The back garden renovation

This is lewisia nevadensis, I think. It has survived in my Lewisia bed for 2 years now. I think it is getting established. I wonder what's eating its leaves as they look a bit damaged. This plant needs good drainage.
I have been looking out my front window at about 6:00 - 7:00 am recently. This little brown bunny has been visiting my garden regularly. I have not been able to get a good shot of it though. A couple of days ago I saw two bunnies, and the one bunny has not been seen since. I guess they are off on their honeymoon.
On Monday, last; I went out into the garden and transplanted the 19 plants that I had from Cannor and the new trilliums, shooting star and pink fawn lily I have from Frasers Thimble Farm on Saltspring Island. I added more sand to the stepping stones as they seem to be sinking down too far. I added sand and top soil to all the planting holes and tried to mound them up just a bit as they are rock plants that mostly need good drainage. I added cedar tree leaf mold from under the hedge to the woodland plants. I dug the hepacticas from the back and from under the deck and transplanted them (2) to the new woodland area. I need a few more thyme plants, I think. Since thyme can stand some foot traffic, I want to have them at the area around the fig tree so that we can prune the tree and harvest the figs without worrying about damaging some special little plant by stepping on it.

The last of the RROC and BDC spring meet

The snowball effect... now that's climate change, concentrically.
Mark, in action. Wish I had caught this on a movie.
At the winery. Neither a RR nor a B! Sure is cute anyway. Saltspring Island is full of these cute little cars.

After our stop at the Farmers Market at Ganges, we proceeded to the winery for wine tasting and the tour. Excellent tapas with the wine. Later that evening our banquet was at the Oyster Catcher. Good food and good company. But no more photos.

I was up early in the morning trying to shoot the sunrise. The reflections in the harbor water were too far away and too noisy to keep. The sky picture will have to do. After breakfast we went to Fraser Thimble Farm - home of some very special plants. I got 3 trilliums, a pink fawn lily and a shooting star, for $37. They had some orchids to die for! Maybe next year I will have time to fuss with these plants. All the Victoria people were on the same ferry heading back home. Was good to see everyone.

More RROC and BDC Spring Meet

More photos from the RROC and BDC Spring Meet. After lunch at the golf course we were invited to attend the farmers market at Ganges Harbor. Due to the weather there were very few stalls or vendors open. This market is usually crowded with lots of produce, jewelry, paintings, carvings, and many other local items or treasures to find. This shows a few of the buskers that were the only people about at the market on this Saturday.

More RROC and BDC Spring Meet

After a few pleasant hours visiting and playing car games at this lovely location we carried on to our lunch stop at the golf club. I was told that Lois' property looks out over Trincomali Channel. There was a fire in the fire pit on the beach, and so the air was colored with the smoke and all our clothes were permeated with the smell. I even took this perfume home in my suitcase. My clothes need cleaning and airing before I pack for our up coming trip.

I had 44 hits on this blog yesterday and my VFXY rank has improved with the loading of more photos, too.

RROC and BDC Spring Meet

More photos of the cars from this meet.

RROC and BDC Spring Meet

Saturday morning we woke up to snow. After breakfast we all proceeded across the island to Lois Hobb's home for the car games and much needed hot coffee. It was a lovely drive with this highly unusual dusting of snow all over everything.

RROC and BDC Spring Meet

On Friday, we caught the 3:00 o'clock ferry to Saltspring Island for the RROC and BDC spring meet. It was cold and rain/sleet. We got registered at our Harbor House Hotel where the fireplace was a welcome sight. We had a view of the harbor from our window. There was a road and power lines to shoot between.

The RROC and BDC Spring Meet

This is a short video taken with my Canon S3 IS in its movie mode. This is from the RROC and BDC Spring Meet car games. The video is unedited, hand held. The car games took place at Lois Hobbs home on Saltspring Island. Thank you so much, Lois for having us on your lawn, in the wet.

Garden Renovation

This is the last photo from the VCCC 5oth anniversary party. None of my car photos are good.

I have finished double digging my latest garden renovation, and putting down the stones for the paths. I have added 4 bags of sand to the stone paths and the soil areas. I put five 30 litre bags of top soil over the sand in the growing areas. The motivation for making this renovation was the fact that the bottom of the garden was very wet in winter. The bottom is where you see the row of primulas in the above photo. This reno has changed half of the back grass area into what I hope will be low growing hardy rock plants and more primulas for the bottom end. I have 21 little plants that I want to move into the new reno. The achillia and the wall flower will be the tallest plants. I will put the yellow achillia near the top "Y" with an under planting of golden thyme. I hope to put the pink thyme by the wall flower... maybe under the shade of the strawberry tree. The new pink primula to the primula bed, of course. I want to move the white one from the woodland garden and part of the blue one from under the deck.

More VCCC 50th anniversary party

As you can see my photos of the cars did not turn out. Sorry to say. Your fun pose, did not turn out either, Ken. I needed a tripod.. which I did not have. The light was quite low and so I needed longer aperture times. But, I did not bring my tripod.

This afternoon I got more double digging done on my back garden renovation. I have just one little triangular piece left to do. I don't think I will get it done tomorrow, as I see Dr. C. in the am and we go out for dinner with Andy and Tara. But I should have all day Thursday. I hope I have my dirt delivered by then, too. On Friday we go to Saltspring with the RROC group for the week end. Next week is open with the Rock and Alpine show and sale on Saturday. So, the time is working out fairly well.... I just don't have time for Flickr. or to learn the new software Steve C. showed me, for doing slide shows. His show is fantastic.

More VCCC fashion show

This is the last of the photos from the VCCC fashion show at their 50 anniversary party. The gold dress, of course, for the golden anniversary.

Yesterday, I did some digging on the renovation of the back garden. I also dug out dandelions and other weeds at the front, cut back the bamboo, and put down a 30 litre bag of topsoil as top dressing around some of the little plants. Something has eaten holes in the buds of my fern leaf peony. I hope the buds still open. I have been seeing the rabbit around the front garden, and the squirrel as well as numerous birds. Waldo the wall lizard has been seen also. After lunch it began to rain. Pat took me to Cannor and I collected 16 rock garden perennials, 6 bags of top soil, 2 bags of washed sand and 2 bags of pea gravel. The dirt is to be delivered and I have the plants at home. I had a new person on the cash register. When I got home I found I had been charged for things I had not even mentioned... so I phoned them back and arranged to have the extra payment changed to 3 more bags of top soil and 1 more bag of sand. So, when it gets delivered I should have 9 bags of top soil and 3 bags of sand. I still have sand and mushroom manure on hand, and one bag of pea gravel.

More VCCC fashion Show

I few more photos from the VCCC fashion show at their 50th anniversary party. The black jacket is terribly out of focus, but I had to try and load it. It is monkey fur and was very glossy and soft looking. Of course, this kind of thing is now frowned upon, or worse. I do not know to what era any of the dresses belong.

It was so much fun to see the girls play soccer and to have Pam and Rachel visit. Yesterday, Pam and I spent a couple of hours wandering around downtown, when the girls were at the hotel pool. Was a gorgeous day and we both had fun. Then Pat and I went to Swans for dinner (Pam and Rachel were with the team for Boston Pizza dinner). After dinner we went to a Gilbert and Sullivan play at the Mac, called Patience. That was pretty good, but it was quite hot in the theatre and we were both quite tired.

Today was another nice day and another good game to watch. Then everyone went home. I have a few pretty good soccer shots, some nice flower shots and a recording of the new stone path under construction in the garden. I have been trying to get finished this VCCC party photos for Ken F.... although, I doubt if he wants fashion show stuff.