A Visitor

I looked out my back door yesterday and saw this little guy sitting on my garden fence:

I tried to get closer to see if he had a message for me.  He swiveled his beautiful head, looked and me and blinked a few times, then turned and swooped away.  Jillian has seen him a few times sitting on a tree in the woods, but never this close.  Hopefully he'll come back to visit again!  

Bloedel Reserve in December & January

We live about 1/2 mile away from the Bloedel Reserve, a beautiful, 150 acre nature preserve and garden, and have only visited 3 times in the 10 years we've lived so close.  That's about to change!  We bought a one year membership and have now gone twice in the past two weeks.  The first time (December 30th)  we brought Brandon, Ashley, and Jane, and Ben's friend, Harrison, to see the "Gingerbread Village" and train display.

 

It wasn't quite as elaborate as I hoped it would be, but it was still fun to look into all the detailed, decorated rooms.  We walked around the grounds for a while after viewing the display, but didn't have enough time to go on all the trails. 

Jillian really wanted to go back and spend more time, so when last Saturday ended up not being snowy or rainy, she and I returned.  I promised her we would walk through the whole grounds this time.  We had a great time together.  For anyone who thinks a walk through a winter garden would be dull, think again!

We are going to try to visit every month and take our picture in this same spot to see the changes.

Gardening and Pioneers

Sounds like I'm going to write an essay on the horticultural habits of our ancestors, doesn't it?  Sorry, not today! 

Brad, Jillian, Ben and I worked in the garden today, and Nathan and Kylie went to the Stake Pioneer Pre-Trek activity this afternoon.  About all they have in common for this post is the fact that they both happened today, and I took pictures of both.

Ben went with me to pick out our seeds this morning and we ended up with beans, lettuce, carrots, spinach, beets, and three types of squash.  We also had some seed potatoes from our garden last year.  Ben is hoping to have an abundant harvest so he can make some "really good vegetable soup."  We came home to pouring rain, but plant the garden was on our calendar for today, so we didn't let the rain stop us!  While Ben and I were seed shopping, Brad and Jillian went to get a truck load of "Emu-Poo", our favorite compost.  So we also had the job of top-dressing our front flower beds and around the fruit trees to complete.  Ben and Jillian were great helpers.

While we were digging and planting, we kept coming across these centipede-like bugs.  Brad asked the kids, "Would you eat one for five dollars?"  Both said, "NO WAY!"  Then he asked, "What would you give me if I ate one?"  Ben said, "Five doll hairs," really quickly so it sounded like "five dollars" (one of our family jokes).  So Brad said, "OK!"

Just when he was about to pop it in his mouth, Ben shouted, "No, Dad!  Don't do it!  Do you really want Doll Hairs?!"  Where was Ryan Reynolds when we needed him? He would have done it!

As promised, a picture of the pioneers:

Don't they look so cute?  They're being pretty good sports about the whole thing.  Kylie has accepted the wearing of the dress, and Nate said he'd go to the activity if they didn't have to stay for the hoe-down. They got to participate in  fun pioneer passtimes like  butter churning, taffy pulling, candle making, log sawing, stick pulling, and stilt walking. (I didn't know that stilt walking was a pioneer thing, but what do I know?)  The actual trek is in June, which I'm hoping will be a great experience for both of them. 

It's Finally Garden Time!

"The prophet said to plant a garden,
so that's what we'll do.
For God has given rich brown soil,
the rain and sunshine, too.
And if we plant the seeds just right
and tend them carefully,
before we know, good things will grow
to feed our family."


LDS Children's Songbook, #237




Tomorrow is the big day! We're getting a late start, but with the crazy winter weather we had, plus being gone the past three weekends, we haven't had a chance before now. We already have garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, and rhubarb growing. Garlic and onions were planted in the fall; leeks, asparagus and rhubarb are perennials. I'm looking forward to another year of yummy fresh veggies!

More Fall Beauty

It's so nice that I don't have to leave my yard to see the beautiful fall colors. The trees are especially vibrant this year, I think because we've had so many nice days this October. Of course, as I say that, it's just started raining. Right in time for trick-or-treating tomorrow!

Don't you expect to see little gnomes sitting on these mushrooms?!

The leaves on my favorite tree keep getting more and more beautiful.

And here's another of my favorite trees. I know, I have lots of favorites. It's kind of like when my kids ask which one I like best. I like them all the best!

My New Favorite Tree

I still love my yellow maple, but this beauty showed its colors a few days ago and has taken over as my favorite tree in the yard. I think it's amazing that each leaf can have so many different colors. It actually glows, even when the sun isn't shining (like right now!)


Sorry, I don't remember what kind of tree this is, I'll have to ask Brad.

It's Fall

Yesterday at this time I was standing in the middle of a pumpkin patch with Ben's kindergarten class, the freezing wind cutting through my jacket. Today, I just got back from a walk and the air was actually balmy. I didn't even need to wear a jacket. I love fall days like this! I remember fall days in Palatine, IL--one day would be 75 degrees, the next 35. The swings aren't quite so drastic here, but we still have them. It's like Mother Nature is putting up a fight, trying to extend the warmth a little longer until she'll let winter take over. Brad and Jillian are going on a father/daughter campout tonight, so I hope it stays warm for them!

Ben's class listening to the "farmer" talk about different types of pumpkins and squash. They were so funny, every time she told them one of the names, they all laughed like a comedy laugh track. They thought "banana squash" and "spaghetti squash" were especially hilarious for some reason! Ben and his buddies with the pumpkins they chose. Yes, Ben is wearing shorts even though it was freezing outside. For some reason, he insists on wearing shorts every day. When I ask him if he ever gets cold, he says "I was made for cold!" He didn't get that from me!
This is the pumpkin Ben chose. He likes little things.

My favorite tree in our yard right now. I love the bright yellow leaves, especially when it's a grey day.

My big yellow dahlia finally decided to bloom! This is only about 1/3 of the size it will be when if is fully open. I love the way the hydrangeas change color in the fall from their brilliant blues to more subdued purples and pinkish browns. They age very gracefully.

Here's a vase of hydrangeas I picked to dry. I hope they keep their gorgeous colors. The green ones used to be white. I love the way fall colors things.

First Harvest

Our garden is finally producing! It was a long, cold spring, so things are a bit behind. Usually we have green beans by now, but they are still flowering. I'm enjoying the fresh raspberries tremendously! Zuchinni is just starting and I have two cherry tomatoes that have made it past flowering stage. A few more weeks and we'll be able to make a delicious vegetable soup!