Sunday, March 8, 2015

The Quince is in Bloom

When I arose yesterday I took a peek at my Quince bush out our bedroom window and was THRILLED to see these sweet little blooms!  After breakfast I put on my red shoes and grabbed my camera and headed out to get up close and personal with my flowers.  


The fact is, this poor bush is not in a good spot, but there is no digging it up and moving it, it's old and big and the roots are deep.  It's shaded by a holly tree that should go, and is in a corner that gets hardly any sun.. at.. all.  It's northeast of our front porch and by our bedroom windows - the last addition put on this house originally built in the early 1900s.  In this addition is our master bedroom and bath and an office/creative space/hoarders episode.  :-D  -- but I digress, it's a miracle that this poor old bush has any flowers, but there is a sprinkling of them.  Aren't they pretty?


From the same spot, I turned my lens to our small "forest".  This is our view from our French doors in our bedroom.  I like it.  Our evergreens are Douglas Fir and Cedars.



This is where the Quince lives, by our front porch.  Now, mind you, the house needs a good cleaning and probably a paint job.  I want to paint it "barn red" this time and my dear husband is horrified at the idea.  OK - do you vote for BARN RED (yes!) -- or what my husband wants which is he has no idea of what that would be. (NO!).. ok, what do YOU think?  :-)


Our poor old front porch, we never use it anymore since we spend our time on our sunny back deck.  But I envision painting the porch swing a pretty color -- what goes with barn red?  ::evil grin::  And putting a cushion on it and some decorative pillows, a couple vintage rattan chairs with pillows (wish some barn red accents to match the house) and a rattan table with a lace tablecloth, a pitcher of pink lemonade and some fresh baked scones.  What do you think?  OH, and we need a new arbor.  The roots from that monstrously huge Pin Oak heaved the ground and tipped the arbor and broke the lovely brick walkway we had a bricklayer put in edged with ancient cobblestones that were used as ballast in ships and actually were used once here for the streets in old Portland. 


As I walked back across the front yard I snapped a photo of the berries on our HUGE holly tree - we have a male and female tree and they are 50-60 feet tall. 



Our little old farmhouse - the main part in the middle, the addition on the right is our family room and kitchen and a matching addition (the last) on the left which you can't really see due to trees and such.  The dining room is on the back of the main house - which was all that was here in the beginning.  The big bushes on the right are Rhododendrons of different varieties.


I think we have some kind of blight on the azaleas around the farm - the leaves don't look so good, but the flowers are ok!  I might have to call the nursery and ask them what to do about the blight thing.



The Star Magnolia is still blooming out.. so pretty.


We have a ring of Daffodils in the middle of our circular drive that come up after the ones in the back garden.  


Dayle has been dealing with a hurt back for over a month now, but it's beginning to abate.  But meantime he is not out there on his riding mower all the time and due to that.. he hasn't mowed down the little wild violets.  :-)  They are just starting to open.  When they are all out I have literally thousands of them, in white, light lavender and dark purple.  I pick little bouquets of them and put them in a little vintage glass creamer and enjoy their amazing scent in the house.  Do you have these?



Here is the white ones.



The Mahonia/Oregon Grape is opening up!



Can you believe how open the dark purple Lilac is this early?  I cannot remember lilacs blooming in Early March in my whole life.



Our Irises are looking good, too!  I want to add more color varieties in this patch.


Our son and DIL went to a farm sale in the community and came home with this cute little child's desk - it even has a roll-top cover.  She is going to clean it up and paint it.. I suggested turquoise.. what color would you paint it?  That is little Caleb sharpening a pencil with a sharpener, both found in the desk drawer.  The desk was only $20 and the chair $2.  :-)


Hubby held the skein while I rolled up this dusty pink that I'm crocheting into my blanket now.  Can you just see how soft it is?



Last night I stepped out at 11 pm to get a shot of the waning moon and I actually love being able to see the craters on the edges when it isn't so full.


We finally got all my 4 Christmas Cactus' potted up together yesterday - I hope they like the new pot and new soil.  We'll see!  I hope you had a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

24 comments:

  1. You are having great weather. I can tell you've already worked out in your head what the house and front porch are going to look like once you spruce them up with a little paint. :) Actually a whole lot of paint. All your flowers looks so lovely. Wish we had wild violets over here. Best wishes, Tammy

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  2. What wonderful plans you have for the house and porch. I love the idea of painting it red. Your garden is looking a real delight, mine is in desperate need of some TLC.

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  3. Early summer continues in your neck of the wood Teresa, gorgeous new growth. I'm not sure about the barn red myself...I would go for more mute colours which blend into your lovely woods...but that's just me. Enjoy the upcoming week x

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  4. Barn red is awesome. I love that idea. Teresa your home just screams quaint and lovely.
    We are still covered in white and black snow. The black snow is from all the car exhaust and dirt and salt. I am hearing chickadees and woodpeckers now, though. That's an encouraging sound.
    Love love love your moon photo

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  5. Beautiful violets. I haven't seen any yet this year. Sorry that Dayle has had a bad back, I do hope he's completely recovered very soon. Your home sits on such lovely land with so many gorgeous plants. The shady porch would be perfect for hot sunny days. Especially with scones and pink lemonade. And of course, I'm voting YES, barn red. CJ xx

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  6. Your home is so lovely, Teresa, and I really enjoyed seeing these pictures! I love the way it looks right now actually :) how pretty the quince is, such a lovely colour, and the violets too. Love the little desk your daughter in law found, and turquoise blue would be a lovley colour for it. Wishing you a happy week.
    Helen xox

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  7. Hello Teresa I love your house. It's looking very Springlike as well. We had a lovely spring like day yesterday ( we were up in Yorkshire with our sons and their families. We had a super day out. It's frosty tonight though. Hugs Anne x

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  8. Your house and garden are so pretty, what a lovely place to live.

