After a warmer than usual winter on Vancouver Island, moss and green 'stuff' had a great time to grow for months and months on the outer walls of the house. House and patio have taken on a somewhat green grunge kind of look, and it is time now to get rid of it.
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| Bing located on a steep hill side, windows above ground level are 'out of reach' for anyone shorter than 15 feet high. So one hires a cleaning outfit, to do the whole enchilada, inside and out for the windows. Vinyl siding walls suddenly appear white after a micro garden of green things is removed, and gutters and eaves-troughs are cleaned of twiggy obstructions. |
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| Patio bricks show their colour again....and wear out two power washers in the process of blasting off the microscopic moss. |
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| Every rhododendron bush in the garden is competing for attention. This one in my 'back yard' is an 'afterthought', already given up 'for dead' some time ago. Well, it isn't dead yet, as a matter of fact it is covered in blooms... |
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| The Azalea is still winning out over the rosemary bush, which thinks it owns the place and grows as if on a speed contest. However, the peach coloured flowers of the Azalea look pretty attractive against a background of blue ocean and azure sky. |
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| All my neighbours are tempted to put lipstick on my 'welcome' mask beside my entrance door. Notice the clean white wall....no more green grunge.... |
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| To keep my newly started equine connection going (I started to ride again) I have volunteered to clean the 'night paddock' for the horses a few mornings of the week....with three horses doing their thing through the night, one has one's shovelling task lined up....here is my high tech equipment. Beats weight lifting in a gym... |
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| The fruits of my labours.....looks pretty impressive, but a leisurely 'shovel' to the sound of bird song and the quiet and peaceful murmur of horses munching at grass, a few rabbits hopping around, squirrels chatting in the pine trees, fresh air.....who cares, how much poop there is to shovel or how high the pile grows... |
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| And one is always under scrutiny by the locals...here is the judge... |
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| and here is the jury.... |
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| A large uncluttered flat sandy arena provides a safe and quiet place to train one's mount or just enjoy a leisurely ride....the beach down the road still awaits. I haven't made it there - yet. |
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| A round lungeing pen is there to work the horses if not under saddle |
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| Clio enjoying a morning snack in one of the large fields... |
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| A romantic spot, with scenes just asking to be painted |
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| A little golf cart, Zamboni for Sand, smoothes the arena in the training ring each day. |
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| Horses love it, especially the mini daisies....green succulent grass all around... |
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| Lasha, La Gordita, the mare that I am riding, is surveying her realm. Her parentage is half Mustang and half Arab. Her head takes after her Arabian heritage, but her ample belly must be from an illegal parent of the cold blooded kind - she is huge!!! |
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| A kind and friendly face...La Gordita. |
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| Judge and jury - pictured above - lay enough eggs each night to keep a small road side stall supplied with fresh brown eggs. The honour system works just fine - just drop $3.50 in the slot....some neighbours even drop little notes of appreciation in addition to their coins. I find it comforting to eat eggs, whose 'parents' I know personally... |
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| Road side stand beside the ranch.... |
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| Streamlined birdhouse at the ranch... |
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| Spring Lamb anyone...they are frolicking all over the neighbourhood. I find it hard to imagine, how one can butcher one of these cuties to roast them on a spit and serve them up with mint jelly. |
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| And my front garden....what can I say.....it surprises me with cascades of colourful blooms every day.. |
