tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6293694880268974692024-03-13T08:44:05.453-07:00Notes from a Cottage Garden"God Almighty first planted a Garden; and, indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures; it is the greatest refreshment to the spirits of man..."
Francis BaconConniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-31741879529768540592012-05-22T19:06:00.001-07:002012-05-22T19:08:19.369-07:00Baby RobinAs I have been working in the garden this Spring, I kept hearing baby birds chirping loudly from time to time, when the Mama bird brought them food. I followed the sounds and found three fat baby Robins, in a hedge of trees that borders our property. They were so big, they barely fit in the nest anymore. I intended to take a photo, but forgot about it....and when I went back a few days later, the baby birds were gone from the nest. :-( As I walked back to the house, I heard chirping.... and gazing into the hedge, spotted this baby robin sitting on a limb.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsvIMEqC5YkSTEmRbgbmG2jw9usEr5ojXSBRrCx9dk1mzX8BmnTQKSGfFRnVLnms31qQNR0hbedAHuH1HU3WEKQAsTrSTn_2bAbhWBOVB18ZnRbDwZoTv20Rc6CIIO8ZUnhJ6fZXajchQ/s1600/Spring+2012.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5745540791593558226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsvIMEqC5YkSTEmRbgbmG2jw9usEr5ojXSBRrCx9dk1mzX8BmnTQKSGfFRnVLnms31qQNR0hbedAHuH1HU3WEKQAsTrSTn_2bAbhWBOVB18ZnRbDwZoTv20Rc6CIIO8ZUnhJ6fZXajchQ/s400/Spring+2012.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
I love how it still has a tuft of downy feather on it's sweet little head!<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">" Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God."</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Psalm 84:3</span><br />
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<br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-76877630903987053862012-02-14T11:43:00.000-08:002012-02-14T12:26:05.247-08:00Happy Valentine's Day<div style="text-align: center;"><br />If any of you have been readers of my blog for a few years now, you know that I am fond of finding what I call <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Nature Valentines</span>.</span> One year I grew a <a href="http://rosecottagegarden.blogspot.com/2008/02/sunny-valentine.html">heart shaped sunflower.</a> Another year I found the perfect <a href="http://rosecottagegarden.blogspot.com/2009/02/nature-valentine.html">heart shaped leaf.</a><br /><br />I wasn't sure if I could find a Nature Valentine this year, but then I remembered this heart shaped rock.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWWJF7kIId53JP5-eiHYnFdElnq1rIl22fJj53Z53WRLl7dG7Icc_uCOw_x9wkmjJcVJzu17j4tEKM6kWVCchYv7dqV7SrRId3NkN188PUU7nMm3FPSV8MELitre1I39S0DoOaJOXubI9/s1600/IMG_2689_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWWJF7kIId53JP5-eiHYnFdElnq1rIl22fJj53Z53WRLl7dG7Icc_uCOw_x9wkmjJcVJzu17j4tEKM6kWVCchYv7dqV7SrRId3NkN188PUU7nMm3FPSV8MELitre1I39S0DoOaJOXubI9/s400/IMG_2689_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709061078779372162" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Since our property is on a hillside and had been previously dozed, whenever we dig a hole to plant something we have to dig many of these large basalt rocks out of each hole. Sometimes when we look at the pile of rocks, it is so large.... it is hard to believe that they would even fit back into the hole! On one of our digs (in which I usually end up needing dear husband's help)...this neat heart shaped rock showed up. So I saved it, and it rests next to the base of a pine tree in my.... you guessed it... ROCK garden!<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-eCcNADjvrn4a9mtswT3X_slwGDWA5gksPDqdBLHPHJAyePfFFMmH5xa-B4tiKEPzijxM1yLvc_98lAYHUPB2e6YwC4rCM-HS4JFx48D46iepkDdBRzE4DItYX7a6ZQomL8nXUrRyfrd/s1600/IMG_2688_1_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-eCcNADjvrn4a9mtswT3X_slwGDWA5gksPDqdBLHPHJAyePfFFMmH5xa-B4tiKEPzijxM1yLvc_98lAYHUPB2e6YwC4rCM-HS4JFx48D46iepkDdBRzE4DItYX7a6ZQomL8nXUrRyfrd/s400/IMG_2688_1_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709072504272242066" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I had a little fun with this picture in Photoshop. Thanks, Honey... for all you do for me! You don't buy me diamonds, but you get me all the dirt, compost, and leaves I need for my gardening habit, as well as providing your awesome muscle power.<br /><br />I love you, Steve......you ROCK!<br /><br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The first Valentine message is still the best one ever sent!<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"For GOD so LOVED the WORLD, that He gave His only begotton SON, that whosoever believes in HIM should not perish, but have everlasting LIFE."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">John 3:16</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-85898424958458904582012-02-08T21:45:00.000-08:002012-02-12T22:00:19.414-08:00The Promise of Spring<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Fw8HucCrUFAAvdSPHjmxwUWjjYYODMuYl7UGrFCB5L_SVPVdjzuW8zwmqTi1GR1itUDfoN7IH7YDkIuN7sTNQ-qSwvf_oAEFFe_Nk5A7-tenycLLVcJU68Vu4TTnw0gdJ2sIXfjPOqzi/s1600/IMG_2686.JPG"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The signs of Spring seem to be coming forth early this year!<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Fw8HucCrUFAAvdSPHjmxwUWjjYYODMuYl7UGrFCB5L_SVPVdjzuW8zwmqTi1GR1itUDfoN7IH7YDkIuN7sTNQ-qSwvf_oAEFFe_Nk5A7-tenycLLVcJU68Vu4TTnw0gdJ2sIXfjPOqzi/s1600/IMG_2686.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Fw8HucCrUFAAvdSPHjmxwUWjjYYODMuYl7UGrFCB5L_SVPVdjzuW8zwmqTi1GR1itUDfoN7IH7YDkIuN7sTNQ-qSwvf_oAEFFe_Nk5A7-tenycLLVcJU68Vu4TTnw0gdJ2sIXfjPOqzi/s400/IMG_2686.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707003628136171010" border="0" /></a><br />A maple tree's buds are swelling with life...against the backdrop of a bright blue sky.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Fw8HucCrUFAAvdSPHjmxwUWjjYYODMuYl7UGrFCB5L_SVPVdjzuW8zwmqTi1GR1itUDfoN7IH7YDkIuN7sTNQ-qSwvf_oAEFFe_Nk5A7-tenycLLVcJU68Vu4TTnw0gdJ2sIXfjPOqzi/s1600/IMG_2686.JPG"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKd8C3IS0kOOKgmhhyNULxSGvwZ8z7AkYGoSfwjqCdi9GTM_7zmP9lBHx6qhMYqQvvf3FMtwfo37RGZnkaDSWJZhWpVqhYRClzciCJSv699S75iFDXORRcMGHvT54zpGaZX_ncFT5kfMt/s1600/IMG_2671.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKd8C3IS0kOOKgmhhyNULxSGvwZ8z7AkYGoSfwjqCdi9GTM_7zmP9lBHx6qhMYqQvvf3FMtwfo37RGZnkaDSWJZhWpVqhYRClzciCJSv699S75iFDXORRcMGHvT54zpGaZX_ncFT5kfMt/s400/IMG_2671.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707003622059396178" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A container of Pansy's, stored in the greenhouse over the winter, is blooming!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SSMMkhiRw5wQvyA9rS3UcyXBf5SAweBATVwwV2gs4P1rLnKuXBhY7MiRvg42EjlzKmMYDCJD8JspxSBVWutYgi_o5S7s1B3VAZxh-vWUkX5hJF0MpsBRnGawY22cs-289-GqlzATTDMA/s1600/IMG_2687_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SSMMkhiRw5wQvyA9rS3UcyXBf5SAweBATVwwV2gs4P1rLnKuXBhY7MiRvg42EjlzKmMYDCJD8JspxSBVWutYgi_o5S7s1B3VAZxh-vWUkX5hJF0MpsBRnGawY22cs-289-GqlzATTDMA/s400/IMG_2687_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707003655913851538" border="0" /></a><br />Mr. Robin....singing from the highest branches of a budding Poplar tree.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /></div> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"For, lo, the winter is past; The rain is over and gone; </span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> The flowers appear on the earth; The time of the singing of birds is come</span>..."<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Song of Solomon 2:11-12</span><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-82613452867030780932012-01-30T19:04:00.000-08:002012-01-30T19:06:14.210-08:00Old Homestead<div style="text-align: center;">After passing by this old homestead on the drive to Spokane several times, on one trip I finally convinced dear husband to stop, so I could get a photo of the old building and the windmill.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7rpSEoiPZ1d-21KqXOWEOZjXmKEHqP4G1XatH8eQY65PByBsdkPEG36FslqqQ6GB08lQgoEa1BTJ8jYe01fkF2m9MU5X6dZ-yXx2uCNHhP83YT6REEq6ZtsUMsluwdrDXXx8r-bBI0iK/s1600/Old+Homestead.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7rpSEoiPZ1d-21KqXOWEOZjXmKEHqP4G1XatH8eQY65PByBsdkPEG36FslqqQ6GB08lQgoEa1BTJ8jYe01fkF2m9MU5X6dZ-yXx2uCNHhP83YT6REEq6ZtsUMsluwdrDXXx8r-bBI0iK/s400/Old+Homestead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703624115173451378" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This photo evokes a lot of nostalgia in me. The windmill reminds me of my childhood home on the farm where I grew up, on the North Dakota prairie.<br /><br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. </span>"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Isaiah 58:12</span><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-90479951739118461172012-01-22T20:06:00.000-08:002012-01-23T13:25:41.690-08:00First Winter Snowfall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-8_202Vtu89Fk09XdZjx9uGmhb81Tug6zmLD_TY8U0yhjrC-UMsZXGmmk9CZ49hjFm-G5zCINU8lbi0ECjhqfPVNEiXmJFbbaIz5mYHZ4V6bWdKB9THljiB-twVXQnlRu1mvy-1_8D4n/s1600/IMG_2666_edited-1.jpg"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;">We finally received our first snowfall of the season....in the third week of January. By the time it stopped coming down we had about 6 inches on the ground, and everything looked beautiful!<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNU8-t688DbenbXl6qW0E-BmlqiIeC_hfekU6nwwvQ7S-4vZ9QUcAg0ChssJafHTSkrBONBDrgvG13kwjMGqMVY_zU82w73krJMb6J0HB3wH1A0eKrIZi0kS1x02ivNlmMFf6-J1eRC5J/s1600/IMG_2664_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNU8-t688DbenbXl6qW0E-BmlqiIeC_hfekU6nwwvQ7S-4vZ9QUcAg0ChssJafHTSkrBONBDrgvG13kwjMGqMVY_zU82w73krJMb6J0HB3wH1A0eKrIZi0kS1x02ivNlmMFf6-J1eRC5J/s400/IMG_2664_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700669895832156226" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br />A pair of old Adirondack chairs, which somehow missed getting put away last fall.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-8_202Vtu89Fk09XdZjx9uGmhb81Tug6zmLD_TY8U0yhjrC-UMsZXGmmk9CZ49hjFm-G5zCINU8lbi0ECjhqfPVNEiXmJFbbaIz5mYHZ4V6bWdKB9THljiB-twVXQnlRu1mvy-1_8D4n/s1600/IMG_2666_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-8_202Vtu89Fk09XdZjx9uGmhb81Tug6zmLD_TY8U0yhjrC-UMsZXGmmk9CZ49hjFm-G5zCINU8lbi0ECjhqfPVNEiXmJFbbaIz5mYHZ4V6bWdKB9THljiB-twVXQnlRu1mvy-1_8D4n/s400/IMG_2666_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700669900930486834" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">My lastest birdhouse, a yard sale find. Dear Husband mounted it for me on a section of lodge-pole pine.....for the natural look.