Sunday, May 23, 2021

May Days




 Hello, Dear Friends, here we are, almost all the way through the month 
of May, as time flies by on gossamer wings. 

The sun is setting at just the right angle to create 
rainbows in the mist over the mountains.


It has been very cool and rainy here. 
We've had hail, thunder and a fresh dusting of snow in the foothills. 

This was after a couple of weeks of summer-like weather
where temperatures climbed to near 80 degrees. 

Every day is a new surprise. 

"You can nearly always enjoy things
if you make up your mind firmly that you will."

- Anne of Green Gables -

xx

I hope that you all had a wonderful Mother's Day! 
It seems so long ago, but it was just a couple of weeks ago. 
Does anyone else feel like time is speeding up these days? 


My sweet Mr. built me this beautiful plant ladder for
Mother's Day. He even picked out all of the plants! 


He also made these planter boxes for all the sweet Mom's 
in our life. 

Now that my whole family is vaccinated, we were able to 
celebrate Mother's Day with my grandson's birthday, all together,
 the day before. 

I have to admit, it was a bit overwhelming after being 
 isolated for so long! I have five grandson's under the age of six
which makes for some beautiful chaos, but those hugs
and smiles from my family were so wonderful
and I was so filled with gratitude that we all 
made it through this terrible time. 
Too many have not been so lucky
and my heart truly goes out to them. 


I even got to go to my first Mother and Grandmother's day 
celebration at my grandson's pre-school. The students performed 
a sweet song and decorated picture frames for photos that were taken. 

 I helped bake cupcakes and make cards for his Mom (my daughter, Heather). 
The flowers were made with cupcake liners and buttons.
(He made some for his little twin brothers to give, too). 
xxoo


I spent Mother's Day with my baby grandson 
and my daughter, Jennie. Here I am snuggling him as he slept in my arms. 
Her husband is a Captain in the Fire Dept. and duty called, so 
I had the privilege of having them all to myself.





 She ordered this amazing charcuterie board from a local company, 
which came with a loaf of artisan bread and some crackers. 

We stuffed ourselves and had leftovers to enjoy for a few days. 

I was thoroughly spoiled by my whole family with flowers,
gifts and lots of love. 





We stopped by the cemetery to bring flowers to my Mom. 
She's with my Dad who served in the Korean War.
What I wouldn't give for one more day...

We took a little stroll along the tree-line and saw a bunny
and some pretty wildflowers.  
It is such a peaceful and solemn place surrounded 
by forest, with a view of Mt. Rainier. 

I love reading the epitaphs. Some are humorous, some 
are profound, but all declare love of family, God and country. 
xx



Kai in the Forget-me-nots. 
They have seeded themselves everywhere
from one little plant I bought at a church
  sale years ago. 

I love private plant sales. 
You can always find the best plants for the region at these. 


The lilacs are blooming outside my sewing room window.
This is a second-floor window, so you can see how tall
they are!  

I open the window to catch the wonderful scent. 


I've had this African violet on the window-sill for years, 
but it was out-growing it's pot and needed dividing.



I found this sweet little 'cottage' pot in storage
and thought it would be perfect. 

My sis gave me the framed print. 


The 'cottage' has an open front door and shuttered windows. 


The back door has a kitty on the stoop. 

I am a bit of a hoarder, but now that 
we are retired and on a fixed income, 
it is nice to have a little inventory 
of special things to fall back on. 


The original plant came in this vintage flower-girl basket
with the fairy graphics. I found it at a flea-market. 
I sure do miss going to those!
I hope we can enjoy these again, soon.  

xx



While I was in my sewing room, I decided to sew
a few lavender sachets.
The 'sewing basket' is actually a needle book. 


 


I also sewed a pillow from ticking with a narrow lace trim
and crocheted a 'flower' dish cloth. 





I put them all together with one of my tin can decoupaged 
'wildflower' vases as a birthday gift for a dear loved one.

Time spent in quiet contemplation 
 in my sewing room, really does mend the soul. 








I've tried to restyle the mantel, recently. 
The twine spools and dough bowl were
gifts from my daughter, Heather.
My son, Dustin and wife, Jen gave me the rusty candle holder. 
My sis gave me the ceramic bird.  
The giant nail is Ramblin' Man's find. 
xx

A mantel always seems to be a work in progress. 




The beautiful tote was a gift from my son, Gabe and wife, Erica. 
It's perfect for my crochet projects. 


