On the Beach at Pacific Beach

No words are necessary.  The beauty of the beach speaks to the soul.

 

 

 

 

 

Clematis on the Beach

There are not a lot of plants and flowers that can survive the harsh Pacific Ocean beachfront conditions, but clematis seems to thrive there.  I saw the most beautiful clematis winding their way around fence posts, pergolas and arbors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exploring Seabrook

It's fun to hop on the Beach Cruiser bicycle while at Seabrook and drive through the streets, narrow alleys and lanes to see what's going on in this great beach town.  I put quite a few miles on the bike in the three days we were there last week.

I loved the name of the street that Wildflower Cottage was situated on--"Nap Lane"!

Sandpiper Beach Resort

On our way to Ocean Shores from Seabrook, we pass the Sandpiper Beach Resort, where we stayed for many years before Seabrook was built.  It's an aging and run-down resort now, but it has one of the best beach accesses in the area.  We like to stop by, take a few pictures, and visit the gift shop.

Here's one of my favorite views with a favorite old Adirondack chair that I've sat in for hours over the years, enjoying the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

Seabrook

Seabrook looked inviting in the spring, and we enjoyed seeing the new construction in the town, and the new promenade that is being built on the promontory overlooking the water.  Seabrook is our home away from home.

 

 

 

 

Wildflower Cottage at Seabrook

We finally made it to Seabrook!  It's been three months since we've been there, and it's so much fun to go during the work week now that I am no longer working.

We found a new cottage to stay in this time called "Wildflower Cottage".  It's a beautiful little place, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.  It was beautifully decorated, and very colorful and soothing.  It had a nice front porch with Adirondack chairs on it, and fairy lights adorning the porch.

The weather was perfect all three days, and we thoroughly enjoyed the house and its amenities.

 

 

Voss Acres Produce Stand in Copalis Crossing

On our way to Seabrook, we always stop at Voss Acres, a great produce stand that carries everything from fruit and nuts to healthy snacks and plants and flowers.  It's always so much fun to chat with the owners, and hear about their adventures.

The owners recently bought an old store on the way to Ocean Shores, and later in the year, they will open a small grocery store with a produce stand attached.  Since the Voss' are experts at renovating old spaces, I'm looking forward to see what they do with the new property.  They plan to restore it to its original 'look' from the 1940's.

Here's their current produce stand at Copalis this spring--they keep improving the buildings and land, and it's an interesting place to buy produce and learn about the history of North Beach.

 

 

Fleur d' Lawn

There is a lot of the 'Fleur de Lawn" grass planted along the highways in both Oregon and Washington.  Oregon State University developed this grass mix several years ago, and it is a mixture of grass seed, clover and daisies.  Rather than needing constant mowing, the mixture of the three components nurture each other, and this ground cover rarely needs mowing.

It makes a lovely alternative to grass and turf.

 

 

 

 

 

Flower World In Maltby

On a sunny day last week, I took my digital camera and took some shots of Flower World for my photography class.  It was a beautiful sunny day, and there were a lot of geese and chickens on the property.

There is so much to see at Flower World, and it is very easy to spend hours there, planning and dreaming of future gardens to come.

 

 

 

 

Cherry Blossom Time

Neighbors Roger and Jackie have the most beautiful flowering cherry tree I have ever seen.  It's about 50 years old.

Here is the 'carpet' of pink blossoms that covers the lawn each year at this time. It turns the front yard into a magical place!

Beautiful Rhododendrons

The rhodies have been unusually beautiful this year, with bright colors, larger blooms, and good weather to display themselves.

Here is one of my neighbor's rhodies, which is tree-sized.  The last picture is of the rhodie under my front window that got cut back drastically last year.  It looks elegant.

 

 

 

 

Mother's Day Roses

My husband sent me these lovely red roses and carnations for Mother's Day this year. I loved his thoughtfulness, and we reminisced about all of the years we've spent together raising our two sons.

 

 

The Vegetable Garden for 2014

Here are some views of the vegetable garden this year.  I have so many interesting peas, beans and cucumbers this year that are new to me.  I'm hoping these heirlooms do well in my Maltby garden.

 

 

 

 

The New Shade Garden is Finished!

Last week, we finally got the 9 new hostas planted, along with a border of white petunias.  Our new shade garden should grow quickly during the summer months, and the hostas will get larger each successive year.

This shade garden turned a little-used and very unattractive corner of the back yard into a beautiful spot that is visible from the deck and all parts of the back yard.

Lunch in Snohomish

Last Wednesday, I spent the morning in downtown Snohomish, visiting some of my favorite shops and taking digital pictures for my photography class later that evening.  The weather was perfect, warm and sunny, and I got there early enough to get the best of the morning light before the bright light of noon.  I had lunch at the old Mardini's building, which now houses the Snohomish Bakey.  Great food!

I arrived home with a lovely new braided rug and an afghan for the living room, lots of exercise and fresh air, and some good digital photos for class.

 

 

 

Mother's Day Dinner at Duke's in Seattle (Green Lake)

We picked up Mom this afternoon and met son Dave and granddaughter Kaila at Duke's at Green Lake. It was sunny and warm in Seattle, and we enjoyed the view of Green Lake and the lovely neighborhood.

