Sunday morning

What a difference ! A week ago we were in the midst of a fierce wind storm cleanup. People all over our area were out in force removing the shingles, papers and most of all, the downed trees. The days following a big storm were filled with offers of help and concern for neighbors. How good that can make one feel.

Now as we move through the neighborhood, memories of the storm begin to fade as the world gets back to normal. Some roofs have been repaired, some show evidence of beginning repair and others are waiting for bids and visits from the insurance  representatives so repairs can begin. Life get back to almost normal for most of us, the storm a distant memory.

The Day After

The big wind came to our part of the world, did its damage and left. It was a strong wind and with all it's mite, it tried to blow us away. It huffed and it puffed, but all it could do was pull off shingles and wreaths and toss around garbage and garbage cans.  During the windy night, I could hear the race of the large containers used in our town for garbage, they are big and black. There are big blue ones too. They are used for containing recycling materials. The containers left their homes and searched for new places with the winds help. I could hear the rumbling of the cans as they went down the street. But, one big blue recycling can made it's way down the south side of our yard, bumping into the house along the way. I laid in bed and thought that since the garbage pickup had just occurred yesterday, it would only be an empty can that would need to be taken from our yard and up to a neighbor. But with morning light I realized that it was not a garbage can, but a recycling can and it had not been empty since the pick up for it will be next week. So needless to say there was more that just the can that needed to be removed from our back yard. It was windy all day, so I left it for later.

But then in the early evening, the doorbell rang and our next door neighbors stood on our porch with plastic bags telling me they had come to clean up our backyard. They had their three young children with them, all dressed warmly and ready to serve. They asked me to turn on lights in our backyard. Then they went to work. They even found two of the Christmas wreaths that had blown off the front of our house. How nice to have good neighbors.

A cold Saturday Morning

Although it is still dark, I can see that we had a small snowstorm last night.  So probably there will be no morning walk today. Maybe a drive to the mall for an inside walk will be on the docket. Winter is a beautiful time of year, but it takes me while to get used to the fact that plans sometimes need to be changed quickly due to weather.

We spent a good portion of Thursday taking up the leaves that covered our gardens and lawns. They were blown onto the lawn and the mower scooped them up and mulched them and then we scatteded them back onto the gardens in hopes of even better veggies next year.

The outdoor furniture is safely inside now, the snow blower is in the garage,and some of the Christmas lights have been hung so I think that Summer and Fall are over.

Plans for next week all center around Thanksgiving and the fun times we will have with family and friends. It is a time that I look forward to each year.  As the years go by and the children find homes in different cities it is so fun to look forward to this season of getting all together again even if it is only for a few days.

Summer's Last Big Splash

Looking down into the backyard I see the changes that are expected for this time of year. The trees have some color changes, especially the one large branch in the peach tree. The Cosmos are tall and bright pink and fuchsia.  The grass is still a vibrant green and even some of the Pansies are showing their yellow colors. But the one I like best of all is a Dahlia, a giant deep colored one. The plant has many blossoms so I brought one in so as to enjoy it in the house. Don't you think it is beautiful?

Tired Tuesday

We spent the past few days on a very special triip. Last week we headed to Washington state to visit family and attend the blessing of our Great Grandson. We decided to drive. We wanted to see the Fall colors up in Idaho and Oregon and also in Washington. On the drive up, the rain clouds were low and spilling over onto the landscape, so we saw only the gray colors of wet leaves and fields and rocks alongside the roadway. Ok, so we will see the colors on the drive home. But on Saturday, the sun came out and we truely enjoyed the driving around Seattle and Bremerman. Visiting with family is a treat in itself, but visiting family and getting to hold the new baby is surley the best treat of the day.  We talked and attended Church and ate and celebrated October birthdays and just had a fine time. The morning of our trip home dawned with rain and clouds. We only saw the very tip of Mt Hood before the clouds returned to cover the majestic mountain. All the way home from Mt Hood to Farmington the windshield wipers moved back and forth on the windshield, sometimes slow, other times going almost at their fastest pace. So, let me tell you that again we saw very little Fall color. Guess we need to take a run up the canyon before the leaves fall here.

