There is nothing better for my soul than a visit from much-loved friends and family. We recently spent a couple of wonderful days with our Calgary friends, Ginny and Dale. We explored Haslam Lake and the Okeover Arm/Lund area, talked a great deal, and devoured gardening information from various books and delicious mexican food from La Casita Mexican Restaurant. (Powell River residents, if you haven't eaten at La Casita Mexican Restaurant, treat yourself soon - the food is so good and the service is so personable. Sean, let's hope they are open next time you are in town.)
Okeover ArmOur friends were gracious enough to listen to us talk non-stop about our newest love-interest, our garden. Then they shared with us the news of their recent acquision of the property next to theirs in Calgary and their excitement at the prospect of what that space would become. We poured over "The Garden Book" by Phaidon Press Ltd. and "The Inward Garden: Creating a Place of Beauty and Meaning" by J. Messervy. The pictures, ideas and resulting conversation were inspiring. I am so excited for them!
These friends kindly delivered a parcel, suspiciously wrapped in brown paper, from my daughter and her partner, who live in Victoria. Without unwrapping, I pronounced it was a book, although others thought it was too heavy to be a book. And what an awesome book it is!!! "The Backyard Builder: Over 150 Build-It-Yourself Projects for your Garden, Home and Yard", is a 1994 edition of a 1985 publication by Rodale Press Inc. So far I want a Wooden Garden Bench, Planter with Trellis for the 'parking lot', Easy Dumping Soil Sifter (this fits over a wheelbarrel), Insulated Propagation Box, Patio Planter, Garden Sink, and Root Cellar Storage Boxes. As we had already decided to make a prop box, the insulated prop box will be project #1. We have been inquiring at various garden supply retailers here in Powell River and finally located the soil heating cable we've been looking for our prop box at Mother Nature. Thanks, Vanessa and Jamie, what a great gift! (Your card, the lily pads at Haslam Lake, is from one of my favourite sets from your botanical series (can be found at http://www.vanessahawryluk.com/.)
And continuing on the book theme...Ginny and Dale brought a delightful book, "Wesley the Owl, The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl" for us to read. I started reading it yesterday after coming in from the garden. So far this memoir is filled with amazing information about owls, especially barn owls, and funny antedotes that make me smile. I look forward to reading more today -- yeah, it's raining. Thank you, my friends, for this gift. Already I can think of people I would like to share this book with.
1 comment:
I've eaten at the LaCasita in Vancouver and once at the PR location when V&J lived there. It's pretty darn good.
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