I'm back! (And I have a new table!)

I find it hard to believe that it has been nearly a month since I have written a post. Yikes! It is amazing how fast time can go by.

Where have I been this last month? Well, mostly at home. You see, we had these super cute kittens and I just assumed that momma cat would do all of the work taking care of our precious kittens. Instead, she ended up getting very sick. She had a horrible abscess and was extremely dehydrated.

As a result, we spent a lot of time force-feeding Rosie (momma cat) and bottle feeding her kittens. They were very little and needed to be fed about every 3 hours. It felt like we had an infant again and we couldn't go anywhere!

In addition to that, I prepared for and taught the last teaching in our Bible study at church. (Curious? If you are really curious, you are welcome to listen to it here.)

Since then I have been preparing for the upcoming Women's Brunch at our church. I am new on this women's ministry team and am still figuring out all that goes into planning these events. Now I am also speaking at that event too. I am looking forward to that!

Other than these things, I have been very busy gardening when the weather has participated. I have moved plants, divided perennials, planted new flowers and planted many veggies, both seeds and starts.

This last weekend we bought a used outdoor dining set. I am so excited to have this now! We can actually all fit around the table with room for our plates and the dishes of food. Tonight we used it for the first time.

Look at that great table with some amazing food. Yum! The best part, though, is the loved ones sitting around the table. You can see Kylie and Ayla on opposite ends of the table and Daniel's hand working on some food. Also pictured are Daniel's mom, Alice, and her amazing fiance, Bill. I am looking forward to many more barbeques and outdoor eating experiences this summer!

Stay tuned! I am returning to this wonderful blogging world and even have another amazing giveaway lined up.

Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens

Ever wanted to take a step back in time? Immerse yourself in someone else's life? Last Friday, I enjoyed a glimpse into the life of Hulda Klager. This glimpse is only a short drive south to Woodland, Washington at the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens. The appeal of the trip is the incredible lilac gardens, but there is so much more than just gardens.

Hulda Klager's Home

First we strolled up the walkway towards the beautiful historic house. This home is filled with the history of Hulda Klager, including many pictures of her family and stories depicting "normal" life at the time. Here is a framed story I enjoyed:

Hulda's bedroom with original dresser, bed and quilt.

Hulda's "mail order" stove.

"Hulda tells the story of her mother, Mrs. Thiel, when she lived in Germany. One fall day in the mid 1850's, Mrs. Thiel went out to her farmyard to feed her pet geese. To her dismay, they were lying on the ground apparently dead. Shedding a few tears but still the practical farmer's wife, she carried the geese into her big warm kitchen and proceeded to pluck off their feathers. While plucking the last one, to her astonishment the geese started to get up and stagger around the kitchen. Eventually all the geese were running around in the house sans featheres and quite a spectacle. Mrs. Thiel was so happy to see her pets alive again that she couldn't chop off their heads. 'What to do with naked geese?' she thought. Winter was close at hand and they would surely freeze. The family trait of originality popped up and she made red flannel underwear for the whole flock, thereby solving the problem until nature had replenished the plucked feathers with a new set of natural clothes for the pets. Mrs. Thiel later discovered that her geese had eaten some cider mash which had fermented. They had become thoroughly intoxicated and were in a 'drunken stupor' when she picked them up for dead."

After visiting Hulda's home, we went outside to enjoy her beautiful gardens. Hulda Klager's passion was hybridizing plants, but especially lilacs. It seems like we were a week or two early since many varieties were not yet blooming. Even so, there were many varieties in bloom. Here are a few of my favorites.

From a distance, this one looked like a pink cloud:

"California Rose"

"Anabel"

"Royal Purple"

"Nadezhda"

"Mrs. Bereasha"

"My Favorite"

 I loved how these pink buds opened to a lavender flower:

Pres. Grevy

Mm. Lemoine

 With a name like "Hallelujah", how could I resist taking a picture of this one?

