BK Visit

July Lilies

 PJ gave me this  pin cup with the sweet little turtle. So cute!

The lilies have been very happy with all the rain this year. 

Vertical parallel designs are my favorite. . . here with another lily and cone flowers.

Garden cascade.  

Now where's that bulb catalog??

June Report

 My mama had a big birthday last month and we went to the peony garden to celebrate!

 Flowers from mama's back yard.

PJ's awesome white velvet cake.  And Joy.  She had to settle for dog food instead of cake :/

May Garden

Happy Mother's Day

Spring at The Farm

 This weekend is The Farm's Spring Open House!  Love these pictures of my mama's work.  

She says The Farm is the best venue ever.  I agree :)

Daffs

 I always call it warp speed this time of year.  Every day it's greener and taller and more beautiful.  

Mark's mowing is always makes it look even better.  This was taken yesterday. 

 And this vase was made this morning.  There's been a daffodil explosion!

Sister Vase

Sweet little bunny vase from PJ.  I'm guessing she found  it when she was with Lori that year they went to the Cincinnati flower show.  I've never been to that one.  Maybe we can all go together some year? 

Easter

Betsy & Kyle, on Easter morning:)

We weren't with them today, but facebook kept us updated. . . 

 Beautiful day, a little chilly but sunny and just right for Easter.  

 Mark has the garden worked up and all ready for us.  We put the peas in today.

V is always talking about her mom's coconut cream pie, so I thought I'd take a stab at it.  It turned out pretty!  Easter makes me remember good times when we were growing up.  Mama made sure we had new clothes for church and an easter basket and grandma would make the best dinners.  I think grandma  might have laughed at my spiralized sweet potatoes and at the canned green beans from the grocery. 

Hope your Easter was happy too!

Thank You Amy!

I love tulips in the vase all the way down to falling off the stems.  These were from my friend and mentor Amy. 

I have pea seeds soaking to plant tomorrow.  And it's time to get some pansies :)

Book Report

Did I tell you that I forgot to take my Kindle to Tucson?  I put it in the car with my purse on the way to the airport at 4:30 am.  We parked.  We checked our bags.  I went through the joys of a personal pat-down with airport security.  Uh, oh. . .  My Kindle is still in the car!  So close and yet so far.  No way was I going through security again.  Mark offered, but I didn't want him to go through it either.  Even though he gets to breeze through the metal detector without searches.  Anyway, I still got to read a good book.

Orphan Train by Cristina Baker Kline.  I'm thankful there are still real live books made of paper that feel so good in hand and for bookstores at the airports.  Loved this survival story of two women both left as orphans and how they connected with each other. 

Tucson Botanical Gardens

 Even though it's February, gardeners in Tucson are already planting their container gardens.  The weather was perfect in the upper 70s low 80s.  Thank you to Mrs. Porter who started a beautiful back yard garden that evolved into the Tucson Botanical Garden.  I loved all the benches, so many that were in memory of gardeners.

The iris were blooming and there were lots of violets.  It's always so surprising  to see such familiar plants in far-away  locations that are so different from our own.    I love irises and theirs looked so happy.  Some were blooming already!  I suppose they have the best of both worlds in this garden--irrigation to quench their thirst but also the dry conditions of the desert so they don't rot.  Not one damaged corm in the bunch.  Was that because iris borers don't like the desert?  Or because the caretakers take such good care?  And the violets--well, I have a love-hate relationship with them.  They always look so much prettier in someone else's garden :)

We Went to A Big Party

 We went to a big party in Tuscon with Isaac, sponsored by the American Gem Trade Association.

 This is the piece that created all the buzz, including winning Honorable Mention in the Objects of Art Category.  Mark and I think that it should have won the whole show, but we might be prejudiced. 

 And this is Isaac with Adam Ramseyer, the artist who created the spaceship.  These two were on top of the world that night.  It was great to see Isaac so happy and to meet Adam and his mom.

You can see more of Adam's work at Ramstar Designs.

And more winning designs recognized at the show are  here.

Hello 2015

 Well, no it's not quite 2015 yet.  But almost. You've seen this little crocheted Christmas tree many times here.   I don't do a lot of decorating at home anymore now that we've been traveling to be with Bets &  Kyle and their parents for the big day.  But this little tree, made by Larry Greene's mom a long time ago, makes me smile every year.  Poor little squished angel!  Actually the whole thing is in really good shape for its many years of wear.

And now for some rescued-from-the-grocery-store-tulips, how-many-seed-catalogs-came-in-the-mail-today and every-day-a-minute-or-two-more sunlight . . .

Merry Christmas 2014

Christmas 2014

Grandma Peggy sent the kids a nice Christmas box which included this sweet ornament and a silver snowman.  And homemade jam.  They got summer in their Christmas box!

 Rachel has decorated the kids' rooms so cute.  They each had a white tree.  

And even though there's no Christmas in this batman scene from Kyle's room, I couldn't leave it out.  Another beautiful Christmas with Judson & Rachel and BK.  Love love in Madisonville.