A host of sparrows

Sparrows have always been my favourite bird, perhaps because they are so common, so numerous, so plentiful, so shall we say insignificant, and of course so small in size. In general, I am on the side of the average man or woman and this is what sparrows seem to represent. Sparrows are not showy like the brilliant red cardinals, not as raucous or aggressive or psychologically complicated as the black crows, not as joyful as the robins, not as seldom seen as the blue jay. They are just sparrows— the mighty sparrow! — mentioned at least twice in the bible, if God looks after sparrows He is surely looking after all of us. Dear friend, it will all work out, it always has, try to  be patient, wait and see. That’s all you can do.

Photographs taken on 15 August 2024, mid-afternoon, from our dining room window.

A tiny garden

On the corner Nelson and Westminster, a tiny garden, always beautifully maintained and attractive to pedestrians; 9 May 2024.

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A spring day, 28 March in 2013 and 2024

 

Winter is too long here in Montreal. It's almost April and the snow has just melted, some plants are beginning to grow; spring has arrived but it feels like winter is still here. One month less of this would be perfect. Top photos taken in 2013, bottom photos this year on 27 March 2024:

Before the snow

 Snow expected tomorrow; today, rain, 1 degree C. And here is what it’s like outside a few minutes ago.                

The Canadian Cottage Garden, end of July 2023

 

It is just as I wanted it to be. To sit in the garden, surrounded by flowers, and on a hot summer day to have insects, wild bees, and butterflies going from flower to flower, busy with their work of pollination and collecting pollen and nectar. 

The garden, early May

It was Coronation Day, 6 May 2023, and the garden was coming to life. After a lot of rain and cold in April the sun was bright and the sky blue, birds had returned to the bird bath, hostas and ferns were growing fast. Trees were turning green, the lilac bush was ready to flower.

There isn't much to the garden this early in spring but it is coming back to life. After months of cold, short days, snow, and more or less being housebound, spring had returned to Montreal. I've already planted six new hostas (and I'll plant another six next week) and we now have a second bird bath. It looks like we'll have a nice garden this year!

The fence has enclosed the garden and I've begun planting a second row of hostas

That bench is sixty years old but still in good condition, I look forward 
to sitting outside on it and getting a different view of the garden

A new, second bird bath

More ferns than ever this year