Watercolor White

I have recently learned how to paint white flowers....using color. The colors on the left are examples of white color used in the vignettes on the right. Being able to "play" with color and design is a tremendous gift to me. I am incredibly grateful for any snippet of time for this pursuit.

The artist Henry Miller once said, " One of the important things I learned in making watercolors was not to worry, not to care too much." I'm working on that and we'll see where this amity settles!

See....

...the fluffiest green moss. Some mosses stand out and catch attention, just like this clump that is hanging onto a large rock near the path leading into the woods. Where this Grape Hyacinth came from is a mystery. It has found a place to grow behind our woodshed and next to a sweet wild strawberry.

Johnny-Jump-Ups flourish in the spring. They are the same shape and size as white, purple and pink violets. Technically, they are a yellow violet, according to The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Western Region. They are the springiest flower I see today!

Another surprise, hidden deep in the woods, is this purple Hyacinth. It is not at all developed like a domestic Hyacinth, but does have the distinctive flower and scent. Probably a bird dropped a small bulb while flying through the woods. I'm glad!

English Daisy is part of the lawn and it can be seen throughout our place. Some weeks we don't mow so they can flourish a little longer.

While the sunshine is warm.....I'll be spending more time outdoors!

Where is your week taking you?

First bike.....and first ride to school.

We are experiencing some pretty sweet moments of "firsts" with our granddaughter. This is just one in the multitude of events! I see the JOY in her face, in her accomplishment and in her spirit! Kitty has been with LA since she was born and she has come along for the ride to school!

Yeah!!! She made the one mile long trip! Mommy was right behind her.

"JOY"

Wild Coral plums....real food!

When we moved onto our land nineteen years ago it had not been farmed for decades, and we had no idea of the things that would be discovered over time. Years went by until one early summer day we noticed two plum trees with these beautiful coral colored fruit growing. In the spring the tree had put forth white blossoms and for all we knew it was a wild cherry tree. All the conditions must have been just right because we found ourselves with these little tiny plum gems. I've written about this before and you can read it again, if you like, right here. The same plum tree is blooming its heart out..right now! The tree is far bigger than when I posted about it in 2008, and we will be watching as the fruit forms. Because the tree is near the chicken shed it has not been damaged by our recent snow and freeze. Yeah....!!! If you look closely you can see the little white flowers.

What is to come?

Our plums fall in the category of "real food" and it is things like this that keep us enjoying our lifestyle and loving the farm. It is simple, yet extravagant..naturally speaking!

The weather man says.....

The weather man says it will sleet, freeze and maybe snow tomorrow. We live at a level of altitude where that could all happen. I had to get outside and make a record in photos of today, because tomorrow things could change in the landscape. I scurried outside to take a few pictures of the spring like weather, before it goes away. The fear is that the flowering trees will be hit hard and its fruit will be struck dead. This is a common happening, but there is always hope that the weather man is wrong! It is quite nippy out but the sun continues to shine! Hope!! The daffodils have been blooming for a few weeks. I don't like to cut them to bring in the house because then they fade and are gone. We have planted just enough to make the yard look bright and cheerful. I wonder if the freeze will harm them?

We worked in the "Cathedral" area today. It was a "burn" day. In our area of the country burning is prohibited much of the time. We have to call, and listen to a recording, to know if we can burn. Today was a go. We stacked limbs, dug up ferns to transplant (ferns won't die in a freeze) and racked up leaves. Woodland fires are kept very confined and safe.

As I wandered into a new clearing area, there they were.......more violets.....pink and purple violets!! There would be no clean-up in that spot! We stopped to appreciate natures surprise...but the day was not over yet!

At lunch time, we glanced out the living room window to see our three deer munching their way around the house and backyard. (The deer are ours because they are in our yard!) They moved with grace and seemed very comfortable. I grabbed the camera and walked outside,around the house, to get a picture without the glare of the window. I stood there and took several shots of the trio. They slowly walked into the woods to find a nice spot for a nap.

All this time Bart was at my feet meowing up at me. He caught on to what I was looking at and became quite serious in his stance. His meow ceased and we took in the view together.

In everyday there is opportunity to notice, record and be thankful. I like sharing my life treasures with you and I hope you enjoy the simple pleasures we are entrusted with.

Take a moment to get outside this week and see what's up!!

White violets, miners lettuce, pink plum trees and the kids!

I had the best day! It started out with a knock at my door, it was Claire, our grandniece. She came to spend the day with "Auntie Juju."

We made plans to go to "Mom to Mom" play time at our church. My daughter, granddaughter and another friend came along, too!

We all came back to the farm at noon and had omelette's for lunch. The eggs were gathered this morning from our brood of hens and we ate heartily!

Next, we took off out the front door for a energizing walk in the warm sunshine.

We discovered the White Violets...blooming a full month early! Last year they bloomed on April 5th. Aren't they beautiful? There are hundreds of them.

A jaunt through the woods is a ritual we don't neglect! The kids were equipped with bags for treasures and a snack of Fruit Loops...I know, but you're only a little kid once! I'm pretty sure they are organic Fruit Loops! :)

After visiting the hen house we walked upon a lush ground cover of Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata). Some people buy seed and plant this in their garden! We just get it....from natural means. It is organic, too!!

The goats beckoned us over to the fence. We clipped some grass and gave them a handful. It was more of the same thing they eat all day long!

The kids wanted to go into the barn, so we did. Getting really close to the goats doesn't always go so well. We stayed back and let them be.

My goodness...the Plum trees are in full bloom, a month early, just like the White Violets! In eighteen years we haven't seen an early spring like this.
The kids seemed to know that pink trees are something special and they celebrated by dancing around!

Being thankful doesn't begin to say what a day like this means...but it does do it for me!