Our annual garden potluck lunch at Aveline's

Last Thursday was our annual potluck garden club lunch at Aveline's lovely house on Lakelse Lake. Her house overlooks the water and her deck has a beautiful view.  

There were 11 of us and here you see Christine in the back and Trudy up front.  We started out with coffee on the deck and a little chat. 

Barb, Marg and Lovina in the back.  Lovina will celebrate her 88th birthday tomorrow!  I've mentioned before that the group is a "mature" bunch!

It was a bit windy but the glass railings protected us quite nicely. 

Marie, Betty and Christine.  Everyone in the group still gardens and we are spread all over the Terrace area.  Some on acreages and some on lots and the gardens are as diverse as our personalities. 

Aveline and her husband Gord also have a condo in town as Gord has some health issues and it's not practical for them to live at the lake at this point.  Aveline comes out to look after her plants a few times a week.  As we age we make the necessary decisions based on our health.

The potted plants just thrive on the deck in full sun. 

Here we all are ready for lunch.  It is always amazing to me that our potluck lunch selection turns out so well when we don't organize the menu.  I always bring an entree...usually my hot chicken salad as everyone likes it. 

My selfie attempt. 

Out of order but this is dessert.  Rhubarb crisps, pastries and even some ice cream. 

Following dessert Aveline asked us to talk about something that was going on in our lives.  She started with her 85th birthday which was on the 7th of July.  She was so fascinated by a butterfly kit that her grandchildren had received that they bought her one!  This butterfly came out of it's chrysalis a couple of days ago and it's a beautiful painted lady.  She set it out on the lawn to dry it's wings. What an interesting and thoughtful gift.  Her carpenter son bought her a battery powered tree branch cutter and he even gave her training in safety.  She is thrilled with it.  Those kids really know who their mother is!!

We usually have a garden question to answer at our meetings but this time the topic drifted more to life and how we are all handing the changes that aging brings.  We talked about grandchildren, children and what we'll do when we can no longer look after our houses and gardens.  For those of us who didn't have anything to say Aveline gently prodded with questions and the stories came out.  I talked about how I worry about the generations who are growing up now and how all the knowledge and skill that we've all amassed over our life times will be lost along with all the old tools and keepsakes that are no longer important.  As we age we reflect on our childhoods and how different and simpler things were when we were young.  Betty suggested I should start writing a family history and I agreed.  Our grandchildren are spread from B.C. to Pennsylvania and as far as Glasgow, Scotland so sitting and chatting with them about the " olden days" isn't likely to happen.  

This is lunch with 3 diffierent salads, one potato salad, deviled eggs and my chicken salad.  It was absolutely delicious.  

After lunch we wandered back outside to look at the lake and Aveline's garden. 

She has a lovely stairway down to the dock on the lake. 

On the left is the lovely stream/ waterfall that recirculates lake water.  Brenda and Lovina were at the first level having a chat. 

Trudy and Barb on the dock.  Barb loves snakes and that day she couldn't find any!

Any snakes up there on the rocks....nope!

Potted begonias. 

The driveway out to the road and the garden and everyone stops to chat and dig up small pieces of perenials. 

As Aveline isn't at the lake full time it's hard to keep the garden weeded but it doesn't matter as it's all lovely anyway. 

She has the most gorgeous roses.  Roses don't like it at my house but they love it at the lake. 

I think Marg is getting a piece of the bright red astilbe. 

The three amigas...Trudy, Barb and me.  

We all had a perfectly lovely day and we're all looking forward to next July's luncheon at the lake. 

Aveline was feeling down about turning 85 so her husband Gord bought the family tickets on the passenger train from Terrace east to Hazelton.  Some of the men drove down with a picnic lunch and met the family in Hazelton and then they all went to Sealey Lake for lunch.  What a thoughtful gift and the video shows the little children's wonder of the train and Aveline's birthday joy.  

I hope it plays and that you enjoy it!

My annual garden meeting.

 I belong to a small garden club that boasts some excellent gardeners who are all friends.  Our ages range in the club from 71 to 88...so yes gardening does keep you mostly active and mostly healthy well into old age.

I usually host the August meeting but this year I decided to mix it up and host June.  Same garden but it looks totally different month by month.

Today we were 9 as a few ladies were missing for one reason or another.

We did start by wandering through the garden but I'll show those pictures last!

We have a very small house but the sun room fit 9 with no problem.

That's Marie who hates to have her picture taken😁

Christine is up getting snacks.  Some times we bring food but today a provided the crackers, cheese, salami etc.  I baked a rhubarb crisp that you can see on the counter.

Marg, Aveline and Betty.

Trudy and Betty chatting.

We chatted and ate and then everyone got to tell us how their gardens have changed as they age.  So far at 76 I haven't made any big changes but...the time will come.

Below you can see some of the beds in my woodland country garden.  I do mow the (so called lawns😁) edge and weed all of it on rotating basis and everything is perrenial except for a couple of tubs in front of the garden shed.

The ladies wander and chat.  It's nice to have gardeners view the garden as they all love and know plants.

The vegetable garden is very slow due to the cold, rainy spring.  The row of Crimson King maples are from our large mature tree.  They have to be moved soon!

My rock garden covered in creeping thyme. 

The large green  plant with an airy spray of white flowers is a perrenial Crambe Cordifolia and beside it a Ninebark in full bloom.

The shrub border greets you as you come up the driveway.

That's a Rodgersia blooming under the trees 

Looking up to the house from the "dry" streambed which is actually used to divert spring run off.

The ladies remarked that the Hostas weren't as large as usual but...they usually come here in August!

Beside the house looking out into the field.

There are some zucchinis, a tomato plant and even a cucumber in there.

Betty really liked this color combination and she asked for a piece of the purple sedum on the right.

My garden shed used to be a chicken house. One winter many years ago Eric skidded it down from behind the house and put shelves and a bench in it for me.  Last year it got a new coat of paint.

We all had a lovely time together and next month we'll have our annual luncheon at Aveline's out at Lakelse lake.