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 :-)