May's Spring Parade of Blooms!

Monday, May 8, 2023

 The Spring Parade of Blooms has begun - and oh how wonderful it has been! I plant daffodils with abandon - all around our property. I've learned that this beautiful flower blooms without any care - and is one of the first blooms of spring. What a welcome delight to the world it is! Deer and gophers, ground squirrels, and other animals will never eat them, and their bright yellow blooms light up the landscape. Can you tell, I'm in love with our daffodil blooms! 

We have an old stump in our front yard, left here by previous owners.  Back in the 70s a fire went through our area, and we believe this stump was left from one of those fires. It sits on a large mound, and I decided it would be beautiful with some daffodils blooming around it.  I can't plant much else here, because the deer pathway through our acreage is right by it, and so the only plants that I know for sure deer won't eat are daffodil, and lavender.  



My early tulips are now starting to bloom! Oh the joy! I can't wait to see them all unfold their heads from a cold winter's sleep! 




One of my plate flowers stands watch over the unfolding yellow blooms of my tulips. 


We had some unsettling spring weather romp through our area this past week, leaving us with a system that brought lots of rain. The skies were incredibly lit up with the storm and its incredible cloud formations! 

Sunset as a spring storm rolls in - such beauty in the skies, I am always in amazement! 



I captured the Flower Moon the night the storm was rolling in, before clouds covered it up. What a beautiful moon it was! 

I've created a little seating area around our bonfire pit, just outside my garden. I've hung LED lights and string lights through the trees, and have them on a timer to come on for 2 hours at dusk. It makes my heart happy to have lights - lots of lights come on at dusk. I've set solar lights all through my yard too. It just adds such a special ambiance! 



As I watched the Flower Moon make its appearance, I had company - my sweet kitties wanted to sit on my lap and watch with me. However, their attention span was shortened by something in the grass more interesting... {smiles} 



A view of my garden space with the stump and daffodils in the foreground.  


Does this bring a smile to your face? It does to mine :) No maintenance, no care - just pure joy! 



Our first hummingbirds usually arrive around our son's birthday, the 17th of April. However, this year, they were 10 days later. I saw them arrive around the 25th. There was just one hummer for about a week, but now I've begun to see more. I understand the first crew to arrive are called "scouts" where they scout out the area and then report back to the rest of the hummers. I hope I received a good report :) 

These two - my precious sweet fur babies - after a busy day outside, they enjoy napping in my lap before bedtime, and early in the morning while I drink my coffee.  


Planting a variety of daffodils, from early bloomers to late spring bloomers, makes my yard a beautiful happy place of all kinds of blooms in early spring! 



I have been very busy in the garden, getting ready for another year of planting and harvesting.  I also have set up my Prayer & Tea Garden area where I host prayer meetings, and tea parties throughout the summer with friends, family, and other sisters in Christ. It brings me a lot of joy! 

I raked our entire yard where pine needles fell, and wheeled them into the garden to put in my pathways, to deter weeds from growing there.  The pine needles break down every year, and keep my pathways (mostly) free of weeds. I also utilize a barrier of cardboard on the pathways under the pine needles.  One year I worked very hard and put out the weed barrier throughout my whole pathway - and it failed - utterly! So, every spring, I work hard raking pine needles, and all winter I save cardboard boxes, and this has been the best system for me. 

A peek inside my "She Shed", which is a place where I can sit in an open gazebo-style building, and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors, without any bugs. I've made it a little sitting area to enjoy tea and cold beverages during our hot dry summer. Part of the shed is functional with tools, and equipment stored also. Someday, my husband promises to build me a little tool shed, but for now, my shed is a multipurpose place of joy for me. 

I live in a very tiny home (less than 800 sq ft), so any treasures I love but can't find a place for in my home, I bring out here.  There are no rules! No perfectly designed spaces for me out here - it is just free, and I hang and put things at will, where I can enjoy them. All of the pieces come from yard sales and thrift stores, for pennies.  Many of them are cracked, broken, and in disrepair when I buy them (many of my friends gift me with things as well!) But I find a place for everything and it has become a place of beauty and delight! The dresser is a new addition to the "She Shed".  It is not in the best shape, but it holds a variety of things for me, and so I love it! 



This is one of the baby chicks I hatched out through our incubator - all 19 that hatched survived, and now they are ready for their new homes. 

