Tag Archives: Daffodils

Early Spring at Our Country Bungalow

We are seeing more green around our country bungalow and the first pop of color are the Daffodils and the sweet Johnny Jump Ups.

I brought a bouquet in for the table and will be bringing in a second bouquet today for our weekend festivities.

On this past Tuesday we had our 2024 inaugural walk on the Rotary Trail. Speaking of inaugural, I mowed our acreage on Tuesday, also. This was an early start to mowing.

From a distance we thought this was a real heron but when I zoomed in it looks more like a statue.

There were lots of real birds chirping and singing as we walked.

This eagle was soaring.

This trail loop walk takes us just under an hour to complete.

Our glass fishing float was reflecting the clouds this past week and I zoomed in for a photo.

“This glass fishing float is one of the historical, handblown floats used for nautical buoyancy and fishing gear.”

We also have a basket full of smaller floats. This next photo of the floats was taken in the summer with our pest ‘Alvin’.

We have two car loads arriving at our Country Bungalow for the weekend and another Colville carload here for the late afternoon and evening. Today is Andrew’s birthday and we will celebrate him. Tomorrow we will celebrate JJ’s 5th birthday with a bowling party. His actual birthday is in the middle of this coming week. Tomorrow evening and Sunday afternoon Addy has a dance recital with her Irish dancing group. Fun times are afoot! I will be scarce here but busy in the kitchen and elsewhere.

Here’s todays birthday boy!

Have a great weekend everyone!

An Old Mind Hodgepodge

Our daffodils have finally pushed out some blooms! I love it when this happens.

It’s that time again…Wednesday Hodgepodge. Thank you to Joyce From This Side of the Pond!

1. What’s a talent you wish you had? 

Retention! I wish my brain retained things I read and hear more easily. Is that a talent?

2. In one word, what’s your state of mind right now? 
Recuperation.

3. What’s the next major purchase you need to make? Will it happen this month? This year?

Getting our septic system pumped. It will happen this year.

4. Tuesday (April 2nd) was National PB and J Day…did you celebrate? Is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich something you eat weekly or more? What’s your favorite kind of jelly? 

No PBJ celebrations here. I do not eat it weekly. I eat it when I crave it. Lately I like PB on a toasted muffin with honey. Raspberry jam and strawberry jam are my favorites.

5. Are you easily intimidated? Who or what intimidates you? 

Generally no, I’m not easily intimidated. The thing that does intimidate me is having to speak in front of a crowd larger than 10 people.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We had to leave early on Monday of this week for a follow-up appointment for Greg in Spokane. It was a beautiful day. After the appointment we parked close to this amazing building thinking about having lunch at a nearby restaurant. We were frustrated since all the parking meters now want you to scan something to pay using your phone/app. Oye…I’m old. We just decided to drive away and go somewhere with a parking lot.

Here’s a little info on Spokane’s Castle Courthouse.

“You might not expect to come upon a castle while visiting Spokane, but that is exactly what you will do if you visit the Spokane County courthouse. Most of us associate such architecture with romantic old castles in Europe, or perhaps something out of the world of Walt Disney or fairy tales. To find such a building in the center of a modern, growing regional hub city such as Spokane is a bit startling. How did this come about? You’d expect such a building must have a colorful past, and our courthouse does not disappoint!”

Next time we are close to this building I want to walk around it and also go inside of it.

More info about this Spokane County courthouse Castle can be found here.

Happy April everyone!

Early and Excited!

~Daffodowndilly” by A.A. Milne.
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour:
“Winter is dead.”
I’m just a little early to welcome Spring but it is one of my favorite seasons. The other favorite is Autumn. I’m hoping to find some daffodils while we are on a little overnight or two in our neighboring state. These daffodil photos are from March of 2016. We sisters got together for a couple days of adventuring around La Conner for a nice meal and the Mount Vernon (Skagit Valley) area to enjoy the fields of daffodils. This area would soon (April) be filled with tulips!

I keep harping on my sisters that it is time for another sister weekend. Maybe in Dallas or Arizona??

This week is to be one full week of celebrating the oldest and one of the youngest in our family. Addy will turn 7 this week! All our kids will be arriving the end of the week for a extended weekend of fun. Greg and I are enjoying the first couple of days in Coeur d Alene, Idaho. A lovely destination where we can enjoy nice walks along the lake and also enjoy a variety of restaurants for some good food.

I will be hit and miss online for the next few days.

Are you excited for Spring?

No Winter Lasts Forever…

…No spring fails to appear.

Our last door wreath had seen better days so we picked this one on our last trip to HomeGoods in Spokane.

Last Thursday, Friday and Saturday we were able to spend time outside clearing some dead growth in several of our planters. We got a very good start but aren’t finished, yet. It was encouraging to see signs of Spring growth in those planters.

Columbines

Daffodils

Rhubarb

 

I changed up my plate hanger with these dishes, Dreamtown Made in England by Johnson Brothers. I have 4 dinner plates. They were a thrift store find.

