Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Home on the Farm

Hello my friends.. thanks for stopping by.  We pick up the story where I left off - packing up the trailer for the ride home.  It was a beautiful and warm day and we crossed the coast range and travelled through verdant pastures and green forests.  


As we headed into the Columbia River Gorge on our last leg before home, I snapped this image of Mt. Hood.


Yesterday I did a walkabout to see how my garden was doing.  I saw lots of Star of Bethlehem in bloom in niches where Dayle's lawnmower spared them.  :-)


The white Azalea is beginning to open.


I was happy to see a few stems of white Lilac that weren't browning already.  My goal of having a bouquet of the 3 colors of lilac were attainable!  


The yellow Azalea is looking fresh and beautiful.


I was also happy I didn't miss the Lily-of-the-Valley bloom!


The magenta Rhododendron is also just beginning it's bloom.. these are amazing!


The flower clusters are as big as a child's head!


The red azalea is fully bloomed out.. I love the pop of color it gives to our green-ness.


Our apple tree is in full bloom too.. ::sigh::.. how full of life the garden is!


Looking up through the floral masses to the blue sky.


These are so very fleeting.. aren't they?


Checking on the chickens.. Hershey the Cuckoo Maran that lays dark brown eggs has gone "broody" and won't get off the nest.  Since we don't have a Rooster, it will do her no good to sit on the nest, the eggs won't hatch.  So, we lift her out and toss her in the pen as often as possible to get her to go out of being broody.


Each day we pick tufts of green grass to give the hens.  Due to the predator problem here in the countryside, we can't let them run loose.  


I was happy to cut a big bouquet of my 3 colors of lilac and they are bringing a wonderful scent to the house.  


Mmmmm.. dark purple, lavender and white.  Heaven on Earth.


I hope you have Lilacs where you are, or at least have smelled them in your lifetime.  There is nothing quite like them.


Too many photos of them?  :-)


Not only do we grow flowers on our farm.. apparently we grow little boys!  Look who is climbing the white Rhododendron.  :-)


Last night we went up to the school for Hayden's Spring Program and here he is with the kindergarteners, 1st and 2nd graders.  They did a program about Helen Keller.  It was so neat to see them sing and also use sign language at the same time!  Can you find Hayden?


The little ones sat on the stage and waved blue and green ribbons to signify the ocean during one of the songs.


What cuteness!  They all did such a good job and it was a huge audience!  Moms, dads, grandpas and grandmas.. :-)


Well, time for me to pack up my swim bag and head to the pool.  It's a PERFECT day, it's going to be 80 degrees this afternoon.. not a cloud in the sky and warm and fresh outside.  Tomorrow we're going on a bus tour with the Portland Women's Forum.. I will bring home some images of the gorge to share.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 




21 comments:

  1. I found Hayden right off the bat!!! What a sweetie and so much fun to watch. Love all your flowers and I can definitely smell the lilacs. We don't even have buds yet! : ( It will come I know, it's freezing today and wet! So happy you didn't miss the Lily of the Valley one of my favorites, love their smell too. Have a great swim and day trip tomorrow. xoRobin

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  2. Love your growing boy in the bush! He looks right at home. I also picked Hayden out right away in the group picture. A handsome boy to be sure. Your farm looks wonderful. I finally have blooms on the trees at our house. Yeah! Spring may be here. Welcome home Teresa.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  3. Wow! Such a beautiful area you live in and so many gorgeous flowers! And, your bright, happy, yellow dining room always makes me smile. I love it! :-)

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  4. The Earth is bursting forth with color by you! Not much color here yet in Chicago. We do have green grass Im so grateful for. SOme daffodils and some yellow forsytina

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  5. Welcome home Teresa and such high temperatures...perhaps you will skip straight to summer. Your garden is blooming beautifully x

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  6. Those lilacs are beautiful!! I remember the smell from childhood and now I think I need some on my farm :)

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  7. Hayden looks neat singing ☺ Welcome back, blue sky here but coolish (autumn)
    xoxo

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  8. So glad you and Dayle are home safe. Love you photos of flowers. I have a dark purple lilac bush. Yes it has a lovely fragrance. Megan's been bringing home tulips from the tulip farm she's been working at. Soon that will stop. I have some outside as well, but their time is almost gone for blooming. I will miss them. She brought home hyacinth the other day that were needing a home>will have some for next spring! Take care!

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  9. Hi Teresa! Welcome home! The photos from previous post are just amazing! So vibrant and pretty!
    The kids Spring program looked so cute! I love to go to those to see the grands. They are so proud!
    XO Kris

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  10. Welcome back home sweet friend. :) It's always so nice to see what's blooming at your lovely home. I just love seeing all the beautiful flowers...I can never get enough of your photos...so please keep them coming! :)

    Wishing you safe and fun travels tomorrow. ((hugs))

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  11. Home,sweet,home. I have loved wandering with you this morning. You must be so proud of your Grandsons. They are great and look so happy with you on the farm.

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  12. I'm always hopeful my white lilacs will be beautiful. They seem to get brown too fast.
    I need to go out and pick a bouquet.
    Are you planning on coming to the Master Gardener sale at the canby fairgrounds this weekend?

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  13. Oh those lilacs look absolutely divine. I spotted Hayden the moment I saw the picture. He's such a sweetie and you're obviously a very proud grandma. xox

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  14. Hayden looks so nice all dressed up. I enjoy little ones' musical perfomances very much. The garden is looking beautiful, I love those lilacs! What a pretty arrangement.

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  15. The farm is looking so lovely in springtime, and your three colours of lilacs are stunning, Teresa! Just love the arrangement you made and can almost smell the gorgeous scent :) Such happy times at the children's musical performance!
    Helen xox

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  16. I adore your reportages! You take always wonderful pictures : I love all .
    Have a fantastic happy May.
    Hugs
    mimma

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  17. I love yr pictures my dear friend.

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  18. Glad you guys made it safely home. I know that no matter where you roam that there is "no place like home". I laughed when I saw your grandson up in the flowering bush. Ahhhh, there seems to be another blossom peaking out from among the others, lol. Your lilacs look so nice and full, and I bet they do smell heavenly. I have one lilac bush outside my bedroom window but as cold as it has been it is slow to do much of anything. maybe it will do better with the 70 degree weather we have been promised for this weekend. we will see.
    (((HUGS))) Susanne :)

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  19. Never too many lilac pictures! Our lilacs aren't blooming yet in West Michigan, but soon! Right now we're just hoping the tulips will bloom for Tulip Time!

    Laura from beautiful West Michigan
    lerounds on ravelry

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  20. I adore spring blossoms...never really get my fill of them! CUTE kid photos:)
    Blessings, Aimee

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  21. Beautiful blooms and boys, Teresa! Thanks for posting :) xx

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