~ ~ ~ ~

I hope this new video I've made blesses your heart - so many people today are living their lives as if there is no God. When you look around the incredible world God has created for us to enjoy, how can you deny there is a God? The absolute perfection of everything His hand has created for us to enjoy. I share many beautiful pictures of North Idaho in this video. We can have great hope in our hearts that no matter how difficult the circumstances may seem around us, and in the world, our God is the Creator who formed it all into existence, and He Has a plan for this world. Jesus said, "I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Matthew 28:20  


29 comments

  1. Marilyn such lovely photos. Love your She Shed. It looks like you enjoy so many of the things I do. Saw my first hummer just Saturday and am feeding the Baltimore Orioles. Sometimes they come to the hummingbird feeders. The song and the video you made was beautiful. Bless you for sharing. Hope you have a great start to your week.

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  2. You always share such gorgeous photos, Marilyn Dear, you always leave me in awe, I heartily thank you for this!
    Sending much love across the many miles
    Xx Daniela @ ~ My little old world ~ (Dany)

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  3. I am going to enjoy relooking at your spring springing to life. I planted a few mini daffodils 8 years ago and since then I have thinned and thinned that dab into hundreds in our yard. All in the bit of wild area we leave for the deer herd to drink and play and lay. I'm thinking I'll try tulips in pots this winter, as the squirrel, rabbits, and deer will eat them otherwise. And your lovely She Shed. I must say, I'd enjoy a private place outside our small home that was just mine. Inside, it just doesn't work. I love the song. How else could all this magnificence have been created without our God the Almighty.
    Give Girl and Boy a pet for us. Precious is going to have a small fence on our patio so she can go out with me when I'm taking care of my patio garden. Lynn and Precious

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  4. Daffodils are my favorite flowers, hands down, Marilyn! Here in Georgia, they make their appearance in late February/early March, so it was a delight for me to see them here in all their spring glory. Of course, I loved all your photos and enjoyed the peek into your she shed, too. Wishing you a most beautiful spring and a glorious summer!

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  5. I love your daffodils! And they look perfect around the tree stump. I also love your seating area around your fire pit. May I ask what type of lights you strung? We have some, but yours are much brighter and prettier. Thank you for sharing the beauty of spring in your world, my friend!

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  6. The daffodils are special alright! Their smiling faces are such a lovely greeting for a spring day! Blessings to you and your family, Marilyn.

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  7. Dear Marilyn loved peeking into your heaven !
    everything so beautiful and shining with glow of your faith :)
    happy spring and happy blooming around your nest my friend! so true that a natural garden is most beautiful :) loved the flowers ,they do make me smile always :)
    your shots of moon clouds are captivating !
    i am glad you have she shed that keeps your favorite things on place :) such a spectacular place to sit relaxingly and enjoy the surroundings .
    happy birthday to your dear son ,may he see many many more with loved ones amen!
    no words are enough to explain how much i loved this song dear friend ,seemed each word singer sung was coming from my heart .thank you for glorifying my day !
    more showers of grace to your world!

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  8. I'll need to plant more daffodils around here. I do have a lot of lavender. I don't think deer eat peonies, either but ants sure love them. We've had 2 scouts at our hummingbird feeders so I hope they take back a good report, too. Our son and daughter in law got chicks from an incubator for the first time. They have 7 that made it out of 12. You are a hard worker. You've made lovely spaces. Beautiful skies to enjoy! Enjoy this beautiful month of growth!

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  9. We used to have daffodils come up but i have NO idea why they no longer do. My tulips (about 36) came up in my front flower bed but now here in eastern NY they are past prime. Most of the blooms have fallen off. I sprinkle red cayenne pepper flakes on the bulbs before covering them with the dirt and mulch in the fall, and that keeps the critters away. We mostly get squirrels and raccoons here......in suburbia.
    I love the idea of a "she shed" but that is WAY too much clutter for me. I'm a minimalist and a bit ocd about neatness. But your spot is very cheery and I'm glad it sparks joy for you!! I just LOVE your garden space.

    HAPPY SPRING!

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  10. It's always so nice to see daffodils, such a cheerful sight.
    Enjoy your May days.

    All the best Jan

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  11. Happy Spring Marilyn! You can tell it has definitely "sprung" in your area of God's Heaven! I went and watched your video and loved the music, and loved your beautiful stunning peeks into God's Country where you live! No wonder there is no doubt there is a God.... as where you live there CAN be no doubt! My area has its own beauty I suppose, but nothing like your little bit of Heaven. I do miss all the color. I love daffodils but always forget to plant them in the Fall! My yard and garden beds now have no more room for anything, as I have smothered them with my Iris flowers! I suppose a daffy tucked in between here and there would look nice.
    I love love love your She Shed! That is what I need too... a combo garden shed and She Shed. I never have a spot for my garden tools. They sit in buckets in my garage and would be so nice to have shelves to put things on, and to admire if they are pretties. Your fairy garden all lit up looks so inviting!
    Hugs... from Madras! Marilyn

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  12. So much beauty around you! We love daffodils too and have been planting more each year.
    I also love lights at night and your lights make everything look so cheery!
    The she shed is the cutest. Such a happy post today.