    Hope you are fully mended from your fall, and that Dayle is soon better too.

    Helenxx

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  9. Since I just live over the hill from you and Dayle and want to be friends with you both, I am not taking sides on the house color debate :-) but my imagination is having fun picturing your house in various hues. It looks as though Spring has fully sprung at your farm. I love seeing all the varieties of plants and flowers you have. [Tim drove me by a nursery today and they are growing a selection of Palm trees! Really? In Oregon? I did not know it is possible in the Portland area. Kristi found a treasure! And I love the moon photo...it's so amazing to be able to see the craters! Happy week to you and yours! xx

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  10. Can believe how spring like it is at your place! So beautiful!

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  11. I am loving the photos of the beautiful spring weather out there. We finally had some sun today and I was able to sit outside and crochet for a bit, even though I did have to wear a sweater. I like red but I think your house would look great painted a grey/green with white trim and then paint the swing barn red. What a pop of color that would be.
    Hugs,
    Sharon

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  12. Beautiful, beautiful flowers Teresa. I'm with Gracie and not taking sides because, I too, like Dayle quite a lot and I would love for him to make lunch for me again someday! :-). But I would adore a porch just like yours. With a swing and all. Oh, I would live there in the summertime with a rocker and foot stool. I would knit and crochet to my hearts content. No need for the lake with a view like you have.

    I'm flying home early tomorrow morning. I just tucked Piper in for the last time and then sat in my room and cried my eyes out. My heart hurts. I want to scoop her up and take her home with me. Being a Grandma isn't easy sometimes is it? I know you understand with your girls so far away. Have a wonderful evening my friend.
    Blessings always,
    Betsy

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  13. It must be so pretty there with all the different colors of flowers! So much different from here. at least where I was yesterday. I posted about it on my blog. Our snow is leaving fast though. 40 for this week!
    Barn red would be so pretty. White swing with barn red accents would be nice. Not sure what else would go with red.

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  14. I am wondering if it's quince that I've been seeing during our travels and admiring. Pretty! Ah, the blight or whatever you have, looks similar to what we've seen on our azaleas and similar bushes. If you learn of a solution I'd appreciate hearing about it. I do love red, but also like your home the color it is now. Perhaps you could find a paint site online where you could try out the different combos and then make a decision? Red is very Scandinavian though :)
    Did I mention our blueberries are blooming now?
    Blessings, Aimee

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  15. Beautiful flowers! We finally broke 40 degrees this weekend and should break 50 by mid-week! Spring is on its way! Best of all, the snow is beginning to melt. Thanks for sharing!

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  16. I vote yes to the barn red and if I had that front porch I would be on it every day. I LOVE porch swings, it looks like the perfect place to swing and knit.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  17. Oh my goodness...where do I begin?!! I absolutely love your house, and like you, I think barn red would be very pretty. :D The quince and other flowers are just beautiful! You know...I have never seen white violets like that! Love them! Around here we just have the purple ones. We used to have yellow ones, but they fizzled out. I wish they hadn't as I loved them! What a great deal on the desk and chair. I think the color you suggested would be great for it! Your moon pic is awesome! I took a moon pic Saturday night, but it didn't come out as nice as yours. Although I was sitting in Wal-Mart parking lot, and I don't think the big lights were helping my cause. lol Take care! :)

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  18. And I thought we were having especially nice weather, you guys are practically having a year-long summer up there. Your house is so pretty. I think barn red would be a great choice! We had a porch swing at a house we rented when we were first married and I used to sit out there with a book for hours. I loved that thing. The quince bush is so pretty, I've never seen one before yours.

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  19. House colors - hum let me think. . . .
    I can see the house a beautiful Butter Yellow - to make it stand out from all the trees, etc.
    The porch & windows trimmed in Bright White - to define the frame of the house
    And the front door & screen door a True Bright Red (enamel) - to guide visitors inside.
    Now if you're in the market to change the roof - that is where I'd add a nice clear middle of the road Green - Like an MG car green.
    Red is a nice color and I love red for tons of things - but as a house color it's a bit too, too much.
    And red fades quickly.

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  20. ooh, I forgot to suggest that the porch swing also be painted the same red as the front door.
    That would balance out the view from the front looking straight at the house.

    Love all the flower photo's.

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  21. Hello Teresa .... I left a comment to this post yesterday from my iPad but obviously it has gone to the never-never. I loved seeing the pictures of your gorgeous farm house and especially the one of the view from your bedroom window. That desk was a good find and Caleb seems to have claimed it already. He's such a cutie isn't he? Your moon shots are awesome - do you have your camera set on auto ? I think we have the same camera - I put mine on Intelligent Auto (or whatever its called) and zoom in and out to my hearts content. I have to make sure my battery is charged next time we take Oliver to the pool. I used my iPhone today and got a couple of nice pics but I think the camera will be better. I'm off to bed to read for a little while. Have a good day. xox

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  22. Your house is beautiful Teresa and I can just imagine sitting on your lovely porch in the shade on a very hot day where I could still knit the afternoon away or enjoy a good book!
    I love the little desk too and I think it would be lovely in turquoise (my favourite colour!)
    (P.S Will be in touch later about your kit ;) )
    Susan x

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  23. Such lovely photos of your flowers. :) Oh the yarn does indeed look soft. Looking forward to updates on your blanket. ((hugs)) and blessings always sweet friend.

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  24. HERMOSAS FLORES!!!!TODO PRIMAVERAL.
    SALUDITOS

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