Sunday Substack, Summer-wise, 25.6

A potpourri: Walking, Public Art, Window-Shopping, What I Wore, Just Off the Needles, and More. . .

Summer has been pleasantly moderate here in Vancouver this year, but it was a bit moodier this past week. Yes, there were some low/mid-20s Celsius days, perfect for

Summer Walking

with photos here from the day when I walked a few kilometres to re-stock my favourite loose teas (Currently Murchie’s Editor’s Blend, London Afternoon, and Coconut Chai Rooibos) . . .

And, along the way, got to see this new sculpture, a 40-foot tall work designed by Squamish Nation artist James Nexw’Kalus-Xwalacktun Harry and Japanese-Trinidadian artist Lauren Brevner.

You can read more, here, about its installation at the entrance to what will be a new Station on the Broadway Line Subway extension, to be completed by 2027. And even more here about the artists, the materials used, the blending of cultures, and the double-headed serpent, Sínulhķay, that the sculpture represents.

I’m looking forward to seeing it at night-time when it will be lit up from inside, like a lantern. . . .

Also seen on that walk, from a very different aesthetic tradition, this tableware in a drool-worthy window

‘cause I can be eclectic in my tastes, right? (and ah, if only my budget were amenable . . . . I mean, that would set a pretty table, wouldn’t it?!

Sigh . . .

Summer Walking Outfit

Linen top, cotton skirt, trusty Birkenstocks . . .

with the clutch of library books confirming the identity of a slightly rumpled Bluestocking, albeit stocking-less. I should hastily assure you that the curly, grey mop you see above has been tamed and trimmed since that photo was snapped. . .

And speaking of library books, let me point you in the direction of my latest blogpost, the one about the Books I Read in July.

Summer Blues

In fact, I have experienced some of those blues recently, but for now I’m just sharing this trio of floral blues that ended up side-by-side out on the terrace this summer.

The borage had flowered and flowered and flowered, and as much as I dead-headed and squished away the aphids, I couldn’t prevent it looking ragged, jaundiced, and exhausted. So I cut it back drastically . . . and was rewarded by a new flush of blooms.

That must have inspired the ‘Johnson’s Blue’ geranium next door, because it’s thrown up a few new blooms after at least a month of offering only its intricately shaped leaves (which, alone, would guarantee it space here — have you seen the colour of these palmate leaves in the fall?!).

New kid on the block is this potful of Catmint (Nepeta) which we added to keep the bees coming — I love a garden full of buzz!

Summer Rain

But besides those summer days of fine weather — sunny but not too hot for walking — there were also a few cooler days, one of which was accompanied by heavy rainfall.

How heavy, you ask?! Well, not quite as heavy as we were warned to prepare for, and probably not enough to quell all the wildfires, but apparently this atmospheric river dropped 43 mms on Friday and has gone some way to alleviating the seasonal drought.

And given me and my umbrella significant pleasure. Remember the rain garden I told you about a few weeks ago?

What joy to see (and hear!) it in action — instead of all the rainfall rolling straight down to the sea with all the surface pollutants it would pick up along its way, it is now routed, down this particular section of the hill, at least, toward this swathe of carefully chosen plants. The soil here is a mixture that holds the water long enough to filter it, and along its way it collects in depressions scooped out for that purpose. . .

These vividly pink Gaura (lindheimeri?) dance in the rain almost as much as they do in a breeze

I’m going to post more photos and videos from that day’s rainy walk on my Instagram account, but for now here’s a video — turn the volume up! Enjoy!

Summer Knitting

The little bunny whose head I showed you weeks ago has now got arms and legs

and a fluffy white tail (to match its fluffy white ears)

and is ready to listen to any silly jokes and serious confidences its new Big Buddy wants to share. The Birthday Girl will be here for dinner on Monday and I will introduce them. You can probably see that Bunny is beginning to show some personality, and I expect that, with naming and a new friendship, this will develop quickly — a pocket-sized friend is always a good idea, no?

And in case your knitting fingers have begun twitching, the pattern for this little critter is by Cinthia Vallet, and you can find it here. You can also read more about The Nibbles Siblings (of which my bunny is an example) and other knitted friends in Cinthia’s substack newsletter from last December.

Once again, I’m getting that warning about email length limits, and I haven’t yet told you about why I needed to get out of the condo this week and where I took myself for the day. So I think that once again, there will have to be a Midweek Newsletter to follow.

The rain has stopped for now, and I’m off for a quick walk before dinner (Paul’s making Pasta with Sage Butter, accompanied by a wealth of locally grown vegetables). When I get back, we’ll probably settle in to watch the last episodes of The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel. I know I’m very late to this party; I’ve never subscribed to Prime because Amazon, you know. . . but now it’s been picked up by CBC and we’re really enjoying it!

I hope you found something here to enjoy today, or to be curious about, maybe informed by, possibly even inspired. I also hope you might leave me a comment so that we might build community here. Or those little hearts, should you care to click on one; seeing them always encourages me, and I thank you in advance.