Pumpkin Patch

Today I decided to harvest from the pumpkin patch.  The vines were withered and the leaves were brown and not offering any protection from the sun for the fruit. After the harvest I brought my treasure into the house and began my fall decorating. Pictures are above.

Now I just have to decide what design to save. The fact that only one pumpkin developed and grew and turned orange makes this an important decision. Which display to you like best?

Colorful flowers and a little visitor

The flowers,Mums, that I planted about 10 days ago are now filled with color. The colors reflect the colors in the umbrella. Just how I planned.  The days are showing signs of fall and the nights are cooler and sometimes quite breezy too. Walking in the mornings will soon warrant a jacket and then gloves will be sure to follow. We walk in the early morning, so a white jacket will be worn, along with a light. Not so much to help us see the sidewalk, but to help others, out that early, to see us. The path we take each day is a very sound and smooth sidewalk. Just have to make sure that no one steps off the sidewalk and into a place unknown that could cause a change in our plans, such as a fall.

The little visitor at our house this week is a small dog who belongs to our daughter's family. They are out of town this week so Patch came here to stay. She has done very well, although she is probably missing all the family she usually sees each day. We have learned that she wants to be where ever we are. She follows me about the house always. We have a very safe outside deck that has no escape route other than coming back into the house. We have left the screen open about eight inches, just enough to let her come in and out at her desire. She has spent a lot of time on the couch in the den. I put her blanket in a soft spot and she seems to like that. She wants me to sit by her and coach her to eat. We have established a routine here, hope she leaves that routine here and does not require that same attention when she goes home.

New Fall Flowers

I did find some Mums in three colors that match the new umbrella. Maroon, orange, and yellow. They have been planted in the pots on the deck. I will post pictures as soon as they become colorful. Right now the blossoms are tight and mostlly green.
 I received a gift today from a friend, a start of rubarb. I had some in a garden about 20 years ago and had mentioned to him that I would like to grow it again. So today when he came to brunch ( our Labor Day celebration) he had a white bag with some starts that he had dug up from his garden. It has been planted and watered well, I do hope it will like its new surroundings and grow well for us.

Fall

I know that we still have 3 more weeks of Summer, but today dawned with the promise of cooler weather. The weather report showes temperatures in the low 80's, quite a change from yesterday, the last day of August, a day that found gardners looking for shade. I have found a store that is having a sale on some fall flowers. I will go there today and get new plants for the 3 boxes on our deck. The Pansies have given us beauty for many months, but they are gone now. So, in a while, I will put in some new colorful plants to brighten up our deck. Maybe, I will pick out some that match the colors in our new umbrella.

2 windshields

About a week ago, as I motored to the SLC airport, a rock was propelled by a passing car, hitting my windshield and causing a penny sized poc mark. The windshield, in my 13 year old car, already had a ding in it, but the new one was bigger and right in front of the driver.  Well, this needs fixing, but will have to wait until after the upcoming trip to Idaho.  During the trip, a car exiting the freeway, caused another rock to fly into my windshield, creating a ding with striations radiating in several directions from the center. This time on the passenger side and in my husbands car. 

After the festivities were over and the guests were on their way home, it was time to get both windshields repaired. My husband took them, one at time, to a shop that has a sign indicating that windshield repair was their specialty. Of course, the workers were told that "the wife' had been driving when both of the rocks hit the windshields.

Out On The Deck

The morning has been lovely. Not too hot and just enough breeze to make being outside comfortable. I'm sitting at the table on the deck behind our house now, remembering the fun times we had this past week. We have had company, my sister was visiting from Florida. We attended a neice's wedding in Idaho and spent time with our brother and another sister while we were there. When my sister visits from Florida, I make sure we visit one of the canyons that surround our valley. This year we went up to the Brighton Ski  Resort and walked around Silver Lake. Then we found a shady picnic table and had a picnic lunch. We also visited with other family here in the valley.  She left for home this morning. Now my time will be filled with the garden's needs, such as watering, weeding and some harvesting too.

