Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Early Spring Walk-About


Hello, Sweet Friends! 

Wow, it is April already! I just love April........
Birds singing, trees budding, daffodils.....
It is staying light until almost 8 p.m., now. 

We had record-breaking rainfall in February and March, 
here in Western Washington State. 
A whopping 15.56 inches! 
I guess I don't feel so guilty for not 
getting out into the gardens until now :) 

We have seen very little of our beautiful Mt. Rainier, 
but this morning it peeped out between cloud banks
ever so shyly. 

You can see the wild plum tree blooming on the left. 


I know it is officially spring when the wild plum blooms.
You can see the scattered blossoms of the beautifully scented,
white viburnum on the right. 



We've had a few sunny days here and there, 
so I have taken advantage of the break in the rain
to get a few things done in the gardens. 

I've wanted to clip the hydrangea blooms forever......

I was head high in the papery blooms, clipping away
for nearly 3 hours, listening to the rustling and the songs
of the birds. 


Much better......you can see the new leaves. 

Now they look rather like my hair in the morning :)


Here is the pile I left for my Ramblin' Man. 
We are a true team - I make the messes outside
 and he cleans them up. 
He makes the messes inside and I clean them up. 

xoxo

Tarps are great for dragging big piles of garden refuse to 
the compost pile. 


Now that THAT is done, let's take a little walk-about! 
Whitey Bear, Kai and Weenie Baby lead the way. 


Weenie Baby did have a sweater on, but she undressed herself. 
She's absolutely shameless. 


It's hard to climb trees when you are hindered by 
clothing :)

She thinks she sees a squirrel up there. 


Whitey Bear is mean-mugging the neighbor dog. 
They get right up close to each other and then 
erupt in a very heated argument about 'boundaries'. 
I am grateful for the fence! 


The neighbor's horses think they are ridiculous. 


They are enjoying this rare sunshine.


Meanwhile, I am looking for wildflowers. 
I've found some trillium! 

My children called them 'Easter lilies' 
because they always bloomed near Easter. 
They were forbidden to pick these rare 
woodland beauties, but always took me 
by the hand to show me where they grew. 


Kai is king of the hill. 


The seasonal stream that runs through the property
has been running steady. 



Pendant blossoms of Oso Berry or 'Indian Plum', 
are a favorite early nectar source for hummingbirds.

The blossoms give way to tiny plum-like fruits
in early summer - a favorite of the birds.  




Hellebore blooming by the bench. 


The first daffodils. 


A beautiful Steller's Jay under the wild plum blossoms. 
These are large Jays - 11 inches - and year round residents 
that mate for life.

They have been scarce the last couple of years
due to a pair of crows that have nested here
for several springs, but this year I haven't seen the crows,
so the Jays are back. The crows raid the nests :(
I am glad to have the Jays back. 


The wild Band-Tailed Pigeons are also back this year. 


These are large birds - 14 inches - the size of a small chicken. 
They are also year-round residents, but very nomadic,
 moving around in search of food. 

Can you see the chipmunk?

They always return here in early spring for nesting,
except when the crows were here. 
It is wonderful to hear their coos, along with
the calls of the mourning doves, 
while I am outside working in the gardens. 


They are very nervous birds and any movement causes 
them to take flight in a great flapping of wings. 

I took these photos with a zoom lens from very far away. 



My camellia by the gate is starting to bloom, too.

xoo 

It's been a long day and it's time to go inside. 


One last look at the beautiful wild plum tree 
as the sun starts to set.


Thank you for coming along with me, 
dear friends! 

I hope you enjoyed our stroll in the early spring sunshine! 

xoxo


Today I am linking with:

Viewing Nature with Eileen - Saturday's Critters

Floral Passions - Floral Bliss

Won't you join the fun?

oxo

49 comments:

  1. hello, I am glad the weather is getting better for your walks. I am sure the dogs enjoy getting out and chasing the squirrels. Those pigeons are new to me. I love the trillium. hellebore and roses. Cute furbabies! Enjoy your day and the week ahead!

