tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72196768807759704282011-10-11T11:49:58.244-07:00I probably take more pictures than the average girl . . .Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.comBlogger4841100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-1378028183127464812011-07-28T15:17:00.000-07:002011-07-28T15:17:13.278-07:00

Yes, I do have a new blog! It's all happening over at WordPress - the Really Rose blog that is! Go here - Really Rose (my new blog at WordPress) - to read all about what we have been up to. There is a lot of good information in this archive of blog entries here on Blogger, so don't worry, it will continue to be available; but keep in mind, any new posts from July 2011 on will be made over on

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-82511611187843208922011-06-28T22:22:00.000-07:002011-06-28T22:32:21.364-07:00

Looking over my entire garden, it appears a bit too unruley right now, so I'm taking on a more focused approach by searching for those little details that seem to stand out. The things that caught my eye today, strawberries ready to be picked. And, much to my surprise (really, more like delight!), early raspberries ready to be plucked from the vine too.  The fragrant sweet peas, just beginning to

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-42499988831651870372011-06-26T22:29:00.000-07:002011-06-26T22:53:11.015-07:00

Distinct in flavor, I think the crystalized ginger that you make yourself is much tastier than what you can buy at the store. It's very easy to make yourself, and certainly doesn't require many ingredients. Here's what you need - 8 ounces of ginger (I use organic from Trader Joe's) and one cup of sugar. Peel and slice the ginger. If you have a grapefruit spoon, that works better than a vegetable

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-264898763178635972011-06-21T22:58:00.000-07:002011-06-22T11:25:00.449-07:00

It's official, summer is here. Finally! Ushered out of their nest on this first day of summer, these yellow sac spider hatchlings on our back deck fled as quickly as the their little legs would allow in the warm afternoon sun. Stopping by my Happy Valley gardens long enough to water, this fat robin was seen watching for worms working the raised bed where I've been burying our compost lately. The

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-50057512758047774312011-06-18T17:39:00.000-07:002011-06-18T17:39:45.823-07:00

A light drizzle was falling this morning as I walked the dog along the trail amplifying the colors of the summer flowers. Wild roses sprinkled with rain drops along the Railroad Trail.  Purple Japanese iris misted with rain in the side yard. Cosmos in the planter on the deck with just a few rain drops.The center portion of this purple clematis in the back yard reminds me of a sea anemone -

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-25889269061598408372011-06-17T16:45:00.000-07:002011-06-18T17:15:17.029-07:00

This is the time of year when my first quick glance of the garden gives me the impression that it's becoming overgrown and unkept. Here's my Garden Nbr. 01 at the Happy Valley Community Gardens. At first glance, I feel like running from the weeds that seem to grow much faster than my garden plants, but then I start looking at the detail of the blooms and berries that are forming and I don't feel

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-10035360638317247562011-06-15T09:46:00.000-07:002011-06-15T09:49:37.808-07:00

So quickly they grow, our porch light baby robins are flying. First there were three, then there were two. While eating breakfast, I saw one perched on the edge of the nest. It fluttered down to the bench and on out to the trees in back of the yard.  Climbing the ladder, there was only one baby left in the nest.Not long after the second one flew away, so did the third. Now the nest sits up there 

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-54815701873064212652011-06-14T21:00:00.000-07:002011-06-15T09:32:45.284-07:00

Living so near the Railroad Trail, it has turned into one of my favorite thoroughfares. If I need anything from a grocery store, I have easy access to a large Haggen grocery store simply by walking less than five minutes along that trail. If I want to take the bus somewhere, there is a covered WTA bus stop right in front to that grocery store. Allowing easy access to a multitude of hiking

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-81275463096388602392011-06-12T19:39:00.000-07:002011-06-15T08:59:25.195-07:00

With the logging of our forests once a major industry in Whatcom County history, years ago Bellingham had a very active system of rail tracks running throughout the town. Trains ran east and west connecting the old saw mills and logging operations around Lake Whatcom to Bellingham Bay; and north and south connecting Bellingham to Seattle, Vancouver, BC and points beyond. My grandfather often

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-8407899763669401602011-06-11T20:41:00.000-07:002011-06-16T09:31:17.259-07:00

We decided on the Thompson Trail in Anacortes as our first ride of the season. From left to right, here we are - Lisa, Darrell, Lori, me, Joy, Martin and Janel. Janel, Lori and I carpooled from Bellingham to meet up with the rest of our group in Mount Vernon, then proceeded to the trail head in Anacortes. Lori secures our bikes in the trailer to make the final leg of our drive to Anacortes.  

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-58531542480087935952011-06-07T21:25:00.000-07:002011-06-17T09:42:30.144-07:00

This planter on our back deck that was in great need of attention. The builder lined it with sheets of styrofoam so I was reluctant to plant anything edible in it, but still, it needed something more than just soil. Limiting myself to a budget of less than twenty dollars, I set off to our neighborhood product/plant stand to see what colorful assortment I could find to fill the planter. I decided

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-23044676398122630772011-06-06T22:10:00.000-07:002011-06-16T10:18:51.208-07:00

It amazes me how often I find myself out of marmalade, but such was the case - again.  This time I used lemons and limes with my tried and trusted recipe for Citrus Marmalade. It's easy enough recipe to make and tastes so much better than any available in the stores, so in no time I had an ample supply of fresh, tasty marmalade on hand again.

