Misty, Moisty, Morning

One misty, moisty morning,
When cloudy was the weather,
I chanced to meet an old man
Clothed all in leather.
He began to compliment,
And I began to grin,
How do you do?
And how do you do?
And how do you do, again?

        (Traditional Children's Rhyme)

         

It's been quite a misty, moisty, rainy week around here, but I've been watching spring's progress in the garden from my kitchen window. When I got up this morning and noticed a little something that looked like the color blue overhead, I grabbed my camera and rushed out in my robe and slippers to take some pictures.  The mist rising over the mountain and some of the first 'morning dew' I've seen this year was really quite beautiful.   By the time the sun had risen from behind the trees in the corner of our yard, the sky had definitely found it's way to blue and my slippers were soaked...oh well, it was worth it to be out on this beautiful morning.

 

 

 

 

Easter Bunny?

I have been working on this little bunny for awhile now, seems like a good time to bring him out to play...as Easter is imminent! Have a lovely weekend!

Today's Walk

I always appreciate the chance to walk in this special place.  I'll bet that all of the people that I meet on this road...the walkers with their dogs, the joggers, the nature lovers, the adventure seekers...would agree that we are pretty lucky to be here. The wonderful combination of unpaved road, ocean views, birdsong, fresh ocean air and overall peacefulness, always does a world of good for my state of mind.

 

 

 

Today...let it begin

Spending time in gardens has become commonplace for me, not to say that I ever feel a lack of passion or interest for the gardens I visit, for they are one of my favorite places to be.

My own little garden patch has been the recipient of much thought, care and love over the past 15 years or so. Even longer, when you consider that some of my perennial flowers and herbs came as transplants from even older gardens that I kept in a different place and time. 

When I look out at the collection I've amassed, I can't help but be aware of  history...this antique lilac with the delicate, blue tinted blossom came as a bit of root from my sister, who was living in a very old house by the sea at the time. The tri-colored willow that has grown to fill a corner of the garden circle came to me as a Mother's Day gift from my husband and children some years  back. These common day lilies by the rock wall were dug with a friend from around an old, abandoned cellar hole in the days before I had ever visited a plant nursery. Almost every plant I see out there brings to mind a story.

Today I started the process of removing last years debris from the perennial beds...yes, the new green shoots are under there! I am engaged and elated once again! Don't the crocuses look pretty?  Thanks to David, http://blackwoodflute.blogspot.com/for taking some of these lovely pics!

The day lilies are up.

That's me on a bad hair day...

There they are! The future flowers of the summer garden!

Some things just need to be pulled out by hand...the garden arch you see in the background is only there until I find a permanent location for it.

So much debris for the compost pile...

 

Happy Spring!

Crocus Arrival

The arrival of spring crocuses in my garden always catches me by surprise. The last time I went out to check on them they weren't up yet, so when I visited the garden again today I wasn't expecting to see them. True to form, there they were, in full bloom. I love them dearly.

Edit: If you happen to be visiting today and things appear to be changing a bit, they are, it's just me doing a little experimenting with the settings. I really do have to leave this for another time, it's a beautiful day outdoors and I don't want to miss it!

Today...organizing

To be honest, organizing the stuff and nonsense of my life has never been my first priority. Oh, I can totally appreciate a beautiful and well managed home, the kind of household where you can drop in at any time, unannounced mind you, and find the dishes washed, the floors swept, not a dusty, cluttered surface in sight and homemade cookies in the jar.  I'm not saying that this never happens at my house, though it is unlikely that it will happen all at the same time.
 Maybe I shouldn't admit my tendency to be a somewhat relaxed homemaker publicly, but it is the truth. I hope that I make up for it by keeping a large garden, cooking from scratch, trying to do a drawing a day, and always being up for an interesting distraction.


The 30 Day Vegan workshop that I was lucky enough to be a part of this month just ended yesterday.  It was a fantastic month filled with great vegan recipes, suggestions for healthier living and the importance of taking the time to rest and restore when you need it. I didn't know if living without dairy, eggs and meat/fish would be something I'd feel comfortable with for long, but the 30 days have come and gone and I'm still wanting more. I haven't had a single craving for anything but the fresh and life giving foods that I've been enjoying during this past month.

Tomatoes, dilly beans and sweet pickles I canned last summer. I still have to fill up those large jars with my newly purchased whole grains. Let's pretend that you didn't see that large jar of white sugar, ok?

Oddly enough, (or not) one of the side effects of my experiment with veganism has been the desire to organize my home. I'm suddenly looking at the clutter in my life in a new way, a way that spells trouble for any clutter I happen to see...  So far I've cleaned and reorganized the refrigerator, the bathroom, the pantry, and made several trips to Good Will to drop things off. It's a happy side-effect methinks!

 

Thanks for visiting!

 

                                                                                                                                                         

On Driving and Striving

Yesterday I took an unexpected three hour drive to the mall and back. My daughter has a new driving permit and lately we have been driving together on Sunday afternoons. The drive begins by turning right or left at the bottom of our driveway and from there, we just go wherever our whim takes us. 
Gas prices being what they are these days, I'm usually much more conservative with my use of the family car, but...when daughters are learning to drive, we must go the distance!

It's a bit like setting out on a great expedition; we bring a good map, bottles of water, snacks, favorite music, a little cash. I've been tempted to add a crash helmet to the collection of stuff, just for fun, but I'm guessing that my daughter would not be amused and only roll her eyes and keep driving.

Kidding aside, it's been fun spending those hours with her each week, having a chance to talk, enjoy the scenery, notice how her driving  and confidence improve with each new journey.

This morning I was thinking about yesterday's drive when the verb, strive, came into my mind. According to Merriam Webster, to strive is"to devote serious effort or energy." It is when you set out to do something that is difficult, something that takes all of your attention, something you do when you try hard to reach a goal. Striving can take many forms, from learning to drive a car to getting the grades you want at school. It can be keeping your checkbook balanced or serving a nutritious meal to your family.  It can be all the small things you do every single day as a parent, though you may be too busy to realize it until you stop to reflect. I've decided that I'm all for striving.^^

Taken from the road by AP on her cell phone.

Empty Bowl

Today is April Fool's Day...and it's been snowing all day...certainly Mother Nature can't have such a ghastly sense of humor that she would dump a foot of snow on us when we all thought that spring was finally here. I suppose I can make the best of it and be content to stay by the fire and sketch.