Monday, July 13, 2020

Well..another garlic harvest is done~Mid July.


Inside the sheshed













These are pics my cousin Louise sent me..her mom is Claire..the bows the bows the bows♥♥♥
The sailor tops;)



They lost Marie~Louise This is at my grandparents 25th Anniversary.
I know this is only of interest to me:)
But my blog disappeared w/ old pics..:(
We all know that story.
Elise was an angel..she cared for my grandmother who paralyzed.
She never married but took in a foster child for all his life.
I never knew this but Elise and Claire went to l" Ecole Des Beaux Arts here in Mtl..
And Louise and I surmised..and a memory came back to me...Elise and Claire must have met my mom at l'Ecole Des Beaux Arts because she was a student there..and introduced their brother William to her.
The rest is history.

These are 2 I sent her..
Great ~Grandfather..Grandfather..(I never knew either) and the 3 brothers..the 3 sisters were not in these pics..



Again..just because it was so nice to catch up w/ her and help fill in some spaces.. in her tree..


Thankfully I had a garlic harvest again this nasty Covid Year.
I thought Trump said it was just going to go away.
Ya..right..when .
My first political statement ever.

Wow..with the no nursery shopping per say..and the drought and all our wasps nests..it's a summer of discontent.
Burnt grass and weeping plants are not an artist's canavs in the gardens..
You know..the season we look forward to in Jan..Feb..March when you live in QC.

I had MAX ♥help me♥
I will never harvest my own garlic again.
The pleasure of his company you see:)

I know..far far far worse things..than not great summers..

One only has to look in our own families to find worse.



A cousin of mine..who I have not spoken to in 20 yrs..the last family funeral I attended..called..I loved it.
She is doing a genealogy search of her mom..my dad's sister..Claire above and William my dad.
She sent me pics I didn't have..
These are  two of them..the first two..
I am certain this is by the water at their home.

We talked about how how into some lives..some rain must fall.

She sent me newspaper clippings of my sister's tragic passing (I was not born)..
Pictures of my grandparents..I don't think I had ever seen my paternal grandmother before..
Anyway..a lovely experience.

I love growing garlic and now I love lettuce.

One day I guess I won't have a potager and perennial beds..

Life..is very ..well..very..uncertain.

When you are young..or unmarked ..things appear so different.

Let's end this on a creative note.


If you have Youtube..I encourage you to follow Chris Petri's tutorials..They are some of my very favorite..he is nice..giving..talented..generous with his knowledge..and I am usually ok with my outcomes..
Like I don't tear them up..which I do  a lot:)
These are 4x4..my choice of size to fit into the only frames I have left..
Clip frames.
Pre-Covid I should have stocked up on frames.
Even the $ stores here have great ones w/ mat ..4x6..5x7 etc..
Will I ever enter a store again?

That was miss miserable writing lol.;)

Take care..stay safe..
and why on earth did they open BARS before I could get into stores..
Bars.. drink at home:)
Help the world.
Wear a mask.
Numbers are soaring in certain parts of the world.
Come on..please.
Wow..pretty vocal I am.
Bonne semaine..s:)



28 comments:

  1. Oh Hooray I am first to comme t instead of last in the gate.
    Can you take those garlics to market? Heaps and heaps!
    I know that edge of despair. I walked from place de Concorde to Madelene and its been cordoned off? No cars and few people...like during containment days. Oh now I get it. Tomorrow is Bastille Day.the stands at Concorde are up for the attendees(i will say that instead of crowds).i have yet to ever go. Still going back to places for the first time feels so new and strange. Anyway I love what you're pursuing with watercolors. It suits you to a T. Hooray

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    1. Thank you:):) It feels right..it does..Thanks for your comment and yes Bastille Day..the boys other nana ..France..it's her birthday:) Fitting name I would say.
      Bonne Semaine!

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  2. Dearest Monique,
    How precious for having those old images and the stories that go with them.
    There is some pride in them, good people with a generous heart.
    Almost as big as your giant garlic plants - wow, what a sight!
    Sending you hugs,
    Mariette

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  3. I love browsing through our old family pictures. My mother was the family historian & I inherited all of her stuff...but not her quick mind that remembers all the details.

    I need to learn to grow garlic.

    I love doing online grocery orders. I use my local Walmart so I've been able to get crafting supplies without going into the store; which has worked well except for when I need to choose a certain color. I'm just using what I have & not going to the stores.

    Thanks so much for sharing. I know it's hard after losing your blog but I like the extra details. I see glimpses on Instagram & get to fill in the pieces here.