We put out the umbrella's and a tablecloth to enjoy 
whatever little glimpse of sunshine we manage to get. 
My daughter, Jennie gave me the hanging basket. 


My son, Dustin and wife, Jen gifted me with the beautiful 
blue and white pot. It came with a different plant, 
a monarda, but I transplanted it into a large pot, 
as it grows to over 2 ft. tall. 

I'll show that to you when it blooms. 


The Angel gets a pansy to watch over. 



Can you see my little friend by the church steeple?


A Pacific tree frog. Isn't he cute? He likes it here
with flowers to hide in and the porch lights to attract lots of bugs. 


Like this guy. 
Look how beautiful the patterns on his wings are. 

Who knows what wisdom nature holds. 
Certainly each living thing is an amazing creation and a work of art. 
I think of how intricate and astounding each creature, each being is, 
and how fragile we all are in this sometimes unforgiving world. 

"Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are 
to find out about?"

- Anne of Green Gables -




I potted up coral tuberous begonia for my library window box. 
I nestled in some blue lobelia, which hasn't bloomed yet, 
and a few tiny ferns with creeping Jenny. 



The living room window gets coral impatiens. 




Pots of both, for the canopy room we call the 'Summer House'. 

They all need some time to come into full bloom. 
A little bit difficult in this cool weather. 

I am loving the color. 



Ramblin' Man installed a fence 
 to keep Kai (and the grandchildren) 
in the back yard. 

We back up to wilderness...
Even though the 5 acres is completely fenced
with a 5 ft. fence,  
most of it is thickly forested and very steep. 


Kai inspects the fence line. 



Bleeding heart bloom nearby. 



The Mr. has also been tiling the shower in the master bath. 
This room has been unfinished for years and 
finally, now that he has been 'grounded' in retirement, 
he has time to finish all of his projects. 
(And grow a beard :)

He had a very demanding job as distribution manager 
for a regional snack food company. 
He had 9 managers and almost 200 distributors 
working under him and he traveled extensively 
to the 6 north-western states he oversaw.
(Including Alaska) 

I nick-named him 'Ramblin' Man' because of it. 
Now that he is not traveling any longer, 
I thought of changing his nick-name, 
but truth be told, I think he still deserves the name, 
although in a different way. 
Now that he is home all the time, with only me and Kai
as his companions, he tends to 'Ramble on'. 
He even talks to himself! 
I have to ask him whether he is talking to me or himself, sometimes! 




And so..., Ramblin' Man retains his title. 
He thinks that's hilarious, by the way. 
As he walks away, rambling....
Also, he is a very funny guy. 
He has a sunny disposition (most of the time), 
and keeps me laughing at the absurdities of life. 
We share the same sardonic sense of humor. 
  
We are just enjoying life and finding as much joy as we possibly can
 in this crazy world we live in.



Mother robin and her little one, searching for worms. 



A Junco nest in the overgrown, crooked bird-bath planter. 
We had to wait to install a section of fence nearby
until the nestlings had flown, so as not to disturb them.

One of them became the victim of the local garden snake. 
I heard a lot of bird drama one afternoon and went over to investigate
and saw the crime unfold. It was pretty horrifying, 
but I was too late to intervene. 

I did clip back all of the ivy that allowed the snake access, 
and the parents successfully raised the rest of the brood. 

I haven't seen the offending snake since, but that is 
nature and who am I to judge? 

When you live in the wilderness, the laws of nature rule the land. 



All this cool weather has me wanting to cook something 
to warm the insides. 

Broccoli-cheese soup and Irish brown bread is easy to make.
The bread freezes nicely (the recipe makes two loaves), 
and the soup tastes even better the next day. 
Just re-heat it very slowly on low heat.  

You can find the recipes under the heading, 'Soup' on my side-bar. 


After a dreary day, the sun finally sinks low enough below the clouds,
 to cast golden light on the foothills before setting. 

"Isn't it nice to think tomorrow is a new day
with no mistakes in it yet?

