Lise's Ramblings

The Veendam: 2013's first cruise ship in our port As an avid birder, I welcome the sight of returning warblers, hummingbirds, terns and plovers. At this time of year, they charm me more than usual.  Soon they’ll flock to our woods and shores in greater numbers, but for now I count every migratory songbird or endangered shorebird I spot.  Gardens have harbingers of warmer days too. Well before anything else grows outdoors, those crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths paint our yards with colour. Last year, I blogged about spring peepers , amphibians that are shorter than your pinkie finger. These frogs overcompensate for their diminutive size with a trill chorus to mark the season. I know to take out my spring jackets when I hear the male peepers.     Our longer stretches of sunshine and spring weather also mean retro cars escape from winter storage, cruise ships return to our ports, crab and lobster boats set out to sea, and farmers return to the...

Major grocery, hardware and department stores stack bags of mulch and top soil near entrances to signal that gardening season is upon us. But, those stores mainly carry the mass-market essentials. For me, the season arrives when the local nurseries and garden centres open their greenhouse doors. Wander indoors to see delicate flowers, fragrant herbs and colourful annuals, or brave the elements and step outside to see hardy perennials, award-winning plants, trees and rare shrubs.  If you don't have hours to spend researching info online, but you want to track down a botanical oddity, graft a tree or nurture seedlings, then consult the experts. Fortunately for me, I can visit knowledgeable folks at places like Van Kampen's Greenhouses, Island Pride Garden Co. and Jewell's Country Market. They can answer my questions and recommend new finds. Even if you aren't a gardening fan, you can enjoy a trip to a green...

"But we, insofar as we have power over the world and over one another, we must learn to do what the leaf and the whale and the wind do of their own nature. We must learn to keep the balance. Having intelligence, we must not act in ignorance.  Having choice, we must not act without responsibility.” ~ Ursula K. Le Guin, The Farthest Shore (book three in the Earthsea trilogy) Amen. That quote from a talented author spells out what I wish I was eloquent enough to write today. I want Mackenzie to inherit a healthy world to explore. Do you think we can ever grasp how fortunate we are to have Earth, our life-sustaining planet?  We're surrounded by our world's beauty and bounty. If not for yourself, then for the sake of future generations, choose to nurture and balance this precious place we call our home. Happy Earth Day!   Tropical beauty at Vancouver's Bloedel Conservatory Evergreen and deciduous trees in British Columbia ...

As if being in my library  isn't reason enough to smile, my shamrock from Lise T. adds a dash of purple and fun to the room. When I moved to Atlantic Canada, I traveled with precious plants packed with care. For a few weeks, unexpected delays prevented me from getting the keys to my home, so I carted pots of all sizes in and out of hotels and B&Bs.  Why go to such lengths? I cherish my plants' lineage. For these plants came from friends, colleagues and family, and form a living bridge between my past and the present. Some are indoor plants grown from cuttings. Others are perennials unearthed from gardens. Whatever their origins, memories sprout whenever I tend to my kinship plants, which include my: Goldfish plant ( Nematanthus nervosus ) from Laura P. Yucca from Burgi Forget-me-nots ( Myosotis ) from Alex Assorted tropical plants from my hubby  Bee balm ( Monarda ) and Malva from Louise and Dad Purple Shamrock ( Oxalis r...

Maple sugar heating pan Photo credit: Ronald C. Yochum, Jr., Creative Commons 'Twas an early spring day, when all through the woods, Many creatures were stirring; they were there for the goods. The tin pails were hung from the tree trunks with care, In the hopes that sticky sap would soon be there. The children were bundled all snug in their coats, While pleas for sugarbush treats escaped from their throats. But mama gathered them all when she said with a clap, “Now you settle down or you’ll go home for a nap.” Then, alongside the cabin there arose such a clatter, They sprang to the heating pan to see what was the matter. Evaporating water takes more than a flash, Toppled trees for cords of wood must burn to ash. Pour a taste test of syrup on new-fallen snow. Twist a wooden stick to catch the cooling flow. When, what to their wondering eyes should appear, But golden taffy or as the French would say, tire.    thegreatcanadiangiftcompa...