"Hallelujah"

Pink is such an unusual color for lilacs and I especially enjoyed this dark pink bud and pretty pink bloom:

"Esther Staley"

 This is one of the select varieties labeled as "extremely fragrant".

"Katherine Havemeyer"

And would you believe it? Three of us unintentionally color coordinated for the visit:

If you enjoy lilacs, I suggest you take time to go down and visit these lilac gardens. They are open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The farm house will close on May 8th, but the gift shop and gardens remain open until May 14th.

Natural Dandelion Control

In our yard, we have a raging infestation of dandelions. Everyone in our area deals with their own share of dandelions, but I happen to think our yard gets hit by weeds worse than some. It really doesn't help that there is a currently unoccupied rental next door where the yard isn't even mowed.

So, how do we control weeds? Well, last week I enlisted (bribed) the help of my 7 year old and 5 year old. The incentive? 1 penny per dandelion head,  5 cents for a root.

Kylie went for the roots. She took the challenge to heart.

Ayla didn't bother going for the root, but she sure was proud of those dandelions she picked!

And they enjoyed hamming it up for the photo shoot that followed.

In the end, my yard had fewer dandelions going to seed, my kids were occupied for a good part of an evening and I invested a total of $3.37 towards dandelion weed control.

Don't forget to sign up for the Olympia Local Foods - $25 Giveaway!

Thankful for Spring Flowers

I admit it. I love flowers. I love growing flowers in my garden. I love looking at flowers at a farmers market or nursery. I love displaying cut flowers on my kitchen table. I love smelling the strong perfume of flowers.

It is currently spring, but the weather does not seem to be aware of that fact quite yet. Just yesterday we experienced sun, rain, hail and snow. Yes, you read that correctly, snow. In the midst of season confusion, I am thankful to see the bright, spring flowers in my beds. They add bright spots of color and their fragrance welcomes guests to my home.

I am thankful for this frilly daffodil. It is the only daffodil in my yard that has decided to bloom. (For some reason daffodils and I don't get along very well.)

 I am thankful for these fritillaria. Their dainty blooms and checkered petals make me smile.

 

I am thankful for hyacinth. It wouldn't feel like spring without their bright spots of color and amazing fragrance.

 

I am thankful for spring flowers.

What are you thankful for today?

 Come join me (and my friends at Adventures Of Raising A Baby In The City )! Every almost every Thursday, I will post something for which I am thankful, and I would love it if you participate as well. It is medicine for the soul to give thanks and, when practiced regularly, results in contentment. It can be anything: silly, personal, or blog related. Just take a moment to give thanks!

Flower and Garden Show 2011

I enjoyed this purple theme.

It has become a tradition to attend the Flower and Garden Show in Seattle. Each year I attend with my mom and a couple of her (our) friends.This year I left my kids and household life behind, thoroughly enjoyed the drive through the enchanting snow and immersed myself in a world of beautiful flowers and other people's hard work.

One of my favorite aspects of the Flower and Garden Show is the welcome. No, there is nothing exceptional about the greeters, although they do a fine job. The welcome I love is the smell. As I walk through the doors, the overwhelming perfume of hyacinth intoxicates me. Well, it doesn't really intoxicate me, but I do feel as if I am suddenly on a gardening high. Nothing matters but the flowers. The fragrance. The colors. The beauty. Ahhh...

This year, the theme was "Once Upon a Time..." I assume that the displays were supposed to incorporate this theme in one way or another, but the theme was not always very easy to recognize. The theme was obvious in this one, and one of my favorites:


I don't remember what the intended theme was for this one, but each year this group does an impressive garden display, making me wish I had unlimited resources and could transform my backyard into a woodland paradise. The trees are immense, the boulders gigantic and the feeling is that you happened upon a hidden natural wonder.

This following display really fed my desire to live (and garden) in the country.

