Cowichan Valley | Sheila Zeller Interiors

Lush Eco Lawns Spreading the Mulch!

June 2, 2013

Do you remember our garden overhaul after my weeding revenge? If you missed it, you can read about it here.

We thought it looked neat and tidy then… until our bark mulch arrived.

John Larsson Trucking - Mulch Delivery

John Larsson Trucking did an awesome job of dumping this full load right onto our slightly undersized tarp! My Dad offered us his larger tarp, but I insisted ours was just fine. Shhhh, don’t tell him he might have been right!

Mulch Pile

Lush Eco Lawns team was already hard at work mowing, weeding wacking, and prepping to spread the mulch.

Lush Eco Lawns Team

Hard working guys, seriously!

Lush Eco Lawns Crew at Work

And you know that overflow of mulch I hinted at? Well, when this team was finished you would never know any mulch had hit the ground!

Here’s a look at the Lush team’s work!

Landscaping with Garden Mulch

Notice how clean the gravel is?

And check out how thoroughly the mulch has been spread, especially around the border of Lily of the Valley on the left. Not easy.

Landscaping with Garden Mulch

We can’t say enough about the professional service of the Lush Eco team.

Especially when you see this shot of the garden before the fresh mulch.

Garden Needing Fresh Mulch

And compare it to this shot after the Lush team worked their magic!

Garden with New Mulch

Isn’t it incredible what a difference this fresh layer of mulch makes?

And what about that team? It was such a treat to bring in these professionals to do what they do best, because you know me, we had plans to tackle it ourselves. Lush Eco Lawns – you rock!

Thanks for stopping by!

I hope you had a great weekend.

Photographs by Sheila Zeller

TaggedCowichan Valley, Curb Appeal, Exterior Maintenance, Exterior Styling, Gardening, Home Exteriors, Summer Filed UnderArticles 7 Comments

These Flowers Are Not Your Friend!

May 21, 2013

We had an incredible long weekend with awesome weather, so I was able to get out and tackle the extra greenery that wasn’t really invited to our garden plot.

Our side yard looked like this…

Overgrown Weeds

Yes, I hang my head in shame.

But it looks worse than it really was. These party crashers seriously seemed to pop up overnight!

Weeds

They look pretty in this photo, but trust me, they are not your friend!

These pretty weeds (what are they anyway?) cover the ground like a floral carpet, and before you know it, you’ve got wall-to-wall!

Well, not anymore.

Now our side yard looks like this!

Wheel barrel of weeds

Two heaping wheel barrels and this mini load later.

I know. Crazy!

And to keep the weeds down, Lush Eco Lawns will be replenishing our bark mulch with a very, very thick layer. I’d call that ripping out the carpet and replacing it with hardwood instead!

How about you, are you battling the first weeds of the season? What are your weed control strategies??

Thanks for stopping by!

Photographs by Sheila Zeller

TaggedCowichan Valley, Curb Appeal, Exterior Styling, Gardening, Home Exteriors, Spring, Weed Control Filed UnderArticles 11 Comments

The Cycle of A Thrift!

May 13, 2013

How was your weekend? All-in-all ours was pretty darned good since we were able to capitalize on the bright spots in our mixed bag of weather!

Saturday we wandered through the Duncan Farmer’s Market, stopping in for a chat at some of our favorite stands. When we popped by Makaria Farm’s stand, little did I know a very cool story was about to emerge.

This is my friend Heather, and you might remember her from my earlier posts, here and here.

Heather McLeod, Makaria Farm

You see that little chalk board? We were together when Heather thrifted it back a few months ago. The perfect little stand. Small, fold-able portable, well-made as in dove tail corners, solid wood well-made, and above all, farm stand functional. All that packed into one thrifted little find!

Where the cycle of a thrift comes in? One of Makaria Farm’s long-time customers and acquaintances happened to ask about the new addition, specifically, where Heather had gotten it. And when Heather said she thrifted it, the woman was able to pinpoint from where! What are the chances?

As it turns out, this little chalkboard had once belonged to her! And… she had originally acquired it on her own thrifting adventures many years ago!

Now, how coincidental is that?

