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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

iphone will be coming to Canada this year

Posted by Melanie at 06:57 0 comments

I'm not holding my breath. Rogers, the only company in Canada to use GSM (Global System Mobile) has been saying for months that V day is near. I for one will not be lining up to get an iphone although many of my close friends and my son will probably be in the lineup.

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Sunday, April 27, 2008

Vicki Gabereau

Posted by Melanie at 18:34 0 comments CBC

This morning When I turned on the radio I was surprised to hear the voice of Vicki Gabereau. it took me a few seconds to realize her voice was not coming from the past but she was in fact hosting The Sunday Edition, sitting in for the regular host Michael Enright. She is one of my favourite CBC radio talk show hosts and definitely one of the best.

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Erratum

Posted by Melanie at 08:44 0 comments Knitting- Claude by Anna Bell

Yesterday I realized I didn't have enough yarn to complete Claude. It is a pretty A line cardigan with 3/4 length sleeves, cable detail on each side of a deep neckline, reminiscent of post WW 11 fashions, designed by Anna Bell. I think the reason I ran out of yarn is because I had to go down a whole needle size to get gauge. I know there is nowhere in Prince George I can buy the yarn, Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora, I was forced to get it online and pay more than the cost of the one ball, I need to finish, for shipping. Arrgh.

In frustration I wound my skeins of Sweet Georgia silk lamb into balls. I discovered one of them had a break and the ends were tied together. Another ball had a big nubby slub near the middle of the skein.Sweet georgia silk lamb Later, when I cast on for the camisole I noticed the dye from the yarn was coming off, staining my hands. I'm not impressed. It will mean when I have finished the camisole I will have to soak it in either a mixture of salt and water or vinegar and water, I forget which, to set the dye. I don't want my body to be stained.

I'm surprised because I didn't have any problems with yarn breaks or flaky dyes in the last batch of sock wool I bought from Sweet Georgia.

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Thursday, April 24, 2008

A Glimmer of Spring

Posted by Melanie at 19:36 0 comments

This morning I saw this bunny rabbit hopping across my back yard I picked up my camera noticing that it's coat was changing from white to brown

Changing his Coat

Later I saw a tiny patch of earth was visible in the long sweeping garden bed next to the driveway. This tulip was already up looking for sunshine

spring

Lots of warm weather is predicted for the next few days. Maybe all the snow will be melted by May first and maybe my first spring flowers will be blooming. I hope so.

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One million dot ca domain names

Posted by Melanie at 07:44 0 comments

Five years ago I chose to register my site, Caffinara, with a dot ca domain name. I wanted to announce my Canadianess. I wanted to be different from all those generic dot com sites. Dot com denotes a commercial site and since I'm not selling anything dot ca seemed appropriate.

On April 13 2008 I received a letter from the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) congratulating me on choosing a dot ca domain on that date dot ca had registered its one millionth domain name. Dot ca registration started in 1988 and was managed by volunteers at the University of British Columbia. Ten years later CIRA was incorporated to manage the dot ca domains and in 2000 60,000 domains were transfered from UBC to CIRA.

If you are thinking of registering a domain consider adding you country code to the end. Stand out from the crowd.

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Earth Day Sixteen Years Later.

Posted by Melanie at 18:49 0 comments

Back in 1992 I was a young mother at home with two very small children. Harrowsmiths latest issue was all about garbage and ways that households like mine could strive not to have any garbage. One of the articles suggested a book called the Canadian Green Consumer Guide for further reading.

The book introduced me to the concept of reduce reuse recycle. Reducing is the easiest and the best way to save resources because it doesn’t cost anything. Reusing something for another purpose, ie that glass jar you bought full of pickles can now be used to store rice, is second best because you will use a bit of energy, hot water and soap to clean the glass jar. Recycling should be our last resort because it takes the most energy to make that empty plastic coke bottle into a polertec sweater.

In town a Recycling Society was formed and I became a member. After successfully lobbying our local governments we were able to change the way our garbage was managed. Our biggest achievement was the implementation of a recycling/ reusing center.

