Thursday, October 31, 2013
Bragg Creek Foothills - New Paintings -2013
I have just finished up a small series of 10x8 oil paintings which are of the aspen trees in the foothills around Bragg Creek, Alberta. Hope you enjoy them.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Planting Garlic
Ready to plant garlic! So I've got a couple local garlic bulbs for seed, plus I've purchased a bag of 4 bulbs for seed, too.
On Oct 18, 2015 we planted the Florissa seed garlic from the Netherlands. The cloves are smaller and there are about 8 cloves per bulb. Planted 4 bulbs.
We will wait till November to plant the local seed garlic. These are hardneck garlic with a tinge of purple color to them. Not sure of the actual name of them.
I have been reading up on planting garlic and these are my notes:
The hard-neck varieties are all cold climate garlic and should be planted late in the fall, four weeks before the ground freezes up. This will give the plants time to establish their roots before the ground gets to cold. Russian Hardneck porcelain and Yugoslavian Porcelain garlic are good for seed stock and table garlic. They are the known "best growers" for these islands.
Garlic planting normally occurs in early October after it starts to get cold. First prepare the soil. Garlic is a hungry grower and does best in a soil with a high nutrient content. In wet areas it is recommended to grow garlicin raised beds. Garlic doesn't develop well in dry soil, so water regularly. The soil must drain well to prevent rot. Seaweed is a good source of nitrogen and is a popular addition to gardens planted on the island.
To grow this vegetable, you plant the individual garlic cloves that you break apart from the garlic bulb or head. Source out a local grower for your garlic bulbs that you will use for seed. Choose good size bulbs with good size cloves for your seed.
Plant the individual cloves so that the top is 1-2" deep with the root end of the garlic pointed down and the pointed end of the garlic up. Mulch on top with naturally composted vegetation. Plant cloves in a grid about 6x6". Tap down the ground firmly and cover the entire bed with a thick layer of mulch, leaves or straw to protect the sprouts for the winter.
Add fish fertilizer and lime in March and May. Water the bed if it does not rain.
Most growth occurs before the summer sun starts to dry out the plants. First above the ground are the lush strappy leaves and then come the curly scapes. The garlic plant produces it's scape or flower stalks in June or early July. Cut them off when they make their first loop so that the plant's energy can go into growing bigger bulbs. These flower stalks are a gourmet delicacy and are called garlic scapes. The scapes make great pesto.
Harvest your garlic before the tops have flowers on them. By late June, early July the first of the fresh garlic bulbs will be ready to harvest. Watch for the bottom three leaves on the stalk to turn yellow because that's the sign that it's time to harvest. To allow for optimum under-ground bulb curing, avoid watering for a few weeks before harvest which is usually around the end of July. Use a shovel or fork to lift the garlic bulbs out of the ground. Don't try to pull them out and be careful as garlic bruises easily.
After you harvest it, carefully brush off the dirt, tie in bunches, and cure it by hanging in a cool dark place with good air circulation for 3 to 5 months. Spread the bulbs out where they are protected from the sun and the rain or hang the plants in bunches of 4 to 6 tied with strings. You want the air to reach all sides of the bulbs. You can hang them in an open shed in a breezy location for 2 weeks to cure.
After drying, Trim the stems to 2" and move the garlic heads to an open brown paper bag, a mesh bag or a cardboard box with a lid that has a few holes for air circulation. As a last resort, the vegetable drawer in your fridge can be used. Garlic likes a cool 15 to 18*C, dry and dark place to keep from sprouting.
Safe some of your bulbs to plant next year. Allow at least two years between successive planting of the allium family (garlic, leeks and onions).
Note: If the tips of your garlic plant turn a slight yellow, you need more nitrogen in the soil. Add organic fish fertilizer (5-0-0) to improve the nitrogen level.
GARLIC PUREE
If you want to preserve fresh garlic, simply peel it, chop it or puree it, mix it with olive oil, seal in a jar and refrigerate for up to a month or put in a container and freeze.