August Morning

It is a lovely Summer morning. The yard is fine for a day or two. The housework is caught up. I have time to sit on the deck, under the new umbrella, and remember happenings of the past few weeks.

We spent a weekend in California, visiting a daughter and her husband, sightseeing, and just having a good time. We did a lot of eating too. The main draw to California, at this time, was a chance to see a Frank Lloyd Wright home in Orinda, CA. The  home is going up for sale and an open house was planned for a Saturday and Sunday. Our daughter was able to buy tickets for the four of us.  We drove to a BART station and a bus drove us to the property.  The home was tucked away at the end of a lane, metal gates at the edge of the driveway. The property is large, with two streams and lots of trees and gardens. The home was built in 1948 for the Buehler family. The  construction was very interesting, cement blocks became the inside walls as well as the outside walls. No painted walls to speak of.  There were walls filled with redwood siding, redwood cupboards, redwood doors. Most of the furniture was built into the walls. In the frontroom, or gathering room, the windows were met by the backs of built in couches. The ceilings were quite low, in some places low enough to catch the forehead of a few observes . The diningroom and livingroom both had gold leaf on the ceilings. The backs of the dining chairs were low. Mr Wright did not want them to obstruct the view into the gardens. We were told not to take pictures inside, but we could take pictures of the garden.  I had a very fine time looking at the home and garden built so many years ago by a famous man.

New Umbrella

We have a new umbrella for our west facing deck. It tilts so we can use the table and chairs longer into the day. We like to eat breakfast and lunch outside, but don't like sitting in too much sunshine. So this tilting gadget is just what we needed. I  have been reading out there until just a few minutes ago. It is now 2:48 PM. It was delightful.  I was reading last years December edition of the magazine  REAL SIMPLE. Maybe looking at pictures of Christmas Trees and Winter pictures helped me stay cool too.

A Determined Flower

Driving through our little town the other day I saw this Hollyhock growing out of the sidewalk up next to a mail box. It is lovely and has bright red flowers on it. This flower is what I would call an old fashioned one. I can picture them growing close to a little simple home along with a lilac bush and maybe a rose or two way back when this town was young. I bought some seeds today and will try my luck with Hollyhocks for next year.

Summer

It is a nice warm day. We completed our Spring yard work this morning. No rain today. Went to the store and purchased a few flowers for the front yard. I will plant them this evening. I want color for the rest of summer.

But what I really want to tell you about are the Pansies on the deck. They have loved the rain and cool weather we have had the past three months. Don't they look great? I am sure they will start to fade as the days grow hot, but for now, aren't they pretty?

Knock,Knock, Who is There?

We have been chosen by a little black and yellow bird to be awakened by his pecking at our windows each morning. He comes to the bedroom door sometines but mostly he is at the kitchen windows. A couple of times there was another bird with him. This second one was yellow too, but did not have such vivid colors. His mate I guess. I really can not figure just what he wants, but he does not stay long.

Snow on the Snowball bush

I got up this morning only to find that it had snowed last night. Today is May 30th, Memorial Day. A day that usually is thought of as the begining of Summer.  But this year has been different. We braved a downpour on Saturday evening as we placed flowers on the headstone of my husband's parents graves down in Salt Lake. Now those Snowballs and Lialacs have snow on them. The forecast is good weather is coming. Hope my little tomatos and peppers can hold on for another few days.

Snails

I'm on the lookout for them most days as I work in the yard. They seem to like the damp, dark places in the yard. Under last years leaves, in the cracks of the rock wall, at the edge of the gardens just into the grass. I sometimes see their silvery paths crossing the sidewalks and sometimes even see them on the sidewalks and driveways. They bother me because they eat my plants and flowers. I admit that they are considered my #1 enemy in the yard.  One morning I spotted a snail , not just eating a flower, but with a large part of a pink petunia dangling from its mouth.