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-75286169595075833302011-06-06T21:39:00.000-07:002011-06-16T10:03:30.261-07:00

Spring tends to be rather cool and wet here in the Pacific Northwest, so here it is, well into the month of June and the weather has finally (finally!) warmed up enough to where we can start to get serious about gardening. My Garden Nbr. 01 at the Happy Valley Community Gardens is actually starting to look like a real garden.   The leeks are blooming.As are the irises that I planted in the

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-66172509591245248752011-06-05T22:09:00.000-07:002011-06-17T10:34:34.320-07:00

One area of our side yard had quickly gotten out of control this spring and was in need of some serious attention. With an old bench that we were saving to use as a sitting area near the fountain, I like how the project turned out. A small space really, the weeds had completely taken over, but in no time we had it cleaned out. There is a pile of gravel on the other side of the house where a boat

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-12527794611513957692011-06-01T16:36:00.000-07:002011-06-01T16:54:26.470-07:00

The robin eggs have hatched! It takes only 12 to 14 days for robin eggs to hatch, so here's what we see now when we climb up the ladder and peak into the nest with the camera. There they are, three baby robins.  Here's Father Robin perched in the tree near the deck.Mother Robin, a little higher in that same tree is not far away.They built their nest on top of the light just outside the sliding

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-6509781708827874852011-05-09T22:41:00.000-07:002011-05-28T18:20:18.640-07:00

I've been wanting to hike the Stimpson Family Preserve for years, but because dogs are not allowed on the trails there, I just have never gotten around it. Now, since Torrie is still recovering from surgery for an aurel hematoma and not up to walking trails, this was the perfect time for me join friends and hike the Stimpson Preserve. Tree hugger friend Andy puts his arms around one of the many 

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-17163067491343844252011-05-09T20:54:00.000-07:002011-05-22T21:11:43.278-07:00

I think it's a scam! The State of Washington requires us to purchase new license plates every seven years. It's not an option, it's a requirement. Except for the fact that mine had seven neatly stacked annual stickers on it, there was nothing wrong with my old license plate. It was perfectly fine, showed no sign of being worn out and would have held up for several more years I am sure. I feel

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-73758534847200507092011-05-09T20:38:00.000-07:002011-05-22T20:52:08.233-07:00

The highlight of this week's harvest was having friends visit me in the garden to help. Andy dug some green garlic and leeks. Curious about what a Community Garden was all about, I took my friends on the grand tour. They seemed a bit surprised by the amount of space I have there. Here they are, in my Garden Nbr. 01 at Happy Valley. More forget-me-knots were picked for a bouquet. My friends

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-43596066679797189102011-05-08T20:10:00.000-07:002011-05-22T20:32:50.159-07:00

Often making up batches of traditional hummus using garbanzo beans, this time I soaked and cooked up four cups of black beans to use as the main ingredient. Once the beans were cooked, I drained them, added 1/2 cup of sesame tahini, the juice of one fresh lime, 1/2 cup of olive oil, several cloves of fresh garlic and 1/2 cup of water. After all the ingredients had been pureed together, I tasted

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-18275831620098004232011-05-07T19:31:00.000-07:002011-05-22T20:03:49.641-07:00

The Procession of the Species is one of those events that keeps me coming back year after year after year. A parade to celebrate our community, creativity and connection with nature, there are three simple rules: 1 - no live animals, 2 - no motorized vehicles and 3 - no words written or spoken. The costumes are colorful and fun. Participants really get into the fun of this parade. This was one

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-6309622724284436112011-05-07T18:23:00.000-07:002011-05-22T19:06:01.404-07:00

Like with all the dancing, dog walking, hiking, working out and gardening that I do, I really needed more exercise. A new zumba class starts, and I'm so there. This group photo was taken after our workout at the kick-off zumba class party. It was lots of fun and high energy, but what impressed me the most was the fact that my five friends taking this class and I - all 50 plus year olds (truth be

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-66724514628475457792011-05-04T20:04:00.000-07:002011-05-22T08:58:11.273-07:00

We had set out for a trail walk - like any other day. This time, we started at the end of State State Street near downtown Bellingham in order to walk the South Bay Trail to Boulevard Park and Talyor Dock. Planning to continue our walk on to Fairhaven and then to Marine Park, the round trip would have been well over four miles. Walking along the waterfront with a view of the islands on a sunny

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-69021859884006291592011-05-02T22:29:00.000-07:002011-05-02T23:08:34.307-07:00

It rained most of the today - poured actually, and April went down in our record books as the coldest April in the history of that sort of recordkeeping. They say, they've been keeping those sorts of records since the late 1800's. Believe me, that's not one of those records a gardener likes to hear. April is over now, and as it turns out, it's true, April showers do bring May flowers! This

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-90899409423998945962011-05-01T19:28:00.000-07:002011-05-02T21:17:21.659-07:00

Diagnosed with an aural hematoma, Torrie is on the road to recovery. It all started with an inner ear infection, so, of course, he is still on meds. It seemed to happen so fast. He seemed just fine when he jumped up into the back of my car. Yet when I came out of the grocery store (really, I was only in there for twenty minutes at the most!), I could tell something was seriously wrong. As I 

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-13982159229818982472011-04-27T22:10:00.000-07:002011-04-28T08:13:18.177-07:00