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  13. Such a beautiful post, sweet friend! Your prayer and tea garden is so welcoming. I can only imagine how blessed your friends are when they come there to join you! May the Lord continue to pour out His richest blessings on you. Sending love and hugs to you!

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  14. Marilyn, can you believe that for all my love of tulips, I don't have any in the yard?? Every fall I think, I should plant some bulbs, but honestly, I've never done it before, so I hold back. Your garden is always lovely, I really should plant some more flowers. Of course, even with flowers, my yard will never be as fabulous as yours, with all the charming touches, your shed, your sweet animals, your gorgeous skies and that stump!! Hugs to you!!

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  15. I just love flowers!!! We had planted daffodils and tulips for the first time and they were so beautiful. Our springs in Texas start early. I do miss their blooms but still enjoy seeing Indian paintbrush, bluebonnets, and Indian blanket flowers. Our Lord is a wonderful Creator!
    The daffodils you planted are gorgeous!!! And tulips are my favorite flower. :) Love your plate flower; never seen one before!
    Your "she shed" is just darling! What a pretty place to sit and relax!
    Love the lyrics to that song as well as the pretty pictures! God bless!
    Valentine

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  16. Oh wow, a prayer and tea garden, a she-shed filled with treasures. How absolutely wonderful. A true delight, friend ...

    And yes to more and more daffodils. We're reaping the bounty of last fall's planting. They're beautiful and a true spring joy.

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  17. Everything is looking wonderful all blooming and pretty, I did not know that the deer would not eat those flowers. I know the birds are messing with my green pepper plants, hoping they stay away once the peppers come on. I love your flower plates!

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  18. Oh Marilyn, whenever I visit your beautiful blog, I am so amazed at all the loveliness that you have surrounding you and how you capture it for us to enjoy. Your daffodils, she shed, tea/prayer garden area, the magical lights and all the natural beauty of your property, all truly makes me smile with delight. You really are blessed and I know you appreciate it.

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  19. Hi Marilyn! Oh, those kitties! I love it that you have a place outside to put all your fun things! xoPom Pom

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  20. I am having trouble logging in to comment here for some reason. It might just be my internet being slow. But I wanted to say how lovely your shed looks. It looks like a restful, pretty place! We also have daffodils on our property and I love that they require no work, yet they come back every year! God bless!

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  21. I have to leave another comment just to say that as soon as I posted the previous comment, I was somehow logged in to comment properly! Have a great day!

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  22. I love your she shed. Would love a one level home now. Our home, a bi level with those steps I am tired of. My husband doesn't like the thought of packing up again and finding another place. I like the idea of outside sheds I can fix up and go to do some crafts, garden, putter etc. I love being outside winter and summer more than inside. Love Nature and all it has to offer. Those daffodils near the stump are a great picture. While riding out in the mountains in early Spring in Virginia, I see them growing near old trees and creeks with stumps like this. Have a most Wonder Mother's Day!

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  23. Wishing you a Wonderful Mothers Day! Sorry for the typo in my first comment.

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  24. So beautiful Marilyn. We are thrilled to see your blooms, tea garden, and heavenly skies. You are surrounded by so much beauty. I am happy to feature your May's Spring Parade of Blooms at Love Your Creativity.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you SO much Linda, I appreciate this so very much! It is such a blessing to enjoy the beauties of spring here in Idaho :)

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  25. Spring has surely arrived there, Marilyn. Lots of pretty blooms. And you got a visit from the dear hummingbird. The lights look nice around the fire pit. Lights always seem to make things cozy and welcoming in our own spaces. Your prayer and tea garden is lovely. It's always a delight to see all your tea cups and treasures, and how nice to have a personal shed for yourself to spent time at. I like your white dresser, and it looks big enough to place many treasures on there. I love my little white dresser also, to put holiday stuff on, which makes me smile.

    I'm glad that Spring has arrived, and that baby chick is so cute. Have a happy May week, dear Marilyn.

    ~Sheri

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  26. Such a beautiful post! I love your garden and sitting area! I bet your tea parties are lovely!

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