Tuesday, 25 June 2013

JUNE IS HEATING UP

WELL, IT IS SUMMER AND WE HAVE A HEAT WAVE. WE HIT 35 TODAY WITH HUMIDITY!
SO THANKFUL FOR AC. THE YARD IS SHOWING A LITTLE
HEAT STRESS. NEED TO GET THE WATERING SYSTEM
GOING A FEW MORE TIMES. 
 NORA BARLOW HAS BEEN UNBELIEVABLE THIS SEASON.

 2 FLOWER HEADS ON MY CLIMBING HYDRANGEA. A FIRST SHOW
SO THE LILACS HAVE FINISHED BLOOMING AND IT WAS TIME TO
GET THE OLDER PLANTS CLEARED OUT. HOPE THERE WILL BE
SOME BLOOMS NEXT YEAR. WE'LL SEE IF THESE ARE TOO YOUNG.
 I HAVE BEEN STARTING LUPINS FROM SEED FOR A FEW YEARS.
A YELLOW ONE 2 YEARS AGO, THE RED ONES LAST YEAR
AND A WHITE ONE THIS YEAR.
PEONIES HAVE STARTED TO OPEN.
THESE BLOSSOMS SUFFERED IN SUNDAY'S RAIN AND
DROPPED ALL THEIR PETALS IN THE HEAT. BUT THERE ARE
LOTS OF BUDS ON ALL 3 OF MY PLANTS.

 MY ROSES ARE OPENING. 
THE ICEBERG IS LOOKING REALLY GOOD!
 MY MARTAGON LILY!
IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL YEARS SINCE I PLANTED THIS ONE.
THE FIRST ONE I PLANTED COMES UP EACH YEAR AND NEVER
GETS TALLER THAN 12". THIS ONE IS IN BLOOM BUT I HAVE
NO NAME FOR IT. I WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH MY
LABELS TO SEE IF I CAN IDENTIFY IT!
AND THE WREN IS FEEDING SO THE FEMALE SNEAKED INTO
THIS BIRDHOUSE WITHOUT MY NOTICING IT. I THOUGHT
THE WREN WAS STILL SINGING FOR A MATE.
BUT THEY ARE TAKING TURNS WITH LITTLE BUGS IN
THEIR BEAKS.
 MOST YEARS WE HAVE MANY DRAGON FLIES. 
THIS YEAR THE MOSQUITOES ARE FIERCE AND THIS IS
THE FIRST DRAGON FLY I HAVE SEEN!


WE HAVE A NEW 'INVESTOR'S FIELD' STADIUM FOR OUR
BLUE BOMBER FOOTBALL TEAM.
THEY ARE SOLD OUT FOR THEIR FIRST GAME OF THE
SEASON AND IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW
THE TRAFFIC GOES. THE PRE SEASON GAME WAS A TRAFFIC 
NIGHTMARE. SOME FANS GOT THERE FOR THE LAST 15 MINUTES.
SO IN ADDITION TO FOOTBALL, THERE ARE CONCERTS SCHEDULED.
TAYLOR SWIFT WAS PLAYING ON SATURDAY. 
THANKFULLY WE ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THE TRAFFIC WHERE WE LIVE BUT
THE PARKING LOT OF THE CLOSED ZELLERS STORE IS USED FOR PARKING
AND SHUTTLE BUSES AS WELL AS TRUCKS.
SO WHEN WE CAME BACK INTO TOWN ON SATURDAY, WE PASSED THIS SIGHT.
OF COURSE RON HAD TO DRIVE BY AND TALK TO THE 'SECURITY' GUY.
RED - HOW FITTING FOR HER 'RED TOUR'.

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

BIRDS & BLOOMS

CAUGHT THIS ONE NAPPING!!
NOT SURE WHY THE "HORNS"
THE WREN HAS BEEN BUSY BUILDING A NEST BUT NO
EVIDENCE THAT THE FEMALE HAS ACCEPTED HIS OFFERING.
ALL PUFFED UP ON A CHILLY MORNING.
THE CHIPPING SPARROW HAS BEEN CARRYING TWIGS
BUT I HAVE NOT FOUND WHERE IT IS BEING BUILT.

 THE BIRD BATH CHANGES SO THE CROWS STOP DIPPING
BREAD IN THE WATER. WHAT A MESS.
 PERUVIAN DAFFODIL
MUSCARI - GRAPE HYACINTH
TULIPS - THEY BLOOMED FOR A LONG TIME!

THE ROSE CHERRY TREE IN FULL BLOOM
BERGENIA - FINALLY SOME FLOWERS!

SUCCULENTS 
COOL WAVE PANSIES. 
THEY ARE FINALLY GROWING!
SARA BARLOW COLUMBINE.
FIRST YEAR THE BUGS HAVE NOT DEVOURED IT!

 IRISES IN FULL BLOOM.
 IRIS & CENTAURA
MY YELLOW LUPINS
THE WHITE IRISES
SUNSET ON THE PRAIRIES!

JUNE!

KIDS OF MUD ON A SUNNY DAY IN SANDILANDS. 
ALL THREE OF THE GRAND CHILDREN WERE RACING. 
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY!

DEC WAITING FOR THE RACE TO START.

GRANDPA WATCHING THE ACTION. 

BREAKFAST FOR THE COFFEE GROUP.
WE WERE 35 ON A BEAUTIFUL JUNE MORNING.
 A GOOD TIME TO TRY A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS. 
THIS IS A CINNAMON BUN CAKE FROM 
MENNONITE GIRLS CAN COOK WEB SITE.
IT WAS DELICIOUS.
 NICE TO BE ABLE TO USE THE DECK AND BACK LAWN.
CLEAN UP ON GOING! LOTS OF LEFT OVERS.
TIME TO VISIT


BIRTHDAY TIME
THE BIG 70!!!
ALL THE GRANDS WITH THEIR AGES ON THE BIRTHDAY CAKE
 HAPPY 70TH, IRENE!