Perennial of the year

We're starting to think about getting back in the garden!  We have had the mildest winter here in southern Ontario. Thought I would share the perennial of the year with you.

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ has been named the Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association, a trade organization established to promote the use and sale of herbaceous perennials.

The outstanding characteristics of “Jack Frost” are its large silvery white leaves accented with green veins. In Spring, it has baby blue flowers that resemble forget-me-nots on slender stems. “Jack Frost’ grows 30 to 40 cm tall and is hardy in zones 2 - 9b. Characteristics which make it desirable are its adaptability to a variety of soil types; it can be situated in shade or part shade; it is considered deer resistant; and, the blue-silver cast to the leaves make it a colourful shade plant.

 I have this one in my garden and while it grows slowly in my shady patch, it is well worth planting.  It catches the eye and is a distinctive colour in the border.  Just right for  providing relief from an expanse of green hostas!

Back to Winter

Life in my back garden!

Eerily white, isn't it?  From Honduras to this, yes reality bites. I'm trying to add visual interest, but still have a long way and several more growing years to go. 

OMG

One of the days we were diving in Honduras, the wind came up and it was really hard to get back in the boat.  The wind had pushed the waves into 3 or 4 foot swells and the boat was lurching up and down with the ladder attached.  It was hard to swim against the current to the boat. Once you got  there you had to hold on to the ladder while reaching down to take off your fins. The constant up and down of the water threw you up and then down again with a such strong  force it was hard to keep your grip on the ladder.  I noticed one of the women trying to take off her fins and climb the ladder. She was very slight and was pitching up and down.  Being the former instructor, I thought I could help and went rushing in, thinking I could somehow help her get her fins off, with no real plan in mind for how I was going to stay stationary.  Unfortunately I just got in the way, and she drifted off towards the safety line with only one fin on. I reached for her, but I didn't make contact.  Luckily a boat hand jumped in the water and with only bare hands and feet - no mask - no fins - managed to help us all off with our fins and push us towards the first step on the ladder!
So the real hero was our boat hand who outdid all of us with our sophisticated safety gear!
As I read in the paper about the cruise ship which went down in the Mediterranean and hear about all the non heros, I realize my actions looked selfish even though my motives were good. I never explained to the other woman what I was thinking and she was really cool to me afterword.
Mea culpa!

Our new Life

The Handyman trying his new trade.

The photographer extraordEnaire!

tHE PHOTOGRAPHER MODESTLY SHIELDING HIS PITS

NOW THOSE ARE PECS!

The group =some men may have worked out!

We thought you should see our new friend.  But you haven;t been replaced in our hearts. However, we may never come home!

Fashion Heights achieved

Look closely at the glasses, not everyone could position a bandaid in just the right location to effect a repair. Only the  Handyman can do that.

We have set a new standard for sartorial splendor.  Life on the Island is casual and we have taken advantage of that.  We must confess that we have been sleeping in public in the deck chairs. I think our fast paced life is catching up with us - eat, dive, eat, dive, eat, read, bed!

Indoor Christmas arrangements

Arranging a floral centrepiece for yourself is not hard.  Pick a pretty container, anchor some floral foam in the container and then fill the vase with greenery until the foam is completely covered.  I used cedar boughs and euonymus leaves for contrast as the main filler.  Carnations were chosen for their long lasting life.  Pine cones were used to echo the season.  Then you just meed some bling to jazz it up.  Try to pick colours that reflect or complement your table setting. Don't forget to top up the water in the vase daily.

Red carnations and gold accents

Christmas urns 2011

Cedar boughs, birch logs, pine cones and red ornaments,
 with a few dogwood sticks to pick up the colour

This year's Christmas urn styles are lower than last year. Ornaments figure prominently in arrangements this year. I went for colours that complement the house. Of course, a big bow makes it festive.
 The urn at the front is one that stays out all year.  It was originally a grape vine ball that has deteriorated to a shell.  Two or three birch logs anchor the ball and then they are filled with boughs.  The red stars echo the woven star in the arrangement.

Look around the garden some branches really lend themselves to arrangements.  For instance Cotoneaster, euonymus, dogwood, willow, especially curly willow, and burning bush branches all can make a statement in an arrangement.

The berries of the mature burning bush would look lovely in an arrangement.