No longer am I out of marmalade. Marmalade, a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits, is very easy and inexpensive to make at home yourself. I like to make mine from a combination of lemons and oranges, so I call it Citrus Marmalade. But, if you prefer, make orange marmalade, lime marmalade, grapefruit marmalade, or any combination of your choice. It's all good. My favorite

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-43917402953391997552011-04-25T23:25:00.000-07:002011-04-26T00:01:01.017-07:00

The local news mentioned snow in our mountain passes and that we shouldn't be expecting it to warm up much here any time soon either. The weather guy went on to say that unless we get some sort of warming trend, which, by the way, turns out to be extremely doubtful, this month will most likely go down in our record books as the coldest April in recorded history. No wonder another Harvest Monday

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-26623072612687261222011-04-24T21:57:00.000-07:002011-04-25T22:02:05.916-07:00

The Shadow of the Crossat Christ the King - Bellingham ~~~~~~

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-66635681481103904122011-04-23T22:26:00.000-07:002011-04-25T19:58:29.478-07:00

The end of the Hertz Trail was blocked by a huge tree the last time we hiked it, so I tossed a fold-up saw into my pack on the way out the door. Hoping that saw would be sufficient for blazing a trail through the brush and stinging nettles that surrounded the giant obstacle in the middle of our trail, I felt relieved once we had hiked in to that point along the trail and discovered that the

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-1818261385458035282011-04-22T22:25:00.000-07:002011-04-26T10:43:27.634-07:00

Rather than go to a restaurant for lunch, we prepared a picnic and headed over to Tennant Lake where we walked up the steps of this fifty foot tower. We sat on the bench up there and enjoyed the view of Tennant Lake and its surrounding marsh lands with majestic Mount Baker in the background as we dined. Then we walked through the marsh on the raised boardwalk. This boardwalk had been closed due

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-58046557183110152592011-04-20T22:13:00.000-07:002011-08-13T12:44:01.563-07:00

It doesn't seem to matter how often I hike this trail, it remains a favorite. I'm not sure if it's because of the challenge of the 1,100' elevation gain in the short 1.9 mile trail, the beauty of the forest we pass through to get there, the giant sandstone cliffs we pass along the way, or the calm of the lake once we've reached our destination, but it always feels like an accomplishment once

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-9253296078923612482011-04-18T21:26:00.000-07:002011-04-18T22:32:24.546-07:00

The challenge was on as another Harvest Monday rolled around and I found myself scouring the garden for something worthy of harvest. Having planted a small patch of six tiny salad burnet plants last summer, because it takes quite a while for this perennial herb to mature, I did not harvest any last season. Fast forward to this spring, now the plants are growing rapidly - so rapidly in fact, soon

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-30855928068731058022011-04-17T21:48:00.000-07:002011-04-17T21:52:50.217-07:00

It would have been a good afternoon to work in the garden, but I decided to run the dog instead. Along the canals, Torrie leads the way. He loves running through the tall grasses. Doesn't that look like a smile on his face?Sunny skies makes for a good walk.I'll tend the garden tomorrow!

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-58059882141386317112011-04-15T22:04:00.000-07:002011-04-16T21:05:43.220-07:00

Taped to the window of my Volvo, this note was wet from the rain by the time I read it. Had I found it on my own, I doubt if I would have even known what it meant. Margarete knocked on my door a little earlier, and so upset, in her strong German accent chattered on and on about a lot of traffic going by on the street. It sounded like she said something about a school bus, and then that she had

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-18623202569622272952011-04-14T08:52:00.000-07:002011-04-14T18:26:12.839-07:00

How can this be? It snowed last night! Not much, and it's obvious that it won't be around for long, but it is snow. It's just a trace, but a trace too much. I am glad that I got as much done in my garden as I did (see - Planting), but when (WHEN?) can I get back out there again? Looking even more like winter at Stevens Pass, this unseasonably cold weather is predicted to hang around until the

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-68739730895254274862011-04-13T09:28:00.000-07:002011-04-13T09:28:25.634-07:00

The price just keeps going up. An article in this morning's local paper said Gas prices reach $4 per gallon, I guess I should feel lucky that I found it for less ($3.799 per gallon) at that station by the airport.  It was much higher on the other side of the street though.Often taking the bus during the week for my daytime errands, I'm sure glad I'm in carpools for the majority of my out-of-town

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-29128832127720077982011-04-12T22:33:00.000-07:002011-04-12T22:55:37.070-07:00

Yum! On their own or with some of that sundried tomato hummus I made up yesterday, these crackers are so very tasty.Here's my recipe for these crackers. Stone Ground Whole Wheat Crackers 1-3/4 cup stone ground whole wheat flour1/2 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp salt1/4 cup olive oil1/2 cup hot water1/4 cup parmesan cheese - gratedStir the flour, baking soda, salt and grated cheese together in a bowl.

