Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Fields of Dahlias in the Rain

Yesterday my husband and I went on a fun day out and about.  We first went out to lunch at the Claim Jumper restaurant and both had a chicken pot pie and salad.  Then we drove on to Aurora to an antique shop to have another look at something that my friend Shirley had seen and told me about.  More about that later.  Then we headed back through Canby and went to visit the Swan Island Dahlia farm.  I just love it there.  Dahlias amaze me in how many different varieties of flowers there are!  You get to see this field as you're nearing the farm entrance.


A ways further and more varieties and waves of color.


This sign marks the entrance.  


The rain began the night before our excursion, but I drove very carefully as the roads were slick with no rain for 2 months.  We parked and went directly into the little flower shed where there are buckets of cut bouquets of dahlias - I selected 2 different ones in bright orange.  Then we began walking through the rows of flowers and admiring the blooms.. one more amazing than the next, so many colors, so many shapes.


I really like the stripy-ness of this one.



This is a big pompom shape and the colors just make me swoon.



The bees like them too.  It even braved the rain to look for pollen!


Don't you love the tubular design of this one?


There are BIG ones...


And bigger ones.. 


Spidery ones.. the color on this one.. I loved!  We used to have Dahlias but lost them all in an early freeze one year.  Dayle used to dig the tubers up each year but this one time the weather beat him to it.



This one was one of the biggest ones.. they call them "dinner plate" sized.  When I was a very young child, my mom would pick these and put them on the heads of my sister and I, like hats and take photos of us.  Really, she did.  So, I guess you can say I've had a close relationship with Dahlias my whole life.



This one amazed me with it's curly petals.


This one was the very largest of all.  Pretty!



They have a wonderful koi pond there.. the fish are HUGE!  The biggest ones were 2 and a half to 3 feet long!


The farm is so pretty, this was the view from our parked car, they have a lot of picnic tables for visitors to use.  They also had a fun looking gift shop but unfortunately it was closed.



Some of the other visitors to the farm walking among the rows of flowers.



We took a wrong turn when we were leaving and came upon these gigantic pumpkins, they were at least 3 feet in diameter!  I like this photo as there are flowers beyond the gourds and also a sweet vintage red farm truck in the background.  


I cut the stems and put my two bunches in this one vase.. the orange just makes me feel happy.


This is what we got from the antique shop.  An old vintage frame filled with old arrowheads.  I've always wanted some and now we have them on the wall in our family room.  I'm part Cherokee Indian and the old arrowheads always called to me.


I had to add this photo of a Japanese maple tree that was outside the restaurant, the colors of the leaves are just beautiful as they turn from green to red.


I will be heading to the pool soon.  It's different to swim when it's raining.. you really have to push yourself out the door.  :-)  I hope all is well with you.  Thanks for visiting, I hope you didn't mind having a flower overload.  LOL!
((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

32 comments:

  1. The flower overload was a real treat I really did enjoy it what an amazing sight the field of dahlias. Your antique purchase was stunning its always good to connect with your roots.

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  2. No such thing as a flower overload Teresa, they are absolutely stunning!

    Looks like you had a lovely day out.

    Helenxx

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  3. Oh my goodness...I absolutely love this post. The flowers are gorgeous, and I wish I could visit there. Being that I can't, I shall live vicariously through you and the gorgeous pictures you posted. Thanks for sharing!! :)

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  4. Wow!!! The dahlia farm is absolutely stunning. Too bad I missed that on my visits to Portland. Your bouquet is beautiful. The tubular ones that look like funnels I think are my favorites. The frame with arrowheads looks as if could speak with the history of the arrowheads. A nice addition to your home. I remember the chicken pot pie at Claim Jumper with you. Yum!
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  5. Wow those fields of flowers - stunning! Hope your swim was fun :)

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  6. Love the photo's . It's like having a bouquet delivery without the vase.
    Orange is such a happy color - good choice!
    I think I love the tubular ones the most.
    Have a fun swim.
    Loving this cooler weather and so loving the rain. Good old rain - it's been much to long.

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  7. Wow! Those flowers and that place are amazing! How lucky you are to have Fall color too! Beautiful!

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  8. Not an overload Teresa, just plain old beautiful!!! Love them all. Thanks for sharing, xoRobin

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  9. WOw I love the dahlia farm. Ive never seen one!! We had them one year and the tubers were dug up bot didn't bloom or sprout the next year.
    The arrowhead collection is priceless.. My hospital is built on a chipping station site of the potowahtomie Indians. Very cool

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  10. Beautiful flowers and I will have to show the framed arrowheads to my son. He will love them.

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  11. The dahlias are gorgeous! I really enjoyed all the beautiful photos!

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  12. It's supposed to be nicer and drier this weekend for the flock & Fiber festival in Canby.
    I'm glad you braved the misty rain.

