Outdoor Wednesday ~Spring Garden Walk

We've had pretty shaky weather this week..mostly gray, sometimes rainy, very occasionally sunny - but the flowers in my yard are still moving forward. Come into the back yard and check it out.


Seems like each day brings something new. One of my favorites at the moment is this False Solomon's Seal which has an amazing rose scent.


And here is the real Solomon's Seal


This lamium is thriving in this mini sea of sweet woodruff. I think this is one from a tiny piece I snitched from a planter outside Safeco Field where the Mariner's play. I had pink..but not purple. Bad Girl I know....what if everyone that passed by took a tiny piece. It would be bald in no time. But I'm the only nut who would worry about a lamium while walking into the ballpark.


This tiny saxifrage is extra cute right now. Fit for a fairy garden for sure...


I keep telling myself that "next year" I am going to have all pastel tulips in this area..but inevitably I forget and a couple of red ones pop up. But if I position my camera just so...I can make it be just like I listened to me.


This is another of my late blooming tulips



If you check back here often enough you will probably get tired of me and my bleeding heart(s)


This is the variety native to the Pacific Northwest


This pure white one brings a lot of light to a shady corner


This is my first hardy geranium to bloom...pretty unassuming compared to the bright blue and pink ones to come. Still cute though!


The columbines are beginning to bloom too


Like the geranium...it seems like the tamer colors are first. Wish they weren't so shy!


This little anemone 'Vestal' is starting to form a little colony in my shady corner..the more the merrier!


Smells so good right now...with freshly mowed grass and the cottonwood scent floating through the air (their only redeeming quality)


Although the backyard has a lot going on, the front yard won't be outdone!


I've lost track of when I planted these clematis but surely it must be their third year because sleep, creep, leap they have!


My clematis fairy Karen gave me this one and the one to the right of the house...and a majority of the ones in my yard. I think this one might be Asao or a baby from it.


Here's a zoom into my hanging basket...I could resist the ruffly pinkness of these begonias


It won't be long til the peonies are blooming! I hope I can keep these from flopping!


I'll close with one more garden addition....give them a miniature birdbath and a giant toadstool and they will come....fairies that is...Stay tuned. I'm sure they will be moving in any day now...


Hope you enjoyed the garden visit! I'm joining in for Outdoor Wednesday today. Check out all of the other outdoorsy posts at A Southern Daydreamer's place.

Yayyy Earth! ~Outdoor Wednesday~

Since Thursday is Earth Day I couldn't resist joining in for this week's Outdoor Wednesday festivities. I spent much of this past weekend in my yard and enjoyed every minute of it. The dirt and the sun and the smell of the cottonwood trees all made me feel very appreciative of our beautiful planet. The spring blooms didn't hurt either!



Seeing this clematis blooming at my front door is a pure joy.


But I'm just as thrilled with the humble little violets


I love the unexpected blooms like these little anemones..I look and look for them in early spring, then suddenly when I least expect there they are.


Or this startling Darmera peltata bloom...that comes up from the ground like a little alien hand..no leaves just flower!

Then there are the little tiny blooms that make their presence known in a big way. Forget me nots couldn't be forgotten even if you tried!


Signs of new life are everywhere you turn


Spring bulbs are still surprising me - I forget this ones name


But Spanish Bluebells I remember


Spring really is the season of love in the garden


And I love love love this bleeding heart to pieces


The rhody season is getting underway and this mini is the first to bloom in my yard.


But one of its azalea cousins is blooming too


I've just added this cutie to my garden. It's called lithodora "Star"


One of my favorite yellow flowers, trollius, is starting to bloom right now. It has such perfect little teacup shaped flowers. It reminds me of the one that Willy Wonka took a bite of :-)


Spring is a time when it reminds us of what the earth has to offer in the way of food. Apples on the way


Yummy green onions


And tomatoes hiding in their water beds


I'm always so excited to see this Mountain Bluet bloom! Saturday was the day this year


Even though I have plenty blooming in my yard at the moment I couldn't resist going to buy more....the fever has hit!


How could I not buy this pretty little fuchsia?


Or this otherworldly looking african daisy?


Hope all of you enjoy a wonderful Earth Day this year. I just looked at the weather forecast and a little sunshine is promised, so hopefully I can get out and enjoy some of what mother nature has to offer. Go check out all of the other posts at Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer's place. I know there will be some pretty stuff!

Outdoor Wednesday ~A Taste of the Tropics

So maybe my post title is a little deceiving..but bear with me til the end and you might get a little inkling of truth. We are experiencing very frosty temps here in the Pacific Northwest. The thermometer registered a whopping 10°F when I left the house for work this morning. Luckily (from a commuting perspective) we have been precipitation free, so snow or icy roads to contend with. There has been some pretty frost though.


Now I know some of you that grew up in or live in areas that get tons of snow and very cold weather every year are saying whats the big deal!



But there is something magical to me to see all of the icy sparkles


The crystal formations are pretty cool too


The green beneath the frost seems so unlikely


And the contrast with red is stunning


The most amazing are the signs of summer trying to hang on


Just barely......


So are you shivering yet??? How about that taste of the tropics I promised to warm you up...or at least a taste of a really good candy bar (coconut lovers turn away). This hot chocolate featured in this months Food Network Magazine is like a Mounds in a cup.....so rich and coconutty. A little of this stuff goes a LONG way..so beware and look for your tiny cups.


Cocoa Colada

1 14 oz can coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
4 oz chopped milk chocolate
1/4 cup toasted coconut

Bring milk and water to a simmer over low heat. Add sugar and chocolate and whisk to melt. Spike with coconut rum if desired (I didn't have any but did add a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla) Top with toasted coconut.




These were great with a few shortbread cookies! I used a recipe shared by my friend Susan at Savoring Time in the Kitchen. Its utterly amazing what 3 simple ingredients can be transformed into. Don't skip the sugar sprinkling step...I think it makes the cookie!!

Shortbread Recipe

1 cup soft salted butter
1/2 cup Baker’s Sugar (superfine)
2 cups all purpose white flour (you can substitute ½ cup of rice flour and 1-1/2 cups AP flour for a different texture)

Cream the butter until very light and fluffy. Cream in the sugar a little at a time until the sugar dissolves (this takes a while).

Mix in about 1-1/2 cups flour gently by hand. Turn out on a lightly floured board and knead in only as much flour as is needed to make soft shape-able dough that holds together well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out about 1/3 inch thick and cut into shapes with a knife or cookie cutters, or pat into a 1/3 inch thick round (or rectangle) pan by hand (I use a 9x9x2 pan), prick with a fork every 1-2".

Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 300 degrees for 30 to 50 minutes, (depending on the size you are making...cut-outs will take less time, pan shortbread will take more time) until pale golden brown all over. I like to sift more superfine sugar over the top when they come out of the oven. Let sit for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack. If you are making pan shortbread, cut into small squares with a very sharp knife right away, then allow to cool.

Check out all of the other Outdoor Wednesday posts over at A Southern Daydreamer