figs flowers food

A TIRED BUMBLEBEE

2016-03-25T07:25:00.004-04:00

FLYING AROUND IN EARLY SPRING FOR THESE LITTLE CREATURES MUST BE EXHAUSTING, FLOWERS ARE EVER SO SLOWLY BLOOMING, AND THE CHILLY TEMPS SLOW THEM DOWN. I LOVED THIS LITTLE MAN SNOOZING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF A MINI DAFFODIL.

HELLEBORES - THE FIRST BLOOMS OF THE NEW SPRING

2016-03-17T13:29:00.000-04:00

HELLEBORES ARE A GIFT IN THE EARLY SPRING GARDEN - THEY HAVE TO BE MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE FLOWER. WELL, EACH FLOWER THAT OPENS IS, BUT TODAY IT IS THIS GORGEOUS GEM.

OK, MAYBE JUST ONE MORE PRETTY LITTLE SNOWFALL - THEN GOODBYE OLD MAN WINTER

2016-03-04T14:39:00.001-05:00

MY VEG GARDEN, WAITING FOR SOME WARMTH

DRIPPING WITH WET SNOW

WOODPILE FROM A POOR OLD DOGWOOD TREE THAT DIED AND FELL OVER

THE FARM DOWN THE ROAD WHERE I HAVE A SMALL PLOT TO GROW VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS - MY HAPPY PLACE

COME ON SPRING, I'M SO TIRED OF THE COLD

2016-03-01T21:06:00.003-05:00

FALL FINALLY ARRIVED, SOME INSPIRATION FROM HOMESTEAD GARDENS, DAVIDSONVILLE, MD

2015-10-04T23:05:00.000-04:00

THE DAHLIAS IN MY GARDEN ARE HANGING ON TO THE SUMMER

2015-10-02T21:19:00.003-04:00

THE BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS OF BROOKSIDE GARDENS IN WHEATON, MD

2015-09-22T21:29:00.001-04:00

TODAY'S PICKINGS

2015-09-20T11:17:00.002-04:00

SUMMER BOUNTY FROM THE VEG GARDEN

2015-08-30T21:17:00.000-04:00

SMALL SUNFLOWERS, ZINNIAS & COSMOS

CAYENNE PEPPERS AND TOMATOES

FLOWERS, BEES AND BUTTERFLIES IN MY GARDEN THIS SUMMER

2015-08-23T21:25:00.003-04:00

SUNFLOWER

MORNING GLORY IN ALL IT'S GLORY

ZINNIA

A MONARCH BUTTERFLY VISITING A MEXICAN SUNFLOWER

DAHLIA'S PICKED FOR THE VASE

DAHLIA

A BUNCH OF ZINNIAS AND COSMOS

DAHLIA - SO PERFECT

PRETTY LITTLE ZINNIA

ZINNIAS LOOK LIKE FLOWERS GROWING IN FLOWERS

BUTTERFLIES AND MEXICAN SUNFLOWERS

WHITE BUTTERFLY, LAVENDER AND ECHINACEA

THE BOUNTY OF SUMMER

SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY ON MARIGOLDS

ZINNIAS IN ALL THEIR GLORY

MEXICAN SUNFLOWERS ARE A MAGNET TO OUR WINGED FRIENDS

THE BEES LOVE THE SUNFLOWERS

JOE PYE WEED WITH A VISITOR - A MOTH I THINK?