A friend and I designed and sewed hundreds of nylon bags to be sold in my friends earth friendly store as shopping bags. I still use mine today for grocery shopping.

Another local group, The Peace River Organic Producers Association, aimed at educating local farmers about organic farming and encouraging them to become certified. I attended a meeting and became a member that very night.

It was exciting times. the notion of being green was becoming mainstream The momentum was building and the first earth summit was held in Rio de Janeiro Brazil. More than 100 heads of state attended to sign the convention on climate change, biological diversity and sustainability.

I find it ironic that all this happened sixteen years ago. Today we are still talking about banning plastic shopping bags. Cities like Prince George still do not have a blue box collection program which would force people to at least recycle.

In the movie An Inconvenient Truth, we are told climate change is occurring too fast. I say whatever we do from this day forward will have to be implemented a lot faster than what we have accomplished in the last sixteen years.

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Monday, April 21, 2008

April is the Cruellest Month

Posted by Melanie at 08:43 0 comments

from The Waste Land T.S. Eliot

April 21 2008. It's minus 7 the ground is covered in 2-3 feet of hard, crunchy underfoot, dirty snow. More snow, soft and clean is falling from the sky. Inside it is 16 degrees. I'm snuggled against the baseboard heater wearing my flannel pajamas and slippers. We ran out of firewood three weeks ago.

The house depends on the radiant warmth from the fireplace, down in the basement, to keep the floor warm which in turn keeps the rest of the house warm. Baseboard heaters are just supplementary for when it's like minus 20. Today I can't even hope for sunshine, through my windows, to warm me.

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Sunday, April 20, 2008

New favourite Cardigan

Posted by Melanie at 07:43 0 comments

Via Not Martha

Interweave knits has made their top five most popular patterns into a book, available for a free download until May 14. Most of the patterns I already have in the few Interweave magazines I own. I'm particularly interested in the Tweedy Aran Cardigan, by Norah Gaughan. After checking it out on Ravelry I've decided this will be my project for next winter. The only problem is in order to get the free patterns you have to sign up for Knitting Daily, they will send you a free pattern every day, just what I don't need.

Update: I subscribed to knitting daily, downloaded the free patterns then tried to unsubscribe. I hope it works.

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Saturday, April 19, 2008

Saying yes to the Mom and Pop Store

Posted by Melanie at 20:33 0 comments

sweetgeorgia makes me think of orange yams and yellow sweet potatoes growing in the warm brown soil in the south eastern state of Georgia. sweetgeorgia is actually the name of a blog and Yarn shop owned by Felicia Lo in Vancouver BC. She produces handspun, handdyed, handpainted yarns and fiber for spinning. Last winter I bought some of her Speed Demon sock yarn. Yesterday I bought some silk lamb, made of merino wool and silk. It is part of her supernatural line made from "organic, sustainable and renewable sources that are hand-dyed with natural and plant dyes. " 1% of the profit from this line is given to a network of environmental organizations.

Its not all the natural processes used to produce the yarn or the fact 1% of the profits is given to environmental organizations but simply because sweetgeorgia is local or as local as one can get in our largely empty country of Canada.

The yarn I got is one of a kind. Made in small batches it means no one else will have it.

In the same vein I would rather shop in local boutiques, farmers markets, garage sales and thrift stores. Local boutiques sell unique items made in smaller batches. The locally produced food available at farmers markets is fresher and tastes better. Garage sales and thrift stores can be combed over for the better quality goods, made several decades ago, that have endured the test of time are still in good shape, possess classic lines and are worth keeping. The fringe benefit is I meet other customers who share similar ideals. The shop owners are friendlier and give me insider info on where and how their goods were produced.

Contrast this with the bland ubiquity of a chain store. The sales people are young and bored. if they deign to even listen to any of my questions they fane ignorance or is it indifference? The store is artlessly arranged with displays of homogenized goods placed in the very center of each aisle making the quick trip to the opposite end of the store, for the black socks priced at three pairs for ten dollars, more annoying than it should be. Finally there's the interminable wait as the cashier rings up each customers item, smiles and says have a nice day.