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    1. Jenny:) Thanks for your comment..How great you had your mom as a historian..I lost mine when I was 19 and should have asked so many questions..
      and didn't.
      I just never expected it...

      Walmart online here is not like the US:(
      Amazon is not like the US..

      We have our riches..and our lacks lol..
      What a gift crafting is!!
      Take care and have a good week..:)

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  4. Well, when I saw that photo of your garlic harvester, I have to admit to a wee bit of envy -- both for the fabulous garlic haul and then for the company of such a handsome young man. With such a smile! As always, your blooms warm my heart. And lettuce, too. I will plant a second crop for fall next month. It's so much better from your own garden, isn't it?

    I love the genealogy stories and those exquisite photos. It's a fascinating journey to learn about the people who are in our bones, blood and DNA. Plus a talk with a cousin is always a good thing. Those photos are just gems. It's not only you who loves them. They are a window into another world.

    I must check out Chris Petri. I love what you shared here. They are truly beautiful. You're right about frames. Fortunately, I have plenty of 8x10s that I bought for my art sale to frame some things in. Plus, all the stuff that doesn't sell -- I can switch out! I don't think we'll be able to do that this year -- or even if the sale goes, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to participate. It makes me sad and in a way relieved.

    I had a Covid meltdown on Saturday. Rick and I ended up taking a drive and stopped at a little store in the middle of nowhere, where we were the only ones in the store. I hadn't been in a store since I last bought groceries in person on March 16. It was a good little food store but I wish they had some paints!

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    1. I think soon it will be a more generalized covid meltdow..sadly..today I read of so many people dying..
      and perhaps people's personalities are changing..
      You never ever know someone really..except yourself.
      I am glad you stopped in a shop.
      one of my daughter's had booked a QC trip..Gaspé..etc..9 days she and Noah..she decided to go and I was concerned..
      But she booked motels..not hotels..so far ..I follow her..no one is even in sight and she is seeing fabulous sights.
      I had no idea.
      After Covid if she wants to take me ..and doesn't hike for 3 hrs one way I may tag along.Like in a few yrs.
      I think CP is how I love to paint:)
      I bought a new pen..and ink and pre-ordered Roisin Cure's book abour people painting..but I think CP is so fluid for me.
      We can't be everyone right?
      Even if we try.
      Oh and my glass of wine;)
      Have a good week..we're in this together.

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  5. I think CP is how I love to paint also, and I'm not even a painter :-) I won't give up, and you and Jenna at The Painted Apron are my motivators.
    That garlic makes me smile every single year. You and my hubby are the garlic queen and king. I see the happiness it brings both of you.
    I love browsing through old family photos, and genealogy stories. My maternal grandmother was the family "historian". She was so good about sharing information with us and lived to be 100. My other grandmother didn't share stories, so I really want to share with my grandchildren like our grandma did with us. Have a good week...your IG and blog are special to me.

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    1. Debbie you WILL be that grandmother.:)I know it.
      I am happy Joe grows garlic also because I have learned from you and the links you have shared about growing it..
      It's curing nicely..It was a good year..So far it's been ggod..Our friends in Ontario lost a whole yr to disease:(

      Yes..don't ever give up..never ever ever.
      Thank you.

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    2. My promise to you (and myself) is to never ever give up. :-)

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  6. Stay safe darling.....love Ria 💕🍀🙏💕

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  7. Monique, your family photos are treasures. Just before I clicked on the link to this post, I had clicked on a link to a friends memorial video. We taught together, same age, same name (Sarah Jane). She was a beauty through and through. Unexplained death, laying out by her pool on the 4th. I've been so sad, but watching the video of photos through the year, her beautiful smile, precious family, . . . well, photos are a wonderful gift! Keep adding to yours with those precious grandsons.
    I love the garlic photos and of course, your paintings. You are a talent, an amazing talent!
    Joyeux le quatorze juillet!

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    1. I find I am hearing of many passings.
      I am sorry for your friend's passing..I hope she had been well up until then..unexplained..no pain..
      Again I am so sorry for you.
      My grandfather was what one could call illustrious as his first born son John...A judge ..a Queen's Council Lawyer..the list goes on and on..My dad was just my dad:)
      Oui La Bastille:)

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  8. I think any of us share your feelings on time being very fleeting. As an American, I have no faith in our future or well being until we have a new president. Please pray for us.🙏

    I'm sending a big hug for your loss. Your family photos must be a true blessing at this time for you. And that garlic! I feel I've known you forever with your garlic harvests!

