Winter Gardening

When you experience a chinook for 14 days then you are deceived into thinking that spring is just around the corner.  Then wham, you get hit by another snow storm and then a deep freeze comes in.  Nevertheless, the armchair garden can find plenty to dream about as she pulls out the gardening books, looks at garden and seed magazines and considers what is possible in the months ahead.

It’s important to realize that we in southern Alberta are in a Zone 3 area which means our options on plantings is quite limited.  I’ve long since given up on attempting even Zone 4 plantings as it is disheartening to discover dry twigs the following spring.  I’ve patiently waited until almost September in the hopes of seeing a little green sprout but alas, it was not to be.  Now I find myself going to those tried and true plants that come back year after year, peonies, lilies, daisies, delphinium, and irises.  I have moderate success with globe thistle and bleeding hearts.   I also go for my reliable annuals like petunias and geraniums and then take the seasonal selection of pansies, snapdragons and lobelia.  I’ve discovered some nameless vines that I put in my hanging baskets and seem to overwinter very well, as do the geraniums. 

I adore roses and have planted at least a dozen but find that even my shrub roses struggle to survive.  However, this is one plant that I find hard to give up and will attempt some new bushes again this spring since I lost my 2 heirloom bushes to construction last summer.

For shrubs and bushes I like lilacs and honeysuckle as they are dependable, colourful and have interesting berries afterwards.  I've also discovered an interesting, spindly little bush whose name I don’t remember that seems very dependable and is very attractive even in the winter time.

For the last 10 years I’ve had a program of planting evergreens and only wish I had begun much sooner.  They are slow growers but they are so worth it when they come to a size where birds are harbouring their summer and winter.  I have had great success with larch and find them extremely attractive during the summer and their shedding needles do not make a mess during the winter like leaves do.  Junipers are very dependable but can be quite invasive so you have to plan them very well.  Junipers also are very alkaline so you need to plant them where they will be compatible with your other plantings.  Junipers also seem to attract ants so that can be a bit of a problem.

As I flip through the books I wonder when I should start seeding indoors for spring containers and when should I bring the geraniums up from the basement.  Is it spring yet?

 

A Word About Purses

I like purses.  I am addicted to purses.  I have a lot of purses.  I cannot resist purses despite having a lot of purses.  Did I mention I like purses?

A well put together fashion shot should always have the woman in nice shoes and her hand should hold a fabulous purse.  It will catch my eye every single time.  I am one of those people who study a picture seven ways to sundown, whether it’s an interior design or a fashion plate.  I like to note the earrings, the bling, the shoe but give me a purse every time.  I’ve often said that my mother was the shoe addict and I complimented her by being the purse aficionado.  Not that I could always afford a great purse but I always looked at them.  Today I can afford to buy a nice purse although I am not a fan of paying for a name brand.  I look at the Coach purses and walk on by without purchasing as I think the price is ridiculous for what you get.

For every day I like a practical purse with lots of space, preferably more long than deep, lots of pockets on the inside and some on the outside (great for car keys on one side and bus pass or ticket on the other side).  Currently the fashion is to have a longer handle but not on a shoulder strap, easy to carry on the arm or lift under the arm, clutch style.  I like subtle metallic colours for flexibility with shoes or boots but also I really like a nice grey colour.  I am not crazy about black or brown and will gravitate more towards a tan with some accent colour.  In summer I like colour or straw or cream but I love a black and white swing bag.  Nautical or navy, oh please, I’ll have one too.

I go weak at the knees for a clutch purse in bright red, emerald green, cobalt blue or canary yellow.  Beads, gold or silver for evening, please let me sit down for a minute because I cannot decide which one I like best.  When will I use it?  Who cares, possession is nine tenths of the fashion law, isn’t it?

Did I mention that I have a weakness for purses?

Fashion for the Retired Woman

Now that I am retired one would expect not to require fashion.  Wrong.  A woman who has been dressed for the office for 40 years cannot just turn off her need for something stylish.  I may look like a Ukranian peasant when cleaning out the chicken coop, in sweat pants or dirty jeans, bulky sweater or old ski jacket and an amazing variety of toque all unflattering but when I go shopping for groceries in town or lunch with girlfriends I must be decked out to the max.

