Hello Monday... Weekend Funness

This weekend was an active one, and I'm not talking about the weather!  It was full of street fairs, tulips, eagles, picnics, cookie cutters, and wicked weather.  But it was incredibly fun, and I'm hoping that fun will seep into the week.  So here is my Hello Monday with a distinct eye on this last weekend.

Hello, street fair!  Several blocks of little white tents and food stands.  There were all sorts of goodies to peruse.  I got plenty of exercise and spent way too much money.  My pocketbook aches with regret, but we still had fun.

Hello picnics... We decided we wanted a Sunday afternoon picnic, so we went to a local grocer and bought a few deli salads, thickly sliced rosemary turkey breast, cheese, and croissants.  Yum!

Hello hail! We had some serious wicked weather over the weekend.  There was massive rain, bright sunshine, blustery wind, and pea sized hail.  That is one of the great things about spring... The weather is so inclusive.  I'm just grateful it isn't incredibly serious weather like the weather happening in other parts of the country.

Hello tulips... It is the last of the tulip festival.  Most of the colorful blooms are gone, and those that are left on are on their last breath.  However, I still love this gorgeous flower and there is always this great sense of loss after the last tulips fade for the season.

Hello, bald eagles... They made their presence known just about everywhere we went this weekend.  They're just majestic, beautiful raptors.  Whenever I see one, I feel this tremendous relief.

Hello water tower... This is a constant site in a certain part of my little world, and she loomed over us when we went for a walk on Saturday evening.  I love photographing this tower.  Those fantastic colors shout of a bygone time.

Hello cookie cutters! We went on a big cookie cutter hunt over the weekend.  It was a search for a cookie cutter I want to give Mum for Mother's Day.  Unfortunately, every where we went - it was no where to be found.  But, that certainly didn't stop Mum from finding other cookie cutters to add to her collection.

Well, that was our weekend.  Now it is Monday, and when you're reading this - I'll be out in the back garden toiling away.  Think of me fondly folks, for it is the first time I've stepped out in the garden this year and it is a jungle out there.  I'm quite certain by day's end I'll have blisters, back aches, and a few mosquito bites. 

Happy Monday!

Hello Monday... Mt Vernon Farmer's Market

Hello Monday... You're going to be a busy day for this gal, but I'm glad I had a relaxing weekend to prepare me to tackle the incredible list of things to do.  One of the things I did over the weekend was go to the Mt Vernon Farmer's Market, which was a wonderful visit.

Hello, People! There was sure a lot of people at the Market.  I thought if I brought the family a little later in the day, we wouldn't have to worry about too many crowds - especially since the market hours are brief.  No such luck.  But, I can only hope that meant good news for the vendors.

With live music and places to sit, chat, and enjoy the various offerings of nosh - the Market was a great way to spend a lazy afternoon.

 

Hello Flowers! There were plenty of flower vendors at the market.  The most prolific was a booth that brimmed with bouquets.  Mum picked out this week's bouquet, but we already have a deal that on the next visit - Dawn and I get to pick out the bouquet.

 

Hello, Soap! Lots of soap! Big, thick, fragrant bars of soap.  We ended up purchasing a bar of Mango Papaya.  It is the kind Dawn and I picked out.  Mum wanted the White Tea soap, but since she got the flowers... I suppose next time she'll want to pick out the soap.  In any event, the bar we purchased is so fragrant, we sat it in the bathroom and it filled the room with the fruity smell.  The soap was created by Pacific Bubbles and Lotions which is bursting with lovely creations.

 

 Hello, Fruit and Veg... There was certainly plenty of fruit and veg at the market.  We purchased a pint of tayberries.  It quickly became clear, I'm not a fan of tayberries.  Far too blah for me.  However, Mum and Dawn seemed to like them a lot.  Mum threw them into a fruit salad for her and Dawn to enjoy when we returned home (I got raspberries).

Hello, Aprons... Lots of pretty aprons.  These were made by Mount Vernon Herbs... made in all shapes, sizes, and colors.  I loved how the aprons seemed to dance in the slight breeze pushing through the Market.  

In the end, we walked away with flowers, soap, fruit, and a few other bits and bob.  It was a fantastic time, but now I suppose it is time for me to roll up my sleeves and dive into all the work I have to do on this sunny, warm Monday.

Happy Monday!

Hello Monday: Fragrance Garden

 

Hello! I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday weekend.  My little family and I had a wonderful time.  We ate dinner outside in the back garden, enjoyed all the fireworks, and relaxed under the shade of our patio umbrella.  Our goal was to keep the heat from getting to us.  But while we're trying to keep the heat at bay, the gardens are appreciating them.  And one of our favorite gardens, besides our own, is the Fragrance Garden.

 Hello, Daisies!  I love daisies... We have them in our own garden.  These ones look a bit more dainty then the daisies in our garden.

Hello, purple... I love purple.  I especially love it in a garden.

Hello, blue skies... We're seeing plenty of you lately.  In fact, we'll be seeing a lot of you in the next coming weeks.  That's kind of a bummer, at least for me, because that means there are no mud puddles.  I love mud puddles.

Hello, peonies... I think you are the girliest flowers of all.  You remind me of ruffles and bows... everything pink and giggly.

