Since it’s finally Spring, I thought it was time for something new, so I got my creative juices flowing and I’m working on something really different. Or maybe not so different, but a new twist on something that’s been a lot of fun over the years.

Who out there remembers the game Where’s Waldo? Who besides me spent hours trying to find where in the crowd the artist hid the elusive Waldo?

I know I had fun doing that, and so I decided to use my own devices and do something similar. I’m working on the same kind of idea, but I’m hiding my garden gnome from Take The Trophy and Run on a new website – www.GoGetGnorman.com.

Can you find Gnorman?

I can tell it’s Spring. The woodpeckers are back.

Here where I live, every year at this time we get either a woodpecker or a multitude of woodpeckers who land on our chimney and star pecking.

One wouldn’t think this is unusual, because after all, that’s what woodpeckers do best – they peck. Except… our chimney top is like those on most modern houses – the top is a metal cap. He’s obviously not getting bugs for breakfast. Then what is he doing? All he’s doing is making noise. A lot of noise. Starting first thing in the morning, then off an on all day.

After a little research I discovered that making noise is exactly what the woodpeckers want to do. It’s a mating ritual, and he’s trying to attract the ladies with his pecking skills. It’s a competition between him and all the other woodpeckers in the neighborhood, and he who makes the most noise gets the best chick.

The woodpecker on top of my chimney is apparently quite the Don Juan. It’s not just a gentle “peck peck peck”. It’s like a machine gun rapid fire, echoing down through the chimney flue and roaring through the house like a runaway freight train. We don’t need an alarm clock this time of year.

I took a few videos. If one of them worked I’ll post something.

After all I’m awake now…

I just looked at how long it’s been since I blogged, and I’m kind of stunned. I’ve been working on a number of projects at once and the last month has positively passed in a blur.

But now that it is near the end of February, what time is it Mr. Wolf? (who remembers that childhood game? No one under 30, I’d imagine…) It is time to plant my tomatoes!

Last year I had moderate success with my tomatoes, I’d planted 3 varieties of cherry tomatoes and had a nice little crop, although last year was a terrible year for tomatoes. The weather was too wet, the sun came out too late, all things beyond my control, aside from the fact that I am not the world’s best gardener.

This year I’m going to try again, but I bought seeds for bigger tomatoes, and I have 2 metal tomato-plant holders for the larger and heavier varieties that I have bought.

Last year the best tomatoes I grew were the ones that never made it outside, they survived nicely in my office window, and they did better when I realized I had to manually cross pollinate them.

Wish me luck! Here goes.

I live on the west coast. It’s north of the 49th, but it’s still the coast, and therefore, warmer than the weather happening inland.

Where I grew up, the weather yesterday was recordbreaking cold – another day people who are elderly or have health issues are advised to stay indoors, only worse. That’s why I moved to the coast, so I don’t have to deal with that kind of adverse weather.

But… since I’ve been here a few decades, I’m a resident here and therefore, accustomed to the weather as it is, here on the coast. For me, 0 Celcius or 32 Farenheit is cold, too cold for my liking.

I do not like scraping windows in the morning. I don’t like needing snow tires. I don’t like huddling in the cold and seeing my breath as I try to convince the dogs to do their thing so we can all go inside and back into my nice warm bed.

Who out there is with me, counting the days until Spring? Actually, technically I haven’t, but I will now.

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2013. Today is the day to pack up the Christmas tree and decorations. This year none of the decorations got eaten (Puppy, who is losing his baby teeth and growing nice new big teeth), so it was a very good Christmas season.

Now that it’s all over, this year I have a serious resolution, but I’m not going to start it until everything is settled, and all the holiday chocolate is gone.

Until then, Happy New Year. Take the day and sit back, and enjoy it before life goes on.

This is it, it’s now December, which means for most of us, it’s the start of the Christmas season.

I love this season for all the shows and displays of bright color and cheerfulness. Even though my own Christmas lights aren’t up yet, many are. I think everyone has one house in their own neighborhood that lights everything up in a spectacular display. The most notable home in my own neighborhood has been decorating now for almost a week, and when it’s done, as is every year, it is a wonder to behold. That house is on the annual bus tour for homes with the best displays of lights.

I can imagine the hydro bill for some of these magnificent displays. I do know that many of the homes have donation boxes for hospital foundations or other charities. They ask people who come to enjoy the display, especially when many invite people to walk through the yard, to donate to their favorite charity, which to them, helps justify the increased hydro bill.

