As you may have guessed, it's been one of those years where habits, work and hobbies are thrown out the window in order to dedicate as much time as possible to aged parents who are far from home. Kevin's step-mother went into decline late last year and passed away in February. Then, as is the case with many elderly people who lose their cherished spouse, his father went into a free-fall. So, every so many weeks we've been packing up the car and driving 7 hours to Quebec to do all that we can in a space of time that never seems sufficient. While the hospital staff and villagers have been kind and helpful, it's been difficult negotiating the health care system that is primarily French when our language skills are so sadly lacking.
So no chronicles this summer. But one thing I did do, when I was at home was force myself to have breakfast in the garden. There's something remarkably soothing about sitting outside in the early morning light. I took a few pictures every other day, so that I'd be able to share some of the beautiful plants and flowers that helped calm me at the start of the day and have a record of what happened in the garden over this remarkable summer.
I've gathered a passel of snapshots to show you now what my happy place looked like this summer. And, over the next few months as life moves into a more predictable pattern, I'm looking forward to being able to catch up with all my blogging buddies.
Posts
8 comments:
Hello Barb !
I am so sorry for your loss and for the struggles you and your husband have had to go through.
It is such a stressful situation and with a language barrier it makes it much more difficult.
I hope things have calmed down now for you.
Speaking of calm .. I can see that your garden is such a wonderful place for you to fill that well within .. it is gorgeous, and I love those shots from your "coffee" table.
I don't think I have ever seen it from that angle .. it is SO pretty !
I'm glad you were taking pictures along the way so we could see how it progressed ..
Hopefully next year we will see more of you and your beautiful garden !
PS .. I am such a fan of goatsbeard .. love seeing yours !
I can relate. My Mom is in the hospital with pneumonia. It looks as though she might have lung cancer, so there are probably going to be a number of trips home to Nova Scotia this fall. Your garden looks as wonderful as always. Is that ordinary Goldenrod you have? I love Goldenrod, but haven't been brave enough to include it (I have a few hybrids, but they aren't as magnificent as the tall, wild kind).
You and your husband have my sympathy for your loss and for the ongoing problems. How interesting to see the garden over several months. The breakfast area part looks well-weeded! And there is a nice mixture of textures and shapes. You seem to have a little more restraint than I do--things don't looked crammed together.
Hi Joy:
Thanks for your kind thoughts. Still in the middle of it all, but between "events" I seem to be a little better at not worrying so much. I'm having a few buddies over tomorrow for lunch in the garden - an easy-peasy bring and share. Speaking of photos....went out this a.m. and my "failing" camera (dancing electronic program while I wait for it to settle, thumb rest, now resting on the bookshelf, missing pieces of the photo, and today no viewing screen - alas it has a viewer and you don't want to know how cruddy it looked!). But in spite of it all was able to grab a few photos & so will continue, until I can get back at it. And, yes, goatsbeard (aruncus) is one of the best, and I think most under-rated plants - takes heat, and takes extreme cold - some of the best I'd ever seen were on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec - can you imagine just how much cold and snow they get?!
Oh Jennifer:
How very sad. And, as far as Rawdon is, it's nowhere near as far as your mum's home in Nova Scotia -- and those flights -- think the people who set the fares do so while in the middle of a drinking bender. The goldenrod was a happy accident. Have quite a bit in the front garden and this just settled in. Much larger than the others in the front and the colour is better. I decide just what the whole plant's diameter is going to be and then yank anything that dares move out from its designated spot. I also make sure that everything is watered the moment it looks thirsty in this garden, so I'm thinking the TLC is another reason for its exceptional size. I'd purchased a couple of the fussy hybrids too -- fell in love with Fireworks at a botanical garden in NY, and they never looked as good as the wild ones do.
Kathy:
Thanks so much. The garden in the front looks like it has been afflicted with scrofula. I decided that with everything else that was going on, I needed one spot where my eyes could rest. And, keeping the weeds at bay seemed to do the trick. I also was a bit of a fiend keeping certain perennials within boundaries. I've got a lot of plants that perform at different times and die back. Some times I look like a real genius as the next plant comes up and fills in and sometimes I look like a real amateur. I've got an aralia that is exceptional, until it isn't and at 6 feet tall, dies a rather spectacular death leaving oodles of empty soil....even Kevin said, "You seem to have a very big empty spot." There's a beautiful yellow variety they grow at the RBG that I'm thinking might be a good switch out. It doesn't grow as tall, but it doesn't have big gigantic leaves that turn an ugly brown either.
I can see why the garden is so calming for you, Barb! It's so beautifully planted and organized! We are facing aging and health issues with our three remaining parents, too. It all seemed to happen in the same year, which makes it even more challenging, doesn't it? We're still in the throes--traveling a ton, meeting regularly with doctors, and trying to provide as much support as possible for our parents. Hiking and gardening are helping me keep my sanity. Hang in there!
Superb kind of work by the author as on this particular topic people needs more precise information and special attention to it. Thanks a lot.
Garden
Hello Barbara, we are very much inspired by your work and the struggle you went through. You are a True Inspiration.
Halton Landscape Group
Thank you for such a great post you wrote here and I'm very obliged to write an article here on the benefit of herbal herbs.I am 29 years old and have been diagnosed with breast cancer, ease of treatment and a similar story, except for my first acceptance as a rejection of herbal medicine. I was not part of the Perseid movement and did not really build relationships with any of them, I just believed in their operation. I say this because it was during the use of Dr. Itua herbal medicine that I now attest that herbal medicine is real, the phytotherapy Dr. Itua heals my breast cancer which I suffered for 2 years. Dr. Itua herbal medicine is made of natural herbs, with no side effects, and easy to drink. If you have the same breast cancer or any type of human illness, including HIV / AIDS, herpes cancer, bladder cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, skin cancer and skin cancer. , LEUKEMIA, VIRUSES, HEPATITIS, INFERTILITY WOMEN / MAN, LOT OF LOVE, LOTTERY. ITS CONTACT EMAIL / WHATSAPP: Or drituaherbalcenter@gmail.com/ +2348149277967
Post a Comment