<br /><br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-style: italic;">For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. </span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Isaiah 55:10-11</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-7126935170850829422012-01-08T17:33:00.000-08:002012-01-22T21:59:06.862-08:00Happy New Year! 2012<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflraKAAsolzcn6o6M7nwPX7zfDEOsYxjorXUjieCYG9qhYKzTawPPQahbK7AIQDGXfZF7RTE3iVYxTi3yivEJFR90YEi0Su_kBO4ZYr6dmszJnL61mURspSDLmG-Yb-JCzhvHKubyWX_f/s1600/Winter+2006+027.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Wow....it has been over a year since I have posted to this blog! I have taken a break to focus on other things....important things! I have wondered many times, throughout the year, if I would ever post here again, but today just feels like a good day to start anew! :-) I recently spent some time cleaning up my photo folders.....with the realization that I have many photos that are share-worthy. So the plan is to keep it simple, a short post now and then, as I find time.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwJGYGVRiMbGLOpjSoQW6664YL1bDnCFuOI7a1PhLr-9JEEDdPFf22oC9S-NVnJfLWl4qx-WgbwIdDgv0YQpL9SCXLkzL4D5YbmFm-p-wXgLil3Nxy9XlH9S7OBTgYWSBCqYxnfYlUINu/s1600/Winter+2006+012.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwJGYGVRiMbGLOpjSoQW6664YL1bDnCFuOI7a1PhLr-9JEEDdPFf22oC9S-NVnJfLWl4qx-WgbwIdDgv0YQpL9SCXLkzL4D5YbmFm-p-wXgLil3Nxy9XlH9S7OBTgYWSBCqYxnfYlUINu/s400/Winter+2006+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695429622164107666" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We have experienced a unusual Winter this year.... mild temps, lots of sunshine, and virtually NO snow! So I pulled up some photos from 2006, to show how beautiful and fresh our part of the country looks.... covered with a soft white blanket!<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnXJjbxQitgkNPTG6BK6BGHfW65fMW8PXRSHuaqxilpvRodmvUKFwGzuJAFb2sFtO7id_489tXkxwbCbm5kho6csTMH_h62y4T835Hrcfl16p8aXKFq1C8lW-iJEAHgEej_wP4hMh3qNr/s1600/Winter+2006+010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnXJjbxQitgkNPTG6BK6BGHfW65fMW8PXRSHuaqxilpvRodmvUKFwGzuJAFb2sFtO7id_489tXkxwbCbm5kho6csTMH_h62y4T835Hrcfl16p8aXKFq1C8lW-iJEAHgEej_wP4hMh3qNr/s400/Winter+2006+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695427336232398706" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">These photos were taken on a drive in December of 2006 , when my husband and I were scouting for Elk.<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLUmz4_lo8TPhdz8VYc9HVUN4LPWj49AQbehnBT6C6lM2-aPpQ7Oi4buPW4e7TH2k7Y2NmwvJeRvpMq3igmiXOw70Unmee1TxriD4fTWK_shinFnl9shOlnRsnPPW4L7Z_VSB0OPVjljn/s1600/Winter+2006+011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLUmz4_lo8TPhdz8VYc9HVUN4LPWj49AQbehnBT6C6lM2-aPpQ7Oi4buPW4e7TH2k7Y2NmwvJeRvpMq3igmiXOw70Unmee1TxriD4fTWK_shinFnl9shOlnRsnPPW4L7Z_VSB0OPVjljn/s400/Winter+2006+011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695429625254396530" border="0" /></a><br /><blockquote>Close up of the misty fog.... hovering among the trees.<br /></blockquote></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xA08nPloY7s6UR7nBTCCMMOje11K99qqnXZeJA-FCyHNJb4W2T1u8pcyKXz1xKdOn-NQ4XdDhMYMseCggjBM7LXt8YAkRzXTBMAVUvMw-648PQaYT5w9cHuFGotoh4IUzSCKz5OYKOL2/s1600/Winter+2006+012.jpg"><br /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflraKAAsolzcn6o6M7nwPX7zfDEOsYxjorXUjieCYG9qhYKzTawPPQahbK7AIQDGXfZF7RTE3iVYxTi3yivEJFR90YEi0Su_kBO4ZYr6dmszJnL61mURspSDLmG-Yb-JCzhvHKubyWX_f/s1600/Winter+2006+027.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflraKAAsolzcn6o6M7nwPX7zfDEOsYxjorXUjieCYG9qhYKzTawPPQahbK7AIQDGXfZF7RTE3iVYxTi3yivEJFR90YEi0Su_kBO4ZYr6dmszJnL61mURspSDLmG-Yb-JCzhvHKubyWX_f/s400/Winter+2006+027.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695430272065248130" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSCQCwy-gZG62y9d5BMh9d2CK7my9Buw-gUpCTy613LREyw5fztPGcHTJU2eFwMj99deHD8BEmDd2bypWWEwZwWA37yfsi_j9C45aI83f7SMxbliONwnFj8AiJl3Qbl1X6RaTlZDHhOkh/s1600/Winter+2006+027.jpg"><br /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A local farm. I loved the contrast between the red barn and the white snow!<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnXJjbxQitgkNPTG6BK6BGHfW65fMW8PXRSHuaqxilpvRodmvUKFwGzuJAFb2sFtO7id_489tXkxwbCbm5kho6csTMH_h62y4T835Hrcfl16p8aXKFq1C8lW-iJEAHgEej_wP4hMh3qNr/s1600/Winter+2006+010.jpg"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAsDzrFUCtXXqd9L-a2WYnOziGyEdBASEpR_ZeDsVgrGYpHq5zSViTTtv_qFyNoZt0Y60zeXwXn7erECpTX7-Q9S2gTRW1Cl-IrC3wdCcbWK6xoilUqHME10GGwP14X5128Ri2dKA1GSx/s1600/Winter+2006+011.jpg"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_AzwNRzWPm6WjZUhIDJIkpuUnsgmUCWi9mzsbi7rZgl_BDhcc3m9208aue6fHaH7s398lhHF_U5QUOV-V3VhlUN7L0tMZhWM6qcB57YPliPHpLwIDjKkQLaZOWJ3kUMVpdAXrJI4w9KL/s1600/Winter+2006+030.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_AzwNRzWPm6WjZUhIDJIkpuUnsgmUCWi9mzsbi7rZgl_BDhcc3m9208aue6fHaH7s398lhHF_U5QUOV-V3VhlUN7L0tMZhWM6qcB57YPliPHpLwIDjKkQLaZOWJ3kUMVpdAXrJI4w9KL/s400/Winter+2006+030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695427367613030466" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A line up of of fence-posts marks the curve in the road.<br /></div><ul><b><br /><br /></b></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></b><span>A good verse for the coming year...</span><br /></div><ul><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!"</i><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://christianity.about.com/od/faqhelpdesk/p/newamericanstan.htm"> </a><br /></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Lamentations 3:22-24 NASB</span><br /></div><ul><br /><br /><br /></ul>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-64638680412038757502010-12-30T19:19:00.000-08:002010-12-30T19:32:38.060-08:00New Year WishesI can hardly believe another month has gone by...and with nary a post to this blog! It has been a busy month, with preparations for the holidays..... including several handmade projects I made as gifts. (more on that in a later post?)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRv8vxoWS0A44flhWYxJ1hNc14MqRl019m2VNxSKigRpowBogEIiryMv9Ic_lkq2XxHx2Ib5WXxyKg-1J_OPr650PqT82I3rSFmstskYPXAJjt04dw-q68Hu1gO9DAisVjEIgB2Q6EH32p/s1600/Winter+2010+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRv8vxoWS0A44flhWYxJ1hNc14MqRl019m2VNxSKigRpowBogEIiryMv9Ic_lkq2XxHx2Ib5WXxyKg-1J_OPr650PqT82I3rSFmstskYPXAJjt04dw-q68Hu1gO9DAisVjEIgB2Q6EH32p/s400/Winter+2010+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556683906557438194" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The above photo was taken on December 6th. I was fascinated to see the cloud formation, which was quite unusual for a Winter sky. Anyone have a name for these type of clouds?<br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br />I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Happy and Prosperous New Year!!</span><br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">It is officially time to get out the seed catalogs that have been stacking up, and do some serious shopping! :-)</span><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-58175391173222438772010-11-30T13:03:00.000-08:002010-11-30T17:25:27.329-08:00First Snowfall<span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Our first snowfall arrived on November 22nd this year. As always, it prompts me to pull on my boots and venture out for a few photos. After all, it is an event<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>! </span></span></span>We have had several snows since then, adding up to about 6 inches, and it is softly falling even as I write.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27QPCCkYNA-Q2KtmO_rPA8Jn4vs9d5Awj802crO-Z8Qmo2EWpbl_QShkbBd0I9ktVCWORZ-g4Hu1ssxiZlVLKNOlJ6fiDCm9pm8JkfWBNd-L6s2EYxkaxVlD7ymG-Whb1jdiO0QtkIOQf/s1600/5204380975_35326bb30e_z.jpg"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27QPCCkYNA-Q2KtmO_rPA8Jn4vs9d5Awj802crO-Z8Qmo2EWpbl_QShkbBd0I9ktVCWORZ-g4Hu1ssxiZlVLKNOlJ6fiDCm9pm8JkfWBNd-L6s2EYxkaxVlD7ymG-Whb1jdiO0QtkIOQf/s1600/5204380975_35326bb30e_z.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27QPCCkYNA-Q2KtmO_rPA8Jn4vs9d5Awj802crO-Z8Qmo2EWpbl_QShkbBd0I9ktVCWORZ-g4Hu1ssxiZlVLKNOlJ6fiDCm9pm8JkfWBNd-L6s2EYxkaxVlD7ymG-Whb1jdiO0QtkIOQf/s400/5204380975_35326bb30e_z.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545443337698347522" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Heritage Rose, with the mountain as a backdrop.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8yNkVBT7b_PDmMi_VREZHsGzU6zuxW_xV7gbifo_QBRtkU2bM36jOCt1DfgbpBV67AEkuxvaIZPLnQu4hEFO-Cctvx5Oyvgiw5xLG8ldA6N3fgE13vxsNvEgsa2gwseugaCVqmW7fkIU/s1600/Fall_2010_216.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8yNkVBT7b_PDmMi_VREZHsGzU6zuxW_xV7gbifo_QBRtkU2bM36jOCt1DfgbpBV67AEkuxvaIZPLnQu4hEFO-Cctvx5Oyvgiw5xLG8ldA6N3fgE13vxsNvEgsa2gwseugaCVqmW7fkIU/s400/Fall_2010_216.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545443343263153170" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A snow-laden rose bud.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LYVfIh58mf-aerUgx7Ygo7mJQB5upPxyyVSzTeGMmOh3RRC7J7vv2lZ4VgHpMIt3OhIbYUjrqYbdywD7cWdWx6xE078nOfX1jMgGeNuNaMry1_wrnhKVxHgwNRw8zSrZ4rTpCwckmIX-/s1600/Fall_2010_225.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LYVfIh58mf-aerUgx7Ygo7mJQB5upPxyyVSzTeGMmOh3RRC7J7vv2lZ4VgHpMIt3OhIbYUjrqYbdywD7cWdWx6xE078nOfX1jMgGeNuNaMry1_wrnhKVxHgwNRw8zSrZ4rTpCwckmIX-/s400/Fall_2010_225.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545443345853245778" border="0" /></a><br />Black-eyed Susan seed head....food for the birds!<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKU8n6tpyAGR92j8zxE7hMlOSukkMgWAIQYoIK2AXK2hVEfGC4OVebI-a3ZECYhB1nDB5gNaBsbafARRfDUP0tsCHeLkuAIUpbJzow0vBrOYWf9EGbg8lCd8rm4by6JH0bWzOIOOdNif-U/s1600/Fall_2010_238_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKU8n6tpyAGR92j8zxE7hMlOSukkMgWAIQYoIK2AXK2hVEfGC4OVebI-a3ZECYhB1nDB5gNaBsbafARRfDUP0tsCHeLkuAIUpbJzow0vBrOYWf9EGbg8lCd8rm4by6JH0bWzOIOOdNif-U/s400/Fall_2010_238_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545443354611881778" border="0" /></a><br />Autumn Joy Sedum.... still looking good!<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GJ96yE7dSzwx-ldEDwxOgxmRVZeAylCBmHYdD3hYaIo58_bkL-HP4aRLJ9EHwUoRRNWL1o6Fkh3zYr77AurZxyGK2Ag4poaigzjCnKHBzdlJ0tR5qAKIghFtEiGA9VmZreg4WOegmiF6/s1600/Fall_2010_241_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 363px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GJ96yE7dSzwx-ldEDwxOgxmRVZeAylCBmHYdD3hYaIo58_bkL-HP4aRLJ9EHwUoRRNWL1o6Fkh3zYr77AurZxyGK2Ag4poaigzjCnKHBzdlJ0tR5qAKIghFtEiGA9VmZreg4WOegmiF6/s400/Fall_2010_241_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545443909383981890" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Orange Calendula....bravely blooming beyond the frost.