I encourage everyone to share their Christmas happyness and put some change in those donation boxes. Just think, if 200 people per day come to enjoy the lights, every day until Christmas, and everyone puts in just a nickel, how much would be raised?

Share the joy! Best wishes for the holiday season.

Even though I’m Canadian, because of all my writing, both through other authors and readers, I’ve become quite immersed in the US culture. So even though Thanksgiving and Black Friday are US holidays, I can’t help but feel more involved.

I won’t go shopping on Black Friday, but I will watch the news to see the biggest hotspots. As well, this is the “official” launch of the 2012 Christmas Shopping Season.

Not being a shopper, I am always amazed at the lengths people will go through to either get the latest bargain, or the newest update/version of a product, or simply be one with the crowd of shoppers.

I don’t mind standing in line if it’s for a good reason, but to many, especially on Black Friday, it becomes an adventure. I like adventures as much as the next person, but for me, I like to make sure that my lastest adventures isn’t going to be too far from the restroom… I am not really fond of standing in a line for hours. I’ve seen pepole stand in line overnight, which means camping, and/or partying until the store doors open.

Sorry, not for me. I like my warm bed, my little dog (and my big husband) too much for that. I think I’ll do most of my shopping online this year.

On Friday I had one of those cherised “author moments” – as you can probably guess from my subject title, I got my copies of my next release – Take The Trophy And Run, from the new Bloomfield Series.

It’s always exciting to get that box, and hold the first copy in your hand, and just look at it. All that time and work is done, and now I am holding the fruit of my labor in my hands. I love the cover – two tulips “kissing” in the shape of a heart – to signify both the garden club setting and name of the series, and the romantic aspect created by the heart.

Then on the back, is a picture of the little “hero” of my book, Gnorman the Gnome, being all sneaky with his sunglasses, holding the tropy, before he is about to run with it.

I remember cruising eBay for ideas on costumes for Gnorman. I also used an online rhyming dictionary for help with the notes. And of course, to get a few setting details right, I had to go to check out WalMart.

Ah, the sacrifices we must make, but it’s worth it.

Today is officially Thanksgiving in Canada. Besides taking the time to be thankful for all our many blessings, there are things most of us never say that we’re always thankful for on this long weekend in Canada.

A paid day off work.

Even though Thanksgiving supper is a lot of work to make, we’re always very thankful for the great leftovers, and that now we don’t have to cook for days, just hit a button on the microwave. (which is why most families in Canada make their turkey dinner on Sunday – so the cooks of the family can be thankful on Monday that they don’t have to work. This must be what it was like for the ladies during the time of the Exodus, when they collected enough Manna on Saturday to last for 2 days, and no one was to work on Sunday.)

Great weather on the west coast.
We took our dogs for a walk on the dike today – in shorts and t-shirts. We’re having a record-breaking spell of warm/hot and non-rainy weather on the west coast, while my relatives in Manitoba have 6 inches of snow to deal with.

All our windows are open, and we’re treating ourselves to icey drinks from McDonalds. Maybe we’ll win a prize in the Monopoly game they’re running? I won a free fries! (oh yippie, that will help with the mortgage)

Puppy – I know I’ve mentioned him a lot lately, he’s even cuter especially now that he’s pretty much house-trained.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Ah… Indian Summer. I’m not sure of the origin of that term, but that’s what we’re having here on the west coast where I live, and I must say, I’m quite enjoying it.

My tomatoes, which I planted from seeds, probably too late in the early season, haven’t done well, but with these warm days, they’re ripening. I must say I’m enjoying them, even if I am not really using them in salads like I planned, but instead I’m walking up to the plants and nibbling nice ripe and juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh from the fine.

My cucumbers didnt’ grow.

I planted lettuce, but my son thought it was weeds growing amongst my tomatoes, and pulled them all out.

I have some herbs that have grown nicely, and they will be guests of honor in my spaghetti sauces over the winter.

I had 10 new strawberry plants, and they grew 3 strawberries. I planted 3 blueberry bushes. I didn’t get any blueberries, but I knew that, the guy from the nursery warned me. But I’ll have some next year. I can hardly wait.

A few years ago I planted 3 pumpkin plants, not realizing they would take over the yard. I’ll never do that again.

I’m not sure what I’ll plant next year, I don’t have a garden, but plant some things along side the fence. Who knows. Maybe cantelope?