Psalm 85:1

Psalm 85:1

You showed favor to your land, O Lord;This picture is of a path into our woods. It is a deer path and not made by humans.

Even the deer have roads they follow!

Have a restful weekend!

How could you make the world more beautiful?

I really like children's books and have built a small collection to share with my family. Every now and again there is a book that is a favorite and Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney is one such book. The story goes like this..... Alice Rumphius wanted to travel the world when she grew up, and then to live by the sea- just as her grandfather had done. But there is one more thing, he tells her: she must do something to make the world more beautiful. Young Alice does not yet know what that will be...... The story has something to do with Lupines and getting you to think about the course you set in your life....but you must read it for yourself to get the full intention!! It is a wonderful book!
Here are the Lupines that made me think about Miss Rumphius on this day that is finally turning warm. They have taken a battering by the rain but the blooms stand firm as if to say, "Look at me, I am beautiful!"
As the sun warmed the plants, Bart joined me, and I had a few moments of appreciation with the thoughts of Miss Rumphius....what will I do to make the world more beautiful? What will you do? My answer is on the comments page! :)

Hi Mommy, Daddy and Silas!

Hi Mommy, Daddy, and Silas!!
I miss you very much.....my Auntie's and cousin's and friends are fussing something terrible over me!! I get to see the farm animals everyday and I really like the goats a lot!! Bart is very kind to me..rubs up next to me and doesn't run away. Grand Auntie Julene gives me a bubble bath every night and she warms my bottle just a little so that it feels good in my tummy! I get to have books read to me everyday and we play with all these funny dolls, rubber animals and plastic containers. Auntie Julene lets me drag them all over the house. We don't worry about any messes because it's our special time and aunties don't get upset about those things!
Uncle Jim holds me so carefully and is really nice. He gives me little kisses on my cheek and shows me all his buses. I'm ok Mom, Dad and Silas..don't worry! I love you so much and I'll be so excited to see you when you get off the airplane!!

Auntie Julene tried e-mailing you but it didn't work. She said she would keep trying more this week. If the e-mails don't work we will write you another time on this blog!

I will be so excited to see the pictures you have from Brazil and where Daddy grew up!

Remember, I love you soooo much! Love, Claire Christine

....running out of diapers.....and organic milk...

There isn't much time to write. We have this sweet little girl to enjoy!! Andra(DIL), me and Claire out for a walk around the farm. This picture says it all.....sweetness....all wrapped up in a one year old!!
While on our walk this white Clematis caught our eye!!
Bart joined the walk and offered himself to be petted. Notice his tail...it's up and that's good!! He is proud of that tail! He makes Claire giggle.
Grampa came for a visit and it was so nice to see him!!
Back to the baby!!

Herb Day....Monday

Over the years my collection of herb and flower books has increased. By far my fondest books on the subject of herbs and flowers are written by a woman who lives on San Juan Island, North of Seattle, Washington. I only met her once but she made an impression on me. Lee Sturdivant is her name. The books I mention are "Profits from your backyard Herb Garden," and "Flowers For Sale." Each book is still in print and worth purchasing if you are as enamored with flowers and herbs as I am, or want to turn your garden into a business operation. Amazon carries both of these books, and I see there are a couple new reprints . Now, for one of my favorite herbs! Scented Geraniums! They are tender perennial plants that become very large with the summers heat! Their use is in baking, potpourri, and fresh arrangements. I like to tuck them in a brides bouquet to give a scent that is soft and romantic. The two types of scented geraniums that are pictures are Altar of Roses and Grey Lady, both smell of wild roses. There are many, many different scents including, lemon, lime, chocolate, mint etc. You may find that scented geraniums could become a favorite to you too! Altar of Roses pictured on a cold rainy Memorial Day in Oregon!
Lemon Balm....nice plant..but you only need one! This herb will reseed itself everywhere! It has a fresh lemon scent and can be used in cold drinks ,baking and flower arrangements. Remember, just one plant...next year you will have all the plants you want!!

Happy planting and reading!!

I may be busy.......

