Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Trilliums and Ripples

I spied some Trilliums in our woods the other day.. I'd been keeping an eye out for them for days.  So, in the afternoon I donned my old shoes and headed off for a hike to get a photo of these little beauties.  The first ones I came across had been chewed on a bit and so I kept on walking through the woods to find a pretty one.  Aha.. there it is.. stoop down.. hold still.. stop breathing.. *SNAP*  Isn't this a beauty?  Do you have trilliums where you live?  Here, they are one of the harbingers of Spring.


On my way into the woods I stopped at the top of our stream to enjoy seeing it from a different vantage point.  We have 3 garden sculptures, the top one is a Chinese soldier, the second one is a little Buddha that Dayle actually got while he was in Texas and in the Army learning to fly helicopters before they sent him to Vietnam.. and the third is my art nouveau lady.   


My red Japanese Maple has newborn leaves unfurling.. sweet.


The Trilliums are shy and don't look like much if you see them on the forest floor, you have to get closer to see them well.


Cutie pies.


We live in a 100 year old farmhouse and the woods next to our house were probably used for their wood stoves and fireplaces and they also serve as a windbreak for the house - this area is notorious for it's "East Wind" - sometimes we get heavy wind for weeks on end and months and months during the Fall and Winter.


I'm happy to see my Bleeding Hearts are already up and open!


Is there anything more amazing than a Bleeding Heart?  *love*


I am happy to show you something that I'd wanted to do for a LONG time.  I had 4 little pots of Christmas Cactus aka Zygotes.  They mean a LOT to me.  My first one was a cutting that my Aunt Helyn gave me from her HUGE plant in her home in Annapolis, Maryland when my sister Roberta and I visited her 10 years ago.  She put the cuttings in a ziploc bag with a damp paper towel.  Funny story is I was so busy when I returned that a few weeks later when I finished unpacking I found the bag with some rotten vegetable matter in it.. but one part of it was still "alive" so I took it out and stuck it in a pot outside and forgot about it.  Lo and behold sometime later I saw that it had taken root and was growing.  I am amazed at the fortitude of plant-life.  My 2nd one I rescued from my dying mother's room.. she always had a green thumb and had adopted this plant from someone else.. and it was dried up from lack of water.. and so I brought it home.  I also knew then that my mother was no longer herself if she'd let a plant die.  ::sigh::  ANYWAY... all of my plants needed repotted so I thought.. why not put them all together in one pot?  There are 3 different colors of them.  So, here they are in fresh soil in a big pot in a sunny spot.  Now to see how they do here.


I put the 3 vases of flowers that were given to us at the tulip farm in a place of honor on the table between our easy chairs.  


Now to show you the lap blanket that I finished.  I used KnitPicks Billow cotton yarn.  I also used Lucy at Attic24 blog's "neat ripple" pattern with the interlocking color motif.  The colors of the yarn line dictated the colors I used - they are muted, dusty colors and I like them a lot.


I laid this out on our king-size bed to get photos.. I think I need a "selfie stick" so I can get a flat out photo.  :-)  As I look at this, in retrospect, I should have put the two light colors on either end to balance it.  But.. it's okay, it will warm a child or a lap even if the colors don't balance.  :-)


This is our bedroom.. I love the skylights over the bed.. you know immediately upon waking what the weather is.  And I love that Dayle hung our old chandelier up over the bed not that long ago.  We got that light fixture for our first home in Louisiana.  Um.. in 1970.  :-)


And I had to share this close-up of the red tulips -- is there anything more amazing than this?  Well, I guess there is.. lots of things.. but tulip centers are cool.


Yesterday I met up with my two sisters, Denise and Roberta, and my BFF Shirley and we had lunch at the Cadillac Cafe.  I had the Cadillac Steak and Mac.  Oh my goodness.. it's so good.  If you're ever in Portland you need to go there and have that.  Then we went to Trade Roots - a clever name for an import shop - and I got a string of chickens.  Want to see?  I guess they're supposed to bring prosperity?  Bring it on!


Then we went to Sarah Bernhard's Bakery and I got the boys these Easter cookies and some apple fritters for our breakfast.  Nummers.


