THOUGHTS FROM A MID SEPTEMBER WEEK

It has been an interesting week. Why does our energy level go down with the start of school? Is it because we are busier than we think? Work has had its ups and downs. Families with issues and some sad cases kept me challenged clinically. Going to a Madonna concert in Toronto with my married daughters was fun on Wednesday. Coming home after midnight- catching the last subway train that turned at Eglinton so we needed to take the Shuttle bus to the Finch station to retrieve Natasha's car, getting home at 2 a.m. and managing to survive the next day on 4 hours of sleep was interesting! Of course, babysitting two grandchildren on Thursday night for a couple of hours then heading to bed for an early night helped to restore some needed REM sleep brought me to Friday! Where did the week go? The weather is holding with warm days and cool nights- ideal for sleeping! The trees are just starting to turn colours. The vegetable garden has a new surge of crops of beans and tomatoes! The frost has been kept at bay! I have all the summer pictures- 800 plus scrapbooked! Actually the photos go back to my grandson's B-Day in April! Natasha is right- I do take pictures of everything! So why do I feel a little sad? Are the events of the last few months catching up to me? Do the change of seasons and transitions have more of an effect than I care to admit? Am I looking down the road too much? Sometimes it is as if the other shoe will drop! Too much thinking and reflection! Perhaps I just need to grab my camera this weekend and begin the next round of photos! What do you think? How is your September going?

PLANTING THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

A trip to the nursery or farm lets us buy the seedlings to plant. Having a little vegetable garden can bring a supplementary food supply to any family. Urban settings with rooftops can have gardens too. Even the Royal York Hotel in Toronto has such a garden so the chef can pick fresh herbs and other produce for the guests' dishes. There is something about being self sufficient. In our modern world we depend so much on technology and being in touch with each other we may forget to be in touch with the earth! The latest gadget can not grow a potato or provide a bee to pollinate our flowers. Knowing about both is vital even in this modern world. For example, many young people believe they do not have to learn to spell due to spell check on their computers. Does the same sentiment apply to knowing how to grow a flower or a vegetable? I am optimistic as the number of people buying plants for their gardens or balcony pots is tremendous. The right vegetation and trees attracts the song birds. Use your gadgets to take pictures but remember to revisit the joys from our earth. If growing vegetables is not your thing, then visit the farms and small farmers' markets that provide them. Talk to the people who make a living from such work.

Since Adolph is writing a food blog, we decided to make more jaunts to the farmers' markets and country settings this spring and summer. Yesterday such a jaunt to a little farm near us - Russo Farm on Weston Road north of Major Mackenzie in Woodbridge, Ontario. Quick chat with the owner and I will be using those other photos at another time. Do you have time to visit markets in your hometown? Get out and support those who put food on our tables!

A STROLL AROUND THE GARDEN

As May is starting its decline, the garden is evolving to the late Spring and early summer.

The beautiful Iris!

My onion flowers that are growing everywhere, thanks to my friendly squirrels.

Some wildflowers I rescued from a field.

One of my garden paths is symbolic of many Canadian gardens. For me, a garden is a metaphor about life. It changes with the seasons. As one flower or plant withers and dies, another takes it place. A combination of perennials and annuals keeps the colour all season long. It is important to weed and cut back some plants. Similar to cleaning the clutter from all areas of our lives, gardens also need some decluttering occasionally. The best thing about my garden is sitting on the porch looking at it! Like life, all work and no play is not the way to have full enjoyment of a garden! How about you gardeners out there-are you just working in your garden or are you enjoying it? If we take another path, you will find Adolph's vegetable garden but that's fodder for another post another day. He will want to tell you about it on his http://granpalovestocook.blogspot.com/ blog. Flowers are beautiful but vegetables are fun to eat fresh from the garden. Do you have a combination vegetable and flower garden too?