Yes, one more day of pretty pictures while I rush around picking up supplies for feeding the 30 or so family members who will hang out at my place this week. Six of my siblings — two brothers and four sisters, and that’s not the whole family! — and their families are coming over this evening on various ferries as well as my own four and some of their partners. Since the beds will all be full with my own kids-and-partners, my sibs are checking into the hotel just across the harbour but the cousins and a friend or two (all teens and early twenties) will bring therma-rests, sleeping bags, and a tent or two to set up in the yard.
So I’m heading to the ferry with the wheelbarrow for carrying back the artisan sausages we will barbeque — they make the best “gourmet hotdogs” along with lots of buns, bacon, eggs, flour, and syrup for tomorrow’s pancake breakfast. I’ll be trying to think of simple salads to shop for as I go — probably a roast baby potato salad and a mixed green with simple additions. The key is to keep it all simple so the focus will be on fun. I know a musical instrument or three will be making the trip, and I’ve let my neighbours know there might be a bit of noise.
Meanwhile, I leave you with more pretty pictures. The flowers at the top and just below are the very dainty flowers of a meadow/woodland rue, Thalictrum delavayi. So pretty, and the foliage is lovely as well. That exact shade of mauve and the accompanying delicacy reminds me quite intensely of a little cotton lawn dress, sprigged with dainty flowers, that I smocked for one of my daughters, and also of a dress my little sister wore when she sang in a festival at five years old. Layers of memory, triggered by my garden. 
I also swoon for the freshness of this Heavenly Bamboo’s foliage. After last winter’s cold, this particular HB, previously the sturdiest in the garden, appeared dead (in other spots, such are the vagaries of microclimates, HBs that had struggled in the past seemed fine with the cold). But rather than get rid of it, we chopped it to the ground and gave it one more chance. We’ve been well rewarded, as you can see.
Anyway, I’d better rush or I won’t make the ferry and the sausages won’t get bought, nor the bacon, flour, etc., and we’ll all have to stare glumly at the ocean and starve this weekend. No fun at all, right?
Have a great weekend – it sounds like it will be a LOT of fun!! Do you have the Joy of Cooking book? I just did a pasta salad out of it – penne, feta, black olives, olive oil, red onion, capers, herbs, easy and tasty. We are having a party next weekend so I'm trying to find easy things to make (we have a very small kitchen, oven, fridge – small everything!). Patricia
Splendid party plans! Homemade sausage, ohhhh. Have a wonderful time and I will be wishing you flawless weather.
Ooh. I have some Heavenly Bamboo in my back yard. It's getting rather leggy and long in the tooth. Maybe come October I will chop it to the ground too and hope for a similar resurrection.
Sounds like a wonderful time.
I think you should make yourself and your family one of those nice digital hardback books and call it, "Mater's Garden." Or "The Seasons In Our Garden" or something like that. You could give them out for Christmas. Check out blurb.com.
Lovely pictures! I love that nandina. Might have to plant some of that when I re-do my front yard (someday…).
Your upcoming weekend sounds like it will be a blast. Even though it's a lot of work, having a houseful of people is my idea of a grand time.
Oh lovely lovely pictures, and the thought of artisan sausages in a wheelbarrow makes me smile. I am sure you will have barrel's of fun. Have a fabulous weekend!
cool!
Caitlin is coming down on sunday morning and might bring Ava.
Love the HB 😉
Hey, are we off your neighbour list for some reason?
It sounds like lots of fun and a good celebratory reunion. (But we'll set the barking dogs on you if you make any noise!!!!)
Have fun!!! See you on the beach.
The Uninformed Matthewses
Patricia: I do have JofC, and that salad sounds perfect! Thanks for the suggestion.
Duchesse: The homemade sausage are always so good — driving home with them in the car today was a tease of garlic! Can't wait to barbeque them tomorrow.
LPC: I'd recommend a serious haircut for your HB.
Karen: I'll check that out. Good idea.
Pseu: I love a houseful as well, even though I need a few days to prepare and a few to recover. Makes me feel so nurturing or something.
Mardel: Thanks Mardel — barrels and barrows of fun!
Girlcook: It will be great to see Caitlin — and Ava would be an absolute bonus.
Anonymous: Yes, we'll we can't compete with Victor for noise-making, can we? And he's going to be miffed to have so many folks not even checking in with border control. . . 😉
This sounds like such a wonderful house party, and to have it in such a beautiful location must make your guests feel extremely fortunate: you've provided a trifecta of beauty, love, and good food!
I just found this blog by accident. I was googling images, trying to find a companion plant for a euphorbia. Then I spent time trying to guess where you live. (This is how you waste time on the internet.)
Is it Protection Island? For a long while, I was guessing you were a Lasquetian (someone who lives on Lasqueti). I spent my summers on Gabriola Island on the north end and love it.
Great blog. I will follow it. Keep it up.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Looking forward to hearing all about how it went – and seeing pictures!
PutterM: We had fun — thanks!
Michael: Welcome and thanks for leaving a comment and for "following" — I love having new readers! I'm going to stay non-committal re specific location although it's a bit "escaped horse/barn door"-ish at this point. I will say you know your island geography well and also that if you observe the views I sometimes provide photos of, you'll probably recognize coastal landmarks.
Tiffany: Coming soon to a location near you . . .