Summer Plants

Our friend Nay drove us to the car dealership on Thursday. Since it's an hour away and close to lots of places we don't normally get to, we decided to make a day of it and do a little shopping. We got our new car and the three of us drove in it to Wolfville, the town where Mark and I first met! It's a university town (we met in school) and the town if full of eclectic little shops and restaurants.

We got lunch at a vegetarian café that Nay knew about. It was fabulous in so many ways. Being vegetarian, you get used to censoring a menu - after all, there are usually only about three choices for non-meat eaters. To walk into a restaurant and be able to order anything--anything on the menu was really very nice. We got Mexican chocolate cookies for desert, and both Nay and I have resolved to try to make a similar type of cookie. They were amazing and chocolaty and spicy all at the same time.


So we did a little shopping after that and drove back to Bridgetown. I drove the new car to work the next day and didn't even crash it!

This weekend CAPS, our animal rescue group, put on a Father's Day Luncheon as a fundraiser. Chani spearheaded the effort and made about a million chicken pot pies and also a number of veggie pot pies. We held the event in a quaint little community hall that is probably at least 150 years old. It was a really nice atmosphere. Here's our ticket counter that was by the front door:


Nay and I took turns being the ticket taker. Meanwhile, Mark helped Chani in the kitchen:

The luncheon proved to be a success. We raised lots of money for the animals and Chani got a lot of complements on the pot pies, which were seriously tasty. Mark and I bought three uncooked ones at the end (the only vegetarian ones left) to take home for future meals.

We decorated the tables with fresh wild Lupins that we found on the side of the highway.


I always think of Nova Scotia when I see Lupins. They grow world-wide, but appear in such numbers everywhere in this province that it's hard not to make an association. I've never seen them growing wild in such extravagant excess anywhere else.

Meanwhile, life goes on. Our tulips and lilacs are no longer in bloom, but a bush by our driveway has suddenly burst forth with beautiful flowers. I think it's a Peony bush.


The vine growing on our shed is doing well. This is a... Virginia Creeper? Any guesses?


I really need to learn all these plants. I'm going to take a survey sometime and start calling all these guys by their proper names.