    Jane 😘

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    1. Oh you're cute jane..So funny re the garlic.
      What a time in life.GLOOM.
      Grandchildren and children lighten the atmosphere.
      But I find there's this ominous cloud hanging heavily everywhere.
      Not very fun am I..I live in a cute little country bubble..but I see reality.
      I hope you get new direction too!!I hope.

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  9. Dear Monique those family pictures are fabulous. I do have a great amount of them too.

    The garlic pictures are great. I love garlic. Soon I'll have my own garlic harvest.

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    1. Oh good..Nina..are you growing garlic in containers? people have asked me about that and I have no clue:(
      Would love to see some of your old pics..

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  10. How wonderful that you made this special connection! I have a cousin also who is our family historian (on my father's side). Her mother and my dad were brother and sister. Her mother was the baby and my dad next oldest. Her mother, my aunt, passed away just a few years ago and my cousin shared many family stories and photos. I wish I would have asked more questions of my mother too and now I can't ask my sister any more either :( Oh La La! Your garlic harvest is amazing! I will definitely plant some again this fall, health and weather permitting. I just wish we had more sun and I could figure out a good place in this house to store it that is dark and I don't have to worry about garlic smell - LOL. Hmmmm...Perhaps a dark corner in our furnace room in the basement. I read a very interesting editorial article about bars being allowed to open. Basically, it said that we are drinking away our children's education because with the rise in cases due to so many people partying and going to bars the schools won't be able to open like they should have if we would have kept the bars closed. Still not sure if our boys will be able to go to school. Lindsay has hired a tutor for math and reading so they don't fall too far behind but many parents aren't able to do that. So sad. Love your paintings! You and CP ♥

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    1. No garlic smell ever..I open that craft closet and smell nothing and trust me my nose is very sensitive.
      The garlic scapes in a vase however..after a few days..a viscous substance comes out of the bottoms and wow..buh bye.

      So..exactly..HER mom and my dad..Same same same..!!

      I think many parents are not able to..but I also think not every child is a scholar.


      I have learned that:)

      I wish it was easy for everyone..

      but it's not..
      and now with all the testing..they find things..

      I am finding all of this far worse than I imagined.
      I live in a cute little country bubble here..

      but right outside of me...well..

      So Sat masks will be obligatory in every enclosed place and of course public transport.
      I don't take public transport but would like to alleviate my children form the Costco route for us..So I may go.
      And I would like to pick fresh veggies etc..
      SO glad I grew lettuce lol..

      Bars..should be closed until this is a done deal:)
      As I sip my glass of wine..;)

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  11. Love your handsome garlic harvester help Monique. He is growing up so fast! Loved seeing all of the old family photographs. What a blessing to have those. I loved reading about your family also. I could sit and do family history and geneology for hours. My Aunt Freda was our family geneologist and we used to talk about it for hours. Its important to write these stories down for future generations. That is how the memories can stay alive. Oh, don't get me started on this Pandemic. Everything is open here now and I think to myself why? Its too soon, and I think very political. I know economies are suffering, but opening up again? At what cost to human life. It frustrates and angers me. People who are drinking have no ability to self distance. I have seen so many photos of that and the beaches, etc. Just stay home I say, just stay home. Work from home if you can and if you can't, then take precautions. Otherwise, just stay home until it is safe for everyone. Finally, next Monday, masks will be madatory. Why not now? I find it all very difficult to understand. xoxo

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    1. Our mandatory indoors is sat..should have been a while ago.How disrespectful for some to wear and others blatantly not.I know beliefs are involved..but still now a rule is a rule..:)
      I am not a genealogist..glad my cousin is..not sure my grandchildren are interested in any of this.Their ears did perk up when I showed tem pics of my brother who tried out for the Toronto Argonauts 100 yrs ago..:)

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  12. That is a LOT of garlic, good for you, most things are better with a little garlic.
    Things are pretty bad around here just now, our numbers are spiking, and no end in sight.
    Big sigh.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. I am sorry about that.:(Here just Sat. masks have been made obligatory in all shops..stores..inside..It pleases me.
      Spiking not only where you are:(

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  13. I love that you still make the time to post your beautiful photos for us to share in...💙
    And that handsome boy with that HUGE bunch of Garlic!! hahaha!!
    Enjoy your week Monique...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. far less than before..but just in case..I do like to post..I still hate so much was lost..

      Bitter me;)

      Take care:)
      And BLOG please:)

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