More Gardening; Another Cake

What a wonderful day I had yesterday. It was a shorts and t-shirt day; it was a lovely 18° in the afternoon, and I skipped fitness because I had a lot to do yesterday, and today will also be busy.

Our day began with a walk with our friends, and everyone was buzzing with glee because it was so lovely out and the forest, full of every green you can imagine, was shining. All the big Maples have their light green shimmering keys dripping off every branch, and soon they will be leafing out. The light green is gorgeous in amongst the dark colours of the conifers.

We came home after our walk and then we went into the village for supplies. I got food and another flat of flowers for the yard. When I left the nursery, Clarence said, “See you tomorrow.” But I’m almost done now. Everything is looking great. (Pictures below.)

I worked hard for the rest of the day planting and cleaning my decks. The huge amount of pollen on absolutely everything was disgusting. The deck looks a lot better now, and after sprinkling most of the gardens, the leaves are free of pollen now and shining with life. The shocking thing is that I’ve begun watering already. We haven’t had real rain for a very long time.

When my back stated hurting, I went into the house, washed like a surgeon, and then made Italian meringue, and that involves working with melted sugar that’s 121°C. Me, Mr. Shakes, pouring hit sugar. But I did it. I believe that when I’m focused on doing something I love, that my brain goes to sleep. Baking is my zen place. Tomorrow, I make Nancy’s birthday cake. The meringue will be one layer of a five-layer cake.

At 4:00 I had a spa and a snack; at 5:00 I walked, dressed for Summer, through the forest with Her Highness; at 6:00 I fed the brood, made dinner and sat down on the chaise with my remote. Good weather intoxicates me. I stay busy doing something I’m passionate about, I breath the freshest of air, I get exercise, I make Pinecone Park beautiful, and it all makes me terribly happy.

I also love these days because I am alone, and I don’t speak and so I feel normal. It’s like there’s nothing wrong with me.

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Yesterday, on our second walk, I was thinking about the beauty of the day, and I asked myself, ‘I wonder what the temperature is.” And as I said it, I raised my arm to look at my watch.

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The BC Parks Board will be implementing an experiment, designating some trail in their park system as silent trails. Me, and people like me with neurological diagnoses and/or PTSD, and people on the autism spectrum, and people grieving — I can think of so many types of people who would value silent trails.

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Today was predicted to be cloudy with showers, but there ain’t a cloud in the sky. Wahoo! It’s 7:30 and I’ve already built a rock wall around another tree so that I can make a garden surrounding it. And, hurrah, I’ve made my meringue layer successfully. I was going to make two meringue layers, but not this time. Instead, I’m making one thick one.  Next time, I’ll likely use French meringue and I’ll add some cream of tartar.

Stacy is about to arrive for a morning walk with our dogs, then I’ll get to baking the cake before I go back to the nursery for more plants to put in the new garden.

Here are some photos of this place I love so much.

My herb garden is really coming along.

My raspberries were savaged by the cold snap, but they are
making a bit of a comeback. We'll see how things go.