Bear Hollow Revisited

Ann Seely designed a quilt called Bear Hollow that was published in Quilter's Newsletter Magazine as a series from October 1994 to April 1995. I saved those issues for years, and sewed the quilt top together in 2002.

The quilt borders were a lovely applique design, however I decided to create my own to personalize my quilt. I used a combination of shapes from McKenna Ryan's patterns as well as my own. My designs are inspired by our canoeing trips.

I've been avoiding sewing the satin stitching around each shape because it takes soooo long! This summer I finally got around to some of the stitching, although I suspect it will take months to do it all. The corners are done, and I am stitching the long borders now. This quilt has been calling to me from my UFO stash, and it's time to get it done!

Our tent, our Golden Retriever Sasha with a stick, our glasses of wine and our campfire.

An Inukshuk that Sid built for me while I was taking a nap.

Myself in the bow, Sid in the stern, and Sasha behind me in Sid's dream canoe: a red Prospector.

A cabin on one of our favorite lakes.

Blue moose, of course.

One of several red bears and a flock of Canada geese.

When I get the borders done and sewn on to the main body of the quilt, I'll take a photo for you.

Luna Moth

My previous post has photos of 2 mystery caterpillars. On a hunch I Googled images of Luna Moth caterpillars, and there they were! I cut the little branches that the caterpillars were attached to, and moved them to trees at the edge of the property. My Serviceberries were losing too many leaves.

Huge Caterpillar!

Can anyone tell me what kind of caterpillar this is? It's about the size of my thumb, and is munching away on my newly planted Serviceberry. There are 2 of them, and I'm leaving them alone to see what they turn into :o)

A Cautionary Tale

I purchased a Dwarf White Pine from Mori Gardens, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario on Saturday, July 12th. I couldn't find this pine in my area, and on a family trip to the Niagara area I decided to visit Mori to see if they had one.

There was one left, located in their prime display at the front of the garden centre, priced at $99.99.

I brought it home and planted it on Monday. Unfortunately, the pine began to turn brown by Wednesday. I called Mori and the employee I spoke to led me through the usual questions about how I had watered it or not, etc. I explained that I am a horticulturist and garden designer, and that I've worked for CBC radio as a gardening phone-in expert. Yes, I had watered it and no, not too much.

Mori Gardens' dead Dwarf White Pine

The new garden with Mori Gardens' dead Dwarf White Pine

Mori's guarantee on nursery stock reads as follows:

"The Mori 100% two year guarantee is subject to the presentation of your receipt and the dead nursery stock. We will replace the full amount paid once for guaranteed plants that die within two years after the purchase date by a credit note - no cash refunds."

The employee insisted that I bring the dead plant in, as per their policy. I explained that I lived near Sudbury, an 8 hour drive from the garden centre, and could I just email them a photo? The answer was no.

I know exactly what happened to this plant and why it died. At some point shortly before I bought the plant, it had been allowed to totally dry out. Conifers cannot handle this, but unfortunately they don't show the damage for several days. This poor pine was doomed before I even laid eyes on it.

What I have learned from this expensive experience is that I will never buy a conifer from a garden centre (and certainly not from Mori Gardens!) that is any distance away from my home. You can't tell right away that they haven't been cared for properly.

'Frosty Beauty' Daylily

'Frosty Beauty' finally bloomed! This is the daylily that I had planted in my street garden, shown in my post called Anatomy of a New Garden from June 23, 2008.

I've been working away on the backyard since I returned from Quilt Canada 2008 in early June. Photos will follow soon!

Introducing Baby May

This is the story of Baby May.

At 8:30 a.m. of May of 2007, Nurse Angie of the Martindale Animal Clinic, Sudbury, Ontario stepped outside the clinic to see a taped cardboard box left beside the large trash bin. She could hear purring, and through a hole in the box, Angie could see a tiny paw waving in the air.

She brought the box into the clinic and when it was opened, she found a 5 month old kitten with one eye severely injuried, from an apparent dog bite.

Dr. Dan Ransberry, the veterinarian on surgical duty that day, called the SPCA but they couldn't take the kitten because of her serious injury. Dr. Dan gave her a pain shot. The kitten continued to purr when handled, despite her condition.

Since the kitten was probably unadoptable, Dr. Dan decided to keep her. He called her Baby May, and she turned out to be a cuddly beautiful little girl. I met May at Dan's house. Her one good eye is a lovely China blue, and she has the most gorgeous patterned coat. Dan says she is a Silver Tabby and Lynx Point Siamese cross.

Dr. Dan is the vet for our two Golden Retrievers. His clinic has been voted Sudbury's favorite animal clinic 4 out of the past 5 years, for many reasons including his compassion for cruelly discarded, wounded kittens.

Baby May's colours

Happy Canada Day!

Happy 141st birthday, Canada!