Author Archives: Ellie

About Ellie

I read (mostly audiobooks), learn, write and take pictures. I'm a plant eater, animal lover, e-bike (now) rider. I live in Nova Scotia, with my husband, border collie and three Cornish Rex cats. I seem to spend 90% of my waking time in the kitchen, cooking and the rest outdoors. I do not post or comment on anything political.

Another Surprise

Posted by Ellie
A small, brown and cream mouse is sitting in some brown undergrowth next to a small dark hole beside it. One eye is facing us warily. Around is green grasses and dried reeds and grasses.
Little Brown Mouse in the Undergrowth

Generally I quite like surprises. Having a mouse scurry under my feet in the house, first thing in the morning would not be ranked one of my favourites. We have, as you probably know, three cats. So, with a house full of cats, how did it happen that I came downstairs this morning to be faced with a (live) mouse in the house? The cats knew it was there. The poor little thing was terrified, running around and hiding frantically. So what did the cats do? They squabbled with each other over whose mouse it was. They chased it a bit, of course, then they sat and looked at it. Face to face, at one point. So it was up to me to catch it (by putting an upturned plastic pot over it) and take it outside to get on with its life. It was a cute little thing, catching its breath in the grass. This photo was actually taken years ago, as this morning was not the time for a photo session.

May all your unusual surprises end as well as this one did.

My gallery of photographs featuring animals including this little guy is here: https://www.elliekennard.ca/ekgallery/animals/

Surprise!

Posted by Ellie
A fully open tiger lily flower is shown, with the raised dark brown or black dots on the curled back orange petals. The stamens hang arched downward. The stem of the plant is to the left of the frame, with what seem to be black seeds or fruits here and there along the stem and branchlets. In front of and pointing down to the right of the flower is an unopened flower bud with a single spider web thread leading down to the right and out of the frame.There is a bokeh in the background.
Surprise! Tiger Lily

Some surprises are really exciting, and this was definitely one for me. I had seen this plant growing at the corner of the house under the crab apple tree the last year or two and I had almost pulled it out as a weed as it just looked strange. I guess I never got around to tidying that section of the garden, with so much to do everywhere else. So this year, when it started to grow, I thought I would keep an eye on it and get rid of it, if it seemed to be taking over, especially as it had these odd black balls growing along the stem at the leaf junctions. Long after our Asiatic lilies had finished flowering, I noticed that it seemed to have lily-like long buds appearing. I still wasn’t convinced it could be anything noteworthy as we hadn’t planted anything there and so why would there be? Then I saw the buds developed a tinge of colour and began to get excited. A couple of days after, there was this gorgeous Tiger Lily flower, in all its glory. What a wonderful surprise it was and I could hardly wait to share it with you all.

Wishing you all a day with some good surprises just like this one.

This flower can be seen full size along with the others in my gallery by going to the Flower Almost Every Day Gallery here: https://www.elliekennard.ca/ekgallery/flower-a-day-2024/

Asiatic Lilies

Posted by Ellie
A patch of asiatic lilies, some in the foreground and middle back are a pale pink, while to the right of the frame is a darker pink or red. There are a few apricot coloured odd ones in the left top corner. They are framed by dark green leaves.
Asiatic Lilies

For any who are looking for a joyful post today, a timeline cleanse perhaps, look no further! The sight of these gorgeous blooms never fails to bring me a feeling of happiness and well-being, no matter whatever else might be on my mind. I hope this gives the same to you, friends. I wish you all a happy Friday and weekend.

For more joyful colour and to see this in full size, visit my Flower gallery here: https://www.elliekennard.ca/ekgallery/flower-a-day-2024/

Good Day Sunshine

Posted by Ellie
Flat golden yellow flowers with two layers of petals and a honeycomb orange centre are against a cool mauve blue green blackground. The centre one is in focus, and there is an opening bud drooping down to left of centre at the bottom of the frame.
Sunshine on a stem

Here is a ray of sunshine to brighten your day, friends. I believe this Heliopsis Helianthoides is known as a false sunflower, but it looks really like a sunny flower to me, nothing false about it. I hope you find some sunshiny moments today, everyone.

I’ve renamed the gallery and the theme to be “A Flower Almost Every Day”, which more accurately represents what I can comfortably manage.

You can view the gallery of these latest flower photographs in full size here: Gallery