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Friday, April 18, 2008

Catch Up

Posted by Melanie at 18:19 0 comments

If, like me, you hear the news only in passing, specifically the headline about the Demise of the CBC Radio Orchestra, then today, while catching up on my podcast listening, I hear on the April 8th, Best of The Current podcast that Radio Two will no longer be the bastion of classical music, that we have all come to love and admire, instead will play five hours, count them only five hours of classical music per day. The rest of the day will be taken up with other stuff. I assume not the indie alternative music available on radio three.

I used to belong to the Classical music email list over on classical net. We used to refer the Americans on the list to CBC Radio Two, telling them that CBC Radio Two is the best place, besides the BBC, to listen to classical music, then feel chuffed that we had a one up on them. When I lived in the boonies of the BC Peace our TV reception was almost non existent, radio reception only slightly better. After a particulary long winter I broke down and bought a Satellite dish, we still have it although it is not hooked up, so I could get my classical music fix listening to Radio Two.

Since moving to PG, Radio Two is just a little bit further down the dial and when I'm not after local news I'm probably listening to it. Needless to say all this CBC classical music shut down is making me sad.

You can hear the podcast by clicking below

Talking about Radio three- today Meow Records, here in PG, won Radio Three's search for the #1 independent record store in Canada. Bryndis Ogmundson, the owner, has been all over the local news outlets urging everyone to vote for her record store. I think it is quite a feat and has put Prince George on the map.

The latest edition to the Best of Ideas podcast from the CBC radio show of the same name, features Adam Gopnik & Malcolm Gladwell, staff writers from the New Yorker magazine, both are Canadian, debating the question, Canada: Nation or Notion. It is an eloquent, enjoyable hour of listening. I particularly enjoyed Gladwells comparrison of Canada to being like the ethnic immigrant Chinese.

Click here to listen to the show

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

Getting the Most Phone Service for My $$$$

Posted by Melanie at 06:23 1 comments

I've finally cancelled my Telus cell phone. The contract runs out at the end of the month. The two year family plan contract we had is definetely one of their worst deals, some months wracking up bills in the $300 range. When we first moved out here I thought it would be cool to forget about a landline and just go with cell phones.

Last Summer someone told me about Navigata an internet phone service. For 15.99 I can phone just about anywhere in BC, Saskatchewan and parts of Alberta, anywhere else is 4 cents minute. I also get things like caller id, voice mail, three way calling and call waiting, services one usually has to pay an additional fee for with any other phone service provider. It works just fine over my wireless internet connection.

I almost agreed to keep paying Telus $10 a month for some basic service, only available to people like me who have already given them thousands of dollars for the privilege of owning one of their cellphones. Lately we've rarely used them because we're reluctant to give then any more money than the $50 basic rate. I should probably frame them.

I doubt I will miss the so called convenience of having a cell phone. In town landlines are ubiquitous. Out of town, in the mountains where I spend most of my weekends there is no cell phone service anyway.

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Monday, April 14, 2008

Adventures in Sledding AKA Snowmobiling (really a ski trip)

Posted by Melanie at 13:24 0 comments

Seven AM Saturday morning we loaded up the skis packs boots and sleds for a trip to the farm cabin nestled north east of Prince George in the McGregor mountains.

For decades there has been a love hate relationship between skiers and sledders, mostly hate on the part of the skiers. Sledders probably just laugh at us. Nowadays government budgets are not sufficient to keep logging roads and Forest Service roads ploughed in the winter. For skiers, sleds are becoming a necessity allowing us access to prime backcounty ski areas.

All our ski equipment, avalanche safety gear and technical clothing is topnotch and kept in good working condition. The sleds are usually bottom of the line and may get looked over grudgingly once a year.

We stopped at the Pass Lake road with all the other vehicles, unloaded the machines, packed all the gear into the skimmers and set off down the compact snow filled road for about 30 K. We turned left at the same place we did last year, an overgrown logging road thick with willows 1 ½ inches in diameter. From there we climbed over the ridge and descended down into the meadow across from the cabin. The snow was yucky wet and heavy.

our route along the side of Bob's bowl

Yesterday morning we did a steep climb up the side of Bob’s bowl, staying well back from the cornice, see pics and skied along the ridge.

along the ridge

The sun came out and we sat on the edge of Easter bowl to enjoy lunch.

the way we came

The avalanche conditions were termed considerable. In every direction we could see deep crevices, slab avalanches and snow everywhere glittering under deep blue skies. Reluctantly we tore ourselves away because we did want to get back home at a decent hour.

