It has been remarkably cold for the mildest part of BC this year. The bees I’ve ordered are much later than expected. The tomatoes are dreadfully behind, and our garden has gone to shambles. In the midst of the chaos, between family weddings and family events, our garden has continued growing alongside the weeds. The lettuce has bolted but now we can collect seeds. The radishes have self-seeded from last year and the peas are climbing the trellis, aspiring to be Jack’s “pea-stalk.” Potatoes have sprouted in every corner, despite the cats’ best attempt to dig them up and turn their growing bed into a potty.

Between reading Gabor Mate’s book “When the Body says No” and attending weddings, I have found time to knit a baby vest for a friend who’s having her first born. This friend’s mother and my mother were friends since they were wee. This friend of mine and I are a year apart and grew up together. And finally, she is expecting her first baby. It was with such love and pleasure, I got to knit her this little vest. The thing I love about knitting for others is that it is a meditation for the person it is going to. I can sit and knit and think about the person, the impact they’ve had on my life, and what good things I wish for them.

Even though today feels like October with the weather wet enough to demand a warm up with the wood stove, I am looking forward to the summer commencing. The blueberries have a great set on them and I’m happy to return to the season of plenty as the Farmer’s Market really expands into veggies, fruits and flowers.

Wishing you, dear reader, all the best as your May folds into June!

Wanna hear about what I’ve been terrible at lately? Oh, did I give it away in the title? Last weekend I managed to get a lot done, minus any sleep available. And I was completely manic and booked things in over top of each other so that I was running from one event to another. It was madness. It was like city life. I am now a country mouse and so I need to regulate my time so that I do not burn out. Below are some of the results of my manic life of late.

This is not my plate. But I kicked the wheel to help make it. Isn’t it beautiful?

Marc has been taking full advantage of the mini truck in all it’s faculties. He is now gathering fire wood for our next year’s stash. It is important to give the green wood time to “season” so that it’s nice and dry for the wood stove. Some of this is arbutus that had fallen in our big wind storm. Arbutus is a very hard wood and it burns forever, but it is also native to the West Coast and protected so you can’t just go cutting it down willy-nilly.

Below is a photo of Holly, a friend, and her new baby Robert Titus. Titus is doning the new vest that I mailed to them. I’m happy to report it fits him perfectly! (For now!)

Congratulations Marcus and Holly on a beautiful “strapping” baby boy!

Oh, good news, the Leeks, marigolds and sunflower seedlings are just cracking the surface. My arugula is sprouting and our radishes have their second leaves! Yay for Spring! Yay for the upcoming garden produce!

Do you have any tips how I can better manage my time? Do you use a day timer? How many social engagements do you plan in a day? I think I’m going to limit myself to two things a day so that I can find space in my days to relax, sniff the tulips which are in full bloom on Pender.

Sending happy weekend wishes!

When I begin the weekend, especially in the Spring, I have quite the “To-Do” list. I’m not sure if my husband dreads this list as he knows that there will be only guilty relaxing- as we have things to do Sir!

On my To-Do list this weekend included a few things we got done and a few we didn’t.

I got the buttons sewn on my tiny vest so that it’s ready to ship off for baby. This thing is just about the cutest thing ever!

The top buttons totally don’t match. Somehow I’m hoping that it just doesn’t matter to my friends. These are the friends, after all, who put up their bare Christmas Tree, named it Franken-Pine, and sat on the couch 5 feet away and threw the ornaments at the tree, hoping they’d stick. The tree was incredibly lop-sided and the first time the top star was adjusted, the tree fell on the unsuspecting victim. These are some of my favourite friends!

Another item on the to-do list was seedlings.

This is our potential tomato seedlings. Yup, pots of dirt. Trust me, it will get more exciting. Planting seeds is such an act of faith. It seems like the most unlikely thing to happen. Putting a grain into the dirt, pouring some water over it, and hoping. Somehow, the seeds wants to grow, it knows how to grow, and it grows. I love this small miracle.

After all our hard work, we decided a reward was in order. A picnic. And not just anywhere. Somewhere really special.

Hope your weekend was as productive as mine!

I have a friend expecting their very first baby. So I knitted a little vest. It is a new pattern to me that I got from Soule Mama’s blog. I just have to attach the buttons and then it will be shipped off in the mail. My friend is due any day so it’s all very exciting!

A reason that I love knitting is how portable it becomes. I can remember where I was when I was knitting this, and past projects. This little vest has been knit in my living room, in my comfortable bed, knitted to “A Serious Man” (movie) and “An Education.” It has been knitted while listening to Johnny Cash, Tragically Hip, Wailin’ Jennys, and a lot of Alabama 3, a hint of Tommy Emmanuel and Ashley McIsaac. It has already travelled to a Farmer’s institute meeting, to Victoria at a birthday dinner, to work and back to ease the boredom if the power cuts out.

The whole time I’ve been knitting this one, I want it to fit me. I want to climb into this soft wool, and parade around in a new little vest. I am small, but I am not this small.

Made anything fun lately?

This is what I’d prefer to be doing.

This is what I am doing instead,  as my portfolio for my Poetry Class is due tomorrow.

At least I have good company. And chocolate. What do you prefer to do these days?