Friday, September 16, 2011

What a wonderful Surprise!

I headed off to swim today and noticed how pretty the flowers were across the country road from us.  So, I called hubby and asked if he'd grab the camera and get some photos of the field of Dahlias for me.  We live in the countryside just 20 minutes from Portland, Oregon.. East of there in the Columbia River Gorge.  The pasture across from us was populated with purebred Angus cattle for years, but the rancher who kept them passed away -- and now a group of Hmong families raise flowers there and sell them at farmers markets in the Portland metro area.  (The Hmong are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.)
When I arrived home, there was a bucket full of Dahlias in the kitchen that hubby bought for me!  I got 3 bouquets from the one bucket full of flowers!!  Isn't that orange flower amazing?
Here is the field directly across from our farmhouse.
Here is the other patch further up the hill.
Here is the bucket of flowers before I arranged them in three vases.
The big red ones are aMAYzing!
They threw in some strawberries as a gift.. isn't that sweet?  The berries sure are!  And big!
And here they are on the table... don't you just love it!  We just got an impromptu call from our son to join them for dinner.  Kristi is roasting a chicken in a clay pot that you fill with beer.  LOL!  I think Kristi wants to show us the Iguana that her doctor gave her.  I am not a fan of reptiles.. so wish me luck that she doesn't ask me to hold it.  :-)

((hugs)), Teresa :-)
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16 comments:

  1. MeredithSeptember 16, 2011 at 6:02 PM

    The flowers are beautiful the berries look yummy, but what I am really wondering is how your heart is feeling? I know you aremissing those girls something fierce. Hope you and Grandpa are holding up.
    MEredith

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  2. AnonymousSeptember 16, 2011 at 6:26 PM

    How BEAUTIFUL!!!! Wow, what a blessing to live across the way from such a flower filled field :) And to have a hubby to go fetch them for you! Your bouquets look lovely and I'm sure they're adding the perfect touch to your newly put up decorations. I hope you're doing ok (a pitiful word, I know) all things considered and I hope your pretty flowers helped to make you smile today. Enjoy your time at your son's!
    ~Lacey

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  3. aimeeSeptember 16, 2011 at 6:31 PM

    What a sweet gift to send you! They (flowers and the berries) are beautiful! Good luck with the iguana--they are not as bad as snakes, I can at least look at them without screaming:)
    Blessings,
    Aimee

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  4. MonicaSeptember 16, 2011 at 7:49 PM

    What beautiful flowers!! And what a treat to live across from a field filled with flowers.

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  5. KrisSeptember 16, 2011 at 8:47 PM

    Those flowers are stunning. What a lucky lady you are to live right across from them!!! Cheery flowers!
    I SO badly want to go to the Farmers Market in Portland!!!!

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  6. DorothySeptember 16, 2011 at 8:53 PM

    Those flowers are beautiful - amazing colours !! What thoughtful neighbours you have Teresa. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone had good, friendly neighbours - I think the world would be a much nicer place. I don't even know the people who live on one side of my house. It is a rented property and the tenants seem to change every year. They are quiet so I guess that's one good thing.

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  7. manda's challenges :)September 17, 2011 at 12:44 AM

    Aww Teresa they're gorgeous!! hugs xx

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  8. Sue PinnerSeptember 17, 2011 at 12:46 AM

    Stunning..fabulous colours cheer in a vase hey?
    Hugs xx

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  9. Helen PhilippsSeptember 17, 2011 at 2:56 AM

    Those dahlias are absolutely stunning! How wonderful to have a field of them growing so close to your home, I would love that! Enjoy your weekend, Teresa.
    Helen x

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  10. AnonymousSeptember 17, 2011 at 8:58 AM

    Theresa, How lovely that your neighbors put in flowers instead of apartments and parking lots! So beautiful! OH, and thank you for the email subscription service, now I won't miss important posts like your family moving away... I am sorry to hear about it. No advice, just my heartfelt feelings for you. ~ Lynda

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  11. IntheskySeptember 17, 2011 at 12:37 PM

    Oh wow! Dayle does it again. What a beautiful surprise. They are gorgeous and the colours go with your Autumnal theme so well. The Strawberries look divine, I hope they tasted as good as they look. Chicken in Beer sounds good, let us know how it was? I love reptiles, I think iguanas are very cute :) x I do hope he made a good first impression on you.

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  12. mynestofyarnandbuttonsSeptember 17, 2011 at 4:09 PM

    Teresa what a beautiful sweet treat!! The dahlias are just Super and super BIG! The berries look so succulent! So happy you got some happy things!
    xoRobin❤

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  13. Joanna DonaldsonSeptember 18, 2011 at 6:40 AM

    What a lovely surprise for you, the flowers are beautiful. Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend Joanna xx

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  14. ErinSeptember 18, 2011 at 7:52 AM

    Oh how beautiful those flowers are! They fit well with your fall decorations!

    The strawberries, now I'm jealous :)

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  15. NicoleSeptember 18, 2011 at 10:13 AM

    What an amazing view you have! I'd love a flower farm to be on my door step :-) Good luck with the iguana, I don' think they move much so it shouldn't scare you! xx

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  16. MelissaSeptember 19, 2011 at 8:50 AM

    LOVE those flowers! It must be wonderful to have those fields of blooming flowers right across the road. Such a cheerful thing to see everyday!

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