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0JPd-xTfmfhVcu9oExar3dr7i44FBJ5lgftSFqvFTc27RQBIfmMPIRb1AgHOIJanUeVgtUH_FBwOGVCbmhQMH8T6DV9DI165Dtj-TZRR6faV8ivq3QKKnFBH3Lq7H6lXOyIkx0Ea0v99/s1600/Fall_2010_240_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0JPd-xTfmfhVcu9oExar3dr7i44FBJ5lgftSFqvFTc27RQBIfmMPIRb1AgHOIJanUeVgtUH_FBwOGVCbmhQMH8T6DV9DI165Dtj-TZRR6faV8ivq3QKKnFBH3Lq7H6lXOyIkx0Ea0v99/s400/Fall_2010_240_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545443905567624322" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">A pair of Black-Eyed Susans......yellow petals still intact.<br /><br /><span>There is much to appreciate about the flowers that hold on, to give us a spot of color...... long after the Petunias and Zinnias have disappeared!</span></div><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"He giveth snow like wool....." Psalm 147:16</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">It is compared to wool for its whiteness, and its softness; it falls silently, and makes no more noise than the fall of a lock of wool; it covers the earth, and keeps it warm like a fleece of wool, and so promotes its fruitfulness. See how God can work by contraries and.... can warm the earth with cold snow. ~ <span style="font-size:85%;">Matthew Henry</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-79070616056958968932010-11-21T12:38:00.000-08:002010-11-21T21:44:44.459-08:00Squash Harvest 2010<div style="text-align: center;"><br />It was another good squash year.....which makes me smile, because Winter squash is one of our favorite vegetables around here!<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu13eLAPOz9riWQe981wboHFC07cOg4DVVYJIuonMVScy81-yoaqq3kdeyVPoy5gNI-djPX1l-5UgVWfrDN4AbdwPRhGUd13sLoeiuVUeCVUEDoUPirmgOK8AXfdCmK4UOEKmMwJM6S8N/s1600/Fall_2010_186.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu13eLAPOz9riWQe981wboHFC07cOg4DVVYJIuonMVScy81-yoaqq3kdeyVPoy5gNI-djPX1l-5UgVWfrDN4AbdwPRhGUd13sLoeiuVUeCVUEDoUPirmgOK8AXfdCmK4UOEKmMwJM6S8N/s400/Fall_2010_186.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539640493649011538" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This season's harvest, all lined up in their beautiful colors. These were picked on October 17th....we received our first frost later that night.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wV_n41SVQEzzaf5Ois2IX0MOycKlvO15ZSkXCA0ZUu7K5aXzt_Q0n_dhmLQWsVW8dh7ALFfCdh2PKNWOnpGKtOggz7u-3EzPy3vIO2oYLeAf-PzpUwGqvWimEKbiECpZgEbuq-T4UTgO/s1600/Fall_2010_112.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wV_n41SVQEzzaf5Ois2IX0MOycKlvO15ZSkXCA0ZUu7K5aXzt_Q0n_dhmLQWsVW8dh7ALFfCdh2PKNWOnpGKtOggz7u-3EzPy3vIO2oYLeAf-PzpUwGqvWimEKbiECpZgEbuq-T4UTgO/s400/Fall_2010_112.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539640488832910306" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Squash posing in front of Steve's garden......with the beautiful backdrop of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cut and Come Again Zinnias</span> in the background. This garden space needed a little something to beautify it, so I made the little bark area, surrounded by smooth river rocks and added the cobalt blue birdbath and pots. I was very pleased with it, except that by the time this photo was taken the petunias in the pots were pretty well exhausted, so next year I will have something waiting in the wings to pop into the blue pots....maybe some fall asters?<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHr5MXVnAgrqI6jaatNBuo7F3o0FFg-TEmfE5pFV6yNBsLwKdy6UGvirlkmwWCfWJXqVbuXJj3uyOGdMEI1rGZtkgix5jCItUo4rySAaE0-p6nuDITE941ES1xyvdMK8AI8Ur-7yOyduv/s1600/Fall_2010_125.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHr5MXVnAgrqI6jaatNBuo7F3o0FFg-TEmfE5pFV6yNBsLwKdy6UGvirlkmwWCfWJXqVbuXJj3uyOGdMEI1rGZtkgix5jCItUo4rySAaE0-p6nuDITE941ES1xyvdMK8AI8Ur-7yOyduv/s400/Fall_2010_125.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539639858951250562" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sweet Meat Squash</span>, on the left, are so pretty in their bluish green hues. It is one of our all time favorites for it's sweet, dry, orange flesh. The orange squash, on the right, is called <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunshine</span>, the only hybrid I grow. It is also a favorite, especially for it's earliness. If I pick the fruits early enough, I can get two crops from this variety.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVl3j7Thl6JY7XDX4VeNr6oLd64W_C3YtukKKOjwsrBQtJtaAWFaWTJRfR-wLHmt7wAXmSjmM7XV6UUtNo5bEL2CVlAl2YQdqySKA40YwaGdgcD18Kzuk59kXx6tq_SF3bCIrMxbJ4im2/s1600/Fall_2010_123.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVl3j7Thl6JY7XDX4VeNr6oLd64W_C3YtukKKOjwsrBQtJtaAWFaWTJRfR-wLHmt7wAXmSjmM7XV6UUtNo5bEL2CVlAl2YQdqySKA40YwaGdgcD18Kzuk59kXx6tq_SF3bCIrMxbJ4im2/s400/Fall_2010_123.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539639868090633650" border="0" /></a>Bumpy and warted <span style="font-weight: bold;">Marina de Chioggia.</span> I grew these for the first time <a href="http://rosecottagegarden.blogspot.com/2009/11/heirloom-squash-update.html">last year</a>, and found that they improve in storage, so we will eat them last!<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpZaflOkjvjwphxBhL3c2Z5McCaiDd7XNtkIIBw9fDJ9fFQHs9l2OqPbjrbGt930CRRubB8haNrfmk4Qp36O5q-ogHU8hUK7VetHs6-W1Pnh86nHXuJEmRg5mscoC-B-8bU4UFnvH7QrW/s1600/Fall_2010_120.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpZaflOkjvjwphxBhL3c2Z5McCaiDd7XNtkIIBw9fDJ9fFQHs9l2OqPbjrbGt930CRRubB8haNrfmk4Qp36O5q-ogHU8hUK7VetHs6-W1Pnh86nHXuJEmRg5mscoC-B-8bU4UFnvH7QrW/s400/Fall_2010_120.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539640500374188274" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This odd looking squash is called <span style="font-weight: bold;">Galeux D'eysines</span>. I grew these at the request of my friend <a href="http://catstalesproductions.blogspot.com/2010/11/galeux-deysines-squash.html">Catherine</a> who supplied the seeds. The days to maturity is 105, and her growing season is too short for them to mature in her area. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Does this make me a surrogate gardener? :-) </span><br /></div></div><br />This is the catalog description from Territorial Seeds: " <span style="font-style: italic;">An elegant French heirloom with an appropriately elegant sounding name. Magnifique! This stunning squash has beautiful salmon-peach colored skin covered with peanut shell-like warts caused by sugar in the skin. Traditionally used in France for soups and sauces, when cooked, the sweet orange flesh is as smooth as velvet. Each flattened squash weighs 10-15 pounds and can store for up to 6 months. Definitely a show stopper in the garden or on the table. </span>" I might add that the vines are very prolific and outgrew my garden....until the deer pruned them off for me.<br /><br />Two different types of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Butternut squash, </span>to the right in the photo above,<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>rounded out the line-up for this year. We love them for the sweet, smooth, dry flesh.... and because one is just the right size to pop in the oven for the two of us.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREgNzFHcXYxlYfJKwDrYq5NSVdYGSeb0aTWYXp_c5Lw0gHj_NXCneONB3Eth0PnWWw3IxCdhEFwnTikkOae-6svc0ooIPWrHYRhyphenhyphenn24OTayO1LEyR_4lfNDjNazjn8Dy0QcxBUrd-d6Gw/s1600/Fall_2010_107.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREgNzFHcXYxlYfJKwDrYq5NSVdYGSeb0aTWYXp_c5Lw0gHj_NXCneONB3Eth0PnWWw3IxCdhEFwnTikkOae-6svc0ooIPWrHYRhyphenhyphenn24OTayO1LEyR_4lfNDjNazjn8Dy0QcxBUrd-d6Gw/s400/Fall_2010_107.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539640490994171826" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">While pulling up squash vines, I found this adorable little nest of Quail eggs, hidden beneath the vines. We have lots of Quail here, and they are like pets. We love watching them peck around with their cute little top feathers bobbing!<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-52874750939783531262010-10-31T21:40:00.000-07:002010-11-30T10:35:28.846-08:00Cosmos: A Cottage Garden Classic<div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Cosmos have to be one of the best cottage garden flowers of all time! The classic daisy-like flowers, their light and ferny foliage, and the way the flowers gently sway in the breeze makes them a personal favorite in my garden.<br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7nM71hxzEilD6g0l-PSiaVxUS9jsEs47sdEy7rlX0o5EcD-zCRWe29doq0sZGF2EXku5_x7WqrSpbdh8WmPoIdk2z1UfX9qS_dmNWmVrri_ms0kSwz4Ed2GxoJ8i5694HOJgBWCDseLl/s1600/Fall_2010_060.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7nM71hxzEilD6g0l-PSiaVxUS9jsEs47sdEy7rlX0o5EcD-zCRWe29doq0sZGF2EXku5_x7WqrSpbdh8WmPoIdk2z1UfX9qS_dmNWmVrri_ms0kSwz4Ed2GxoJ8i5694HOJgBWCDseLl/s400/Fall_2010_060.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534421188962827410" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We added some new flower beds last year, so I finally have the room...and the luxury....to plant an <span style="font-style: italic;">expanse </span>of Cosmos, instead of single plants here and there. How refreshing it has been to gaze out the window, as I wash dishes....and drink in the color and beauty of these humble flowers.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vTqm6Rx301B2ptERzSqiRHQ50bhaeTOdrs-yOrj6L8xXlh-0OpFrHAIKqOa2LX0e1PqqTSjSJWkM6ckkh5I3RifVk4KVouwI0PQvKKtYIbi_oJLPA9_8iaUyDk7DbijCEyASBX7ax5e2/s1600/Fall_2010_049.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vTqm6Rx301B2ptERzSqiRHQ50bhaeTOdrs-yOrj6L8xXlh-0OpFrHAIKqOa2LX0e1PqqTSjSJWkM6ckkh5I3RifVk4KVouwI0PQvKKtYIbi_oJLPA9_8iaUyDk7DbijCEyASBX7ax5e2/s400/Fall_2010_049.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534386005164158610" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">These were all grown from my own saved seed from 2008. I grew many different kinds that year. The seeds were all mixed in an envelope I had labeled "Cosmos - Pretty ones"......and pretty they are indeed!<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnA5Zsu787NRAot-PDOqhXNoEk2MZnaeCepqfibr-v61Tl53vvOkQYPCL136I7IBqYxOhmcy7_ar1Z_INDhydh1lKgIQgteOMl-8Gtf0Wcn2qQC_i0ZisG-Xy8fqgXONO5dxKgt-D9P4L/s1600/Fall_2010_073.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnA5Zsu787NRAot-PDOqhXNoEk2MZnaeCepqfibr-v61Tl53vvOkQYPCL136I7IBqYxOhmcy7_ar1Z_INDhydh1lKgIQgteOMl-8Gtf0Wcn2qQC_i0ZisG-Xy8fqgXONO5dxKgt-D9P4L/s400/Fall_2010_073.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534386685346332946" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">There are many interesting bi-colors....this one with streaks of white. These are second generation plants, pollinated by bees, so it is always exciting to see what sort of colors nature produces.