SEASON'S GREETINGS

May I take this time to wish everyone Happy Holidays and hopes for a better 2009.

Merry Christmas

Happy Hanukkah

Yule Blessings

SAMBRO ISLAND LIGHT

A gray day, but a full trip set out for one of the oldest operating lighthouses in North America. In celebration of Sou'wester Days mid-August, local tour operators were ferrying visitors to and from the island, from the Government wharf in Sambro.

Foggy weather didn't dampen our spirits, as we neared the small rocky island even the slight swell was tolerable.

Coming into the small cove, we see the red and white wooden-clad concrete light behind a decrepit small house which turned out to be the gas house.

Recent hurricanes, such as Juan and Noel have taken their toll.

Her light shines bright as the nearby horn sounds regularly along this rocky approach to the world's second deepest natural harbour at Halifax.

MY RECENTLY RECEIVED CARDS

The cards below were received in the last 10 days. I love art cards especially of lesser known folks.

Suvi, my 16 year old correspondent from Finland assured me that young people love the Celebration cards. They are mailed with matching stamps. And I am such a fan of bold colours! The detail by Michela Galassi, was sent by an Italian postcrosser on a private swap. Love the surrealism expressed. Thanks Lulu.

And the final card in this grouping arrived from a 16 year-old Bordeaux, France postcrosser. The artist is local, Bigata and the piece AKA. Back to stalking the mailman tomorrow.

Some cities I've yet to see, came this week to me

I am lapsing on posting cards received from postcrossing. Here are some thumbnails of them

The top card is from Germany. Burghausen is known for the world's largest castle. The flags are decoration in the city of Vilnius, capital of Lithuania. Next is Zagreb, capital of Croatia. The lovely arch is Tainan, Republic of China. Finally is the Huntington Garden, California. Japanese Garden to be precise.

As well I received some stunning art cards, which I will also showcase here.

OH NO..... NOT THEM AGAIN!

Now don't get me wrong...I love June....summer warmth, spring wildflowers, long clear days.....but June also brings those gigantic hovering missiles....that await dusk before hanging at the nearest light. Man I like, HATE those suckers...and all their stupid banging, crunching and whirring at my windows. Then they have the nerve to cover the concrete with their gnashing, writhing legs-in-the-air dance to uprightedness.

Like who needs this? Surely not bats and birds....they're not attracted to lights...or are they?

LADY SLIPPER ORCHIDS

The lovely lady's-slippers. Every spring I receive more than a few phone calls asking about these endangered species. Actually of the five native to Nova Scotia, only four are considered species-at-risk due to rarity and threats.

Most of the queries are about our common Pink Lady's-slipper or Moccasin Flower. Common in rocky conifer woods where the canopy is somewhat open, one can expect to find patches of this robust plant. Appearing in June, each naked stem bears a single flower and a pair of quilted leaves near the ground.

All from Europe this week!

Beautiful card above from Turkey....brightened my day when it arrived.
After selling off "destash" at a local flea market this past weekend, we also hosted dinner the following day, Victoria Day Monday, for some friends. I love potluck meals.....even when the weather does not cooperate. Food is meant to be shared.

Just as joyful is receiving best wishes postcards from friends from afar. Below are cards from the Netherlands and Germany. The larger card is from Estonia, on the Baltic Sea.

I am awaiting some trades from Ontario, Brazil and the US...will see what tomorrow's mail might bring.

LITHUANIA JOINS GERMANY

These beautiful cards from the capital city of Vilnius are the first I have seen from this Baltic country. They were accompanied by excerpted poetry. Thank you Julius.

Ani of Ulm sends this card showing the world's tallest church steeple. It is Impressive!

I received my first North American card through postcrossings today...beautiful Wildflowers of Indiana. I am surprised to see very familiar species...Blue Iris, Forget-me-nots, Spotted Jewelweed, Joe-pye-weed, Bull Thistle, Black-eyed-Susans...common Nova Scotia mid-summer species.

Now where is Spring? It has been so cold this week with rain for 4 days. Snow even in the highlands.

ALDER and ITS USE for COOKING UTENSILS

Recently I received a message from a concerned person who has used alder switches to toast marshmallows and to roast hotdogs. She read that they were toxic and should not be used.

My response was: there commonly is confusion between alder and elder. The common Downy or Speckled Alder species are members of the birch family and totally harmless to use in that manner.

Red-berried Elder on the other hand, is related to honeysuckles. Its wood is poisonous and should not be used for cooking, nor should its attractive red berries be eaten.

POSTCARD TRADES AND OTHER ENDEAVORS

Postcrossing is all about creating smiles, one card at a time, sent across the world to a stranger. ANNNND they have forums where one can sign up to do trades, play tag, send albums and otherwise engage in contacting other postcrossers. Send a smile; receive a smile.