The steep slope made the descent back through the glades back to the sleds rather enjoyable despite the yucky snow. I even got in a few decent turns. Simon was worried about his sled running out of gas and we joked about using Joycelins hose from her camel pack to siphon gas from one of the other machines into his.

After loading everything we followed Simon along the road. So did all those other sledders (real sledders) who we had heard earlier whizzing loudly over the ice on the lake. They all passed us going as fast as they could, bouncing up and down, their skimmers hanging on for dearlife.

We soon came across Simon stopped in the middle of the road the fan belt of his sled was in shreds. Luckily he had another one. He got out his manual and tool kit. Barbara and Garnet, the other sled owners, tried to help.

One of those other sledders zoomed up to us stopped and was soon offering advice and encouragement. But Simons tool kit did not have the crucial tool a T wrench so on to plan B.

Tie Simons bigger, heavier sled behind one of the smaller ones and tie both skimmers onto the other one. Sounds great except nobody had anything which would not shred in minutes to use as a tow rope. The real sledder offered us one of his. That left only four seats for the five of us. Jocelyn loudly proclaimed there was no way she was riding with the other sledder. I asked him if he could drive slower. I wa glad when Simon We rode after their fleeting figures as they disappeared around a bend went with him.

We followed in their dust. The engine on Garnets sled was overheating, We had to keep stopping to let it cool off. Eventually we took off the hood and used a bungee cord to secure it to the seat of Simons now useless sled, although it didn’t seem to help because the sled stopped again anyway by itself. Garnet unscrewed the cap on the gas tank. It was empty. The others caught up to us I thought of the 2 big orange jerry cans, full of gas no doubt, in the real sledders skimmer.

Plan c was to siphon the gas from Simons sled into Garnets. To do it we dug a whole for Garnets sled so it would be lower. Only problem Jocelyn’s camel back hose was to short. A Nalgene, bad plastic bottle was used instead to transfer the gas, all 20 litres of it. Once again, after filling the hole back up with snow, we drove down the long road towards the vehicles. I was glad to see the numbers on each yellow marker sign decreasing as we drove by them.

It took forever to load all the gear into the trucks and onto the trailers. It was getting cold as well as dark.

It was after ten PM before I arrived home.

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Friday, April 11, 2008

Knitting Bell Curve

Posted by Melanie at 00:08 0 comments

It’s taken forever to finish this skirt.The Pattern is called Bell Curve and is from the winter edition of Knitty. I wanted to have it finished weeks ago to wear to a special event however, the yarn was on backorder. When it finally arrived the event had passed. I knit every spare moment and finally I was threading the elastic through the waist placket when I noticed the star motif was not lined up in a straight line, it was off by 6 stitches, I had knitted almost half the skirt like this without noticing.

finished skirt

It was obvious I would have to find a different outfit to wear to the dinner that night. I started unraveling the skirt, rolling the yarn up into two big balls then I started knitting it back. You can be sure I checked the pattern obsessively.

Two nights ago as I finished the last row of decorative stitching around the bottom I saw there was not much yarn left. I kept knitting anyway hoping I would have enough to bind off. The first time I did this there was enough yarn to do 2 rows of single crochet, this is supposed to help the hem lay flat, after binding off.

I was halfway through binding off when I saw I only had about 4 inches of yarn left. I don’t understand why I had less yarn this time around? So I unraveled it again, omitted the last row of plain knitting, bound it off and now I’m done.

lace detail at the hem

I love the way the flares out at the bottom. The Art Fibers Zoe yarn I used is heavy enough to hang so it doesn't ride up and it swings deliciously when I walk. I ordered the same colour called for in the pattern, colour #7 because I thought it was black and grey, turns out it is black and copper brown. I'm a bit dissapointed but waiting so long for this skirt I decided to make the best of it. Brown is not my colour. At least It will not be worn close to my face like a shirt would.

