April 11th, 2020

Sitting out on the back bench

sipping tea

with a tad of brandy to help me recover

from making lemon pies

for Easter.....

when I caught sight of these

lovely deer, having an afternoon stroll.

As a matter of fact

there were half a dozen of them,

but these two were more attentive

and aware.

And in view of the camera....

I snapped a few pictures of the lovely

red stubs of peonies, that are growing

by leaps and bounds

and promise that they will be in full bloom

by Queen Victoria's birthday

on the 24th of May.

(this picture is from the back garden on 10th)

The apricots are in bloom.....

and the forsythia.......

the quince is pregnant with bud

and will grace the garden

with their prickly branches and their gorgeous colour...soon!

Helen Shideler

The daffodils are budding and blooming

This is an old picture from

the hill garden - alyssum is not here, alas.

but the little clumps here

are just as delightful.....

Just the other day I saw two very small woodpeckers..

smaller than the red headed woodpeckers

that sometimes visit here,

 lovely harbingers of spring!

Along with the Robins, of course.

I keep both doors open,

and the spring air wafts in and out

along the hallway.

Off in the distance there is a willow,

still with its glowing golden branches

before the leaves burst forth.

This is the first place I have lived in

since our marriage that doesn't have a tremendously

huge and wonderful willow,

although my daughter does nurse a curly willow

in her garden across the lane, -

one of the many that Charles rooted from a branch

of the curly willow we had in the hillside garden....

the others line the driveway leading to the house

where we lived,  and have grown tall

and willowy (what else) and make

a lovely entranceway.

 Here is the willow on 10th,

with a swing

and a grandchild!!!!

What a lovely life it's been -  and is!!!!

Old friends / dear friends

Tonight I had a lovely chat

with an old friend!

She wasn't an old friend when I first met her

at the McTavish Business College

where we were both preparing ourselves

for the business world

and secretarial duties.

Norma's family lived in Vermilion

so she was batching it in one room in Edmonton

while she attended college.

You know how it is when you meet someone

and immediately 

there is an affection and a realization

that this is a kindred spirit!!!

We were only close in companionship for a couple of dozen months

but it is a friendship that has lasted

since those long ago years we were both in our late teens

until now, - when we are both

well into our nineties.

The phone calls that put me in touch with her these days

bring back so many memories

of the times we spent together in those early years....

lunching together, haunting gift card shops

and china and linen stores.

hiking by the Saskatchewan River

with frying pan and pork chops

(as an aside, I was hiking with Norma when I met Charles and seduced him

with pork chops and fried potatoes and niblets)

Norma and I were both part of a group of girls

who regularly hosted dances for servicemen/

(where she met her future husband)

It is a friendship I treasure

and am so grateful for.

The oldest friend I have alive!

And the dearest one left......