Remembering the Coronation

The recent Royal Wedding at the end of April generated a lot of interest in the Royal family.  Even though I am British I am not a staunch supporter of the Royals.  But I do have a lot of memorabilia from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953.  Most of the teacups, mugs and jugs were given to me over the years.  If my calculations are correct this upcoming June 2 marks 58 years on the throne.

Here is the mug I treasure the most.

At the time of the coronation I was a little girl in England and to the best of my knowledge all children were given a mug.  This is the one that I received.  It has travelled with me across the ocean a few times.

I lived in the borough of West Ham as the back of the mug shows.  Many of the communities had their own mock coronation with the children of the neighbourhood re-enacting the coronation.  I remember participating in this, carrying a cushion with a mock crown to be given to the little girl who was playing the queen.

Here you can see the marks on the bottom of the mug. I don't imagine it would fetch much money on the Antiques Road Show as it's a little chipped and worn but still a treasured possession.  I imagine I had many cups of milky tea in it when I was little.

Won't you drop in for a cuppa?
Rose Chintz Cottage
Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday
Tea Cup Tuesday

Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

The Poppies are Popping

The poppies are beginning to bloom.  They have been drooping down with all the rain we've been having but the sun is out today so they are drying off and beginning to pop open.

Don't you just want to reach out and touch those hairy little covers?

You will want to stop by Mosaic Monday and see what mosaics others have created.
 Thank goodness the rain has moved out of our area and we are in for a few sunny, hot and humid days.  On my road to recovery from knee surgery I had the staples removed from the incision this morning.  The doctor is very pleased with my progress.  Watch out garden weeds, I'll be out there soon! Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

The Crafty Side Checks In

I've been doing a lot of crafting lately, just haven't got around to blogging about it. I also need to add these projects to my Ravelry site.  I've had lots of time to knit and crochet in between exercising my knee after surgery.  I'm making great progress and able to walk around with a cane now.  Thanks to all of you that have left comments or sent emails hoping my recovery goes well.

The brown and beige ripple afghan is getting bigger.  I started this towards the end of February and then it got put aside to work on during my recovery time.

This is the start of a baby sweater, made with Bernat baby yarn using an old British pattern I had when our girls were babies.  I'm knitting this one to donate to the Auxiliary at the hospital.  They run a gift store at the local hospital and money raised goes to helping the hospital.  I did knit the same pattern when our granddaughter was born.

I also have a baby hoodie on the go.  Our second daughter is expecting her first baby in mid October and it might be for her or it might be another donation to the hospital Auxiliary.

I always have dishcloths on the go.  It seems I have a never ending stash of cotton yarn and not matter how many dishcolths I make it never seems to go away.  These are just simple round crochet ones that I worked on while in the hospital for a couple of days after my knee surgery.
 The rain has continued in my part of Ontario.  But shock of all shocks the sun came out yesterday afternoon. Thanks for visiting. Have you are having a great weekend.

Perch for the Hummers

I recently planted some tomato plants into big metal tubs which sit on raised platforms by our deck.  This is a great way for me to be doing some gardening without bending down.  These tubs are on the top level and already have the tomato cages in ready for lots of growth.

The hummingbird feeder is quite close by and the hummer has found a neat little resting spot right by the feeder.  It actually looks like the feeder is closer than it really is.

 

The female ruby throated hummingbird is posing for my lens friend this week on Camera Critters.  Be sure to stop by and see lots of other great photos of different critters. I'll be watching for more great photo opportunities of this adorable little bird.

Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

Do The Roses Need Pruning?

My garden is being neglected while I recover from knee surgery.  But I've had a chance to do a few things, one of them being potting up some bedding plants (no bending or standing for long required).  I've also had time to preview a video titled "How to Prune Roses" by James W. Smith.

This is an easy to understand video that shows you exactly what to do when you are pruning your roses, whether shrub roses or miniature roses.

I've got a couple of miniature roses that were recently gifted to me.  Right now they are in bloom, even if the photos don't do them justice. I'm finding taking photos a bit of a challenge until I get more bend in my knee, most of the shots are taken straight down. The video gave me some hints and tips on deadheading which I'll be able to do.

Later in the season I hope to get these into the ground.
And when I'm more able I'll be putting into practice some of the things I learned from this video.

Like pruning this climbing rose so that the shoots head in the right direction and climb up the trellis. The video explains about sucker shoots, how to identify them and how to prune them off. If you are interested you can check this video out on YouTube.

Thanks for visiting. It has been a rainy, overcast day in my part of Ontario, Canada and we are under sever thunder storm watch for later this afternoon and this evening. Hope you are having a good weather day for working in the garden.

Meet Jack and the Mrs.

I know you have all heard of Jack Sparrow.  But did you know he lives at our house? In fact he's lived here for years raising his families.