As I write this, my niece, her husband and grand nephew are flying to Brazil. They will be gone for over two weeks. The trip is to go back to Bruce's childhood home, in the Amazon, for a reunion. They will be able to share things with each other about a country that Bruce is greatly attached to and meet people that are like family to him. In the meantime, I will be the loving "interim mommy" for my grandniece. She is one year old and a real doll baby! That's her in the middle of the picture! :)) Isn't she adorable and cuddly!! Here is Claire enjoying her first chocolate cupcake on her first birthday! I am on Claire's left and my niece on the right.
Mommy, daddy and brother will return soon! During these two weeks life will be a little different and we will enjoy every moment!! My house has been transformed back to having lots of baby paraphernalia scattered around and my granddaughter will enjoy her visits even more with Claire for a playmate!!

Two eggs in the hand are worth two birds in the bush...

It was brisk and windy on my walk today. I took the familiar path that meanders around the golf course. Usually my walking partner is along but she had other things going on today. Since I was alone there was more time to look around the landscape and notice things...tiny things.
These two birds eggs were within 50 feet of each other and on the path. Several people had passed me going the other direction and one guy even had a dog with him. It was surprising that the eggs had not been stepped on. The blue egg is a Robin egg and its color is true to what is commonly called "Robins Egg blue." The other egg was not so easy to identify, so I asked my husband and he said it was a Pheasant egg. But I have never seen a Pheasant on or near the golf course. What I have seen are Killdeer birds. They nest in the grass and scurry around making all kinds of noise when someone comes near their precious eggs. As I researched the Killdeer, sure enough that is what the egg is. Take a look by clicking on Killdeer! I put both eggs in this beautiful pottery dish along with a tiny Hummingbird egg that I found earlier. They are displayed on a dresser sitting beneath the assemblage art piece, "Homecoming", that my niece created.
When that was all done I decided to step outside to see how things were growing and I felt a presence. There above my head was a squirrel scolding me.
He looked me right in the eye and kept on talking. His fur was fluffed and he looked as if he would like to jump on me. I decided to back off but not before I got these pictures! After all, I have a blog to attend to and everything is a possibility for subject matter!
Thank you, Mr. Squirrel!!

Plowing the garden....preparing the earth....

The area we have for growing produce and flowers has to be plowed and tilled every year. It is not one day of work or even two days of work. The process happens over several days and the weather has to cooperate. Who would have known that this year the temperatures would get so hot overnight and keep us from finishing the job? But, that is what happened. Three days ago it was 97 degrees at our house. Today it is 54 degrees and it has rained and rained. Now we have a plowed garden that is waiting to dry out so that it can be raked and smoothed! We are getting there but it will be another week before the seeds will be in the ground.
It's a good thing we got started when we did because we have until May 31st to plant and still have time for the garden to grow into harvest.
The flower garden is smaller and in another location. It is also used for cucumbers and tomatoes. It's not wise to plant cucumbers near pumpkins or squash because they will cross pollinate and will not be edible.
The seeds are still waiting to be planted...and they will be, very soon!

Herb Day.....

Lovage, or "Love Parsley," looks like a large celery plant and has a similar flavor. Six foot stalks are topped by clusters of greenish-yellow flowers in summer. The hollow stems are used like celery; seeds are used whole or crushed on breads or meats. I have been told that Lovage can be used to make pesto but my use has been in fresh tomato soup! Our Lovage plant almost qualifies as a shade tree! I had to cut the plant back today because it was over growing the area it is planted.
Celery like appearance....smells alike, too!
Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

8 large ripe Roma Tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Lovage.

1 fennel bulb

1 small garden onion chopped fine

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups chicken broth

Wash tomatoes, discard stem and chop up into fine chunks. I don’t remove the seeds or skin.

Sauté the Lovage, fennel, garlic and onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Add two cups chicken broth, salt and fresh ground pepper. Add chopped tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes.

Transfer into blender and puree. Pour back into pan and reheat. Serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled liberally on top.

Makes 6 servings.

Feeling the heat.....

Look in the middle of this photo, on the ground and you will see what I saw yesterday morning. It's a Starling that is feeling the heat and trying to cool off. The little Starling could have been easy pickings by our two kitties, but I ran out to guard him. Here you can see him better. He stayed in this position several minutes and then flew away.

Living Life in Cat Style.....

I know.....Bartholomew looks like just another cat, but of course he's not! He is mine!! Big yawn! Bart meows, "Its a rough life around here!" .......
....then peers adoringly into my handy camera lens with a look that says, "I love you, Mom!"

