The Garden Awaits! :)

We are now expecting a string of good weather days in which I hope to get alot done in the garden! :) Later I will take more photos, once things start to grow, for those who love looking at 'veggie gardens, like I do! :) Don't be surprised if it's awhile before you see a new post from me as my hands are just itching to work in the soil, and once I begin gardening in earnest, I have a tendancy to get lost in it!! :) It may be weeks before I come up for air!! :) grin
So untill next time everyone, ... enjoy the sun! :) ... Gotta' go! :) The garden awaits!! :)

Petals! ... :)

If only I could add the sweet fragrance to this blog, of these cherry blossoms! :) They smell good enough to eat! :)

Petals can be almost overwhelming in mass, yet they draw us near to them! :)

This pink viburnum is just as sweetly fragrant as the cherry blossoms! :) Yummmm! :)

Look at the detail in each of these little faces! :)

You may notice grass clippings on the white petals, as the grass was just mowed before I captured them in my lens! :)

Look closely and you may see the tiny spider who's taken up residence in the yellow daffodil! :)

I love flower faces! They can be so expressive! :) I hope you enjoy them too! :)

Busy, but not too busy to enjoy the warm sun! :)

It seems to be challenge lately to make the time to leave a post! :) I have so much on my to do list that it feels like I may never have a slow, lazy day, again! :) Lately it's been run, run, run!! :)
Even so, I couldn't help but notice how nice the air felt on my skin today, as we were out running around! It's t-shirt weather, and I love it!! :) The next two or three days are supposed to bring more of the same, and I hope to be able to spend atleast one of them working in the yard and garden! :)
So far I have the strawberry, raspberry, and potato seed planted in the veggie garden! I also have onions, chives, and a couple of fennel transplants that are begging me to get them in the ground too! :)
Gotta run! Will talk more later! :) ...

An Uplifting Day! :)

One may not think of a funeral day as being uplifting, but that's what yesterday was! :) I got up, fit in half my work out, showered and got ready, walked my dog down the road and back, and drove to Portland, OR to be with family! :) From there we were coupled with more of my family who came in their large suburban, to take us to the funeral! :) It was a day of reunions and catching up with dear loved ones, and honoring my Aunt Jeannine! :) The funeral was as inspiring and uplifting as she was, and complemented the way she lived her life! :)
She always loved to sing with full heart, and I know she is singing with great joy, now! :)
It was a long day, but a very rewarding one! :)
Aunt Jeannine, my love goes with you, and I am living my life more fully and joyiously for your part in it!! :)

Easter thoughts! :)

I'm feeling especially melancholy this Easter day, ... melancholy and grateful to our Savior for the ultimate sacrifice He made in our behalf! :) Because of Him we have the opportunity of repentance; an eternal hope for ourselves and our eternal potential; and the sure knowlege of the ressurection that is assured for each of us! :)
My Aunt Jeannine past-on a couple days ago, and though I'm feeling her void in my life, I am grateful for the knowlege that she lives on and is experiencing true joy where she is! :)
While I enjoy the festive fun of Easter eggs; candy; little chicks and ducklings; rabbits; and all the things we normally associate with Easter, and enjoy a good Easter egg hunt as much as the next person, ... it's the true, eternal aspects of Easter that bring true joy, peace, and comfort! :)
If I could choose my time to progress on, I would choose to slip on to the other side the week of Easter, when eternal hope is in the air, and our Savior, and the ressurection are on our minds and in our hearts! :) Life if springing up all around us, reminding us that life is eternal, thanks to our Savior and Redeemer! :) How I love Him! :)
Happy Easter everyone!! :)

Now THAT"S Love!! :)

I can give a million examples of my husband's love for me, ... like being my best friend; caring about my welfare; getting up and going to work most every morning day after week after month after year so that I can stay home; 'tilling that garden spot for me every year and mowing around the many trees and flower beds I insist on having; ... and on and on ...! :)

But there's another reminder to me of his love and devotion that sits on our kitchen table! :) It's a ceramic rooster that I just love, but reminds him "of something an old lady would have"! :)

