Christmas at Home

Since Valerie & Richard were not with us for the Christmas gathering in London, we hosted another gathering at home. Unless people had visited them in Halifax, Nova Scotia, I suspect the last time that these folks had seen them would be at their wedding in May 2005!

Here is our first "family portrait" since the wedding.


















Posing with my sister and brother-in-law: Mayette & Oliverio. Not wasting O's talents, I had him make us some delicious noodle ("misua") soup.


















Here's cousin Karen & Dan from London, ON; Aunt Ruth & Uncle Bill from Lucan, ON.


















My brother & sister-in-law: Marvin & Mona from Woodhaven, Michigan. Marvin looks more alert & definitely sober this time!


















My youngest sister, Chalkie, aka Marissa from Toronto, ON, looking very photogenic as usual.


















My cousin Fleur & Teddy from Toronto,ON. It looked like Teddy was a little "jet lagged"- lost some sleep between the London & Windsor festivities and back this way again over a period of 4 days, I imagine.


















Last but not least, a pose with my mom and my son, Michael.


















I thought that the "Open House" was a success. It allowed Valerie & Richard to catch up with some of the folks with no loud music nor a videoke to interrupt the flow of conversation. For all those present, thanks again for coming.

London Christmas Celebration

Christmas means a family get together. Here are some photos taken in London, Ontario at Mayette's & Oliverio's on December 25, 2008.




Left to right (standing): my son Michael, my brother Marvin, my cousin Fleur in red, my sister Mayette, my sister-in-law Erichelle, my brother Jonas. (sitting): my sister Chalkie, me (behind Chalkie), family friend Liza, my sister-in-law Mona, my mom Martha, and nephew Jediah.





















Our host and resident chef, Oliverio, who was rarely in the pictures because he was always in the kitchen!









My husband, Bob, sous chef de jour.




As usual, we celebrated with much filipino food, Yellow Tail Merlot, & Zinfandel followed by much videoke singing & dancing with our own star "rocker", Marvin.

What is a bris ceremony?

Recently, our dear friends, Gerry & Linda, became grandparents to a beautiful baby boy, Rhys. His proud parents are Jonathan & Christine Hannon.

Eight days after he was born, we were able to meet him at his bris ceremony, the Jewish ritual circumcision.

This was a family/community-celebrated event which we felt honored to attend.


Christine & Jonathan with the "Mohel".















Linda, the happy grandparent, with Rhys soundly asleep in her arms.

A tribute

Mom, Jediah, Dad- taken May 2008

My father, Juan Fiesta Asuncion, died peacefully at Parkwood Hospital, London, Ontario on November 15, 2008 , nine days after he was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. He was 84 years old.

I wrote this letter for him.

Dear Dad,

Celebrating your life at a Family Mass at St. Michael's Church, complete with a Filipino choir, was just the beginning. Respecting your wishes, we had a luncheon at one of your favorite Chinese Buffet Restaurant: we shared our grief and special memories with family and friends. But, Dad, it did not end there. Mom and your children celebrated for the rest of the week in your honor. I know that you were there with each one of us: in our hearts, in our memories.

You were remembered as one who embraced life with gusto. At work, your leadership and your honest work ethics were highly admired and commended by your co workers and staff alike. You worked very hard, sometimes working with 2 jobs to provide for your growing family: food, shelter, clothing and education. Of course, you balanced this with regular social activities like playing tennis or mah-jong and parties. Oh, we recalled how you liked to party!

As we became older, it became more important for you to have family get togethers. When you can no longer host dinner parties, you discovered Chinese Buffet Restaurants. So you gathered us around you as often as possible perhaps to remind us that life becomes shorter as one grows older. I am glad you did.

You enjoyed your senior status, unlike many seniors I know. Your "Senior Day" shopping became as much of a routine as a Sunday Mass. No doubt your impoverished relatives back in the Philippines had enjoyed receiving all the goods that you generously sent them regularly as a result of your senior-discounted shopping spree!

I remember the time you made your daily walking circuit to include the public library to get a free copy of the local paper. In return, you supported the library's appeal for children's programs; this I didn't know then.

As your arthritic knee threatened to slow you down, you upgraded your cane to a "Rollator" walker complete with a basket and a seat- just perfect for those shopping stops. And when that became too slow or too dangerous to cross a 4 lane busy intersection, a mobility scooter was your answer. Yes, you accepted these "problems" but found your own solutions anyway. I read once that "the greatest gift a parent can give his children is his independence". For this gift, I am thankful.

