Spring Has Arrived, Mostly

 The tulip bulbs I planted in pots last year are ready to bloom, but all the plants I have to put in flower beds and decorative pots are still not planted. We've had below freezing temps overnight the last few days. The water in our fountain was ice, and some tender plants left outside froze. ( It was 22 degrees Monday night.) As you can see, these plants are still waiting to be put into pots.

 I bought these herbs 3 weeks ago on the first warm sunny day. I was so excited to begin planting my herbs. They've been growing quite well in an over-the-sink colander for now.My excitement over warmer spring days was short-lived. Oh well, it has been convenient to snip them off for cooking right here in the kitchen.

 This is my husband's honeybee shelter. The winters here are extremely cold and were not kind to the bees we brought here with us from our previous home. With the deep freeze and the hordes of yellow jackets and bald-faced hornets that reside here, our first hives were devastated. My husband works hard to get our honeybees to thrive here, and that includes not only shelter from scorching sun and freezing weather, but some insulation in the hives and feeding them over the winter. ( You can see this honeybee shelter from our front porch.)

 This planter is made of old hive boxes my husband would have burned if I had not begged him for them to use as planters. He is working to eradicate any disease that compromises our bees and these are old and well-used hive boxes.

 The hive box planter is in front of our aviary which can also be seen from our front porch.

 Here is a picture of the honeybee shelter and the aviary, both in the front yard, in full view of our front porch. Beyond the aviary and honeybee shelter is our front pastures, then the gravel road that runs in front of our home, and beyond the road are hills, mountains, and woods.

 Our front porch. My husband is currently working on the flowerbeds in front of our home. When we bought our home the beds were planted with very hardy roses . The roses grew large and wieldly, and the thorns proved dangerous while pruning the roses and weeding the flower beds. We transplanted the roses to a place they could grow and big and wild as they're able and I am so happy with how my husband has chosen to plant our front flowerbeds. I will post updates soon.

A box of annuals I am waiting to plant. According the the weather forecast I should be able to plant them all next week. ~ " Then God said , "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed , and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind , with seed in them, on the earth"; and it was so." Genesis 1:7

Rhododendron Explosion ! ( from the front porch )

 Morning coffee on the front porch in the spring is truly a rhododendron explosion !

 There are no other words for me to express the sight that fills my eyes and overcomes me with awe as I behold the glorious blossoms of the bushes that surround our front porch ...rhododendron explosion !

Thus far the month of May has been an unexpected cornucopia of blessings and celebrations for our family. My husband & I have attended a memorial service of someone who matters, a wedding of one of our sons ( very happy about this ! ) ,worrying about very ill family members and trying to help out, plus attempting to keep up with the practical every day matters . Our garden is one of those everyday practical matters . Weeding , planting, watering .....but still my husband & I take time to sit on our front porch and watch the birds at our well-stocked feeders and remember to take in the beauty of the rhododendron blossoms as we simply enjoy each other's company. God is so good to us. Praise Him !

Tea In The Garden ~ From The Porch

 Today ( Tuesday) is Tea In The Garden  time hosted by Terri * and I am so excited to be able to participate in this. I marked this event on my calendar as soon as she announced it. I had big ideas I'd already begun putting into action when events in my life decided against my plans. I had thought to set a romantic tea table near the new fountain my husband & I bought as a gift to each other in celebration of our 40th wedding anniversary coming up very soon. Oh what plans I had...

 ....but the pounding summer rains and life-demands not anticipated dashed those plans. The gardens are squishy wet and the trees, bushes, and flowers are drooping with the weight of the raindrops. Priorities needed to be honored in right order. Thusly, tea-time diminished but did not disappear.  

 I settled for Tea In The Garden ~ From The Porch. This is our table in a corner of the front porch where my husband and I sit in the mornings drinking our coffee and watching the birds at the feeders. We have our bird books here, the binoculars, a notebook to record the birds we see, writing paper & pen for me, gardening magazines to read, space to eat meals together, a place we love to rest and reflect on God's bounty. Perfect for tea don't you think ?