Yes, I say families, as this Jack Sparrow is none other than the house sparrow that occupies the front birdhouse.  I nicknamed him Jack as that seemed to be very appropriate.  This house is visible from the living room window and I can sit and relax in the armchair and watch Jack and the Mrs. busily flitting in and out of the house.

The Mrs. is busy right now gathering food for the little ones that are living inside. I can hear them chirping.  I'm hoping that any day soon I'll see their little heads popping out of the birdhouse. They will make the perfect little lens friends to share in another post.
We don't charge Jack and the Mrs. any rent because the enjoyment of watching their families is payment enough.  Be sure to see some more Cheep Rooms?  Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

2 Red Wings for 2sDay

It's 2sDay ... the day for sharing a photo I've taken with 2 of the same thing in it. I haven't been able to get out and do much birdwatching while I recover from knee surgery but there are lots of birds coming to the backyard feeders.

A pair of red winged blackbirds arrived at the flat feeder at the same time.  The photo doen't do justice to the brilliant colour on their wings at this time of the year.Red wings are seasonal residents in my area.  We aren't that far from a marshy area, which they prefer. When they first appear it is a good sign that spring is here.Today they are lens friends posing for 2sDay. Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

Mini Yellow Iris

Blooms that are yellow have to be one of my favourites.  And it's that time again in spring for the mini yellow iris to bloom.

Today the first of many blooms opened up.  I'm sure the past couple of days of sunshine really helped them to open.
I'm sharing this mosaic image with Mosaic Monday.Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

Little Red the Acrobat

This spring the little red squirrel has been visiting the garden and feeders more frequently.What an amazing lens friend.

Look at those long toes.  Hanging just below the flat feeder is a basket suet feeder.  Just watch how little red gets to it.

Hang over the edge and grip with those long toes.Notice how the red goes along the back and over the tail in a more darker shade.Stretch down a little further.  Those long toes play an important part in the antics of this squirrel.

 Grip some more and show off the belly. Never once did little red fall off the feeder.
He was an amazing lens friend to share  with Camera Critters.  Be sure to stop by and see lots of other great photos of different critters.
It's the long weekend here in Canada, the unofficial start to the summer season.  I hope you have a safe and happy weekend.

Friday's Flower - Bleeding Heart

The bleeding hearts are blooming just in time to showcase for Friday's Flower.
Just a few days ago the buds were appearing but in the last couple of days the blooms have opened.

I have 2 large clumps of pink plus a couple of smaller ones.  Last year I added a white one that was an off shoot from a big plant where I worked.

Bleeding hearts or Dicentra are wonderful shade loving plants that grow really well in my north facing shady garden.  Another name for this plant is Lady's Locket, and it is easy to see how it got that name from looking at the individual blooms.

The blooms come on long, trailing stems.  After blooming the plant will go dormant and I usually cut it down so that other later blooming plants can grow around it.

Along with me, this bee is really enjoying these gorgeous blooms.

I hope you have some Friday flowers to enjoy.
Why not stop over to Tootsie Time and see lots more.
Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

Rainy Day Visitors

The rain continues in my part of Ontario.  But that doesn't stop the birds coming to the feeders.  These lens friends images were captured though the back door.

The ruby throated hummingbird approaches the feeder.

The Northern Oriole perches on the oriole feeder.
Even though it is dull outside these lens friends brighten up the day.  Other birds at the feeders are the bluejays, the white crowned sparrows, woodpeckers, goldfinches and the cardinals.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you are enjoying your day.

What's Up With May?

It's the middle of May and it is still dreary and raining.

 

I'm sure it has been the wettest, dampest, dreariest, rainiest (is there such a word) spring we have had in a long, long time.  I love how the raindrops form on the lady's mantle.  But so much rain can be depressing.

I've been missing from blogland for several days while I was in hospital having partial knee replacement surgery.  When I went in last Thursday the sun was actually shining but the rain started right after that.  I came home on Saturday and it was still raining.

"it's raining, raining, raining,
and all the world is wet,
it rained last night,
and now today,
it's raining, raining yet"
This is an old poem that I somehow remember, but it sure fits the weather today.  In fact you could repeat this poem every day and it would be appropriate.

I've missed GBBD, which I actually thought about on the 15th but just didn't have the energy to create a post.  I had left a couple of posts for Blogger to automatically post but it seems like my knee Blogger wasn't working either.

Regardless of the weather the mini iris are out in bloom.  I can see this clump of iris from the front window so it is a treat to look out and see those lovely, purple blooms.

 

 There was lots of growth in the garden while I was in hospital.  Both pink and white bleeding heart are about to open right up.

I also missed Mosaic Monday.  Here is a mosaic showing the hosta leaves that are unfurling.

