Lilies

Lilies are in bloom!  There are a few varieties in my flower garden, but don't ask for their names.  I can tell you where they come from, but that is all!  The top one is a day-lily.  It has bloomed before, but only a sprinkling here and there.  I can see as with all my lilies, this is a generous year.  Seems like they enjoy the weather we've been having.

Both these red lilies were bought in the states.  The pack was only called 'red collection'.  There is another stunning lily in the collection but it is a later blooming one.

Another 'nameless' variety, help me out if you can!  This one was also bought in the states, and has done wonderfully well.  Last year it had countless flowers on the stalks. This year I have been able to divide it and share with others from the bulbs.

This beautiful pale pink lily was dug up from one of my sisters' clumps this year.  

One of the first lilies we had, this one was accidentally left behind when I threw out a bunch which were overtaking a patio plot.   I am glad of it though as this kind is a favourite of mine. 

Card-making

I participated in the Stamping Fiskateer crop last weekend.  I like crop weekends as not only do I get to craft with challenges, but I get needed cards done.

The challenge for the card above was simply to stamp on paper.  The stamps are both Fiskars.  The flower spray was from a set given to me but I had never used.  I love it so you'll be seeing more of it. The border punch is Apron lace by Fiskars.

 I also found a great use for my scallop scissors.  I always admire the scalloped shape I see on cards as it adds a beautiful lacy look to them.  I imagine people either buy the layered shapes or have some kind of tool that  makes them.  Well I made my own and am glad it worked!  I tried my hand at it and really like the finishing touch.

The challenge for the card below was to use something orange.  Same stamps and card design.  I used orange ink and art glitter for the flowers.  The border punch is by Martha Stewart.

Wordless Wednesday -- Happily Situated

Morden Roses

Bouquet of Morden Roses and dianthus.

Aside from a few mini-roses, the only others in my flower garden are from the Morden hardy collection.  I like these roses and would like to add more to my collection.  Seen above are the 'Prairie Joy' (pink), 'Morden Blush' (peach), 'Adelaide Hoodless' (red), and a bud from the 'Hope for Humanity' (dark red). These are all favourites of mine for different reasons; among them being that all are prairie hardy.

Prairie Joy Rose

The Prairie Joy was one of the first shrubs we planted when moving here 15 years ago.  I have actually divided it and begifted many people with a slip.

Adeleide Hoodless Rose

This rose was started from a slip from one of my sisters.  It blooms every year with a multitude of small roses, the just-opening buds being perfect for corsages.

Morden Blush

My newest rose, this was bought last year at season closing for a dollar!!  It thrived from the start and made it through an unpredictable winter where other roses and perennials didn't.  The rose has lovely old-fashioned looking flowers, tightly pedaled in the most beautiful soft pink colour. 

Hope for Humanity

Named for the Canadian Red Cross' 100th anniversary, this rose has beautiful deep red velvety  flowers.  The plant itself has sturdier stems than my other roses.  It took a while for it to show signs of life this spring and I almost took it for dead.  I decided to leave it be and see what will happen.  A lucky move as it finally sent up shoots from the ground and is just now starting to bloom.

Field Trip

This year's field trip for my students was to Souris Manitoba.  I take my class there every few years mainly so that all the students have a chance to experience searching for rocks in the Agate pit.  We had quite a full agenda this year.  Leaving at 9, we had the forenoon planned for the Hillcrest Museum, Victoria Park, and the swinging bridge.  That was a bit too much as most of the morning was spent at the museum.

Hillcrest Museum --used to be the family home of Squire Sowden, bought by the town and turned into a museum.  The museum houses a butterfly collection collected from all over the world.  

 

We managed a walk across the swinging bridge, and I as usual was the last over, and had to be on the bridge by myself.  No amount of reasoning helps me cross over with the group.  The river is quite deep this year with all the rain we've been getting.

After a picnic lunch we went on to the swimming pool.  I was disappointed that the water was too deep for the kids to enjoy the fun slides, but they enjoyed the wading, splashing, and water sprays.

From the pool we went to the Rock Shop for a quick lecture on finding rocks and the different types to search for, and then on to the Agate pit.  The pit is a working gravel pit, and we need a permit from the shop to access it.  I didn't get photos but there were some beautiful and interesting specimens found as usual.

Pontoon Boating resting on the Souris River.

For our finale we went on a river boat ride.  A guide took us for an hour long ride on the souris river on a pontoon boat. A soft voice on the speaker system came on every few minutes to share bits and pieces of history along the river.  That was such a calming ride with classical music playing, had I been able to stretch out I would have slumbered through it.

Snoozing on the way home, with a pail of rock treasures collected at the pit.

It was another great trip to a small Manitoba town.