I take my cue from the most elegant woman I know, my mother.  From the time I was a little girl until my mother was in her early 50’s she never, ever went grocery shopping or elsewhere in anything but a skirt and blouse, or dress.  She did not start wearing slacks until she was in her 50’s except when she was in the home or going for a casual walk with my father.  I remember her changing into a skirt in the afternoon, after she had finished her housework, so that she was always dressed nicely when my father came home from work.  She always wore makeup, not a lot but always lipstick and foundation.  When she was 15 years old her sister Lise gave her an eyebrow brush that she has to this very day and she always brushes her brows with Vaseline to keep them smooth and glossy.  She has used Pond’s cold cream morning and night for over 60 years, also something she learned from her sister (despite my father protesting he didn’t like the smell and despite me trying to get her to try Mary Kay skincare products she has stuck with her Pond’s cold cream, with the green colour, I think it’s “normal”).

If I have a bad hair day I escape under a hat and will wear it in the store even if I am cooking in order not to disgrace the family.  As I have written in the past, hair is a bit of an obsession with my mother and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.  In my youth I wasn’t much given to caring about what I looked like, especially where my hair was concerned, and to be honest if it wasn’t for my mother’s look of horror I would not care very much which way my hair went so I am very grateful that I actually look good in a hat.  In the mornings Mom and I compare our hair and even though we look like wild hottentots I ask “whose looking Ma”?  Most days I look like an Iroquois while Mom looks like Einstein but we bless water and a good brush and hope for the best!

To get a well-dressed look a woman really only needs a nice pair of dark dress pants, a nice blouse and a good jacket.  A scarf or statement necklace can set things off and always a pair of earrings to finish the face.  A good jacket is important but not that easy to acquire.  There are plenty of jackets around but it’s key to find one that will wear well and not be too trendy.  A blazer style is excellent with good colour, blendable colour (black, navy, grey are best as they go with most things).  I don’t think a person will look overdressed in a jacket as it can look both dressy or casual depending on the blouse, t-shirt or sweater worn underneath.  If you like trendy, that’s okay, but if you need something to last for a good while, a classic jacket is money well spent because they don’t come cheap.

One of my favorite shops has got to be Laura because the quality is there and they cater to women of all sizes and ages.  They are not trendy like some of the younger shops but they have on target styles as well as classic looks.  And the price is right.  Definitely my first place to look for something be it suit, dress or blouse.  And did I mention purses?  But that’s for another time.

 

Noblesse Oblige

The direct translation from the French means “obligation of the nobility”.  In general terms it implies that with wealth and power comes responsibility.  In ethical terms it implies that with privilege there is a duty towards those who lack that privilege.  Recently it has been used to suggest that the rich and powerful should set a good example of decent behaviour or exceed the minimum standard.

Unfortunately the media feeds us notoriety more than exemplary behaviour.  Perhaps that is partly because those who do good in the world prefer to keep a low profile so good deeds go unnoticed by the general population.  Sadly, the public also seems to enjoy hearing the worst of people rather than the best.  Yellow journalism has become the norm even in “legitimate” newspapers and one shudders to think what is obtainable via the Internet by way of sensationalism.

It behooves educated, sensible and compassionate people to strive towards their own “decent behaviour” and to seek to make the world a better place individually by their own conduct to their family, friends and colleagues; indeed within their circle of influence.  What better way in these critical times than to understand the differences among race, gender and religion and find the common ground among them.  Peace is a common thread among all people.  In our everyday lives we can seek peace by speaking slowly, thoughtfully and gently striving towards understanding and by being slow to react.  Hasty words bring regrets.

Forget the John Wayne syndrome, shake off the foolishness of patriotism and instead embrace the truth of simple humanity.  In the end we are all the same, flesh and blood, with a certain time on earth and then we are no more. 

One day at a time, one person arm’s length to another person, we can seek understanding and peace.  That is the obligation of humanity.

Nature Files

I was looking out my window this morning and was suddenly delighted by a flurry of partridge scooting across the road and then into my shrubbery.  Naturally I wondered “partridge, or pheasant” so I had to dip into the bird book I gave my mother some years ago to verify what I was actually seeing.

During the winter it is really amazing to see how many birds stay in these northern parts and survive the cold.  There are rules for feeding birds; either you do not feed them at all or you must be consistent with the feed.  Logical enough, it simply requires keeping ahead of the game in the supply department.  I’ve been very pleased to discover bargain prices at Costco for wild bird seed as it is nearly 3 times less than at the bulk store.  Go figure.

