Dear Jasmina » In the garden

Red

Jacinta — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:46:22 +0000

The virginia creeper on the side of our house put on a show this year…

Usually fall comes with snappish hard frosts which turn the leaves all brown and limp, until they fall off. But this year, fall was a gentle lover, and the vine put on its most stunning red dress.

Falling into Fall

Jacinta — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:58:35 +0000

I cherish those moments when I can walk around with Marie-Hélène outside and take the time to look at things… Leaves on the ground, on the trees.

Those funny umbrella-like mushrooms that Marie-Hélène takes special care to avoid, skirting around them and pointing…

Since coming back from Jamaica, it feels like we haven’t stopped running… School started and Marie-Hélène now only naps in the afternoon. I’m still learning to juggle. I’m also teaching myself to stop thinking of things I should do and instead live in the moment, doing what I do well. Right now, it’s enjoying the outdoors, when Marie-Hélène signs “outside” rather imperatively. Then bringing my camera along for the ride.

Garden

Jacinta — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:53:17 +0000

Christian usually asks me to take a picture of our flower beds in the fall, before the first frost. In theory, come next spring, I’ll look at these pictures and know what to plant. Except that when spring arrives, I’m so giddy to plant anything, and all the flowers at the greenhouse look so full of possibility, that I rarely consult our fall pictures.

The grandma flower

Jacinta — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:00:58 +0000

Have I already mentioned that john works at a garden centre? Well, he does. And as his older, plant-loving, Lacoste-shopping sister, I get a discount on plants. I’ve considered creating a rent contract in which he is bound to work at a greenhouse every summer of his life here, but then it could kill his future career. And if he is to become a pilot (re-read IF), I’ll settle for a discount on flights.

The other day he was saying how many annuals they are throwing away… “Heck, I could bring you home a tray, if you wanted!” And although our yard already has a fair amount of flowers, I’m sure there are still places I could find for petunias, begonias, or even geraniums… So I said “Sure!” The next day, he brings me a tray of flowers. “Great! Thanks!” I tell him as I’m feeding Marie-Hélène… “I’ll check them out later.” Then I tell him to wash. I try not to nag too much…

I later go see the flowers he’s left on our porch, hoping for pink, or red, or white… and find these…

So. So? These are marigolds. In fact, I forgot the name and had to ask John to refresh my memory. I’ve never planted a marigold in my life. These are those yellow pom-pom flowers that deer won’t eat. And they don’t smell like flowers, unless you were to compare them to the corpse flower.

“They’re not awful…” I said to a friend who was visiting, and who also doesn’t like them. “What do we have against them?” She didn’t know. So, we abandoned the philosophy, settled for the fact that it reminded us of grandmas, and had desert.

I love you Grandma, I’m happy you liked marigolds, but it’s kind of like shag carpet… Soft, pretty, colorful, but I couldn’t bring myself to having any of it.

Flower Friday

Jacinta — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:15:20 +0000

Just over the bridge from Saint-Boniface, the giant Canadian Museum for Human Rights is slowly rising. We’re a little excited to see it take shape, despite what some detractors say…. “It looks like a spaceship!” or “There’s not a single straight wall!” Christian and I shake our heads… “it’s modern” we say. They’re offering tours of the site, and being just a little nerdy, we’re determined to take the tour and show you the progress. Today, on a tip from John, we went downtown for a tour at noon. We arrive at the Explore Manitoba centre, with Marie-Hélène and, not seeing anyone around, not even John, we ask the attendant behind the desk if there really was a tour today. “No” he says, “the tourguide is sick.” We turn around and try not to look too dejected, and just as we leave, the second attendant, who was a student in Christian’s school, asks, “Isn’t this the third time you’re here?” I put my sunglasses on, laugh and leave Christian to answer that one, even though it is probably my fault we keep missing the darn thing. First, the hours were wrong, second, the tourguide decided she was done for the day and third, she was sick. What can I say? We’re dedicated to bringing you interesting content here… Content beyond the flowers in our yard.

Happy weekend!

Gardening

Jacinta — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:00:20 +0000

One of my main occupations when I was young, up until I left home, was yardwork. I weeded flower beds, tilled the soil under cedar trees and picked out debris from long rock beds. I also weeded the lawn, one row at a time, and by the time I would be done the front yard, there was the backyard. With enough procrastination, the project would only last a summer, until the next year, and another crop of weeds. Despite disliking that aspect of yardwork, I do credit it for providing me with patience and a particular satisfaction that comes from plucking weeds out by the roots. It is also why I love planting flowers and spending time whispering sweet nothings into their little petal ears.

Then, of course, there is the satisfaction of having plants that aren’t just pretty… They smell good and make everything taste better.

The garden is Christian’s area. He decides where things are planted, when things are ready to eat, and then I eat it. With him of course. Left to right, there are tomatoes, then, lettuce, carrots and cucumbers, onions and beans. On the side of the garage, we planted lots of potatoes. They’re not all that photogenic…

The thing about plants is that they are very forgiving, most of the time. I love being able to re-arrange things at will, and Christian is wonderfully obliging. After our winters have killed the countless clematis we’ve planted along our deck, we needed something to add height in the corner of our flowerbed along the house.

We made the bed larger, or rather, I laid down a rope and Christian did all the sweaty stuff. ‘Cause, he’s DA MAN!

And look! Isn’t it so much better? I let 20 mosquitoes in the house just going out to admire our new corner. And it is going to grow! And not just because I put my nose in its neck to smell its handsome pine-like smell, but because the tag said so… 10 to 20 feet, which, when we tell people about it, remark the discrepancy. I think it’s only 10 feet if you don’t tickle it from time to time…

Monday

Jacinta — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:34:52 +0000

Marie-Hélène is taking her morning nap. The dryer rolls in wrinkle-shield mode, as John has forgotten to take out his clothes before leaving for work. I have lots of pictures to share… Marie-Hélène and a cat! Marie-Hélène and a cupcake! Our garden! Coming soon, I promise!

For now… here’s to a new week, a morning with sun after a day of rain…

Fruition

Jacinta — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:00:20 +0000

Remember last year, we only had two apples on our tree? Well this year, we’re so excited! Our apple tree is full of little apple promises, and I can’t wait to use them in the fall…

Rain

Jacinta — Mon, 31 May 2010 15:36:07 +0000

If you feel like the axis of the earth has changed, and you’re climate is consequently so humid that moss is growing on your roof and your lawn has never been greener, or your hair curlier, than you probably live in Manitoba. (Or Saskatchewan). On the evening news, your province is featured because basements are damp and towns are flooded. Then you ask your husband why we couldn’t just haul some of the excess, by train, to Quebec, to put out their fires. But because your husband is such a handsome daddy, and married the silly girl you are, he ignores your sleepy-headedness and indulges your perenial picture-taking.

Life list

Jacinta — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:27:38 +0000

I’ve put off writing a life list for some time, despite so much encouragement. I figured it must be a fad. I disliked the title. I thought it might be presumptuous. How could I demand more from life when I’d already been so spoiled? After all, things like picking dandelions beside a rugby field bring a kind of joy that can’t be imagined when you make a list. But I love projects, so I cast my inhibitions aside, and jumped in. All the time spent making excuses was like avoiding a pool on a hot day… Canonball!