Violets

You know the old saying "I am turning into my Mother" well I am now turning into my MIL.
Mr. Butler was a gardener extraordinaire and could grow anything. Well Mrs. B could not care a bit about outside gardening. Put a couple of geraniums in a pot and she was done.
That was outside. Inside she had an impressive collection of African Violets. She had a glassed in sun porch on the front of her house that would have faced east. It must have been the perfect spot because she grew violets that were huge and always flowering. She would get a leaf from someone else (or give a leaf to someone) pot it and it would grow in no time. If I remember right she used fish emulsion but I bought just the regular African violet fertilizer and water them weekly with a light dose of this. I have never had an interest in them before and wouldn't have even taken any of hers. I think it was the minis that got my interest. I did manage to get both the minis and 4 regular size ones in a small box and home in good condition. I took a footed cake plate and put the minis on the plate in the glass candleholders (I actually bought these for pincushions)
and surrounded them with my 4 regular ones. We do not have any window ledges in this home so as of now they are residing right in the middle of my kitchen island and I get to look at them all the time. There is a large light fixture over the island so they receive enough light.

If they come out in the right order the first pic is of the entire bunch on the island. The second pic is one of the minis with variegated leaves and bright purple flowers that are so pretty. The third if one of the regular siz with almost white flowers tinged with a violet color.

On to another topic, it is the 24th. of May holiday in Ontario tomorrow. This is the day that Ontario (I am not sure about the rest of Canada ?) celebrates the Queen's birthday and is firecracker day or was when I was growing up there many moons ago. Someone let me know if it is still celebrated as firecracker day. If you are opening up your cottages like a few relatives of mine are doing or celebrating in another way have a great long weekend. For the Americans who don't know this Thanksgiving Day in Canada is the second Monday in October so that is typically when most pull up the boats and shut down the cottages for the summer. Perfect timing. May to Oct.