Only problem I have nowhere to were it to at all in the next few days so I’m wearing it today, inside the house because it is snowing again outside. I hope this means the skiing on the trip this weekend will be good.

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Thursday, April 10, 2008

Ramen Noodles for Dinner

Posted by Melanie at 17:54 0 comments

Most of my life I've eaten ramen noodles straight out of the packet, first softened in boiing water with the flavour packet stirred in. While blog surfing the other day I came across this recipe for peanut ramen. I was attraced too this recipe mainly because of the peanut butter. My partner is allergic to peanuts so I only ever eat peanut butter when he is not around.

Stir together in a bowl,

1/4 tsp ginger oil
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
tsp peanut butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder
hot sauce to taste
chopped cilantro, scallions

Cook ramen in about an inch of water, throw in some broccoli or other vegetable, when noodles are soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed, take off heat and pour into bowl with the sauce ingredients, stir and eat.

Since I've come across this recipe I've eaten it twice and only because my husband is away. Today I added a pan fried salmon steak to serve alongside my peanutty noodles. Even with the addition of the salmon the meal only took about ten minutes to cook.

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Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Congratulations Lipgloss and Laptops

Posted by Melanie at 06:54 0 comments

Lipgloss and Laptops is a podcast about beauty culture, beauty products and the cosmetic industry. This week the hosts, Aridrie and KA are celebrating their 100th episode. They have produced a podcast nearly every week for the last two years. As Derek, the shows engineer, points out this is a big milestone in the podcasting world.

So congrats you guys and keep podcasting. I will still be listening when you are celebrating your 200th episode.

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Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Entertainment at Its Best.

Posted by Melanie at 20:08 0 comments

I got free tickets to see the movie Caramel, it centers around the romantic lives of five Lebanese women working in a beauty salon in Beirut. Caramel is the toffee like stuff you get when boiling together sugar and water. It is used to great effect in the film when one of the characters spreads the heated substance over hairy legs and pulls it off, ouch.

Death at a Funeral, is a hilarious story about a quirky British family getting together to send off a loved one. The protagonist is very serious about his responsibility of organizing the funeral. Of course no one in the family behaves and a shocking secret is revealed.

Hotel Chevalier is the trailer shown on the DVD before the movie The Darjeeling Limited. Watch both then you will be privy to the inside jokes in the main feature. Three brothers get together for a train trip through India for the purpose of bonding. Their father recently died and their mother has run off to become a nun. As the story enfolds each brother asserts his own idiosyncratic personality. Wether they actually become closer as a result of the train trip is probably not the point.

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Sunday, April 6, 2008

Ravelraiser 08

Posted by Melanie at 17:22 0 comments

I just heard David Reidy mention it on his podcast, Sticks and String and read about it on Cosymakes blog.

If you like Ravelry and you use it lots like I do, to find out the different interpretations people have done with a knitting pattern as well as all the other fibre related info you should donate some money to Casey and Jess so they can keep their site up and running. Go to Fricknits to find out how to donate and to see and read about all the prizes.

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Saturday, April 5, 2008

Classic Coleman Cooler and other thrifted finds

Posted by Melanie at 15:18 0 comments Things I thrifted today

As soon as I saw the unmistakenable blue and noticed it was in next to mint condition I knew I had to take it home with me. My parents bought one exactly like it back in 1968. It was our first foray into Canadian camping rather than British caravanning. They bought a camping package deal from either the Sears or Eatons catalogue, containing a canvas tent, five sleeping bags, five airmattresses, air pump and set of dishes, plates bowls cups for five people.

We did a trial run, from our home in Prince Rupert BC to Terrace. Before going to the campground we went to the hardware store of the day, I'm sure Canadian Tire was unheard of, and bought a green Coleman cookstove and this cooler.

