life moves on and so did we.

 

Just another (gorgeous) day in the RGV

Click on the above to read our January 2012 post.

 

 

 

February: Life picks up with some positive things going on. After 8 years and thousands of dollars I FINALLY get a divorce from a previous marriage. “I AM A FREE MAN”. What relief. Short lived as that feeling was.

Now if you really want an experience that will shake you to your soul. Have your Doctor sit you down and explain your biopsy came back positive and you have Cancer. There is just no way could I explain how this news changes EVERYTHING. You are sad, happy, angry, worried and determined all in the same moment. You worry about some of the strangest things and the topic will not leave you alone for even a few minutes.

 

 

I keep reminding myself,

“Every trail has a few puddles”.

 

 

 

March: The doctor has suggested that I get out of the Valley since Cancer is not prevalent in the Spanish cultures and treatment here would be second best. He suggests Houston or Illinois. We opt to stop in Houston and take a look. This is about the time that I was faced with a true understanding, “Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway”. It became my way of life. By mid March I am undergoing Radiation and Chemo treatments. You can read more if you choose in older posts.

April: I am at a point now that I am pulling from areas I never knew I had. They have taken me from who I was and everyone knew to some stranger that has lost weight, strength, reassurance and most of his humor. I have been “Rode hard and put away wet”. Instead of running along I am able to just make it through a day with most of it spent sleeping. You have absolutely no idea the power of having a GOOD WOMAN by your side. How The Princess stood those months still today leaves me shaking my head. I always thought she was smarter than to get herself wrapped up with a burden like me but I sure am glad she is blind!!!  I learned a very long time ago, “Treat a woman like a racehorse, and she'll never be a nag” and that filly is pure thoroughbred.

 

Finally the bell is rung and I have spent my last days under treatment. We head north a few miles for a week’s R&R. What I was thinking at the time I am not sure, a week ya right. Not much recovery in only one week but I look at The Princess and say “are ya ready”. She gives me that I’m not sure why but I trust you look and away we go, Heading NORTH.

 

 

To be continued . . .