Sprawled

Earlier this week I was enjoying the warmth of summer rocking away on my front porch when Abby said, "Mom, look at Lucy." She had her two front paws perched on a rock in the flower bed below me. My iPhone was by my side. I grabbed it and clicked.

 A simple moment that made me smile.

Dear Rachel (#10)

Dear Rachel,

Happy Birthday! I can't believe you will be a whole quarter century old tomorrow.

This is one of my most favorite pictures of you. I carried it around in my wallet for years. It was even taken on your birthday--the day you turned two. And, yes, you are still just as cute and just as sweet.

******************

Memorial Day weekend we made the traditional rounds at the cemeteries. Here is the extended family of your Great Grandma and Grandpa Carlson that gathered in Pleasant Grove on Sunday evening. In reality it is a very small percentage of their offspring, but it was so nice to reconnect with those who are local. Your dad missed the festivities because he was still helping out at church.

On Memorial Day we headed north to the Clearfield and Ben Lomond Cemeteries and were looking forward to dinner at Maddox. However, Maddox is closed on Mondays. Your dad was so disappointed he didn't get his chicken fried steak and coconut cream pie. (It seems to me we have made this mistake before. You'd think we would remember!)

We weren't far from Brigham City at that point so we drove by the site of the new Brigham City Temple.

******************

Remember the construction going on at BYU's southern end? Here is the latest view from your dad's office in the Benson Building.

******************

The honeysuckles in our yard are blooming just for you. They smell divine.

We're sad we can't be with you as you turn 25 (I sure hope your package arrives on time). Have a most wonderful day with David. We love you!!

Happy Birthday!

Mom

Spring's First Rose

"God gave us our memories so that we might have roses in December."

--J.M. Barrie

  

Nature's Voice

Whenever I walk out my front door, these gorgeous trees greet me with their pop of pink. It's as if they are overjoyed at the prospect of spring and are just bursting to let the world know.

"For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." (Isaiah 55:12)

Tete-a-Tete

These miniature daffodils are called Tete-a-Tete. They are the second flower of spring to bloom in my yard. (Purple crocus are the first.)

Whenever they poke their yellow heads through the soil I have a little tete-a-tete with my dad. It is all in my memory, of course, since he has been gone for over five years.

He was an avid gardener and enjoyed the beauty of a well-manicured yard. He gave me some bulbs (soon after he discovered the variety) and encouraged me to plant them. I did. I had the perfect place--the earthy square beneath my mailbox. They bloomed the next spring and made me happy.

For several springs I saw them bloom, and then we moved. . . only two streets away. But, it was winter. I could no longer claim those tiny springtime blossoms as my own.

I drove by our old house today and saw that they had grown into thick sunshiny clumps. Still welcoming spring with their petite faces.

A couple years ago my mom decided it was time to do some dividing, and I was the welcome recipient of a new crop of these miniature daffodils for my current home. They are offspring of the original bulbs my father bought. I love them. They make me happy.

Funny how a simple thing can stir my remembrance, reflect my mind heavenward, and still make me smile.

Happy Spring!

 

Hope

Hope is the first crocus bursting through the gray of Winter.

Growing

My paperwhites are growing!

*****************

Thanksgiving at our house was everything I could want it to be. I love when everyone contributes to the meal and family and friends share the day.

Paperwhites

My Grandma Carlson taught me about paperwhites (narcissus) and how easy it is to force their blooms "in the bleak midwinter".

I love this method because no soil is involved and it is fun to see the roots meander through the stones when using a clear planter. I found this glass bowl at my local thrift store, but I found a second one at Walmart this week for $2. The stones are from the dollar store, and the paperwhites are from a nursery (10 for $7.99).

To assemble, simply fill the dish with pebbles, nestle the bulbs inside (I used five for this 7 1/2 inch container), and add water.

Place in a sunny location, maintain the water level, and watch nature go to work.

In several weeks the stems will grow tall resulting in beautiful fragrant white flowers, hopefully like this:

photo source

Remember, you have until midnight tonight to enter my "thank you giveaway".

REaDy for Fall

I am REaDy for this first day of Fall. Camera in hand I scrutinized my yard for my favorite autumn color. This is what I found:

RED Apples

RED burning bush leaves

RED roses

Red-centered daisy

RED berry?

A bird must have dropped this berry (or teensy-weensy tomato--it was hard to tell.) There is nothing remotely like it anywhere in my yard. It reminded me of our mysterious walnut tree.

I quite enjoyed this photographic exercise and may try it with the other spokes of the color wheel some day.

Summer Sensations

While the kids and cousins took a little hike with Grandma during our recent Sundance excursion, I stayed put (due to an uncooperative knee) and took pictures of some late summer sensations.

Have you ever really looked at a thistle flower? Perfection.

A father walking by with his young daughter pointed these out as stinging nettle. Was he correct?

These look like wild snapdragons to me.

Yarrow?

One good thing about not being as mobile as I would like is that I am forced to slow down, look around me, and "smell the foliage".


Linking to Bloomin' Tuesday today.

Mother's Green Thumb

My mom has graciously and eagerly taken on the assignment of helping me get our yard in tip-top shape for the upcoming wedding reception.

Her landscape in lush Virginia was the pride of the neighborhood, however it is a real challenge keeping plants blooming until August 13 (the wedding day) in our thirsty desert. Mom tirelessly makes the half hour drive from her place to ours almost daily to water, prune, and fertilize.

She was anxious to see how mandavilla grew in Utah so she planted two of these tropical plants. They certainly don't do as well as they do in Virginia, but the blooms are still impressive.

At first I was a bit skeptical when Mom pulled these blond baskets out of the back seat of her car, but they prove to be ideal containers for colorful impatiens. I love how they look nestled in amongst the bishop's weed and aspen trees.

We dragged this galvanized steel barrel and old wooden boxes out from under our deck--surprisingly perfect vessels for more Summer blooms.

Thanks so much Mom!

I am trying something new and linking to Bloomin' Tuesday today.