Can't Wait for Spring!

I was raised for the most part in southern California and did not experience
"seasons." In much of my adult life I have been able to melt in the heat
along the gulf coast or be cold in the north of Alaska! One thing I am ready for
now is Spring! I love flowers and how the yards bloom with many
variations and colors.

I adore fresh greenery, here the eucalyptus, trachelium and moss
mix so well in the beautiful silver vase. I love most anything silver.
Wouldn't this be beautiful on your dining room table?

Hydrangeas make the base of this burst of color and the silver
urn is....well....I want it!

Green hydrangeas and cream roses are beautifully held in
place by green crabapples . The cut pomegranate is an interesting
piece in this arrangement, I would add more greenery loosely
placed in different directions.

One of the joys of the cooler weather just before spring is
when the tulips start popping up! They, along with
sunflowers and hydrangeas are my favorite flower.

I need to start working my soil to produce these beautiful colors
to have a display as lovely as this.

This is the color I had last season, still pretty but I want
those deep rich vibrant hues!

How about doing a small arrangement at each place
setting for your next gathering? Or group all different
sized vases and make an arrangement in each to make
one big arrangement?

Simplistic, cut from your garden, put in a glass container
with small pebbles in the bottom!

More from Sitka

I had requests for more Sitka pictures...it really is
such a beautiful place.

I do not know Sarah Palin, but she is the type
of woman my husband wished he had!

This is the house that is tucked away in the trees
and it was not the house that drew us in but this
spectacular location. From the last post, it is
difficult to tell, but this property encompasses a
small peninsula, about 5 acres.

This is what drew me in...the stunning view
from the living room. It was not uncommon at
all to see commercial fishing boats so close you felt as
though you could throw a rock into the bow. I know
the whales thought this to be their "yard" to play in
and the sea lions were very vocal, especially when
the eagles were in the area! We were blessed beyond
measure to be in the middle of some of God's finest creation!

The view was so breathtaking. A wonderful place
to visit!

At the end point of the peninsula, we had
a great fire pit with custom built seats! There
was always a great breeze.

My husband tried to tell me I couldn't
manicure the woods. :>) I have my
"Alaska sneakers" on!

My sons playing in the frigid waters, on the
other side of the property from the house.
I couldn't stand to put my big toe in!

I am helping to gather wood for the tree fort.
We actually had warm weather this July day,
it was in the low 60's!

This is where the boys built the fort,
how much fun for these guys to have this
gorgeous setting to play in! I know they
didn't realize it at the time.

The cruise ships were a daily visit in the
summer time, sometimes as many as 5 ships
would be in "town" at once. My son Greg had a job
working for a kayak tour company and folks would
get off the ships and come ashore to kayak around the
neighboring islands. One of the funniest things asked
him while doing his job was how far above sea level
they were. They were standing on a pier and Greg said...
"oh about 10 feet!" Too funny.

All the pictures so far have been
nice and bright and clear, but that's the kind of
days one wants to take pictures! Here's the reality,
overcast, fog and rain most of the time.

The "boys" caught some nice sized
king salmon!


My girlfriend and I in our Alaska sneakers
on an island near Sitka....we definitely had
to watch out for bears! It's in the mid-50's here,
it's the summer time. We certainly were
not going to get that over sunned "weathered"
look!

Yes, it does snow but not as much as you
would think. The kids really only got a
couple of "snow" days from school.


The Coast Guard is the reason we got to this
beautiful place in the US. My husband
flew search and rescue here and across
the states for over 25 years.

Alaska beauty!

One of the places I have lived....
Sitka, Alaska

My house, back in the corner...such a gorgeous setting!

view from the air

surfing in frigid waters!

beautiful wild flowers, Fifi will you paint?

delightful bell heather

bears just hangin' out in the neighborhood!

bald eagles on our front beach

whales playing in the front yard!

inactive volcano on Mt. Edgecumbe across the harbor
from Sitka....there is an actual walking trail around the mountain!

fishing boats in the harbor

the northern lights, quite an amazing light show

Not wanting to go to Alaska for a third time
(hubby in Coast Guard, had already been to Kodiak twice)
I was graced by God's beauty all around. Truly one of
the most beautiful places I have been in my life.
A rain forest (August '99-March '00, continual rain, not kidding
everyday rain) with beautiful evergreen trees and wild
flowers in abundance. I never had to buy flowers, I
would just go out and cut regularly!
Great place to visit!

Whimsical Art

From the time we are young we are given

different opportunities in life. Mine at the
age of 10 was to begin learning how to play
the 'cello. My mom always thought it was a
beautiful instrument. Without any piano
training and no "musicality" at all,
"Twinkle Twinkle" took much imagination
for those listening. But as the years passed
I improved and went on to college to major
in 'cello performance. When I saw this painting
from FiFiFlowers I knew I just had to have it!

These colors are great, love the black and
white striped drape! Look at the wonderful
detail.


















When I was a girl I had a bike much like this,
basket and all!



















This reminds me of the bike I rode in Hilton
Head, SC, this summer with my girlfriend ChiChi!
She and her husband and my hubby and I are doing
a group ride in June from San Francisco north to the
wine country and back!
I love the pink and black...my road bike has the same
colors!

I am very excited that these paintings will be in my home
soon!

Kenai! My Marley!

On a different note today....

Did you see "Marley and Me?" Holy Cow, did I laugh and cry my socks off. If you have ever owned a Laborador then I am sure you can commiserate. The totally out of control, lick you to death, trying to find some manners somewhere, lovable "person" (you know they are people!).

Our Kenai (kee nye) came to our family when he was 2 months old - a Cajun boy - we lived in New Orleans then.


















This is Kenai at 3 months old when our son
Geoff was 8. There was so much mischief
between these two.


















Geoff and Kenai again here, this time in Miami.
Geoff 12, Kenai 4. My, how he had grown! This
was the time in his life that I would have the kids
in the car to go to school and he would get out and
I would have to chase him all over the neighborhood.....oy.

















Such a good boy "posing" to have his picture
taken in the woods in Sitka, Alaska. By the way,
the name "Kenai" is taken after a peninsula in
Alaska a bit east of Anchorage.














Here he is in Asheville, NC, visiting his "grandma"
this past Spring. We had to graciously send him to
doggy heaven a few months ago, it was the most
difficult thing I have had to do so far in my 52 years.

My new friend Fifi inspired me on her post to pay
tribute to our sweet boy....thank you Fifi!
Please be sure to visit Fifi's blog and look at her
beautiful artwork.

Blessings...