A Lazy Day After A Busy Day

Yesterday we spent the morning at the Hogle Zoo. We arrived about 9:45 that morning and stayed until after 1:00.  There were four of  us in our group. My husband, a grandaughter,  a grandson and myself. Our grandaughter was the planner of the morning.  She had the map of exhibits and she figured out how we could find what we were looking for.  We went into the various exhibits hoping to see some fine animals playing and eating their breakfast. Many of the animals were in hiding so we had to stand for a long time trying to find them. There is a baby elephant and the mother was rolling a big ball back and forth. We guessed she was playing with her baby. We saw many monkeys, some were just looking at us. I guess we looked funny to them. As the morning wore on many school children arrived and the Zoo became very full of mothers, teachers and students. There is a special display of Dinosaurs. They are moving, howling and a couple even spit at the onlookers. It became lunch time and we found a nice table for four and ate our sandwhiches and chips and had our drinks and cookies. A good time came next as we rode the train around the zoo. Then it was time to come home.

Today has been quiet here. We have a wind and cooler temperatures, so no yard work for us. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Planting

I was able to do a little planting today. It was raining abit while I was working. I replanted the sugar peas that I had planted a month ago that never did come up. I also put in 4 green pepper plants close to the tomato plants. now I need to put in some seeds too. That will come tomrrow if it is dry outside.

Mountainwest's Northwest Weather

I have a son, a grandson, and a granddaughter living in Washington State and they all seem to love the cool, damp weather. We, here in the Mountain West, have been on the receiving end of the cool, wet days, not typically part of our desert weather patterns. Here it is, the middle of May, and a fierce storm happened last night. There was lightening, thunder and much heavy rain. Then quiet for a while and it happened all over again. About 4:00 a.m. I realized that there were car lights shining into our bedroom, so I got up to see if there were problems in our neighborhood (several years ago there was a mudslide about a block away from our house). I saw no cars, some neighbor must have had to go to work early this morning. Looking outside I saw only a quiet street, it was wet though. So I wandered throughout our house, upstairs and downstairs making sure that no water had found a way inside. By now it was close to 4:30, so I turned on the early morning news. heard that there had been a mud and rock slide last night, but it was far away from our little corner of the world. When it grew light I looked outside again and saw that we had snow on our deck. Will Spring ever come?

The Middle of May

Here it is May 18th and we still are having to use heat in our house. I am decked out in my warmest sweatshirt. This blog is supposed to be thoughts about my backyard, but I have not been out there in several days. Rain! The lawn is very green, and long too. Have not been able to get it mowed due to the rain. Good news though, we were able to get our roof repaired. The wind of last weekend tore off some shingles. The repairman did come the same day we called. Thanks so much to him, 'cause it has rained since the day he came and a  repaired roof is needed during wet weather.  

Cookies On A Rain Filled Day

No walk this morning, too much rain. I said to myself, as the raindrops fell onto the wooden planks of our deck. I watched for a while, wishing it would stop so my morning walk could take place. By 7:30 it was still a very wet neighborhood. So I took a shower and started driving into Salt Lake City with plans of spending the morning hunting for a very important marriage certificate, that of my Great Grand parents. But as I drove along the freeway the rain was coming in buckets, or so it seemed. Then a car sped past me, splashing water up, obscuring my vision. A second car came by, did the same thing. It was a long, full puddle in the lane next to me. I changed my mind about Salt Lake and took the very next exit and came back home. I baked a batch of ginger cookies instead of walking or hunting for old records.

More Wind

Saturday night was a very long and wakeful night. The wind was so strong. It created sounds as it whipped past our house. I had to tighten the latch on the door between the laundry room and the garage. That stopped some of the moaning, but I pushed a strip of terrycloth in between the edge of the door and the door frame. The sounds were soft and muffled then. But I couldn't get into the garage without undoing my handiwork.

I watched a couple of small plastic water bottles scramble back and forth in the backyard. I guess the wind blew them onto the grass. It was a frantic game of  'where do they go next' as the strong gusts blew them from place to place. I looked out a bit ago and can only see one right now. The second bottle is probably tucked under a bush or rock

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Wind

It has been a very windy Saturday. I could hear the branches being whipped along the south side of our house long before it was time to get up this morning. We changed the place of our morning walk to a pathway surrounded by trees  giveing us some relief from the wind. Now as I prepare for bed the wind is making shrill noises as it pushes into the garage and rushes to the entry door of the laundry room.  So I know that it is going to be a long night. But all the rest ot last years leaves, that were still in some areas of the garden, are being swept along making way for new summer colorful plantings that will be placed in the yard soon.

