Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens

 Each time I have been on Whidbey Island, WA. I have seen a sign for Meerkerk Rhododendron
 Gardens, but never stopped.
This past Sunday was different, we went to the island just to explore.

I love exploring, do you?

So there was a stop at this beautiful garden.

 I knew we were a little early to find rhododendron's, but we did find a few.

What delighted my hearts was this avenue of daffodils.

They weren't all in bloom either, but oh so beautiful.

Looking down I also found the primrose lane all in purple.

The pink blossoms throughout the garden just added that touch of fantasy and softness.

Any little fairy would be delighted to live here along the avenue of flowers.

It is a 10 acre garden with an amazing array of rhododendrons, daffodils, and blossoms.

Happy weekend, dear friends!

Hope you have time to go exploring!

A Fashion Show

Well I do like a fashion show and this one was extra special.

Even the host at the microphone sharing stories of each garment

was in a beautiful Victorian dress.

Saturday I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the

Port Townsend, Washington's Victorian Festival Fashion Show.

Just when I would get ready to snap a picture the model would move;

so some of my pictures are a blur.

I did want you to see this one as it seemed so different from what I normally

see for this era. The commentator said this dress was probably worn in her home

to greet her guests for tea.  What a fun thought.

This dress had so many facets to it.

See the picture above with the elbow length sleeves and below

with short sleeves. The top and bottom were separate.

Even the back of the skirt could be changed.

It amazed me at all the thought and details of each and every garment.

I think this model was having a great time.

It was fun to see the guys in the show too.

A new couple in town each strutting along the runway.

How fun to see them stroll by.

What a beautiful young woman modeling the fur and deep green dress.

Sorry I cut off the long train.

I loved being able to sit in the front row and see these beautiful dresses up close.

Here is my friend, Val. She is the reason I came to the show.

She coordinated the show this year and I loved that each model walked

right through the middle of the audience.  Good job, Val!!

The color in her dress was stunning.

Even her hat had such flair.

I know you can't see the front, but the skirt had bows up the center front

with the largest at the bottom of the skirt and getting smaller as they went up.

I couldn't even guess at how much fabric must go into each of these dresses.

This dress just sparkled.

Several models carried fans.

Some flirtation behind the fans was fun.

Beautiful models, gorgeous outfits, and a very lovely show.

Garden Quotes 2019

We might think we are nurturing our garden,

but of course it's our garden that is nurturing us.

~Jenny Uglow

Whether there are dried hydrangeas still in the garden
or new signs of daffodils and hellebore beginning to bloom,
my heart is happy and delighted!
m.miller

Pictures taken in the garden at Deepwood Estates and Museum in Salem, Oregon.
I was away for a few days; so comments were slow at posting
and this post slow at getting up.
Have a totally wonderful week!!!

One More Tea Time

Whew! It seems like I have been to tea quite a lot the past month
and indeed three times is quite a lot for me.
Now I must diet for sure, but in the meantime I wanted to enjoy one more tea time
on my actual birthday last week.
Sadly the Best of British is closing and it was my favorite in this area.
I wanted to have one more tea time there before it closed.
Sitting by this beautiful mantel was both a delight and a time of sadness.
When my grandson had tea with me last fall he loved the kitty pictures above the mantel.
They are such royal kitties for sure.

Sally, one of the owners, knew what tea I would order

and smiled when I didn't disappoint by ordering a nice Darjeeling tea.

The savories and sandwiches are always so good and come out very fresh.

Each savory was also warm.  Yummmm! My favorite part of tea time.

There was a heart shaped scone, but I ate it without a picture.
And then the sweets were served and so beautifully displayed.

It was a beautiful tea time for sure; yet bittersweet.

I will miss this dear tearoom and the owners too.

Best wishes are sent out to the ladies of Best of British;
your shop was a very special place and you did it well.

Walk on the Wild Side

Saturday my sister and I got together to celebrate our March birthdays.

We do that every year since we met.

We didn't grow up together; so we met when I was 50 years.

Every year since then we have gotten together in March.

Nature and being outdoors is so important to me and

I have loved sharing that with my sister.

I found a nature walk that was happening at the Deepwood Estates in Salem

and we ventured out in search of wildflowers.

It was a perfect day for exploring.

Eventhough our spring is a bit earlier than some other parts of the country,

I wasn't sure we would find much.

Our spring sightings have actually been a couple weeks later than usual.

I was thrilled with what we found.

Little spots of joy here and there.

We were walking with a botanist; so she helped us find some beauties.