Soon I’ll be pulling out the Easter bin and changing things up again with lots of Spring accents.

Are you seeing signs of Spring in your corner of the world?

Hello May

Happy May Day!
“Come, my soul, put on your springtime clothes and gather garlands of heavenly thoughts.”
Spurgeon

Looking forward to our May flowers! Our last couple days of April brought temperatures into the 80’s!

Spring has brought some common visitors back to our yard.

These stay right where they are all year round in all kinds of weather.

Our daffodils came up and they are in their full glory.

Spring Rhubarb.

Soon we’ll be enjoying the Peonies.

For close to 5 years we have been half-satisfied with our internet service. Where we live Satellite service has been our best option. Our plan was expensive and doesn’t deliver for the cost in our opinion. Lately we have another choice for Satellite and we took the plunge and ordered Starlink. Dear is on the roof getting the space ready for the Satellite dish.

That dish moves and finds the optimum position in relation to the Satellites. Very cool. It lets us know if there are obstructions. It also will melt snow that might accumulate on it. Our other service had a data limit and this service does not. We are happy campers. It was expensive for the initial cost of equipment, etc., but the monthly fee is $50 dollars less than our previous provider. We are pleased. When we called to cancel our previous service they offered us more data and a $50 discount on our plan. Too little, too late.

Hope you can enjoy lots of pretty blooms in May and joy in your hearts!

The Day in Between

On this day in between we are preparing for our Joyful Resurrection Sunday service. “It is Finished”

It rained most of the day yesterday but it looks like we have the day off from rain today.

I’ve not been on my computer much as we are busy here at our Country Bungalow preparing not only for Easter Day but some other events this Spring.

Hope to be around soon to see how Spring is unfolding in your neck of the woods.

Spring is Moving Fast…

…and our Grands are growing fast! They are wondering how they are going to retrieve their ball that managed to leave their 20 acres and land in a neighboring property.

More fun events happening for them this Spring.

They have enjoyed some sunshine and pool time which is always a treat.

Lots of sunblock and time in sunhats.

JJ looks a bit miffed here. Maybe he didn’t like getting out of the water for the photo.

Time out of the heat at a very cool library.

I’m enjoying the seasons with these two and I’m glad I have photos and memories of the different stages of their growth.

And just like that we are at the last day of May. If I’m counting right we have 21 days until summer begins.

Friday Smiles

When we were in Spokane on Monday we picked up a couple bunches of daffodils at Trader Joe’s. We enjoyed them on our table on Tuesday night at an early St. Patrick’s day dinner. Photo fail again as I didn’t take a photo of the St. Patty’s Day table I set.

Daffodils are such a happy flower. They make me smile. Another thing that is making me smile is that the snow is melting and it’s such an easy walk to the garage now. Watching the birds is making us smile, too. Photos coming soon.

Speaking of smiling, today our kids are arriving for the weekend and we have a special 5 year old to celebrate so I will be scarce on the internet. Hope you all have a great weekend and you find something to make you smile.

Speaking of Yellow Hodgepodge

Sisters wknd 076

My sisters in a field of daffodils in Mount Vernon, Washington State. We enjoyed a sister weekend back in March of 2016. I think it’s high time we had another sister weekend!!

It’s Wednesday and that means it’s time for Wednesday Hodgepodge! Thank you Jo for the questions and the link-up!

1. It’s National Popcorn Day-my favorite! Are you a fan?

Yes

Sweet or salty?

Both. Give me some good Garrett Chicago Blend, cheddar and caramel!

A good or great movie you’ve seen recently (at home or in a theater, either one)? 

We haven’t watched many movies recently. I can’t remember the last time I was in a theater. We did watch ‘The Blind Side’ recently and it was good.

Some ‘great’ movies we’ve watched in the past: Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music, Lord of the Rings.

2. What’s something you didn’t realize was going to take so much of your time as an adult? 

Preparing all the things for the Tax man! We are now at a stage of life that this is not daunting anymore.

3. Your favorite yellow something? 

Daffodils, the flower that makes me smile because it heralds Spring!

4. Why do you write? 

I write to bring clarity to my jumbled thoughts. Things become clearer to me as I write. My thoughts can be so unorganized but when I write them out they make better sense. Writing out prayers is a good exercise for me.

5. Share a favorite memory associated with snow.

Christmas 2020 we had snow that was just right for building a snowman. Our whole family enjoyed creating Ami the Amish Snowman!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Happy Birthday to our firstborn son! He is God’s unique creation. He’s a great son, husband, brother, uncle, friend and boss. A great encourager who is giving, kind, dependable and hardworking.  We are so thankful to God that He gave you to us and that He saved you and continues to lead and guide you. We love you Joshie!

Daffodils from the Past

Back in 2010 Dear and I drove north from our former home in Kenmore Washington to see the daffodils. Neighboring fields will be full of tulips come April.

I didn’t find any daffodils in the stores yesterday. I did find a bunch of tulips but instead of bringing them home they found a different home.

We are off to grand sit. There will be lots of round and round today. Have a good Saturday.