I love this story. You just never know where a good thrift has been, or when you might see it again. And you can be sure, there’s a story behind every one!

Do you have any thrifting coincidences like this to share? What have you got planned for the week ahead? Any treasure seeking adventures calling your name?

Thanks for stopping by!

Photograph by Sheila Zeller

TaggedCowichan Valley, Display, Duncan Farmer's Market, Heather McLeod, Makaria Farm, Table Top Chalk Board Stand, Thrifting Filed UnderArticles 10 Comments

Guest Posting at Home Bunch: Putting A Pause In Your Day

April 24, 2013

Isn’t it interesting how time seems to be flying by? I don’t know about you, but my Spring feels like a blur!

Today you’ll find me over at Home Bunch taking you on a tour of one of my favorite places in the Cowichan Valley… a very tranquil, beautiful place where time checks itself at the door, and Spring does not pass you by…

Won’t you join me?

A big thank you to Luciane for inviting me to be her guest today! I promise, this tour will put a pause in your day for just a moment.

Thanks for stopping by…

TaggedCowichan Valley, Gardening, Handbuilt Ceramics, Margit Nellemann, Moroccan Tea Service, Organic Tea, Spring, Teafarm Duncan Filed UnderArticles 1 Comment

A Little Salty… The Perfect Gift!

November 22, 2012

Looking for the perfect gift?

I bet your friends and family would love a package or two of this!

Natural Sea Salt

That’s right, handcrafted artisan salts from Vancouver Island.

Back in the summer we stopped by Vancouver Island Salt Company’s stand at the Duncan Farmers Market.

Duncan Farmers Market 2012

And finally got a chance to meet Andrew Shepherd, the genius behind the salts of this company. Until then we only knew him as @SaltyAndrew! Don’t you just love meeting Twitter peeps in person?

Well, since then we have been cooking up a storm with our infused salts, and loooving their flavors. We’ve gone through our summer purchase and then some! And these are just two of the infused salts you can buy. To see the full menu of salts, click here!

Not only can you buy local, meaning all over Vancouver Island, but these salts are available in Vancouver, the Gulf Islands, Calgary and Ontario, too! For a list of locations, you can find it here. Or you can order online here.

I’m pretty excited to share these local salts with you! Wouldn’t they make a great hostess gift?

And how about these cool little apothecary bottles?

Yup, another thrifting score! I was searching, and there they were… just perfect to store our salts in.

Mini Apothecary Bottles

So what do you think? Will you be shopping the salt this season?

Infused Natural Sea Salt

And will it be gifted, or for you?

You know these little packets would make the perfect stocking stuffer, right?

Just sayin’

Thanks for stopping by!

Photographs by Sheila Zeller

TaggedCowichan Valley, Gift Ideas, Infused Sea Salt, Mini Apothecary Bottles, Smoked Rock Salt, Vancouver Island Salt Company Filed UnderArticles 20 Comments

And Our Garden Continues to Grow!

September 19, 2012

Remember when I posted about the Heather our neighbour gave us? Here’s a little flashback in case you missed it. The yellow circles are where we planted them back in June.

And, here’s a look at them now!

They all survived! You can’t see the fifth one in the top, right corner, but it’s the same colour as the one in the foreground, and is also in full bloom

Here’s a close-up of my favorite one.

I love the colour!

But this is only the half of it. You see, this same neighbour has decided to dig up more plants, and pass them on to us!

Here the bins are filled with what he gave us, as well as a huge lily that was planted before this photo.

If you look at the spot circled below, we learned from all the watering over the summer, that it doesn’t drain at all. So this area turned into a thick mud bog.

I couldn’t stay on top of the weeds, and wasn’t sure what to do with this spot.

With the gift of more plants I decided to build another garden bed. Why not let the plants help with that excess water, right?

I moved Black-Eyed Susans to the new bed from the one on the left, and was able to add two mounds of our neighbour’s Dianthus in their place. Now that whole bed is filled with Dianthus.

For the rest of the water-logged area, sand was spread and then topped with fresh bark mulch.

But I made a mistake, and picked up black mulch instead of brown. I thought I could live with it, but I can’t! I’m going to mix some brown with the black for a more even blend, and spread it around further.