..and I exclaim, "Living doesn't get much better than this in......Cat style!"

Trees blooming in the wild and in the garden!

Take the camera wherever you go! I had to make a dash into the house to get these snaps last night so that the beautiful blooms could be shared with you today. Below is a wild Mock Orange tree. It has been growing for the last sixteen years, putting on a few inches of branches with each new spring. It grows outside my living room window and I see it everyday while sitting at my desk. The two rubber kitties are some I found at Goodwill! I suppose they were junk to someone! Not to me! They are friendly with the local squirrels and don't seem to upset anyone else!
The wild Dogwood sits next to our chicken coup. It is a dainty tree and stretches to grow out beyond the firs.
Another beauty is found behind the equipment shed. It is a Red Delicious Apple tree. The blossoms are a deep pink, indicating the dark red of the apple that will appear later.
Ahhh! The Gravenstein! It's a favorite in our family for the lovely pies made from the variegated green, yellow and red apple it produces. Tart but not too tart! Gravenstein's are so popular that there is a celebration for them in Hood River, Oregon each August. Take a look at what the Gravenstein celebration has to offer.

Time to plant the flower garden!

These flowers seeds packets hold great promise!! Out of all the tiny little seeds will burst forth so many flowers that I can barely hold back my excitement!! The weather man has been telling us for days that our rain filled days will be turning into some nice days. On Friday it's suppose to reach 90 degrees! It's really hard to believe but it just may happen. I'm not sure how the flowers that are in the ground will do, since they have acclimated to much colder days, but I'll be keep a close eye out to make sure nothing wilts or withers. I'll be back in a few days to report on the progress of the garden!

Bright spots in the garden!

Last Spring we painted our house. It was a soft white and we really liked it, but nevertheless decided to change the color to coordinate with the interior colors. The new color is a rich latte..or soft brown. Being a person who appreciates color, it is important for me to choose just the right flowers for the gardens, and it's even better if the flowers accent the house color. The two blue chairs sitting on the porch have helped me determine that bright red and orange flowers would do the trick this year. Actually, I can justify any color if necessary! :)) There are several pink and white perennials coming up, so when the garden is in full bloom, the effect will be interesting and complete. The first trip to the greenhouse nursery was successful. As you can see there are enough flowers here to keep me planting for some time! I found beautiful Impatiens in bright orange red, and Begonias in a complimentary hue. A few years ago we gave up hanging baskets and invested in terracotta pots. We plant them and put them in the front garden right among the ground plantings. The pots are easier to water and don't dry out so quickly. Here are some white petunias, along with red and peach geraniums that caught my eye!
By planting the flowers in pots and baskets, they can be staged anyplace. This bushel basket has seen three seasons and it has one more left in it's structure before falling apart!

Happy Mother's Day!

In honor of all mothers, Happy Mother's Day! And, to you Mom, thank you for all you taught me. You taught me to love God and to love others. You taught me to see the beauty around me and to be involved in other lives. You taught me how to make a pie, play in the dirt and to be carefree. Thank you, Mom!
Marjorie, born April 19, 1910. Passed away January 10, 2000. This was a gift from mom. She was always giving me little remembrances and I am so glad she did!

A Sweet Day!

Bridal showers are something all women enjoy, but especially when it's your own daughter or close friends daughter. Last weekend it was my honor to prepare a shower for a very dear friends daughter who is getting married on May 31st. My friend, passed away a year ago in January after a long fight with cancer and this would have been a huge milestone in her life to see her daughter marry. We lit two special candles to remember Donna and invited her to join us in whatever way God allows. I do believe He allows these things. :) The table was set with the china my mother gave me. The desserts I chose to serve were a banana whip cream cake, lemon butter cream cake, lemon bars, strawberries and other fruit. Everyone wanted one piece of each cake and said they were mouth watering good! The lovely ladies that attended the shower included Donna's sister and sisters-in-law, as well as several friends from Donna's Bible study.
Pink tulips, white and kermit mums were the flowers I chose to use for this special day. The little angel and candles were used in memory of Donna. You might guess, there wasn't a dry eye when the candles were lit and each lady shared a special memory of Donna and Melissa's life together.
It was a simple and extraordinary day!