Spring in my own back Yard

I am afraid that my gardening skills are rather limited and I would be inclined to call our three quarter acre lot a yard rather than a garden.  It has been an extra blessing to have so much space to spread out into during this interesting time. I have been enjoying our Spring season even more than usual these past few weeks.  These are just a few photos I have been taking from day to day.

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These lilacs grow between our back side yard and the neighbor's home and next to our garden shed.  They create beauty and privacy at the same time.

The little picket fence in the background surrounds our neighbor's vegetable garden.

Our view from the back of our property across the lake and out to the Cascades. 

Watching a thunder storm roll in.  Five minutes after I took this photo the lightning was flashing and rain was pouring down.
 

 The golden chain tree in full bloom.  The gravel drive leads past the neighbor's home in front.

The rhododendron in full color in the back corner by the Dogwood tree.

 An afternoon sky looking through the trees.

 Looking out across the back to the fruit trees on another rainy afternoon.  As you can see there is still much weeding left to be done!!

Finally, there is nothing more beautiful than these two blossoms my beautiful granddaughters, ages 3 and 8 months.  Since we couldn't celebrate together at Easter we had a  family celebration and May basket egg hunt on Mother's Day. 

May each of us bloom in the place the Lord has planted us, and  may the Lord bless and keep each one who comes here.

Adieu!

A Spring Walk

I had my annual checkup a few days ago which got me out of the house on a drizzly spring morning.  My doctor's is just a a couple of blocks from this lovely neighborhood in the town of Snohomish and as I was driving through I decided to stop and take a short walk to enjoy all the garden flowers.  

The sun was peeking in and out between the moving clouds and the air was heavy with the smells of a fresh morning rain.  I passed many plantings of lovely spring flowers, and garden steps leading up to front doors.  I always wanted to live in an old fashioned house with a covered front porch where I could sit and look out over the the garden. 

 

Doesn't this look like a perfect place to sit quietly for a while?

I think though that it is all the different shades of green and the textures of the leaves that I find the most tranquil and refreshing.

 

 I would have liked to walk for a little longer but the light intermittent sprinkles were starting to become an earnest rain and so it was time to go home.  Many people I know think Summer is the best time of the year but no dry and dusty green for me.  It's the delicate colors of spring and the vividness of autumn that touch my heart and make it sing!



 May the Lord bless and keep all who stop by this week.
Adieu!

Skagi Vallely Tulips

It's been about 8 weeks since we began our official shelter in place.  We have seen our children and grandchildren a couple of times but mainly we have been keeping to ourselves.  Like most other folks we have been staying in contact with church, family and friends through the various social media outlets and zoom.  However, last Saturday I just had to get out of the house and do anything that seemed even semi normal!  So we took our face masks and our gloves and headed out for a short road trip up to Skagit Valley to see the tulip blooms.

It was a perfect spring day, overcast but not too cold.  There were quite a number of others out and about who had the same idea as we did.  However, everyone was practicing their social distancing, which made it safer for all of us to be out enjoying the fresh air.  A number of the farm produce stands were open and  they were selling early spring vegetables, plant starts and garden seeds.

  It has been several years since I have been able to visit the tulip farms and I was really looking forward to being able to walk in the fields this season.  Unfortunately, like many other gatherings, the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival was canceled   Happily, one farm allowed us to get out of our cars to see their tulip fields from  a distance.

The cherry trees and apple blossoms were in full glory as well!

Even though we couldn't get out into the fields there were still some opportunities to see tulips up close.

 And to bring some home to enjoy in my kitchen.

Consider the flowers, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Luke 12:27

We have just heard from our governor that our stay in place orders will continue for another month, which is a bit discouraging, but with the opening of some of the parks and hiking trails hopefully we will have another opportunity to get out and spend some time in the sunshine and fresh air.  May the Lord bless and keep each one of us as we soldier on.

Adieu!