I can't believe it has been May since I've shared a blog post! Sunshine is to blame for the lack of posting on my part... we have been soaking up every ray possible! But to recap where we left off, I had last posted about our daughter's return from Spain.
She returned from Spain the last weekend in May and it was so wonderful to pick her up at the airport and hear all about her travels. We had spoken several times a week through Skype while she was gone, but it is just not the same as in person!
I asked her to put together a slideshow of some of her pictures that she took while she was in Spain and the other countries she visited to share with you... so here it is :)
I hope you enjoyed the video of our daughter's travels! It has been wonderful hearing all about her experience, and seeing her pictures.
Our daughter's treasures and gifts that she returned home with ... We had so much fun as she passed her gifts out to us and heard all her stories!
She cooked a Spanish tortilla for us the next evening. It was her first attempt, and delicious! A Spanish tortilla is a potato and egg dish that pairs beautifully with just about any meat.
A ride out into the mountains on our 4-wheelers with spectacular views.
It's wonderful to ride out in the mountains, exploring the beauty around us!
The wild rose blooms this year were stunning and magnificent!
Then come the lupins with their cheery purple blooms adorning the landscape.
Irises are next in line to bloom in our spring blooming season with their decadent blooms.
I found these gorgeous hydrangeas on sale and planted them in my garden, it will be interesting to see whether they stay pink or blue!
Gardening season is in full swing, everything is planted and growing happily!
A garden tea party was planned for my ladies bible study group, and we had a lovely time together with sweet fellowship.
I set up a canopy over my little tea garden area, and it has been such a blessing to enjoy the shade all day long.
Time for tea in the garden!
I finished the teacup quilt that I began during the winter months. I put it out for display when I have a tea party. I'm glad to have finished it!
Homemade strawberry shortcake... my Dad arrived for a visit when the strawberries were at their peak, and we enjoyed quite a few of these treats!
As we walked one evening after an afternoon thunderstorm, this beautiful rainbow arched the sky in front of us as we walked.
God's magnificent handiwork at its best!
Another view of the gravel road we walk in the evenings... oh the skies in their magnificence never cease to thrill my soul!
While my Dad was here we went on lots of picnics and drives. We bought this sandwich at a local Mennonite bakery/deli and enjoyed it down by the river. They make their bread homemade fresh daily, and their sandwiches are the best!!
The brilliance of the water and skies was glorious!
A peek into my little Prayer Garden area...
I planted these alliums last fall in anticipation of their blooms, and they did not disappoint!
One morning my husband had just left the house and called to say our local herd of elk were grazing just down the road. Dad and I drove over to watch them, and were lucky to get one good picture of them before they spooked and ran. Elk are very flighty creatures and a challenge to photograph.
We took Dad to the local rodeo, always an exciting event!
This rodeo queen is a friend of my son's. She spotted us in the crowd and made her way over to see us during the event.
Enjoying the views of the river
Glorious flowers - poppies and bachelor buttons growing in abandon.. we saw these at a local state park. Someone had a vision for beauty in this spot, to plant such a glorious array of blooms on this hillside!
Oh the glorious beauty of land, water and sky!
Down at the local state park... the views were spectacular!
Well... this post could go on and on indefinitely... we've been LIVING this summer to its fullest, and I've struggled to find time indoors to put this much of a post together. Honestly, I've been working on this post since the end of June... so I will just stop here and share more in a later post. I just wanted to let everyone know that summer is when we get outside and enjoy all the beauty that our world has to offer. Warm summer days are so fleeting, and we have waited so long for them, that they must be enjoyed! Lots of things have been happening here, not the least of which is that we were able to get our place logged. But I'll save that story for another post!
Springtime has arrived in all its beautiful blooming glory! I've been working in my garden to get it into shape and ready for planting.
It's exciting to have my little sitting area in the garden back in business for the season.
This door was found at a yard sale last summer, and I've had fun decorating it using an old window, also thrifted.
Happy mail came to me from a special friend who knows me well, and I enjoyed reading the
latest issue of Willow & Sage in the shaded area of my garden.
Our ladies bible study, Joy in the Morning, held a Unity and National Day of Prayer gathering on the National Day of Prayer. All ladies in the community were invited, and we enjoyed a beautiful time of fellowship. My glass plate flowers were the centerpieces of each table, as the theme was "In the Garden" for our decor.
We held a brunch with lots of delicious food.
Several ladies from our bible study, including myself, shared our hearts with the ladies who gathered. After we shared, we sang a few songs, including this song and then we all prayed together. It was a beautiful time of fellowship!
My husband walks 2 miles with me each evening and we enjoy watching the sun go down together and visit about our day. It is good exercise for both the body and the soul!
The wild phlox is in bloom in a magnificent way! It covers the hillsides where I walk. Glorious to see!
It looks like Riley is stopping to see the phlox in bloom, as I was, but in reality, she was after a ground squirrel, lol!
The red Matador tulips I planted last fall have bloomed! They are huge! And the blooms literally glow in the sunshine!
I think I have taken WAY too many pictures of this gorgeous tulip! LOL! The black strip you see in the background is supposed to give off an odor that deer don't like. It works for the early season of planting, but once fall arrives, the deer ignore everything but an 8-foot fence, lol!
These tulips light up my garden with their brilliance! I purchased them from Breck's, my favorite tulip supplier. I need to buy more of these lovely ladies!
In the background of this picture, you can see an allium about to bloom! They will bloom when this tulip fades, keeping brilliant color ongoing in this space.
This gorgeous Monsella tulip from the Peony-Flowering Tulip collection (link to Brecks where I purchase them) is one of my favorites, I just love the gorgeous yellows of its blooms with the red streaks. They are long lasting, and stunning. It is a double bloomer, and will produce another bloom soon.
I planted 10 Matador tulips in this flower bed last fall, but the deer got to them :( I now have them covered with netting and will replant this fall. But the three red tulips and daffodils still looked lovely!
We purchased a rotatiller last fall at a yard sale, and it has been such a blessing. I can manage the tiller myself, and now I can till the garden myself without needing the help of my husband or son!
These are some of the glass plate flowers I have made. I have them placed throughout my garden, and they fill my heart with joy to see them. I love beautiful china, and this is a fun way to display it!
Here is a closer look at my sitting area in my garden...
Glass plate flowers are so much fun to add a touch of whimsey!
Peony flowering tulips...
These tulips are really long bloomers. They last over a month!
Welcome visitors to my garden each summer, these hummingbirds provide lots of entertainment!
Mr. Simba likes to come in the garden with me and chase gophers. I welcome his help!
On a mission!
A moment of rest...
Intense concentration!
Love my feathered friends!
Yes, I know I have a problem... I have so many pictures of these gorgeous red tulips! But aren't they lovely?
Mr. Simba and I want to wish you a lovely and blessed springtime! Go outside and enjoy all that springtime has to offer :)
Our spring here this May has had abundant days of sunshine, but that now seems to be coming to an end for a week or two as rain is in the forecast for the next few weeks, and we do need it.
Our daughter will be returning home from Spain next Thursday! We are beyond excited to see her again and hear all about her trip. I will share a final post after she arrives home of her trip in Spain. I may even be able to convince her to write a post here on my blog about her experience... :) She has gotten to see so many countries, and incredible architecture, gardens and historical places that coming back home will be a bit of a shock, I'm sure, as we live a very quiet and simple lifestyle here. She tells me though that she is ready to come home and enjoy all the loveliness that summer offers up here. She has enjoyed the cuisine overseas but tells us she can't wait to have some of my "homecookin" again, and I will be more than happy to oblige!
Have a lovely and blessed day, and may your springtime be full of delight :)