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  2. Such a lovely post and I so enjoyed looking at all of your photographs.I particularly liked your opening picture a wonderful scene.

    This is such a wonderful time of year with the new growth and Spring flowers.

    Wishing you a Happy April

    All the best Jan

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  3. What a beautiful part of the country you live in!! Your photos are wonderful. I love those wild pigeons. They remind me of mourning doves a bit. We're still having pretty cold temperatures for this time of the year here in our part of New York so spring hasn't sprung quite as much as where you are. Soon though. I noticed the forsythia bushes are finally showing signs of yellow. : ) Just found your blog and I'm looking forward to catching up on some of your past posts. Have a beautiful rest of your week. xo

    ~ Wendy
    http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

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  4. Thank you for taking me along with you on your walk about! I enjoyed it so much. Love the pics and your writing. Never ending on the gardens, I go full force to clean them up for spring then the heat of the summer sets in and I can't handle it.....plus, living on the creek I have so many BLOOD SUCKERS! It is hard to enjoy the yard when they are out and about and they are out and about all summer. Looks like you have such a lovely place and I have to agree with your baby, hard to climb trees wearing clothes! haha

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  5. I always enjoy a walk around your property, Karen. You live in a little piece of paradise. And you have a creek flowing through your land. I would love that. I was interested in your hydrangeas as I planted some for the first time last year. I love them fresh or dry. We are a couple of weeks behind you in growth but we are expecting warm weather end of week and I am sure it will change our landscape dramatically.Yes, Simon is out and about. Another sign of spring. Our blue-jays hang about here with the crows. They don't seem to bother them but perhaps they nest further away. It does my heart good to see Weenie Baby enjoying spring. Such a sweet dog. Enjoy the days ahead.

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  6. Thank you for showing us your beautiful property, your wild flowers, wildlife, and cute dogs. I had to chuckle at Weeniebaby and her shamelessly stripping off her cute little doggie outfit to be the "big" squirrel treeing dog on the property.

    Happy Spring!

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  7. Hello, what a lovely walk I had on your pretty land! I enjoyed your script, made me laugh and think about all the things we take for granted in nature! Happy Spring to you also...
    Blessings, Roxy

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  8. That's more like it! Some sun at last, you've got some beautiful flowers too. I rather like the woolly jumper wearing the woolly jumper! Great fun x

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  9. What beautiful, beautiful images, Karen!! Those pigeons are HUGE....we don't have those around here. Your land is just so pretty and I get a kick out of the border patrol dogs. lol Too funny. Hope you have a great rest of the week. It is looking like Spring at your house. We still have bits of ice in the bay and nothing growing here yet....darn it! xo Diana

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  10. Lovely photos of your spring walk; it's so wonderful seeing all the signs of spring.

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  11. Spring is so lovely in your area, Karen. These pigeons look similar to the doves, only bigger with darker feathers. Weenie Baby looks so cute climbing up the tree. I love that picture of the walk-about. It looks like the road less traveled, which is a good road to be on now and then. The wild plum trees are pretty. They remind me of my uncle's tree in his front yard, and we used to eat the plums that fell to the ground when we were little. The red camellia really got to me, as I always stop for red flowers. And the sunset is beautiful. I enjoy these walks with you, Karen. I see something different every time. : )

    ~Sheri

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  12. Karen, what a glorious walkabout! The plum tree is beautiful! Spring has certainly sprung at your home. Love to see the puppies. Weenie Baby looks sweet in the sweater. Thank you for sharing your adventure with us. Xo

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  13. Love your walk abouts! That trillium is so pretty. I have a couple in my garden but they aren't blooming yet. Thanks for sharing!

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  14. You are surrounded by such majestic beauty, my friend, and oh, how thankful I am that you share it with us through your images and words.

    Thinking of you, dear one. Sending love and hugs your way!

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  15. What a lovely area you live in, full of flowering things that delight the heart. This is a wonderful season, and the plum tree blossoms are just the icing on the cake! We have some here, too, and I love seeing them sway in the wind. Thank you for sharing the beauty.
    I clipped hydrangea blossoms this past weekend - it takes a surprisingly long time, but the sun shone and I enjoyed being outdoors.

