Musings & more….
Behold! The first apple tree is blossoming in my very own mini orchard. The Aurora Golden Gala apple is one of my favourite apple varieties (yes, I have favourites). It’s a relatively new (2003) BC cultivated apple, but the trees themselves only became available for the public to buy and plant in 2014, I believe.
More info on the Aurora Golden Gala can be found here and here.
The garden that comes with the house we’re renting on Salt Spring Island is easily five times bigger than the York Avenue urban garden in Vancouver where we planted for the last six years. We haven’t had the time to revitalize and plant all of the new garden, which appeared to have been neglected for at least two years. But, because we knew we had so much extra space, we decided to try some new ‘for fun’ varieties for 2015 including the Purple Mist Organic Peas from West Coast Seeds pictured above.
I snapped this picture over a week ago, so now there are deep purple pods where these flowers used to be. I’m guessing we will be taste testing these sometime next week. I’ll report back.
It is foggy in Vancouver this morning, and the olive trees just outside my kitchen window are covered in spider webs that look like crystal lace. There is some metaphor in this that I probably should be exploring, but I simply found it beautiful to behold.
FYI, you can see the web more clearly if you click the picture.
… looks like this:
At least in my garden … under glass and against the south-facing wall of the house. So I’m trying to make you snow-covered Easterners jealous … but not too jealous.
———-
Photo info:
Subject: Golden Prolific Nectarine, 4 years old
Camera: Canon SLR – EOS digital Rebel XTi. 35mm camera lens
Date: March 21, 2013, afternoon
Writing update:
I just finished – like minutes ago – the second draft of the next novel, Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic. It’s an urban fantasy (adult). After I do another pass I’ll send it off to the editor, Scott, and the cover artist, Irene. YAY!!
Eating:
Mario’s Chocolate Gelato – SO YUMMY!!!!
Cats:
Only Parker is currently on the desk. Darby is surfing a sunbeam in the the kitchen, and Leo is in his box on the back counter, where else would he be at 3:34pm on a Thursday?
I ran the halloween pumpkins out to the compose between rain showers this morning, and, upon returning to the house, I saw this beauty tucked up underneath the eave of the studio window.
I should have run inside for the SLR, but I was afraid it would start raining again in the time it would take me to get it. I snapped this with my iPhone.
Happy November 1, 2012!!
The sun comes out, trees begin to bloom, and my love affair with Vancouver begins anew. I no longer find myself rushing to and from the house, but rather taking little moments to wander through the garden to see what is new each sunny day.
Today the three-year-old dwarf nectarine tree is in full bloom, so I grabbed this picture right before I holed back up in the office for the remainder of the day.
While walking to Pilates this morning I found this lovely scene in my neighbour’s yard (I believe that is a weeping cherry tree?):
And, on my way home, I couldn’t help but grab a shot of this gorgeous white cherry tree in full bloom. I love the contrast of the almost fluffy blossoms against the rough, stapled wood of the electrical pole.
So with that indulgent morning walk to keep me going while confined to the office, I happily get back to writing.
All shots were taken with an iPhone 4s, and ever so slightly tweaked in photoshop.
—————
Writing update: just in case you were wondering about upcoming projects, Spirit Binder (Paranormal Fantasy) is currently with the story editor and cover artist. Expected release date is May 15, 2012. The sequel to Spirit Binder, Time Walker, (Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy) is currently being drafted, with a fall release in mind. After The Virus should be available in paperback for it’s 1st anniversary in June 2012. YAY!!
This is one of the new varieties of tomatoes we tried this year, Yellow Brandywine. The plant was huge, took a long time to fruit, and didn’t start ripening until mid-September, also it seemed to be very prone to powdery mildew, but they sure were tasty! I purchased the starter plant at the VanDusen Garden Sale at the beginning of May 2011.