Two Days To Write About

I had decided to try to write some every day and then last night I found that this site was not working. So here goes two days worth.

Yesterday we got brave and planted 3 tomatoe plants. Two Beefsteak and one, a  little yellow pear shaped tomatoe. We cut the bottom off three plastic milk containers to use to cover the little plants if the temperature went down to close to freezing. I also transplanted two yellow pansies to fill in where the deer had nibbled this past Winter.

Today we planted 60 Gladiola bulbs and two packages of Dahlas, one package of white ones and one package of mixed colored  ones. We found them on a table of items marked 75 % off. The package states they are guaranteed to grow. Well, we shall see. We also erected a trellis for my two Clematis plants. They had been relegated to a tomatoe cage, but this will be much better as it will allow them to climb quite high.

Spring is Here?

The sky is not blue and bright with sunshine this morning. The storms of yesterday still linger. When walking earlier this morning, we felt just a few drops of rain. But the talk is that things will change this afternoon and once more the days will be Spring-like.

A friend sat in my livingroom yesterday and watched  Robin tear off a Pansy blossom and fly away with it in its beak. Do Robins eat flowers?  This shot of the baby elephant at the zoo eating with its mother proves it is Spring. The baby has been born!

It's Not Only Me That Wants to Get Outside

Today was a beautiful, sunny day, but quite cold. The temperature was 37 degrees F. when I ventured outside into the bckyard this morning. Our long Winter was hard on some of the plants in our yard. I removed two large Lavender plants that had died. Now there is room for something new. Yes, a trip to the plant store is needed.

What I really want to tell you is about the pink Geranium in my basement. It was pretty last Summer and Fall , so I decided to try to keep it alive and have it again this Summer. It has survived and is pushing its way toward the sunshine. I,m thinking that it wants to get out into the backyard too.

Composting

I decided to try composting. For several years I would pile clippings and yard waste in a pile behind a pine tree in the back yard. I would remember to turn it once in while but never did create the "black gold" you read about in the books and magazines. So, this year I bought a black plastic composting bin. Put it down in the backyard in a spot that gets lots of sun. But the weather has been too cold and wet for much gardening so the only things in it are some egg shells, potato peelings and orange peelings. So as soon as the weather changes there will be lots of clippings and leaves to go into it also. Then I will be on my way to creating the "black gold".

Spring Cleanup Begins

We had a few days with some sunshine and warmth and we started cleaning up the yard. It was a decade and a half ago that we planted and nurtured the new plants in our yard. We were starting with land that had not been planted or worked before. It sits at the base of a mountain range and our new subdivision was just begining to make its mark. So the process of putting in a yard with lawn and trees and plants was quite a work out. Rocks were a big concern. There were many in places that could be better used for lawn and gardens. So, we dug and moved them to what we though were better spots. Digging a whole for a tree or shrub could take a long time.  Once in a while a crowbar would be brought out to help nudge a particularly large rock from a spot picked for a tree.

Once it was all planted we tended everything carefully, watering, feeding and loving each new plant. But then some grew and grew and grew. They got too big for our backyard and needed to be taken out to make room for something new and something smaller. The result; a pile of leaves and branches and roots, that grew quite large and sits on the edge of the street in front of our house and waits for the city crew to come and take it away.
This vegetation will be processed and turned into lovely black compost that can be purchased and returned to the yard as topdressing.

No Backyard News

Spring is slow in coming this year. At this time we usually have a large pile of brnches, plants and leaves in front of our yard. But because of the snow and rain and cold and wind, there is no pile this year. I seem to be a fair weather gardner now. There is one week left before the city trucks come by to pick up our yard surplus, so maybe by next weekend the pile will have appeared.  The deer have helped in cleaning the yard to a small degree. They have pullled up the pansy plants and chewed the new day lily starts down to the ground.  I guess the hills have been so covered with snow that they were very hungry and that is why they visited the backyard so often this Winter.

