How Time Flies!

I have started working outside the home again.  Part-time, yet it feels like full-time when it comes to having time for things like crafting and blogging.  *le sigh*

Last week, I was blessed to have my in-laws come to stay with us for several days.  Darin, Victoria and I decided to take them to Leavenworth, WA via the scenic Cascade Mountain Highway.  Oh how I love a road trip! 

Here we are the Diablo Lake lookout.  Check out my hair.  That was some serious awesomeness!

Darin, Victoria and I walked out onto Diablo Dam, while Grandpa and Grandma chose to enjoy the scenery from the solid ground.  The causeways were open, so it made for some beautiful photos.  

Part of that beauty were the rainbows created by the mist.

We also walked across a bridge over a very deep and beautiful gorge.

The photo cannot due justice to just how high the bridge was!

Of course, I paused here and there to enjoy some of the wildflowers.  God's creation is just amazing!!

At the peak of the mountain pass, there was still snow along the roadside.  I made Vicki stand in the snow for a picture.  She was not too impressed with that!

Eventually we made our way to Leavenworth.  For some reason I didn't get any pictures of the town this trip.  However, I have a one I took from a previous trip.

There are so many neat shops in this little Bavarian town!

I could have spent another two days here.

Hopefully, this will not be the only road trip we do this summer.  I love road tripping, and hope to have some more photos to share.  

And here is a smile for the day.  While at a petting zoo, just outside of Leavenworth, Victoria and I spotted this peacock trying so, so hard to impress a peahen.  He strutted, fluttered and followed her around for a good 20 minutes. However, she never even glanced his way.  Oh, I am sure she saw him, I mean, how could you not?!?!  But, she didn't acknowledge him.  Sounds like any bar in any town, America.  HAHA!

So if you have having a bad day or week, just think of this poor guy.

Have a blessed day!

the challenge?

So, yes, I have been working on my personal challenge (see Amazingness ).  I have managed to make time to persue at least a couple items each week.  What I haven't managed to do is blog about them. =)

So I have almost finished a book that I started 5 months ago.  It's not even that long.  I just don't make a point of making time to read.  Until this last week.  =D

 If you haven't read Price and Prejudice and Zombies, you should.  I have been very surprised with how enjoyable it has been. 



I have been working on knitting a hipscarf.  No photos yet.  I made several attempts at crocheting it, but the yarn I have chosen makes me crazy when I try to crochet with it.   I have not decided what I will adorn the fringe with yet.  Hmmm....

What is a hipscarf, you say?  It's a scarf wrapped around the hips, often adorned with coins and or beads, most often worn by belly dancers.   As a belly dancer, you can never have enough bling! 

I have made a couple items in my kitchen that are brand new to me.  One was the muffins in the previous posts.  Seriously yummy!  They really do taste like doughnuts!  I even photographed one, as seen in the previous post.  So check one more thing off my challenge... playing around with photography.

I also combined a couple other items together and here are the results of that....

California Poppies... so pretty!

This one is my favorite!  I planted these for D, as they are one of his favorite flowers.  Behind them are my sunflowers which should make for amazing photos later.  =)

... And a few more photos to sign off with for today. 

A pretty orange California Poppy.

Pansies from Vicki's planter

MMMMM.... strawberries

Coming soon.....     

Meanderings and Strange Things You Might Hear If You Were Here







*poof*

Oh Sweet Summer

Welcome to our house.  I was about to take a picture of the front of our house, to show off the pretty 'welcome garden', when I noticed my little buddies in the window. 

I like to fill this flower bed along our front walk with colorful welcoming flowers.  This year its blue lobelia, pink and purple impatients, red and variegated geraniums.   

Vicki made two planters of her own again this year.  She is pretty proud of them.  This one here has a mix of last years snap dragons and new plants she added this year, including more snap dragons and pansies. 

We made jello jigglers.  I think blue jello is definitely my favorite flavor.

I thought I would try to get a nice pic of us together.  Vicki had other plans.  But after several tries, we finally got a good one. 

 

Here is our fruit garden.  We have a cherry tomato, a beefsteak tomato, 4 rapsberry and 4 blueberry and a couple extra strawberry plants that didn't fit into my strawberry planter.  We also have some vegetable garden planted, but due to the delay of the warm weather, it isn't much to photograph yet.  We have harvested almost all our radishes, and are still waiting on carrots, onions, brussel sprouts, kolrabi, beans and corn. 

Here is my strawberry planter which is very loaded with ripenning berries.  Behind it is Vicki's other planter, full of petunias and snapdragons.

Too cute not to share!  =D

Today is a short list again.  Vicki has a birthday party to go to, so I will take advantage of the time to get some serious house cleaning done.  Cuz, that's my favorite.

I have plans to go see my J-man this evening for coffee before heading to class/rehearsal time with Annyse and Yvonne.  Going to be a great day! 

Enjoy the day!   

~~*poof*~~