Happy Thanksgiving 2026, Canada!

 

With all due respect to the summer lovers out there, autumn is clearly the best season. Perfect weather, blue skies, beautiful colours, pumpkin everything (it and its spices are delicious--don't pretend otherwise), and two holidays in October for Canadians. There's more than enough to be thankful for.

By the way, who else loves the blue pumpkins that have been showing up in stores? If I could, I'd buy all the pumpkins (in all the colours) and fill my home with them.

Speaking of, I went looking for pumpkin dessert inspiration and came across a trove of options on the Canadian Living site. If you're looking for something new to try, you might like these:

 

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake 

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars 

Pumpkin Scones with Whipped Brown Butter Icing 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie 

Chocolate Pumpkin Swirl Loaf 

Pumpkin Sticky Buns 

Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake with Caramel Sauce 

Classic Pumpkin Pie with Yogurt Whipped Cream 

Pumpkin Praline Tiramisu 

Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake with Chocolate Icing 

 

And if you have a favourite pumpkin recipe you'd like to share, leave it or a link in the comments...

Curious about the origins of Canadian Thanksgiving? Read about it here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Aspasía

My Books 

Love Lies Bleeding

Bleeding Heart

Blood Magic

Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Blood Magic and Tooth & Claw are free on most sites. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

This Week's Inspiration (05-10-2026)

Artist unknown. Please share if you know who made this!

 

When I saw this needlepoint of Howl's secret garden (Howl's Moving Castle), I fell in love. The subject, the colours, and the work that went into it all sparked my imagination. It doesn't hurt that I've recently learned how to do this kind of embroidery, and now I want to embroider everything :) I don't know who the artist is, but if you see this-- you did an amazing job! (Needlepoint spotted on Pinterest.)

Here's a screenshot of Howl's garden. I think the embroidery is actually prettier than the original...

 

What are you inspired by right now? Share in the comments...

Cheers,

Aspasia

My Books 

Love Lies Bleeding

Bleeding Heart

Blood Magic

Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Blood Magic and Tooth & Claw are free on most sites. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com.  

 

 

Dealing with Scale on Houseplants

 

Scale is...disgusting.

To be fair, all infestations are, but there's something extra creepy and gross about scale. Maybe it's just my trypophobia acting up. Ugly little bumps where they shouldn't be *shudder*

Although it doesn't look like it, scale are insects. Tiny insects that steal the sap from plants (both indoor and outdoor), killing them slowly. Because of how they look, it's easy to mistake scale for a fungal disease or other infection.

How to Recognize Scale 

• Scale doesn't have a definitive look. They're generally small. They can be white, black, orange, brown, or a variation that blends in with the plant. They can look rounded or not. They can be soft or hard-shelled.

• One way to identify them is by knowing you'll never see just one, and they usually appear in clusters. 

• Scale don't move once they've settled into place and started feeding.

• Sticky leaves that are yellowing and falling off are a sure sign that something is wrong with your plant. If you notice this is an issue, look closer to identify whether scale is at the root of the problem.

• Sooty mold-- black patches on leaves-- can be a sign of scale:

Sooty mold on leaves

 

Tips on Dealing with Scale 

• Scale is easiest to eradicate when in the nymph or "crawling" stage of their life cycle. Unfortunately, this stage is short and easy to miss. If you do catch them at this point, use insecticidal soap or other pesticides to get rid of them.

• Once the insects develop a hard coating, it's much more difficult to get rid of them. It might be easier to simply discard the plant (it sucks, but the scale will eventually kill your plant anyway).

• Scale can spread to other plants, so once you find it on a houseplant, get it away from other nearby plants.

• When you find scale on a plant, start by pruning infected branches, if possible. Dispose of pruned parts right away (don't compost them).

•  Use cotton swabs or cotton pads dipped in rubbing alcohol to wipe down the plant, including under the leaves and all nooks. This kills the scale, and wiping the bugs off helps to spot any new ones that show up. Repeat as necessary. For a larger infestation, where applying alcohol by hand is impractical, try organic horticultural oil spray. Apply spray in the evening, every 7 to 10 days until the infestation is gone.

   

  I have a small Greek Myrtle that came to me with scale. I didn't notice the problem for a while and I was really lucky that it didn't spread to any other plants. Since the myrtle was (and still is) small, I used the pruning and alcohol method, and it seems to have worked. I just checked over it again, this time with a magnifying glass, and couldn't find anything suspect (although the pruning led to some weird sideways growth, so I'll have to do something about that). I'm cautiously optimistic that the plant is now scale free.

   

  

  My Greek Myrtle seems to have recovered from scale...

  
  
  

  

  Have you ever had to deal with scale on your plants? Feel free to share any tips in the comments!

  Further Reading

  How to Get Rid of Scale on Plants 

  How to Get Rid of Scale on Plants in Your Home and Garden 

  How to Get Rid of Scale Insects on Houseplants for Good! 

