House Builder or Not

Hi Everyone, It has been so busy around here, my Dad's house has sold and we have until mid April to have the house completely cleaned out. The push is on and I have been there everyday this week taking trips to the dump, Goodwill or the Recycle Depot. But today I took a break and played on the computer using some new pictures I took of the Pileated Woodpecker drilling hugh holes in one of the Eastern White Pine trees (Pinus strobus) in the backyard. I think she started out making a nesting hole, but the tree is not healthy and I think she has found a goldmine of lavre to eat. Be prepared she has not been nice to the tree.

It looks to be an average hole in a tree.

And the criminal, A Pileated Woodpecker.

The hole is deep enough her head and shoulders disappear into the tree.

She has been at this tree for three days, starting with this hole,

 but has now moved to the other side and above this hole.

I was getting so concerned I could not watch anymore and came to play

on the computer. I found these wonderful templates on my new Mac,

 under the e-mail section, and sent

out an e-mail to a friend.

This is my favourite, a post card setting.

Thank you for visiting today,

Take care!!

Mosaic Monday - Water in the Garden

One of the most cooling and relaxing sounds is the sound of trickling water.

 In the city it can drown out the sounds of the daily hustle and bustle of life.

 It can also be a reflective surface of water, calming and refreshing the spirit.

There are no reflective surfaces here but babbling, bubbling and rushing water.

 I love the soothing sound of water in my garden with a waterfall in the pond,

 a bubbler feature by the patio and the many reflective surfaces of the birdbaths.

What kind of water feature do you have your garden?

Drop by Little Red House,

 hosted by Mary, to visit some beautiful mosaics

featured on Mosaic Monday.

Take care!

Tree Pruning?

The hellebores have flower buds, they are only three inches tall

 and are a welcome sign of spring.

The weather has been dry and above freezing, perfect to start some spring pruning.

 But this year the pruning is on a very large scale. 

A Manitoba Maple in the backyard had to be removed, 

it was diseased and the bottom half of the large blue spruce in the front yard died.

Remember when you buy that cute little spruce how big it will get when it is mature.

As you can see this spruce was planted too close to the house.

 The front window is almost completely covered by tree.

Hubby cut the dead and lower branches off. 

It looks as if some giant has taken a bite out of the tree.

He suggests cutting the other side to match.

 I am not willing to have a large lollipop tree in the front yard.

 It will have to come down.

 Are you sure he asks. 

Yes.

It is one of sunniest places on the property

 and I can grow all kinds of sun loving plants.

Four pickup truck loads later the tree is gone,

 but the weather has turned nasty and it snowed again.

My plans are on hold.

I forced some early flowering iris and they have started to bloom.

 A small compensation for not being able to play in the garden.

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful day.

Mosaic Monday - Flower Bouquets for Spring

Today is the first day of spring and I am celebrating with flower bouquets.

These arrangements were entered in a floral design class at Canada Blooms.

L. H. Bailey's poem titled Spring describes how I feel about this season.

Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;

To-day the glint of green is there;

Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;

I know no thing so wondrous fair,

No miracle so strangely rare.

I wonder what will next be there!

I am joining Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

She is a gracious host and would love a visit.

Thanks for stopping in and have a great week!! 

'Rhythms' The Flower and Garden Festival - Canada Blooms

Hi Everyone,  Today I am taking you on a tour through two gardens at Canada Blooms.
2011 marks the 15th Anniversary of Canada Blooms and at the same the show co-celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Canada's Juno Awards. With this co-celebartion it seemed appropriate that this year the theme should be called Rhythms.

Some interesting facts of what is required to put the gardens together for the show. This year 800 tons of sand, 420 cubic yards of mulch and 30 tractor trailers loads of stone and concrete products were required to put the gardens together. There were about one quarter of a million plants (including bulbs), valued at over $100,000.00 at wholesale prices, plus an additional 10,000 plants from builders. 

This garden is called "A Symphony of Delight', presented by Elite Environments Ltd. The key message: Music, instruments and flowers are brought together to create a perfectly orchestrated garden. Have you ever envisioned having a grand piano in your backyard?  Well, here is one innovative way to do it.  The highlight of this garden is an exotic grand piano-pond, featuring a hand cut stone keyboard, a moss covered perimeter and a babbling granite rock, all in a very sophisticated woodland setting.