Thrifted Cooler

Our real trip was a two month odessey down into the States. We took the ferry to Vancouver island. From Victoria we took another ferry to Seattle, drove down the coast road, stopping in the redwood forest to gawk at the giant trees. These big trees had particular significance to me because we had recently seen the Gnome Mobile a film about two British kids and their hilarious adventures with the little people of the California Redwood Forest. We stopped in San Francisco to visit one of my Dads brothers, my Chinese Grandmother, taste her unforgetable cooking and ride a cable car. In Los Angeles we stayed with another of my Dads brothers. He lived on Manhatten beach, had colour TV and he took us to Disneyland.

We had that cooler for several summers. One day my Dad forgot to lock it away into the boot of the car before we went exploring. Of course when we got back it was gone. I don't know if he was so much upset that he had lost the cooler or the beer he had chilling on the block of ice.

I bought this one home today and after photographing it from every angle I decided to use it as a temporary place to store my yarn stash. I envision taking it on all our car camping and picnic trips this summer as well as putting it out on the deck, full of ice and cold drinks, for the many parties I'm going to host when the damn snow melts

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Friday, April 4, 2008

Freedom from the tyranny of the gas pump

Posted by Melanie at 17:52 0 comments

Last week I poured lukewarm water over the tires of my bicycle. l had stupidly left it outside, propped up against the house on the north side, the last place where the snow will melt and the ground unfreeze. One of my friends, with a more dismal outlook than some, predicted my tires would be wrecked. She said I would have to get new ones. But, she was wrong. Not only were the tires intact but they didn't need pumping up either.

I took it out for a spin

I went for a second bike ride today, stopped off at the movie store, the health food store and the post office. It is warmish but I still had to wear a polertec hat under my helmet, windproof gloves, windproof jacket, tights and wool socks.

By the way there was no snow on the road.

 
Thursday, April 3, 2008

Pizza Chez My House

Posted by Melanie at 20:36 0 comments

I like to come home from work put on my pajamas and sit on the couch geeking out with my Macbook. Now that the days are getting longer it seems a bit silly to be wearing pajamas when it is still light outside. But, it's a ritual I'm reluctant to give up. My pajamas are so comfy.

Inevitably though I have to get up to make dinner. Today I made Pizza. I put the homemade frozen pizza dough in my cool pantry this morning before leaving for work. When I arrived back home it had defrosted and was rising up out of the bowl.

It was a cinch to spread it out on the pizza stone, layer on sauce made with tomato paste, a smashed clove of garlic, fresh rosemary, pepper and salt, salami, portobello mushrooms, chopped and sauteed with a sliced onion in a splash of olive oil, chopped red pepper and grated edam cheese.

It came out of the oven, the cheese browned and succulent the crust crisp and tender, all its flavours nicely mingled and smelling divine. It was the best pizza we had ever eaten and the red wine we opened earlier, while sitting on the couch, complemented it perfectly.

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Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Longing for the Sweet Smell of a Rose

Posted by Melanie at 20:54 0 comments

I picked these long stemmed beauties up yesterday at the grocery store. I chose them for their looks, velvety red petals, perfectly formed flower heads atop long green stems, not a whiff of scent though. I was looking for something decadent for inside because having flowers from my garden seems next to impossible while every millimetre of ground around my house is still under three feet of snow and the forecast is for more and more of the stuff to fall from the sky.

rosesRose

I grew this pink rose in my other Prince George garden it is Theresa Bugnet a Rosa Rugosa hybrid, very hardy and very fragrant. I have similar roses planted in my new garden.

If the snow ever melts it will be a race for the roses to put out shoots, leaves and bloom before the frosts of Autumn shut down them down. What am I thinking?

Quick, change my thought pattern. I need to think of slushy snow, mud, lots of mud sticking to my shoes, grass, leaves and budding flowers. Instead of seeing only back and white through my window it will be an epiphany to see Green.

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Tuesday, April 1, 2008

New Look Blog

Posted by Melanie at 06:46 2 comments

Yesterday I spent the whole day in my pajamas writing the code for this blog, drinking green tea and soaking in the warmth of the sun streaming through my windows.

Today I got dressed and I have to go to work

 

Hello

Posted by Melanie at 01:40 0 comments

We still have far too much snow, when will it end?

Still lots of snow