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZQPUtb94YofQQ86kjusxcpTwlG1CeI_V4NSbaGV_WrR-5YPGwfP3-wesWKAth9ktj8EuyCQ9xqzJds5TSHyPp0Hpjx2OqV6uxGilLX0uDsPwQl_MYbp-UKy9MNNEm2fRGFYLHDb1Dg4Y/s1600/Fall_2010_067.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZQPUtb94YofQQ86kjusxcpTwlG1CeI_V4NSbaGV_WrR-5YPGwfP3-wesWKAth9ktj8EuyCQ9xqzJds5TSHyPp0Hpjx2OqV6uxGilLX0uDsPwQl_MYbp-UKy9MNNEm2fRGFYLHDb1Dg4Y/s400/Fall_2010_067.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534386471400356114" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">View from the other direction, with the woodshed in the background. The foliage is almost as pretty as the flowers.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPnqESuYbDkiI1IXzjiJSqVg4Ydaal7EtrYBDZ6vhnW4-QTl15GayckO-lKKoQ6k9G4x6dnt1Zm0TEWoVh62IY4xy59GEyQomSOngOAzTj8JLXx1NgZQFZk6Ixahk5D4ffviXeLuLFKSz/s1600/Fall_2010_064.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPnqESuYbDkiI1IXzjiJSqVg4Ydaal7EtrYBDZ6vhnW4-QTl15GayckO-lKKoQ6k9G4x6dnt1Zm0TEWoVh62IY4xy59GEyQomSOngOAzTj8JLXx1NgZQFZk6Ixahk5D4ffviXeLuLFKSz/s400/Fall_2010_064.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534386467800499426" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I particularly like these.... with their dramatic dark centers.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifHf37lsG-Qlpq1oJZu0EUE4deMyIa_rh62wFtgw5skBT1TdsX-QiIeQkNZa-cBVhjP7OZesLCZ_Ua6A5DZS9m55n1qJRLVl3SuYNmf-_wX2X3cHvfgBWRXDy5wU8Z0nAjZMKRwropHDG/s1600/Fall_2010_063.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifHf37lsG-Qlpq1oJZu0EUE4deMyIa_rh62wFtgw5skBT1TdsX-QiIeQkNZa-cBVhjP7OZesLCZ_Ua6A5DZS9m55n1qJRLVl3SuYNmf-_wX2X3cHvfgBWRXDy5wU8Z0nAjZMKRwropHDG/s400/Fall_2010_063.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534386461785356354" border="0" /></a><br />A pair of Cosmos Twins.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaXm08KuZQ6griC5w2pNyA6HxeY4QiH9uNbHjmHUY0MlqI1XMb0v3b97SzRnS2uPfOgrDU-TUjcZd5slz0JOWjPl3ZtM0Ba2WtcyTj1eXzbSicmEt88NmPgwMITky1Wvp6Cjb7tfWG7ht/s1600/Fall_2010_056.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaXm08KuZQ6griC5w2pNyA6HxeY4QiH9uNbHjmHUY0MlqI1XMb0v3b97SzRnS2uPfOgrDU-TUjcZd5slz0JOWjPl3ZtM0Ba2WtcyTj1eXzbSicmEt88NmPgwMITky1Wvp6Cjb7tfWG7ht/s400/Fall_2010_056.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534386450119511058" border="0" /></a><br />One with delicate darker edges makes an attractive looking flower.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKtnRBt3XeKrBagTDROZBvG2uwyxa0SBtTd3Y47d2fVCyvYy1JdXclQkAXTUzWW088HcC8QhMLPLYk6-7NGar1t-DahQQMOUezBLTZcb2wYjf_BACuGkr0a6ubabRryzR0EXirsbFKAHc/s1600/Fall_2010_062.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKtnRBt3XeKrBagTDROZBvG2uwyxa0SBtTd3Y47d2fVCyvYy1JdXclQkAXTUzWW088HcC8QhMLPLYk6-7NGar1t-DahQQMOUezBLTZcb2wYjf_BACuGkr0a6ubabRryzR0EXirsbFKAHc/s400/Fall_2010_062.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534386016951610114" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I have grown these Seashell Cosmos in the past, but have never seen one with a pink edge like this....they are usually solid pink or white. Lovely!<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiVIbaYNxqhYPwgZr4BORaSqEsuWLQw6ler2W9Ch6jGMhhBY3a46h2x7JDq02ruun9WJxY3ma5kJBTIt00mhOPYQUpU9RkPTZ6Z7Ae-G8GX5-um20ZRffz8quMdGcpy18l_oQBPW7qM5s/s1600/Fall_2010_052.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiVIbaYNxqhYPwgZr4BORaSqEsuWLQw6ler2W9Ch6jGMhhBY3a46h2x7JDq02ruun9WJxY3ma5kJBTIt00mhOPYQUpU9RkPTZ6Z7Ae-G8GX5-um20ZRffz8quMdGcpy18l_oQBPW7qM5s/s400/Fall_2010_052.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534386007826578290" border="0" /></a><br />A pink Cosmos with a hot pink center really accentuates the yellow eye.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMMCfP-zREi15AGb45iAVbJEZELuLLmXisdnOdFOTntZ_koBd040uCtsqrEOz-ZiZpsp80r7xVCcG4vVCYAhgZ4OlwwPtFxfQtxj7hhCGcFH65UKEtOPVCCzeAqMCn6-V-3__Hpc6Akin/s1600/Fall+2010+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMMCfP-zREi15AGb45iAVbJEZELuLLmXisdnOdFOTntZ_koBd040uCtsqrEOz-ZiZpsp80r7xVCcG4vVCYAhgZ4OlwwPtFxfQtxj7hhCGcFH65UKEtOPVCCzeAqMCn6-V-3__Hpc6Akin/s400/Fall+2010+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534386001641058018" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Cosmos are wonderful in bouquets! I put together this one for my dear daughter's birthday on October 14th. I added Verbena Bonariensis and Queen Anne's lace , along with several fronds of curved Honeysuckle vine to give it some softness and movement. This bouquet traveled in the car for 3 hours, and still looked great when we arrived at her house.<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUW67SBUqyu4AGxq7We4EiSOAOyPS5uNF_i53bpdYQZg2Ofjj0W1vShf0jMRgVXVnNFUld9ov6viOM2Zhkpl5DpqIDA2JAcF66G73tA3YCgSFU3LRggv87RNX3DO037SGtGfnOew60kR3m/s1600/Fall_2010_168.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUW67SBUqyu4AGxq7We4EiSOAOyPS5uNF_i53bpdYQZg2Ofjj0W1vShf0jMRgVXVnNFUld9ov6viOM2Zhkpl5DpqIDA2JAcF66G73tA3YCgSFU3LRggv87RNX3DO037SGtGfnOew60kR3m/s400/Fall_2010_168.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534386703607775730" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Frost crystals give the above Cosmos flower an extra dimension of beauty. Our first frost arrived on October 17th.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbWlyN4yvfpE0CHNjtEtVUc6xxoeT1IU_btJrqIqK2Qr8jog6SfqSQz_KOrxq93byLprUfAzctlIj11M3KGxwrlz1ygHJTJHLS9yOdXwG-2MVS9RSGwnlzVGqv-qWUabC0MZbXzMUKEah/s1600/Fall_2010_083.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbWlyN4yvfpE0CHNjtEtVUc6xxoeT1IU_btJrqIqK2Qr8jog6SfqSQz_KOrxq93byLprUfAzctlIj11M3KGxwrlz1ygHJTJHLS9yOdXwG-2MVS9RSGwnlzVGqv-qWUabC0MZbXzMUKEah/s400/Fall_2010_083.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534386694203587250" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Though several nights of frost turned my zinnias instantly brown and ended the life of my squash and tomato plants, these Cosmos....though not <span style="font-style: italic;">quite </span>as bright as their former selves, are still bravely blooming this afternoon, October 31st. Gotta love a flower like that!<br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-83105518833103097572010-09-20T11:38:00.000-07:002010-09-20T21:16:42.185-07:00Green Grasshopper - Take 2Now that fall has arrived, the grasshoppers are plentiful, and the crisp sounds of their hopping can be heard as I walk through the garden. I was taking photos of some flowers a few days ago when this green one caught my eye. For some reason the green ones seem to stand out to me, as seen by this <a href="http://rosecottagegarden.blogspot.com/2009/08/green-grasshopper.html">earlier post.</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqLmKK9VMnPuu2fjHtmR1VW5X7bHZF74vB2HdfbhHwmPr4FdMWTl7fErxKP4aX99tYRpYRzuSDNsWNzr-ho1lzQHztoZFncLfXc2VteMyErX_jNulgt9YA8Si4zK-t__hNUq7J1Aq0CcH/s1600/Summer_2010_005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqLmKK9VMnPuu2fjHtmR1VW5X7bHZF74vB2HdfbhHwmPr4FdMWTl7fErxKP4aX99tYRpYRzuSDNsWNzr-ho1lzQHztoZFncLfXc2VteMyErX_jNulgt9YA8Si4zK-t__hNUq7J1Aq0CcH/s400/Summer_2010_005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518785620816226194" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This grasshopper is sunning himself (see below) on a piece of driftwood, next to one of my flower beds, with Cosmos and Verbena Bonariensis in the background.<br /><br />Click on the photo for a larger view.<br /><br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">One of the most important aspects of the life of a grasshopper is the seasonal cycle. Every day plays an important role in the seasonal cycle. The grasshopper usually starts his day right after dawn by looking for a place to warm up from the colder temperatures overnight. Most grasshoppers turn one side to the sunlight for a while before turning the other side to the sun, so they can warm up. After about one or two hours lying in the sun, grasshoppers then start to walk around, look for mates, or feed. Grasshoppers tend to be less active on cold or rainy days because they are cold-blooded insects. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The grasshopper typically forages for food twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. All grasshoppers feed on different kinds of plants and have different ways of taking their plants apart to get food from them. Grasshoppers are very picky about what they eat, and they often use their antennae to taste the plant and decide if it's worth eating before they consume it. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">When looking for a mate, grasshoppers communicate through physical motions and verbal sounds. Grasshoppers make sounds with their hind legs and wings, and they have small ears in the front section of their abdomen. They also use their wings and hind legs to flash messages to each other, using their complicated eye to gather the messages and interpret them</span>.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-49570901608364590692010-09-08T15:31:00.000-07:002010-09-08T22:25:26.371-07:00Dilly Beans<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>I have done very little canning in the past several years, since our children grew up and left home. But this year....I just had a craving for some tangy, hot and spicy Dilly Beans! I grow the skinny <a href="http://rosecottagegarden.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-do-you-say-french-filet.html">French filet beans</a> every year for fresh eating, but they are not good for canning, so I this year I ordered seed and planted two rows of green beans, just for the special purpose of making some Dilly Beans.<br /><br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-EWyI-xcaBe7-2tyr5jEyKSSuWpA3qBiWKXYQNoxyTXedL5IVorC3ZwRZYP-Mwidk5R836unp9Phu-ZPSHOR0Sc6hdA43VWd63JMrIpGTQIivtQdRh7_AGxZVzKCtvThZWdG1unRg2Lb/s1600/Summer_2010_329.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-EWyI-xcaBe7-2tyr5jEyKSSuWpA3qBiWKXYQNoxyTXedL5IVorC3ZwRZYP-Mwidk5R836unp9Phu-ZPSHOR0Sc6hdA43VWd63JMrIpGTQIivtQdRh7_AGxZVzKCtvThZWdG1unRg2Lb/s400/Summer_2010_329.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514661690883982322" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I picked this large bowl full of PROVIDER beans yesterday. The beans are thick and meaty, some over 6 inches long. I got them planted a bit late, because of our long rainy Spring, so they are just now coming into full production. They are growing next to a double row of 'Cut and Come Again' Zinnias in my garden, which provided the pretty backdrop for this photo.<br /></div><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQwx5CY-4P7Yhr3rbDLwz_ztDzXIrrrEiBhQJhXk_YmxrLdL6j86s5pOG5B0Sb7axiNbZoDZ-SVRmP47SpcIYFcoP3imI9V2utFizBPukr2gVRMmK-s-_C30HpW4c9lZ847ax10PBsLmO/s1600/Summer_2010_327.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQwx5CY-4P7Yhr3rbDLwz_ztDzXIrrrEiBhQJhXk_YmxrLdL6j86s5pOG5B0Sb7axiNbZoDZ-SVRmP47SpcIYFcoP3imI9V2utFizBPukr2gVRMmK-s-_C30HpW4c9lZ847ax10PBsLmO/s400/Summer_2010_327.