Now I'm off to swim soon.  I guess it's good to keep busy.. huh?  :-)
((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

16 comments:

  1. Beautiful things today Teresa. Firstly the stream, it's so very pretty. I remember when I first started reading your lovely blog you showed the stream and the statues and I thought then how very picturesque it was. And also your gorgeous bedroom. I used to sleep under a skylight, there's nothing better, especially when the rain is lashing against it, or you wake up and the sun is shining. Wonderful. I do so love a room with lots and lots of natural light. The blanket is great, really good colour choices, it will be perfect for snuggling under on a chilly evening. CJ xx

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  2. Love all your beautiful flower pictures, and I also love that you enjoy flowers as much as I do! :D My mom had huge Christmas Cacti. I think that's the correct term for more than one Christmas Cactus. If not..you know what I mean. ;) Again, I don't know if my brother has kept them alive or not. Love your ripple blanket...very pretty! As is your bedroom. So cozy looking!

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  3. Golly. I don't know what to comment on first. I think this post is wonderful and springy. The trylliums and your potted cactus and the tulips...oh that tulip center is beautiful. Your string of chickens are so, so, so cute and your lap blanket turned out perfectly. Who cares about the light and dark colors matching? It's perfect just as it is. So happy, happy and full of springtime. One of my absolute favorite times of year.
    Blessings my friend.
    Betsy

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  4. Spring has sprung at your house -- so pretty. We see trillium in a little woods not far from our house. I love wildflowers. Your chicken string is great, love that. But then, I'm a sucker for chickens (and cows).

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  5. You are always busy and that's one of my favorite things about you. :) I have a string of chickens just like yours. We have a double front door and hardly ever use the left side of it, unless we're moving furniture in or out, so I have the chickens on the inside doorknob of that door. I love having them there and people always comment on them. I love seeing all the flowers, indoors and outdoors. It's so nice to have a story to go along with the cactus and it's certainly a big, healthy beauty.

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  6. I will soon be looking on our farm for Trilliums. I always love finding them. LOVE the chickens!

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  7. Thanks for sharing some of your hike around the farm, Teresa :-) The second photo of the bleeding heart is especially terrific to me. I have never seen one up close and personal...sooo beautiful! The colors and your arrangement of them in the blanket you crocheted are lovely to me, and I can imagine that its soft cotton will provide wonderful warmth. You are an amazing loving woman, and gifted artisan, my friend. xx

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  8. The flowers are so pretty! We do have trilliums here. The wood (in certain areas) are just a blanket of white in the spring. Our Christmas cactus has gotten a lot of new bracts since we repotted it. But all flower buds fell off. :( The potting soil had fertilizer in it, so maybe it is too rich. But it has grown A LOT! The afgan is beautiful. I could use the chicken hanger. Prosperity would be good! Not complaining though.

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  9. What a charming spring post Teresa. Your woods are looking wonderful, the trilliums are so pretty. I have only ever seen them on your blog. The bleeding heart also looks stunnning, my garden is too dry for growing them but my parents have some in their garden. Enjoy your swim x

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  10. Teresa, I love your farm - the stream is pretty and all your flowers gorgeous. The string of chickens are cute too. When I went back to get those hyacinths, they were all shrivelled up and smelt horrible - I think they were dead. Glad I didn't spend the $15 the other day. I'll be off to the garden centre when I decide to buy anything in future. Love your ripple blanket AND your bed !!!!!! Very romantic indeed. xox

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  11. We don't have trilliums but I wish we did ... they're stunning!

    Good luck with your cacti ... may they all three thrive :)

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  12. Oh what a fun post. Yes we have trillium . They are beautiful in the woods nearby.
    Your cotton blanket is just beautiful!!! I love it. I love the windows in your bedroom and the skylights in your house.
    Your string of chickens is just wonderful!

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  13. Teresa your past two post are so beautiful. The trip to the tulip farm was amazing! What fun the boys had also, I would have been scared to do that, but not boys! Love the trilliums and bleeding hearts! I have lots of them too but not yet still covering with a foot of snow. I also have a string of chickens, I love them.
    Happy evening to you, xoRobin

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  14. The blanket is lovely! The Trilliums are very pretty. There are more and more signs of Spring here! Those chickens are cure as are your grandsons! Hope the plants you'vecrepotted do well. Hugs Anne x

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  15. It's always so nice to visit with you, even if it is only on the blog and not in person! :) I love your house and the gardens that surround your place. The blanket is so lovely. I love the colors you chose and I think it looks just perfect the way it is! :) Wishing you a lovely day sweet friend. :)

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  16. Beautiful flower photos. I think we have similar flowers that herald Spring here too, I will check the name as they look familiar.

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