End of June and Celebrations

As you know, Father's Day was yesterday; but my family decided to celebrate on Saturday. It was a most laid back day to celebrate with no rush to go anywhere else. It was just the right sort of day for a celebration. My "live-in gardener" (husband) wanted a picnic on our daughters new deck at her house. She barbecue for the first time and I brought everything else. My family said I always make pie for company or other people, but it was time to make apple pie for my family. Father's Day was the best day to finish off the last of the apple pie fillings in the freezer. It will probably be the last time we have apple pie (gravenstein apples) from the apple ranch that once belonged to my grandfather; so it was extra special.

I took time to walk in my daughters garden and smell the flowers. Jill grows chamomile for tea.

My husband built the tree house during Covid for our grandson. The tree has grown up around it. What a fun hideaway place to go.

Then on the actual Father's Day I took Jim out for lunch on a floating dock along the Columbia River. It was a lovely, sunshiny day; so it was fun to watch the boats come and go.

There was a stop in Camas, Washington. They have a downtown, vintage movie theater. I loved seeing the lights. It is a sweet downtown.

This past week we also visited Fort Vancouver in Washington State. It has a wonderful early history that included the Hudson Bay Company.

There is a garden just outside the fort and I needed to savor the garden for awhile. What a beautiful day to walk in the garden.

Hollyhocks were growing beautifully there. I always wanted hollyhocks in our garden, but they never did well. It was fun to see how well they were doing here. I think they like full sun.

Bachelor buttons took up the showy blue color for the garden. With a pause I enjoyed them.

Roses too!!!

And lots of California poppies!

Then because we needed a good walk, we enjoyed the shade trees of the fort.

There is even a restaurant in one of the old buildings on the fort grounds.

We must remember to have lunch there soon.

There is a big 4th of July celebration that takes place here with music in the bandstand and fireworks too. When my children were small we enjoyed the fireworks on several occasions, but now I prefer not fighting the crowds and traffic. Is it that I am less patient now or is it that there are more people out and about now? Maybe a combination of the two?

 I love this time of year with sunshiny days to take small adventures and just celebrate the day. Hoping you are also enjoying each day with small celebrations and adventures.

Sending love,

Marilyn

Gardens - Roses and Pansies

 I have been visiting a lot of gardens lately. It is indeed garden season, which is my favorite season. Here is the original rose garden for Portland, Peninsula Park. It is in full bloom now and just gorgeous! The day I was visiting this garden there was a wedding taking place in the gazebo in the background. What a beautiful place for a small, intimate wedding.

It is Rose Festival time in Portland right now. That festival is always centered around rose season and so beautiful.

But sometimes I must just savor what is out my backdoor.

We seem to have a lot of pansies this year.

The birds are certainly enjoying the little bird bath and sunflower seeds.

I was gone over the weekend and the feeder was half empty when we returned.

A Child in a Garden

by Ethel Romig Fuller in Kitchen Sonnets

Once I had just half an hour

To frolic by myself;

Presto! By a lilac bush

I changed into an elf.

I whispered to a ladybird,

"I really am a child!"

But the disbelieving thing

Shrugged it's wings and smiled.

A dusty bumblebee and I

Robbed the honey crocks

Of the Canterbury bells

And the hollyhocks.

And beneath a pansy plant-

A place no grown-up knows-

I pirouetted with an ant

On my elfin toes.

Then down the spice-pink-bordered path

Mother came for me;

The elf became a little girl

Ready for her tea.

This is what I imagine a childhood should be like in the garden.

Happy Spring Garden Days!!!

Sending love,

Marilyn

More Gardens in Springtime

 OK, I know, I keep sharing gardens in my part of the world. I am finding gardens is my thing in springtime for sure, but maybe even in other seasons too.  This post is picture heavy, but enjoy!! I certainly enjoyed snapping pictures and enjoying each cloudy, spring day.

Adelman's Peony Gardens was the goal this week. You know I am always up for an adventure.

I did come home with 6 peony buds, which are now in full bloom in my apartment.

They are perfection and don't really look real, but they are.

But, we found a new garden too. My daughter, Jill, took us to one near her house, the Rare Plant Institute. It has a sale one weekend a year in their greenhouses. The parking lot was full of plant lovers and kids too. The kids may not have been as thrilled, but what an amazing adventure to learn in the garden.

There were several ponds at the top of the hill. Whew! I made it up the hill and was greeted with this beauty. Oh how I love calla lilies.

They also had a vineyard and were doing a wine tasting. In the distance you can see the greenhouses and parking lot.

I don't know what this plant is called, but my daughter took a small one home. I will be watching it grow in her garden now. This is the plant she went for. It was quite spectacular. She is creating a pink and black garden in front of her house. How fun and what a combination of colors. 

We were greeted by this sea of rock garden flowers. Oh how I wished I could bring a bunch of them home, but sadly my little patio is already full.

No matter that only one peony bouquet came home with me, it was a delight to my soul.

What is delighting your soul this week?

Sending love,

Marilyn

Mother's Day, Two Celebrations

 Celebrations come in all sorts of forms and desires.

Each Mother's Day since my daughter became a mother I let her choose how we should celebrate. This year she wanted to take a walk at Leach Botanical Garden. It is a historic garden that was once owned by the Leach family and is now a public garden.

We met there on a lovely, perfect weather afternoon and walked through the garden.

Grandson was not particularly thrilled to have his picture taken, smiling!

But the gardens were just gorgeous!

Even though my pictures don't show it, the garden was full of people enjoying Mother's Day in the garden. It truly was a lovely way to celebrate and spend family time.

Then I sort of miss choosing the celebration!

So my "live-in gardener" listened to me saying I would love to go for tea. Since my daughter doesn't like to go to tea, we went today. Just the two of us had our own small celebration. It felt good to make my own desire known and have my "live-in gardener" or should I say husband listen. Sometimes we just need to let our desires known. Thankful he listened.

It was good too. Everything was so fresh and tasty. I really enjoyed every little bite and every little sip of our celebration.

And because we were celebrating Mother's Day I thought it was sweet the tearoom added the Happy Mother's Day sign to the cake, even though it was a day late.

Hoping you all had special celebrations even if it was small or large, a cup of tea or a sip of coffee. Whether celebrating being a momma of kitties or dogs, or even if your child was not able to be with you. You are all worth celebrating.

Sending love,

Marilyn