Outside in the morning

It is so nice to be fully in Spring. It is so amazing to wake up to warmth, to step outside to the garden first thing every morning, and to leave the doors and windows open. It will soon be hotter than I prefer, but for now, I am basking in Spring. When I went outside to water the plants this morning, I got distracted for quite a while, taking pictures of all sorts of things. Things are shaping up so nicely. I worked a lot outside last week, partly because the weather has been so beautiful, and partly because we moved our Sunday Woolly Mama meeting to outside, and it was my turn this week to host. I got all excited to set things up prettily on my deck, do some weeding and planting, etc., to make my space inviting. Things have a long way to go, yet I am starting to see the beginnings of paradise in my little plot of rented space outside the back door.I cleaned and set up my fountain on the table on the deck. My friend Christine gave it to me, and I really like it. It used to be indoors, but it has a bit of a noisy motor which annoyed Mystery Man, plus he's not crazy about the look of it, so I put it out in my back yard haven.I got the idea to put the shell full of glass pieces at the bottom to catch another tier of water. I am pleased with the effect.My friend Sonja gave me this plant when I visited her in the Oregon Coastal Range of mountains a few years back. I love when it starts to come to life again in the Spring, after dying off in the Winter. It always makes me think of her and smile. I love my friends. This too is on my deck.

I went a little crazy with the camera. I am trying to figure out some of the more complex settings. I had been using the 'auto' setting, but today I put it on manual to see what I could do. I managed to get two pretty different effects photographing this huge, magnificent weed flower that grew spontaneously and uninvited in one of my cold frames. I was tempted to pull it a few weeks ago when it just looked like some kind of unusual grass, but it was so pretty and exotic looking that I decided to leave it. Now that it is flowering, I am glad I did! I wish I knew what it was called. Anyway, I don't know how I did this one, but the photo turned out cool.
Speaking of weeds, there are far too many of these (below) growing around. They are taking over the world, I think. My friend told me she offered to pay her kids two cents per yellow dandelion flower they pulled, and they came in with over seven hundred all from her normal sized suburban yard in one day. Amazing. They are happy looking, and I think it made a beautiful picture.

My potatoes are coming up. Soon I will top them with more leaves and another cedar box. I will eventually grow the tasty tubers vertically in numerous stacked, open bottomed, cedar boxes. I used to do this in stacks of old tires in my old Eugene, Oregon gardening days. Cedar seems more organic.
I finally put my Gooseberry bush in the ground. I like the way it looks with the stripes of light coming through the fence. It was my present from Mystery Man. I have never had a gooseberry, so it should be interesting. The tag said it will grow to be five or six feet tall. Suprising, since it is such a little shrub right now.
A solitary speckled oak leaf lettuce seed from last summer seeded itself on the wrong side of the garden edge. I haven't planted any lettuce this year at all, and was wishing I had, so this little independent soul is welcome.
I planted several strawberry starts. It will be hard to wait until next year for berries. The lady at the Creekside Nursery said to pinch off all of the flowers this year and not let it produce fruit for a more abundant crop in seasons to come. Self control will be difficult, but I suspect it will pay off richly. I just hope we keep renting this place long enough to make it worth it. I can alway dig them up if I have to.
There is a huge patch of poppies in the Southeast corner of my yard, just getting ready to bloom into their bright orange glory. They were fabulous last year, so I look forward to watching the colors pop. They are very neat looking now, as the flowers form. I like the furry look that they have, and the way that the flowers-to-be bend in waiting.
Finally the chives have begun to bloom. They are tasty and beautiful. The kids like to pick and munch them when they are out playing. It gives them stinky breath. I am surprised that they like the spicy flavor.

This one has been in teething misery. Her second top front tooth is pushing and she is frankly unable to contain her irritation. No worries. I promptly removed the small, chokable object from her drooling mouth after taking the cute picture.

She is happy one minute,

and whiny and grouchy the next. Poor little Dr. Jeckle-

-trying to cope, and such sore gums. She has been clasping the fingers of both hands together and wacking her upper gums with the back of one hand and wrist. She talks at the same time and it sounds like "Adelad-alattle-ad-alattle". So pitiful. She bites me alot right now. Patience.
Her dear oldest brother has been so good to her. He is an absolutely wonderful help and she loves him dearly. So do I.

Mystery Man's mom brought over a great find from a garage sale. I am so excited. I don't know whether to use it for rabbits or convert it into a chicken house. I would be happy with either or both. I haven't been looking for something like this for a long time. She got for five bucks. Such a bargain driver, that woman. I love it!


This photo is not of our car (well it is, but that's not the point). Look closely. That is a wasp on the INSIDE of our window. Not a big deal, except that is the fourth one in the house in just a few days. They like to fly inside of shirts through the arm holes, and they fly at my head, too. Agressive and freaky.

I have been developing a nasty habit of blogging at midnight. I need to turn out the light. I think I will.