GARLIC SCAPE PESTO
1/2 lb chopped garlic scapes
1 cup olive oil
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
In a blender, puree scapes and olive oil until smooth. Add parmesan and serve on pasta.
PICKLED GARLIC
2 cups vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pickling spice
Perfect for 3 jars.
On Oct 18, 2015 we planted the Florissa seed garlic from the Netherlands. The cloves are smaller and there are about 8 cloves per bulb. Planted 4 bulbs.
We will wait till November to plant the local seed garlic. These are hardneck garlic with a tinge of purple color to them. Not sure of the actual name of them.
I have been reading up on planting garlic and these are my notes:
The hard-neck varieties are all cold climate garlic and should be planted late in the fall, four weeks before the ground freezes up. This will give the plants time to establish their roots before the ground gets to cold. Russian Hardneck porcelain and Yugoslavian Porcelain garlic are good for seed stock and table garlic. They are the known "best growers" for these islands.
Garlic planting normally occurs in early October after it starts to get cold. First prepare the soil. Garlic is a hungry grower and does best in a soil with a high nutrient content. In wet areas it is recommended to grow garlicin raised beds. Garlic doesn't develop well in dry soil, so water regularly. The soil must drain well to prevent rot. Seaweed is a good source of nitrogen and is a popular addition to gardens planted on the island.
To grow this vegetable, you plant the individual garlic cloves that you break apart from the garlic bulb or head. Source out a local grower for your garlic bulbs that you will use for seed. Choose good size bulbs with good size cloves for your seed.
Plant the individual cloves so that the top is 1-2" deep with the root end of the garlic pointed down and the pointed end of the garlic up. Mulch on top with naturally composted vegetation. Plant cloves in a grid about 6x6". Tap down the ground firmly and cover the entire bed with a thick layer of mulch, leaves or straw to protect the sprouts for the winter.
Add fish fertilizer and lime in March and May. Water the bed if it does not rain.
Most growth occurs before the summer sun starts to dry out the plants. First above the ground are the lush strappy leaves and then come the curly scapes. The garlic plant produces it's scape or flower stalks in June or early July. Cut them off when they make their first loop so that the plant's energy can go into growing bigger bulbs. These flower stalks are a gourmet delicacy and are called garlic scapes. The scapes make great pesto.
Harvest your garlic before the tops have flowers on them. By late June, early July the first of the fresh garlic bulbs will be ready to harvest. Watch for the bottom three leaves on the stalk to turn yellow because that's the sign that it's time to harvest. To allow for optimum under-ground bulb curing, avoid watering for a few weeks before harvest which is usually around the end of July. Use a shovel or fork to lift the garlic bulbs out of the ground. Don't try to pull them out and be careful as garlic bruises easily.
After you harvest it, carefully brush off the dirt, tie in bunches, and cure it by hanging in a cool dark place with good air circulation for 3 to 5 months. Spread the bulbs out where they are protected from the sun and the rain or hang the plants in bunches of 4 to 6 tied with strings. You want the air to reach all sides of the bulbs. You can hang them in an open shed in a breezy location for 2 weeks to cure.
After drying, Trim the stems to 2" and move the garlic heads to an open brown paper bag, a mesh bag or a cardboard box with a lid that has a few holes for air circulation. As a last resort, the vegetable drawer in your fridge can be used. Garlic likes a cool 15 to 18*C, dry and dark place to keep from sprouting.
Safe some of your bulbs to plant next year. Allow at least two years between successive planting of the allium family (garlic, leeks and onions).
Note: If the tips of your garlic plant turn a slight yellow, you need more nitrogen in the soil. Add organic fish fertilizer (5-0-0) to improve the nitrogen level.
If you want to preserve fresh garlic, simply peel it, chop it or puree it, mix it with olive oil, seal in a jar and refrigerate for up to a month or put in a container and freeze.
GARLIC SCAPE PESTO
1/2 lb chopped garlic scapes
1 cup olive oil
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
In a blender, puree scapes and olive oil until smooth. Add parmesan and serve on pasta.