I first saw it when we were at Costco! I was impressed with the detail of the veggies around his feet, and the individual look of his tail feathers! I'd been looking for a rooster cookie jar to replace our old one, when I saw it! :) I hesitated but eventually walked away from it since it wasn't a cookie jar! :)

One day Rud was passing through the Costco area and called to inquire if I wanted anything. I admitted that I hadn't been able to get that rooster off my mind and would he mind looking to see if it's still there? He replied " The Rooster?? That's all you Want? " Yes, that's what I wanted so he went to Costco and I'm sure was a bit disappointed to find it still there. When he got to the register the cashier commented "A rooster, huh?" Rud says "It's not for me." Then the person who boxes the items says "A rooster huh?" Rud replies " It's not for me, it's for my wife." Then he carries it to the exit where the receipt inspector says ... yep, you guessed it, ... "Rooster, huh?" Exasperated, Rud says fervently, " It's Not For Me!! It's For My Wife!!" ( grin )

Considering that he doesn't even Like the bird, I can tell you, ... THAT'S Love!! :)

Trying out the new camera! :)

The hummingbirds are happy the flowering quince are in bloom again! :)

I love these ground-cover tulips! Above the tulips are closed, and below they've opened to the sun! :) In the evenings they close again! :)

I have alot to learn about this camera, but I'm real happy with it so far! :) I'm hoping in time to have developed some new skills, both in photography and in blogging! :)

The Swallows Return! ... and other ramblings! :)

I spoke too soon, in my last post! :) The Tree Swallows returned today!! :) Just in time too, as the mosquitoes are coming out in the evenings, and we need the swallows to keep them in check!

The last two days I've been making a few moments, here and there, to read a little about my new camera, and have been playing with a few photo shots! :) I'm still not satisfied with my results, so tried something new today, and once I download them, if they've turned out okay, I'll post a few of them! :)

Now I best get started on making dinner, and maybe work a little more on the taxes afterwards! :) I'll be SO GLAD when I've got that done and in the mail!! :) I want to be working outside, and not doing paperwork in the house! :)
Till next time! :) ...

Hurray for Spring! :)

Spring is my favorite season, which is saying something because I love All the seasons! :) I especially love spring days like today with clear blue skies, crisp morning air, sunshine, and day temps' in the 70's!! :) Bees are buzzing, insects are in the air again, and birds are singing their thrilling songs of praise!! :) Hummingbirds are zipping to and from the feeders! :) Eveything's starting to awake, stretching their tender new leaves! :) And if you live in the country, you see new livestock babies in the fields! :)
I do have one concern this spring. We usually see the tree swallows return on March 20th, with the barn swallows close behind! :) The bugs are out, but still no swallows! The misquitoes will get out-of-hand if they don't return soon to help keep them in check! :) By now they usually are setting up residence in the birdhouses, ... so this is quite uncommon. I hope they return soon! :)
Enjoy your day everyone!! :)

Spring at last! :)

It finally feels like spring today! :) We've got blue sky, sunshine, and temps' in the low to mid' 60's! :) The next few days are expected to be in the low 70's! :)
The vegatable garden soil is finally getting an opportunity to start to air out! It's been just saturated with rain water!
Last night we had a light frost. It's been awhile since our last frost, and no frost are expected in the following ten day forcast, so I'm beginning to feel hopeful that the garden season is not too far off! :)
Our ground cover tulips are in full bloom, and the early blooming daffodils are beginning to show their sunny faces in our yard! :)
Soon I must spend some time studying up on the new camera so I can start it up and give it it's first trial run! :) I hope to share some of the beauty that SPRINGing up in our yard!! :)

Anniversary Beach Photos! :)

The 2nd time was the charm! :) Here are a few of the photos from our stay on the coast! :) We had a nice view of the ocean from our front room so even when it was too cold to go out we were still able to enjoy the ocean! :) Now when we need another get away, we can look back at these pic's and almost feel the wind on our faces and hear the sound of the waves and the seagulls! :)

Our Anniversary at the Beach! :)

If I did this right, there are photos from our stay at the ocean, if not, .... you're still doomed to my inexperience! I'll get better at it, ... I promise! :)
We had a wonderful time and are already looking forward to our next get away!! :)