Now that snow has arrived, our chances of spotting large flocks of snow buntings increase. source: Brian Zwiebel on Naturescapes.net These birds are aptly nicknamed snowflakes and snowbirds. Their white plumage and seasonal arrival are obvious reasons for their names, but their behaviour also seems fitting. When snow buntings move, they do so in sudden blasts of activity. Flitting up from the roadside, in a single blustery motion, the flock ressembles a winter wind gust. If you're fortunate enough to observe a flock before something disturbs the birds, you may even spot a horned lark or two milling about with the snow buntings. Winter is my least favourite season, but these fluffy snow buntings surprise me by scattering joy on cold days.       AWE SOME!

Which do you suppose came first, the burning bushes or the fire hydrant? Even if you aren't into gardening, these fiery Euonymus alatus (burning bushes) would have drawn your attention last week.  I spotted them on my way to work. And sure, I appreciated the splash of fall colour , but I also giggled. Perhaps the homeowner intentionally juxtaposed the plants with the fire hydrant. I would like to think that this is merely inadvertent humour to dabble my day with       AWESOME!

This week, I heard about a report that calls sitting the new smoking . Yes, we spend so much time parked on our tushies that sitting is now a killer.   We're sedentary during meals and our commutes. We sit at our computers, around meeting tables, in classes, and in front of TVs and gaming devices.   Well, it's time for a break from the chair.   In Canada, today marked Take Me Outside Day , an annual event to encourage adults to set a positive example for future generations. On October 25th, Canadians are urged to step outside with children or teens.   Get up. Get out. Take in fresh air and commune with nature. As ideas go, this one's        AWESOME !   Resources: 2012 Report Card on Active Healthy Kids Canada Eat Well and Be Active Educational Toolkit (Health Canada) Study on prolonged sitting and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death ( published in Diabetologia ) - Free ...

It's tough not to enjoy campfire or wood-stove embers? Entrancing colour and comforting warmth. You can prod and poke logs to make more bits tumble into the simmering pile of embers. And you're guaranteed that anything you roast over those embers will be        AWESOME!

Driftwood at Panmure Island, Prince Edward Island  Substantial pieces of driftwood serve as natural benches at the beach, whether you huddle there to gaze at the waves by day or sing campfire tunes at night.  At dusk, driftwood can also serve up eerie silhouettes. "Wait, is that a moose up ahead?" Even basking in the sunshine, driftwood takes on many forms. At times I see antlers, but I have also spotted a teeter-totter, a Hobbit dwelling, an oversized sea horse, a pile of brooms, an antique bird cage... Do you ever wonder where those weathered tree trunks and branches started out? I would like to know if a piece of driftwood started life as a sapling on exotic shores. I contemplate how it looked back then and what animals sought shelter there. Did a swing dangle from one of its branches? Was a fort tucked away among its leaves? Were initials carved in the bark wrapping the trunk? And...

Every once in a while, a special place becomes extra delightful. That's exactly what I witnessed this past weekend.  We're fortunate to have breathtaking views on Prince Edward Island. While the shores and ocean views are incredible, I consider New Glasgow to be one of PEI's jewels. Tourists know the village for its New Glasgow lobster suppers and the PEI Preserve Company . Golfers know about the Glasgow Hills course, because everyone receives free mussels after every round of golf. Families make the trek to visit the Toy Factory , where you can buy handcrafted wooden toys, including a ferry or a lobster boat. I enjoy driving to and through New Glasgow. I marvel at the rolling hills, parceled fields, and all the birds feeding and nesting along the Clyde River, which meanders through the village. However, Sunday's drive to New Glasgow exceeded my expectations, because of a magical new addition.  The bu tterfly house. I fina...