Happy Happy

Happy May Day!! Tomorrow is the first of May but most of the country it is already May 1st. So it goes. It is raining now but we had 2 nice days High 50s and sunny. Warm for us. So here is Sassy squinting in the sun and a pretty Japanese Maple.

Dancing in the weeds

My post for the day.
Dancing in the Aegopodium or commonly known as Bishop's Weed and Grape Hyacinth or Muscari. I can mow the Bishop's Weed which can be very invasive but I have it contained and I can mow it so it doesn't get very high or flower. Already my dancing faerie is getting covered, actually there are 3 in there somewhere. Time to get the push mower out.

Valley Farming

Ellen wanted to know how far away the mountains were in the valley farming picture. So I thought I'd show some more farming pics and tell you where I lived. I'll try anyway. I live about halfway up the hills behind the set of trees in the right hand side of the picture. These are the Cascade foothilld, the big snowcovered Mts. are behind them, to be seen on a less cloudy day. It is about 20 minutes to where I took that pic. Down hill. I took all these pictures today. Two on Fir Island close to me but still in the valley the next two about 20 more minutes away--same valley. Fir Island becomes a island because it is between the North and the South forks of the Skagit River. Good enough? Check the track on the tractor. It can get muddy here and a track doesn't get stuck like wheels do.

What's Happenin'

Babies are being born, the potatoes are in.........these are a few of the things happening in the valley. There's more but that's for some other time.

In memory

When I drive on Samish Island I always go by this yard to see what is new on this property. I happened to talk to lady who was cleaning up and she said it was a memorial she made to her daughter who was killed in a plane crash. I asked if I could take a picture and she said yes. In the summer when there are more plants it is something to see. She also does stained glass which she hangs in the trees. A very pretty area.

Little Lake

After I took my grandson home Sunday evening, I was coming home on some backroads (he lives about 50 miles away) and I came upon this sweet little lake. PHOTO OP!
I poked around and I think this is Lake Cassidy.

New Book

I received Mary Jane's Stitching Room book today. It is all that one would expect it to be.

I found this yellow tulip just laying flat open on the ground. I took a picture of it and then was fascinated by the center. Doesn't it look like a spider?

mmm mmm good

The older grands were here for the weekend and saturday night dinner I made chili, no meat and added some rice plus the regular chili stuff and pulled out some last summers blackberries from the freezer and made a yummy pie with ice cream. Anyone for dessert?

Hearts of glass

Just a pretty picture. grandson's favorite.

Rear view

Taking a page from Snap-shot-Sue's blog and see what's in my rear view mirrow. Thanks for the idea Sue. This is the paved part of the road we live on. We live on the graveled part. this is evening looking west. About 7 ish.

Oh look, you can see the camera and some extremely large fingers. Spooky

From start to finish

The bulb growers in the valley grow many acres of tulips. Some we are allowed to view. They bloom the last weeks in March and the first few weeks in April. Then the flowers are lopped off so all the energy goes to growing the bulb. When that happens the students at Mount Vernon High School gather up the fallen petals and make gorgeous pictures on the lawn at the school.

This picture is a little blurry but you can get the idea.

Wednesdays Woes

First I have a spot on the photo when I take a picture, so I contacted Sony and they said I have a dust spot inside my lens. They said I have to have my camera serviced. Wah and then when I tried to get int blogger they said ERROR!! So for the longest time I couldn't get in so.......

This is a picture of the pickets I am making. I posted some pics earlier saying this is my Spring project. I have a whole bunch more to do.

Brrrrrrr

What a cold looking picture. this is a rainy, gray tide going out day on Padilla Bay.

Bunny and Macro what is it

Isn't this just the sweetest bunny...ever

What do you suppose this is?

Fancy

I took this picture in somebodys garden. I want it.

Horsey girl

Here is Kylee and Sadie again. This time giving Kitty a ride.

Baker

This Mt. Baker looking North and East from Camano Island. Mt Baker is 10,775ft. A very high and lofty mt. An easy drive from here. Camano Island is connected to Stanwood by the General Mark Clark Bridge over the Stilliguamish River. The water is Skagit Bay.

Flying backwards

Went down to Padilla Bay today and what a funny sight. The wind was blowing so hard the gulls were either going backwards or flying in place. they were determined though. the wind is usually from the south-ish and steady so usually it is a great kite area.

New neighbor

Isn't this little guy just too sweet? Newborn. I guess I'd better trade my minis in for a couple of mares so I can have some babies. MB

April Beach

The road to the beach on a sunny April day.

Here is the beach. Sunny yes, cold YES!! this Padilla Bay not to far from my house. It is a National Estuarine Research Reserve and also Bay View State Park. Verrrry windy place.

Finally

My mother gave me these over the week-end. I had always liked them and remenber them from when I was very young. I guess she figures I am finally old enough to properly care for them. I will be careful.

Beginnings

Things to do. Fill up my containers with some pretties.

He is risen

Happy Easter to one and all what-ever your persuasion.

My Magnolia

Looks like summertime and mint juleps. We are having simply beautiful weather although it is supposed to return to cold and rainy on Sunday which of course is Easter. Typical! I feel kinda guilty having such nice weather with all the snow and brrrr back east. Sorry. WAh! Happiness to all. MB

Valley blush

Skagit Valley is famous for it bulbs, so in April is the Tulip festival. the two top growers have many, many acres planted all over the valley. I believe Washington bulb company is the largest in the US. Above is one small stripe of many stripes.

Just cracking color. If the weather holds they will be fully open soon.

There are many stripes. some small and others large. It is very pretty to see the colors on the valley floor from far away. It just glows. There is lots of traffic and where the fields are near the roads the growers try to make a parking area but people park everywhere and tractors and workers buzz around and in a few weeks it will all be gone. Since it is a bulb operation the plants are beheaded in May and the bulbs are left in the ground to grow and are dug up (much like potatoes are) and go into storage or where-ever. Very interesting.

Looking West

Winter sunset at Stanwood April 2, 2007

I don't know why I felt blue yesterday but the glory of nature sure makes one feel better. We know who the Artist is .

Feelings

This is how I feel today. I don't know if I am blue or Purple. EGAD!!!

April fools--I day late

Alittle snow on the ground this morning. It quickly went away but around 9:30 here it came again. White-out!! It lasted for a few hours and we left to see what else there was but about 1/2 mile away--nothing. Later the clouds broke and the sky got blue and the sun came out. Very pretty day but very chilly.

Mother Nature is such a tease.

April Signs

Signs in the valley. Farming is going on in earnest now. Big tractors and small. this is Mclean Rd. one of the main roads East and West through the valley. We are looking east here.

Thank goodness there isn't TOO much traffic. But sometimes those big boys just have to go on the bigger roads and we gotta share the road.