Iris: wild and common.

Three summers ago we were given a bag of iris bulbs, so we planted them in an area that needed something striking. We waited for the blooms but they didn't come until a few days ago. It's taken two full seasons for the iris to regain their ability to burst forth and show us their color! There was no indication of what color the iris would be but I did hope for purple! Here they are in all their glory and they are purple! Iris are moderately toxic to all animals which means there is a good chance these won't be mowed down by a herd of deer. Our crop of bulbs should multiply and create a beautiful wall of purple within a few years.

Now for the gem of wildflowers and iris! A small cropping of wild iris sit at the end of our driveway. They have been multiplying over the years and go unnoticed if we don't take a walk. They are small by comparison to their domesticated cousin and outshine them in their uniqueness. Their color is a rich and deep purple.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing our iris; wild and common.

Have a great weekend and for those of us living in the Pacific Northwest...it looks like another week of sunshine and warm weather!!!! I'm going out to check on the garden to see if the seeds have sprouted!

Middle Of The Week Getaway

Early this week, in the morning, I drove due east towards Mt. Hood to get to a cabin. The day was brilliant and the drive not long. I was given directions that led to this cabin and to my granddaughter. I spent the next two days with her while her mommy had a camp to direct up on the mountain. A beautiful path led along Still Creek at the rear of the cabin and.....

......on the other side is this heavenly setting nestled along the Zig Zag River. The water is cold from glacier run off and it is rushing swiftly towards the Sandy River. The Sandy River then deposits into the mighty Columbia.

Can you see the blue bench in the middle of the picture? There are waves of blue For-Get-Me-Knots scattered everywhere. It's soooo pretty in real life!! (Click on the picture and see it full screen!)
We took a long walk and found edible plants to sample. Our sweet one will know more about nature in a few years than most of us learn in a lifetime. She is open to experience it.....trust plays a great part of this relationship of nurture and growth.

We find a quiet private beach where the water is at a toes stretch!

OOOOOO so cold!

We walked past this art work in the woods where it was built in someones forest yard.

I drove home today after a full and fun couple of days.

Memorial Day Weekend.......

Gardening is on our minds this Memorial Day weekend. The weather is cooperating long enough to get our vegetable and flower garden planted. The weather man promises SEVEN days with no rain!!! What are we planting? Tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, egg plant, peppers, lettuce, pumpkins, pole beans, corn, watermelon, zinnia's, sunflowers and cosmos.

There is a real challenge to keep the crows, rabbits and deer out of the garden. The goats are behind a double fence, so they just gaze and hope for a rich harvest in the fall.

We are off to dig in the dirt!
What are your plans?

More of the Oregon Coast

While at the coast (last weekend) we drove past this sign with Willows name on it.

She loves the beach so this drive is for her!

Hwy 101 is the Pacific coast highway. It is a winding and fairly slow road to travel. It is also a road that can't be topped for it's beautiful expansive seascapes!

Seagulls are everywhere and not afraid to ask for a hand-out. They are not shy birds, are they? Some of coastal shoreline is covered with rocks and there are tide pools that create the greatest observation spots to see small sea creatures and structures.
When the rocks are stacked just right it creates a blow-hole and spray erupts with every in- rolling wave.

The drive back to the valley is almost equal to the coasts beauty!

No grey sky on this weekend!

For you!

Happy Birthday Gramma Williams!

Ninety years young today, still dancing and living each day to it's fullest! Gramma Williams didn't need to sit for this picture....the chair was placed there as a throne of honor!

Sunday we celebrated her milestone birthday with a meal, cake, sharing of memories, and family!

Edna Rose Williams has given us love, time, patience, appreciation and support all of her life! She has prayed for each one, been an example to follow as a woman who loves God, and made Him the center of her life. We are blessed by her presence in our lives!

Happy, happy birthday to you, Gramma Williams!

Covered Bridge

Hayden Bridge is located off Hwy 34, on the Alsea River, and a route we took to the Oregon Coast. There is something about covered bridges that peeks our interest in their history and well worth a u-turn to go explore! A little history......
Alsea was a river community as early as 1850, known as Alseya Settlement. The name is derived from the name of an Indian tribe living at the mouth of the river, originally pronounced in three syllables.
During the heyday of covered bridge construction, several of the covered structures were built close by on the Alsea River and its tributary.
Oregon's last covered span on a primary state highway, the Mill Creek Bridge on Oregon Highway 34, stood just two miles away. Only the Hayden Bridge remains. Source: "Roofs Over Rivers" by Bill and Nick Cockrell

There are several covered bridges in Oregon and over time I will share them, one by one.

Thyme Garden on the Alsea River

On the way to the Oregon Coast, last weekend, we drove past this sign on Hwy 34, about nine miles out of Philomath, Oregon. A quick u-turn was made and we drove over the wooden bridge and entrance to Thyme Garden. I had heard of this garden and never dreamed to visit it with virtually no one else around except the gardeners! There were several people working like crazy to get the last plants in the ground before the opening days event the next morning. (We were told that over a thousand people would come during this two day event)! My husband and I quickly walked around the entire garden, me snapping pictures like a crazy person, oohing and awing over the herbs, ferns, and wild flowers growing along the Alsea River in a most charming garden. We know how much work a place like this is and truly appreciated every corner of it! This is an organic garden of the first rate kind! Much thought has been put into the planning of the business with concern for the wildlife and human alike!

There are two green houses packed with plants and many rare herbs that are difficult to find anywhere else.

Wedding are held in the garden and a three day period is given to the parties if they wish.

The river is not large but large enough to sport wild salmon. The family that owns Thyme Garden has worked very hard at building the habitat for returning salmon.

