Summer Storms

I know I only have 13 more working days left but I honestly feel like I'm being pushed out of the office. Some of the signals:

1. Friday I was almost bulldozed out of my cell - sorry cubicle, the one with the view of the Mall and Parliament Hill - and moved to a temporary position. To make way for one of the summer students!!!!
2. Tuesday I found out that I had no voice-mail access and it took the entire morning to set up my computer system.
3. Today I couldn't log onto one of the Confidential drives.
4. A staff meeting is scheduled for next week and I've been told attendance is optional.

Well at least no one is hanging around asking what's happening with my chair and stapler. Though come to think of it I can't find my stapler!

One advantage to my new - temporary - cell is that I have a view of the Ottawa River. When the temperature starts climbing into the high 30s you can pretty much guarantee that a thunderstorm will be brewing in the Valley. This one today was pretty spectacular - lots of lightening strikes, high winds and that rather strange - and worrisome - funnel like cloud formation. We didn't get a drop of rain downtown but the Québec side had a pretty wild time of it.

Tomorrow we're doing a River cruise - the weatherman promises no thunderstorms, no clouds and a break in the heat. It's a "team" building exercise, I'm invited so I guess I'm still part of the "team."

Come Into the Garden, Maud - VI

The first rose of summer:

Come Into the Garden, Maud - V

The clematis at the side of the family room has always been a heavy bloomer but the one on the deck has never once had so much as a bud. I hadn't realized they could be so temperamental.


Four years ago the honeysuckle vine was a pathetic twig but this year has been its most spectacular - sort of imagine it in the next few years surrounding the door.

For the first time neither of the peonies has a single bloom; by this time they should have been loaded down with ants, a few sticky buds and gigantic pink-white blooms. Maybe I should have divided them last fall?

Come Into the Garden, Maud - IV

I have absolutely no idea what these flowers are. They are dotted throughout the garden and bloom for a week or two.


They are quite lovely and in full bloom first thing in the morning when the sun hits them, but....

... towards sunset they close up and become this little pea pods.

Just wondering if anyone knows what they are; Lynette I can normally count on you to refresh my fading memory on things floral.

Come into the garden, Maud - III

These Japanese Iris were part of Fred and Lori's purple-blue design. Again because I didn't split them last fall they are not blooming as profusely as in previous years.

This thistle sprang up early in the spring amongst the ferns and hostas by the house. I should have pulled it up then and now that it's grown I'm rather fond of it. So, like the random strawberry plants and the odd raspberry cane it will stay for now.

And speaking of strawberry plants I find this a rather attractive edging for the deck. Who knows I may even get a few berries for my cereal one morning.