PICKLED GARLIC
2 cups vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pickling spice
Perfect for 3 jars.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Sockeye Salmon Return to the Adams River, B.C. - 2013
It is the middle of October and we are passing through the mountains once more. I have always wanted to see the salmon run in the fall, when the river gets thick with crimson color salmon. So we decided to take the time and stop at the river today. Approximately 65 km East of Kamloops you will find the Roderick-Haug-Brown Provincial Park. The park is located about 8 km NE of the Trans Canada Highway.
We park our truck in the lot and take off walking down the path close to the river. The Park wardens have made signs and posted them along the way to mark where the salmon currently are spawning. It is a typical cooler fall day today.
Approximately 15 million Fraser River Sockeye Salmon will return home after 2 years roaming the broad Pacific Ocean. They will battle the turbulent Fraser River and the Thompson River 500 km back to the streams that gave them life almost four years earlier. The 12 km Adams River will be the ultimate destination of as many as 2 million returning sockeye salmon. Sockeye Salmon return to the Adams River every year, but every fourth year there are peak numbers reaching as high as 3.6 million (in 2002). Four years earlier the parents of the returning Sockeye followed the same waterways, mated, laid their eggs in the coarse gravel stream beds and then died.
When the salmon pair up, the female digs a nest and deposits approx 3,500 eggs and the male then fertilizes the eggs. The pair cover the eggs with gravel to protect them from other fish and birds. Within the next couple of weeks the crimson pair turn to a chalky grey color and die.
The eggs slowly develop through the winter and with the warming waters of April the tiny fingerlings leave the gravel beds and travel down to the Shuswap Lakes. They stay in the lake for a year feeding in the shallower waters. Then in May and June of their second year, they again ride the waters down the 480 km through the rapids of the Thompson and Fraser Rivers to the Pacific Ocean. Of an estimated 100 million Sockeye Salmon fingerlings that leave the Shuswap Lake in the spring of a peak year, approximately only ten per cent are expected to return to the B.C. coast in the autumn four years later. The rest are lost to natural predators and ocean going fishing vessels.
The Sockeye Salmon are the second smallest of the five species of Pacific Salmon. It will take them seventeen days to return to their spawning grounds. They will travel at an average of 30 km a day and will live off of the fat stored in their bodies during the two year say in the Pacific salt waters. As their upstream battle consumes their body fat they under go a transformation. Their deep sea blue-gray bodies gradually change to a brilliant crimson red. In addition, the male of the species has become grotesquely distorted with a hump back and a sharply hooked nose on his green head.
We are a little late in the season as the main run has already happened. We still see a lot of crimson colored salmon swimming and jumping in the river. We also see several dead silver salmon close to the shores in the shallow waters and we also smell them, too. I think next year we will time our trip to come earlier in the fall and bring a better lens for taking pictures of the fish. The stop was still worth our time and was very educational. There are several educational signs and a information centre in the park.
We park our truck in the lot and take off walking down the path close to the river. The Park wardens have made signs and posted them along the way to mark where the salmon currently are spawning. It is a typical cooler fall day today.
Approximately 15 million Fraser River Sockeye Salmon will return home after 2 years roaming the broad Pacific Ocean. They will battle the turbulent Fraser River and the Thompson River 500 km back to the streams that gave them life almost four years earlier. The 12 km Adams River will be the ultimate destination of as many as 2 million returning sockeye salmon. Sockeye Salmon return to the Adams River every year, but every fourth year there are peak numbers reaching as high as 3.6 million (in 2002). Four years earlier the parents of the returning Sockeye followed the same waterways, mated, laid their eggs in the coarse gravel stream beds and then died.
When the salmon pair up, the female digs a nest and deposits approx 3,500 eggs and the male then fertilizes the eggs. The pair cover the eggs with gravel to protect them from other fish and birds. Within the next couple of weeks the crimson pair turn to a chalky grey color and die.