   

  Cheers,

  Aspasia

  My Books 

   

  

  Love Lies Bleeding

  Bleeding Heart

  Blood Magic

  Tooth & Claw

  (Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

  
  

  PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com. 

  Greek Myrtle photos are by Whimsy Bower/Aspasia S. Bissas

  
  

This Week's Inspiration (21-09-2026)

 

I came across JPH randomly on Reddit and instantly fell in love with his art. He's a Canadian artist who works with mixed media (a good number of his pieces are acrylic on canvas). He describes his style as contemporary impressionist.

What really inspired me is his "Prints by Donation" page, where you can download his work for whatever you wish to donate. He also adds that if you can't make a donation, you're still welcome to "grab one." Because, according to him (and I agree), art should be as accessible as possible.

Please check his work out, and follow him on his socials. Let's keep supporting artists and human creativity!

What are you inspired by right now? Share in the comments...

Cheers,

Aspasia

My Books 

Love Lies Bleeding

Bleeding Heart

Blood Magic

Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Blood Magic and Tooth & Claw are free on most sites. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com.  

 

 

Wild at Heart

Tip I wish I'd known years ago: to spot a rainbow, make sure the sun is behind you.

 

I saw a raven this week! It was my first one in the wild. I recognized it by its size and deep croaky voice (nothing like a crow's caw). I love encountering new wildlife, even if they don't quote random adverbs at me. Here's some photos of other things my SO and I spotted on our walks recently...

This plant's striking form caught my eye. I haven't had any luck ID'ing it-- any ideas?

Rowan berries   

Burdock

Spotted Joe-Pye Weed

  

Evening Primrose 

My SO managed to snap this pic when he was out on his own. A jogger came by and scared the deer and they disappeared in an instant. He says he never would've known they were ever there if he hadn't seen them. Now I have to wonder how many animals that we never see watch us on our walks.

Goldenrod framing a rough path into the greenery 

Most (if not all) of these plants have traditional and medicinal uses. I'm not sure what the foraging policy is in the area, but it's tempting to do a little gathering for teas and other uses (as long as plenty is left for the wildlife and the plant's survival).

Have you spotted any fun plants or animals lately? Share in the comments!

Cheers,

Aspasia

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com. 

All photos by Whimsy Bower/Aspasia S. Bissas. 

My Books 

Bleeding Heart

Love Lies Bleeding

Blood Magic

Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

 

 

This Week's Inspiration (07-09-2026)

 

I've been a fan of Marian Keyes's work since I first read This Charming Man. I don't love all her books, but all the ones I've read have been solid. When I started my local library's recent summer reading challenge, one of the tasks was to borrow an e-book. I found Again, Rachel on there and decided to give it a try.

Despite the cover (definitely the right book not to judge by that), it's a great book. It made me cry, it made me sad, and then it had the most cathartic ending. Keyes kills at endings. When I was done, I realized I needed to read more of her books, so now I'm burning my way through The Break. When I'm done with that, I'll read the next one. I say I'm inspired, but it might be more obsession than anything. I highly recommend her fiction to anyone who loves a good story.

What are you inspired by right now? Share in the comments...

Cheers,

Aspasia

My Books 

Love Lies Bleeding

Bleeding Heart

Blood Magic

Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com.  

 

Tim Curry: Actor, Singer...Gardener

 

By now you've probably heard that Tim Curry died (the same day as Dolly Parton, actually-- you can read my tribute to her here). If you didn't know him from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you probably know him from Clue, IT, Muppet Treasure Island, or one of his many other roles (he also did a lot of voice acting, so you've likely heard him, as well as seen him). He brought an amazing energy and glee to the characters he portrayed. I always thought he was a little scary, in the best possible way. He seemed like he would be a lot of fun to hang out with, and I wish I'd had the chance.

It was only recently that I found out that he was also an avid gardener! 

Tim not only created gardens wherever he lived, but he also worked on friends' gardens, including Freddie Mercury's, and restored historic properties around Los Angeles. When he bought his Aberdeen Ave home in LA in 1993, he spent six months clearing out weeds and restoring stone paths that had been buried under feet of dirt. By the time he sold it seven years later, the 1.45 acre property was filled with 150 rose bushes, a cactus garden, a koi pond, and 100 camellias around the pool. He even installed two benches--one where he could watch the sun rise, and one where he could watch it set.

He chose to downsize, moving to a more manageable property (about a third of an acre) in the same neighbourhood as his previous house. Even with a much smaller yard, he still created a courtyard full of potted plants, layered terraces with plants native to California, and stone alcoves for privacy. Gardeners always find a way.

By the time he died, he couldn't physically work in a garden anymore, due to mobility issues after suffering a stroke in 2012. But while a hired team did the labour, Tim still directed the design. He had a beautiful garden outside his house to enjoy until the end, with mature trees and greenery. We should all be so lucky.

Photos of his gardens seem to be limited, but here are a few that I found:

What do you think of Tim Curry's work, in his gardens or otherwise? Share in the comments...

Take care of yourselves...

Aspasia

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com.