- Anne of Green Gables -

xx

Wishing you a wonderful tomorrow, Dear Friends, 
and many sweet blessings. 

xoxo









26 comments:

  1. Hello lovely Karen!
    What a beautiful Spring post. Just feeds the soul. Your amazing scenery, glorious flowers, fun crafting and decorating, and cozy kitchen yummy. All the things I love so much too. 😊
    I'm so happy you were able to finally have a wonderful reunion with the kids and grandkids and a lovely Mother's Day! It's beginning to feel more normal around here again too and it's been so wonderful. That fairy cottage pot is so adorable and would be something I would snatch up in a minute if I found it. Lol And I love the talk about rambling man now in chapter 2. You guys are so adorable. 😍 And how awesome he's so handy to get projects done around the place. I miss that here. And might I just comment on your blondeness - you hot Mama you! Welcome to the brunette turning more blonde club. Trust me it is more fun. 😉 Lol Plus it blends with the gray much better. haha! 😆
    Blessings to you all. xoxo

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  2. Hello Karen. So glad you got some rain! That is always needed here in California. The plant ladder is so charming, and your husband picked out a nice selection of plants. Those pink cupcakes look Yummy. You are such a good baker. This is a sweet and dear picture of you and your grandson. You look radiant, and you have a warm smile. Love that picture of Kai in the field of forget-me-nots. A blog friend once sent me a packet of forget-me-nots, but didn't plant them, as I've moved so much. Your cottage pot is the cutest thing, and the flowered crocheted dish cloth is so pretty. Oh my, that tree frog must have been a surprise to see. Sometimes I hear the sound of a frog in the middle of the night, but I've yet to see one in my yard. The coral begonia is beautiful, and the color is cheerful to see every day. Your broccoli cheese soup and Irish bread always makes my mouth water haha. It sounds like you are having good May days. And it's so nice that you are having special moments with your family and grandchildren. Remain in your lovely ways, Karen. It's so inspiring to come visit with you and see what's happening in your life. : )

    ~Sheri

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  3. ps.....thank you for the gift of the rainbow today on your blog.

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  4. Greetings Karen, love all the pictures and lovely rainbow.

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  5. Glad you all had a lovely time celebrating Mother'a day. your hubby sure is keeping busy now that he is retired, I keep wondering how it will be when my hubby retires, he still has 8 years to go so it will be awhile till we find out :)
    I always love all your beautiful flowers, and how cozy your deck is. Wow that snake and bird scene must have been very hard to see, but like you said that is nature.
    Hope you all enjoy a lovely summer :)

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  6. What a lovely post full of beautiful things! I'm so pleased to hear you've had your vaccinations and can enjoy meeting up with all the family again, children change so quickly at their age, it's a shame to miss out. It looks so pretty everywhere despite the strange weather this year. I loved hearing from Anne of Green Gables, a great favourite of mine. x

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  7. oh the rainbows are so beautiful!! i think mantels are always a work in progress, changing for each holiday!! your grandson is adorable, i thought he was a doll...the food looks amazing!!

    my husband is retired, or so he says. we do own a lot of income property and have a lot of tenants. so retired, not really.

    the birds and flowers are always so welcome, i really adore yellow flowers!!

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  8. Oh, Karen, I always think of you sitting on the top of a big mountain! And it is so beautiful. I can just feel the cool air and the sweet smells through your photos. Kai looks so sweet in the Forget-Me-Nots. I'm glad you got the time with your family finally. We are going to have some this weekend with ours and it will be wonderful..Love the ladder your hubby made for you. What a great idea. Have a wonderful Memorial Day and keep enjoying all your critters around you..xxoJudy

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  9. Hello dear Karen, it was lovely to hear from you. Unfortunately your new posts still don't show in my blog list and I don't know how to fix it.
    Once more you have given and received wonderful gifts and we readers thank you for sharing them with us.
    I like to read the expression "family, God and country". It reminds me of our "koti, uskonto, isänmaa" (home, faith, patria). :)
    It's good to hear you have received the vaccine. Let's hope many people will be vaccinated and the vaccines work.
    Blessings and hugs!

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    Replies
    1. Hello sweet Sara, Thank you for stopping by! xx My blog feed was interrupted a while back when we lost our internet up here in the wilderness for almost a month due to road work! I would suggest that you unfollow me and then re-follow to reconnect the feed. So sorry about that. I have tried to find information to fix this problem but that is all I can come up with. Let me know if that works! xx Karen

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  10. What lovely rainbows in your first three photographs.
    I do like your plant ladder and you have some lovely looking plants and flowers, all such nice photographs on your post.

    Love the sound of Broccoli-cheese soup, two flavours that go so well together.

    Enjoy these last days of May.
    My good wishes.