While wandering around, looking at the abundance of items the vendors were trying to sell, it was easy to feel overwhelmed. In the midst of it all, I had a good laugh. This sign reminded me of so many people I know who cannot seem to function without their coffee. (Don't worry, they will remain nameless.)

Each year I attend, it seems like I come home with at least one inspiration. Last year, it was the chicken tractor and how it can be incorporated into a small, city garden. This year, my inspiration is a playhouse for my girls. I don't know if we will build one or not, but it is my current garden dream.

In the midst of such inspiration and beauty, what did I purchase? Well, not very much. Last year (and maybe the year before) I drooled over this little lime green spruce, but I managed to resist the urge to buy it. This year, I went all out. I spent that $6.99 on the "Wilma" spruce. The foliage is lime green, and after rubbing it, smells of citrus. I am looking forward to potting it next to my front door. The Gerbera Daisies were cheap. How could I resist that?

First Signs of Life

One of those "getting to know you" questions is, "What is your favorite season and why?" For most of my life, my answer has been: summer. Summer is beautiful and sunny. Flowers are fully in bloom and the air is filled with their fragrance. The temperature is warm, providing the opportunity for summer activities such as running through the sprinkler, swimming and water gun fights.

Over the last few years, though, my favorite season has been changing. How can you top spring? Spring is full of new life, bulbs emerging out of the earth, trees budding and blooming, the sound of birds returning and celebrating eternal new life at Easter. Spring is when I begin to dream of my vegetable garden and plant those first seeds. The anticipation of the vegetables is almost more exciting than the harvest. Being the fan of flowers that I am, I love each stage of spring: crocuses emerge, tulips bud, daffodils bloom, lilacs spread their perfume. It is nearly a magical season.

Yet before spring arrives, my beds surprise me. Before my thoughts return to gardening, flowers bud and bloom. As I walk around the yard and observe perennials barely beginning to revive, it catches me off guard and brings a smile to my face. Oh, beautiful Hellebores, how I love you!

Hellebores are a beautiful, evergreen perennial and come in a variety of colors. These flowers bloom from mid January to April and sometimes even beyond. They start out small, as mine are now, but continue to grow increase in size throughout the growing season. The foliage is evergreen and a nice addition to the flower beds year round. For me, these are the signs that spring is on its way. They are the first flowers to bloom in my yard.

Need a flower to brighten your day in late winter? Plant some Hellebores and enjoy the delightful surprise of flowers out of season.

Fall Decorating

Sometimes decorating just baffles me. Not because of the difficulty in creating a nice look or theme, but due to the high cost of decorations. When you begin to add up the price of wall art, vases, throw pillows, curtains, and everything else that goes into making a home look beautiful, it can be staggering. It is especially frustrating if you are on a fairly tight budget.

Wouldn't it just be easier if decorations were inexpensive and readily available in nature? That is the beauty of Fall decorating.

Many flowers bloom in wonderful fall colors, adding beauty inside or out. Chrysanthemums, like the ones pictured above on my front porch, are currently one of my favorites. They are one of the easiest perennials to grown, meaning you will have beautiful fall color year after year! Another great fall flower is the asters, which is also a perennial. Both of these flowers have long lasting blooms and look great for a long time!

More fall decorations are easily picked up at the grocery store or, my favorite, at the pumpkin patch. Planning a trip to the pumpkin patch or local farm is fun for the whole family. We have a few great pumpkin patches in our area that provide many fun activities for the kiddos and generally some yummy fall snacks that are irresistible! While visiting the pumpkin patch, look around at all the beautiful squash and gourds. These are fairly inexpensive and great for decorating! In fact, gourds can be dried and used year after year. (I have only successfully dried 3, but I will try again this year.) And when you are done using the squash as decorations, they can be cooked and eaten or turned into yummy pies. Most squash varieties make delicious pumpkin pies!

Fall is one of my favorite decorating seasons. A little splash of bright Fall beauty goes a long way in creating a look that is simple, beautiful and provided by nature. Happy Fall!