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  16. What a fabulous post Karen! You live in such a beautiful place, with that gorgeous view. And on top trilliums growing wild - wow!!!! :) Your dogs & other animals were so cute to see too.... Thank you for linking at my Floral Bliss. Sending you hugs and spring happiness ❤︎

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  17. Dear Karen, my friend, what a beautiful Spring Walkout!
    So lovely pictures! I love Weanie Baby in her beautiful sweater ;O)
    HAve a wonderful april my dear friend,
    sending much Love and hugs and blessings,
    Claudia xo

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  18. Oh I do enjoy the wanders through your lovely garden. I love the tidying routine with your husband. Our garden routine is the other way round. He clips and I clear up! So many pretty flowers already and your dogs are lovely:) B x

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  19. Gardening with lovely animals in early spring must be a great pleasure. Let's enjoy this time.
    Thanks for leaving a comment on my post.

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  20. Oh yes, the most beautiful scenery of the blog-world! :)
    Your dogs are so cute and the flowers in your garden so pretty... The hellebores by the bench look gorgeous. 
    As always, thank you very much for sharing! xx

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  21. It was lovely to go exploring in the springtime with you!

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  22. Spring has sprung in your beautiful yard! Such a lovely walk.

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  23. Hello! I've seen your post and collection of beautiful aspects, twice! Such great place to live; It must be paradise to enjoy and admire nature, to have a cosy walk and to see so many stunning and interesting things! A delight for soul; I always said to myself that Spring is for soul... and for sure Spring looks gorgeous in your pictures!
    Many thanks for the lovely walk through forest. Have a beautiful month of Spring in April!

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  24. Lots of rain! We had some very heavy rainfalls here and I have no idea how many inches but know it raised the rivers! Looks like Weenie wants to be a stripper! LOL It is so nice to have good weather to get out of the house and breathe fresh air. I love the views you have. It is so nice to see the beginnings of spring. I love how the flowering trees have blossomed all over!

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  25. Good afternoon Karen! So many beautiful things to see on your post. Wow...that is one lovely healthy looking trillium. I haven't come across one in the wild yet. I like the trade off you have with your husband about cleaning each other's messes. Wise...
    Hope the rest of your week is wonderful. Thanks for your comment on my blog...

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  26. This is a wonderful walk. I'm glad you took us with you.
    Amalia
    xo

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  27. Don't you just love this time of year when all the blooms are starting to color the earth, the leaves are popping out and things are turning from all brown and tans to green!! So glad the Jays and other birds are able to come back now. We have had so many black birds this year that all our other birds are not around as much :( Gorgeous pictures, so wonderful that you and your furbabies have a nice area to walk in so close to home :)

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  28. I did have a little chuckle over the doggie striptease and the boundaries dispute!! With 15"+ of snow, no need to feel guilty whatsoever Karen, you must be pleased to have winter firmly behind you?
    Wren x

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  29. Love all the picture, so beautiful so springy, full of life...

    Please visit: http://from-a-girls-mind.blogspot.com

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  30. Hello Karen, I really loved your post and how you shared the beautiful day with us. Your view of Mt Rainier is magnificent!
    The gardens and woodland have certainly responded to all that rain. So lovely to see the Hellebore and Camellia too. Those Pigeons are gorgeous ... I too enjoy hearing the 'coos' from ours here as they exchange their calls. I nearly missed the squirrel except for your prompt :D)
    You live in a delightful spot and it's been wonderful scrolling down through each photograph and narration. Cheers and thank you!

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  31. What a beautiful tour Karen1
    I also use a tarp when cleaning up the yard, at the cottage.
    then we drag it down to the beach, and dump it on the bonfire!
    We had one last night at the cottage!!
    Enjoy your evening...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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  32. Karen, loved this post. All the seriously beautiful photos with a little humor mixed in here and there -- like Weenie Baby in and out of her sweater! :D

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  33. Hello Karen,
    What a wonderful shots.
    Great that view through the rocks. No bad place to be. Fantastic!!