Oh Deer!!

The snow is gone now. I ventured down into the  backyard to look for signs of Spring. But what I found was not the sign I was looking for. The deer had sampled the pansy plants and I guess those plants were not to the deer's liking.  I found the little plants, roots and all, had been pulled up and then left on the lawn uneaten. I gathered them up and replanted them and will wait and see if they grow.

This mornings View

As I looked out the kitchen window this morning, I saw a backyard covered with snow. Still pristine, no animal tracks yet. The storm last night kept most living things in. The day should warm and melt some of this snow, but not all.  Our Spring cleanup is on hold for another few days.  So the only flowers for me are the little yellow blossoms on the Primrose resting on the edge of my kitchen sink.

March Sky

There is blue sky mixed in with the white and grey clouds today offeriing a chance of sun and warmth or rain and cold. Maybe before the day is over we will have both.  The fact that there is some blue today offers a hint of things to come.  Another sign of Spring was noticed on a short drive to the next town at lunch time today. Orange cones, piles of gravel, men in orange vests and white hard hats, alerted us to road repairs, that though needed, are difficult to maneuver through with our cars, bikes or especially when walking.

Sunset in Farmington

March came in like a lamb.

More Outdoor Art

A walk through the neighborhood showed several snowmen watching what was happening in our street on this cold Febuary day.

Outdoor Art

On our recent trip to Florida I saw this outdoor art, a depiction of Marilyn Monroe in a pose, that many may remember from one of her movies. There are many examples of outdoor art. In Seattle Washington I once saw big fish painted in many ways and colors. In Utah there once were many painted buffalos on corners ans in front of buildings.  There is still a bullalo in Farmington on the Davis County Building campus.

A couple of days ago, I went looking for yard art and found four snowmen. This type of art will not last long, but I am sure the artists had a good time making them and many neighbors delighted in finding them as they walked or drove through the neighborhood.

The Day After Valentine's Day

Seems like the weather is always first on my list of things to talk about. Yesterday was wonderful.The temperature soared to 58 degrees and even though the sky was filled with scattered clouds, it was warm and a very nice day.
We went outside and began the Spring clean up in the yard. The first item on the list was the peach tree. It needed to be pruned so the crop of peaches next fall will be good. My husband cut off the limbs and I used the loppers to cut the wood into small pieces so they would fit into the trash container. After completing that task, we started on the apple tree. We only got a good start on that tree when lunch time came. Maybe we can try to continue to shape that tree today when it warms up.
I did want to mention that I saw only one Primrose, a coloful yellow one. With this warm weather, I am sure there will be many Primroses popping up soon for our enjoyment.

Birthday Dolls For The Birthday Girls

 They are turning two this weekend. My only great grand children at this time. I haven't named the dolls yet, still working on that. I think one be will Arabella, the name of a doll the twin's Grandmother had as a little girl.

Winter sun setting in Florida

The February Thaw is Over

The walks and the driveway needed to be cleared of snow this morning. A Winter storm came through yesterday evening, leaving several inches of snow on the ground. The only footprints in the snow this morning showed that our visitor had come into the yard and just circled down through the backyard and  up the wooden steps and out into the street.
 Earlier this week the temperature was in the 50s and 60s beckoning us out into the yard. We started on the Spring pruning,working on the fruit trees first. It was so nice to be outside and feel the sun on our backs as we worked.

Backyard Dreams

Just wanted to look again at the backyard in all its glory. The flowers were so beautiful last September. Today is a cold, windy day. I can hear the whistling of the wind around the corners of the house. But someday soon the yard will again be filled with color.

Sunday Night Treats

I'm making cookies this evening and some special grandchildren are coming over to eat them.  I have a recipe for Mrs. Fields Cookies and they are good.  When the cookies are warm and the chocolate chips are soft, I really don't think a cookie could get any better. Well, maybe with a chilled glass of milk. We like to put our glasses into the freezer for a bit and then fill them. Sometimes the milk is even frosty. Yum!! What a special way to end a fine weekend.