I understood how important it was for you to be mobile; this was your link to your "social networking". You befriended people everywhere you went: other seniors in the mall, the store cashier, the librarian, the pharmacy assistant, the butcher. They called you by your first name as you made your "rounds". Dad, this was a wonderful gift; it made you happy.

Now, each time I see a crossword or a Sudoku puzzle or pass by a Chinese Buffet or see Jediah (calling for his "wo-wo"), I'll think of you. More than that, for the love of gardening and cooking from scratch, I'll always have you to be grateful for.

Your daughter,

Vae

Freebies

Well, Hallowe'en flew in with 3 sets of trick or treaters (5 kids in total) with Bob at the door clucking the right words to compliment each one of them. I was busy baking sweet breads (to take to church for coffee tomorrow). And that ended our month of October.

Today, we started the month of November with a trip to the big city of Toronto for the Zoomer Show. As CARP (Canadian Advocacy for Retired Persons) members, we got in for free! This is one of those times I don't mind being one of "them".

There were various "lounges" and park benches to rest one's feet so, we frequented these spots as we enjoyed free lattes and Chai tea as we browse through our pamphlets, brochures and freebies. Before long, there was someone with sesame crackers and roasted pepper dip. Every hour, there were scheduled entertainment; we enjoyed Toronto's own jazzy Elise LeGrow, Ron Moore's Songs in the Key of Elvis. Also, cast members from We will Rock You, the Musical "Queen".

The exhibits were divided into different groups: Education, Health, Lifestyle, Money, and Travel/Real Estate. I looked at electric bicycles (as mode of transportation, not for exercise), Brain Fitness Program (computer based), Me to We Volunteer Adventures and wave machines to increase bone density to name a few. I supposed we could have taken the posturepedic beds for a "test drive" but I was afraid that type of comfort might really induce me to sleep!

Being in its first year, there were only a few exhibitors so it didn't take long for us to see what we wanted to see.

On our way home, we stopped by Whole Foods in Oakville. This is a foodie's mecca: the products are esthetically displayed, the aisles are wide, and lots of product samples to taste. Had we timed our visit a little later, then supper would have been taken cared of.

It was a relaxing and enjoyable day; a day full of freebies. For that, I am grateful.

Acts of Green

Did everyone get a chance to be part of the "Greening of Canada"? If not, be sure to register at the website One Million Acts of Green and get counted!

Now, I'm interested in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as one of my "green acts". In fact, when we lived in Kitchener, we joined a CSA program the summer before we moved to Brantford. Not only did we support the local farmers but we also enjoyed drug free (organic) fruit and veggies. Some of them were even "firsts" in our limited knowledge of local food: ground cherries, kale and swiss chard. The latter had become one of my favorite leafy green vegetable; that's why I grew them in my garden this year.
My very own organic Swiss chard, harvested this summer.


The above CSA site provides interesting tid bits. If you don't have the time to browse just now, here is a sample:

Interesting Facts About Imported Food in Canada:

- Most imported food is not inspected in Canada
- No processed food is inspected unless a complaint has been received
- The country of origin is not mandated on food labels
- "Product of Canada" doesn't necessarily mean "grown in Canada"
- Less than 10% of imported food is inspected and it is not mandated to meet Health Canada Guidelines for food production in Canada

Enough to make you think twice about those "exotics", eh?

Distraction

Well, it's been a while since I posted something in my blog. There were and still are several distrations.

One is that 3 weeks ago, Michael had decided to cycle to Halifax by "tenting it" along the way, usually finding a spot behind the bushes (if no camping parks along the way). He did manage to find some motels every 3 days or so to shower, do laundry and give us a call then. We did most of our communication by sending text messages via our cell phones. This piece of technology is very cost effective but it can give one a false sense of security. Michael was very good in letting us know his location at the end of the day. Except for those 3 nights when we failed to receive any messages from him! I did what any mothers would do: panicked. He finally called to let us know that he had been sending messages (but we never got them). So, exactly 3 weeks from the day he left Brantford, he safely arrived at Valerie and Richard's on October 15th.

Another distraction is that another Master Gardeners course, "The Science of Gardening" has started this month. A more difficult study "to get into" compared to the first course "Plant Identification and Use" .

Then, yet another garden project was started beginning with 5 cubic yards of triple mix that was delivered on the front boulevard; that had to be wheeled- barrowed and distributed to more perennial bed in the backyard! (I'd say about 4 times bigger than the front yard). Bob did the wheel barrowing and I did the rest including planting/transplanting more than 30 plant species. Some species have 3-8 individual plants!
This North facing garden in front of the Spruce trees shows only 1/4 of this Fall's garden project.