    All the best Jan

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  11. Karen, your little world is brimming with beauty, sunshine, flowers and love. Your Mother's Day sounds wonderful, and even though you were blessed with lovely gifts, I should think the loveliest gift of all was to be able to celebrate with all your family and being able to hug each beautiful one of them. Such bliss. How gorgeous you look holding your sweet grandson. It has been a delight to read the beauty of your idyllic little world, lovely Karen.

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  12. Hello.
    That white dog looks similar to my dog (German Spitz).

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  13. Hello Karen,
    It is so nice to see an update from you and I appreciate you linking up your post. The rainbows are gorgeous. I just love your plant ladder, what a great idea. Your flowers and plants are all beautiful. I always enjoy seeing your yard birds and your sweet Kai! The frog is adorable. It is wonderful you and your family could get together for Mother's Day, the food looks and sounds delicious. Beautiful photo of you and your grandson, he is adorable. You and your hubby sound happy in your beautiful home. Thank you again for linking up your post. Take care, have a great day and a happy new week! PS, thank you for the comment on my blog.

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  14. Love the rainbows you captured, they are gorgeous. Broccoli-cheese soup sounds real good. Your fowers are so pretty to see. Thanks for your visit and comment. Enjoy the day!

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  15. ...a day with a rainbow is a special day.

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  16. I enjoyed all your pictures and all the happy things in your life, sweet Karen! The rainbows are gorgeous! So wonderful to be with your family again, and spend time with all those littles! Your husband is a very handy man, I just love the plant ladder! The weather has certainly been strange this year, here too. I hope you are having a blessed and very special Memorial Day weekend!

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  17. I see a beautiful double rainbow. Your planters make lovely vertical garden, looking like stairs. I love the cottage pot. Your Mr is a very handy man. Yummy bread. Beautiful golden light on the foothill.

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  18. Karen, thank you for telling me that your father-in-law and sister-in-laws were in the Marines also, as well as your Father being in the Army. It was kind of confusing for me, so I had to read up on all the branches before I did the post. When us siblings were going through some of our parents things, I thought the ring was something that my son could have always from his Grandfather. About that picture of my Mom.....Jess looks like my Mom like no other grandchild. Their Baptism pictures are almost identical. I hope you have good June days Karen. Can't believe it's June already. : )

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  19. It looks like you had a nice month of May Karen. I am glad you and Rambling Man are enjoying time together. Your flowers are just beautiful. I hope you enjoy the start of the summer.

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  20. Your new grandbaby is so precious...looks like a doll baby! I love that ladder plant stand and all your pretty flowers! Happy June!

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  21. The lovely quotes from Anne -- at the beginning and end of your post -- were just perfect. Lovely to meet some of your family (the baby is perfect) and how nice that you were all able to get together to celebrate Mother's Day. So glad we are back to normal (or at least nearly normal, which is actually pretty normal for me ;>). The plant ladder is wonderful and I am sure your daughters all loved the planter boxes. What a sweet and talented husband !

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  22. What an enjoyable 'visit!' So many interesting things to share: gardening/nature; sewing and crafting; creating meals. Being 'at home' is never dull.

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  23. Hi Karen! It was a lovely visit to your blog this morning. You look beautiful holding your baby grandson! Your flowers, pets, family, sewing, crocheting, keep you very busy. Enjoy your time with your Ramblin’ Man!

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  24. Such a nice way to spend Mother's Day. Your home looks lovely and inviting, as always, and the early garden looks so pretty as well. I'm behind with my blog reading so I'm hoping that the weather is warmer at your end and the garden further along. Here it is quite hot already, and we never get an summer rain so we're enjoying every bit of green while it lasts.
    Amalia
    xo

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  25. heartfelt happy birthday to you dear Karen !

    your sharing is so captivating always :) i enjoyed each glimpse and each word you shared ,all gifts from your precious family are lovely ,your grandson is so adorable in sleep :)
    yes i too believe that each hobby we love and choose to express ourselves mend our soul .your hands are beautiful to to create such pretty things :) i loved them all .
    plant ladder by your ramblin man is my favorite too ,i always think gifting plants instead of bouquet .the plant holder he made for you are also lovely !
    you both make a perfect and beautiful couple ! sharing sense of humor is also a gift to keep things light :)
    i felt for bird victim to snake ,being from village makes me familiar to such incidents though .Nature has it's own ways and rule and man has no control over them i agree .
    thank you for sharing your inner shine through your outside world ! i wish more and more people in this world can share this light with you !
    blessings to you and loved ones !

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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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