Our neighbour also gave us some Primula, which are planted along the same side as the Heather.

The Lily of the Valley border came from my Dad’s yard last year, and he’s planning to split some of his other plants up again this year. And… they’re destined for our yard!

The yard is slowly starting to fill in, and what’s so awesome, is most of the plants have been given to us!

Quite a few have come from hub’s parents as well, including all of these grasses that you see scattered throughout.

It’s a win-win!

Here’s my favorite part…

Now, I know you’ve seen this ‘Before’ photo many times.

BEFORE

But in order to appreciate the progress, it’s great to see what it looked like when we first moved in.

And compare that to what it looks like now!

AFTER

I find it so rewarding to see the yard come together.

On the note of rewarding, do you remember the sweet pea challenge I was having with my Dad? Well, stay tuned. I’ll be back with how that went!

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

Photography: Sheila Zeller

TaggedAutumn, Colour, Cowichan Valley, Curb Appeal, Exterior Styling, Gardening, Heather shrub, Home Exteriors, Summer Filed UnderArticles 11 Comments

It’s Labour Day & A Giveaway ~ We’re Celebrating Something Special With You!

September 3, 2012

We have some pretty exciting news to share from our household, and since today is Labour Day, I thought it was a great fit. You see, my hubs has been writing a book. Can I just say, project. labour. intensive.?

Kurt Knock Photography

Did you know that Labor Day in Canada originally gave workers the chance to campaign for better working conditions or pay? Well, since hubs is a business owner, I don’t think that’s a negotiable here

Anyway, this weekend after months of writing, editing, rewriting, and all that goes into having a book published, the heavy lifting is done! We are so excited, because the book has just been published, and is up on Amazon! And tomorrow hard copies will be delivered to our doorstep! Can you imagine what it’s going to feel like to hold a bound copy of all that work in hand?

Here’s a look at the book…

And a screen shot of it on Amazon, you know, just to keep it real!

Want to know what it’s all about?

Book Description:

Is the dream of owning your own business crumbling under the demands of running your own business? Do you have employees? How is that working out? And how about difficult clients? Did you expect running your own business to be such hard work? Here’s how you can turn this around. In 3 Acts, Business Coach Clemens Rettich walks you through stories, tips, and strategies to take a business from Band Camp Performance and turn it into a Great Performance! Drawing from real-life case stories of small business failures and successes, Clemens gives you the nuts and bolts required to make your small business success a reality. Every great performance starts with a script or score: Great Performances is yours.

What other business authors are saying?

“I can’t stop thinking about what I’ve learned in this book, and I’m eagerly applying these lessons to my work. Clemens Rettich has delivered a virtuoso performance himself by writing Great Performances. Encore!”

Steve Yastrow, author of We, The Ideal Customer Relationship and Brand Harmony

Interested? Purchase here. But wait, why not enter the giveaway? Clemens is offering you a chance to win a signed copy of Great Performances, hot off the press!

For us, like many of you, on this first Monday in September we’re taking the day to relax, and enjoy the company of family and friends.

Deafening Silence Blog

And so today I raise a glass to Clemens for all his hard work and dedication to seeing this dream come true, and invite you, my friends, to enter the giveaway below.

GIVEAWAY

Here’s how to enter:

[Please leave a comment back here noting each entry along with your contact info]

1. LIKE Clemens Rettich Business Consulting Ltd. on Facebook

2. SUBSCRIBE to Clemens’ Newletter

3. FOLLOW Clemens on Twitter [Copy & retweet the below]

Enter @ClemensRettich ‘Great Performances’ business book GIVEAWAY @sZinteriors http://wp.me/p1qlWC-3gy

4. If you already do the above, [please leave a comment here] to let me know

This giveaway is open to all readers, everywhere!

You have until Friday September 7, 2012 midnight PST to enter.

The winner will be drawn via Random.org and announced on Saturday , September 8th!

Thank you for entering, and GOOD LUCK!!!

Giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered!

I hope you’re having an awesome long weekend

PS – Clemens says, now you get a chance to see him as more than the guy who drills and rewires my projects for me!

Photo Credits: Clemens Rettich Business Consulting Ltd. unless otherwise stated.

