Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Home Sweet Home

I arrived home yesterday after a sleepless night in a hotel and getting up at 4:30 am and catching a 5:30 am shuttle to the Cincinnati Airport.  I flew 2 1/2 hours to Denver, had a 2 1/2 hour layover and flew another 2.5 hour flight to Portland and landed around 2 pm.  I loved seeing my daughter and family - but I was ready to be back in my own bed and my own easy chair! :-)  Dayle had had trouble sleeping the whole time I was gone - so we both headed to bed at 9 pm.  He finally slept well and I got caught up on my lack of sleep too.  I'm feeling halfway normal! :-)  I went out to see how our garden had changed since I left and found my Bleeding Heart in early bloom!  I love these so much!


The fish are happy and the koi are getting so big!


This plant is called Mahonia in most places, but those in Oregon who thought they were quite clever re-named it "Oregon Grape" and it's our state flower.  :-)  Ours is in full bloom!


I was quite worried that my lilacs would bloom while I was gone.. but they waited.  This is my white lilac, next to the white azalea.


Here are the blooms on the Silver Dollar or Honesty plant.  Have you seen the pretty silver dollars that come from these plants?


This is one of the first Rhododendrons to bloom.. the buds are pretty pink but it opens to a pale pale yellow white bloom.  I was shocked to see the normally glossy dark green leaves all spotty - our blizzard and subsequent ice storm played havoc with our garden.


The flower below is called a "Double Flowered Japanese Rose - Kerria Japonica Pleniflora" - I didn't know what this was for years.  Good old Google.  They are small, about the size of a silver dollar!


When I left 2 weeks ago, nothing had bloomed - here is a wild cherry tree next to the weeping Birch all covered with tiny new leaves.


Is there anything as lovely as looking up into a tree full of fragrant cherry blossoms on a cloudless sunny day with the sky the color of blue like this one?


Oh pretty!  The birds love all the wild cherries on these trees.. we have a lot of them on the farm here.  All bird planted.


Spring on the farm in the Oregon countryside.  This is our lower field filled with dandelions, we also have an upper pasture and our little forest to the left of the house.


I then walked across the horseshoe driveway and snapped a shot of my red azalea as it begins to open up.


One of the last blooms on the Star Magnolia.  


These are wild bleeding hearts that live under the star magnolia.


Things are greening up in the garden!  See the new red leaves coming on the Japanese Maple?  The blue fountain bamboo has some work to do to shed it's yellowed leaves and sprout fresh new green ones.  The fish are happy that it's warming up!


Then I took off the old tablecloth, scrubbed the table, laid the Easter tablecloth and then went hunting for me Easter decor.  It was kind of funny, Kristi looked, Dayle looked (in my "creative space") and then I looked and after looking EVERYWHERE I finally found it near the door in a bag.  I had the little china bunnies on, they were in the china cabinet.  And of course my Maggie Maria, my bunny I made from Alicia Paulson's designs - speaking of which, Alicia is working on some new designs, she has the Mouse on her blog today.  I think I want the FOX!  I need a boy for my girl bunny.  Click HERE to visit Alicia's blog.


Here is my basket of hand crocheted Easter eggs, on top is the cute little yellow egg my blog friend from England made and sent to me.  Here name is Lucy.  She doesn't blog much anymore and I miss her fun sense of humor.


In fact, I sent Lucy 2 glass egg cups just like these.  I found a set of 4 of these and kept two and sent her two.  


My adored Maggie Maria.  I knitted her dress.  I want to make her a pearl necklace and crochet a tiny magenta flower for her dress waistline.


It was a gorgeous day so I opened the front and back doors and the kitchen window.  


The hens gave us some eggs.  My Cuckoo Maran - "Hershey" is laying well!  She gives us the chocolate colored eggs.


Well, I must bid you adieu as we're taking 6 year old Hayden out to dinner with us while our son and his wife take 5 year old Caleb to sign him up for kindergarten.  I hope your week is going well!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

25 comments:

  1. Ahhhh Teresa I've missed your farm updates th last few weeks. (Although I did enjoy the Amish blog posts very, very, much.) Everything is blooming beautifully and I can just imagine how happy you are to be home. Dennis and I don't sleep very well when we're apart either. I can imagine Dayle is VERY happy to have you home where you belong. Are you going to knit night with Taci? I wish I were there to go too.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  2. Lovely Teresa and welcome home. Awsome pictures and as always love my visits here ☺

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  3. Welcome back Teresa! Great spring flowers in your garden and very nice table décor (LOVE your Maggie May rabbit and yes, a necklace and magenta flower would be beautiful)!
    Wasn't our weather today perfect? I had a lot of our windows open too---
    Blessings,
    Aimee

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  4. Welcome home! Everything is looking beautiful there, spring has sprung for sure!

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  5. Glad you made it home safely and got some sleep. love you update on your flowers as well. looking good there! I'm enjoying my two dahlias and a lavender plant on my porch stoop. They are so beautiful when I open the door to go out in the a.m. to work. My little statue rabbit keeps guard over the plants and door! I'm not sure if I've named him/her yet. Am planning on checking out the tulip farm on Friday!

