nesting

Mothers Day

My Mom is a pretty special person. She is one of those true gardeners. She taught herself, and over years created a garden that has always been a place to come home. It has gone through phases, aches and pains, good years and bad, but it has always remained constant. My mom's work was rooted at home- primarily in the garden. My most fond memories with her was spent in the back yard plotting away in the large vegetable patch. When I was young my dad traveled a lot in summer months, so my mom and I would take refuge in the garden, trying new heirloom varieties, making jams from our raspberries (the same sweet raspberries today that must be at least 20 years old now), and learning the ropes of growing your own greens.

I guess you could say, my mom was the major influence in my pursuit to become a garden design consultant. She raised me on the principals that, if you have land- GROW. In this day in age with the cost of fuel and the scarcity of local food production, this a value I hold very dear. My mom instilled in me the importance of organic growing, and the infinite satisfaction in knowing that you can do this from your own back yard.

My parents still live in the same house I grew up in, and the garden is still very much an important part of my mom's daily life. Busy helping out as a FOG at UBC Botanical Gardens and a very nagging arthritis, we now help tend my mom's garden. I know some days this is hard for her to watch us plot away, with different techniques and theories on how things should be done, or designed or planted, but overall I think it brings her pleasure to know it is in good hands. My mom and her garden have always put things into perspective for me. Her ground is fertile because of the love that she gives it, much like the love she gives to everyone she meets.

So, mom, thank you for all your positive feedback as we plot through life figuring out all that stuff you have to figure out when you become an adult (eek!). Thank you for the values you instilled in me about being kind to the earth and to the people around you. And thanks most of all for making me understand the importance of growing. I love you.

Hard Working Dude

                                              

For those of you who don't know us- this is my man, Owen aka O! Husband, Business Partner, Best Friend and Dude of all Dudes. He has been working especially hard lately, so I just wanted to say, a big thanks to him for all that he does. With spring in full swing our gardening business has gone from 0-100 in about a month. While all the bright bulbs with their cheery faces say, "spring is here" the weather sure would make us think differently. And while rain and gardening don't go hand in hand for me, O, well, he never complains.   

Sometimes we get so powered by work and staying on track and working late days and way too many early mornings in a row; we forget to say those special words of encouragement. So while I type away busy with a piled desk and way too many designs to plug through, I thought I would take a minute to say, I couldn't do all this without the hardworking hands and creative mind behind Owen Black. As far as the Vancouver garden scene goes- this guy is the man about town, and I feel pretty honored to share that. Even if you eat your lunch at 6:00, in the hall, with grubby hands... in your skimpies!

   

A clean- up on a sunny brisk sunday in march at the Aloe Test Gardens.

Climbing heights on a rainy weekend building the mock up booth for the upcoming EPIC Show.

Summer Dreaming

Most of you who know me, know my minor obsession with Jack Johnson. I have been to his concerts in California, I own every album and surf dvd, I've book marked his site, and I have claimed that if he were to meet me, well we would just become best buds. So you can only imagine my excitement when I found out a month back that he had a new cd release out. Busy with meetings, I even subjected my mom to an hour long wait on ticket master for his upcoming summer show at UBC. Thanks mom!

After a long read of his updated site I am proud to learn, like other celebs, he has gone seriously eco conscious, recently recording his new album with 100% solar energy. So very cool! For further info check out his recently launched initiative to create a local and interactive network for change, at All at Once.

The yummy, soothing tunes and laid back surfer vibe that is, Jack, is about all I need right now to get me to warmer sunny days. So while the weather continues to remain bleak and winter-like (Is Spring really around the corner?) I will dream blissfully while listening to my ipod, about summer!