 I chose to make a simple dinner to accompany tea. Freshly gathered from my hens , these eggs will be tasty scrambled with chives from my herb garden.

 Asiago cheese bagels with cream cheese & chives ( I love chives ) with the scrambled eggs and grapes...yum.

 The binoculars are always on the table because you never know when the antics of the squirrels or a new bird at the feeder will need closer examination. My home-sewn black toile tea-cozy keeps the tea in the pot hot, and the issue of Tea Time magazine I picked up at the post office today sits nearby ,just waiting to be read. Can you believe it ? Here I set a blue & white tea table and this issue is all about blue & white teacups & settings , I can't wait to read the magazine !

 But first, there is dessert. Ah, dessert !

Tea in the garden from the porch !

 

I hope you join Terri today to enjoy Tea In The Garden* !

 

 

Happy Dog

Our happy dog Hawk just soakin' up the sun on a beautiful spring day. I hope you're enjoying sunshine too !

Laughing Dove Cafe' ~ View from The Porch

 My husband designed and built the grape arbor to the left of the photo. The scroll design reflects the scroll with the dove he crafted for the roof line of my dovecote. These two structures tie in with the kiwi arbor he built which is in front of the dove cote but not shown in this post. This is the view of the arbor and doves from the front porch.

 My husband built this nice big , sturdy table for outdoor gatherings in what we call The Laughing Dove Cafe'. You can see all the way down to Cedar Pond, in the right background of this picture.

 We have a  swing by the pond in front of the fire pit , along with some wood benches. There is a very large bullfrog that sits by the swing and I startle him into leaping into the pond  every time I go down there. You'd think he'd be used to me by now and know I am not going to kiss him to turn him back into the prince I know he must be. I already have my prince!

 Can you see the curved swirls my prince, my bee-keeper , put into this arbor? Can you see the bright yellow goldfinch perched in the grapevines growing around this arbor?

The ducks waddle by the arbor on the way to the pond. Another beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest, enjoying the beauty of spring and the many blessings my husband, my prince, my bee-keeper has given me. Blessings we share together. Thank-you Jim !

Thankful Thursday ~ My View From The Porch

 This is a well-traveled and used area of our property. The lattice hides the wood shed where we also keep our garbage cans. This area is in full view of our front porch too, so it is nice for it to be somewhat visually appealing.

 The mirror was a Goodwill find for under $5.00 and has endured quite a few winters here. The ceramic planters are re-planted every spring. The bird-bath is new. We have 3 bird-feeders hung in the trees surrounding the wood shed.

 Every morning and in the early evenings we sit on the porch and watch the birds fly in for sunflower seeds. We see chickadees, nuthatches, Oregon Juncos, Stellar Jays, Grosbeaks, finches, Goldfinches, sparrows, Towhees, Cedar Waxwings ~ to name a few. We also watch hummingbirds flit around the Bleeding Hearts and Ajuga that grow lush around the porch and squirrels doing acrobatic tricks to get as many seeds from the "squirrel-proof" feeders as they can carry away in their pouches.

There is no end to the entertainment at the feeders and in the garden, especially now that the weather has warmed. Thank-you Lord for your glorious creation ! ~"For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or rulers or authorities- all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Colossians 1:16,16

Ducks ~Just Ducks.

Ducks , viewed from our front porch as they eat the sunflower seeds dropped from our bird feeders by the feeding wild birds. This is my flock of ducks. They are released from their pen every morning to wander as they will around our property, swim in our pond, sleep in the sunshine on our big front lawn. 

 I love my ducks.At the close of the day my ducks pen themselves up. I need only remember to close the door of their pen and latch it, thus protecting them from the many predators we have around our home that love duck for dinner.In the morning I will again release them to wander and swim, as I sip my first cup of coffee of the day and watch them.

From My Porch ~ Bad Dog!

Hawk reclining on my quilt-draped wicker porch furniture. He makes himself mighty cozy.I think I disturbed his nap.

"We never really own a dog as much as he owns us." Gene Hill