Our little bit of heaven!

Oregon has had some mild weather in the past two weeks but there is still a crispness to the air. The deciduous trees are about two weeks behind in blooming and leafing out. Sunday morning we took the back road home after a breakfast out. While driving through the countryside a spectacular view opened up. The location is about two miles from our farm and the view is to the East and South. When we arrived home we changed into our work clothes and decided to walk around the place to see how things look.

Stumps are scattered throughout the woods, and this one was quite interesting, inside and out!


This old oak tree will be the last to leaf out and that might be this week! It has such a gnarly mossy appearance, and it could probably be sold, limb by limb, to a florist! Don't worry, it won't happen! Here is another lovely Oak tree that has a massive trunk which resembles the texture of an elephant leg. Mossy rocks cover an area hidden deap within the woods. The torrential winter rain and snow caused quite a gush through this section, at some point, but there isn't a hint of running water now.
The majority of our woods are evergreen but there is an area we call the Maple grove. The trees are huge and create a canopy during the summer. We have often talked about camping here for a week while forgetting our home is not far off. That might be a good idea to bring up again!
Oregon's state flower is the Oregon Grape. The flower of an Oregon Grape is short lived and I've always wondered why such a plant was decided on for a state flower. It grows in abundance in the woods and it's leaf has a very distinctive shape. In the fall a small grape cluster forms where the flowers have been.
We can't walk in the woods without finding a slug. This guy is really ugly and is called a banana slug! I know...icky! We don't bother them unless they are in the garden or chewing on flowers.
Snowberry grows as underbrush and puts out a little white berry.
Thanks for coming along on our walk through the woods and viewing our little bit of heaven!

Thursday I took our granddaughter and grand niece to the Mom to Mom play group at Canby Alliance Church. We stayed for almost two hours. The non program provides a time for moms to have a cup of coffee, talk, and watch their children as they play freely in a safe place. Mom to Mom is open to the community and has grown to a nice number of participants this year.

This is Claire's birthday week, so I brought little cupcakes to share at snack time.

Our girls know how to down a cupcake!

Sometimes even the grandmothers play! Has anyone tried to use a Hoola Hoop lately? I'm not convinced the new ones are engineered to actually work. Or..could it be that I've lost the ability to swivel my hips?

After our play time, I took the girls home for a nap, and then my big girl read stories to them. Soon it was time to go home, but not before a game of Ring Around the Rosie! There was lots of laughter and we couldn't have had a better time!!

This was the best of the best days!!

All overgrown by cunning moss, by Emily Dickinson
All overgrown by cunning moss,

All interspersed with weed,

The little cage of "Currer Bell"In quiet "Haworth" laid.

Gathered from many wanderings --

Gethsemane can tell

Thro' what transporting anguish

She reached the Asphodel!

Soft falls the sounds of EdenUpon her puzzled ear --

Oh what an afternoon for Heaven,

When "Bronte" entered there!

Moss covers the rocks around our gardens, woods and driveway. Everyone of these rocks has seemingly grown like a crop planted in the ground. A bit of auguish is caused for the person digging them up! They are not lightweight or easy to move! Once the rocks are in place, the cunning moss begins to spread.

It's one of those days.....

Sunday(or any other day of the week) is a day to rest, lay back and feel the warmth of the sun! Bart encourages everyone to take a nap! It's one of the those days(weeks)!

Return of the White Violets and more!

Do we ever get tired of seeing Spring return? No, not at all! Our wild White Violets started out as small patch, nestled underneath the Fir trees and along the edge of the freedom lawn. The sun stretches to reach this area and that must be why the grouping has enlarged with each year and new Spring.

You may wonder what a freedom lawn is. It's the kind of lawn that is free from fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides. It's free to do whatever it wants! I read a book recently, Suburban Safari by Hannah Holmes, about a gal in Maine who lived one year with a freedom lawn and recorded notes of daily happenings around her yard! The theme is "A Year on the Lawn." Close-up of White violets

You can see just a skiff of lavender on the petals. These flowers will only last a couple of weeks before they fade and return to prepare for next years bloom.

It's not always easy to identify the wild flowers and this one took some time. I believe it is an Oaks toothwart. It grows underneath our Oak trees and is so beautiful! The stem is 4 to 8 inches long, with a cluster of lavender flowers that sway softly in the breeze.
There are two different kind of leaves on the Oaks toothwort. Long slender leaves near the bloom and broad round leaves near the ground.

We are all familiar with the sweet Johnny Jump-up. They are prolific in number and reside all over our woods floor.

And, last but not least....Minors Lettuce is found all around our farm and it is edible! Sometimes I pick it to nibble on, but the chickens are the most excited when we throw them an armload!

Memories of flowers from way back....but they can't be picked!

Over at Kathleen From Eggs in My Pocket today you will find some beautiful photos of wild flowers that remind her of long ago. She asks us to share a flower that brings back memories. I knew exactly where to head, with my camera, and locate the Trillium's my mother planted for me before she passed away in 2000. As far back as I can remember we had Trilliums in our yard. We were not allowed to pick them, because by picking them you disturb the natural growth pattern of this wild flower. They won't bloom again for six or seven years once they are beheaded. Trilliums are not usually a flower that can be found in nurseries to buy, but once in awhile are available from native growers. Trilliums need a wooded environment and won't grow in enhanced soil conditions. My mother planted these under a big old oak tree along our driveway and they are a reminder of her each time they bloom!

While I was outside, just moments ago taking pictures, there was a North Wind blowing fiercly and before I got into the house the hail came roaring through our farm yard. It almost looked like snow but it was hail and large enough to catch in my next snap! From the living room window I snapped the backyard as it was beginning to show the white on the ground. Before the day is done we will see the sunshine once again! And, now you know why Oregon is so green and lush! It precipitates often!

In time for Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone!

The pictures were taken this last week and each flower is blooming in time for Easter! I know this is a dandelion but it qualifies as a flower in my book!
The flowering plums are in their prime!
This driveway use to be ours and the trees were planted by the family who bought our place.
I will share this view each year, as long as I blog, because the trees are so pretty!
See the little Boxer looking at me? His name is Johnny.

Pansy's are a bit eaten on the edges but still pretty!

Grape Hyacinths in the prettiest of blues!

May you all have a blessed Easter!

"Out the front door"

Dusk is a time to take notice of the western sky out the front door. In the foreground we see our three flowering plum trees, and in the distance we see more plum trees set against the pink sky as the sun sets. It is a beautiful time to notice and be thankful. At 8:14, last night, the sky darkened and this is what we saw!

Mt. Hood and Mrs. Robin

I have posted about Mt. Hood in the past, and how it is present through-out a days travel in our area. Today was one of those days that required a couple of stops to snap a picture of this majestic mountain! The view here is from the hill top of Oregon City and very near our place of business. The picture was taken about 3 in the afternoon.
This picture was taken in the morning during my walk! The sun had been up for about two hours and the mountain was shrowded slightly by a cloud.
After taking the mountain picture I turned to continue walking, looked up and caught this snap of a Mrs. Robin! She was singing a song that offered great promise for the day!

Here's a close up and a great pose for a watercolor painting!