Monday, April 2, 2018

Spring Garden, Birthdays, Easter and an Anniversary

We've been in celebration mode around the old farm this week.  But first off I took my iPhone out for a walkabout in the yard and found that yes, the flowers and bushes and trees made it through the winter and are awakening!  First up are the Trilliums in our woods.. Hayden actually took my phone up the hillside and snapped these two photos for me and I think he did very well!  


The wonderful flowers grow in little patches on our woodland floor - it's bad luck to pick them as you harm the rhizome and the flower might not come back next year.


And look!  The Lilacs are budded out, it won't be long until I have big fragrant bouquets in the house!  This is the dark purple variety.


This is my white one.  I planted it right next to the end of the deck and by the garden window so I could open the window in the spring and hopefully have the fragrance waft into the kitchen.  :-)


The Star Magnolia is in full bloom and sure does brighten the end of our driveway.


I think it's neat how it's just flowers at first, no leaves.


The "Oregon Grape" is blooming, not open fully yet but getting near.  Our state leaders adopted this as our State Flower, then changed it from it's original name of Mahonia.  I think that's so funny.  


And I've been looking for growth near our pond and lo and behold, the Bleeding Heart is budded out!  The Hosta is also poking it's little spikes of growth up out of the ground.


On Friday Dayle and I went to the Candy Basket, a chocolate company, and got 2 big solid chocolate Easter bunnies for the boys and 3 little solid chocolate ones for our adult sons and DIL.  They had some really BIG solid ones, so Dayle snapped my photo holding one.  That's a lot of chocolate!  I hope you got some chocolate over the weekend, what kind?


On Saturday we took the boys out for a birthday lunch at Bumpers, this was my meal of Alaskan Pecan Crusted Halibut with a Meunière Butter Sauce.  I had them hold the shoestring potatoes usually served with this.  I'd never had that sauce but wow, it's delicious!


Did I tell you that a few weeks ago that Hayden announced he was a vegetarian?  :-)  So, he had the pasta with veggies.  They both were treated to a free birthday sundae.  


Bumpers has a huge salt water fish aquarium, I took this photo of two little clown fish on my iPhone.


Hayden borrowed my phone to get this shot of a Hermit Crab.


Then we took them shopping and let them pick out their own gifts.  I wanted to make sure they got what they really wanted, not what I thought they might like.  Caleb bought a new jacket and a radio controlled truck and Hayden got some toys that go with a video game he's been playing on his iPad.


That evening all seven of us gathered in the family room for more gifts, a cake and to sing happy birthday.  A great time was had by all.  I'd picked up these candles and their cards while the boys were shopping for their gifts.  I think this is a pretty festive photo!


Then yesterday was Easter.  Kristi busied herself in the kitchen all day to make a feast for us all.  Roasted ham with blackberry sauce, deviled eggs, green beans, scalloped potatoes, homemade rolls and a zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting!  I splurged and had the potatoes and they were perfection.  


After dinner we gave the boys their cards and their big Easter bunnies.  Happy boys!


My daughter Amy took her daughters, our beloved granddaughters, to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for their Spring Break.  They had a wonderful time and I got to see lots of photos on Facebook.  I'm glad they had fun.


Last but not least, Dayle and I had our 48th anniversary yesterday.  We actually did not celebrate other than to wish each other "Happy Anniversary"!  I guess it took a back seat to all the other celebrations.  :-)  

How was your weekend?  Do share!

I'm off to have lunch and then go swimming with Gracie.    ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

19 comments:

  1. Lovely celebrations.We spent yesterday with our daughter,son in law and their two daughters.We had taken lots of gifts,flowers for Sarah,eggs for the girls and a jigsaw to do while they are off school this week,lots of chocolate treats for the adults and some bright primula a for the garden.

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  2. What fun celebrations! Those chocolate bunnies are HUGE!!!

    I love Trillium - my Dad always looked for them when out on Spring hikes. My lilac is just beginning to show signs of budding, but your lilacs are further along.

    Have a great week Teresa!

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  3. Happy Anniversary! What a great string of celebrations. You are so lucky to have a DIL that creates such a wonderful feast in your kitchen. :) We had a great day with family...our grandson is too young for chocolate bunnies but maybe next year. I haven't been to the Candy Basket in a long time; always loved wondering over that big chocolate fountain in the lobby. Have a nice week and enjoy your gorgeous flowers!

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  4. Happy Anniversary to you and Dayle. 48 years, amazing! It looks like an amazing weekend was had by all. When I was living in Switzerland, we always had chocolate bunnies for Easter. Here in Scotland, we have chocolate eggs. My two youngest play Roblox games, I didn't know there are game figures for playing with. I'll keep this in mind for James birthday in July (he is asking for a back scratcher just now). Say hello to Gracie from me when you go swimming. Have a lovely week xx

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  5. Happy 48th Anniversary! April 1 was my parents anniversary too. It looks like you had a wonderful Easter. The flower photos were beautiful. We had snow this morning but it's all gone now. Winter just won't give up it's ghost here.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  6. 48 years is quite a feat! Congrats! Sounds like busy times at your place. The boys are really growing up! Your granddaughters are lovely!

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  7. Wow - lots of CELEBRATION at your house. Happy Spring.

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  8. So many celebrations! Looks like you had a full and festive weekend! Happy anniversary!

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  9. A happy 48th anniversary. We’re a bit like you for our anniversary. It’s straight after my birthday and Easter so doesn’t get huge celebrations! Looks like you’ve been having a lovely family time. B x

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  10. What a lot of lovely celebrations going on in your part of the world. Happy Anniversary!
    and what a lot of chocolate in that huge bunny

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  11. Such happy times for you all and lots of celebrations! Looks like a wonderful Easter there. Happy Anniversary to you and Dayle too xox

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  12. Happy anniversary Teresa and Dayle, this year it will be our 47th - where did the time go? I also celebrated a birthday and had lots of chocolate as well :-0 Your Easter meal looked delicious. DH cooked ours as it was my birthday as well as Easter Sunday :-) DH really spoiled me. Our granddaughters are in Portugal with their mummy and daddy and eldest son and family were doing their own thing this Easter. We did have celebratory meals with them both beforehand though. Anne x

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  13. Happy anniversary Teresa and Dayle, also happy birthday to the boys. I bet you're exhausted after all that celebrating. Isn't Kristi a gem - she makes wonderful meals for you. We had a lovely Easter with an egg hunt and sausage sizzle on Sunday then it was my eldest daughter's birthday on Monday. My two daughters went to the zoo and had a 15 minute encounter (lots of petting) with a 4.5 month old Cheetah named Solo. Lots of great pics which I'll probably blog about soon. Dinner on Monday night saw the end of a lovely day.

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  14. Happy Anniversary, wishing you many more happy years together. Your Easter meal looked delicious you are blessed with a wonderful daughter in law. I was thrilled to be surprised with a visit from our eldest daughter and her little family, we had so much fun together.

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  15. Happy anniversary and birthdays too xo

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  16. That's a lot of celebration going on! Happy 48th Anniversary to you and Dayle. Spoiled those grandsons! We had fun with family on Easter p.m. My lilacs are starting to bud as well. Small one is one I bought in WA last May at Hulda Klagers farm. x-x

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  17. There is a lot to celebrate but 48 years should be a big part of it. Without you two the rest would not be happening. Those bunnies look delicious.

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  18. Wow 48 years, congratulations to you both. Those chocolate bunnies are enormous. Love all your beautiful blooms and info about them. Cx

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