More Snow Tales

The days of no snow ended early this week. A sudden and unexpected snow came, turning our world white in just a few hours. It was surely my fault. I had read the weeks weather forcast and saw that a dry week was expected. So I washed and dried my car with care. I even shined up the wheels being careful to remove all traces of salt and sand that had accumulated. But now, again my little red car is covered with salt and grime as evidence of a snowy drive to the doctor on a wet Winter morning.

As for new tracks on the snow covered back lawn, all that I could see was a single set made by a bird. There were just a few tracks. I guess that little bird decided it was best to fly to his destination. 

Still no snow

This has been an unusual Winter. We have had a lot of rain in the valleys and foothills and much snow in the mountains. The water outlook for next Summer is looking pretty good. The rain has helped to melt most of the snow in our yard now. About the only snow left is beside the driveway where we piled it as we cleared the driveway after each snowfall.

Looking down into the backyard I can see the row of yellow pansies that were planted last Fall, just in front of the Burning bushes.  The green leaves are there, but I see no blossoms yet. Just something else for me to watch as they wake from their deep winter slumber and offer their bright yellow blossoms for all to see. 

The First Primrose

After the rain stopped, I looked down into the garden.  From my kitchen window I noticed  a small spot of purple at the base of the Redbud tree. It was a blosson on a Primrose. The very first sign of things to come this year in the garden. There are probobly other sign out there, but I have not found them yet.

I was awakened early this morning as the moon passed by our bedroom window. My pillow was flooded with bright light. It was as if a spotlight had been aimed at my pillow, urging me to get up and start the day. I dressed and walked into the kitchen and looked to the west. The bright moon was casting light all the way to the lake and was heading slightly to the north where in a while it will dissapear down behind the mountains

Today it is raining

We are having a rain filled Sunday.  As I awakened this morning, I could hear the rain coming off the roof and and into the downspout and onto the garden.  I know that it is just a January thaw, but today gives a hint of Spring.

I have been thinking of Spring ever since the early Spring issue of Country Gardens arrived in our mailbox a few days ago. This magazine is filled with ads for many wonderful plants and seeds, pictures of beautiful flowers and trees and stories about many master gardners. I love to wander through these pages and dream of ideas for our garden this year.  One day soon, I'll wander through the nearest garden center just to see what items have arrived for this coming gardening season.

It is still Winter at our house

This January has been cold and snowy. There has also been a lot of fog/smog due to the inversions that are so common here. Our valley becomes dull and dreary. The surrounding mountains are sunny with bright blue skies.
We expect snow this evening again,but maybe just a small storm this time. The backyard tracks have come again during the night. This time no small ones, but looks like two came together,walking side by side towards the outside stairs and up to the front yard. Maybe a couple of dogs looking for excitement. The fence at the edge of our backyard is a living fence. This gives us nice privacy coverage in the Summer, except where the peach tree is. There is a wide space,surrounding the peach tree, just beckoning the cats and dogs and even little boys to use our yard as a short cut to the next street.

New SundaySnow

Waking up this morning, I was surprised to  find that it had snowed last night. The tracks in the  backyard were partially covered. There had not been enough snow to completly bury them, but the edges were softened with the new snow. First thing tomorrow morning, I will peek out to see if the night visitors had returned for more games in the snow.

2nd post

It's Saturday morning on another cold Winter day. There is still snow on the lawn and gardens, but the walks and roads are clear for now. I have been noticing that we have tracks in the snow down on our backyard lawn.  A couple of days ago there were only a few, but this morning there is evidence of heavy traffic down there. In my minds eye I picture Bambi and Thumper frolicking in the snow last night. There is even a spot that may show evidence of a scuffle between a couple of winter white bunnies. But if the truth be known, we only had a dog or two and maybe a couple of cats out for an evening of fun.     

The Begining

This is my first Blog. I received a red laptop for Christmas and have much to learn.  My tutor is by my side now and giving me encouragement. I'll be back with more tomorrow.