It is simply a beautiful place and one that I will return to soon! Please take a tour of Thyme Garden web site and see if this a place you would enjoy visiting when you visit Oregon!

This was a good day with a very sweet find in the Thyme Garden!

Haiku Festival Time!!

Follow the links to Elizabeth at All about New York and Tracy at Pink Purl to find the participants in this entertaining celebration of words written in the particular style of haiku!

Apple Tree

by Flower

Within the daylight

a bud unfolds to reveal

fruit of the trees worth.

If you are interested in the book I've posted below, Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today by Kathi Macias, do take a moment to comment. I will be choosing a name, on May 15, from all who comment to receive the prize noted. Kathi's book is a treasure to read and an opportunity to learn about the many mothers talked about in the Bible. It will also give you a thorough understanding of where these women came from and the advice they leave for mothers of today.

Welcome to a Kathi Macias Contest and Blog Tour!

Just in time for Mothers Day, Kathi Macias has written a new book Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today. This book is full of encouragement, knowledge and delight for any mothers reading pleasure.

Contest Rules: On May 15th I will draw a name from comments left here as a finalist drawing for a Huge prize package!

It's Not About Me by Michelle Sutton

Sinner by Ted Dekker

Daisy Chain by Mary E. DeMuth

Shade by John B. Olson

Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity by Keri Wyatt Kent

The Victor by Marlayne Giron

The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka

Word Weavers by Eva Marie Everson and Janice Elsheimer

Book Excerpt: I can think of no more awesome an experience than the birth of my first child. At the young and naive age of eighteen, it was the most joyous, as well as the most terrifying thing that had ever happened to me. It was as if I were experiencing love for the very first time as I gazed at that precious little life that had been entrusted to me by God. And I thought, What in the world do I do now? How do I care for him? How do I make sure I'm doing everything right? What if--God forbid--I do something wrong? Now, two more sons, nine grandchildren, and nearly four decades later, I smile at the memory, knowing those babies weren't quite as fragile as I'd once imagined. But I can't help but wonder how much more challenging and overwhelming motherhood must have been for Eve, who was not only the first woman but also the first mother. What can women today learn about mothering from studying the life of this exiled Garden dweller who had no role model to imitate, no how-to-be-a-good-mom books to read? Quite a bit, I believe. Let's take a look.
Eve, whose name means "life giver," was the only woman ever to become a mother without first having had a mother of her own. In fact, not only did Eve not have a mother, she also had no sisters, aunts, grandmothers, or girlfriends to turn to for advice. In short, she had no role models and no one with whom to compare notes. She had Adam, of course, who, like her, had been made in the image of God. She had the greatest assortment of pets anyone could ever imagine. And, of course, she had her relationship with God. But as we know from the creation account in Genesis, all of Eve's relationships changed because of sin. How alone she must have felt once those relationships were no longer perfect. And how frightened and overwhelmed she must have been when her two oldest sons, Cain and Abel, were born, thrusting her into an entirely new realm of responsibility. I am quite sure that more than once throughout the ensuing years she heard God's words echoing in her mind: "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children" (Genesis 3:16). By the time Eve's children were grown and she had experienced the horror of her oldest son murdering his younger brother, she must have realized that the truth of God's words tying together pain and motherhood didn't stop at childbirth. The same is true for mothers today, as we will see as we look at Eve's life...as well as the lives of other mothers of the Bible, who will speak to us from centuries past.
From Kathi Macias:
(Homeland, CA) - If you've ever wished for a real live interview from an experienced mother found in God's Word, you'll be thrilled with the message of Kathi Macias' new book, Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today. Thankfully the trials, heartaches and transitions mothers face are not new to this generation. Traveling back in time with Eve, Hannah, Sarah, Mary and others, readers will recognize the common struggles that still plague our world today.

This hardback gift book gently calls women to study the lives of biblical moms who were challenged with their own set of circumstances. From fear to insecurities, heartbreak to disappointments -- Kathi's words capture the heart of every woman with hope and encouragement to become the mother God wants them to be. After studying these fifteen biblical mothers, readers will have a solid example of biblical parenting. At the end of each chapter, mothers will find a special place for prayer and application.

Award-winning author Kathi Macias has written almost 30 books, including Beyond Me, How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded by Loose Cannons?, the best-selling devotional A Moment a Day, and the popular "Matthews" mystery novels. She has written commentary for Thomas Nelson's Spirit-Filled Life Bible (Student Edition) and was part of the devotional writing team for Zondervan's New Women's Devotional Bible. She has ghostwritten for several prominent individuals including Josh McDowell. Kathi has won many awards, including the Angel Award from Excellence in Media, fiction awards from the San Diego Christian Writers Guild, and the grand prize in an international writing contest. A mother and grandmother, Kathi and her husband, Al, call California home.


Mothers of the Bible
Speak to the Author

As a wife, mother, grandmother--and yes, even a great-grandmother to two-year-old Isaiah--you'd think I'd have this "mom" thing wired by now, wouldn't you? Surprise! We never get too old to learn, and what I learned in my study of Mothers of the Bible has enriched nearly every area and relationship of my life. God loves mothers. We were His idea, after all! And His purpose for our lives as mothers unfolds in beauty and meaning as we listen to the words of the mothers of the Bible....
~author Kathi Macias

Natural bug defense....a short story.

A tree is cut down...... the stump catches a few bugs.....

....on its pitch surface.

Over the past couple of weeks I have been reading up on Haiku in preparation for May 11, and the Haiku festival that is planned in blog land. My mind keeps going into Haiku format and even though this is not my entry...it did come out just right! :)

Pink Dogwood

Pink Dogwood photo link

Pink Dogwood trees abound in Canby, Oregon.

This is the week to take a drive through town to see them at their best!

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Have a good weekend everyone!

There is much to be thankful for!