Spring is finally here with summer gardens on the way–and outdoor gardens the the Northwest Chicago Suburbs have taken notice.
Creeping Jenny
Ostrich Ferns
Look quickly though as many residents of these Chicago condo summer gardens will morph until they are nearly unrecognizable as summer moves closer—and it will continue well beyond that, too. I find it fascinating to watch and enjoy and snap shots of all this activity. I’m probably really going to miss it for the six weeks I am in Canada this summer…hope to see that the perennials that were planted at Maple Lake in recent years survived Ontario’s Winter 2013.
Halcyon Hosta with Creeping Jenny in the backgound
Crabapple blossoms (white petals) Back yard
Japanese Maple (front yard)
In full blossom (Crabapple tree)
Creeping Jenny, Halcyon Hosta, Vinka
Creeping Jenny and Vinka
Newly-tranplanted Creeping Jenny–half-barrel not ready to be planted, yet.,
IMMEDIATE NEED TO HELP people who have been displaced by the Minden Flood: We need items like hand soap, tooth paste, deodorant, toilet paper, shampoo.
Though last week’s good weather helped to dry things up, the fallout from the 2013 Minden Hills flooding is far from over.
In an effort to bring you up-to-the-minute, I’m devoting this post to the Minden Hills area in hopes that you will reach out and support them in any way you possibly can. Over 150 families are homeless and many will permanently lose their homes as they do not have the option to purchase flood insurance coverage since they live on a flood plain.
Please read above “Flood related Community Information” about the latest, streamlined way that anyone, anywhere can donate to the flood relief fund. This makes me so happy as I’m 700 miles away right now and want to help and now can do so on payday using PayPal. Since I’m spending a month and-a-half in the Algonquin Highlands this summer, I intend to do as much of my shopping at local Minden businesses as possible and I hope other folks follow suit this year.
The sun coming out also brought this snap of the Minden Bridge opening this week past:
Minden Bridge reopens (May 2013)
Coach’s Corner Minden Hills Flood Relief May 8th 2013
A huge thank you to Ron Maclean and Don Cherry for giving our town such needed national exposure as we work to raise donations for our devastated town. Over 150 families are homeless and many will permanently lose their homes as they do not have the option to purchase flood insurance coverage as they are in a flood plain. Please visit www.pinestone-resort.com and click on the “Donate Now” button to donate to the “Township of Minden Hills Flood Relief” Trust account or visit any CIBC Branch – All Donations so VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!
EVERY DOLLAR RAISED IS MATCHED WITH A $2 DONATION FROM THE PROVINCIAL GOVT, ESSENTIALLY TRIPLING THE FUNDS
CBC news report
More damage from high water in Minden Hills.
Fund raising efforts for the Minden Community After the Jump:
Beautiful day today–clear–in the 80′s F, especially good too, because a task I had needed to do got cancelled–opening up some unstructured time for me–and the dogs.
Spouse’s garden is looking pretty rad. The Purple Smoke tree in particular is a favourite of mine.
In the backyard – Purple Smoke Tree – 6-21-12
‘Obi’ -6-2012 – Schaumburg backyard
Hosta – 6.21.112
6-21-12
Creeping upward… trellis
Raven and Obi – backyard 6.21.12
OK. That’s pretty much all in back right now–that’s thriving after this brutal weather, anyway. There’s much more in front but I don’t really hang out there. It’s an odd sunlight situation both in front and back because of the way this funny old condo building is built.
We (the condo assoc.–not me personally) fired our on-site groundskeeper and and are not buying much in the way of foliage so what spouse does–the scale, seeing as we own only one condo here not all six units, for this building. He does a real lot. People thank him though, which is all the encouragement he needs, I think.
Chris's 19th - Roger, Chris, & Jim - August 20, 2011
After tomorrow it is officially vacation for Roger and me:
Chris has to go to school and work and Jim has a still-new job clocking in 6 or 7 days a week–and a real-no-excuses boss. Fortunately, Jim had a trip back east my see his grandparents not too long ago. <3
Chris is flying into Buffalo, N.Y. –20 miles from the Falls– on Friday morning—leaving Sunday evening. My mom’s memorial is on Sunday August 28th …with folks coming in to the Haliburton Highlands so we decided to make it more vacation-y and stay overnight at a close to everything place in Niagara Falls. Three stars that my oldest son helped me very much in finding–for cheap–check out the topographic map of how easy it is to walk to the Falls! Excitement!
Niagara Falls Ontario--topographic & map view
… then the next morning at 11 a.m.–perfect-ish for a night owl like me…pick up Chris and do something by the Falls before heading back to Maple Lake until Labour Day… is the plan.
PHOTOS: Chris’s birthday at Fridays’ tonight- He refused the singing. (boo):
Chris 19th birthday aug20-2011-fridays-schaumburg-il-by cyn-mccrackan
- Plus: No one* takes my picture – further proof
*only me
August 19 2011 - Son's 19th birthday Fridays with entire nuclear family!
Some Friday's decor that made me nostalgic and I was already _in_ that frame of mind! * On another note: Was I the only chick that thought Linda Ronstadt was hot like 'this'--versus her hot pants-period (later)? I thought so. She's got really soulful eyes.
Happy 19th birthday, Christopher!
After dinner we saw this film:
Saw on August 20 2011
It was just OK…not great. A couple of the science-based plot holes really distracted me from the film. Also, they wasted Frieda Pinto (sp?) other than as eye candy.
Credit and thanks to the Haliburton Highlands Visitors Centre!!
I was born in Canada and despite moving to the United States as a kid, I will always be a Canadian (have the passport to prove it). Part of the reason, probably a big part, is that I was raised by Canadians. My mother especially, was pretty hardcore Canadian. I’ll offer an example. I’d come home from elementary school after being taught American History. Mother would always remind me that there were two sides to the ‘history’ I was learning and I was being taught the ‘wrong’ side! Example phrasing: “It’s all lies.” A bit confusing, pretty much a guarantee that I wouldn’t exactly excel in my history classes but her intent was pure–to help me stay true to my Canadian roots. I have to state that 1. It worked and two, in a slightly less adamant way (having struggled with American History, I wanted them to at least pass it!) I told both my kids the same thing– to at least to remember you should make up your own mind about what is true and what is not.
Second thing that kept me true to Canada was Maple Lake, Ontario. Spending years, over time, on Maple Lake immersed in cottage country beauty, I knew that a little piece of heaven exsisted north of the border–one that I continue to savour to this day and plan to savour to my last.
… then the next morning at 11 a.m.–perfect-ish for a night owl like me…pick up Chris and do something by the Falls before heading back to Maple Lake until Labour Day… is the plan.
