Sweet Pea Jungle with Little Black and White Cat

 To think that this year, I believed that there would not be any sweet peas. It was such a cold spring and nothing sprouted till late. Took these on the last Monday in August and was surprised by the veritable jungle that has exploded over the front pathway. Never have I had sweet peas last so long and be so hardy, or roses, for that matter. And without even trying.

his is little Black and White cat. Have no idea of his name. He lives down the block, an outdoor cat in all weather. Kind of wonder if his people look after him at all. But he's been brushed lately, is very sweet and gets treats from everyone around here. Happy cat. Follows me around garden, flopping, whenever he gets the chance.

Oh, to  be this happy.Rolling around on hot pavement....sounds glorious.

 Front path, roses  buried from sight. Can't even see the earth under the sweet peas. This is my idea of gardening...a florific profusion pulsating madly.

 Never planted the sunflowers........they sprung from bird seed, left from the winter. Each one of them a surprise.

                      Peace roses peering fearfully out from underneath the sweet pea brush.

 And Little Black and White Cat, ever constant, plops down on the path, just where I was picking.

 Roses, sunflowers, Lavatura, Sweet Peas all clamouring in silent chorus.  If I could hear them, I am sure they would be saying "weed me..."

                                                                    Nice life...........

At leastLitt Black and White Cat found his way up the stairs. Others may not be so lucky.....have no intention of cutting back on the sweet peas....they shall continue to drape themselves  languigly over the cement, until they and the others bloom no more.

Sweet Peas on their way out

Couldn't resist. One last bunch of sweet peas. Might get more, but they are definitely slowing down. Still smell sweet, only not as strong. I also love this old tablecloth. This is the one that my grandmother started, but never finished, then my mum worked on it for a while, then gave it to me to finish, when I was a teenager. It is very small...just tea table sized. Depicts the old blue willow pattern. I remember cross stitiching it one summer till it was done, using some of the originally embroidery thread my mum had kept.

And Even MORE Sweet Peas

 And even more sweet peas are blooming. Seems like they will never stop.  I would prefer if they would bloom all year long, so I figure a picture will go a long ways. Hopefully, when one sees the photo then that sense of smell will kick in............mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 Roses hang on every word , drooping over the sweet pea patch at the front of the house.

 The patch is starting to dwindle, but I may be able to eek out another week or two. Quite late in the season for sweet peas.....not complaining , at all. And the weather is hot and humid. They are blooming effortlessly.

Stuffed into mason jars I sprinkle the sweet peas with water, to keep them fresh on the table......they have that just picked look.....which is, of course, just what they are...............

Sunday

 Today is Sunday. Glorious weather has rained down on us....back garden looks like something out of homes and gardens. The roses are blooming so much, that they are eating up the fertilizer on a weekly basis.

 Love this pink climbers...they don't actually climb...just hang over the pot and their trellis, looking for attention.

 Mt Washington and all the other mountain ranges in the distance hang above the grape vines, which are going crazy right now. Not sure why they are so thick and overgrown. Must have something to do with the pruning last November. Best place to sit is on the bench, with the grape vines lolly gagging around.

 Went to the Fish Hatchery at Quinsam River in the afternoon. Thought we would see eagles....no eagles, or hawks, or ravens, just sheep. This is a new thing.

Sheep seem to like to stare a lot. Awfully cute. Really need a good shearing..their wool was thick.

A flock of sheep, without a shepherd.  Fat and happy . It must be this new way of gardening....let the sheep eat the grass, and therefore no mowing. Not a bad idea. I could do with a sheep or two. But then they might eat the roses.

 Quinsam River at the Fish Hatchery. Rushing water today.

And YES, Fall has arrived, in just a few subtle places. Leave turning colour before your very eyes. Means the fishermen will be out in Sept to do some fly fishing in the river. The salmon will be running  by then.

 Edge of the path where the salmon run. Oodles of people will be standing on the banks trying to catch a Coho salmon.

                        Some even sit on these rocks...but when wet they are slippery.

At the end of the trail...huge uprooted tree..had to go back around to fin another way out. Was a grand day.......

Jars upon Jars of Sweet Peas

 This is just from today...........a late summer  mass of sweet peas, stuffed into any jar I can find, swathed with water to keep them fresh. The scent is out of this world....

This is the front rose bed. I plant as many sweet peas as possible and let them go wild. Worth it. I get tons and tons.

 Okay, I admit, this is not a sweet pea.....begonias. They wanted to get their picture taken.