We all had our favorite menu items (crab cakes, salmon with goat cheese and blueberries, chowder, halibut sandwich), and got caught up on everyone's week and future plans for summer. 

After we got home, we took Polly to the park to walk off our dinner, and to give her some fun after waiting for us at home all afternoon.

 

 

 

 

Progress on the Shade Garden

Friday, I tentatively laid out the plants in the plan I sketched out for the shade garden in the back yard.  The birdbath is in the center, a hanging fuschia basket is on the fence behind the hostas, and a border of annuals will surround everything once the hostas are in the ground.  Note the lovely pink cherry blossoms dusted over the yard and garden. 

A Gift from Flower World

Before I left my job last month, I was given a very generous gift certificate for Flower World.  I was saving it to buy the plants for my new shade garden in the back yard.

Yesterday, I got into the truck and drove down the street to Flower World, gift certificate in hand.  There's nothing more exciting than a good plan and the means with which to carry it out!  Thank you, Liana and Dionna!

Here are the six hostas (four different varieties) that will make up the bulk of the new shade garden.  Annuals (impatiens and periwinkles) will provide a border once the hostas are in the ground.

 

 

History of the Azalea

Originally placed in a genus of their own, azaleas are now considered to be a form of rhododendron. Azaleas can be divided into deciduous and evergreen types, and are mostly native to hilly areas with damp acidic soil. Their brilliant flower colors have made them a sought-after shrub for centuries.

Azaleas are members of the heath (Ericaceae) family, an ancient group of plants dating to 70 million years ago. They are related to rhododendrons and blueberries. Most azaleas we are familiar with today are descended from Asian shrubs, and were originally cultivated by monks of the Buddhist monasteries. When seeds of the Rhododendron luteum were sent to England from the shores of the Black Sea, it became parent to many azalea hybrids.

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There are three medium-sized azaleas in the front yard on the west side of the house.  They are unusually colorful this year, and the purple color can be seen blocks away.  I'll have to prune them back a little once they are finished blooming, and it will encourage growth upward rather than outward, crowding their neighbors.

This particular azalea was a gift from a friend of my mother, who bought it for us as a housewarming gift 13 years ago.  I love the stories and histories around most of the plants, shrubs and trees in my lovely yard.  It really does take a village...

List of Heirloom Vegetables Planted in 2014

This year, I ordered my heirloom vegetable seeds from both Baker Creek Seed Company in Missouri, and Turtle Tree Seed Company in New York.  Here's a bit of info about Turtle Tree.

We are a small non-profit seed company that sells 100% open-pollinated vegetable, herb and flower seeds. They are all grown using biodynamic and organic practices both in our seed garden and by other farmers and gardeners who use biodynamic methods. All our seed is non-GMO, non-hybrid, never treated, and grown without the use of chemical inputs. We are part of a Camphill Village in Copake, NY, a life-sharing community which includes people with developmental disabilities. People of all abilities help with growing, cleaning and packing our seeds. Another aspect of our mission is encouraging and educating people who want to grow and save open-pollinated vegetable, herb and flower seeds.
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Here is the list of vegetables to be found in my Maltby garden.

• Tomato plants are heirloom varieties "Mortgage Lifter" and "Bonnie Original"
• Tomato seeds from Baker Creek are Black Cherry Tomato and Myona Tomato
• Sunflower seeds-  "Solar Flare"
• Aunt Ada's Italian Pole Beans
• Schweizer Riesen (Swiss Giant) Snow Peas
• Sugar Pea--Dwarf Grey
• Snow Pea--Oregon Sugar Pod II
• One William Shakespeare Rose in amongst the vegetables
• Long Bean Chinese Green Noodle (grows up to 20 inches long)
• Carrot--Danvers 126 Half Long
• Amarillo Carrot
• Crystal Apple Cucumber
• Jaune Dickfleischige Cucumber
• Boothby Blonde Cucumber

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum)

Few gardens should be without the easy charm of snapdragons. They get their name from the fact that you can gently squeeze the sides of the intricately shaped flower and see the jaws of a dragon head snap closed. The blooms come in gorgeous colors, including some with beautiful color variations on each flower. Plus, snapdragons are an outstanding cut flower.

 

Snapdragons are especially useful because they're a cool-season annual, coming into their own in early spring when the warm-season annuals, such as marigolds and impatiens, are just being planted. They're also great for fall color. Snapdragons got their name due to the shape "like a nose" that resembles a dragon's head. 

 

Here's a lovely example of a flame orange snapdragon on the picnic table in the pasture.  I'm looking for a place to plant this over the weekend.

 

 

The Two Most Beautiful Words in the English Language

Henry James declared that the two most beautiful words in the English language are the words "summer afternoon".  I have to agree.

The Yard at Evening

After a full day of work in the yard and garden, I took a few moments to enjoy these lovely views in the yard, and spend a while on the glider in my favorite corner of the back yard.

 

 

 

 

Time for Rhododendrons!

Every rhododendron in the neighborhood is in full bloom this week.  There are at several dozen varieties showing their beauty, and I have at least seven varieties on our property.  Our neighbors behind us have four acres that have the largest and most beautiful rhodies that I've ever seen.

Here are some examples of what we see this time of year in Maltby.