A week away, visiting family in Cape Breton, resulted in my return home, exhausted, a bit overwhelmed but oh so happy to be back! First thing I heard stepping out of the car was "Welcome to Paradise"..and indeed that was exactly what it was. In one week, the garden plants had grown a foot; all the trees were either in leaf or bloom, and as I walked about inspecting, soft laments were muttered about the amount of greens, and "we can't keep up" followed by the joys ..."asparagus are delicious and we've been eating them most nights"...and "wait till you taste them" .... Sigh. So good to be home.
I had my stories to tell as well..."saw a black bear crossing the road just outside of
Whycocomagh"! Heart in my throat...where's the camera!! Thankfully, beside me on the passenger seat. Never have I seen a black bear in the wild..only a dead one shot by Uncle Clifford triumphantly strapped to the roof of his vehicle, well over thirty years ago. Even now, these long years later, I remember my sadness as a child, touching it's fur, admiring the beauty. It is rare to see a black bear near civilization now.
The Captain did a great job taking care of tomatoes. Almost fully hardened off, they should be in the ground this coming weekend. Yes, too many..always too many. I need a few acres...not just a 30 by 40 foot plot.
The raised beds are lush, ...lettuce, garlic, broad beans, red mustard, spinach, and then there are the cuke's in pots hardening off, nasturtium in the planter, mint and strawberries in the back. Removed the red mustard today and about to plant????....
So much abundance. The hummingbirds are back, and the crows clatter..always with us...thankfully. This reminds me of a little 'time out' when I visited Cape Breton. An artist, Katherine Scott, hand cut a most wonderful monumental piece of art on Black Bee Charcoal Paper eleven feet by fourteen...reminding me of old black Victorian silhouettes but to accomplish such beautiful papercut art of this size...I was mesmorized. "Murder in the North End" she named it. I had to laugh out loud while my eyes rested on each individual bird, my mouth hung open in delight. Visit
Cape Breton Centre of Craft and design for further info.
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| Painstakingly cut with blade or scissor...black bee charcoal paper hangs from the ceiling by nylon thread. |
Just taking a break from a very hectic pre-wedding schedule and had to read this post of yours. Lucky you, to be visiting Cape Breton. It's been four years since I was last home - perhaps next year. Your garden is already looking great! I couldn't enlarge enough to see, but wondered if I was seeing Tiger Lilies or late tulips by the white fence corner. There are still a few tulips here but lilies are a couple of weeks off. I'll be you're happy to be home!
ReplyDeleteSo great to read your comment. Thank you. Those are Ballerina Tulips, a lily flower shape and they are fragrant, smelling of oranges as well as being that color. They last a long time and are my favourite.
DeleteWishing you and your family all the best on the coming wedding day.
Welcome home Brenda, welcome home.
ReplyDeleteThanks Erin, so very much.
DeleteHow wonderful to return home on a high to be greeted with the garden in full swing. Such a huge bounty of fruit and veg you'll have this year, I'm sure you can find homes for all those toms.
ReplyDeleteTo have your camera to hand when the black bear walked across the road was a stroke of luck. I would have been fumbing around for it and miss it.
Paul
Thanks Paul. I do have takers on the toms, but perhaps not all of them. Even managed to sell about fifty at a Garden Fair recently. As for fumbling..well you know it!! If the bear had not changed his mind and turned around and walked back, I would have missed the shot and, the battery was almost dead and... my purse is like a deep sink hole...so it was just a miracle I found it in time and only got the one photo before it disappeared in the woods. I was shaking!!
DeleteThat first photo is beautiful and how exciting to see the bear.
ReplyDeleteOh Sue thank you for your comment. It was quite exciting! I seem to be seeing a lot of firsts lately. Perhaps I am just being more observant and learning to be quiet ;-)
DeleteWhat a great shot of the bear - I've never seen a bear in the wild, only terribly sad one in zoos
ReplyDeleteThanks! It was a thrill to see this bear, that is for sure.
DeleteI don't do zoos. Makes me too sad.
Jeg kom bare lige forbi.
ReplyDeleteGode billeder.
Billedet af bjørnen i naturen er da fasinerende.
Tak for kigget.
Ha` en god aften.
Tak Landbohaven!
DeleteHi Bren, Looks like you will have an abundant harvest! Home is wonderful, isn't it! Nancy
ReplyDeleteYes, home is wonderful...no place like it, as they say ;-) Thanks for dropping by Nancy and commenting.
DeleteWow what a priviledge, even if a little heart stopping to see a Bear so near civilisation.
ReplyDeleteOh and your garden is looking fandabbytastic! My husband would be so envious of your tommy tatoes - ours are about 3 inches tall, but at least they are growing :)
The black bee charcoal paper artwork is truly fabulous, oh I envy those people with such talents.
Thank you Shaheen. It was rather heart stopping and my hands were shaking!! So pleased you like the garden progress. Your tomatoes will take off with the wonderful weather you are having!
ReplyDeleteYes, about the artwork..I too envy those with such talents and the work ethic to complete such a piece.
Thanks again.
Your raised beds are so wonderful! I love reading over your posts!
ReplyDeletehttp://theredeemedgardener.blogspot.com
Clint, Thank you so much. Such kind remarks. It's been awfully busy here, so haven't been over to a lot of blogs lately but hopefully, things will settle down soon. Your kindness and your blog visits are much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful garden! So lush and wonderful! Thank you for sharing with us, there is nothing like some good inspiration to get you going!
ReplyDeleteYour gardens look like they are doing great! So beautiful. And, Wow ... the bear! It's been years since I have seen one in the wild. I remember camping in Yellowstone, as a child, and there were plenty of bears to see.
ReplyDeleteI really love the bird paper cutting ... totally amazing work!! The "Cape Breton Center for Craft" looks like a wonderful place. I would love to see the current exhibit called "Home to Roost." Also, looks like they offer some great workshops! Glad that you had a chance to take a break and visit that exhibit.
~Michele
Indeed it does look like a piece of paradise. What a wonderful spot you have. Lucky spotting that bear just at that moment, glad he made it safely across. I hadn't thought about bears on this coast but then, no reason they shouldn't be here. Your tomatoes look in great condition. I broke a number in the trips in and out of the house hardening them off. Now with the sudden dip in temps I hope they hold out. Glad you appreciate the crows as well, they never fail to make me laugh with their antics.
ReplyDeleteI admire the layout of your garden every time you show it. Paradise indeed! Hope you had a nice time in Cape Breton. I was always terrified of bears as a child. My parents used to camp each summer in Kejimkujik National Park and bears would often wander into the campground at night to look for food carelessly left out by campers. I was always afraid to get up to go the bathroom at night!
ReplyDeleteSo many tomatoes! What a harvest you will have later this summer.