Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens

Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens was founded by Ann and Max Meerkerk in the early 1960’s. Enchanted by Whidbey Island, they began these Gardens with 13 acres.

The Meerkerks began hybridizing rhododendrons and collecting unique specimens of rhododendrons, flowering trees and conifers. They planted the first five acres, known as the “Secret Garden” as a miniature arboretum.

Before Ann passed away in 1979, she bequeathed the Gardens to the Seattle Rhododendron Society to care for as a “peaceful woodland garden with an emphasis on rhododendrons and companion plants.”

Today Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens is an independent not-for-profit organization open to the public. Fifty three acres of inspirational woodland gardens and a forest preserve offer over 5 miles of trails to breathe in the serene beauty and nature here.

We were so fortunate to be on Whidbey Island during the gardens peek blooming season. The day after the wedding we enjoyed a drive up the island to this garden and to another garden center plus some antique shops and we had some good eats, too.

Whidbey Island is a lovely getaway island in the Great Northwest. I hope you all have a chance to visit! Happy May everyone!

The Mermaid and the Pirate

For my pictorial of the magical wedding of Lucy and Kris on Whidbey Island I will be using a couple quotes from a Love Story that Lucy’s friend Kj wrote for Lucy and Kris and read at the ceremony.

The Wedding Processional

Our son and daughter in law.

The bride’s youngest sister and a childhood friend of the groom

The brides younger sister with her husband and one of their 3 sons.

Oliver!

Oliver’s big brother Finn carrying the rings in the treasure chest.

These sweet little faeries are all cousins.

The enchanting mermaid makes her appearance!

“Magical things happen to all of us on our way through life without our noticing for a time they have happened. “Surely it has been there all along,” you think. “Surely I have always loved him.” “She has always been mine,” you tell yourself. And of course, being magic, it is all true, even when it is still only becoming so.”

“And so it was for the pirate and the mermaid who fell in love.”

My dear friend who is the Mother of the Bride.

Dear with one of the Uncles of the bride.

So pleased to be seated in Rivendell!

The walking buddies reunite…

It was a lovely wedding from beginning to end. The music was wonderful. The food was fresh and tasty. The venue was enchanting. God blessed the day with wonderful weather so the bride’s dream of a garden wedding came to pass.

My apologies to part of the wedding party that I failed to get photos of. This fancy purse that I carried threw me off my game. I’m not used to wearing and carrying such finery along with my huge camera! A conjured up excuse to be sure! But seriously when you bloggers go to lovely events like these do you get photography challenged?

Whidbey Island Getaway…

We had a long awaited event to attend on Whidbey Island on Saturday and we took advantage and spent the night on the Island.

We traveled back and forth to the Island with our car on a Washington State Ferry.

A very efficient way to travel to an island.

I’ll be sharing photos later on the magical wedding we attended and all the other beautiful things we enjoyed while away.

The Glory of the Spring How Sweet! ~ Hymn

The Glory of the Spring How Sweet!

The glory of the spring how sweet!
The new-born life how glad!
What joy the happy earth to greet
In new, bright raiment clad!

Divine Redeemer, Thee I bless;
I greet Thy going forth;
I love Thee in the loveliness
Of Thy renewèd earth.

But O these wonders of Thy grace,
These nobler works of Thine,
These marvels sweeter far to trace,
These new births more divine:

This new-born glow of faith so strong,
This bloom of love so fair,
This new-born ecstasy of song,
And fragrancy of prayer!

Creator Spirit, work in me
These wonders sweet of Thine;
Divine Redeemer, graciously
Renew this heart of mine.

Still let new life and strength upspring,
Still let new joy be given;
And grant the glad new song to ring
Through the new earth and Heaven.

Words: Thomas H. Gill, 1867.

Fresno Raisins

When we were in Fresno at the MCC sale I bought a baggie of raisins that a local farmer donated for the sale.

The raisins on the left are from a box that I bought at the grocery store. The raisins on the right are the ones I bought in Fresno.

Not only are they big but they are so tasty!

Today we are going to attend a wedding on Whidbey Island with many dear friends. Our son and daughter in law are in the wedding. We are looking forward to a joy filled celebration.

Timeless Favorites…

On Friday it’s time to look back and think about the good things in our lives. I’m joining in for Friday’s Fave Five with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

My Timeless favorites are all wrapped around Family, Food, Friends, Flowers and Fellowship!

Last Saturday Dear and I had to change our yard/house work plans because the roofers were still here. We headed to Snohomish to do some antique shopping eating a good breakfast on the way. On Sunday Josh and Laura came over and we barbecued a meal to have together and got caught up on our lives. The weather was beautiful in the Seattle area on Saturday and Sunday. It brought out the best in people!

On Wednesday a few of the girls from MGCC were on a tour of Seattle so I popped downtown and met them for the morning. Don’t be surprised with all the photos of the food I’ll be showing you that we indulged in. Warning: If you haven’t eaten you might want to step away and come back later. Food, fun and fellowship galore around the table!

