May Blooms, May Days and More!

Spring has disappeared here in our neck of the woods!  Summer has gobbled up Spring and is visiting us with the most decadent blooms and weather! We went from flannel jackets, hats, and gloves one day to summer attire the next! Like most people I've talked to - the weather all around has been very strange this year - no gentle changes from one season to another, but abrupt, rough, and hurried changes! We went from having temps in the 30s and 40s to the 80s almost the next day, and it's been hot ever since.  Some of my springtime bloomers are confused and unsure of what to do. I lost a couple of my roses over the winter, my lavender even took a hit - it was just a rough winter! So, I have been working to clean up my beds. Springtime is full of lots of work - but when the blooms come - oh how I rejoice! 

We've had an incredible abundance of dandelions this year.  One of the ways I like to enjoy dandelions is to make dandelion tea.  It's very easy! 

Dandelion Tea
1 quart jar dandelion flower heads
2 black tea bags
3 cups boiling water, separated
sugar of choice to taste

Rinse the dandelion flower heads with cool water, place in a bowl.  Pour 1 cup boiling water over  the dandelions and let sit for 10 minutes.  Add remaining 2 cups boiling water to the 2 tea bags, and let steep for 5 minutes, stir in sugar of choice (I added 1/4 cup stevia). Pour tea concentrate into 1 gallon jar, and mix in the dandelions water mixture, stir gently. Fill gallon jar with water to the top. Cover jar and place in refrigerator for a couple hours. Remove dandelions, and serve tea over ice! 

I enjoyed my dandelion tea out in my She Shed! 

Recently, most of you know I've been eating less sugar and while not completely keto, I am avoiding all processed foods and sugars.  I made this chicken crust pizza recently, and it was amazing! Had wonderful flavor, and you really didn't miss the bread at all! 

Here is the link to recipe I used.
Chicken Crust Pizza

I used a rotisserie chicken from Costco, made my own marinara sauce, and added fresh veggies and mozzarella cheese. It was truly a delicious and satisfying meal! 

Potatoes have been planted! Before I plant my seed potatoes I always let them sit in the sun for about 1 day, it prevents them from rotting when they go into the ground. 

My porch needed a bit of refreshing after winter, so I spent a day washing, rearranging, and cleaning the front porch. You can see some of the many flower plates that I have made through the years. 

I have many little solar lights and LED candles on timers that turn on in the evening, which makes the porch a delightful spot to be all day long! 

Tulips blooming in the Springtime - oh how they make my heart sing! 

The kids treated me on Mother's Day to a lovely meal at a local Greek restaurant. Dan was able to spend Mother's Day with his mother this year, and we sure missed him but were thankful he could spend this day with his mother. She is in a nursing home and has many health struggles. 

A neighbor's tulips  - such a gorgeous display! She has a beautiful brick flower bed that moles/voles can't dig into, so I enjoy her tulips. I can't plant my tulips in the ground because of the problem we have with the underground diggers.  So it is always a delight to see her tulips in bloom! 

 A neighbor groomed Riley for us - doesn't she look so pretty! I care for her animals when they are out of town, and she grooms Riley for me.  I love our neighborhood, and how our neighbors can be a blessing to each other! 

I made a rhubarb-strawberry crumble last week -oh it was delicious! I added a few black cherries and some tapioca to the rhubarb and strawberries, and it was almost like eating pie, so good! I didn't use a recipe - just a little bit of this n that! It was sugar-free (I used stevia). 

This is one of our underground diggers - a ground squirrel.
Even with dogs and cats around, they are quite brazen! 

Well... it is quite possible that these two are just a bit lazy on the job, and not really earning their fair share around the place, to help keep the underground critters at bay {smiles}! 

Lilac blooms - heaven's scent bottled up in these gorgeous blooms! 

Rhododendron blooms - so beautiful! 

This rainbow appeared over the garden a couple of days ago, how beautiful it was for me to see God's promise once again spread out perfectly over my garden! 

A collection in my "She Shed" of teacups, teapots, and china.
I can hardly resist picking up beautiful pieces at thrift stores! 

I had a fun day last week with my stamping friends, and we made these beautiful cards together - always a fun time to stamp and create with other ladies :) 

Lilac blooms - oh how I love them! Isn't the little boot jar adorable! It belongs to my daughter-in-law. 

Such an incredible delight to be able to enjoy these blooms each Spring! 

My neighbor brought over a Strawberry-Rhubarb pie - oh my, it was so good!  She was also sporting a T-shirt that she found, it says: "Normal isn't coming back - JESUS is!"  I love that we can have that hope in Jesus! 

Iris in bloom - they are blooming magnificently this year! 

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We took a quad ride up into the mountains - one of our favorite things to do! It was so nice, a beautiful day - not too dusty, and lots of wildflowers blooming! 

May is such a busy month as all my seedlings go into the ground after being cared for in my greenhouse - many of them since March. It is a great feeling to know that everything is in the ground and where it needs to be! 

I've been working on this post for several days now - and here it is the end of MAY! Where oh where do the days run off to? I hope you've enjoyed this rather rambling post of bits and pieces of my May days here in North Idaho. I'd like to leave your hearts encouraged with this beautiful video done by my friend Cheryl Smith. You can visit her blog HERE to read more of her encouraging words about the days we live in, and the hope we have in Jesus. 

I hope you enjoy her video, and I pray that all of you know how much I love and appreciate each one of you!