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-52612457956753596772011-04-11T22:24:00.000-07:002011-04-12T20:24:27.665-07:00

Called "Harvest Monday", Daphne over at Daphne's Dandelions set it up as a way for garden bloggers to show off their harvests. It sounded fun, and a great way for me to challenge myself to be more creative with my harvests - especially this early in the spring. I wanted in, so here's my first Harvest Monday post! I have been noticing this leek every time I enter my garden. It's the biggest one

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-3296570566944153662011-04-11T19:33:00.000-07:002011-04-12T20:22:55.048-07:00

This morning I noticed my neighbor scraping ice off the windshield of her car before she left. Since it turned out to be a nice spring day, maybe reaching into the high 40s, I found mself anxious to plant some of the more warm weather vegetables - like squashes and beans. Since our last average frost date is May 5th though, I must wait. Instead, I spend my time in the garden pulling weeds,

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-32447989943079158162011-04-09T22:38:00.000-07:002011-04-12T12:40:47.676-07:00

Often low spots at our Happy Valley Community Gardens challenge our gardeners into finding clever solutions. I love how my friend Jan turned the water-filled low spot at the entry way to her garden into a wonderful stone walkway. Here's what she was faced with every time we received a heavy rain.She brought in stone to build up the entry.Here Jan is clearing out one of raised beds in her

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-55054405397658375272011-04-08T23:45:00.000-07:002011-04-10T23:09:28.379-07:00

With a mountain of trees on one side and Lake Whatcom on the other, the Hertz Trail is definitely one of my favorite trails. I've hiked it hundreds (maybe thousands) of times. I used to hike it before it was an official trail. Still in high school and pretty sure it was private property then, my friends and I would spend summer afternoons hiking in along the old Blue Canyon Mine railroad grade

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-36199999940558402582011-04-07T19:42:00.000-07:002011-04-08T10:27:04.392-07:00

The growing season here in the Pacific Northwest is a rather short one. Sometimes remaining on the cool side, especially at night - even in the summer, often we receive more rain than we really want too. Even though it may say "110 days to maturity" on the back of their seed packets, in reality in my garden, it takes about one year before I can begin to harvest leeks. Part of the reason their

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-29203068625956420012011-04-06T22:15:00.000-07:002011-04-07T08:36:19.443-07:00

Garden Nbr. 02 was in need of better fencing. Deer roaming the neighborhood and nearby Connelly Creek Nature Area often wonder in, nibbling away on tender garden plants. The area is also full of rabbits so our fences need to be high enough to keep the deer from entering, and protective enough to keep the rabbits out. On my way to the gardens, my first stop was the hardware store where I purchased

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-64736164367212388362011-04-05T21:34:00.000-07:002011-04-06T18:41:04.234-07:00

It may not be official, but it feels to me that we should have set some sort of record in Spring rainfall this year, and it is no surprise here that we have some flooded areas at our Happy Valley Community Gardens. I took a little stroll around the soaked grassy paths between the individual garden plots and snapped a few photos of some I found the most intriguing. In reality, just blooming weeds

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-7824184565597172952011-04-04T22:07:00.000-07:002011-04-05T08:27:46.147-07:00

It didn't surprise me that I was the only one out working at the Happy Valley Community Gardens today. After all, there was constant rain and our high only reached 45 degrees F.  Wearing my Muck boots, a fleece jacket covered with big rain poncho and my souwester fisherman's hat, I managed to stay fairly dry, and it really was a rather comfortable temperature for working in the garden. We've

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-33047031109280810852011-04-02T20:23:00.000-07:002011-04-13T09:29:28.972-07:00

Gas prices keep going up. Most stations around here are selling gas in the $3.79 to $4.29 per gallon price range, depending on the grade. While working in my Garden Nbr. 02, I looked up as the bus stopped to pick someone else up at its stop near our gardens. I am very glad this bus stop is so convenient to the gardens. When I had my car in town over the weekend, I did manage to find regular gas

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-4945345740763870062011-04-01T20:39:00.000-07:002011-04-03T17:19:53.129-07:00

With the Happy Valley Community Gardens conveniently located practically in the middle of the Connelly Creek Nature Area, some days I can't resist a walk after working in the garden. Finally, the north end of Garden Nbr. 01 is cleaned up and ready to plant.The rhubarb is growing nicely this spring. Soon I can make that pie.By carefully stepping from one clump of grass to another, I manage not to

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-88523730765917187252011-03-31T20:29:00.000-07:002011-03-31T20:29:10.175-07:00

The assortment of seed potatoes received at the Annual Seed Swap earlier this year are finally in the ground. Having placed them where they could receive medium light at home for the last few weeks, small sprouts grew from the eyes indicating that they were ready to plant. Not wanting to damage the delicate sprouts as I carried the potatoes to my garden, this used egg carton came in handy.  

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-11739811332394179812011-03-24T20:42:00.000-07:002011-03-28T10:14:13.452-07:00

Fresh from the vine, baked in a pie, made into jam, or tossed into a salad, I have always loved raspberries. My father maintained acres of raspberries on our farm when I was a young child, and as part of our chores, my siblings and I were in those fields helping out. Weeding between the rows, pruning out the old vines, tying up the plants, picking the berries, my father taught us how to maintain

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-90669444214577411342011-03-23T21:28:00.000-07:002011-03-31T10:37:59.343-07:00

It's really compost, but if it looks like dirt and feels like dirt, can't I call it dirt? It's my dirt. I made it myself. For three years, I've been adding compostable yard and kitchen waste to the top of the pile in my pallet board compost bin. Even my friends helped. Many times, I received calls indicating I could pick up the compostables they had saved especially for me. (Such thoughtful

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-64525974364045620772011-03-22T20:17:00.000-07:002011-03-24T11:12:08.709-07:00