Of course, there is the usual "Fall Cleanup" to be done around the house. Bob has his share of cleaning the roof, draining the rain barrels, raking & (still) mowing the lawn, etc... but cleaning up the garden and preparing it for the winter is my sole responsibility.

So, don't let all these activities make you think that I'm working full time (but not getting paid in the general sense) but I am really having fun, too!

River Rafting down the Grand

What else do I do besides gardening activities? Well, I've invited my family to go down the Grand River river rafting but received a lukewarm response except for my sisters. So, we made it a "Girl's Outing".

This particular trip stretched from Bean Park in Paris, Ontario to Brantford. Do check out this very interesting link.



















Roger, the proprietor of Blue Heron Rafting, is the guy with the hat above.



















Here's the truck that hauled the trailer.



















The adventurers: Liza (family friend), Chalkie (my sister), Mayette (my other sister), and Judit (Mayette's friend).



















All aboard! All outfitted with an adventurous spirit and ready to roll.



















This is a geological example of the riverside (Stuff to make the plaster of Paris, hence, the city of Paris is named). There is a stream flowing on top of that rock above the shoreline but too shallow to get a good close-up.


















Here's our tour guide and master paddler/steerer, Terry who is Roger's brother, setting up this portable table for our picnic on an island. He states that this table is about 100 years old that's been with his family for generations.

Potluck lunch included egg salad & tuna wraps, grapes, pears, homemade pastries & squares. To drink: roasted coconut juice, ginger ale or water.


















We passed by the Brant Conservation Area camping ground with a few people still have their trailers & tents up. (it closes in the winter.)



















With the Brantford Golf & Country Club in the horizon, our trip was completed.

After we retrieved my car, we continued our adventure (on foot) downtown Paris to shop.

So, a Fall morning on an inflatable raft , a friendly tour guide with a sense of humor while one sits back & enjoy what nature has to offer, to be entertained with bits of local history & moments of heart thumping water-maneuvering paddling... a picnic on a deserted island in the middle of the Grand River....what else can one ask for?

End Season Blooms

Is it really time to relinquish summer?
Here is a mosaic of my garden blooms in September. Although most of the plants look raggedy & spent, they are still smaller blooms soaking in the last warm sun rays of the season.

Just as I was slowly tucking some of the plants in for hibernation, another new bloom surprised me: a toad lily! (Trycirtis 'White Tower')-below.
This is a woodland plant that was given to me by one of the Master Gardeners. A 3" plant with 3 stems which was constantly being dug by the squirrels and trampled on by some mammal (neighbor cat, I suspect) all through summer! So you can imagine how surprised I was to see it in bloom! The diameter of the crown is less than an inch but the petals look as sturdy as an orchid.

Just to show that nature is always full of surprises and one never knows what's there unless you poke around a little bit!

More rights

These are my week's worth of garden gloves that go through the wash (and hung to dry as seen in this photo).

Michael uses the same type of gloves when he goes out West tree planting. However, he only uses the left hand glove. After 2-3 years, he finally unloaded his "leftover" right gloves to me! As it happens, as a right hand dominant, I wear out my right hand gloves a lot faster than the other hand.

So, who says your gardening gloves have to match?

A gardener's bag

When the Brantford Garden Club had its Plant Sale this summer, it also had a table with used gardening items. This handy bag was by big purchase ($3.00). While I just use a good old pail for my hand tools around the garden, this bag is the one I tote around when I volunteer at the RBG. Look at how much it holds! My lunch, a reference book, camera, cell phone, wallet,etc. all fit inside this spacious bag. Now, that is worth the investment!

Harvest pictures

Vegetable gardening this year seemed almost effortless after all the rain we've had and the fact that I chose to plant a limited amount.

As the end of summer draws near, the Roma tomatoes struggled with the weight of its fruits.











Initial scallop squash harvest: bite-sized, ready to steam & devoured with or without butter.












Beet greens were ready to be harvested all summer but the beets themselves took their time to mature.











Peas, of course, are cool weather veggies, so they were the first harvest to grace our table. We were able to freeze a little bit as we enjoyed the sugar snaps at the same time.










Swiss chard is one of my favorite leafy vegetable because it is jam packed with nutrition for such a mild tasting veggie (compared to the beet greens which taste like beets).


While I sound obsessed with gardening ever since I started with the winter's indoors sowing, I feel just utterly satisfied and gratified with each garden visit. Writing it down helps validate this feeling of gratitude.

Garden projects completed at last!

There are two important outdoor improvements in the garden this summer.

One of Bob's projects was installing the rain barrels which he purchased last May. This is a state-of-the-art rain barrel installation. The PVC pipes are removable for winter storage and reconfigured to attach to the underground drain pipe.

