New Job, London, Disneyland

All Water Under The Bridge

Red, White, and Blue

 Fruit picking on the 4th of July

Cascade Lily

Sahalie and Koosah Falls

 McKenzie River

Lower Bridge

Faith, Hope, and Charity

 

Lovely little vineyard in Central Oregon

 

Girls get together on a Thursday night. 

 

Peony Blooms

  When the peonies bloomed,
It seemed as though were
No flowers around them.
- Kiitsu

Hay Yes

It's alfalfa cutting time

Chicken Florentine

Chicken Florentine with fancy colored bowtie pasta

Yummy spinach from my garden

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Beats Friday night pizza any day.

Honeyberry

 HASKAP is the Japanese name for Lonicera caerulea. 

It has also been known as ‘Blue Honeysuckle’, ‘Honeyberry’,  or ‘Edible Honeysuckle’.

FAITH

If you asked me to sum up in the fewest possible words the meaning of religion, I think I should say "It is faith-that is, believing there is a God and that that God is good".

I am fully aware that for millions today the word FAITH has no meaning at all.

They believe only in what they can see or touch.

Faith includes all that but it goes further.  It teaches us to believe where we cannot prove, to trust where we cannot see our way.

~Francis Gay, The Friendship Book, 1961

Ladybug, Ladybug

Soon this ladybug larvae will be ready to fly away home.

Czech Kolache

Or my attempt at them.

Berries from summer picking, cream cheese filling.

Crooked Nails

Did you hear about the crooked nails?  It seems that after the Queen's Coronation, when the seats along the route were being dismantled, one of the foreman joiners noticed a man picking up the rusty, bent six-inch nails which had been left lying about.  He asked the man what in the world he wanted them for.

"Where I come from," the man replied, "these would cost a fortune.  When I go back home to Tristan da Cunha we will hammer these nails straight and use them again."

The foreman mentioned this to his boss, who told an offician, and eventually the story reached the Queen Mother.  And that's how two barrels of shining new nails reached lonely Tristan da Cunha, with the Queen Mother's compliments.

~The Friendship Book of Francis Gay 1961

Birthday Wishes

Birthday gifts to share with my pen pals.

Can't wait to get writing.  I love learning more about people and cultures.

Frosty Berries

Pulled berries out for dessert tomorrow.  Yum

Dam Beavers

Must be a beaver building a dam on the river.

We found so many trees fallen.

Raindrops

Hiking along the Fall River this morning

Rain began to fall, love the drops resting on the surface

Who would have thought a rainy day would be so gratifying.

Fall River

 Boy has this river changed in the last 10 years.  

It was our first camping stop with our new trailer,

trees were much smaller than and you had a much better

view of the beautiful river.

Raining in the Pines

Beetle

This flew into the house today.

I moved it outside but it stayed on the cement for about 40 minutes before flying off.  Apparently it was unaware that this is a house with 2 cats which love bugs.

International Friday Night

Pimms in a Kentucky Derby glass

Cheese and crackers on a Japanese plate

Carried on a Finnish platter

Storm A Coming

Swarm Season

Officially swarm season!

Already collected our first swarm, hooray for free bees

Early Morning

People forget to provide water for bees,
I've turned this old dog watering dish into a station.

There are some risks of transmitting diseases
but it allows me to manage bees near buildings.

 My bees were out early this morning getting water.

Bees on a log, this would be a fun log rolling contest.

Owl Be Home

Flipping Bees

What should I be doing to manage my bees?  

Flip hives, like any good BBC drama, it's time for upstairs to become downstairs, clean off the bottom boards of all the dead bees, debris, and bits of uncapping wax.  

It always makes me a bit nervous as this is the time of the year where starving can occur.

  I prefer when the overwintered hive is in the top box and I can see them when I open the lid.

Now they are moved to the bottom to allow for brood rearing.  

Keep buzzing girls so I know you're alive.

I've also fed them supplemental pollen patties even though I've seen pollen loads coming in.  

Time for a little supplemental syrup as well.

How can you not love this amazing creature?

Pick A Pear

Why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open?

 ~Rumi

Osprey

Change Me

I read somewhere that the Chinese primrose, sometimes seen in greenhouses here, will bear red flowers if it is grown at a temperature of about 60 degrees.  If it is grown at a higher temperature, however, the colour of the flowers will change from red to white.  We can turn up the temperature and change the appearance of the flower.

In all sorts off ways too we can alter the "temperature" and "atmosphere" of our surroundings in a way that changes people as well.  A little more warmth of friendship, of sympathy, of encouragement on our part and what a difference it can make to those with whom we come into contact, who may be feeling lonely, depressed or discouraged.  Let's turn up the temperature and look for the changes it can make!

Wooden Shoe

Spent the day in Woodburn, Oregon at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival.

 

It was a rainy, overcast day but still the beautiful colors were shining through.

Willamette Valley Bound

Of all my years in Oregon, I have never traveled over the mountains to visit the tulip festival. 

 

I think it's time we did.  Love the flowers in bloom

And the fun experiences we share.

Soft Boiled

Once you prefect the soft boil

Nothing else will do

One Springy Dingy

Honey, Honey

I'm patiently waiting for a honeyberry fruit this year.

The Pasque and Present

Pulsatilla vulgaris
Also known as the pasqueflower and a symbol of Easter.

Lettuce Eat Cake

The first thing to pop it's head out of the ground is lettuce.

I love it's determination even in 20 degree weather.

Holla In The City of Skwala

 Newly emerged molting Skwala Stonefly along the Deschutes River