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514667215591531154" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The<a href="https://www.superseeds.com/"> Pinetree Garden Seeds</a> catalog tempted me with this description of PROVIDER beans;<br /></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"This is a popular stringless bean in New England. It is reasonably early on plants that are quite compact. Size is 5-6 inches and yield is good. Disease resistance is a strong point. The flavor is really different </span><span style="font-style: italic;">from other green beans and difficult to describe, maybe "beanier". Th</span><span style="font-style: italic;">is our </span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span>bean of choice for making Dilly Beans.</span> There are a number of strains of Provider, all pretty good, but we think this one from an <span>Idaho grower</span> is the best."</span><br /><br />So, there you have it....good for Dilly Beans, and the fact that the seed came from an Idaho grower just helped to seal the deal for me! :-)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4q1KURxS4iBbTsXnImipoK_rSuROAFhQQ2SaL6BbboRgPvDQfTMH6GoaJAJKf9V62L8nzo2xOXmF1QFEsyexfl2ftfQ-b_DsA-iD8NLtwx-sir6xDnEDywJuGgojsvyb0joc5478OiIs/s1600/Summer+2010+005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4q1KURxS4iBbTsXnImipoK_rSuROAFhQQ2SaL6BbboRgPvDQfTMH6GoaJAJKf9V62L8nzo2xOXmF1QFEsyexfl2ftfQ-b_DsA-iD8NLtwx-sir6xDnEDywJuGgojsvyb0joc5478OiIs/s400/Summer+2010+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514661681694678658" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I had enough beans from one picking to make 7 quarts of delightful Dilly Beans, and some left over to snap for supper. They are very good for fresh eating as well. My hubby even commented on how great they tasted!<br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> In case I have whetted your appetite, and you are now craving some Dilly Beans of your own, here is a </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://hubpages.com/hub/dilly-beans">link </a><span style="font-style: italic;">to get you started. </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-61480911309632235122010-08-31T20:10:00.000-07:002010-09-01T13:49:11.932-07:00Garden Harvest<div style="text-align: center;"><br />I thought I should share this photo to prove that, indeed, I <span style="font-style: italic;">do</span> have a garden this year and it <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> producing....in spite of my infrequent posts to this blog! ;-)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10-U8KBLV-2XwI0Yx23JxKFjGaINnvLCRRTBrzC_LaavME0Q25JIPhJ49zwI0f4kd-VN3mKyzNUuLvROw4QYKx4d2-DiEIBY7s0B2ZhV7XRfl3vK7G8581nxbMCtavF3z9bJo6LAkQ7A1/s1600/Summer+2010+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10-U8KBLV-2XwI0Yx23JxKFjGaINnvLCRRTBrzC_LaavME0Q25JIPhJ49zwI0f4kd-VN3mKyzNUuLvROw4QYKx4d2-DiEIBY7s0B2ZhV7XRfl3vK7G8581nxbMCtavF3z9bJo6LAkQ7A1/s400/Summer+2010+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511767556895935682" border="0" /></a><br />I gathered this bounty from the garden last week, in my trusty stainless steel bowl: Cucumbers, Green Beans, Bell peppers and Mini Peppers, Summer Squash, Dill and several varieties of Tomatoes. In the background are two varieties of Rudbeckias I started early from seed this year....Cherry Brandy on the left (which I love for it's deep red color and darker centers) and Denver Daisy on the right. (Park Seed Co.)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Because of our long cool Spring, the garden is quite a bit later than usual, and now we have been experiencing an early fall. I'm not ready to say good-bye to summer.... but alas, it is drawing to a close. I am already making plans for next year's garden. That is the beauty of the garden....it is an ever changing palette for the creative ideas of the gardener. :-)<br /></div><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><span>The first gatherings of the garden in May of salads, radishes and herbs made me feel like a mother about her baby - how could anything so beautiful be mine? And this emotion of wonder filled me for each vegetable as it was gathered every year. There is nothing that is comparable to it, as satisfactory or as thrilling, </span>as gathering the vegetables one has grown.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" > <span>~ </span><span> Alice B. Toklas</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-75831821615442421512010-08-13T22:40:00.000-07:002010-08-14T18:14:16.544-07:00Marinated Lamb Kabobs<div style="text-align: center;">This post is dedicated to my sister Darla, who has a food blog entitled<a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithdarla.com/"> </a><a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithdarla.com/">In the</a><a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithdarla.com/"> Kitchen with Darla </a> where she writes about the yummy new recipes she experiments with. I hope you will swing by and visit her there.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tell her I sent you. :-)<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-o9Ap-37FTfsJzFY52pbIWAeElCaNL1Eqm2wvK48rW7SnezL81_rfQnWgkIujEZ0twlUglmuDrW1dncA8GKSkrTOHNyOV8I-C9pP45ZBgoyarGJPdQ_laSygm91ifg8e1LQWp36Vihe4/s1600/Summer+2010+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-o9Ap-37FTfsJzFY52pbIWAeElCaNL1Eqm2wvK48rW7SnezL81_rfQnWgkIujEZ0twlUglmuDrW1dncA8GKSkrTOHNyOV8I-C9pP45ZBgoyarGJPdQ_laSygm91ifg8e1LQWp36Vihe4/s400/Summer+2010+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505131963733805122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We recently spent a weekend at our favorite campground upriver and we finally got to try something on the grill I have wanted to do for some time........Lamb Kabobs! I marinated the meat in Balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. I then skewered it with sweet onions, green and red peppers, and zucchini from my garden. Dear Husband cooked it on the grill, along with some fresh Corn on the cob, and it was wonderful.....a very satisfying and tasty outdoor meal!!<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Poor, poor neglected blog!! I have had an extremely busy summer....with several weddings, a family reunion, a couple of camping weekends, four 3 hr trips to the dentist and lots of weeding, weeding, weeding in the garden. My health prevented me from gardening much last year, thus many weeds went to seed and multiplied..... exponentially! So I apologize for my lack of posts, and I will see if I can get back into a better routine here in blog-land!</span><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-7151131029390977562010-05-26T10:00:00.000-07:002010-05-26T12:33:53.633-07:00Whimsical Planter and Brush Strokes Viola<div style="text-align: center;"><br />Today I would just like to say a big <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">THANK YOU</span> to my readers who have stayed with me, in spite of my infrequent posts this past year. At present, I am working daily on getting my garden planted and weeded. We have had precious few days of sunshine as of yet, so when the weather settles the temps will likely soar. This seems to be a typical spring pattern for us here in our river valley. Notice how green our mountain is, in the below photo!<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHvNSOYbAJ5KBqR0GehqcFy8aaiSuiT-jLjdF8Sjcv18Axb5qjwoxziF2o-8wyu5nZMARc1kz_l_xsq-PS7ycTS1s0usBDFbbJq9qUYdwFhT1IJRiB5ML_8VZsIEiKvM5ln1o6jmuYdbH/s1600/Spring_2010_221.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHvNSOYbAJ5KBqR0GehqcFy8aaiSuiT-jLjdF8Sjcv18Axb5qjwoxziF2o-8wyu5nZMARc1kz_l_xsq-PS7ycTS1s0usBDFbbJq9qUYdwFhT1IJRiB5ML_8VZsIEiKvM5ln1o6jmuYdbH/s400/Spring_2010_221.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475626824071606690" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This old baby buggy frame was given to me by my sweet friend, <a href="http://catstalesproductions.blogspot.com/">Catherine </a> a few years ago. I have used it with several combinations of flowers and containers, but this year has got to be my all time favorite! I made the wooden box to grow wheat grass in, for a Bridal shower. The mellow, weathered wood just seems to fit the old buggy. It is planted with <a href="http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/4684/1.html">Brush Strokes Viola</a>, started from seed in January.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP0PQKkAaCCbmwDjCYieoy24DWPVxMTvvo1luy-VrWZsFSmqCF_BSRFVv_AJvVvQOgBJTHEb9Yfn7nMwI2mirkObeqcfZK9WUjGdePdfgYfAEvJ7wTw2LnS13mCda9rtB_RqjkIsERDaj/s1600/Spring_2010_215.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP0PQKkAaCCbmwDjCYieoy24DWPVxMTvvo1luy-VrWZsFSmqCF_BSRFVv_AJvVvQOgBJTHEb9Yfn7nMwI2mirkObeqcfZK9WUjGdePdfgYfAEvJ7wTw2LnS13mCda9rtB_RqjkIsERDaj/s400/Spring_2010_215.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475608232445366786" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Here are some of their lovely faces, up close.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqY7dKAKn-427ggu3eRpYT_RZA2QfMZWpTvoSkAdguWfi7WQOtPFJmKhXSBlhRbwJpGiNOf2p40slZa3RCF06Ak5BTQHyqM9oCArbu3CskCuAmAFCjuubhKkjNuEBuuK_b84_1DhTYnSg/s1600/Spring_2010_218.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqY7dKAKn-427ggu3eRpYT_RZA2QfMZWpTvoSkAdguWfi7WQOtPFJmKhXSBlhRbwJpGiNOf2p40slZa3RCF06Ak5BTQHyqM9oCArbu3CskCuAmAFCjuubhKkjNuEBuuK_b84_1DhTYnSg/s400/Spring_2010_218.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475612159123085650" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">They are aptly named, as they really do look like they have been painted by an artist's brush!<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZLhnZs6LAiOqgBGRDOWxraaRB9RHS5QCPwZZ_KFy0gQJOVaJsjg2NBbyDiGOfcVIjgbyZSmDkrTYJjBjygrC0jIjLIC5zWuomFVwvtvNTai7S0JwR3usQi1FMZx5MzX14aCYNiuu8AYE/s1600/Spring_2010_219.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZLhnZs6LAiOqgBGRDOWxraaRB9RHS5QCPwZZ_KFy0gQJOVaJsjg2NBbyDiGOfcVIjgbyZSmDkrTYJjBjygrC0jIjLIC5zWuomFVwvtvNTai7S0JwR3usQi1FMZx5MzX14aCYNiuu8AYE/s400/Spring_2010_219.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475612166725218786" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">There are both bold colors and some softer ones, like this yellow and lavender mix.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlLgughU6gy3KpNt-EAImoFmwGQ-gbiNytngs6Zr0uiJEp64SOdXOFts0xBsoZzE1eWclS9jXab46rFFuTki45Pu_zg8ItJyVXINPAMj7KFis_uuhrgCrVuGt8Cc4np9Uudi83u4IgnlY/s1600/Spring_2010_228.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlLgughU6gy3KpNt-EAImoFmwGQ-gbiNytngs6Zr0uiJEp64SOdXOFts0xBsoZzE1eWclS9jXab46rFFuTki45Pu_zg8ItJyVXINPAMj7KFis_uuhrgCrVuGt8Cc4np9Uudi83u4IgnlY/s400/Spring_2010_228.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475612178408862226" border="0" /></a><br />Another pot of Brush Strokes Viola, in an old iron planter on my porch, with Denim blue pansies as a backdrop.