    I think I am a 64th Choctaw - maybe it's a 32nd. From my maternal side.
    More indian than the scottish/irish freckle face that I appear.

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  13. Oh such beautiful pictures, feel like I was there with you ☺

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  14. Beautiful photos of the dahlias Teresa! I love the raindrops on the petals:)
    Blessings, Aimee
    PS: Love that farm.

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  15. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful... I loved the overload of flowers. Gorgeous pictures as always my dear friend. Thanks for the great post. Love the arrowhead frame also. I also love them. Are you going to Flock n Fiber this coming weekend? Remember when we first met we were going to meet at the flock n Fiber festival ? Hope I will see you there :)

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  16. What a wonderful sight!!!!!! Rows and rows of colorful beauties!!!!! How blessed you are to have such beautiful places to visit!!! What a wonderful find from an antique shop!!!! Hope you enjoyed your swim!!!
    Hope you have a fab weekend!!!!!
    Love
    AMarie
    xxx

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  17. Those flowers are stunning! What a sight to see!! You do the most fun things...you two! Those pumpkins were huge and so pretty laying there next to the flowers!
    LOVE the arrowheads in the frame!!!!
    xo Kris

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  18. wouaaahhhh ! Impressive ! Love the effects of colors ! great pictures ! thanks ! have a lovely day !

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  19. What stunning dahlia fields! I loved this post, Teresa! The flowers are so bright and amazing close up, and it was great to see them growing there. Loved the picture with the pumpkins and red truck in the background too!
    Happy week!
    Helen xox

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  20. Wow, what a stunning place, it reminds me of the tulip fields in Holland. I love dahlias, I'd have had a wonderful time wandering around there. CJ xx

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  21. How gorgeous. The field full of dahlias must be a real treat to see in person. All the close-ups of the flowers are beautiful, too. It must be hard to choose what variety to buy!

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  22. I think Dalias have the most different shapes and sizes then any other flower. daylilies come in close, but still have a ways to go. Some of the dalias you showed us I have never seen before. I need to plant more of them. I have a huge planter on my front porch and love them. Love your post as always. Never too much flower overload!

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  23. Never mind flower overlaid especially f you are showing us those gorgeous Dalia's. Love them, boy they come in so many different colors and varieties. Your arrow heads are wonderful, just think how much time it took someone to collect them.
    Hugs to you and Dayle,
    Meredith

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  24. I like all the clever names they give the dahlias. Last time I was there, I took photos of ones with friends names. Imagine having a flower with your name!
    The arrowhead collection is such a treasure. Those Aurora antique stores are so much fun to wander through.

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  25. Gorgeous flowers Teresa. I'm intrigued by the tubular one - have never seen anything like that. Its beautiful. The orange dahlias sure brighten up your table. xox

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  26. It is pure eye candy to look out upon those lovely flowers. There is such a variety and you sure have treated us with some of the prettiest ones. The colors are fabulous. The Japanese maple has always been a favorite decorative tree of mine, but the only place they will survive in this area is in town where there is more shelter from the cold wind. After this last winter it now makes me wonder how many people might have lost theirs. The arrow head shadow picture is a great find. I have 2 arrow heads, and for the life of me I haven't the memory to recall how I came about having them. I live in Seneca County and the Seneca Indians lived here long ago. When the farmers plowed their fields in the Spring they would unearth plenty of arrow heads. My brothers use to have a good many. I wonder what ever happened to all their little treasures. One day I will give the ones I have to my little grandson. I hope he will take care of them. Maybe I should have them put in a frame for safe keeping.
    (((HUGS))) Susanne :)

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  27. Hi Teresa, I'm just catching up after a busy week where I had little time for reading blogs. This dahlia farm is incredible, what a wonderful place to visit. I think you've shown us a tulip farm near you too? I'm definitely going to visit your neck of the woods someday, it has a lot of great things to see. I hope you have a good weekend. :)

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  28. Hello Teresa the dahlias are stunning. There was a beautiful arrangement of them outside the church we went to on Fri morning to attend Harvest Festival - our grandchildren were taking part. My father used to grow them - I love them. Hugs Anne x

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  29. I'm dying at the beautify of all those dahlias, one at a time and all together! Stunning! Your bunch is beautiful on your table. Go smile at them for me!

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  30. Oh my goodness those flowers are awesome! Thank you so much for sharing them with all of us. They truly are beautiful. ((hugs)) to you sweet friend. :)

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  31. Fabulous! I have not been to Swan Island for a few years, but have great memories of the times I went and I love the visit you shared! The arrowhead collection is an amazing treasure! I posted the photo of the arrowheads at the shop I visited in Missouri because I knew you would enjoy seeing it. xx

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  32. Dahlias are so beautiful :) I think my favourites are the ones with very tight petals in pink :)

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