The eggs slowly develop through the winter and with the warming waters of April the tiny fingerlings leave the gravel beds and travel down to the Shuswap Lakes. They stay in the lake for a year feeding in the shallower waters. Then in May and June of their second year, they again ride the waters down the 480 km through the rapids of the Thompson and Fraser Rivers to the Pacific Ocean. Of an estimated 100 million Sockeye Salmon fingerlings that leave the Shuswap Lake in the spring of a peak year, approximately only ten per cent are expected to return to the B.C. coast in the autumn four years later. The rest are lost to natural predators and ocean going fishing vessels.
The Sockeye Salmon are the second smallest of the five species of Pacific Salmon. It will take them seventeen days to return to their spawning grounds. They will travel at an average of 30 km a day and will live off of the fat stored in their bodies during the two year say in the Pacific salt waters. As their upstream battle consumes their body fat they under go a transformation. Their deep sea blue-gray bodies gradually change to a brilliant crimson red. In addition, the male of the species has become grotesquely distorted with a hump back and a sharply hooked nose on his green head.
We are a little late in the season as the main run has already happened. We still see a lot of crimson colored salmon swimming and jumping in the river. We also see several dead silver salmon close to the shores in the shallow waters and we also smell them, too. I think next year we will time our trip to come earlier in the fall and bring a better lens for taking pictures of the fish. The stop was still worth our time and was very educational. There are several educational signs and a information centre in the park.
 |
| Adams River, B.C. |
Monday, October 14, 2013
Gabriola Studio Tour 2013, Gabriola Island, B.C.
October 12, 13 and 14th, the Gabriola Arts Council is hosting there annual Studio Tour for the 17th year. There are over 40 studios on the tour, many with more than one artist in attendance. Gabriola is believed to have the highest density of artists of any Canadian community.
The tour features a variety of work in every media imaginable. Painting, sculpture, glass work, pottery, jewelry, etc. etc... We purchased several local paintings for our new home on the island.
George and I pick out the studios we want to go to and spend the weekend enjoying everyone's work and hospitality. We will definitely go again next year.
The tour features a variety of work in every media imaginable. Painting, sculpture, glass work, pottery, jewelry, etc. etc... We purchased several local paintings for our new home on the island.
George and I pick out the studios we want to go to and spend the weekend enjoying everyone's work and hospitality. We will definitely go again next year.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Maple Leaves
The maple trees are a blaze of rusty-gold color. Sweeping and raking up these leaves is an endless job. Some of the leaves have grown to a foot in diameter. The sides of the road to the village are covered in Maple leaves.
The sun is at a much lower angle in the sky now and each day is shorter now. The days and nights are starting to cool off now.
The sun is at a much lower angle in the sky now and each day is shorter now. The days and nights are starting to cool off now.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Belgian Mums on Gabriola Island
I have never seen so many perfectly formed Belgium Mums before. They are a new type of garden chrysanthemum featuring profuse, densely packed blooms in a pleasing globe shape. Individual plants can have in excess of 600 buds per plant. They are wonderful autumn bloomers for your entry way.
Note: The end of fall came and we took the mum out of the pot and transplanted it in our flower garden and covered it with mulch when it got colder. We will see if it will take root there and come back in it's next season. They are a perennial plant but are grown as annuals because of their wonderful fall blooms.
Geo has bought one for our step.
Note: The end of fall came and we took the mum out of the pot and transplanted it in our flower garden and covered it with mulch when it got colder. We will see if it will take root there and come back in it's next season. They are a perennial plant but are grown as annuals because of their wonderful fall blooms.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Pilot Bay, Gabriola Island
What an amazing Indian Summer we are having now. This morning Geo cut our grass and raked up the maple leaves and seed pods.
This afternoon it was time to go and discover a new beach. I was told about a public access to a beach on Pilot Bay. So we were off to see what was there.
We found the yellow Public Access marker and followed the path down to the beach.
We found that it was a sandstone beach that was further around the side of one of the Twin Beaches on the Pilot Bay side. There were some nice views of the main ferry and of Entrance Island in the distance.
Again we found that the sandstone had been beat and worn be the tide. It is amazing the different types of ways it can be worn down into different shapes and textures.