TaggedClemens Rettich Business Consulting Ltd, Cowichan Valley, Great Performances Small Business Script, Small Business Book Filed UnderArticles 21 Comments

A Little Stop at Makaria Farm Market

July 2, 2012

Have you heard… Makaria Farm Market is now open daily from 11am to 6pm?

Hand Painted Sign

Source: Makaria Farm

That’s right, daily through the growing season!

Here’s a little sampling of Makaria’s organic offerings…

Organic Produce Makaria Farm Market

Organic Produce Cowichan Valley

Looks pretty tasty, right?

I bet you’re dying to see a few close-ups, aren’t you?

Like these garlic scapes, for instance.

Organic Garlic Scapes

Have you ever eaten garlic scapes? They’re super delicious, and can be put into just about any savory anything. We chop them onto our nachos, into our scrambled eggs, quiches, spaghetti sauce… you name it! And we sautee them with plenty of things, too. For more on garlic scapes, click here!

Kale is one of our favorite, favorite veggies, especially when it looks like this!

Organic Kale Makaria Farm

What’s not to love about this silvery green bundle of deliciousness? Full of nutrients, and keeps for days… even up to 2 weeks if stored properly, no kidding! Here’s our favorite kale recipe to enjoy with a meal…

We also love beets, and their tops, too.

Organic Beets Makaria Farm

Just look at the rich, ripeness of these beauties! And when you cut into them, mmmmm, so sweet, and don’t even get me started on the intense colour that lies within!

Swiss Chard.

Organic Swiss Chard - Makaria Farm

Easy to clean, simple to cook, and oh, so good for you! For storage and cooking tips from the Mrs. half of Makaria Farm, click here!

And did I mention the asparagus yet?

Organic Asparagus - Makaria Farm

We love our asparagus steamed, buttered and eaten straight up. But if you would like to serve it with an awesome zingy vinaigrette, you might want to give this one a try.

Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette

Mix together:

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp Dijon Mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

Add:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp sugar

ground pepper, to taste

Serve with 2-1/2 lbs fresh asparagus

This is my favorite vinaigrette, and can be used on just about anything for a little extra perky zip.

Are you a fan of kohlrabi (pronounced: kōl-ˈrä-bē also -ˈra)?

Organic Kohlrabi - Makaria Farm

Kohlrabi is German for cabbage turnip, so that gives you a hint to it’s flavor and texture, and you can eat it raw or cooked. But with colours like these, don’t you think kohlrabi would make a pretty table display, too?

If you’re new to Makaria Farm, what you’ll learn is they’re famous for their strawberries. If you want sweet, juicy, mouth-watering strawberries, Makaria is the place to go!

Makaria Farm Strawberries - Cowichan Valley

Seriously, once you’ve tasted Makaria’s strawberries, there’s no turning back. A basket or two will do… but you’ll want three, or four, or MORE!

If you’re in the area, or just passing through you’ll find Makaria Farm located just off the Trans-Canada Hwy, on Bench Road (click here for directions)… For all locations to purchase Makaria Farm fresh produce, click here.

How’s your long weekend been going? Have you had a chance to head out and do something fun, too?

We love this time of the year, because there’s nothing quite like freshly picked organic produce. And the little outings are always so much fun! If you get a chance to chat with Makaria’s Brock and Heather, you’re in for a treat. They’re friendly, knowledgeable, and so much fun! And who knows… if you’re heading off to the market, maybe we’ll see you there!

PS – if you’ve got plastic plant pots you won’t be using, Makaria Farm is happy to take them off your hands! Just pop by the farm to drop them off… They’ll be reused to plant something new!

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

All photos by Clemens Rettich unless otherwise stated.

TaggedBeets, Cowichan Valley, Gardening, Garlic Scapes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Makaria Farm Market, Organic Produce, Organic Strawberries, Summer, Swiss Chard Filed UnderArticles 8 Comments

Sunday Brunch on a Wednesday!

June 20, 2012

Okay, I’m a little late getting this post put together, but when it comes to Sunday brunch, it’s better late than never don’t you think? This past weekend we raised a toast to a milestone birthday for my Dad, and were joined by family and friends. Then on Sunday hubs and I hosted Father’s Day brunch at our place for everyone. Do you know, we had 5 dads and a dad-to-be around the table?

