Rainy Memorial Day weekend

Just a typical rainy MDW for us in the Evergreen State! Although, just I start to write this, a ray of sunshine is peeking through the gray. I'm sure that will make some campers very happy. Dan took Dayla and Daemyan camping out at the State Park last week and it was beautiful, so they lucked out. We don't normally go anywhere for MDW because Whitey hates traffic and crowds and loves to stay home and bbq. We also have a camp spot on our property that has been a hangout for for kids ever since we moved here 20+ years ago! They still love to hang out there and now they bring their own kids to swing on the rope swing, play up in the tree house cook hot dogs, smores and just basically hang out around the fire!

I wanted to post some more picures today, as my flowers are really coming to life!

Mom and dad gave me a clematis for Mother's Day last year and I found the perftect spot for it! It's right outside my bedroom window closest to the front deck. Loves it there and is blooming like crazy!

Above, are some hydrangeas that Miles gave me a few years back that were from a wedding that he did and he knew they would find a good home with me after the wedding! There were so many that I wasn't sure where I was going to plant them, so Whitey took about 4 of them and planted them up against the garage. 

For some reason thought it was a stupid place to put them, but as you can see, they are LOVING it there. ***insert red faced smilie***I also planted about three of them on the south side of the house that are also thriving, and one on the north side that I will need to move, it is growing, doesn't look happy, so I know where I can put it so that it will thrive! Syl also got a few to add to her beautiful garden.

I cannot resist taking picures of the cats when I'm being click happy! This is Harry Potter and he was just chillin' in the grass.( I took these pictures last weekend and it was beautiful out, unlike this weekend.) Runt was chillin' under the trampoline and so I zoomed in on her too! No one is safe when I'm taking pictures!

Today I caught this guy in my orchard eating my cherry tree. NOT HAPPY but I could not resist getting a picture before I had Dan chase him off!

Yesterday, on my garden tour, I had noticed that the branches looked like they were being broken off

andI suspected that either Whitey was getting a little too close on the riding mower or that this was the work of a pesky deer.  Whitey is off the hook!

Now for the last picture..............Buddy!!!!

He was allowed up on my bed this morning as I was working on my blog since he got a bath last night. I still made him lay on an old towel, but he weaseled his way under the covers anyhow. I'm a sucker, I admit it!!!! Now to hopefully  do a little scrapping or card making today or if I get on the ball, maybe both!

~Flower Arranging, Fiori style~

This is what I made in my dear friend Miles's
Seattle floral shop, Fiori Floral, last night!!!
Isn't it beautiful??? The picture does NOT do it justice!
Miles invited my sister Sylvia and I to participate in one of his flower arrangement classes and man did we have fun!!! We also learned a ton of tips and tricks for floral arrangement, which is something Syl and I love to do! The arrangement is PACKED with beautiful flowers, no scrimping in his shop! Just when we thought we were done, he'd bring out more flowers for us to play with including orchids from New Zealand, wonderful scented geraniums, leaves to make ribbon bows,  and one of Fiori's specialties, using fruit with flowers and last night we used limes. Fun, fun fun!
We started out with a vase of beautiful variegated greenery and to that we added hydrangeas, peonies, Queen Anne's lace, and roses. As if it didn't look beautiful enough with just those elements, he brought out the finishing touches of orchids, geraniums, limes and the leaves that we made the ribbons with. WOW!!!

check out  http://www.fiorifloraldesign.com/

Thank you Miles and your talented staff!

Cherry Trees

I am soooooooooooo excited about my cherry trees! My sister started them from seedlings growing from her cherry tree at her first home on Camano Island. I still need to find the pictures of when I first got them, it will be a fun comparison!
Cherries are one of my favorite fruit, so hopefully I'll be eating home grown cherries later this summer!!!!!!

I have 4 growing along the fence line from the house to the barn. The two that are pictured are thriving, the other 2 are not as healthy. The little one needs to be moved and the one closest to the house needs to be sprayed, I think.

The one in my little "orchard" is getting so big and is LOADED, but the birds usually get those before they even ripen :(

But on a different note, it is another gorgeous day of and I am getting most of the day to myself which is heaven on earth. Still in the process of organizing my "studio" which is becoming the never ending task. When I moved things in here, I put them away only to find that some things are not as convenient and accessible as I would like them to be, so changing things around is a can of worms.However, I'm liking the changes that I have made. I need to have things positioned so as not to thwart my creative juices! My goal is to get a least ONE scrapbook (preferably more!) done before the end of the year! I also want to spend more time writing as I find it very therapeutic as well as my photography. I recently closed my Facebook account as I was feeling like that was a non productive (and stupid waste) of my my time. Maybe I'll try to fit a nice long walk every day in there somewhere!

Mother's Day 2010

I had a wonderful Mother's Day! The weather was about as beautiful as it can possibly get around here at this time of year. We ate great food, everyone got to be outside having fun instead of couped up in the house, I gave guided tours of my flowers and fruit trees, we hung out at the camp spot, just a real mellow, fun day!
I was really hungry for comfort foods, so I made shepherd's pie and coleslaw. Bought a couple of baguettes, ice cream, and for the kids, some Popsicles. Mom brought a casserole and 3 French cheeses, Syl brought a crock pot of baked beans with hamburger (she calls it PUD) and a HUGE salad. Mitch came a little later with Jean and her girls and brought chips, pop and grapes. Whitey made pork tenderloins, one bbq and the other terriyaki. Boy did we EAT!!! I was looking forward to leftovers, which is what I love to eat for breakfast, but sadly, there were none :(

I guess with 20 people at your house that is to be expected, but next time I will stash some in the back of the fridge!

I mananged to get a silly picture of my cat Link. He has more personality in his paw than all of my 9 cats combined.



Fun memory of a great day!