Weekending on the Farm

Hello my friends!  How was your weekend?  Ours was spent right here, enjoying our own space and watching nature prancing down the runway in it's best finery.  Would you like to see what I found as I walked around our farmyard looking to see what was in bloom?  You do?  Well, come on then!  Let's begin with my white Lilac.. in bloom.. in March.. aMAYzing!  I planted this by my garden window and the edge of the deck, next to my white azalea.  I actually took this photo from the deck.

This special tulip bloomed in our big pot.. isn't it pretty?

I put this big chunk of rose quartz in the moss in Dayle's Bonsai tree pot.. I was hoping to capture the glow of the sun through the pink stone.. can you see it?  We got this stone at a rock shop near Mt. Rushmore when we visited there 5 years ago on our big RV/Caravan trip of 5,125 mile round trip to Oklahoma.  

Kristi gave me this wonderful white Hosta last year for my birthday - it sprouted up all full and pretty recently.  

We have a big pot of Rosemary on the deck and I was happy to see all the blue flowers on the stems.

I do so love my pond fish.. the 2 koi have gotten HUGE.  Thankfully they have managed to elude the raccoons and blue herons that have taken many of our fish over the years.  ::knock on wood::

I didn't think you'd mind another photo of the Bleeding Hearts.. I mean.. who doesn't love these adorable flowers?

Pretty pretty pink hearts.. love love.

The Creeping Myrtle is poufing up around the pond.. oh how I love the sunshine bouncing off the water.

There is a big bud on one of the Iris plants!

The little survivors who have eluded Dayle's mowing.. purple Ajuga and Star of Bethlehem.  :-)

The delicate little flower of the Star of Bethlehem.

And look.. the purple Lilac.. ready to cut for a bouquet!  Have you ever smelled these?  Simply divine!  Do they grow where you live?

Our first Rhododendron to bloom.  Unfortunately, we're having a leaf blight - of the lace bug.. we may lose all of them.  Very upsetting.  

I hiked down into the pasture to get a photo of the pear flowers.. we have a booming crop of dandelion.. I found out that you should leave them as they are the first meal of the honey bees.  :-)

I had never noticed the red stamens on the pear flowers!

Our trees are wild and un-pruned and un-sprayed.. and I love them.  We have 3 pear trees, several plum trees, one big old apple tree and lots of wild cherries and 3 walnuts.  

Heading back towards the farmhouse I pass our tallest magenta rhodie which is infiltrated with the yellow Japanese Rose.

I only cut two little lilac flowers as they aren't quite open enough... 

I have my little basket of crocheted eggs and the yellow crocheted chick sent to me by Lucy in England who used to blog at "Lucy in the Sky".. isn't it cute?

On Saturday I indulged myself with watching "Under the Tuscan Sun" and started my next project - a bag designed by Lucy at Attic24 - the pattern is on her sidebar.  I made the base using taupe before beginning the rainbow stripes.  Have you seen this movie?  It really is one of my all-time favorites and if you haven't seen it, you really need to find it and watch, even Dayle likes it!

I had to show you my amazing orchid that is blooming in my garden window.  Isn't this something?

I had to show you my new shoes for walking around New Orleans in a few weeks.  Keen sandals.  Raspberry color.  I love them!

Yesterday our older son Shawn and his boys came to visit and to wash up their fifth wheel "toy hauler" trailer and to take it home.. the boys also rode their dirt bikes while here.. this is Gabe on his and you can see the trailer half cleaned up.. a lot of scrubbing was done!  A "toy hauler" is like a regular living space in the front but the back opens where you can take your bikes and quads - our son and his friends camp on the beach and all ride in the sand.

And here it is all scrubbed up - and our 4 grandsons - Michael, Gabriel, Hayden and Caleb - who so enjoy each other's company.

I just had to show you the trailer in it's home.. when Shawn and his wife had their home designed and built, they had this huge RV garage made - it's got a huge commercial 16' door - and not to stop there - there is another 16' door at the back and an extended parking drive for his 2nd trailer that is just for quads/bikes.  Boys and their toys.  Note:  This mother is happy that he took his trailer HOME as we've had it parked here on the farm for 4-5 years.  I'm liking the extra space now that it's gone.  :-)

Well, time to pack my swim bag and head to the pool.  Poor Gracie has come down with a cold and won't be joining me.  I hope your week ahead is a great one.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)