Even though the Happy Valley Community Gardens are one of the few twelve-month community gardens in Bellingham, we get so much moisture naturally here in the Pacific Northwest that the need for year-round water service is not necessary. There planting peas, the soil in my garden was so moist, the thought of watering was far from my mind. Promising 8 to 10 peas in each of their 4" to 4-1/2" pods,

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-33512879101989855172011-03-20T06:57:00.000-07:002011-03-23T08:01:36.157-07:00

There was plenty of activity going on just inside the doors at the Mount Baker Theatre. Tables were being filled with information about Wilbur Ministries. Musical CDs, books, colorful flags and more were being stacked up to sell later. There were plenty of theatre volunteers milling about too. Some were setting up a table for guests to place food donations for our local food bank, and others were

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-48565514353022298032011-03-19T23:45:00.000-07:002011-03-20T10:37:19.741-07:00

So many opportunities for dancing on a Saturday evening, it can be difficult to decide where. Such was the case this evening as we had four different venues with dances to consider. Would we be dancing to Little Hurricane at the Clean and Sober dance at the Lake Goodwin Community Center in Stanwood? Or to the Walrus at the Nooksack River Casino in Deming? Or would we stay in Bellingham and dance

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-70209243539274368242011-03-18T23:44:00.000-07:002011-03-20T09:36:40.495-07:00

So many had shown up for the Into the Light CD release party/concert, I'm sure the size of the crowd at the Common Ground Coffee House had seriously reached over capacity. We had gathered there for the CD release party/concert with the Into the Light Band, and what a wonderful performance it was.Then, since we were already out on the town for the evening, we decided to head on down to the Big

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-48691070755973915542011-03-18T16:07:00.001-07:002011-04-13T09:30:07.141-07:00

The price of gas seems to be going up daily. Price driven, I tend to fill up at one of the cheapest stations in Bellingham and, trust me, thirty dollars isn't buying me much anymore.Three fifty-nine a gallon where I get my gas, and higher at the two stations on the other side of the street.There is a Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) bus stop practically at my back door. The bus on Route 27

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-4673724111034254042011-03-17T21:07:00.000-07:002011-03-17T23:01:29.114-07:00

Finally, two days in a row without rain, so off to garden I went. I first stopped at the Whatcom Farmers Co-Op for a bale of fresh straw because I knew the walkway between the raised beds would be terribly muddy. You see, we've definitely had too much rain.I found wintered over kale - a tasty treat in early Spring.Last year these daisies were practically hidden behind other periennials as my

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-45803689764989904762011-03-14T07:59:00.000-07:002011-03-14T08:35:00.684-07:00

Last week there were so many storms coming at us from over the Pacific Ocean that the weather channel started numbering them. With each storm promising heavy rains and strongs winds here at sea leavel and more snow in our mountain passes, what a delight for me to glimpse these puffy cloud formations over the Nooksack River during a small window of blue sky between storms Number 4 and 5. Reminded

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-48070745410713983112011-03-10T21:08:00.000-08:002011-03-10T22:12:19.610-08:00

Practically across the street from where we live is the Centennial Riverwalk Park. With the Nooksack River as its backdrop and plenty of benches along the way, it seemed the perfect place to stop after our walk on this sunny afternoon. David and Torrie look down river. On Saturdays during the summer, a small Farmers Market sets up along the walkway, but this time of year, the park feels

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-17159186975435231852011-03-09T17:27:00.000-08:002011-03-09T18:02:18.589-08:00

Following our regular walking route east of town takes us past the Ferndale Friendship Community Gardens.Not a year round community gardens, it's a little too early in the season to see gardening activity going on there, so for now, a rusty tin man stands guard over the raised beds, other garden sculptures and buildings.It's a small community garden with under thirty raised beds and a small

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-41929894757773785612011-03-09T16:12:00.000-08:002011-03-09T16:31:08.935-08:00

Wishing Mickie a fond farewell was the theme of our party. Originally from sunny California, she sold her condo in our cloudy, rainy northwest Washington and is moving back to the sunshine she so misses.Funny though, as we said goodbye to one, another has joined us. Here Pam cradles three-day old McKinley, Diana's new granddaughter.We wish you well dear Mickie, already you are missed, and extend

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-45574589041319580812011-02-28T20:14:00.000-08:002011-03-01T21:17:24.827-08:00

There is a nice pond at one end of our park, but this isn't that pond. This is simply a low spot in the field. We've had so much moisture, rain, hail, sleet and snow, now even the low spots look like ponds.This is the real pond.It's not particularly warm here yet and our weather is still unstable. The low spots, ponds and puddles still have ice. We endured a shower of small hail on our walk to

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-50409486594205930382011-02-26T20:59:00.000-08:002011-02-27T21:40:32.236-08:00

We broke our previously set record for low temperatures this week. Yesterday as I was out walking the dog in the morning, it was 17 degrees and that cold wind off the Fraser River was blowing. Reports said the wind chill made it feel near zero. I was out there, I believe it. The sun is not shining here. Today it snowed - again, and I've been ill with a persistently stuffy cold all week.I would

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-28768090961563801192011-02-23T19:10:00.000-08:002011-02-23T20:17:53.963-08:00

It's cold outside. With a brutal wind straight out of the Fraser Valley whipping at our faces if we step outside and rattling our windows when we stay in, it's snowing too. It seemed a good day to pull out my favorite bamboo knitting needles and make myself some new dish cloths.Here's the pattern.Materials: Any worsted weight natural fiber yarn, like Lily Sugar 'n Cream Cotton. (One 113g/4 oz