Isn't it fun to go exploring?

Do you just love what we find in spring?

New growth was everywhere!

And promises of things to come.

With just these glimpses in nature I know I will be returning in a few weeks to see more.

I love the new buds and flourishes of springtime when we stop to look.

As we left the meadow there was one more glimpse of the gorgeous home

and gardens at Deepwood Estate in Salem, Oregon.

This walk made my heart happy to be surrounded with early peeks of springtime.

It definitely was a walk on the wild side.

Happy springtime, dear friends!

Garden Quotes 2019

 A garden is a place to feel the beauty of solitude.

~Bob Barnes

The camellias are beginning to bloom around town.

These were found at the Lan Su Chinese Gardens.

Do you have camellias in your garden?

There are about 35 camellia plants in my garden used

as a hedge on both ends of the garden.

They don't always bloom at the same time;

so they will be coming for awhile.

The first to bloom this year were the pink ones,

but I see many white blooms and one lonely red on too.

Have a terrific Monday searching for flowers around you!

St. Patrick's Tea Time

 May the Leprechauns be near you

to spread luck along your way and

may all the Irish angels smile on you

on St. Pat's Day.

~Irish saying

When Irish hearts are happy

All the world seems bright and gay.

There'll be a tear in my eye and

I'll be wondering why if you don't

join me for a mighty craic and a 

cup of tay on St. Paddy's Day!

Wear something green and tell

an Irish joke and limerick.

Quotes from the book,Celtic Teas with Friends

by Elizabeth Knight 

Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day with anything special?
Maybe a shamrock sitting on your desk
or a green cookie with your tea?
Recently I took a walk looking for those fairies
or at the very least a leprechaun;
but what I found was a sprinkling of snow
and a glorious array of snowdrops. 

Happy St. Patrick's, wearing of the green weekend
to you, dear friends!

Creativity makes my Heart Happy

Many years ago I taught myself to crochet, but I didn't keep it up.

Thus, I forgot how to do it.

About 2 years ago I took a crochet class and learned to make granny squares,

but I didn't finish them.

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with them; so they sat awhile.

Finally I decided to make a woolly neck scarf with them, but needed to figure

out how to pull them all together.

Thanks to Tracy at Simple Gifts Pictured,

she sent me some tips on attaching them together.

That spurred me on and I decided to wrap them with black.

Well black is what I wear a lot of and my coat is black;

so off to the yarn store for some black.

I think the scarf is going to have a 1970's vibe with lots of color.

I believe I will like it.

When it is done I will share again,

now back to that black yarn.

All my life I have known that my heart is happiest if I am creating something;

but in more recent years the days just slide by without doing anything about it.

So this is to let you know I love doing creative things

and posting this will encourage me to finish for I have another project in the wings.

Just since I took this picture more of the squares now have black.

Does creative adventures make your heart happy?

Garden Quotes 2019

 Working in the garden gives me something beyond 

enjoyment of the senses...

It gives me a profound feeling of inner peace.

There is no rush toward accomplishment, no blowing of trumpets.

Here is the great mystery of life and growth.

Everything is changing, growing, aiming at something,

but silently, unboastfully, taking its time.

~Ruth Stout

It is definitely crocus and daffodil season in my garden now.

Let the Celebrating Begin

Today there was the beginning celebration of my birthday month

with afternoon tea with a friend.

We were also celebrating a new tearoom in the neighborhood,

Lovejoy's of Portland on NE Killingsworth and 33rd Avenue.

Amazing that it is walking distance from my home and if I continue visiting

there for sure I will need to walk.

Well of course you know I will be back there,

it was good after all and I loved the neighborhood vibe.

In my cup was a nice single estate loose leaf Darjeeling tea from Adagio Tea.

It was suggested we start with the scone since it came out warm.

It had a nice consistency of not too dry and yummy with jam and cream.

Then with the "high tea" (their words for afternoon tea)

there was a leaf salad and cole slaw, then the choice of two sandwiches.

Since there were two of us we each order two different sandwiches

so we could each have four sandwich tastes.

There was:

chicken with asparagus

roast beef with horseradish

smoked salmon with cream cheese

pickled fruit chutney type filling with cheddar cheese

We really like the last sandwich and so different than what I usually find

on my tea time plate.

My friend informed them that it was my birthday;

so out came a candle on a strawberry cake.

Then there was also the choice of one sweet from the plate.

What a perfect way to begin my birthday celebrating

with tea with a special friend.

Happy weekend, dear friends!

Go out and celebrate the month of March with me.