  And another mosaic shows columbine, pinks, lily of the valley, coral bells, the solomon's seal, and Jacob's ladder.  I had purchased a lovely pot of fuschia and it is doing well despite the cool, damp weather.

It's better late than not at all, so I'm joining in with  Garden Bloggers Bloom DayandMosaic Monday  I'm on the road to recovery with lots of exercises to do to get my knee working again.  So maybe a rainy day isn't such a bad thing, because if it was sunny and warm out you know I would be squirming to get outside and enjoy the garden.But it sure would be nice to see some sunshine. Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

Trilliums

The trilliums are blooming just in time for me to share them for

Ontario's provincial flower is the trillium and during the early part of May they can be found blooming in the wooded and shaded areas of the province.

I'm lucky to have some growing in a shaded area of the garden.

This is a north facing garden and it only gets the sun for about an hour after dinner.  We used to have some evergreen shrubs in this area to shade the trillium but over the years they had to be removed.  Last year we had extensive work done to waterproof the basement and the trilliums had to be dug and stored in a pot.

I have both the red and white ones in bloom right now.  Even though today is Friday the 13th (the only one this year) I'm lucky that they seem to be multiplying.

I hope you have some Friday flowers to enjoy.
Why not stop over to Tootsie Time and see lots more.

Thanks for visiting. Have a lucky day.

When-sday Memories of Honeysuckle

When-sday is a day to reminisce to way back when.
Look at this slideshow of all the wonderful blooms.When was this?  It was happening a year ago today.  The honeysuckle were in bloom.

 But not so this year.It has been a slow start to spring this year and the flowering shrubs are a bit behind.

Here is a photo of one of the honeysuckle bushes taken this morning.  The leaves have just opened out and there isn't any sign of the blooms yet. We have the blooms and the scent from the blooms to come.
Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

A Teapot Find

It's May and it's time for garage "sale"ing.  When I have time I love to browse around these sales looking for a bargain. You know, the kind of bargain I could take to the Antique Roadshow and they would tell me it was worth a fortune.   I know and you know that isn't likely to happen. The best we can hope for is a good bargain that will be useful.
I have a thing for teapots, old kettles, teacups. Not that I need any more but how could I resist this little aluminum teapot that reminded me of one my grandmother used to have.

I didn't read the bottom of the pot till I got home. It is stamped Swan Brand, Made in England, 4 cups, The Carlton (all in capital letters).
The outside has a flower design on both sides. The handle and knob on the lid are black bakelite. The inside is a little marked, looks like it was well used at one time. My original idea was to use it in my tea thyme garden and grow a little plant in it.

Here is the pot on top of my tea chest that was a gift from my daughter.  The tea chest is full of my favourite teas, most of them Stash brand. I did some research on this teapot and found that some of them have sold on ebay for up to $35, plus that inevitable shipping. Maybe I'll be rethinking my use for this lovely little teapot.  Oh did I mention the teapot cost me $1, so maybe I did find a great bargain after all.

Won't you drop in for a cuppa? Rose Chintz Cottage Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday
Tea Cup Tuesday  Thanks for visiting. Enjoy your day.

Mosaic Monday Tulips

 The weather is getting much nicer and I am enjoying some time in the garden.

The tulips are beginning to open and it is hard to resist taking some photos of them.
I hope you have time to do a blog hop over to Mosaic Monday and see some other wonderful mosaic photos.   Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

Marsh Marigolds

I'm sharing some photos of the marsh marigolds for Friday's Flowers.  They are a few days later coming into bloom this year as spring has had a slow start.

Marsh marigolds, cowslips or caltha palustris are lovely yellow blooming plants that grow in shallow water near marshy or swampy areas.

The plants grow 45 to 60 cm. high and the flowers are about 4 cm. across.

The rounded buds open up to lovely bright yellow blooms.

I hope you have some Friday flowers to enjoy.
Why not stop over to Tootsie Time and see lots more.

Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

Shadows and Reflections

It's the weekend and after some nasty weather and it looks like it will be quite nice.  We had some wild and windy weather across Ontario on Thursday, with lots of damage, loss of electricity and trees down.  We were without hydro for a few hours and then without internet access as one of the towers was damaged.  My internet access comes via fixed satellite on my roof not through a phone line.  Those major companies don't offer such services to those of us that live in the country. We ended up getting a new router as it seems some damage was done to the old one with the power going on and off.  Things are up and running now so it's back to blogging.

Here is a great shadow shot of my husband while were were down by the bay on Earth Day.  It's great for sharing with Shadow Shot Sunday.

The water was very still and gave amazing reflection photos.

Here is a great photo of a Mallard duck and its refelction.

I'm joining in with Weekend Reflections and Shadow Shot Sunday.
We are finally having a weekend without rain, although it is supposed to move into our area late tonight. I hope you are enjoying the weekend.