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-38282632651111198972011-02-18T23:48:00.000-08:002011-02-28T08:55:49.757-08:00

There's one of my friends giving a "thumbs up" out on the dance floor. He, along with many of my friends had a wonderful time dancing at the church dance.Several years ago, the building was purchased from the Elks Club and remodeled to become the Mount Vernon Christ the King Church. Now, home to regular worship services and ministries, they just happen to be keepers of one of the very best dance

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-73279569275301261872011-02-14T09:10:00.000-08:002011-02-14T10:40:56.050-08:00

As an organic gardener, I think about dirt. I think about what might have gone into my dirt before I started gardening there, and what I contribute to it myself. The Sustainable Living Center, located above the RE Store in downtown Bellingham, Washington is offering a free showing of "Dirt! The Movie" as part of the Wonder of Oneness film series sponsored by Re Sources for Sustainable Communities

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-16046602293876495842011-01-31T19:07:00.000-08:002011-02-01T14:25:34.366-08:00

Wanting to get outside to start working in the garden once the new year has started, yet unable to because it's too cold, too wet, too dark, too muddy, you get the idea, around here, tends to make me a little restless, squirrely, almost itchy. I have a pile of all the best, prettiest seed catalogs on my coffee table that I keep pouring through. They tempt me, almost shout at me at times, to place

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-92092541942185138742011-01-23T10:21:00.000-08:002011-01-24T08:43:11.386-08:00

Petunia, a male singer/songwriter from Canada entertained us with his band, The Vipers, at a dance at the American Museum of Radio and Electricity. Very lively tunes, rockabilly style, and a fast, jivy swing dance turned out to be the best way to approach the dance floor. Here's a video of Petunia and the Vipers performing one of the songs we danced to. It's a rather goofy video, but you can at

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-73687904403884720552011-01-12T10:57:00.000-08:002011-01-12T11:17:42.809-08:00

Where's your snow she asked. Well, if and when we actually get snow, it just doesn't last very long here on the coast. Last night, snow flakes were coming down hard. Accompanied by a strong wind, it reminded me of blizzarding conditions. In places, four to six inches of heavy, wet snow quickly piled up. Driving conditions were dangerous. Our little town has no snow plows. A nearby town with a

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-72131010178922876672011-01-06T20:21:00.000-08:002011-01-07T08:49:33.428-08:00

Seems it's time to start thinking about seeds for my 2011 garden as stuffed tightly into my post office box today was my first seed catalog for the season. Interested in growing more heirloom vegetables and herbs, Bountiful Gardens is dedicated to providing heirloom, untreated, open-pollinated seeds, supplies, books and more and is a good resource for me to browse through before attending the

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-34271562140052128542011-01-01T08:49:00.000-08:002011-01-09T22:48:58.183-08:00

The entire dance floor was covered with balloons when we walked in the dance hall for the annual New Year's Eve dinner/dance. What fun it was to dance around, through, in and among those balloons. By the time it got close to midnight, many of the balloons had popped, but that didn't matter to us because by then the dance floor was filled with friends, fellow dancers, as one of the band members

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-45513340356132651632010-12-27T18:00:00.000-08:002010-12-27T18:57:31.585-08:00

For someone who generally spends a lot of time in her garden, it had been an unbelievably long time since I was there. First it was the rain for almost the entire month of October that kept me out. More rain during the first two weeks of November followed by a week of snow and another week when the afternoon temperatures hovered around 16 degrees continued to keep me from working in my garden.

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-38873111175698458702010-12-26T08:01:00.000-08:002010-12-27T18:00:00.275-08:00

Slow cooked in the crock pot is how I fixed the boneless leg of lamb for our Christmas dinner.Into olive oil I mixed minced garlic, rosemary, thyme and grated orange peel. Then I rubbed the mixture over the lamb roast until it was completely coated. Next step was placing the roast into the crock pot, adding a half cup of water and setting the crock pot to cook on low for eight hours.It absolutely

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-49056516725924027492010-12-25T18:17:00.000-08:002011-01-03T18:25:25.799-08:00

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-2206575258519210052010-12-23T22:29:00.001-08:002010-12-23T23:46:41.128-08:00

Filled with hot water, mine warms my sheets before bed now.Last Sunday as I sat on the hearth waiting for Kristi to return home so we could yell out "surprise" and start the party, I cast stitches onto my needles and began working the knit 2, purl 2 ribbing. I used this pattern - Hot Water Bottle Cozy. Working black stripes in to add a little interest since I omitted the pocket shown in the

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-84266688729054727752010-12-19T23:10:00.000-08:002010-12-23T23:18:31.164-08:00

It was Kristi's 50th birthday and we helped her celebrate with a surprise party. Happy 50th Kristi!

