New Year's Eve

Morning is starting with a beautiful sunrise through the trees This picture does not do it justice though - the colours are more intense.

The last day of 2011. It was a good year all in all. What more could I ask for - a wonderful holiday to St. Lucia with family; a visit from my daughter who lives in Ottawa; visits many from my daughter and her family in Whistler; trip to the cabin on Quadra; quick trips to Whistler for visits and hugs with my youngest grandson there.

Our vegetable garden produced like crazy. We canned, pickled, jammed, sauced and froze a lot. My flower gardens well they were sorely neglected. I did have wonderful pots of blooms on my deck that kept me going.

 I was quite happy with these Brugs - I started them from cuttings from my last years plants. I kept several and gave away lots. They grow to be quite tall. I keep mine in large pots around the yard. My sister-in-law has great success with planting them directly in the soil. I may try that in 2012. I have several cuttings on the windowsill in the sewing room.

Oh 2012 the possibilities it will bring. I look forward to the NEW Year - it is like getting a new box of crayons.

Here goes NOTHING

I have always wanted to do this - do a blog that is. So here goes - it could be fun or just a bunch of drivel. Got to begin somewhere and what the heck - I can always delete it - RIGHT?! OR this could be the start of something BIG.

Christmas in this part of the world was wet and dreary but what can you expect we live on Vancouver Island. However this did not dampen our spirits any. Many hours of merriment filled the day.

The day started as usual -  very early. But this time I was wokened by the phone ringing - I had it in my housecoat pocket - man it was loud - 5:45 wow. I thought it must have been my daughter the most Christmasy person I know but it was my oldest grandchild. What the? I did got up and but did not go over to open presents there - I just put on my housecoat and enjoyed my coffee and the silence of the morning. Eventually Michael got up and we opened our gifts to each other and had our traditional Mimosa.

The day played out with visits next door with all of Michael's family and down the street to my son's house for dinner with my family.