THE PERFECT LITTLE DAHLIA

FEVERFEW AND A DAINTY LITTLE ROSE

RASPBERRIES - YUM

OF BEES AND BLOOMS

LOVELY LITTLE SUNFLOWERS

ZINNIAS ARE SO VIBRANT

BUMBLEBEES CAN'T RESIST THE COREOPSIS

SWALLOWTAIL AND A PEACH ZINNIA

PRETTY STREET ART & BABY DUCKS IN EASTPORT, ANNAPOLIS, MD

2015-06-16T10:35:00.001-04:00

I LOVE THE NAUTICAL SCENE PAINTED ON THE SIDE OF THIS BUILDING, WITH MAGNIFICENT HYDRANGEAS IN FULL SUMMER BLOOM ALONG THE FRONT

MOMMY MALLARD DUCK WITH HER 3 BABIES

A LOVELY OLD PAINTED WALL - THE SIDE OF A
DERELICT BUILDING ON 4TH STREET

OUTSIDE AN ARTIST'S STUDIO IN EASTPORT

LANGLEY, WASHINGTON - on WHIDBEY ISLAND - we found a gem Part 1

2015-06-11T14:57:00.001-04:00

USA TODAY READERS' CHOICE WHIDBEY ISLAND # 3 BEST ISLAND IN U.S.

A quote: "Don't let our quiet streets fool you: history meets hip in Langley."

Even the seagulls have an attitude as if to say 'we live in the coolest place!!'

On a 55 mile long island, there is plenty to see and do between Possession Point and Deception Pass - I kid you not!!! This island forms the northern point of the Puget Sound and is gorgeous.

Shops along 1st Street, Langley

Is this the cutest theatre or what!!!

Being flower and garden obsessed, of course this was my favorite shop. The view (next pic) out of the back door is breathtakingly beautiful.

The American Indian connection - amazing totem poles

I love this waterfront architecture, clad in wood and blending in

With the tide out, you could walk for miles - yup we walked this beach

This is whale country or should I say these are the whale waters of Puget Sound

Carved out of a tree trunk, a bench seat with carved salmon

How spectacular is this view looking down over the water from 1st Street.

Restaurants and coffee shops with lush gardens and bright outdoor areas, along 2nd Street.

The lovely 2nd Street, Langley

Fire Department - the place in town to watch and buy hand blown glass - interesting…...

I bought the little purple bud vase sitting on top of a book on the counter - love it

About to blow glass

A cute little entry house with a living roof of tiny succulents

SNIPPETS FROM MY OWN GARDEN - IN THE SPRING

2015-06-10T14:04:00.001-04:00

Looking down to the back patio from the deck

Azalea time…… a blaze of color

One of my favorite peonies

The baby squirrels are venturing out of their safe nests

Scented geranium on the patio table

Chive flower

Grape Hyacinths

A few tulips in the vegetable garden

The back patio with white azaleas in full bloom, shaded by a red Japanese maple

Cute solar lights I got for Mother's Day.

Irises

My favorite doe

It's peony time…...

Bright orange Poppies

Climbing Rose Zephirine Drouhin - a lovely old heirloom

One of many Wrens nesting all over the garden

Early days vegetable garden

A Pileated woodpecker enjoys the fallen tree limbs - the largest of the woodpecker family we have around here

A lovely spot to relax on my old iron rockers in the veg garden.

THE FERRY RIDE FROM THE MAINLAND - HEADING NORTH FROM SEATTLE VIA WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA

2015-06-05T14:54:00.002-04:00

This is the "scenic route" we chose to head north of Seattle, via the islands. The ferry ride is quick and over in a flash - you drive on at the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal 25 miles north of Seattle on the Puget Sound, park your car, rush upstairs to treasure the view and snap some photos, run back downstairs, jump into your car and drive off in Clinton, on the gorgeous Whidbey Island, WA.

A sister "ship" doing the same trip across the Puget Sound

Look who flew in halfway across - hitchin' a ride, and getting out of paying for the trip

Departing from Mukilteo, WA on a gorgeous spring day.

That's our ride!

Breathtaking scenery everywhere.

OOPS!!!

And the absolutely gorgeous town of Langley, Whidbey Island - here we come………………….. watch for the next post.