But before he could even begin to install these, the brick walkway had to be put in place first. This walkway leads to the tool shed at the side of the house. Note the herringbone pattern of the bricks as it curves around the deck.

Not only does the walkway go around the deck, it also bifurcates (Michael really likes this word) towards the compost bin behind the garage.

As these areas are the most heavily traveled, it sure is a welcome improvement!

The rain barrels will prove their worth in the years to come as well.

Discovering Rosamunde Pilcher

I finished reading Rosamunde Pilcher's novels, back to back: September and Coming Home. What a refreshing style of writing! Her descriptions of Scotland and England transported me to these magical countrysides. This is one way of traveling vicariously.

It looks like Coming Home was a TV mini series which I obviously missed. I have to look that up in the library.

While I get the flower beds ready for Winter, I am getting my book list ready at the local library. What fun!

Other authors I've enjoyed is Jennifer Chiaverini who writes Elm Creek Quilt series. She has a few books out since I last checked the library. Then, there's Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series which are on the hilarious side of crime fiction.

Yes, I am getting a break from Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series which I had been reading since my aunt from Michigan introduced me to his writing in 2004. While I like his style of writing, the subject matter gets a little heavy, dark and "unhealthy". So, off I go on the lighter side.

Then and Now

August is near its end; it's a good time to browse though my garden photo collection to view the changes that happened in my garden. I share with you some of the result of this summer's incredible record precipitation, along with persistent weeding and cultivation, and ongoing battle with the mosquitoes who love the moisture as much as my plants!

Then: Here is my front perennial garden planted in the Fall 2007. This picture was taken on May 19, 2008.














Now:This photo, a south-facing garden, was taken today. It is a sunny day so the colors are a bit washed out despite much editing. The annuals: pink & white cosmos, golden yellow annual rudbeckia, dazzling fuscia zinnias, delicate pink and white cleome. What the photo doesn't show is the variety of textures and shades of green and gray-green.









Then: My Spring garden as taken on May 19, 2008. The foundation plants (evergreen) and the iris came with the house. The bits of green growth are the perennials planted from last fall.










Now: The self-seeding Impatiens balsamina came with the house as well and they are great for filling in any extra space in the flower bed. They come in as pale pink, dark pink, red and dark purple so they blend well with the rest. This salvia 'May Night', which has become one of my favorites, has been flowering all summer although the spikes are not as showy as the first blooms. The yellow marigolds in the foreground and the yellow bidens to the left of the photo complements the dark purple of the salvia.

All corners of the backyard garden have been providing me a glimpse of panoramic colors which I hope will enlarge as the years go by. Also, it's been a delight to see the veggies survive despite the constant onslaught of snails, slugs and whatever bugs that decide to feast on them.

Now: From left to right, Heliopsis (false sunflower), pink Coreopsis, Rudbeckia hirta (black eyed susan), Buddleja davidii (butterfly bush), Delicata squash, Heliopsis,Coreopsis, Zinnias, Buddleja, Rudbeckia, Heliopsis, Physotegia (obedient plant), 'Sprite' Astilbe, 'Pumila' Astilbe, Helianthus annus (sunflower), Roma tomatoes.

Sunflowers - finally!

After being away for about 5 days (wedding/reunion in Minnesota), I came home with a surprise: my sunflowers (Helianthus annus) are in bloom! (Well, OK, I only have 2 blooms).

About 4 months ago, I joined San Francisco State University's "The Great Sunflower Project". Please click on this link as it explains the project without me repeating the information.

While the warmer climes had been submitting data since April, I can finally start submitting. There are certain criteria to follow so I just need that window of opportunity to do the bee counting. Yeah!

For my gardener friends, you may want to consider joining this project next year or please let others know about it.

Minneapolis Family Reunion

The Soriano-Asuncion reunion was prompted by the wedding of my cousin's son in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The wedding was on August 9,2008; the celebrants: Ed and Kellie. The day was auspicious: clear, sunny weather, impeccable wedding ceremony and the reception at the bride's parents' home went smoothly as well.

The common denominator between the Soriano and the Asuncion families is on the maternal side: our mothers are sisters. The Sorianos are as spread apart as we are (Asuncions): 2 siblings from California, one from Washington state, and another from British Columbia.



This ratio is reversed in my family. While I am the only one in Brantford, my parents, a sister (Mayette) and brother Jonas with his family live in London,ON; my oldest brother (Marvin) & his family live in Woodhaven, Michigan, and a sister (Chalkie) live in Toronto.

The reception was held at the Brandt's (the bride's family home): Beautiful gardens, well-decorated and well- coordinated tables and delicious spread followed by dancing music.