On Friday May 26th we made a dump run and then enjoyed some breakfast out.
The views above are from the roads we take to the dump.
After dropping the truck off and switching to our car we enjoyed another drive in the opposite direction. It was fun to spot these ducklings with their parents on the road to Rocky Lake.
Home again enjoying the lush green of Spring.
Happy Tuesday everyone! We are busy with company today. We might even be chopping down our huge dead tree. Have a good week.
We are in the greening time of the year which also means it is mowing season.
Our red peonies are bursting forth and we’ll have many bouquets to enjoy.
I was sad to see one of our 90 foot trees is dying. You can see the one that looks brown. That tree will be coming down soon.
The buds on our White Peony. I really need to divide this plant up.
Our deep red peonies. We have 5 bushes of these.
Irises grow well here and grow wild and multiply!
We are ready for Memorial Day, Flag Day, The Fourth of July and more!
On Sunday we had some severe thunderstorms with gusts of wind, downpours of rain and hail, too. The noise of thunder and the flashes of lightning kept me awake from 2am on. We had some minor damage but nothing serious. We have never had storms this intense. Exciting to watch. They predict more excitement into Monday. The bonus is that I do not have to water for a few days. I had to mow twice last week things are growing so quickly. All of these photos were taken last Thursday and Saturday.
Happy Victoria Day to our neighbors North of us, O Canada!
…and our blooms are slower to open up this Spring. Compared to last year our Peonies, Clematis, Irises, and Columbine are all a bit behind in opening up in their glory.
We have 2 large bushes of this variety of Peony and 3 smaller ones. When they bloom I try to bring bouquets in and give away some, too. I was able to take a nice bouquet to a surprise birthday party we went to on Sunday afternoon during a dry spell with sun, some blue sky and lovely fluffy clouds. When we got home from the party the skies opened up with an amazing downpour with lightning and thunder and hail, oh my.
One of the many Iris bulbs opened up on Saturday. Several more to come.
Our weekend was filled with mostly rain with a few dry spells. During the dry spells I pulled as many weeds as my back and arms would permit. When the soil is wet with rain the weeds pull up easier. I figure 20 more hours of weeding and I’ll be ahead. I smile and sigh at the same time.
Even though we are getting a lot of rain and cooler temperatures this Spring we go with the flow and hope that this accumulation of moisture will help lower the risk of wildfires this summer.
How goes it in your corner of the world?
We have one Iris bush and it’s always a treat when it blooms. When the plant is spent this year we will try our hand at digging it up and putting it in another spot where it will be enjoyed more. Right now it’s position is between our garage and new shop. We also have 4 Peonies to move.
Wednesday I finished up JJ’s 1st year Memory book and then went out to mow the front and back. When we were done with our outdoor work we decided on enjoying a meal out at Backyard Barbecue in Kettle Falls. They opened up to indoor seating today and wanted to support them during this hard time. The food was delicious.
Thank you dear blogging friends and others who check in and wonder how we are all doing during this time. You remain a good normal constant in our lives right now when the world seems to be turning upside down. Keep shining God’s light in these dark times. God is still in control and that’s not to say things will be easy on us but we will make it through.
When Dear and I arrived in Southern California and drove north to Oxnard from the Long Beach airport I took this photo of the Getty museum on the hill close to the Wilshire area of West Los Angeles. Little did I know I would enjoy the museum with our oldest kids, my sister, sister in law and grand niece.
On Tuesday night Josh and Laura asked if I wanted to go along with them to the Getty on Wednesday. My sister Vera had taken the day off so it worked out for all four of us to travel north from Orange County together.
My sister in law, Kelly, nannies her granddaughter Ellie and they joined us at the museum.
As one of my facebook friends said, Josh and Laura make the Getty look good.
Ellie really took to her cousin once removed.
I really enjoyed this painting so I took some close-ups of the bottom and top of the painting.
This painting will be familiar to many. Irises by Vincent van Gogh.
Josh and Ellie enjoying more masterpieces.
One of a few Monet’s at the museum.
Supreme carving skills in this portrait were amazing.
There is so much to enjoy at The Getty so I would encourage multiple trips. Here are links to my other trips to The Getty.
We enjoyed a meal at a cafe on the grounds with so many great choices. Entrance to the museum is free and you only have to pay to park. J. Paul Getty (1892-1976), was an art collector and businessman who used his fortune to create an institution dedicated to the diffusion of cultural knowledge.
A time to reflect on the past week and consider your favorites. Please visit Susanne at Living to Tell the Story who is our hostess for Friday’s Fave Five.
1. We had a family taco night last Friday to celebrate my nephew Caleb visiting from California.
2. On Sunday before church Dear painted our guest room. He gets up real early. Then after church we re-decorated the room and we are thoroughly enjoying it! This is also the room where my computer lives most of the time. One of the great things about the changes in the room is the fact that the desk with my computer on it faces a window now and I get to see birds on the bushes outside the window.
3. These Irises have made me smile all week and they only cost $3.99.
4. Seeing the first ducklings of the season in our neighborhood. This mama duck and her little ones were crossing the street.
5. Last but not least, being a part of the Mennonite Girls Can Cook Blog. I’m enjoying getting to know my Canadian friends more and more. Head over to the blog on Friday and see the ingredients I put together for my Mexican Rice Bowl…
Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 