Hello, pink poppies... I love the name "Poppy."  I would consider it for a puppy... If I had a puppy.

 Hello, Fragrance Garden... Bursting with color and swarming with life.  I just love this garden.

And I love these two visitors in the garden.  Hello, Dawn and Mum... You're looking your usual gorgeous selves on this fine, sunny day.   Notice Mum's camera? She took over my old camera when I bought my new Canon.  She's loving it.

Enjoy your day!

Hello Monday... Red Barn Lavender

Hello, Monday! I'm back! After a long absence from the Blogosphere, I've returned.  Though I still have a lot of commitments on my to-do list, I'm gradually ticking off the boxes and noticing a little shrinkage.

I don't know about the rest of you, but it has been hot, hot, hot where I live.  I cannot seem to find relief unless I'm driving around with my air conditioner cranked to the highest flow possible.  Environmentally, I know it isn't the best possible move on my part but it is the only thing giving me (and my little family) relief from the heat-induced headaches and nausea.  We're keeping hydrated, though, and I'm going to launch into creating a make-shift air conditioner (which will be on a later post).

In the meantime, I thought I'd share how we spent our weekend... with lavender!

 

We headed out to a little lavender farm called Red Barn Lavender in Ferndale, Washington. We used to go there every July and cut a couple of bundles for the house and miscellaneous uses, but for the past couple of years we didn't make it out that way.  This year, however, we did.  And it was a blast!

What is great about Red Barn Lavender is all the varieties of lavender they have to offer.  There were rows and rows of the purple, blue, and white stuff.  The air was rich with the smell of lavender (and made me want to take a nap).

So, with cutting scissors and ties in hand, we went in search of the perfect lavender to fill out little ties.

Mum picked this lavender.  We're going to make wreaths out of these to hang above our beds.  I love the smell of lavender as I go to bed.

Want to know an interesting fact about lavender? Deer aren't too fond of it.  So, if you plant lavender... there is a more than excellent chance the deer will pass it by.  Another fun fact? Planting lavender by your garden gate is suppose to bring you luck.  We have a couple of lavender plants by one of our garden gates.

Dawn picked out her lavender.  We're planning to dry these and use them in sachets for our dresser drawers.

This is our lavender haul.  We selected four different varieties, and my truck never smelled as good as it did those those bundles inside.

And here is just one of the many little things we plan on doing with our haul.  We made this little bouquet for a friend of ours who is having surgery in a couple of weeks.

Hope your Monday is a good one!  Until tomorrow...

Hello Monday... The Garden Center

I spent the entire weekend working in the back garden and making numerous trips to the garden center.  Flowers, herbs, and assorted other goodies filled my wagon time after time, and my VISA sang a happy song every time the cash register rang up another item.

My garden isn't finished... I have it about half-way done.  But I'm further along then I was this time last year, and I cannot wait until I'm lounging on my back patio, surrounded by the wonderful smell of lavender and rosemary, watching butterflies dance and humming birds drink, while I work away on my laptop.

Hello, Monday... I love barrels full of color... How can you not?!?!

Hello, Garden Center Wagons... I brought Mum with me, so I have no doubt that we'll be filling a few of you up.  My VISA cried a little when Mum made a quick dash for you.

Hello, Red Bells... You remind me of when I was a kid.  We had bunches of you in the back garden of the house I grew up in.  You were a summer regular, and every time I see you - I feel a whole lot of nostalgia.

Hello, Rosemary... For luck, I will plant you by my garden gate.

Hello, Herbs... It didn't take long before you took over half the wagon space.  Mum loves her herbs.

Hello, Bleeding Hearts... You're my sister's favorite.  I love your delicate heart drops.  I just wish you lasted all summer long.

Hello, Mr. Wagon... I knew it would take long before Mum filled you up.

Hello, Fushias... I bought lots of you.  Dawn and I are going to make fabulous hanging baskets with you.  The humming birds will love us for it.

I love you, glass tulips.  You are so awesome! I just wish you came in orange instead of red and pink.  I much prefer orange.

Hello, Comfy place to sit... I'm going to need you after planting all those herbs and flowers Mum had me purchase.  However, I think I prefer the comfty place in my own back garden - with my own soft cushions.

Hello Monday... Tulip Fields

It's that time of year... the ground is bursting with color, petals, and life.  And this is the time my family and I grab our cameras and head south to the tulip fields and elaborate gardens.  With this much color, I know the week will be a good one.

Hello, Pink Tulips... You were, by far, my little sister's favorite tulip.

Hello, Mr. Barrel... What a clever way to showcase yourself.  Packed full of various bulbs that, once blossomed, all seemed to make sense.

Hello, River of Petals... How fabulously clever!  A river of blue Muscari in rolling beds of tulips.

Hello, Tree Tulips... How many of you have seen tulips grown in trees? Tulip bulbs tucked in moss growing on tree branches is how you can achieve that fabulous result.

Look! Another river of blue muscari!

Hello, Wooden Tulip...  Tulips are everywhere... Even in wood form.

And in this garden, even the littlest accents contribute to the festive, blue sky mood.

And I cannot forget the rows of colorful petals.  Yellow, red, purple, pink, and various color combinations... Very few places in the world can beat this shout out from Spring.