nature – Page 3 – Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie

Monday!

June 22, 2020June 22, 2020 by annemariedemyen, posted in nature

Monday is here and the sun has finally returned. Other years, I would be at work glancing out the front windows of the office, to see the sun across the street. The office faced straight north so the sun was never on our side of the street. Now I am retired and the sun is mine to enjoy every day that it shines.

I was just out watering the plants. Being out in our yard is so relaxing. I love nature. I love all forms of life – except for a few people. For the most part, I ignore people I do not care for but I do struggle with those who are arrogant or cruel.

I prefer to focus on the people and other life forms that I love.

I am not sure if rocks are considered a form of life but I love them. We have several rocks around our yard and Dan is supposed to be getting a BIG one from one of his friends shortly.

We have our first tomato! It is a beefsteak, so hopefully it grows a bit before it ripens or it will be Kat’s first tomato of the year.

A couple of these blossom have finally opened all the way. They have the strangest texture. They feel like tissue paper.

I bought this Hosta for Dan years ago. We have probably moved it four times but it has finally found its happy place. It is huge and getting bigger every year.

Dan is refinishing a couple of our frogs. He still has to paint the horns gold. I don’t know when I became a hoarder but I hate sending anything to the landfill – even rusty old frogs. 🙄

Have a good week, all! Hopefully I will have pictures of peppers and cucumbers to share soon.

Friday Flowers

June 19, 2020June 19, 2020 by annemariedemyen, posted in nature

It has been cold and rainy all week but we are turning a corner today. It is still overcast but at least I have a few more flowers to share. Next week, with sunshine and warm weather, our yard should be blooming beautiful. With luck it will be nice enough on Dan’s next days off to get the monster pool up for the summer.

The petunias are starting to come around.

The zucchinis are blooming – in the cucumber planter 🤦

My coral geranium is recovering nicely since I moved it to a better location in the yard.

Both of my Mother’s Day hanging planters continue to thrive. It must be the love that brought them🤗

The flowers in my front yard planter are starting to bloom

Probably my oldest perennial. I moved it this year to make room for Dan’s new Bleeding Heart. I am so glad it survived!

Wishing you all a beautiful weekend! 💐

For the Love of Trees

June 17, 2020June 17, 2020 by annemariedemyen, posted in nature

There are at least a dozen moments a day when I realize I am so absolutely happy to be retired. My favorite moment is when I walk out the door – any day, any time to enjoy my walk around our neighbourhood with Kat.

My favourite thing about our neighbourhood is the proliferation of trees. Trees do so much to dress up a neighbourhood and make it appear strong and healthy. I never get tired of the trees.

Trees shading the basketball courts and the pool.

A little path between one of the ball diamonds and a row of trees. I can actually walk through there without knocking myself out on a tree branch.

Dan prefers this path – it is a bit roomier.

The city cut down dozens of trees in our little golf course last summer. I have no idea why these two were saved but they do stand out.

I have no idea how many trees we have in Regina – definitely thousands (several thousands). When settlers first came here there were zero trees – just flat land with a creek (Wascana Creek) sitting beside a pile of bones. (Which is why Regina was originally named ‘Pile of Bones’). I am not sure why the settlers thought this would be a good place to settle, much less be the capital city of Saskatchewan, but I am grateful that they were industrious enough to start planting the trees we enjoy today.

Getting Out and Getting Fit

June 15, 2020June 15, 2020 by annemariedemyen, posted in nature

Since the snow melted a few weeks ago, Kat and I have resumed our daily walks around the neighbourhood. It was tough going for a while as neither Kat nor I were in great shape going in. After a few weeks at it we are starting to struggle less and enjoy it more.

Off the beaten path there are the cutest little purple butterflies in the weeds. This little guy tried to hide by folding up his colorful wings. I am pretty sure it didn’t work. Kat snuck her nose into the pic and the butterfly vanished.

A mother duck and her ducklings in the storm channel. Fortunately, Kat can’t get close enough to cause them any grief.

She did manage to startle a redwing blackbird.

We made it past the arena, past the pool, past the basketball courts and around the golf course.

Hopefully after a few more walks around this neighbourhood, we will both have the stamina to make it across Elphinstone to walk the paths that run through Princess Park. That is a nice area.

When Dan is on holidays we might even convince him to join us on a few hikes around Wascana Lake, the Wascana Trails outside of Regina and Evraz Park.

Have a great day – here is hoping everyone has the opportunity to get out to enjoy some nature and exercise this summer🌞

Another Round of Elephants

June 13, 2020June 13, 2020 by annemariedemyen, posted in nature

It has been a bit since I posted photos of my elephants. These are just a few of my random favourites. That is not quite accurate. Every one of my elephants is my favourite.

A ‘Dumbo’ collectors elephant from my daughter. He should be kept in original packaging but then I would not get to thoroughly enjoy him.

Scented Oil Diffuser – A bit off track here but did you know you should avoid certain scents if you have animals? Dogs are adversely affected by eucalyptus. They become lethargic and depressed by it. Strange but true.

Two Elephant Pins & A Ring – I also have an elephant bracelet that I received for speaking at a career day for Genie’s class but it is out for repairs at the moment.

Tea Diffuser Elephant That I Received for Christmas From Son Danny & Amanda

My PrimRose Elephant. She was only two 🤷He stayed on the elephant shelf🤣

These are just a very few of the elephants I have. I have everything from a huge stuffed elephant to outdoor elephants to micro mini elephants. I saved one very special elephant for grandson Rory’s birthday post tomorrow. 😉

Take care and have a great day. 🐘🐘

Starting to Bloom

June 9, 2020June 9, 2020 by annemariedemyen, posted in nature

It seems like the flowers are taking their time this year. I have lots of plants with buds but not a lot of blossoms happening yet.

Grandpa’s Bleeding Heart is doing okay for a first year.

My Mother’s Day geraniums are still fairly prolific

Kat and I found some flowering shrubs in the park on our extra long walk yesterday.

This plant has been trying to bloom for a few days now – almost there!

I should probably we pulling the blossoms off of my chives but they are so pretty.🌞

My petunias are being beaten senseless by the wind this year but I love the way Dan painted my little Dollar Store fairy. 💖

Dandelions are not in short supply – I have probably pulled out a thousand of them so far this year – but being a kid at heart, I still find them to be sunny and cheerful.

I hope everyone has a few flowers to brighten their day – today and every day.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood

June 5, 2020June 5, 2020 by annemariedemyen, posted in nature

It is an absolutely perfect day out today – warm, dry and no wind. I am trying to get lots of yard work done because it is supposed to be rainy and windy all weekend.

Try would be the operative word. It is so nice out that I have been distracted by neighbours who are also outside trying to get their yard work done. I had a nice long chat with Faye next door and then Kim and her son Kingston, who live next door to Faye.

Time to head out and try again. I want to finish cleaning out the cedars before I take Kat to visit the ducks at the storm channel across the street.

I love retirement!

My Winter Green Spaces

November 4, 2019May 27, 2020 by annemariedemyen, posted in nature

We are seven months away from green grass, budding flowers, sprouting vegetables and leafing trees. Although our house is small, I have my areas of greenery to brighten our spirits through the long Saskatchewan winter.

Now that I am almost recovered from my outbreak of shingles, I will be returning to work tomorrow. I must make time one evening to work on my kitchen ivy. It is getting a little out of control and becoming a problem when I work at the sink.

I dusted my bamboo last night. Somehow there is always dusting to be done, even when we are six feet deep in snow. 🤷

Occasionally, we wake up to random blossoms to brighten our day.