Potted Plants

Yesterday was an incredibly hot day, and today is more of the same here in Ottawa. Summers here can get very hot and humid, so it's important to keep cool and stay hydrated. Most delicate flowers have already come and gone by now, but the heat hasn't affected the success of the lilies in the city! While I was walking yesterday, it got me thinking about what plants and flowers do the best in the hottest of the summer months here in Ontario. I certainly don't claim to be an expert, as my knowledge is basic at most when it comes to plants and flowers, but I have always really enjoyed being outside surrounded by trees and greenery. Once we eventually get our own home, I am very much looking forward to growing my own little garden! 

In any case, since that probably won't be a reality for at least another few years, I've been putting some thought into how to make our apartment a bit, well, greener! I personally love roses and peonies, but keeping fresh flowers like those in the house can be expensive, since they don't last forever and need to be replaced fairly frequently. 

What's really been getting my attention lately have been potted plants! When I was growing up, my grandparents always had a collection of cacti in their dinning room that always fascinated me. Lately, I've been really interested in getting a small cactus (or two!) and a few succulents to decorate our next apartment. They look so fresh and exotic and compared to most flowers, and are fairly low maintenance. I still have to figure out where in Ottawa I'll be able to find some of these little gems! If you've got any suggestions, please go ahead and post in the comments section below! Once I get some, I'll be sure to do a post all about how they look in our apartment and even more importantly, how to keep them alive! 

Mother's Day Lunch in Ottawa

Happy Mother's Day! 

Despite cloudy skies and a bit of rain here in Ottawa, today was absolutely lovely because my parents and youngest brother came to visit. We went to the Lord Elgin for a special Mother's Day lunch where we got to enjoy huge cups of coffee (seriously, they were more like small bowls!) and a huge buffet spread that included bacon, eggs, roast beef, smoked salmon, and flambéed fruit! 

The Lord Elgin is a beautiful hotel in the heart of downtown Ottawa, so we were able to walk around and see some of the sights after lunch. After stopping by to see the changing of the guards at the War Memorial, we walked down Sparks Street so my dad could pick up a fleece sweater since it was pretty chilly out. Once it started raining we all piled into the car and drove to the Glebe, where we took a short walk along the canal. Had it been a bit warmer and less rainy, we probably would have extended our walk, but considering the weather, we just did a quick tour before getting back into the car and driving to the apartment. Even still, we were able to see some beautiful flowers and trees along the water. The tulip festival is currently going on here in Ottawa so there were plenty of brightly colored tulips on display all around the city.

After our walk we headed over to the apartment for some tea before my parents had to drive back to Kingston. We had a really lovely visit and are so lucky to be able to get together more often now that we live (relatively) close to each other. I hope you all had a lovely day too and happy mother's day!

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day is officially only a week away! If you haven't put much thought into how you'll be showing your appreciation for mom yet, now would be a good time to start!

No language can express the power, and beauty, and heroism, and 

majesty of a mother’s love. It shrinks not where man cowers, and grows stronger where man faints, and over wastes of worldly fortunes sends the radiance of its quenchless fidelity like a star. ~Edwin Hubbell Chapin

 I am very lucky to have a wonderful relationship with my mother and I am incredibly thankful for her constant love and support everyday. Looking back, I regret that it took me so long to understand how incredibly special she is to me and just how much I respect and admire her. I'll be the first to admit that I was by no means an "easy" child to raise. I was incredibly demanding, had a quick temper, and an insatiable curiosity that meant I needed a lot of supervision! Yet despite everything, I knew I could always count on my mother to look after me when I was sick, give me advice when I felt like no one else understood me, and love me no matter how many times I messed up. To this day, I am still in awe of how she managed (scratch that- still manages!) to look after me, run a household, have a career, and still have a fulfilling life! 

I've told her this many times now, but I sincerely hope that when it comes time for me to become a mother, I'll be able to do it with as much love and grace as she does. 

Whether you're on great terms, or things are a bit shaky right now, it's incredibly important to show your appreciation for the woman who brought you into the world and raised you. It doesn't have to be big or flashy, but as long as it comes from the heart, I'm sure it will be appreciated!

When it comes to gifts for mom, I tend to either go with DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects, or gifts that are indulgent and relaxing. The DIY route can be more budget-friendly, but you have to be prepared to put in the time required to actually complete the project. 

Here are a few Mother's Day gift ideas to get you started:

* DIY Heart-shaped tea bags

* Framed photo of you and mom

* Scented candle or perfume

* Spa package (at home or in salon) 

* Afternoon Tea (when I lived in Vancouver, The Secret Garden was my favorite place to go!

* Lotions (the Pear & Pink Magnolia collection from Crabtree & Evelyn smells amazing!) 

* Customized jewelry (I really like the custom bracelets from Etsy. You can feature both of your birthstones for a meaningful touch) 

If you're short on time, or you just can't think of something original, it's always a good idea to at the very least, give (or make) a card. You can always up the ante by pairing it with flowers, which add a pretty and fragrant touch! 

Happy Mother's Day to all!