We see a number of small brown or grey birds; sparrows, snow bunting or chickadees, we aren’t quite sure yet which they are.  When looking in the book it seems obvious yet flicking around in the branches of the pine tree it is very hard to get a good look at the colouring to really make an identification (I am terribly near sighted).  It is my ambition this winter to nail down my small birds so that I can honestly call myself a bird watcher.

It’s much easier to identify the bigger birds, the magpie, the crow, the starlings, owls and hawks.  My brother saw a huge bald eagle out at his place the other day.  He heard this incredible whirring sound as he got into his truck and looking around he saw the eagle swooping down by the truck as it went for the sparrows nearby.  The wing span was over 6 feet.  I’ve never seen one close but I have seen snowy owls, in fact for many years I have had a couple nesting in my yard.  They can be quite large, camouflage very well in the old poplar trees and can give you a start when they swoosh away as you approach unaware of their presence.

The magpies are incredibly friendly scavengers.  They watch the house diligently, waiting for either Mom or I to go out to the compost pile with pickings for them.  They seem to have discovered that I am not much of a giver while Mom goes out at least once a day with a special treat just for them.  No sooner has she gone back in the house than the swoop down on the bread and potato peelings she has left under the scotch pine.  Since I got my chickens, though, I have become more interesting to them.  They wait for me to return to the house and then they venture into the Henriettas domain to see if they can steal some of the wild seed strewn about.  At first the chickens took supreme exception to their presence and charged at them in outrage but gradually those impertinent magpies have made their way back into the pen to pick away at the far corners.  Then Hermione or Fredericka will spot them and away they go!

It might be winter but there is still plenty of natural entertainment outdoors.

An Authentic Retiree

 

Quite a few years ago I read “Simple Abundance” by Sarah Ban Breathnach with joy and wonder.  A great many of her ideas found their way into my repertoire of being including her Gratitude Journal.  One of the most pleasurable parts of her book though was her excavation of quotations, thoughts and ideas from authors of gone by days.  Sarah did all the ground work for those who enjoy discovering older authors and their works and through her I have discovered a number of writers that I had never heard of before but also ones that I had known “in passing” but never bothered to pursue.  All that changed after reading Simple Abundance.  I was on a mission and it has been a rewarding one.

Yesterday I pulled her books off the shelf again since I wanted to refresh myself for the year ahead and also to find some inspiration with my writing.  Lo and behold, on the other side of retirement I find myself a different woman.  Did I not notice in my past readings (yes, I’ve read the book several times) how terribly needy Sarah was, that under her surface she seemed to lack self-confidence and that a lot of the work she had us doing was driven by her own needs?  Of course I did, but while I was a working woman I was also needy and lacking in self-confidence.  I had a light bulb moment this morning as I continued my reading and that was simply “I don’t care anymore about what people think, about what I need to pursue, I am free, free, free”.  What an amazing treasure, to discover that once we are not dependent on making a living, when we are Retired we come into our own!

I continue to read Simple Abundance, and I continue to appreciate everything Sarah writes and I want to assure my readers that the work I did through this book did indeed help me become a more balanced, calm and carrying person.  But today I learned that once a person steps over the threshold into retirement one gains a new perspective on many things, from material things, the drama of work and most of all rediscovering one’s authentic self.

And isn’t that just too cool for words?

(PICTURES BY ELIZABETH SHIPPEN GREEN)

Starting a New Year with Good Health

It’s the official start of the month as the work week goes into full swing and the world will start ticking along as usual.  Some people may have made their new resolutions to include getting fit, losing weight, doing more exercise.  Sadly the statistics say that over 80% stop doing whatever they planned in less than a month; however for those of us who have endurance let’s get cracking!

Richard Simmons’ link is back on “active” on my side panel and I encourage those who want to stay motivated to take a look at his daily message from time to time.  He is always so enthusiastic, has great advice on both exercise and eating habits that will help keep you on track.  Weight Watchers number one tip, in my opinion, is to track what you put in your mouth.  Those who write down what they eat have a higher rate of losing weight and keeping it off.  I know it is a pain to do but facts are facts.

With respect to exercise, I think the simplest, cheapest form of exercise is walking.  Whether you own your own treadmill or simply walk outdoors, just put on good shoes (or boots) and get moving.  Walking outdoors has the extra benefit of getting Vitamin D from the sun’s rays and lots of fresh, bracing air.  If all you can do is walk to the end of your driveway the first few days, well that’s something.  Walking around the block, down the street and back, or to the corner store, that is bonus points.  I have found that walking a set distance most days of the week is an excellent routine, even before I retired.  Now that I have retired I have made walking, and exercise, my first priority.  Five days a week I get on my treadmill and walk between 40 and 55 minutes first thing in the morning.  The goal is to do 60 minutes but at the moment I have wrecked my knee (again) so I’ve had to slow down a little bit.   But the point here is that I am on the treadmill daily, 5 days a week.