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-71015931709589360932010-12-17T21:09:00.000-08:002010-12-17T21:31:35.711-08:00

Even in December, it's impossibe to keep Torrie out of the canals. He loves to fetch and swim! After what felt like too much rain, this was our first day in weeks where we had sky, blue sky. It felt good to be outside, enjoying a sunny afternoon.Fortunately, there's a gravel path that cuts through the meadow so even with the extra pools of standing water around, for the most part, I keep my

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-61245030853614578822010-12-14T17:14:00.000-08:002010-12-14T18:02:10.112-08:00

Nephew Tim has recently moved back home to Whatcom County and beginning a new long-haul driving job the first part of January, had time today to join us for our weekly luncheon at Lynden's Northwood Casino. It's hard to beat a $2.00 buffet, and even with my severe allergy to pepper, I must confess, there is more than plenty there that I can safely eat.On our drive back to my home in Ferndale

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-33892276159481681452010-11-29T22:43:00.000-08:002010-11-29T22:44:31.925-08:00

I'm testing a new pattern for fingerless mittens. My daughter sent it to me indicating she wanted some for Christmas. It's a Martha Stewart pattern and I feel that sometimes Martha Stewart is a bit of an over achiever. I've read through a few or her patterns - and recipes - before and they can at times be a little on the complex side. I to test out the new Martha Stewart pattern before making up

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-84975683962333918782010-11-25T19:34:00.000-08:002010-11-29T19:44:37.179-08:00

Willow is often the stage name she is know by when performing the songs she writes at the local venues, but we know her as Sally. Here she is, performing a few of her original tunes during our inpromptu, non-traditional Thanksgiving Day combined with Fred's birthday celebration this year at my place.

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-598900942266073222010-11-25T18:29:00.000-08:002010-11-29T18:48:59.236-08:00

I know, I know, based on the last couple of years, it would appear that our Thanksgiving tradition has changed. But really, it's going to take more than two years before I consider our Thanksgiving traditions "officially" changed.Our tradition, spend Thanksgiving at my son's in Rock Island. In the freight fowarding business of getting pretty pots of plants shipped to their correct destination at

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-6338123906947692412010-11-20T19:09:00.000-08:002010-11-29T19:15:40.303-08:00

It was only 16 degrees and a thin layer of compact snow and ice covered our streets as the sun came up this morning. It feels difficult for me to compose just the right scene for a picture that conveys the message that it "is" cold outside. I stood inside where it was warm, and sipped a mocha as I looked out at the cold, icy street and took this picture through the glass and felt rather glad that

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-26954681824168226762010-11-15T15:16:00.000-08:002010-11-15T15:19:17.784-08:00

A typical November day in Ferndale, Washington usually includes rain. It seems too dark, too early, too soon once we've set our clocks back that one hour for the Daylight Savings time adjustment too. That's why when we do have that rare sunny break in our sky, we rush out and run through the meadow grasses along the canals at Sandy Point. Torrie even made the most of it by jumping in for a swim

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-42213405776090799622010-07-22T19:57:00.000-07:002010-07-22T20:37:17.166-07:00

Tucked in the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, the Excelsior Campground near Nooksack Falls became my home away from home for the weekend.It was our annual Common Ground camping trip with 25 friends from Whatcom, Skagit and Island Counties and more than 35 joining in for hiking and steak dinner on Saturday. What a fun group we had! We went to Nooksack Falls for some sightseeing.Then we hiked

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-51658673931198035422010-07-08T19:32:00.001-07:002010-07-08T19:57:38.941-07:00

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are more known for our rain storms and cool marine air than heat waves, so it's no real surprise that we struggle to cope once our temps reach the upper 80s and lower 90s. So, what do we do? We head over to VanderYacht park and join the crowd playing in the Nooksack River. There's Torrie, just coming to shore after swimming out to fetch his new red ring.We meet

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-54721498314289242532010-07-07T15:12:00.000-07:002010-07-07T16:59:47.151-07:00

My Spitfire nasturtiums for this year's Seed GROW project are growing - but they sure look puny. They are not yet even beginning to look like a vining, trailing plant. When compared to the giant, deep green leaves of other clumps of nasturtiums in the gardens, these Spitfires have small leaves and their stems are spindly. Those other, non-Spitfire nasturtiums have formed showy clumps of plants

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-5258814746403642432010-07-05T12:27:00.000-07:002010-07-06T12:58:06.081-07:00

Celebrating the Fourth of July with friends with a BBQ in Ferndale, we were also invited to join friends from Island and Skagit Counties at their beach BBQ the very next day. It was the fourth of July weekend, so why not attend two barbeques in two days? This is where we were, on this beautiful beach enjoying an afternoon and evening on a beautiful summer day.Complete with friendly games of horse

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-84813774491754592002010-07-03T12:00:00.000-07:002010-07-06T12:26:27.975-07:00

What a lovely view over the bay as the concert ended at Boulevard Park. In the park enjoying the classic rock tunes performed by one of our local bands, the Walrus, with a group of friends, this weekend was no exception. In full bloom, giant plumes of heliotrope blossoms graced one side of the trail we walked along to reach the park. How pretty!Walking to the top of Taylor Dock after the concert,

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-77136994830802065792010-07-02T16:36:00.000-07:002010-07-06T13:02:59.214-07:00

About a month ago, the knob broke off of our espresso maker, rendering it completely useless. The machine wouldn't turn on, wouldn't turn off and it would no longer froth milk. Turns out, it was some sort of little plastic gear inside that had broken, and there was no way to repair it. I considered not replacing the boken espresso maker because, I had a back-up French Press and a backup Melitta

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-23306908488123093472010-06-16T09:09:00.000-07:002010-06-26T09:09:25.430-07:00

What a grand, grand opening it was! Three years ago, a fire destroyed the old building that housed the Ferndale Boys and Girls Club. Leaving the community scrambling to find temporary space, raise funds and rebuild a permanent clubhouse, fast forward to today, and the $4.8 million project is finished.Celebrating with over 400 others at the grand opening of this new 21,134 square foot building