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences partnered with Canada Blooms to present five gardens in celebration of the Juno Awards' 40th Anniversary and 'Rhythms'. The selected Juno Awards nominees and winners collaborated with garden builders from Canada Blooms to create beautiful personalized gardens reflecting each artist's particular style and genre.  Oscar Peterson has been nominated for 7 Juno Awards and has won once; he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1978.  With the help of Kelly Peterson (Oscar's wife) and Lindsay Peterson (his daughter-in-law) Denis Flanagan, Landscape Ontario and City of Toronto a garden was created to capture the feel of Oscar's music studio in Mississauga, Ontario. The family's garden was often an inspiration for Oscar's passion for photography and for his wonderful music.

There is also a Garden Hall where floral designers display their talents.

 This one was perfect of this years theme, Rhythms.

I hope enjoyed the short tour through some of the gardens

and have a fantastic weekend.

For Japan with Love

Today, March 18, I will be joining others bloggers for a day of silence. Please keep Japan in your thoughts and prayers.

Irish Blessing!!!

These things I warmly wish to you -

Someone to love

Some work to do

A bit o' sun

A bit o' cheer

And a guardian angle alway near.

Go mbeannai Dia duit

(May God Bless You)

Have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day

Snowdrops for Mosaic Monday

Hello Everyone, I cannot believe another week has passed. What a week it has been, it seemed I was jumping from the frying pan to the fire and back again all week.  Thank goodness it is over. Next week will be so exciting as I will be visiting Canada Blooms, a large garden show in Toronto, for 4 days this week. I will take lots of pictures to show you.

The snow is melting away and the first flowers have made an appearance in the garden. It has been a long winter and these snowdrops are such a welcome sight.

I am sure we will get more snow before spring settles in for good.

In the meantime I will enjoy the flowers as they make an appearance.

I am joining Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a wonderful week!!

Mosaic Monday - Blue Winter

Hello Everyone,
I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Saturday we had rainy weather and warm temperatures, eliminating most of the snow. But, last night the temperature dropped to below freezing and another 6 inches of snow fell. 

But it is sunny today and the sky is a wonderful blue,

so I went looking for blue pictures for my mosaic.

I am joining Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

She would love a visit.

Enjoy your week!!

A Doll for Pink Saturday

I have a small collection of dolls and each was given to celebrate a special event. There are a few with pink clothes and I thought I would show you one for Pink Saturday.

She has a flowered pink dress and pink ribbons in her hair.

Her hair is a bit messy, but I like the wind blown look.

She used to belong to my Mother-in-law.

Visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound 

for Pink Saturday.

Thank you for stopping by and

enjoy the weekend!!

Mosaic Monday - Summer Table Setting

I promise this will be the last

of my photos from my trip to Canada Blooms.

But, I just had to show you these table settings

since, entertaining season is only a few weeks away.

Image relaxing in the early evening with the candle light twinkling

on the stemware and the fragrance of flowers from the garden.

Mary from Little Red House hosts Mosaic Monday

and you should stop in to view the beautiful mosaics.

Thank you for visiting and have a great day!

Mosaic Monday - Summer Table Setting

I promise this is

 the last of the photos from my trip to Canada Blooms.

But, I just had to show you these table settings,

since the season for outdoor entertaining

 is just a few weeks away.

Imagine relaxing in the early evening with candle light twinkling

on the stemware and the fragrance of beautiful flowers from the garden.

Mary from Little Red House is hosting Mosaic Monday,

stop by and visit the beautiful mosaics posted.

Thank you for stopping in and have a great day!

Toddler Sitting

Last week I travelled north to Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, to toddler sit.  Sunday morning I loaded the car and started my 5 1/2 drive through picturesque Ontario. The weather was overcast and the roads clear, great driving weather.

I had a busy week looking after a 3 1/2 year old. One day was spent taking pictures around the house.

A pineapple from the kitchen.

Audrey the cat napping in a sunbeam.

One afternoon I went looking for outdoor subjects to photography 

while my charge was at a playday.

A shrub by the stream.

We had a wonderful week, watching movies and eating popcorn, playing in the snow

 and Saturday drove to Ottawa to visit the Museum of Nature. 

The weather all week was sunny and cold, until it was time to leave.

The 5 1/2 hour drive took closer to 7 hours because of snow and poor road conditions.

This is what the rock formations look like along the side of the road in Algonquin Park.

Thanks for the visit.