Ta! Elmaks

I saw something in my swap box by Elmaks tonight that I'd never really paid attention to.

I figured Elmaks had started to outline the letters of the word Take, and stopped after outlining only the T and the a.

Tonight I saw it differently, and I whispered, ta! back at you Elmaks ... we will miss you.

Des Clips

When I was a single parent, Papa, who was a practical man, showed his concern and love by giving me useful gifts.

Sometimes it was tools, other times groceries, or cleaning supplies.

One time he brought me an old cedar picnic table that we'd had when I was growing up.

"It's funny," I said to him after setting it up in the yard, "I remember the table and seats as much wider."

He tilted his head to one side, his eyes narrowed slightly, "Well, it was. Damned thing wouldn't fit in the car, so I trimmed off the ends."

One of my favorite gifts was a plain, dark beige metal box that he gave me at arms length while smiling mischievously, "Guess what's in the box?"


"Clips?" I suggested.

"Yes! Open it." He never questioned how I knew he'd brought me (binder) clips. We called them by their french name, "Des clips."

Of course I still have them. I was pleasantly surprised to discover, when I started blogging, that I am not the only one out there who likes, uses, or creates with clips.

My favourite use for binder clips will always be the bed sheet forts that the boys and I would build using clips to secure the half dozen or more sheets to tables and chairs - hours of fun.

Dirt Pirate

I was commenting to a friend that one of the differences between gardening in the country and gardening in the city, is the kind of treasures that are found in the process of digging.

In the country I regularly found miniature shells, broken pottery and glass, antique glass bottles and glass stoppers, ancient blunt headed nails, and even rusted old tools.

In the city, so far, I have found a used condom (not pictured), an unused condom, pop bottles, beer cans, a lipstick, and a new spoon.


That is, until last Sunday...

I found what appears to be an old broken bottle neck and a newer piece of a china cup.



Did my friend hide those in my city garden to surprise me?