Few and far between

This year is coming to an end and so are the abundant photo opportunities.I am writing this on our first day of snow.. slush.. rain. It is Dec. 19. 2012.
Though I like winter, I am dreaming of spring, of the awakening of new life. I marvel at the buds which are already present on trees and bushes and can never understand how such tender life can endure subzero temperatures.
I am dreaming of scents and colors of songbirds and butterflies. I know they will return.

 

I will start with a flower and our visit in Germany in October with my daughter Julia.

 

the visit was largely a family affair and there are not too many sightseeing photos.

 

a very beautiful spot with wonderful memories . 

 

happy moments with my sister's family

 

on the train to Dresden ,going to Poland.

Julia , my Mom and I traveled by train to Dresden where Eric picked us up and we continued by car to Krakow.

so happy to find bees in Poland. They are more abundant they than here.

 

There are fabulous buildings in Krakow, which fortunately were not destroyed in WW2

 

 

 

Julia , Eric and Ewelina

our adorable grandson Adrian

 

 

garden party at Maria's garden

 

a friend I met

 

back home again. It was a wonderful trip. We brought my 93 year old Mom back with us and I find , as I always do after having been away, that home is the best place in the world.

 

and the happiest place for me is in my garden. I decided to incorporate the manure I get from the farmer across the street into the earth in the Fall this year. My garden was not the greatest last year.  Hopefully this will do the trick :)

Kollareds and Kale still lovely and can stay well into winter

 

 

my neatly dug up garden.

 

these are the last flowers. 

 

 

 

 

Great Grampy and Cordell.

 

looks like I have fun shoveling manure

and my Mom is enjoying the sunshine while cleaning Kale

 

great great Grammy and Hunter

 

these are all the beets I harvested. Sad!! Hopefully better next year.

 

and these are the only two pears that grew. Unfortunately the became dinner for the squirrel. 

 

Calendula, the last bouquet from the garden

 

We celebrated Sue's birthday at her house. Friends forever!!

 

the garlic is in , the wood is in, the winter can begin. 

 

a leisure moment to read the paper

 

She is 93 but still raking leaves. That's my Mom!!

 

we celebrated Christ's birth in Brian's barn.

 

with sheep and chickens and a calf present

and Sue let me wear her ancient costume

 

 

this year of blogging has been fun. Maybe the winter will even present itself with lovely photos and happy family gatherings. Looking forward to 2013. 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Byes

They are always sad.Though I found this summer very hot and dry I hated to say good bye.
Julia and I are leaving on a little vacation to Germany and Poland, mainly to visit family. My Mom is 93  years young.
My problem is that I really love Autum in Canada. So it is hard to say good bye to my gardens and this beautiful country.

I think I brought in the harvest as best as I could., spending my last day before the trip making 12 bottles of delicious grape juice.
The grapes were ready, I was not.I totally forgot about them hiding behind the fall raspberries which are not ripe yet and which I will leave in the care of my wonderful garden mate Bob.So another good bye to my beloved berries.
 

 

they were very pretty on the vine and amounted to more than 4 buckets full of lovely grapes

 

 there are very few flowers left. this is a little fall aster

 I picked some apples , just because they look so pretty.It is very difficult to grow apples organically. This year they are almost useless, being riddles with little worms which created  railroad tracks though the apple.

 Then there are the beets.they are totally disappointing. This is almost the complete harvest. How can something grow all summer ( or not grow) and stay so small. I did water them and I gave them food.

To relax ,I stop all the garden work and do a little painting.

it took a while to have him sit still.

my lovely family, Christina , Tyler ,Cordell and little Hunter.

Cordell, an amazing little boy.

the other lovely grand daughter Alyssa and Micheal came to visit.

Look at those beautiful eyes. The other amazing little boy Michael.

 

this is my favorite flower insect picture I took this year 

a furry visitor

i loved all the bumble bees business in the many flowers.

I am now going back in time. The corn harvest was great. I was never able to grow it well in previous years. Either the racoons ate it, or the worms. This year , perhaps to make up for the Zucchini that died ,I had at least 8 doz of beautiful corn.

One last clover. I use red clover in my tea collection.

 

Echenecia  at their prime

sommer is not over for me !!

gourds at the farmers market

I am precious. Little Michael.

this is pretty cool too.

this is also the first year I could grow peppers.

another little visitor

after the rain

Christina and Hunter

The third precious little great grand boy, baby Hunter

Cordell

Fall colors already

another little aster

Mommy loves Hunter

this time there are more family photos than other times. I created this blog mainly to show to my Mom at home.

great Grampy  Bob and Michael

Great Nanny Renate and Michael.

with baby Hunter

That's it for this month. It has been fun!! Be back on the 25th of October.