Category Gardening
Fixing the fountain
One of my absolute favourite things about my house has been the fountains in the courtyard and backyard. They brought birds and movement and play of sound and light, and confirmed my belief that every garden, no matter how small or urban, ought to have a water feature. Alas, the fountains did not survive my […]
Second chances start with science…
Remember the Great Goldfish Disaster of 2020, when we discovered that my pond was essentially a cauldron of death? Well, I’ve decided to have a second go at it—only this time I’ve done more homework. Why do fish die? Maybe low oxygen levels in the water—add an aerator . . . Why else? Unhealthy levels […]
Weekend reset: mountains and flowers and cycling and a baby tapir!
I took a four-day weekend this week. My time on the covid-related project that has been keeping me so busy at work is coming to an end and my replacement is fairly well onboarded at this point, so it seemed a good opportunity to take a break and (at least start to) reset. Only, what […]
This is what happens
Sometimes you run out to pick up a few necessaries for grilling with friends on the roof and realise before you even get to the condiment aisle that dinner-plate dahlias should have been at the top of the list. An oversight quickly remedied… 😉 These are no shrinking violets! Let’s just say it’s a good […]
Has summer finally come?
After a classic Seattle June-uary and what had been looking increasingly like Febr-uly, can it be that summer is finally here? Clear skies, mid-70s… let’s hope this lasts! And since our work-from-home has been extended now through the beginning of January, I’m going to soak up as much of this as I can on the […]
There were hummingbirds today
They come most days, actually, but today I managed to capture a few action shots. My favourite moments are when they perch on the grate next to where I’m sitting and look at me with their big black eyes and their beaks covered in pollen and their adorable tiny feet poking out below. No grabbing […]
Night shift
I hope you’ll excuse another “working from home” post. It’s just that if you have to work late on a clear summer night in Seattle, the best way to do it is wrapped in a blanket with a view of the city skyline and a patio heater, surrounded by honeysuckle, gardenias, and roses all in […]
It’s not all roses and rooftop grilling
After my post yesterday I scrolled back through the blog and realised that I might be doing that thing where people post their unrealistic best selves online and leave out all the messy details. So lest you think that my life is all roses and rooftop grilling, here’s a shot of my “home office” where […]
Tonight the sunset matched my roses
The best part of my day is winding down in the garden on my roof.
Something went wrong
After such a hopeful start yesterday, this morning brought grim news: All of my pretty fish are dead on the bottom of the pond. Clearly something has gone very wrong with the pond conditions. Apparently fine for plant life but inhospitable to fish—what a shame. Something new to figure out.
A More Gentlemanlike Manner 