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  6. Wow! I can't believe how advanced the garden is blooming already.

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  7. Ahhhhh...Home Sweet Home :) It is lovely to see all your flowers and fish and your creations! I planted some flowers yesterday and today and have invited the fresh outside air to waft through the house, too. I am going to be out and about tomorrow and plan to go to knit nite. Are you coming? xx

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  8. What a wonderful welcome home your farm has given you Teresa, so much new life and stunning colour everywhere. Great to see your Easter table all set up. I am sure that it was so good to sleep in your own bed again. I keep meaning to ask how Dayle's knee is doing...great I hope? Xx

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  9. Welcome home!! What fun to see what is blooming in Oregon. So pretty!! I have been gone all day but just had to read your post.
    More later
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  10. Hello Teresa. Glad you had a wonderful time and are home safe & sound. A very uplifting post. Everywhere looks beautiful on the farm. Our garden is 'coming alive' Graham spent time working in it yesterday. It's looking much smarter! Enjoy knit night if you go. Anne x

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  11. I did not realise it but as I got to the end of your post I let out a huge contented sigh!!! Dear friend you are back where you belong. What a wonderful trip but home is where the heart is x x x

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  12. Lovely to see you safely home Teresa. It's always nice to look round the garden after you've been away - so much changes. I love lilacs, especially white ones. I'll look forward to seeing yours bloom. Your Easter table is brilliant, especially that rabbit, you've done a good job.

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  13. Oh, how I enjoy looking at all your beautiful blooms. They all arrive so much sooner then ours. Lovely Easter table . It is always wonderful to be home.. Hugs judy

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  14. Wow Teresa - I didn't realise your family lived so very far away. I think 5 hours flying would probably get you from top to bottom of Australia. US is so huge eh? Your garden is looking beautiful - I bet you were thrilled with it all when you checked it all out this morning. As usual, I love your themed table arrangements - Easter will be here soon - my daughter is getting married on Easter Saturday so next week will probably fly as we have so much to do !! xox

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  15. Your garden looks so lovely! Here in east central IL, my first daffodil bloomed this week and nothing else is blooming yet.

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  16. Your yard is BUSY! You have such an impressive array of flowers and plants, but the thing I was most impressed with was your knitted dress on the bunny! Why didn't I know you could knit? I must not be paying attention. Am I surprised? NO. You are one talented lady! That dress is absolutely adorable. Welcome home!

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  17. I can't wait until things start to bloom here. Heck the plants are just out of the ground, so I guess I will have to wait awhile yet. Your plants are beautiful! I have said it before, but i love your place. It looks so peaceful!
    Your easter decorations are so pretty. I especially like the eggs. Such a nice collection of colors.

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  18. I love Bleeding hearts. Yours are amazing. Love all the blooms. So sorry the travels were exhausting. I know you loved the visit though

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  19. Welcome home! Your garden is looking truly spectacular, and it looks as if the weather is being kind too.

    My lads are hoping for decent enough weather this weekend so we can have a BBQ!

    Helenxx

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  20. So pretty all around. Bleeding hearts are a favorite of mine.

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  21. So glad you are home safe and sound. Sounds like you were missed. I love your Easter decorations, My Miss Maggie is still all in bag.
    Hugs,
    meredith

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  22. Welcome back Teresa! Itw as nic eseeing your trip and now - your beautiful flowers!
    I loved your Easter table, I am again late with Eqaster decorations, made only one crochete degg so far.. need more!
    have a nice weekend! Hugs!

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  23. Dear friend, I will save myself some time and just make my comments on this posting. (I did go back and read the last 2 before it). I am so glad that after you clicked your ruby red slippers together you made it home safely from your travels to your daughters home and your site seeing adventures. What great snap shots you got. One thing about traveling to the Amish country is that even though they live a simple life there is always so many interesting things to see and do. I am glad you made it to The Ashery Store and found it enjoyable. I am glad you got to eat at Der Dutchman. I'm sure it was hard to say goodbye to those darling granddaughters. It looks like they had some fun learning crochet and playing around with the yarn. Children are usually quick when it comes to learning something like that. Besides, it gives grandma a chance to catch her breath when there is some quiet time teaching needlework of all sorts. Sounds like Dayle missed you. I bet he was so glad to have you back home safe and sound. There is no place like home.
    (((HUGS))) Susanne :)

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  24. It's always lovely to be home again, even after a happy time away! It looks as if spring has welcomed you home, Teresa :) Everywhere looks so beautiful in your photos....so many lovely flowers!
    Wishing you a happy and relaxing wekend.
    Helen xox

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  25. Yay! You are back! You were so missed.

    Gosh, your place is so beautiful. A true feast for the eyes with all those lovely plants and flowers and tress...oh my! :)

    Aww the bunny is so cute, the eggs...you are getting ready for Easter in such a sweet way.

    Hugs and blessings to you always sweet friend.

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