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 !

Gardening Around The Dovecote

 This flower container is along the picket fence leading to our dovecote. The pansies surprised me by coming up again this year along with the pink phlox behind them. The phlox won't bloom until mid-summer, but they'll be more than 2 feet tall and fill the air with their sweet scent.

 This is the view from the other side of our front porch. The front porch wraps around two sides of our home. The grape arbor has 2 seats under it and provides a very cool shady spot to sit in on hot summer days. At the end of the fence, upper left of the photo, is the dovecote my husband built me.

 I have 2 chickens in the dovecote too. They clean up the dropped seed and keep things interesting.

 I just finished cleaning up the flower beds around the doves. This year I set aside a week on my calendar to catch up on spring cleaning in the garden. The past few years have been hit & miss and our gardens have suffered. My husband has worked so hard to make the flower beds and herb garden for me and I want him to know I do appreciate his hard work. Tending the gardens is the best way to show that.

 I love the way this bird bath seems to emulate the scallops of the Lady's Mantle growing around its base. Lady's Mantle is named after the Virgin Mary. Dew and raindrops in the leaves look like pearls, and on very misty mornings each leaf looks like it has jewels all around it. The drops often reflect eye-piercing rainbow colors when rays of sunshine hit them.

 Hostas & blue Lithodora.

The weather is so beautiful, especially now that it has warmed up. There are new blossoms and baby birds everywhere. Hummingbirds & butterflies too. Spring has finally arrived around here !

The Thursday Ladies Luncheon ~

 Another Thursday Ladies Bible study and luncheon left me feeling so blessed. The Thursday Ladies get together the third Thursday of the month to share lunch, fellowship, Bible study, and prayer.

 The table is set simply. After our lunch we need space on the table to open our Bibles and study notes. The flowers for this month's table setting are bedding plants . I wrapped white tissue paper around the pots, secured the paper with blue ribbon and voila! After the luncheon I planted the flowers in my flowerbeds. How simple is that ?

 Moms and Grandmas are encouraged to bring their children to the study too. Studying the Bible is a good family endeavor after all.

 This month lunch was generously provided by the ladies who attend. Delicious chicken salad stuffed croissants ( thanks Karen), green salad and big red strawberries, ( thanks Marlene & Marj).

"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man ( or woman)may be adequate, equipped for every good work."   I Timothy 3:16,17

Sedum Roof For The Birds

 Just a birdhouse with no roof, but no ordinary roof-less birdhouse. This house is now a home ! This birdhouse was built many years ago by our nephew Kevin*, during a summer visit to Cedar Pond, and over the years the turquoise roof fell apart and finally blew away in a storm. I stuck a small pot of sedums in the little house never dreaming a pair of birds would move in and raise a family.

 A pair of Oregon Juncos have moved in , built a nest, and are tending the eggs carefully. And protectively. The father Junco is not happy with me being nearby, but I have to pass the birdhouse to water and feed my sheep. Really Mr. Junco, I won't disturb your nest.

 Both Mr. & Mrs. Junco were chattering and chittering at me as I did my chores near their home, but soon after I was done they resumed their parental duties and delights. ( I like thinking of parenting as a delight!)

 Can you see the bird ( Oregon Junco) peeking out?

Who knew a roofless birdhouse could be a home? An Oregon Junco, that's who. "To build a house is one thing, but to make it a home is quite another." Louis L'Amour

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

Tea Time Tuesday & Missing My Bee-Keeper

My husband had a milestone birthday this month. There is so much going on in our lives that has to be attended to right now we were unable to celebrate the way we had hoped. Plus, my husband, my bee-keeper, had to go out of town on business shortly thereafter.

The day my bee-keeper left for a few days I made a pot of tea in my bee-hive teapot and brought out this sunshine yellow teacup.

Doesn't this teacup cheer you up? Look at the happy yellow rings of color with little flowers and red / orange dots. Reminds me of my home raised chicken eggs after the chickens have eaten lots of greens fresh from the garden. The yolks will be a very deep red/orange this very color.

The yellow is so bright it seems to make the whole teacup glow.

I made peppermint tea,

and cut myself a piece of my husband's birthday cake. The cake doesn't look near as good as it tasted. It was a whip cream white cake. Happy birthday my Bee-Keeper and we'll have that birthday celebration soon !

I am joining these ladies for Tea-Time Tuesday :

• Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage *
• Terri at Artful Affirmations *
• Martha's Favorites *
• Kathy at A Delightsome Life *