Tristan the White

Tristan with surprise summer bloom
of amaryllis President Johnson.
With effect for that special look.

Summer at Last - Lazing on a Sunny Afternoon

Our back porch features a new addition, which is useful for both plants and cats. 

Tristan demonstrates...

:

Such a hot day - a perfect place to catch a cross-breeze.
This shelf is reserved!

Time for brunch...

I love Lee Valley!

A most welcome gift from a friend, fabulous photos...

A most excellent spinach quichey, omelettey creation!

Oh - Tristan is on guard - someone is coming!

Il Pantero (aka The Reverend) likes to visit kitty day-care chez nous!
"Fill my bowl please!"

Chaiyka enjoys the expanded patio walkway - nice and cool on a hot day.

Love this new bright red Begonia - just gorgeous!

All manner of Dianthus are in bloom - cannot have a garden without
Sweet William.

Salpiglossis, or Painted Tongue, related to the Petunia,
is stunning.

Welcome Summer!

Scenes from Christmas Past

Where did it go?
Christmas?

 

Any ideas?

Harrumph!
What a messy table,
Just me and the cats hangin' out..
adding some class to this
Christmassy chaos.

Hmm - is somebody plotting something?

How about this innocent-looking fellow?
just the night before this....

Middle of the night crash heard,
I feared what it was,
and sure enough - it was.
Or rather, it wasn't -
anymore.

"Wasn't me", says Manitou, all cute and floofy.

"Wasn't me" says Rascal - holiday guest No.1

"Wasn't me either", says holiday guest No.2 Pantero (Reverend)

"Couldn't have been me - I don't even live here!"
Exclaims Kitty-never-seen-before-hope-he's-not-homeless-and-especially-hope-not-an-expectant-female!

Ghost - remnants,
Shape of Christmas Tree,
past.
(Mr. Poole "ain't talkin")

So what did Crazy Christmas Cat Lady do?
Must have a tree for Epiphany
It's only January 4th!
In response to suggestions to put Christmas away,
Since it came down anyway.
Oh yes, the tree rose again, sans glass balls,
Just an icy vision, mostly white and luminous,
nothing breakable.
We hang on to Christmas tightly,
despite disasters. :)

Longfellow approves of the restoration....
the brief prolongation of
holiday cheer....

...Until next year...
For auld lang syne...

Happy and Healthy New Year everyone!

Wednesday White

Happy Summer Solstice!

Spring Arrives

It comes every year, doesn't it? 

And yet, it is always so anticipated - even more so than summer, 

at least for me it is. 

The wonder and the worry:

What survived the winter?

 What new has appeared?

What needs to be fixed, moved or removed?

I have trouble with that last one - ha!

A perfect white Tristan is happy the weather is fine...

And a perfect Narcissus stands out against the green backdrop...

A new obsession? My first Orchid :)

And inside - Amaryllis continue their festive and colorful parade...here is Apricot Parfait.

Gervase - always different - no two blooms the same.

Bogota - graceful and exotic.

Summer - in Spring

This week has been amazing - so very warm, even hot. 

A veritable heatwave.

Trees are budding, and our neighbour's forsythia is actually in bloom! The residents of Maple Grove Gardens wonder if they slept through the end of winter and even spring.

But I heard no complaints as the solarium was opened up, windows taken down, a few plants placed for some green - and the favourite spots were chosen. 

Eating al fresco in March!? 

Unheard of - but most delightful.

 

 Manitou finds the perfect combination of sun and shade.

Mr. Poole got so hot in the sun I was almost worried.

But cats know what feels good!

 Tristan bypassed stopping to smell the roses...

And decided to investigate what was in my coffee mug!

Photos have a somewhat dreamy, fuzzy effect as they were taken with the camera on my tablet - not great, but quite acceptable.

We are enjoying all this while it lasts,

as the sky is darkening as I write, and soon it will rain, 

and the temperature will drop.

Winter Scenes

Well, winter is here good and proper...

what is there to do?


"Oh goody:  a box - I am soooo excited" Chaiyka is giddy with excitement, can't you tell?
Zzzzzz........

Manitou prays to the penguin gods....




While Tristan dreams of what? A white Christmas? Na - he's already white! ;)


Manitou looks away from the wintry scene...maybe when he looks back, all that white stuff will be gone....



Nope.


Sigh.