Live-May2014
Every season brings new chores and adventures in the garden. For some the thought of reconnecting with the earth, observing the awakening of dormant too long treasures in our gardens is eagerly anticipated. For others the overwhelming and daunting task(s) of recreating what was once glorious can chase us right back indoors.
For those of us in the first group, no task is too great or time consuming and the rewards – well most others wouldn’t understand – the mastering of nature to create a vision of harmony that the untrained eye would assume was, well, ‘natural’.
For the rest, a few simple tips and an easy to follow ‘to-do’ list can make short work of an ‘evergrowing’ task.
- Remove any sand, gravel and debris left from snow removal from turf and planting areas.
- Identify any winter damage to trees and shrubs and prune as necessary.
- Remove any protective coverings/wrap that may still be present.
Remove leaves from the turf and beds. A gentle raking can be used on grass but a leaf blower or handpicking is preferred for bed areas to minimize any damage to new perennial shoots that may be emerging. Leaves can be composted or used for mulching.
Prune perennials. Remove last year’s spent flowers and most of the stems. Leave some stem behind to easily locate the plants and protect new growth.
Pull weeds from beds before they have a chance to take hold. It is easiest when the soil is still damp.
Fertilize and mulch planting beds. Now is the time to fertilize fruit trees and small fruit.
Check any existing staking, reattach or adjust ties. Add staking to any plants that may be susceptible to our unpredictable spring weather.
Feed your lawn. Overseeding can be done in the next couple of weeks.
Prepare your tools for the upcoming summer. Sharpen blades, oil changes( mowers), check handles, repair or replace as needed.
Gardening shouldn’t be a chore. Don’t make it one. Take the opportunity to observe and enjoy.
‘Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. ‘
In addition to what we do as faculty and staff either in our classrooms, at our desks or in the community – there’s always so many more opportunities to get involved and have fun at Algonquin! Take, for example, this energetic, creative awesome group of employees who love planning the AC FAMILY FUN EVENTS! The next AC Family Fun Day – The Picnic Edition is scheduled for Saturday, June 7 from 11:00 – 3:00PM. The core planning team: Karen Acton, Melissa Austin, Annette Carla Bouzi, Jennifer Buckingham, Carol Garceau, Garry Guigue, Mary Ann Hansen, Jen Monk, Shawn Pentecost, Trudy Price, and Lisa Shaw-Verhoek look forward to seeing you and your families!
The Picnic Edition promises to be a great day spent outside – a wonderful experience for all ages! When you arrive outside of the Student Commons we have a bouncy castle for children and for those who like a challenge you can try the bouncy obstacle course that we’re told provides fun for all ages! Who’s going to challenge who? Mom vs. dad? Grandkids vs. Grandparents? Colleague vs. colleague? Sibling vs. sibling? Bring your fun competitive spirit and as they say, “let the games begin!”
Then make your way to the Courtyard and be welcomed by the team of volunteers. Challenge your friends and family to a good ol’ three-legged race or have a friendly game of tug-of-war. Be sure to arrive early to allow time for some instrument making! Drums, shakers – or be creative! This will come in useful to make noise and in Junkyard Symphony’s interactive performance at 1:00PM.
After you enjoy your leisurely picnic take part in the scavenger hunt and enjoy the gardens near the horticultural building! The team has planned for all ages and developed both a traditional and digital scavenger hunt.
We encourage a sustainable, environmentally responsible approach to the picnic! Challenge yourself to pack your lunch with minimal waste and litter – maybe a ‘litterless lunch’?! The College will be providing cold drinks, freezies, and cotton candy!
Door prizes will be drawn throughout the day, beginning at 11:30am! The team would like to thank OPSEU Local 415 and Restaurant International for their generous donations.
Ottawa Race Weekend
Ottawa Race Weekend has always been an exciting time for me as for the last few years my mother, myself and my 12 year old son have participated together … Triple Generation Challenge!
This year, our race became even more special. A team of over 40 Algonquin staff, faculty, students from various areas of the College will be ‘Running Wild for Food and Farmers’! Ottawa Race Weekend supports a number of charities, including USC Canada’s Run for Biodiversity. Our grassroots AC R4B TEAM is hoping to achieve our fundraising goal of $4000, in support of seed-saving farmers in Ethiopia.
The AC TEAM has runners/walkers in every race even, including the marathon, half marathon, 10k, 5k, and 2k races! Participating in Race Weekend, whether in a race or cheering on others, is a wonderful way to spend some time in our spectacular city! The atmosphere is magical – full of enthusiasm, excitement, anticipation and positive energy! Come on our and encourage your AC TEAM and the 44,000 other athletes in Canada’s largest multi-day running event!
If you would like to learn more about Run4Biodiversity or how you can support the AC TEAM, click here! http://usc-canada.org/run-for-biodiversity/ottawa/
Submitted by: T. Price, Academic Development
Meet Angela Clermont:
Senior ITS Manager
AND published children’s book author!
“What Is Growing Out of Your Ear?” Angela Clermont’s grandfather used to caution her that if she swallowed seeds, fruit would sprout from her ears. She has never forgotten this lesson and it is now the theme of her recently published children’s book by the same title. This engaging reader for 4-6 year olds (and published by AuthorHouse under Angela’s maiden name – Angela Graham) tells the story of a little girl who swallows a cherry pit and has to learn how to cope with the cherry tree that grows out of her ear.
For most of us at the College, we know Angela Clermont as the Senior Manager in ITS, responsible for IT Planning, Strategy and Analytics. She is a member of the dynamic cross-College team – Project Fusion – which will bring a new Finance and Human Resources system to us in the near future. But as with so many of our colleagues, there is another side of Angela. Her passion for writing children’s stories was fostered with the birth of her children, Graham and Evelyn, now 12 and 11. Christmas and birthday presents for her children always include a story written and illustrated by Mom and usually starring the kids. As her children have grown up, so too have the stories; Angela is now writing a novel for her children – a first person escapade from the perspective of the family dog Toby, and featuring Evelyn and Graham as his side-kicks. She hopes to publish this one too under the title “Escape from Killarney”.
Find out more about Angela and her passion at her website www.angelagraham.webs.com or drop in and visit her in C316g. If you’re in Toronto on September 21, join Angela at The Word on the Street Festival, an open air event advocating literacy. She’ll sign one of her books for you!
We are blessed to work with such amazing colleagues whose talents, skills and passions reach far beyond their day jobs. Congratulations to Angela Clermont, creative author and illustrator, on her accomplishment!