Sunday Bits of Insp #82 (Canada Day & Father's Day recipes and ideas)

I've been a planting fiend this week, trying to get everything in the garden so that we actually have something to harvest in fall. Thing is, the nights have still been cool and the winds are brutal! Very cold and very gusty. Has been a bit of a guessing game as to whether to put stuff out, or sit on it a bit longer.

Tomatoes were outside getting hardened off and ready to plant outside.

On the west coast, we used to call these cool June months Junuary... a cross between summer and winter weather. This is when a really good, long coldframe comes in handy. Things can be planted in the coldframe, making roots and getting growing, as you can close the top for the cold days and nights. All I can say is that my greenhouse and the mini-greenhouse have been super handy as I haul things out and then tuck them back in again ; )

I am planting the tomatoes today regardless. They do or die. If I don't get them in the ground, there will be no food to harvest.

I have also started the Plan Elimination Diet that I told you all about last week, and am doing well. While only 5 days in, today is day 6, I've already learned a bit about my reactions to food. The bonus, and best feeling of all, is that I have already lost 4.5 pounds, too.

If you are thinking of trying it... you gotta be ready to chop a lot, lot, lot, but if you preplan a little bit, you will be just fine. You also should like carrots (and onions). The more you like them, the better off you will be. I have decided that I never want to see a cooked carrot again after I finish these 20 days. Raw is fine but cooked is ugh.

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On to the fun Sunday Bits and things!

Part of our hedgerow at the last house, plus the shrub fruit orchard.

So Many Bits of Gardening Inspo This Week

Planting hedges and hedgerows. You don't need to have a large property to really appreciate this post. It's a fantastic read and great pictures, too.

We made a large hedgerow across the front of the island acreage for privacy, colour, beauty, to feed the birds, house the small wildlife. At this new house, we have a few semi-unhappy shrubs dotted along the side of the front yard. The plan is to fill in the gaps, remove the deadbeats, make it into a lovely hedgerow for the birds. My daughter has a lovely hedge between her house and the neighbour. This hedge is always full of little birds, eating the berries, the seeds from the flowers, making nests. It is just outside her large picture window and I gotta say, watching those birds is more fun than tv!

This article about how much water your strawberries need.

This read is on the longer side, but if you have ever wanted to make a small home mini orchard, you will really enjoy it for the ideas and the information. Very informative read, even if you just want to plant a few fruit trees or shrubs.

Dwarf trees are your friends at all times, but especially if you have limited space.

When we bought the acreage on the island back in 2013, the first thing we did was to plant a wee orchard to frame in the potager. We were harvesting fruits within three years. We later planted another orchard up in the front yard with just shrub fruits.

Here at the new city house, we have to be more particular with the space. Not sure I would call it an orchard, but many fruit trees and shrubs have been going in since we bought it. Growing food is still where it is at!

How to make healthy soil so you never have to fertilise again.

An earwig trap from Connie's Dahlias.

Have earwigs? Read how to get rid of them here. I've always had earwigs around the property but never enough to do anything about them. I just let them be. However, Connie at Connie's Dahlia's cannot have them eating her lovely flowers, so she came up with this awesome trap..

Buy a 3/8 inch inside diameter soaker hose - comes in 50 ft lengths at most big box store - cut this up into 6 or 7 inch lengths ( the earwigs like to crawl up inside to hide).

Go to your DOLLAR STORE and buy tons of plastic clothes pegs or hair clips large enough to attach the hose lengths to your stakes. Place the pieces close to where your blooms are happening.

Have a bucket of soapy water available, take the hose pieces off every couple of days and tap inside the buckets - you will get tons of earwigs.

Check out Charles Dowding's latest results from his no dig trial bed. He has two beds side by side that he plants up exactly the same. One is a no dig bed, the other is a dig bed. Hint... save yourself the backache, stop turning that soil.

This read about Mulch FAQ'S Answered! So much great information about how, when, why, etc... to mulch your gardens.

This video from The Chelsea Flower Show. I did not watch it, just enjoyed the photographs.

Homey Bit of Inspo

This article could be in the gardening bits but thought it was more appropriate here as it is all about making your yard cosy... 20 simple ideas to bring your dream backyard to life.

How to fight pre-company stress!

23 houseplants that can survive zero sunlight.

This 1800's home in the UK is perfect! Often these older English homes can be dark, but this house is bright and light and beautiful!

I love this cosy, homey Station House. I could move in today and not change a thing.

Make a cardboard loom.

Inspirational Recipe Ideas for Father's Day and Canada Day

I'm starting to plan for Canada Day already, coming up with ideas that are easy for a crowd, seasonal is always a great thing, and most of all, they have to be yummy. Here are some of the things on my idea list so far...

This potato salad! Dill pickles makes everything better ; )

Mediterranean baked feta (or haloumi) with tomatoes.

This tomato, peach, burrata, and cherry salad is a show stopper!

A Strawberry Brita cake . This is my cousin's favourite cake ever. Just as an aside note... It has become very popular in Finland apparently, making the top 3 list, though I had never heard of it.

This Strawberry Cheesecake. See it in the picture above. I will be making one of these for hubby on Father's day as neither kid will be around that day. I have never made a baked cheesecake but she swears it is easy, so I will try. Btw, cheesecake in generally an okay dessert for diabetics, within reason, does not raise their numbers much at all.

This strawberry cheesecake ice cream pie will make a lovely Canada Day dessert.

Or this Easy Strawberry Ice Cream Cake.

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sandwiches. These look amazing. I really need one of those

Ninja Creami's (love this one in rose gold!) to make some ice cream. I have a birthday coming up soon ; )

This delicious Strawberry Bread recipe. Oh yum!

Red, white, and blue popsicles. You can add the blue, if you want, or just make them red and white for Canada Day. Either way would be yummy. I am always on the look out for something yummy to give the grandies that is dye free and a healthier option for a kid with ADHD.

Mocktails you can easily make at home. Bring on Canada Day!

A jam packed, idea filled Sunday Bits for you all this week!

Don't forget to check out the Father's Day gift idea post : )

Homemade sourdough focaccia bread!

Have a fantastic day, Tanja