A Growing Tribute

As the final days of Spring spin toward the first days of Summer I find myself noting and celebrating the growth of much in the natural world around me. [I have been mourning some slug and snail munched leaves, but have managed to catch a few of the munchers...and am not sorry.]

Although I am just sharing a photo that shows two growing ducklings, we have seen four dashing and bobbing about in the yard by the front pond. Most of our photos have been blurry thanks to all the dashing and bobbing, but my youngest son, Tim, managed to get the photo I am sharing so that you can appreciate how much the ducklings have grown in the last month...even with herons lurking about.

I finished knitting the baby blanket on size 6 needles, with one skein of Lion Brand acrylic DK light worsted weight Creme Glacee Helado  Tutti Frutti yarn.  Then I crocheted an edging.  I am pleased with the softness of the blanket, but for the new baby blankets I have started I am using thicker worsted weight acrylic baby yarn. One blanket I have cast onto size 8 needles.  The other blanket I am crocheting with a size I hook, but am going to experiment with a size N hook.

We celebrated three family June birthdays yesterday, [my oldest daughter, Mary Kathrine's, and her daughters Joy's and Molly's] with a cookout by the pond.  Molly will soon be seven and I crocheted an art bag for her out of Lion Brand's Incredible nylon ribbon yarn with a size I hook, and all in single crochet. I showed you the bag I crocheted for Hayley in November in an earlier post. I had purchased four balls of yarn at an "incredible" sale price, and have now used up all four balls by making two bags. The bags are nice and stretchy and it is fun to pack them with art supplies.

My oldest son in law made the rounds of our fruit trees and bushes this morning and said I could show you the photos of this year's growing fruit crop he took with his cell phone: cherries, peaches, apples, and blueberries.  We might grow enough for each of our thirteen household members to have some bites of fruit if all goes well.

Also this morning, my oldest daughter, Mary Kathrine, and her girls helped me decorate my table for Memorial Day which we are celebrating in the USA today. We continue to grow in gratitude for those who have given their lives for the cause of peace.  

My great nephew is currently serving in the Army, and Mary Kathrine put his photo and the Peace Be With You card on the table, too.  We are thankful for so many around us who continue to invest their lives in the cause of peace.

A few hours ago my youngest daughter and her husband drove to a nearby camping area on the eastern side of Mt. Hood National Forrest. I plan to drive there with my youngest son on Wednesday, and will be without reliable internet service for the next two weeks so I will not be visiting posts or publishing posts for the next few weeks, but you will be in my thoughts with love and I will be wondering, "What is growing around you?"

xx

Gracie :)  

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

Rooted and Grounded in Love

 Happy Leap Year!  As I type to you on February 29, 2016, I am not doing any leaping or following any sort of leap year custom. I am just noting the once in every four year extra day :)

However, at my worship art group on Saturday the theme of our project was being rooted and grounded in love...thus the reason for my post title.  The bottom right picture was the work of our group facilitator.  I think it is fascinating to see how the rest of us launched from her example to our own interpretation. [Mine is the upper middle.]

 Across the street from the church some of the trees are showing pink blossoms, and a Camellia bush has pink blooms.

 I have been experimenting with this recipe, using smaller loaf pans than suggested.

 This yarn leaped into my shopping cart recently because I thought it would make a nice preemie blanket, and it will, but I forgot I was looking for worsted weight yarn and this is fine, so I had to go down from a size 8 to a size 6 of my KnitPicks circular needles.

 This morning my oldest SIL, Jason, alerted me to the presence of ducks on the front pond!  I have seen Mr. and Mrs. Mallard frequently, in the last few weeks.

 However, this morning they briefly had visitors!

 Their plumage is so interesting!

 Our Daffodils are beginning their colorful dance around our tree, even though it is cloudy out.

 The Primroses from last year are filling out beautifully.

 The Hyacinths are opening up although I could not catch their sweet scent this morning.

 The hedge of Camellias across the street at our neighbors are blooming in pretty shades of pink.

This past week I got some more Primroses, too, since they seem to like it here :)

As I type, I know that some of you are dealing with illness or great loss, and I am holding you dear in my thoughts and prayers.

What are you finding rooted and grounded in your lives this week?

Gracie xx

On the Threshold

Recently I saw beautifully wintery Mt. Hood as I was looking toward Spring Water Trail  High School in Gresham, OR.

Then later in the week I admired Mt. Hood standing out against the backdrop of wintery blue-gray clouds as I looked from a vantage point on Civic Drive in Gresham, OR.

As we drive in and out of our driveway we often see Mr. and Mrs. Mallard on the front pond and are expecting them to be nesting and then hatching a new little family of ducklings this Spring as the frogs sing a louder and louder celebratory chorus in the evenings.

 Mr. Salamander visited and we supposed he was trying to stay warm near our threshold! We admired him but did not invite him in.

 Our latest puzzle, a Thomas Kinkade print was completed this week after even more puzzling effort than our last puzzle.

 My folding vision board is now trimmed in washi tape.

 I bought the washi tape last February around Valentine's Day.

 The dark red trim says "love" repeatedly.

 The red and white tape has repeated xo's for hugs and kisses.

 I'm still crocheting the edging on this knit preemie blanket...and enjoying doing so and have been knitting more rows on my blue merino blanket...glad for its warmth on my lap.

 I bought a branch on sale at a craft store and planted it in my hug basket to display some of the hearts I have made or have been made and given to me.  The white hearts with roses were made by my dear mom who is no longer physically with us on earth, but the crafts she made and the gifts she gave are precious reminders of her.

When I got up one morning recently the sky was a prettier pink than this photo shows. My photos don't always reveal the ups and downs of my life.  As I type this, my friend, my oldest SIL's mom who is part of our household is in surgery to repair a painful tear in a muscle.  We are praying for a swift and complete healing.  We are also thanking God that my great nephew in Nebraska is home from the hospital where he was treated for meningitis this past week.

Some of our family were encouraged as we read Psalm 30:1-12 together this morning..."weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning..."

May you know much joy in your life, no matter what life challenges cross the threshold of your life.

xx
Gracie