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwr673YIymGIMIL0lnW9PbZgtCn5khYTHufeliky8Ajiyz3UbLzW2X3ejX9poLgXpoZILqmZaab-Be6Lk3JBl-2yI5rdZ3UvTEKWTm9Q6OgsEnotoEHk0h8_br7N3WOCcteEzkc1rj0Er/s1600/Spring_2010_227.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwr673YIymGIMIL0lnW9PbZgtCn5khYTHufeliky8Ajiyz3UbLzW2X3ejX9poLgXpoZILqmZaab-Be6Lk3JBl-2yI5rdZ3UvTEKWTm9Q6OgsEnotoEHk0h8_br7N3WOCcteEzkc1rj0Er/s400/Spring_2010_227.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475612171864573490" border="0" /></a><br />A lovely flower from the above pot.....just look those stunning colors!<br /><br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration.<br /></span><br />~Lou Erickson<br /></span><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-23315474423012107902010-05-06T08:11:00.000-07:002010-05-06T19:53:19.144-07:00Pansy Love<div style="text-align: center;"><br />Dear husband brought me home some flowers recently. Not the kind you put in a vase, or plant in the ground...... but these lovely little pansies!<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtH4I8i_m8jlAj_o3ZHTUKlS-W9KU02vky98dTHwbfu43r31UfQmhONJxzqE5SkeKGMgwIzXVX-pmr8iYwHv3unOWEPI8hoA3KM4ImINkU4nqVVpqQUR6o2oAbsjDY-RMVIF5VcqMgpSD/s1600/Spring_2010_120.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtH4I8i_m8jlAj_o3ZHTUKlS-W9KU02vky98dTHwbfu43r31UfQmhONJxzqE5SkeKGMgwIzXVX-pmr8iYwHv3unOWEPI8hoA3KM4ImINkU4nqVVpqQUR6o2oAbsjDY-RMVIF5VcqMgpSD/s400/Spring_2010_120.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466519892840025762" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Pansies are one of my favorite Spring flowers, so he scored big with these LOVE stamps!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2bxYlf2r9-HSikJ7043InTHF7Zkwqla8OHVc8FSGn0py_5ZBph7Z1fXiHLybTQfrMSlYTXX1CcadyMEHWHuPYydVPStUtZqh0xRdZIZx2x_9tKYHbTpOvEVd0tPxUMzNqtigXh5pXMRG/s1600/Spring_2010_121.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2bxYlf2r9-HSikJ7043InTHF7Zkwqla8OHVc8FSGn0py_5ZBph7Z1fXiHLybTQfrMSlYTXX1CcadyMEHWHuPYydVPStUtZqh0xRdZIZx2x_9tKYHbTpOvEVd0tPxUMzNqtigXh5pXMRG/s400/Spring_2010_121.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466521991264708066" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> It makes me want to sit down and write someone, just so I can affix one of these little sweeties to the envelope. :-)<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50NWQsFDY6x2h4szLfI_xut4izZKKbomWbIbJAcDtyjfZAifNUsFkq82eFSlBjxyXVmRpud-RzLcwcO1IMVs9vtSF8ZUIM6TEL3nzcGHixCoYDX6zKH6mHkupy_8GBqQAv5f214qeq_nI/s1600/Spring_2010_129.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50NWQsFDY6x2h4szLfI_xut4izZKKbomWbIbJAcDtyjfZAifNUsFkq82eFSlBjxyXVmRpud-RzLcwcO1IMVs9vtSF8ZUIM6TEL3nzcGHixCoYDX6zKH6mHkupy_8GBqQAv5f214qeq_nI/s400/Spring_2010_129.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466519887604689890" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And here is the real thing. Historic Mix Pansies I started from seed, around the first of the year, have been blooming now for several weeks. I couldn't resist adding a few to this small vintage green glass bottle. I liked the results! I can never go back to those huge floppy pansies sold at the nurseries and big box stores. These heirloom pansies are smaller, more delicate in size and coloring. Way back in the 1800's they were called "tufted pansies.' I love their various colors and shadings....and since they are open pollinated there can be some nice surprises. This particular one is lavender with a darker face, washed with a bronze cast. Best of all....seeds can be saved to start again next year!<br /><br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">In Victorian times, certain flowers</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> had specific meanings. In the language of Flowers, Pansies stood for loving thoughts.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span class="quote"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">I pray, what flowers are these? The pansy this, O, that's for lover's thoughts"</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">~ George Chapman</span></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-54082133581969084592010-04-27T18:17:00.000-07:002010-04-27T18:32:07.156-07:00Salad Season<div style="text-align: center;"><br />It's that highly anticipated season of the year again.....Salad Season!<br /><br /></div><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3fOUkz0rqOO5Dr0A2q0bhs5Y_NC2oz0C4Kz_y0o-sNmFNe5IulzRQxZRoLxpA3wQvzuzu0KNau-GDcINWsP_exzbVej9iOc5acaYiA77tOX4exlO6Tj9YRCxSklsoWS-gnIzWdfuai6j/s1600/Spring_2010_111.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3fOUkz0rqOO5Dr0A2q0bhs5Y_NC2oz0C4Kz_y0o-sNmFNe5IulzRQxZRoLxpA3wQvzuzu0KNau-GDcINWsP_exzbVej9iOc5acaYiA77tOX4exlO6Tj9YRCxSklsoWS-gnIzWdfuai6j/s400/Spring_2010_111.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464972169214727762" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">This beautiful mix is a favorite of mine, <a href="https://www.superseeds.com/products.php?cat=115">Pinetree Lettuce Mix</a>. It was winter sown on January 10th, transplanted out in February, and kept covered with ventilated plastic on those early cold days and frosty nights. It has come through several Spring hail storms! Last week I began picking this lovely, delicious lettuce. It is so tender, that it actually tastes <span style="font-style: italic;">creamy </span>to me. ( I know <span style="font-style: italic;">creamy</span> is an unusual word to describe lettuce, but that is just how tender it is!) Early lettuce is always best, as heat tends to make it bitter. Summer often hits us rather quickly here, so getting an early start with the lettuce is something I always endeavor to do.... and the little bit of extra time and effort involved pays off!<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGU9NMs-_-yuBtzZuRgcHUS0vI8Dnp_JAAAsSdUQYnXOEI9xLHk7ATzKHv7A0EtE48NaH6NJy2iuSRqR8rLhrV-V7CFTBZWjNOSXePxg4iN3JQDOyzazme0c8PyAcbF6Tfmay8V1cHo04/s1600/Spring_2010_113.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGU9NMs-_-yuBtzZuRgcHUS0vI8Dnp_JAAAsSdUQYnXOEI9xLHk7ATzKHv7A0EtE48NaH6NJy2iuSRqR8rLhrV-V7CFTBZWjNOSXePxg4iN3JQDOyzazme0c8PyAcbF6Tfmay8V1cHo04/s400/Spring_2010_113.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464978536901090322" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This photo shows the full view of the self watering container I use to grow the lettuce in. The size of the container is about 6 ft long by 1 Ft. wide. We received two of these from a friend, who was cleaning out his back yard, and I LOVE them! The second container was just planted yesterday with two lettuces that can take more summer heat, <a href="http://www.southernexposure.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?store_code=SESE&screen=PROD&product_code=62706">Jericho </a>and <a href="http://www.southernexposure.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=62506&Category_Code=BEAN">Anuenue</a>. When the heat hits us, I enlist the help of dear husband to move the container to my deck, where it gets morning sun and afternoon shade.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JAuTcU6DDCTOdzQhafFj_0BCjXKPU5JOtqnB8n4Bso4stdtc1r5qM_sX7S0WOeoFNe2t5zh4tIfeX6Sh5Q06h37T986FiiQ6WQuoqX3X39E7oYDN4T0xo-N07Wvxv17kaI0ZpM4HmRVt/s1600/Spring_2010_116.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JAuTcU6DDCTOdzQhafFj_0BCjXKPU5JOtqnB8n4Bso4stdtc1r5qM_sX7S0WOeoFNe2t5zh4tIfeX6Sh5Q06h37T986FiiQ6WQuoqX3X39E7oYDN4T0xo-N07Wvxv17kaI0ZpM4HmRVt/s400/Spring_2010_116.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464977980868507778" border="0" /></a><br />A bowl full of freshly picked, sweet, succulent lettuce.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqW3yS8xkBEXa2Bo1MV1yZlw-STbLIzWPqhXpokAfJugkPAh34kKUDhvkRNUUFrD9Jeb4utDSF2HH9nEjnc55E3LYU3hSQ_q8AEp-sgBsODv0F0onRbyjBOJ1oY-yffq_rdtZAhfoPK543/s1600/Spring_2010_117.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqW3yS8xkBEXa2Bo1MV1yZlw-STbLIzWPqhXpokAfJugkPAh34kKUDhvkRNUUFrD9Jeb4utDSF2HH9nEjnc55E3LYU3hSQ_q8AEp-sgBsODv0F0onRbyjBOJ1oY-yffq_rdtZAhfoPK543/s400/Spring_2010_117.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464977988683204338" border="0" /></a><br />A close up of all the beautiful textures and colors!<br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Tip:</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span>Lettuce</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> should be planted in full sun for the spring and fall, and in partial shade for the hottest part of the summer. </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-12533605883146865912010-04-23T08:19:00.000-07:002010-04-23T22:11:23.865-07:00Spring Postcards from Idaho<div style="text-align: center;"><br />Spring has come to our valley! A couple weeks ago we took a drive up the mountain to a nearby community to attend a funeral. I spotted this idyllic scene on the way up, so persuaded dear husband to stop for me on the way back down,...to grab a photo.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJNVLB2pryFLtDp-x9FdKfaIuBCMS3O-rXkvXWAntJEeu40sFdk1ZPROt__0yfeNdcWa5kBZRmu2wdWrC21GQjiqK2L3-O8jmGeYjVdP1VQsX_nunZUHroisQ487b-xlgrVvPOjaXb-XG/s1600/Spring+2010+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJNVLB2pryFLtDp-x9FdKfaIuBCMS3O-rXkvXWAntJEeu40sFdk1ZPROt__0yfeNdcWa5kBZRmu2wdWrC21GQjiqK2L3-O8jmGeYjVdP1VQsX_nunZUHroisQ487b-xlgrVvPOjaXb-XG/s400/Spring+2010+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463353206193694690" border="0" /></a><br />This is a view of the beautiful Clearwater Valley. I loved the resting cattle in the foreground and the grazing sheep in the background. (Click on the photo to enlarge)<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7NPbyCiaJEU_Nwfscn_wDiXvAUDok8mhwR2jBQdc_YnAf7qRSfqqZDXdOrTgpr7XM6uQXbm9APoalGTw9SIMk89RpJI2-7rd7vpq3y5VQg4gNVd_O7KX92DLZ5f6ulks2DVhEAzKPj33t/s1600/Spring+2010+053_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7NPbyCiaJEU_Nwfscn_wDiXvAUDok8mhwR2jBQdc_YnAf7qRSfqqZDXdOrTgpr7XM6uQXbm9APoalGTw9SIMk89RpJI2-7rd7vpq3y5VQg4gNVd_O7KX92DLZ5f6ulks2DVhEAzKPj33t/s400/Spring+2010+053_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463354697576464194" border="0" /></a><br />Just before we approached the above scene, we were surprised to see this <a href="http://rosecottagegarden.blogspot.com/2007/12/postcards-from-idaho.html">herd of Elk</a>, on the opposite side of the road. Seeing Elk is always an occasion, and a good reason to pull over and stop the car! (Click on photo to enlarge)<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKTRadN4Y95EVu292Wx88RQrmwnN30cohhkY8Uhkn-qDK1xhcvi_IBksiH5eC5JguEj1MeGnRSwNQ66qGzio5AU3O3cGG7caN2dSVTyZYt-QDL0L_2uhGJAEXMBgPcdVIZ5SFTGs5nM0q/s1600/Spring+2010+008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKTRadN4Y95EVu292Wx88RQrmwnN30cohhkY8Uhkn-qDK1xhcvi_IBksiH5eC5JguEj1MeGnRSwNQ66qGzio5AU3O3cGG7caN2dSVTyZYt-QDL0L_2uhGJAEXMBgPcdVIZ5SFTGs5nM0q/s400/Spring+2010+008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463354704299758642" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And lastly, I leave you with a lovely Spring sunset .... captured from our deck. There wasn't much light left when this was taken, but I liked the effect of the mountain silhouette.