Presently I have requests for cards from my city and Titanic memorabilia....as I live in the city nearest the site of that disaster.


Me, I would love to have more native wildflower images. Anyone here in blog-world have access to a couple of floral postcards from your country...send me a message.

Be well friends.

MORE CARDS FROM FINLAND

I'll bet Finland has the most postcrossers than any other country! My first 3 cards are all from traders there. Yesterday and today I received these two beautiful botanicals.

Thanks to both for being so thoughtful.

MY FIRST POSTCARD ARRIVED!

I am so excited to receive this gorgeous postcard from Finland. It features original artwork in glorious blues. Thanks Tiina.

POSTCARDS

I am anxiously awaiting my first post card. Ten cards have sailed from my shores to Finland, USA, Germany, Estonia, NZ and Italy. Now I wonder from which far-flung shore mine will appear? I will post them weekly for those of you who haven't signed on.

Come on people, add to tomorrow's vintage collections!

DO YOU LIKE RECEIVING MAIL WITHOUT WINDOW PANES?

You know the kind of mail I mean. The kind that does not require checks, Visa or debit card numbers. Look no further than postcrossing.com Free to register and for the price of an international stamp...you too can receive mail...from a stranger! These are not chain-letters or gimmicks of any kind...just straight-up greetings from someone who cares.

I have 3 out of 5 possibles in transit...sending to Finland, Estonia and the US to date. Why not visit the site...you may be pleasantly surprised.

APRIL, BLESSED APRIL

Has brought us unbelievable spring. No foolin'. Each year the wonderment deepens. After another 5cm (2inches) of snow last week-end, the robins came. Their hopeful songs lift my spirits even on the foggiest evenng. Now they compete with the crows for the small patch of brown we call lawn amidst the alders and rocks. Crows are fiercely defending their nesting material, while the red-breated interlopers pull earthworms from it.

Crocus are in full flower; poppy leaves in fuzzy rosettes have formed. Spurge is trailing beneath the winter cladding of straw.

SHEILA'S BRUSH

She graced us last week, dumping snow and ice on awakening fields. Cancelled schools and Easter holidays. In Newfoundland, a fierce storm dumping lots of snow on or about March 18th wears the name. Maritimers have adopted the moniker too.

In my area this was followed by the silver thaw....adding brittle texture to awakening shrubs and trees.

MARCH BREAK

and the madness of families with bored kids and tired parents is upon us. March in NS can be particularly nasty...wet snows, bitter winds and rain, rain, rain.

The annual school break allows the kids to run their parents ragged...from camps, to movies, museums to rinks....hockey ends for the peewees; basketball and baseball continue.

Not yet spring, still winter's harsh breath is lessening its grip....will continue to look for the first flower....

AND WE'LL HAVE SUN, SUN, SUN......

Not a t-Bird but the black-capped chickadees are a-singing this morning, in the midst of the city. Mourning doves a-cooing...can it be...spring is near...can I count the snows? Lemme see the robin-snow, the smelt snow....

I HATE WINTER IN ATLANTIC CANADA!

As I live on the ocean, see below, I can have 3 seasons each week. From the photo below we acquired 15cm of snow. That is 6inches! It is not that cold -6C, but gob-smack me, I can't get out my driveway! I'll find my camera and post the white out.

SUNSET over PENNANT BAY

We are fortunate enough to live on a narrow cove off this bay. Heading towards the sun out of the cove, it opens onto the Bay. A-port is the Atlantic Ocean with all its seasonal fury. Spring and fall we can expect several tropical storms and even a H-storm if conditions are right to the south of us.

Last night's sunset was crisp but subdued. Colors can be dramatic as can the shadows, as the sun reaches higher in the sky. Snow is but a dirty crust in obscure corners.

Today I must complete the conifer chapter in my book and edit the ferns. Ta!

BLOOD-RED MOON

The lunar eclipse over Canada last night led to some phenomenal pictures. Here in the Maritimes, I'm afraid 11:00pm was too late for me. I am dependent on the goodwill of others. Below is a shot from the Pacific coast of the near-total eclipse.






Thumbnail enlarges.

WELCOME

As a botanist my work is primarily visual. Certainly there have been times when I could have sworn the plants were talking just to me. Generally I concur that plants are mostly silent beauties.

Tactile for sure 'though. I think of the soft velvet leaves of Verbascum marking the shoulders of the highways. Stinging nettle leaves a skin sensation most of us won't forget!

But the plants we share our lives with provide a visual smorgasbord. Over the next few months I hope to introduce you, to my office in eastern Canada.

So welcome to my diary, as I welcome the dawning of a new growing season.

Enlarge the image above by clicking on it. These are the expanded leaves of rhubarb....I can't wait until mine pushes through the loosening ground. Rhubarb pie.....sweet and sour dessert!