This afternoon it was time to go and discover a new beach. I was told about a public access to a beach on Pilot Bay. So we were off to see what was there.
Again we found that the sandstone had been beat and worn be the tide. It is amazing the different types of ways it can be worn down into different shapes and textures.
Dahlias, Gabriola Island
My painting of the dahlias that are growing on Gabriola Island:
The Dahlias have been in full bloom for awhile now. They have so many bright, beautiful flowers and are a great inspiration for a painting. I love the bright colors and the way that each leaf has the edges curled up.
...and my painting of dahlias that I have been working on...
The Dahlias have been in full bloom for awhile now. They have so many bright, beautiful flowers and are a great inspiration for a painting. I love the bright colors and the way that each leaf has the edges curled up.
...and my painting of dahlias that I have been working on...
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Sunset on Gabriola Island
An orange light casts over the Salish Sea, reflecting off of every wave in it. The sun glows on the water's horizon and quickly disappears behind it. Just my luck that I left my camera at home tonight. Day's end is here and we can only wait for another sunset.
Firewood, Gabriola Island
Another gorgeous day today - but we can no longer put off the chore of getting in our firewood supply and then stacking the wood to use for secondary heating this winter. We have electric heating through out the house, but the cost of running it is suppose to be higher than the natural gas heat we used for heating in Alberta. We will know this after we go through our first winter here. Plus, if the power does go out we can always light a fire.
George has split and stacked two cords of wood so far. He has also shingled the wood shed to keep our wood nice and dry.
George has split and stacked two cords of wood so far. He has also shingled the wood shed to keep our wood nice and dry.
 |
| A Half a Cord |
Monkey Puzzle Trees on Gabriola Island
Araucaria Araucana
We have just planted a Monkey Puzzle Tree in a pot outside. Geo spotted this type of tree and liked it because it is different. For now we have it in a pot until we get our yard fenced. Not that the deer would eat it as it is so prickly.
The Monkey Puzzle Tree or Monkey Tail Tree is an exotic evergreen that is native to South America. It can live up to one thousand years old and has been fully protected from logging since 1971.
The tree can grow up to 40 metres tall with a 2 metre trunk diameter.
The leaves are triangle-plate like and rigid with spin tips on them.
One of these trees grows down the street from us and is about 20 feet tall now. We like it and so have purchased a small one to put in our yard. At present our tree is two feet tall.
The Monkey Puzzle Tree or Monkey Tail Tree is an exotic evergreen that is native to South America. It can live up to one thousand years old and has been fully protected from logging since 1971.
The tree can grow up to 40 metres tall with a 2 metre trunk diameter.
The leaves are triangle-plate like and rigid with spin tips on them.
One of these trees grows down the street from us and is about 20 feet tall now. We like it and so have purchased a small one to put in our yard. At present our tree is two feet tall.
 |
| This is an older Monkey Tree |
Enjoying Life
When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry,
Show life you have a thousand reasons to smile.
....Anon
I must admit that I am surprised that I have moved to this distant shore. I am now an Islander with prairie roots.
I am opening my heart to the beauty of life again and enjoying another stunningly beautiful day on the island.
What will I do today?
-stand upon the shore and watch the distant boats as they glide by
-explore more tide pools
-wander down a path in the forest
-sit on the deck at the marine and watch life on the dock and take in some sun
-tend to my flowers
-call and talk to family and friends
-go to the village for coffee
-sit out on the patio and relax
-just stay in and read
So many good options. What will the day bring?
Show life you have a thousand reasons to smile.
....Anon
I must admit that I am surprised that I have moved to this distant shore. I am now an Islander with prairie roots.
I am opening my heart to the beauty of life again and enjoying another stunningly beautiful day on the island.
What will I do today?
-stand upon the shore and watch the distant boats as they glide by
-explore more tide pools
-wander down a path in the forest
-sit on the deck at the marine and watch life on the dock and take in some sun
-tend to my flowers
-call and talk to family and friends
-go to the village for coffee
-sit out on the patio and relax
-just stay in and read
So many good options. What will the day bring?
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