 Purple sweet peas this year. Haven't seen that colour for a long time.

 Wine glass doubles as a vase...running out of jars...........

 Pye by the piano in the sun with the sweet peas. Have to watch the cat..of the three cats we have, she will systematically pull out every single sweet pea in the jar, or glass, nuzzle it and then eat it. So have to put away the jars at night.

Love this grouping...........sweet peas at their best..........

1938-1941 Ledger Excerpts

 I was clearing out the bookcase, and came acoss an old box full of dried roses. Inside, I found an old account ledger,  very small in size, with only a few years of entries, that my Mum jotted down, between 1938-1941. She and my dad had only been married a few years, living in Victoria in a small apartment,  eeking out a living best as they could. My dad worked for the CPR Railway  and CPR Ships, like the Princess Louise, Princess Mary, in the boiler rooms. These are just some of the excerpts I 've scanned. Really a something to see....so glad I found it.

 Not sure exactly what "Moth-tax" or "Fly tax" is supposed to be.....maybe "fly-tox" ?? Take home pay is jotted down at the top right hand corner . Looks like every two weeks. Some weeks I noticed there was no mantion of pay coming in. Mum worked at odd jobs. She didn't start with the Empress Hotel till the late 40's early 50's. Till then she did odd jobs like sewing, cleaning, etc.

 Looks like it cost a $1.00 to go to Powell River in November of 1938.

 May 1939 reads: "Kay came in. ( Kay was my mother's best friend. She was killed in a car crash about 15 years later) June and July payments to hospital ( my dad was always quite ill, and had numerous operations. No health insurance then. Had to do payments to the doctors) and finished Dr. Lyons. August suitfor Davie, Sept and Oct , insurance, December, Xmas expenses."

 "Rest of 1940 just tried to save a bit and went home ( Bethune, Saskatchewan) for a holiday in November ( three weeks). I worked at Terry's during the summer and went back for 3 months  Jan, Feb., March of 1941. We were both well until May when I went to hospital, and in June, Davie was in Powell River Hospital"

 "I guess I might as well write off 1941 as a complete loss financially, but, considering, Davie came thru one major operation on June 6 for perforatd ulcers, was 16 days in Powell River Hospital.Was poorly until Sept 9th when he was opened once more for infection and after operation twist, recovered and was 21 days in Jubilee. Took yellow jaundice on 26 of Oct and was all better by Christmas 1941. So all in all, '41 was ortunate for us as Davie got happily well again. We spent a wonderful six weeks at home on the farm ( Bethune). We have used $350 in cash, and also wages earned at Willims(?) Amount to about $200 or so, pid rent, storage, and insurnce and sundry, clear except for now outstanding Doctor and Hospital insurance of $488 to date."

 Some weeks, in the ledger, I noticed that they borrowed $2.00 from the bank to tide them over to next pay day.On good weeks, when there was work mum and dad would take the ferry t either Vancouver, or Seattle,  or both, and stay over to see  show and have dinner and stay at a "housekeeping" hotel. All for te rich sum of $7.50 a day. Going to dances they would spend .40  to dance to big band combos.

A list of household items (Not sure of the year. Could be for the cook street house which was in the 40's or for the Fairield House which was in te 50's) Costs have really changed:
Chair and table 8.50
Delivery .50
Wicker 1.65
Shells 1.00
Stove 30.00 ( coal and wood stove)
Chair and ? 130.00
Conge......6.00
oil and cloth 4.50
Bedroom 50.00
pillows 10.0
groceries 10.00
pans, etc. 7.00
clothesline 1.00
rent 15.00 ( last rent of apt, I think)
deposit on water 3.00
coal and wood 6.00
stove and plumbing 2.75 
rugs 7.00
curtains 5.00

Total  $308.85"

And to think we just paid $250.00 for one drain to be unclogged, and an hour and  half of work......

Hummingbird on Verbascum

 Hummingbirds  are frequent vistors to the garden. Often I can hear their little wings whizzing asthey divebomb the flowers. Today I was on the porch, and had a moment to grab the camera. This one was after the Verbascum

 Verbascum can get so tall....this one must be about 6 feet. I think a lot of gardeners consider it to be a type of weed.I think it is an amazing plant. The hummingbirds seem to like it. This one perched on the leaves and stems before whizzing off.

 Soon, this Verbascum will stop bloomin and the stalks will become brittle, dry and hollow. But for hnow they are bright yellow....have also heard it called a "False Sunflower."