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-83683734107759029052010-06-14T06:10:00.001-07:002010-06-14T06:47:01.563-07:00

This is my favorite time of year. While running the dog through the meadow, I noticed how the grasses have suddenly gotten as tall as I am and the wild rose blossoms are absolutely stunning.The Nootka Rose is my favorite wild rose here in the Pacific Northwest. Filling the fields with huge thickets of thorny brambles, in June when their huge blossoms open, the air is filled with their

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-34545948367534372432010-06-13T09:03:00.000-07:002010-06-14T22:45:57.475-07:00

Our new town is small, relaxed, casual and quiet. With what seems like almost more than our share of historic and scenic parks, a well-developed trail system, two large grocery stores, lots of restaurants, plenty of bars, two drug stores, a small medical clinic, a few traffic signals along our Main Street, even a 7-11, we are located in the Pacific Northwest, yet our town reminds me of any one of

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-81440436202899064792010-06-10T21:00:00.000-07:002010-06-13T09:03:14.079-07:00

Evey day should be special, not just birthdays and Christmas. June 10th just happens to be my birthday - and it's my brother's birthday too - so it really does feel like an extra special day. We're not twins, far from it actually, he's nine years older. But, it's always felt special to be able to wish Tim a happy birthday on my birthday. The Beatles Birthday Song is my favorite birthday tune, so,

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-44934252105296373402010-06-09T09:15:00.000-07:002010-06-10T08:45:21.343-07:00

Now I know how to use one of these, and getting that necessary deer-proof fencing up around Garden Nbr. 02 at the Happy Valley Community Gardens is well underway. Finding deer droppings, nibbled blueberry bushes and deer tracks in their raised beds, the gardeners in the plots just behind mine put hoop frames covered with netting up around several of their garden beds to keep the damage done by

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-83257473812801030442010-06-06T06:41:00.000-07:002010-06-06T08:46:06.951-07:00

Good news, for this month's Seed Grow Project update, I can happily report that my Spitfires are up! There really was a lot of gardening work that needed to be done before these nasturtiums could get to this point. First, I had to put in a new garden - and that was no tiny task. Clearing weeds, grass and sod from the additional double plots I was allocated at the Happy Valley Community Gardens, I

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-16274126717693245022010-05-28T06:09:00.000-07:002010-05-28T07:16:04.771-07:00

A week ago I planted my German Pink Tomatoes out in the garden. These are very special tomatoes to me because I started the plants myself from seeds saved by my son from tomatoes he grew in his garden last year with seeds given to him by one of his gardening neighbors. His neighbor tells of these tomato seeds being saved and passed down year after year since his family came to this country from

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-55636607182446915012010-05-27T08:17:00.000-07:002010-05-27T09:01:15.068-07:00

Day after day, I can pour water out of the hose onto the plants in the garden when the sky above is its deep blue and, yes, it does keep the plants alive, keep them from withering away, keep them slowly growing, but, wow, after a day of steady drizzle, what a difference it makes. The garden starts to pop. And things start to bloom. Suddenly the buds on the irises have opened up to reveal

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-18124421656008998392010-05-25T22:38:00.000-07:002010-05-26T22:52:21.470-07:00

A quick glance to the right as I walked through the door into Barry's new house and I could see the latest construction progress - insulation.Sheets of thick insulation now tightly fill the spaces between the rafters in the ceiling.And the walls have been lined with a different type of insulation. Apparently an insulating fabric is framed in between the studs, then a hole is punched in that

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-1779091035842484952010-05-24T21:11:00.000-07:002010-05-25T19:05:02.272-07:00

This is the reason why what felt like "Gorilla Gardening" for the past few weeks has been the focus. This move was pending. The week has finally arrived, and the task of packing is well under way.It almost feels like moving day has snuck up on us. But really, that can't be because this move has been looming ahead for quite some time. We've just been putting it off, procrastinating perhaps. What

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-4402584327296358862010-05-23T19:54:00.000-07:002010-05-25T09:05:10.664-07:00

This plant must be extremely root bound. It has been growing in this same pot for at least twenty, gosh, maybe even closer to thirty years now. This pot of Hen and Chicks sat on my father's back deck surrounded by huge planters spilling over with pansies each summer for the longest time. Looking rather abandoned and dormant out there each winter as our Pacific Northwest rains, ice and snow

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-50025966544305327172010-05-22T21:04:00.000-07:002010-05-24T10:05:06.159-07:00

More, lots more. More boards with more nails to remove, then more boards cut to size so that more raised beds could be built to complete Garden Number 02 at the Happy Valley Community Gardens. More thanks to Kathy for setting the boards aside, more thanks to Ron for making the boards available and more thanks to Barry for cutting the boards to size. What a wonderful community effort this new

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219676880775970428.post-56926642259445334372010-05-21T06:57:00.000-07:002010-05-21T08:48:51.752-07:00

With lots of different varieties of pole beans and plans to stake the cucumbers and some of the squashes, my stash of bamboo will soon be transformed into trellises of many different sizes and shapes. Quite a few of the bamboo poles cut from my cousin's yard were close to 25 feet long, so after sawing them into lenghths more suitable for building trellises, the wispy, top-most portions of the

Really Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15779708101832543807noreply@blogger.com0