Here’s a little look at our Sunday brunch…

Cheery flowers and colourful napkins brought in some festive fun.

Vase Wrapped With Twine

And we joined two tables together so we were able to seat 12. It was set with china plates my hubby grew up with, and that his mom passed on to him about 6 years ago. We really enjoy using them, and love that there are enough to go ’round when we are hosting a gathering of this size.

Table Setting for Brunch

Can you see the vintage butter dish between the vases? The black and pink one? My sweet hubby gave that to me for a surprise Valentine’s gift one year. It matches a square cake plate my Mom passed on to me a long time ago… I also got to use our little tiny glass butter dish! And our very cool blown glass salt & pepper dish.

Table Setting for Brunch

Want to see them up close?

Glass Butter Dish, Salt & Pepper

You might remember my butter dish discovery, but I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned the salt & pepper dish. See it at the top right? It’s made by G.B.S. Glass Blowing in Shawnigan Lake, and was given to me by my Auntie Ada a few years ago. She was one of our out-of-town guests, so it was fun to use it while she was here!

Also on the table were these vintage cut-glass salt & pepper shakers. They were given to me by Kaleigh almost 7 years ago, and were purchased with her very own hard-earned money.

Vintage Cut Glass Salt & Pepper Set

She was barely 10 when she purchased them! Aren’t the memories behind special pieces the best?

We served three kinds of quiche made by hubs, and got to share some of the sweet basil we’re growing this year.

Fruit Platter, Quiche

I put together 2 fruit platters, and was super pleased at how fresh and tasty the fruit really was.

Fruit Platter

And we shared some local Cowichan Valley treats.

Fresh bread and pastries from True Grain Bread in Cowichan Bay…

Eccles Cakes, True Grain Bakery

Here you see Eccles cakes and pain au chocolat. Eccles cake is one of my Auntie Sharon’s favorites. We were so pleased that she and my Uncle Ken also joined us for brunch that day!

And French pastries from Saison Market Vineyard.

Saison Market Vineyard Pastries

Are you saying, mmmmmmm, yet?

I can’t even tell you what my favorite treat was, because everything was so good. The pastries and bread were baked fresh that morning, and hubs was there right for opening at each place! True Grain opened at 8am, and Saison at 9am, so the timing to hit both couldn’t have been better!

It was so much fun to do all this…

Table Setting

And enjoy it with some of the special people in our life, using special pieces we’ve acquired throughout our life. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

I love getting the house ready, and setting the table for occasions like these.

How about you? Is this something you like to do, too?

Thank you for taking the time to stop by!

Photography by Sheila Zeller

TaggedAccessorizing, Colour, Cowichan Valley, Decor, Decorating, Father's Day Brunch, GBS Glassblowing, Interior Styling, Saison Market Vineyard, True Grain Bread Filed UnderArticles 9 Comments

Zanatta al fresco anyone?

June 15, 2012

When the sun is shining, it puts a smile on my face.

Pink Poppy in Garden Edging

For outdoor dining, it’s quite the place!

Al Fresco Dining

It feels so calm and peaceful where time moves slow…

Zanatta Winery. A great place to go!

What are your plans for the weekend? Doing anything special for Father’s Day?

I feel so lucky to have my Dad close by. I bet you know by now that he’s my project guy. Dad is always there to lend a hand…

Sweet Peas in Pots

Dad installing a trellis for my sweet peas

And he always gets the job done!

Even if it means he might lose our friendly sweet pea competition {Click here to see who won!}

Between Dad and hubs, they’ve got me covered

Prepping Chandelier Installation

Hubs handling the wiring for the replacement chandelier

Love these guys!

This weekend is a busy one for us. It’s a milestone birthday for my Dad, and it’s Father’s Day! We’ll be spending time with family from out of town, and my brother and I are hosting a birthday BBQ for Dad with all our family peeps. On Sunday hubs and I are planning a casual brunch for everyone, and sharing some Cowichan Valley treats! {UPDATE: Click here to see how the brunch went!} So much fun!

Wishing all Dads out there a very Happy Father’s Day!