Spring Fever Gardening

Rainy day crocheted strawberry still not complete...

Fudge Almond Chocolate Chip cookies and Almond bread by replanted Shamrock plant

Fish Stew [I thought it was yummy!]

Rainbow Chard, Fuchsia Hanging Basket and Basil planted

Hulda Klager Lilac Garden, Woodland, Washington

Lilacs from our bush

Mallards

Wood Ducks

Sandy River from Tad's Chicken'n Dumplins

Becky, Dennis, Betsy, Teresa, Phil, Dayle, Gracie

Gracie, Betsy, Teresa, Taci

While I am not certain of the symptoms of Spring Fever, I suspect I have a full blown case of it.

You see, I have spent time inside cooking, and stitching and painting a new horizon for my watercolor painting, but, I have been so excited to spend even more time out and about witnessing the glorious blooming of Spring!

Teresa, my dear blogging friend, drove us north to the Hulda Klager Lilac Garden in Woodland, Washington, and published a wonderful post about our trip HERE. Thank you, again, Teresa, for the fun, and introducing me to such an amazing place.

When I got home I checked our one gigantic lavender Lilac bush.  It only had about six blossoms on it and I cut two and brought them inside so we can enjoy them...the blossoms have such a short life, but their fragrance is h.e.a.v.e.n.l.y ~ ~ ~

This week I planted three hanging baskets of white Fuchsias...no blossoms yet.  I planted six little Rainbow Chard plants and a Basil plant out among the flowers.  We have some Joseph Coat Rose buds, I noted!

Saturday my youngest daughter sent me a text while out on errands to tell me she had seen a lot of "duck action" out on the front pond on her way out the driveway if I wanted to take some photos.  I was convinced I only saw some Mallards, but when I looked at the photos on my computer screen I saw some Wood Ducks, too!

This weekend was very special because our blogging friend, Betsy, drove down with her husband all the way from Spokane, Washington...six hours!  We had a great visit.  I had such a good time I did not want us all to part ways again.  Taci was not able to make it to Tad's, but at the last minute was able to meet most of us the next day.

On my way home I did not want the fun to end.  The weather was perfect!  I was thinking about Betsy and Dennis telling us about their youngest son's life over in Japan where he has worked for years.  Then I remembered that I had read recently about the Japanese garden in Gresham that I had never stopped to see.  I pass by it nearly every week, but you can't see it from the road.  I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the photos I took of it. I hope to go back many times, and am curious to know how it will look different from season to season...after I recover from Spring Fever. Do you ever develop a full blown case of Spring Fever?


Gracie xx

Updates

Life is not static...
my status quo ever- changing.

Even in the sweltering heat of summer, I am not inert. I am busy squirreling away light and heat, saving it for a rainy day. The lazy, hazy days of summer recharge me!
I delight in watching gardens grow, and grandchildren grow,
and even my 61+ year old mind grow,  as I am exposed to new technology
and new relationships
with people.

A hot hazy view of Mt Hood from Airport Way along the Columbia River.

Another hot hazy view of Mt. Hood from Jonsrud outlook in Sandy, OR.

Recently, my blogging friend, Meredith shared a gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe with me and asked me to tell her how I liked it if I ended up trying the recipe.

They are yummy, Meredith!
Thanks again for sharing the recipe =)

In retrospect, I found many reasons to be cheerful this past week.
Thanks to Kate's Challenge,
 here is a glimpse of the reasons I found to be cheerful and recorded in my journal.

Are you enjoying your August days?

Gracie xxx

More Reasons For Me to Be Cheerful :)

My week started out cheerily when my youngest daughter surprised me by bringing me a bouquet of purple Freesia from Trader Joe's. The fragrance is so wonderful I wish I could share it with you through cyberspace!
We have been enjoying beautiful warm weather just right for young friends to visit, run through the sprinkler and swing on the swings...
I had some tense hours wrestling with my computer this week, but was so glad to
have a spur of the moment lunch with my blogging friend
and mentor, Teresa Kasner on Saturday. In the midst
of lots of good conversation she gave me wise counsel, and encouragement.
Following are some of the reasons I found to be cheerful and recorded in my journal this week.

How was your week?

Hugs to you
From Gracie <3

Blog Blunders, Basil in Jam, & Cup Cozies

When I checked my last post yesterday,

 it had a highlighted double underlined word that I had not set up as such.

  I clicked on the word and an ad popped up...
WHAT???
Further clicking led me to a program which can link ads to a site.
I hastily eliminated the program from my computer.

Some of my favorite blogs host advertising

but as yet, I have not wanted to do that.

Blogging is a means

for me to explore many of

my interests.

I enjoy reading, and writing, and [not arithmetic (:] spinning fiber,

and crocheting and knitting and watercolor painting

and gardening and cooking

and growing my relationship with God

and growing my relationship with people.

Through blogging I am meeting some

amazingly talented people.

I have linked to their blogs or businesses

because I appreciate who they are

as well as what they do

and I want others to enjoy them as well.

I suppose that is a form of advertising,

but I have not been doing it to try to earn an income, and I am not

keen on the idea of some computer program choosing what

I advertise if I ever decide I do want to earn income

from advertising!

These strawberries were begging to be used, so I decided to try

 a variation on a recipe I saw on Rebekka's blog.

I washed and cut up the strawberries, added a bit of water and

 brought them to a simmer for about 10 minutes.

Then I mashed the berries and added applesauce and honey to taste.

I simmered the berries, honey and applesauce until the liquid was reduced. 

 Then I let them cool for a bit before I tore up some basil leaves

and stirred them into the mixture.  I let it cool further.

Then I poured it into jars.

I am putting one in the fridge for immediate use and the other into the freezer.

Mmmmmmmm good!

I volunteered to make cup cozies for the women attending a leadership

gathering on June 20, 2012.  Not certain how many I need to crochet yet.

I am using Homespun Lion Brand Yarn in the 345 Corinthian colorway.

For a 12oz. size cup I am using a ChiaoGoo K/10.5 (6.5mm)

wooden crochet hook which I just realized is named *Faith.*

That seems especially apt since I am making these for  women

who are members of our church(:

I am simply chaining 4

Joining the chain with a slip stitch

Chaining three then doing 17 double crochets into the circle.

Chaining three then doing a double crochet into the top  of  each of the17 stitches.

Chain two and single crochet in the top of each stitch until  the cozy fits the cup, about 12 rows.

Weave in the end of the yarn.

What are you planning for your weekend?  I hope you have happy days

and do not make any blog blunders(:

<3

Snow Flood Clean Up

Today I discovered that walkers can function

as wheelbarrows . . .

I told my son-in-law the walker was in camouflage

Saturday the family gathered a good portion of

the fallen limbs of trees from the January storms.

Then my oldest daughter's family started a fire in

our campfire circle and decided to

reward all their work with

Somemores . . . mmmmmmm