As someone who has worked all her life I know the challenges of fitting in exercise regularly but even when I was working I made time to walk 2 to 3 times a week over my lunch hour.  For those who like to get out into the mall, or to a food kiosk, just think of the money and calories you would save if you changed those missions into walking.

I am also a great fan of yoga but any sort of stretching exercise is excellent, and again, costs nothing but your time and attention.  Once upon a time I had a fitness instructor and he said crunches should be done daily (crunches also known as sit ups), once again, no equipment required.

So here’s a round of applause to everyone who has made a resolve to get healthy.  Good for you!

A Frugal Life

Stepping into 2015 is also stepping into the new reality of living on a “fixed income” which translates to no impulse buying and no more “I want’s” but only “I need” type of purchases.  The habit of the last 5 years where I allowed myself to spend lavishly on clothes and oddments should not be very difficult to break as the previous 55+ years of my life were frugal in the extreme. 

As a person gets older it is amazing to discover what one has collected over the years and one begins to ask the question “why did I ever buy this”.  Many of the self-help disciplines use January as the De-clutter month and as luck would have it this was part of my plan for this month also.  It’s amazing how much money a person can save simply by being active in doing something inside the home.

I think back to the time of my childhood when most mothers were still at home.  They were busy keeping house; few women had a second car so going to a store was out of the question until Saturday when family grocery shopping was done, husband in tow.  Our neighbourhood actually had both a milkman and a bread-man who drove around making their deliveries.  Our milkman came every day and the bread-man was in the neighbourhood at least twice a week, maybe three times.  My mother still had an old fashioned wringer washing machine until 1973.  She was probably the busiest mother on the street even though we were not the biggest family of children. 

Malls weren’t invented; the closest thing we had was a strip mall which was a couple of miles walking distance.  There was a Woolworth, a Dominion grocery store, a Reitmans, a men’s clothing store and I think there might have been a hardware store but as my father was a stranger to tools of any kind I know that we never set foot in it.

My mother was a fanatic clean freak and woe to any child that came home with dirty clothes, wet socks or a stray animal.  She would be the biggest drama queen on the planet if we came into the house with “soakers” which of course we did on a regular basis.  She’d go into a rant “Now I can begin all over again” which doesn’t sound like much until you hear it in Danish.  She would wash the floors several times a week and once a week she would wax them, always down on hands and knees using good old elbow grease.

So reflecting on old fashioned housewifery I go gung-ho into January’s “de-clutter” mode.

Peace on Earth in 2015

Who wouldn’t like to start a new year with the wish that there would be peace on earth?  This is not at all an original sentiment, furthermore we can all suspect that it “ain’t gonna happen” as my bête noir Victor Newman would say.  In order for the wish to be meaningful I have given much thought in order to approach the goal so that it could be achievable if only in a small way. 

Have you ever stopped to consider how often you find yourself aggravated by little things in the course of a day, even though you may not even express the frustration or even be completely conscious of the feeling?  Another habit that people have picked up over the decades is a way of speaking sarcastically to a person rather like being in a sit-com.  Of course you “are joking” but really the sarcasm can frequently be very unkind.  So here’s what I thought, how would it be if each day started on a positive note, no sarcasm, no random meanness came out of one’s mouth and whenever something became irritating, one should think kindly of England. 

Okay, perhaps not England, one should think about why the aggravator is doing the thing they are doing to annoy you out of all reason.  Let’s face it, no one has probably died and even if it is the lunatic driver on the road giving yourself high blood pressure by honking, cursing and otherwise telling the fool off is really not going to help anything.  Take a page from my friend’s book and say “he is a very special person” which means all of the above but you aren’t really saying it. 

I’ve been known to have a “potty mouth” so for the last year I have been coaching myself to forget curse words and find alternatives.  One of the things that I’ve noticed is that it is much easier to restrain the curse if I slow down in my response.  Why do we have to speak at a rattling rate anyway?

If we just take one day at a time, make our own sphere a place of peace, which could have a ripple effect and if it doesn’t, accept that it is beyond our control.  So I end with John Lennon’s words,

Imagine all the people, living life in peace.