Breakfast at the Edgewater Inn where the girls were staying. After breakfast they grabbed their umbrellas and I grabbed my rain coat and we headed to Pike Place Market.

First stop was the original Starbucks. We were already on coffee overload from our breakfast so we just stopped long enough for a photo.

Marg seemed to know someone at every stop we made. Before we headed into the Market proper we went downstairs so I could show them the famous gum wall below the market.

It was refreshing to see all the beautiful flowers in the main thoroughfare of the market after the ~~disgusting~~ interesting gum wall. Flowers at the market are one of the best things in my opinion. Because it’s April and tulip season in Washington the majority of the flowers were tulips.

The Market was easy to navigate because we did not have the summer or weekend crowds to contend with. This walkway in the market can be wall to wall people.

Marg and Judy

After the Market and before the girls had to be back at the bus to continue their tour we stopped a Macrina Bakery. We were just going to have some coffee and a pastry but in order to sit at a table we had to order lunch so…what’s a girl gonna do? We ordered a cup of soup which was delicious along with wonderful baked fresh bread.

Remember that pastry we were just going to have? Instead we ordered their pie of the day with lemon infused cream. We split it three ways cuz that’s what friends do to help each other…

We walked back to the hotel and the girls got their spots on the bus and I jumped into my car and headed home. On the way I got a little peek of the Space Needle that has returned to it’s original Galaxy Gold color in honor of the anniversary of the 1962 World’s Fair.

I hope to get a photo from a better angle before the World Fair Anniversary events are over. Hope you are focusing on good things to be thankful for this week, too. Blessings…

Little White Church

There’s a little white church in the valley
That stands in my memory each day
And it seems I can hear the bells now ringing
Though I am many miles away

And many times in church on Sunday morning
That whole countryside would gather there
They would all kneel down by the altar
As they lifted up their voice in prayer

Oh the church in the valley that little white church
Is the place I love so well
Now I’m sad and lonely yes I’m sad and lonely
For that little white church in the dell

They would sing the old song Rock of Ages
Oh Christ let me hide myself in thee
And I know some of them are now waiting
Just o’er the dark and stormy sea

I know that troubles all are ended
And happy forever they will be
They are waiting and watching up yonder
For the coming home of you and me

I’m linking up with Teacher Jenny for Alphabe-Thursday. We are on the Letter W.

Because You Asked…

Here’s what I bought while avoiding the noise at home from the roofers!

The lavender goblets and small green goblets were purchased at an Antique mall in Edmonds. I paid $40.00 for the lavender goblets and $7.50 for the little green ones. I paid more than I usually am willing to pay for goblets but I found that it’s not that easy to find this color out there.

The small green bowls and the purple dessert plates are from Crate and Barrel. The napkin rings are from my stash.

The dinner plates 4 of each kind were purchased at Goodwill.

These napkins are April Cornell and they were purchased at Goodwill.

These dessert plates were purchased at an Antique mall in Snohomish.

I was on a specific search to find lavender and green but I couldn’t pass up some other good buys…

As soon as my schedule permits I’ll be working on a table setting using my latest finds and mixing them with things I have on hand.

I’m linking up with Kathleen at Cuisine Kathleen for Let’s Dish. This event starts on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 P.M. (Eastern Time)

Apple Blossoms

Apple Blossoms are so lovely and are around for such a short time. They’ve really opened up this weekend and with the sun shining it was fun to snap away. We are having some warm sunny weather in the Seattle area. Everyone is out and about and there are smiles on faces everywhere. We barbecued on the weekend to add to the celebration of warmth and sunshine.

The roofers are still here and the whole job will probably be wrapped up on Thursday once the rain gutters are installed.

I’m debating about attending a book signing event close by to see the Pioneer Woman tonight. Time will tell if I’m up to fighting the crowds. How’s your week going?

Tulips!

The Skagit Tulip Festival

“The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is one of the destination events for the Pacific Northwest, held each year from April 1-30. Every spring hundreds of thousands of people come to enjoy the celebration of spring as millions of tulips burst into bloom. As with all things governed by Mother Nature, the tulips bloom according to their own schedule sometime during the festival. The tulips allow us to share our corner of the world and help us to showcase Skagit Valley agriculture.

Mary Brown Stewart started growing tulips in 1906 with bulbs from Holland, but tulips were “only a small part of the crop and the whole operation was of modest size” (Barrett). In 1926 her son Sam Stewart started the Tulip Grange Bulb Farm near LaConner. Marinus Lefeber, a friend of Sam Stewart, moved their Whatcom County operation down to a farm along Memorial Highway near Mount Vernon. The farm was in business until 2002. Other bulb growers joined them after 1945. By 1997, 700 acres were used for bulb farming, with a value of $42 million.”