a day for mothers and gardens...

What better to do on Mothers Day than pay a visit to Minter Gardens?

We waited till the skies cleared up a little in the afternoon...

 

...and then headed out to the gardens for our first visit of the year. 

It seemed appropriate to visit the gardens on Mothers Day.



 It was where my mother spent the last Sunday she was with us.
We were all there together as a family...
with no idea that in a few days she would be gone.
She loved flowers and gardens...
and so it was a favorite place of hers.

My mother-in-law could also be found at Minter Gardens on many a Sunday afternoon.
She would go with friends...
and they would walk a ways...



...and then sit a spell.
And have an ice-cream cone on occasion.
We often bought her a season's pass for Mother's Day.

And so the garden paths seemed the perfect place to stroll yesterday...
and to reminisce.

 

There were families on an outing...
and kids having fun.

And rhodo gardens second to none!

 

It was a pleasant place to be.
It always is!

And just in case I can't find my photo of the garden chapel from my last visit...
or any of the previous visits...
I took one more.
I can never resist!

I was reminded again how thankful I am for my mom...

and my mom-in-law...

and for my three kids who made me a mom...

and for the moms of my grands.

And to all of you who are moms...

belated Mother's Day wishes to you.

going green...

I went to the post office to mail a parcel yesterday...

...and came home with a little bistro set for under the grape arbour.

It was green...

on special...

and had my name on it.

Shopper's Drug Mart has a good thing going...

by having Canada Post in the back corner!

The new green machine that I am really happy about is...

...this one!

After 25 years of using the previous John Deere ride-on mower...

it was time for an upgrade.

I can't really give you an honest review just yet...

since it seems hubby has decided he will mow the lawn...

new toy, and all.

The novelty will wear off...

soon enough!

Last night we...

the Mennonite Girls Can Cook team from the valley...

were guests at Sardis Fellowship Baptist

Spring Tea.
What a fun bunch!

Lovella told our story...

and we demo'd some recipes from the Celebrations cookbook.

We had green punch...

the sparkling white grape and lime punch recipe on page74 of the cookbook.

Green...

my theme for today.

Have a wonderful weekend!

down the garden path...

Lilac and green...

seem to be the colours of choice this week.

That is definitely the case in my garden.



The wisteria is in its glory!


 

My sister's white bleeding hearts are still growing strong.
She gave me a plant from her garden in 1996.
I transplanted it here in 2003.
It is still called Kathy's bleeding heart.

 

 Lucy's lilac bush is blooming abundantly this year.


  
Garden tip...put bright tape on the black clipper handles so they don't go missing quite so easily.

 And the irises that originated in my mother's garden...
are once again blooming for Mother's Day.

In search of my mother's garden, I found my own.
Alice Walker

Never mind kitchen gadgets.

I have a new favorite garden gadget!

An electric hedge trimmer.

How have I managed to prune the shrubs all these years without one?

I quite enjoyed giving the boxwoods a haircut yesterday! 

The long row of white heathers are next on the agenda.

They are to be pruned right after blooming...

and it doesn't look like they are quite done just yet.

Gardens are not made by singing "Oh how beautiful,' and sitting in the shade.

Rudyard Kipling

 

  

 And from the kitchen window...

I see that my mom-in-law's Nelly Moser clematis is blooming for Mother's Day as well.

"Kiss of the sun for pardon. 
Song of the birds for mirth. 
You're closer to God's heart in a garden than any place else on earth." 
-- Dorothy Frances Gurney  

The sun is shining.
The birds are singing.
The garden is calling.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!