I did it!!!!!

I made myself a greenhouse (in this picture the side is raised for planting)! Yesterday I planted several more things in it :-).

Also my peas are up!

Visual Delight at Salem Wednesday Market

If you make a trip to down town Salem on Wednesdays, you cannot resist the outdoor market. The flowers are stunning, grown and arranged by the vendors.

The home grown vegetables are beautiful! One day I'm going to try some of this fennel.

I bought a dozen farm eggs. Aren't they gorgeous?


















I liked this colorful fruit display. I got the email of the vendor and sent her pictures because she did not have any!

Clack and Kerchunk!

Anne and I drove from the lilac garden to Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge just a few miles away. I keep taking pictures of herons! There are probably a gazillion of them since I started this blog a few years ago!






I caught this Red-winged Black Bird in the middle of his song.
"Clack and Kerchunk!" That's what this Bittern sounded like while doing his mating call. Actually he sounded like a huge bullfrog after making clacking sounds with his beak. This is one camouflaged bird!!!!

Grandma's Lilacs

Another visit to the Hulda Klager Lilac Garden in Washington with my daughter Anne brought back memories of my Grandma Pearl. Grandma loved the color lavender and she loved lilacs! However, this delicate pink variety is my very favorite.











We had huge camellia bushes when I was growing up. I could not resist this picture.


At the garden there are a large variety of lilacs in many different shades.















Hulda Klager's home is now a museum and it is a delight to go through!

There's No Place Like Home

Bill and I visited my mom the day before Mother's Day. My sister and I made a big dinner and spent the evening with my brothers and their wives as well. It was so nice to see everyone and to enjoy their company. These roasted chickens (stuffed with lemons and herbs) were a pretty big hit!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Everywhere I look there is something to enjoy and something to be grateful for!

A Day in the Gorge

I went with my husband to work one day when he drove up the Columbia Rive Gorge to one of his work sites. It rained the whole time he was in the Dalles, so I spent my time in antique stores and driving around the dam. After he was finished we were able to take our time going home, so we took the old scenic highway. It really was a visual delight as there were several falls and many wildflowers in bloom!






The blossoms on the Oregon Grape (state flower) were prolific.

































We saw beautiful apricot orchards.
"Popcorn popping on the apricot trees..."











Horesetail Falls
Wahkeena Falls (the lower part...the falls are very tall and difficult to photograph)
























































We saw some beautiful light in the gorge.






























Then the rains hit us! How lucky were we to enjoy our afternoon in the sun?
But even Oregon rain has a beauty of its own :-).