<br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Happy Spring..... to everyone! </span><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-47424024860513922742010-04-07T15:10:00.000-07:002010-04-08T09:29:16.940-07:00My Own Dog Tooth Violets<div style="text-align: center;"><br />One of the first wildflowers to cover the mountains here in Spring, is the <a href="http://rosecottagegarden.blogspot.com/2008/03/dog-tooth-violet.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dog Tooth Violet</span></a>. But there weren't any growing near our home, so two years ago I attempted to dig some up and transplant to a shady area beneath some pines in our yard. It was a good deal more challenging than I expected....because I had to dig <span style="font-style: italic;">really </span>deep to coax the bulbs from the rocky soil, and it was difficult to lift them without breaking the roots. I wasn't at all sure that it would be a successful endeavor.<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Q8MTGLWFOuF-u_rFfuY394lZwZgpbcNCm8BvDUXS0-yJBQZXGDqZxqxoqb_sWt30FNGRefvS3gmxLkkXDjdKKJVpLMKbka-XGr3mASt2nEriwVNlKPJFqJgnAD2w1_qepjBqhZgu7j3V/s1600/Spring+2010+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Q8MTGLWFOuF-u_rFfuY394lZwZgpbcNCm8BvDUXS0-yJBQZXGDqZxqxoqb_sWt30FNGRefvS3gmxLkkXDjdKKJVpLMKbka-XGr3mASt2nEriwVNlKPJFqJgnAD2w1_qepjBqhZgu7j3V/s400/Spring+2010+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457234971721663042" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I am happy to say the operation was a success! Shown above is a close up of this cheerful yellow wildflower....growing in my very own yard.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HLN_iUpY706eWlzw6SQWdSJx85O8zFzMnfwLg9Nph9ezZ7rNQW67mPdEnBGySRrfSObk1PH2Ab0rNCIG-hXzHkosnB2j2RcZaQMSGA5qRDQ9NeErpdpbOhUaS2sjYSP9d4u6UGHnMSCH/s1600/Spring+2010+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HLN_iUpY706eWlzw6SQWdSJx85O8zFzMnfwLg9Nph9ezZ7rNQW67mPdEnBGySRrfSObk1PH2Ab0rNCIG-hXzHkosnB2j2RcZaQMSGA5qRDQ9NeErpdpbOhUaS2sjYSP9d4u6UGHnMSCH/s400/Spring+2010+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457234978524606770" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">They aren't very thick yet, like the ones on the hillsides, but I am hoping they will naturalize and spread, to cover the area. I do so love their appearance in early Spring, signaling the change of seasons.... and I am especially glad that I can now see them from my kitchen window. :-)<br /><br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">DOG'S-TOOTH VIOLET, Erythronium dens-cani</h3><!--flower name--> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></span><p style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">OBSERVERS of plants who endeavour to understand their names have usually a tough, task before them. Many names, indeed, carry their meanings in their faces, but many have no meaning at all; and, again, many are founded on such subtle distinctions or fanciful notions that it is not in the plant but in the mind of the no-menclator that we must seek for the coveted explanation. But whatever the vices of botanical terminology, there are many reasons why names intended to be descriptive should be founded on obvious characters that are displayed above ground. Here is a <span style="font-weight: bold;">dog's-tooth violet</span>, and the inquiring amateur may be led to search leaves and flowers for some resemblance to the dog's-tooth moulding that so often occurs in architecture, and may conclude at last that the spots on the leaves shadow forth the resemblance. But the dog's tooth is underground, and we must dig up the plant to make a proper study of its name. The bulbs of the plant are white, and in form not unlike dog's teeth.<br /></span></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;"><br /></p></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-10473926508699046482010-04-04T09:15:00.000-07:002010-11-30T13:51:18.946-08:00Easter Blessings<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtTOMLO2JKZiluYaVWkCH92-GPFut-OJpJhdUD33j94wVwVufr1GL-GNPqqTe6QgBi2dNUg9NbLxSbb_yL5g8FeTm4-Xu8vEFNql2Cxrs_ShwoA6TJVauec0sEKpyU5vqU_ji_4WlCgxL/s1600/801371.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtTOMLO2JKZiluYaVWkCH92-GPFut-OJpJhdUD33j94wVwVufr1GL-GNPqqTe6QgBi2dNUg9NbLxSbb_yL5g8FeTm4-Xu8vEFNql2Cxrs_ShwoA6TJVauec0sEKpyU5vqU_ji_4WlCgxL/s400/801371.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456149088244787938" border="0" /></a></span><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 51);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:lucida grande;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">...Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 51, 51);font-size:85%;" ><br />~1 Cor 15:57</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Because I live, you will live also.<br />~<span style="font-size:85%;">John 14:19<br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span> </div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-74655251136651950562010-03-19T11:55:00.000-07:002010-03-20T19:57:31.655-07:00Spring Violets<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2M1oWgOX-7dpInoX7Nxm1tp4NFX-T9PWIDTTKHL1xYT5WmOpvGqRl_iUbGeUyXAd0vGf8dRShEBbYnL-hmByYn3N5gdFiaBrkMD1RBKi_4ZbkEZSdYRLk7ocLTewfp6eWHyuhpMR0gY1U/s1600-h/March_2010_038a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2M1oWgOX-7dpInoX7Nxm1tp4NFX-T9PWIDTTKHL1xYT5WmOpvGqRl_iUbGeUyXAd0vGf8dRShEBbYnL-hmByYn3N5gdFiaBrkMD1RBKi_4ZbkEZSdYRLk7ocLTewfp6eWHyuhpMR0gY1U/s400/March_2010_038a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450414246330590770" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Spring is definitely here, as evidenced by the violets blooming in my flower garden. This entire plant had to be pulled up because it was out of place. When the seeds of violets ripen, they burst open and shoot seeds everywhere....so they need a little help staying in line. But I put up with their bad habits, in exchange for the privilege of seeing those enchanting blue flowers in the early spring when my eyes are so hungry for color!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Shown here in a tiny tea cup (only 2 1/2 inches tall), also adorned with violets, this diminutive, cheerful arrangement sits on the window sill in front of my kitchen sink. When I see it, it just makes me smile with gratitude.... for yet another Spring season!<br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><i>The modest, lowly violet<br />In leaves of tender green is set;<br />So rich she cannot hide from view,<br />But covers all the bank with blue.</i><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">~Dora Read Goodale</span><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-26024913172486355412010-03-15T19:49:00.000-07:002010-03-15T19:49:05.905-07:00Cottage Garden Seeds Giveaway...Winner!<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdkcKfb7bpE1ErtN-ZXKGWkuR37j_WhluxXRkSsXF_ygmuX_bWQJ6wRPUufEogLeSHmDtqET5kFRcCopnnviThhg_sajfPT1SPCmfu9QD-AUbY1n0DBG8rLvS5vYX5gk1oh0t-08FpwEO/s1600-h/Seed_Giveaway189.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdkcKfb7bpE1ErtN-ZXKGWkuR37j_WhluxXRkSsXF_ygmuX_bWQJ6wRPUufEogLeSHmDtqET5kFRcCopnnviThhg_sajfPT1SPCmfu9QD-AUbY1n0DBG8rLvS5vYX5gk1oh0t-08FpwEO/s400/Seed_Giveaway189.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449052481476338034" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Today was the day of the drawing, for a winner of my <a href="http://rosecottagegarden.blogspot.com/2010/02/cottage-garden-seeds-giveaway.html">Cottage Garden Seed Giveaway</a>.<br /><br />And the winner is.....Irena! (O.I.M )<br /><br />Irena gardens in Toronto, Canada and has a great blog entitled <a href="http://myrootsrundeep.blogspot.com/">My Roots Run Deep</a>. You can drop by and visit her there. Congratulations, Irena! Please go to my profile page and email me your address, so I can get the seeds in the mail to you. I just know they are going to <span style="font-style: italic;">love </span>their new home in your garden!<br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Thank you to all who participated! </span><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-29095944802713926382010-02-28T19:21:00.000-08:002010-02-28T21:43:50.529-08:00Cottage Garden Seeds Giveaway<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /></span></span></span></span>Today is the last day of February. How can this be?? The first two months of the year have zipped by so quickly! I have been taking a break from blogging, so this is actually my first post for 2010....but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy gardening! I've enjoyed shopping and ordering from a number of seed catalogs, and have winter sown plants sprouting outdoors, as well as several types of pansies and rudbeckias growing under lights, indoors. The pansies will be moved out to the greenhouse soon, and in a couple weeks it will be time to start peppers and petunias! <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVplJdfjWjShyphenhyphen0JsFKn6cHNoqa9pRwaSD_e1JuNyqJS_jKhsIt1eCN9BrYqdrYNcVKxBXP7BQAViX3GQlDsF79lQ9kEclBC2FxVzcllKemlB9XqBDf57nfUHzMtOtgGedwGrtfBYpRmQGw/s1600-h/Summer+2008+227.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVplJdfjWjShyphenhyphen0JsFKn6cHNoqa9pRwaSD_e1JuNyqJS_jKhsIt1eCN9BrYqdrYNcVKxBXP7BQAViX3GQlDsF79lQ9kEclBC2FxVzcllKemlB9XqBDf57nfUHzMtOtgGedwGrtfBYpRmQGw/s400/Summer+2008+227.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435661850389063986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> Photo above taken in my Cottage garden a couple of summers ago.</span></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> (Note: Flowers here not representative of those included in the seed giveaway). </span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">In order to get back into the swing of blogging again, I thought I would begin with a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Giveaway </span>of a package of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cottage Garden flower seeds</span>. All of the seeds have been saved from my garden. They are mostly self-sowing annuals....my favorite category of flowers. :-) If you would like to be entered into the drawing for the seeds, simply leave a comment on this post (including your email address, if you don't have one linked to a blog). I will do the drawing at 12 noon on Monday, March 15th, post the winner, and mail the seeds out shortly after.