    Best regards,
    Marco

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  34. It's fun to read about the dogs arguing over boundaries. LOL Trilliums! You have trilliums! I can't wait to see flowers here. I always love your photos of Mt. Rainier. Just the name should give you an indication of the amount of precipitation one should expect. ;-) I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Karen. Beautiful photos.

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  35. What a gorgeous post, Karen! I am so happy to see you have some flowers coming forth...I especially loved the hellebore! The sunset views at the end were so lovely! We have had light rain off and on with dashes of sun for the last month & a half, maybe two months now. Today is windy and rainy. Hope you have a great weekend!

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  36. Hi Karen, wow it's so beautiful the walk I had with you. I love how everything is blooming and the mountain is so pretty. The dogs seem to be having a great time with the walks and climbing the trees.
    How lucky you are to have these beautiful walks for spring. Take care.
    Julie

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  37. I always enjoy my walks with you, Karen! I smiled at the teamwork that you and your hubby have, which was the same as me and my Beloved's. That last photo of the pink sky just made me sigh....so beautiful. Enjoy springtime in your lovely area. XO, Kitty

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  38. Karen, hip hip hooray! You are the winner of the Simple Stories planner and goodies. Please email me with your snail mail info and I can send your treasures on their way! ♥

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  39. What a wonderful start to spring you are having. I enjoyed going along the walk with you and the dogs.

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  40. Hi Karen, the first thing I noticed today were the bigger images, they are beautiful!! This is such a wonderful time of year to be outdoors among nature and the birds. I adore spring walks and I certainly enjoyed this walk with you. Don't work to hard, in those beautiful gardens of yours!!

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  41. Very nice post! I like that little view of Mt. Rainier between the cloud banks. Have a happy weekend!

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  42. Such a lovely post! Your hellebores bloom so lovely. I'd like to have them in my own garden some day. Enjoy your weekend!

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  43. Hello Karen, you live in such a beautiful place. I love your cute furbabies, how is Weenie Dog doing. It is neat you have horses living so close by. I am starting to enjoy the spring migration and birds. Lovely post and photos. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Eileen, thank you for your sweet visit! Weenie Baby is doing ok - she still misses her sister, but she has become 'one of the boys' and has rallied around. We have been giving her lots of love :) xx Karen

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  44. Karen, delightful and wonderful photography ~ so many wonderful critters you have very near you ~ love Weenie undressing herself ~ sweet shots ~ and that little chipmunk among the pigeons ~ You live in a beautiful place ~ thanks,

    Wishing you happy days ~ ^_^

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  45. It looks so peaceful and beautiful there...I love the delicate way in which you have shared your beautiful nature images...very wonderful~

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  46. This is a lovely post Karen! How green everything must be with all of that rain! Wondering how Weenie Baby is doing these days. looks lovely around your home!

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  47. Karen, you live in a lovely area!! Such beautiful green already. We finally see most of the now melted here. One can still see some snow here and there. Your dogs seems to love the outdoors. I am your follower, a great blog you got here.

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  48. Dear Karen, I am joining in the grateful chorus of those who appreciate your lovely posts. For several hours I have been enjoying catching up with the posts since the last of January! As you have recounted the seasonal rhythms of your life celebrating the lives around you, I have felt comforted, encouraged and sometimes saddened or amused. Happy Blog Anniversary...we have been posting for about the same time...one of the cheering things we share! Thanks for sharing your patterns and recipes; I especially want to try your heart sachet pattern. I appreciated seeing your view of Seattle and the garden show and am very drawn to the Asian garden space you showed us. My youngest son got some more Primroses for me for my birthday in mid February. We are so impressed with how Primroses thrive around us...and even in our unusually winter weather this year. Your snow was so beautiful! Yesterday we had hail again. I am sending you hugs and prayers that the Comforter will continue to comfort you and yours as you miss Peanut and other dear pets, and dear people like your folks. xoxoxoxo

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Thank you for stopping by! Your comments are important to me and are very much appreciated. xx Karen

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