<br /><br />Included in this mix are seeds of the the following flowers:<br /><br />Bachelor Buttons<br />Calendula (various kinds)<br />California Poppy (orange and cream)<br />Cosmos (Pinks, whites, and bi-colors)<br />Cosmos (tall Orange)<br />Corncockle<br />Dairy Pink<br />German Catchfly<br />Larkspur<br />Nigella<br />Poppy, Shirley<br />Silene<br />Rose Campion (biennial)<br />Mountain Garland<br />Wild Lupine (perennial)<br /><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">These will do well sown in a sunny spot, without much fuss. The flowers that bloom will provide you with plenty seeds for next year, or you can just let the plants drop their seed, for a yearly show of Cottage flowers. Happy Growing! </span><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-70650183300251004732009-12-31T16:17:00.000-08:002009-12-31T17:10:28.934-08:00New Year Greetings<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">From Our House to Yours......Happy New Year!!</span></span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHO74GTRQVkl32NvtiGQTTSKVXrMaErUE9GpXldTji7NtnxSs07lK3UaiTjwtw1ugGfMD1H7aRQcyWPdndJ4bJ3v6xEbGO1MYxVyoGtkUAunvhNnVd78yFrnVFcJ5ED9KQIB0N-J9Yc_5/s1600-h/Winter+2009-2010+144.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHO74GTRQVkl32NvtiGQTTSKVXrMaErUE9GpXldTji7NtnxSs07lK3UaiTjwtw1ugGfMD1H7aRQcyWPdndJ4bJ3v6xEbGO1MYxVyoGtkUAunvhNnVd78yFrnVFcJ5ED9KQIB0N-J9Yc_5/s400/Winter+2009-2010+144.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421556929425985074" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This photo was taken on a snowy evening, a couple weeks before Christmas, when we received a foot of snow in 24 hours! Much of it melted before the holidays, but enough was left on the ground to give us a white Christmas. It is snowing again now, as I write, with more snow in the forecast for the next several days. Tonight we are attending a New Year's Eve gathering with friends, but tomorrow I look forward to settling in next to the wood stove, and browsing the huge stack of gardening catalogs just waiting for me. It will be a day well spent.<br /><br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***~<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">My best wishes to everyone for a great Year in 2010....and your best garden ever!</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-629369488026897469.post-42697240023319077482009-12-28T14:34:00.000-08:002009-12-29T18:59:18.450-08:00Dreaming of a Pink Christmas<span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Oh, this poor neglected blog! I have been so busy enjoying the delights of the season, that I have written nary a post in the month of December. So...to remedy that before the month slips away, I am posting a few photos of my Christmas tree and the vintage pink, aqua, and silver ornaments with which it is adorned.<br /></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydtdgEXAzOPog-KaIaU1rtjIKRKdbracHGK4vgIiizHXb0IlVBhomAIWvZzaSjGaUXmQ9bCHijRQ0FBBUh0TI7pm7rL-1d6e6VLRoxKyR7cAF2yNJuRLAXXqbvmGfm14DKGJBU2qcov5f/s1600-h/Christmas+2009+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydtdgEXAzOPog-KaIaU1rtjIKRKdbracHGK4vgIiizHXb0IlVBhomAIWvZzaSjGaUXmQ9bCHijRQ0FBBUh0TI7pm7rL-1d6e6VLRoxKyR7cAF2yNJuRLAXXqbvmGfm14DKGJBU2qcov5f/s400/Christmas+2009+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420408030390114002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The past 2 years I have chosen a Blue Spruce, from a local tree farm. I like it for it's lovely bluish hue, which nicely complements the pink, silver and aqua ornaments I hang on it. But the needles on these are very sharp, so you must exercise caution when trimming the tree! (Click on the photo to enlarge.)<br /></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">Shown in the photos below, are a few of the ornaments which I have been collecting for a number of years. I love the color and patina on these ornaments. The oxidation, crazing and loss of color simply adds to their vintage charm! :-)<br /></span></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGDwYzJTLMNBeORaWUlYFlPCvmPY7c7qKpnCOaxbJv7qIhwnz7ONZ0cqoPaAT3TfVk0BVLQD1PIg94ek2nB9Q_tlWVFyy1TRSji5Vm5_eD-F1E6CoQTWK7RlqIdHlMOaiL-GHWfC6E58N/s1600-h/Christmas_2009_025.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGDwYzJTLMNBeORaWUlYFlPCvmPY7c7qKpnCOaxbJv7qIhwnz7ONZ0cqoPaAT3TfVk0BVLQD1PIg94ek2nB9Q_tlWVFyy1TRSji5Vm5_eD-F1E6CoQTWK7RlqIdHlMOaiL-GHWfC6E58N/s400/Christmas_2009_025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420407247542611906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduABxkEe8FJTd4DmB7YVfrpYpEG5p3HjwbIwEgNGq0oAKl3fP6gZY7IYf3JWT9eCpc0uz-4rNtWDKT4O31FZSU1ZHRQHI7bxneUJlV70PzRM6lHI_SS3U3f6DuitNTfB-u0o7SCL4SiLQ/s1600-h/Christmas_2008_197.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduABxkEe8FJTd4DmB7YVfrpYpEG5p3HjwbIwEgNGq0oAKl3fP6gZY7IYf3JWT9eCpc0uz-4rNtWDKT4O31FZSU1ZHRQHI7bxneUJlV70PzRM6lHI_SS3U3f6DuitNTfB-u0o7SCL4SiLQ/s400/Christmas_2008_197.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420407234594362114" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXl3FS9ILFRtBPqKikTp1vX39ijlt9ZxlCnjrKy3gM-lx_3nHNNf-PGwJh0_KQx-IrkW8XUoXpZ26b1mlzyCwFGK64_DF_FlyKG1BucOX5HrbA0ZMGAooyGfrtwebrwayodLmbWAsx_ib/s1600-h/Christmas_2008_167.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXl3FS9ILFRtBPqKikTp1vX39ijlt9ZxlCnjrKy3gM-lx_3nHNNf-PGwJh0_KQx-IrkW8XUoXpZ26b1mlzyCwFGK64_DF_FlyKG1BucOX5HrbA0ZMGAooyGfrtwebrwayodLmbWAsx_ib/s400/Christmas_2008_167.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420496845961423106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_yWxDW6yEV6WVPOvb8HuhdwJp6rnnGipcBbf_LIeFUJAyEGqrebSBesAorMQSebZrOKH7MITD6fyN7_i7ZI8NynS3dhUJSKMeHm9nJXDvXvYSWvXFeu-c9xd8ZeOeBM84wtGQLTdi6zQ/s1600-h/Christmas_2008_199.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_yWxDW6yEV6WVPOvb8HuhdwJp6rnnGipcBbf_LIeFUJAyEGqrebSBesAorMQSebZrOKH7MITD6fyN7_i7ZI8NynS3dhUJSKMeHm9nJXDvXvYSWvXFeu-c9xd8ZeOeBM84wtGQLTdi6zQ/s400/Christmas_2008_199.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420406737191853394" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I-4wIfwGUsDDbl63skjGRFV3rmsQ3-wmoVoOpUvXh52g-erEYdSllujWr6d0iCDWOgvxrK_04rcDim5IGFjgXUWHs7Q3xz8EXK5NJ2hFfoMMtjHbbJnlBTxOrgyYY-99R459Sh2-WqMc/s1600-h/Christmas_2008_187.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I-4wIfwGUsDDbl63skjGRFV3rmsQ3-wmoVoOpUvXh52g-erEYdSllujWr6d0iCDWOgvxrK_04rcDim5IGFjgXUWHs7Q3xz8EXK5NJ2hFfoMMtjHbbJnlBTxOrgyYY-99R459Sh2-WqMc/s400/Christmas_2008_187.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420406727486933442" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9mIb8Wnq2e3lZ18w-RiResLaTgVLOcf3R2jbqCGGE-EHINC4jGto08zZuFJG_n7puZnn_I7SDtEshOptK90aenNbJ7EoeyL2wL-pDSCFki31-xdGf3_fRaVx-CscmJBgYxLv3QcS9iFG/s1600-h/Christmas_2008_194.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9mIb8Wnq2e3lZ18w-RiResLaTgVLOcf3R2jbqCGGE-EHINC4jGto08zZuFJG_n7puZnn_I7SDtEshOptK90aenNbJ7EoeyL2wL-pDSCFki31-xdGf3_fRaVx-CscmJBgYxLv3QcS9iFG/s400/Christmas_2008_194.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420406732217809410" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VgdnVSDNcRkLBNLS0C4eJ7msIa1vpoHz1mFPTVquVVpxVpq5mBJ02-l1AvGHn-QngFW3NiAI2F46m70HLN3du6Ty9GAEAsXsirpPGmAV-1eLURgvjp0coAbelpHaye1MhWhKDD3Xr1YR/s1600-h/Christmas_2008_193.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VgdnVSDNcRkLBNLS0C4eJ7msIa1vpoHz1mFPTVquVVpxVpq5mBJ02-l1AvGHn-QngFW3NiAI2F46m70HLN3du6Ty9GAEAsXsirpPGmAV-1eLURgvjp0coAbelpHaye1MhWhKDD3Xr1YR/s400/Christmas_2008_193.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420406719307965794" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VzsbpiRkDSIjqh05yWbAHpUiebDxxWqPNd-1xS2SddKruU0DQOUDnMnZZSj0XKJSOsjNlKFCL3t-GH6iWeopWqupTs_Dj5WLuAsHcO00ftCqOrg45SEhnz6c784WdgU4_4c6wR3hn_U_/s1600-h/Christmas_2008_171.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VzsbpiRkDSIjqh05yWbAHpUiebDxxWqPNd-1xS2SddKruU0DQOUDnMnZZSj0XKJSOsjNlKFCL3t-GH6iWeopWqupTs_Dj5WLuAsHcO00ftCqOrg45SEhnz6c784WdgU4_4c6wR3hn_U_/s400/Christmas_2008_171.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420496843467114818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LMdCQsEW6VIVJk9HIp1TiG9z8K1f4n7nf-wc0xGqJja91kwmgLCjqv-Xh9CxJL8XJrf_kEJObJPCtDJ1uwu6SD-YUCylEqMzy992EVZjZF7jSgzPZ8IhDMvvd3jbq8HY8y3temLA-Oxf/s1600-h/Christmas_2008_175.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LMdCQsEW6VIVJk9HIp1TiG9z8K1f4n7nf-wc0xGqJja91kwmgLCjqv-Xh9CxJL8XJrf_kEJObJPCtDJ1uwu6SD-YUCylEqMzy992EVZjZF7jSgzPZ8IhDMvvd3jbq8HY8y3temLA-Oxf/s400/Christmas_2008_175.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420406090949135554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_fQ1eogoqQIXoYWR_GQEOXURZUypn4dP6_7dMqJDwGScsJqPVh-44XThA-3-bmnAHlLBx9JI-zL96q96iIFl8fwp4sEtrDmin08n-gqo7GjLfRBay-05B1nPEfXxypJGIjGnf7vKN5oz/s1600-h/Christmas_2008_178.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_fQ1eogoqQIXoYWR_GQEOXURZUypn4dP6_7dMqJDwGScsJqPVh-44XThA-3-bmnAHlLBx9JI-zL96q96iIFl8fwp4sEtrDmin08n-gqo7GjLfRBay-05B1nPEfXxypJGIjGnf7vKN5oz/s400/Christmas_2008_178.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420406098745845346" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzY63kn0ygAvZAQra7Kl6Zun6zNoa2yaN0SlKqk9xFSWkcsk9s3P4omeUy0lKSh61eKtU0YtsXw594HGvA8MKhB_GY6pn2kanzUMn73V7MNWE2_QUQLrqzyFxMhq_d_TedjK9SBQgDBMD/s1600-h/Christmas_2008_181.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzY63kn0ygAvZAQra7Kl6Zun6zNoa2yaN0SlKqk9xFSWkcsk9s3P4omeUy0lKSh61eKtU0YtsXw594HGvA8MKhB_GY6pn2kanzUMn73V7MNWE2_QUQLrqzyFxMhq_d_TedjK9SBQgDBMD/s400/Christmas_2008_181.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420406100374466098" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymaihIdb94wlySWA8pIXa4-sUXzQ-cMS_c-saSkjvN1Vvjpbj_PVZuxvAkv3PM3-eoKvP068BRH7KIRdYrkd9XcTcMzzDvERSVTepk910lha38gYerecDTwcUEsL7vJR5liueTsMOPh7V/s1600-h/Christmas_2009_012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymaihIdb94wlySWA8pIXa4-sUXzQ-cMS_c-saSkjvN1Vvjpbj_PVZuxvAkv3PM3-eoKvP068BRH7KIRdYrkd9XcTcMzzDvERSVTepk910lha38gYerecDTwcUEsL7vJR5liueTsMOPh7V/s400/Christmas_2009_012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420407254864134290" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;">This last ornament, a vintage stenciled one in hot pink expresses my sincere (though somewhat belated) sentiment to all my readers....<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Merry Christmas </span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;">to each and every one! </span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~<br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" >J<span style="font-style: italic;">oy to the world...</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" >the LORD is come.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" >Let earth receive her King! </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15539232387597508849noreply@blogger.com16