THE VIBRANT COLORS OF THE INDOOR FARMERS MARKET, FAMOUS PIKE PLACE FISH MARKET, NEARBY SHOPS AND BAKERIES

2015-06-05T07:21:00.000-04:00

BELLEVUE BOTANICAL GARDEN, BELLEVUE, WA - SPRING BLOOMS ABOUND

2015-06-03T14:17:00.000-04:00

Next stop on my trip out west to Seattle was the Bellevue Botanical Gardens, a short drive out of Seattle, WA. Take a stroll through this gorgeous garden, abundant with spring flowers.

Rhododendrons in every shade you can imagine, some as tall as small trees, filled with delicate and gorgeous flowers.

A peaceful stream runs through the garden, ferns and mosses are everywhere.

The beautiful and delicate Pulsatilla aka Pasqueflower, Windflower and Meadow Anemone and member of the ranunculaceae or buttercup family - with it's soft hairy purple sepals and plumed seed heads. It is the provincial flower of Manitoba, Canada and the state flower of South Dakota and native to meadows and prairies. It is widely used in homeopathic remedies - a gorgeous little flower.

An amazing spring bulb - Fritillaria Imperialis.

Pretty little Primulas

In full spring bloom, the magnificent Magnolia Laevifolia

Clumps of Trillium everywhere in the woodland areas

Beautiful mossy woodland walks

Slug crossing

A magestic bronze Owl statue

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What a life………...

Mossy rocks

What a spectacular collection of Peonies - both Tree Peonies and Perennial Peonies

And last, but not least, the heavenly scented Lilacs - blooming everywhere and scenting the air.

The Bellevue Botanical Garden is 36 acres of woodlands, wetlands, display gardens, garden rooms and an abundance of beauty - I loved my peaceful stroll around in gorgeous spring weather.

CHIHULY GARDEN & GLASS

2015-06-03T13:28:00.001-04:00

A visit to Chihuly Garden & Glass long-term exhibit, on a recent trip out west to Seattle, was an exquisite treat to soak up the incredible talent of local Washington state artist Dale Chihuly. The exhibit is located in the Seattle Center, next to the Space Needle.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is this 40ft tall steel and glass Glasshouse with a 100ft long suspended sculpture of huge glass "poppies" (my interpretation), in shades of reds, oranges, yellows and amber.

That's me being dwarfed by a glass conservatory and the most amazing hanging glass flowers.

Looking up through the top, the Space Needle is looking back down!!

The Seattle Space Needle

Outside the one conservatory is a huge glass sculpture underplanted with black Mondo grass - we had to look up close to see that they were living plants, almost looked like a pile of something artificial, but no, real growing grass.

The exquisite color matched gardens with blooms, shrubs and trees and there tucked in between were amazing pieces of glass art.

Their cute little coffee shop.

Reflective glass balls - hey there we are, and the Space Needle.

Inside are 8 amazing Galleries, showing clearly how Chihuly pushed the boundaries of using glass as an art museum.

This Gallery clearly depicts the scale and size of each piece of glass sculpture. Most of them are oversized and huge but you can't always see that in most of the photos.

One of the galleries was above you - a glass ceiling with what looked to me like an exquisite under-sea experience strategically placed to reflect light.

One of the best art exhibitions I have ever seen - I would highly recommend a visit if you are ever in the Seattle, WA area.

TULIPS TULIPS and more TULIPS

2015-04-23T20:23:00.000-04:00

Founded in the 1950's by Dutch emigrants William and Helen Roozen in Washington State, USA, Roozen Gaarde is one of the most exquisite TULIP gardens I have ever seen. A couple of hours drive north of Seattle, nestled in the Skagit Valley, this is flower heaven.

Never mind the gorgeous colors, look at the surrounding fields and mountains as a backdrop

Tulips in shades of pink and red beneath a sweet scented Lilac bush

SPRING HAS FINALLY ARRIVED - beautiful blossoms and blooms in Washington, DC

2015-04-13T17:05:00.001-04:00

Cherry blossoms out front of the Capitol

Cherry blossoms on the US Capitol lawn

An abundance of bulbs blooming

US Botanic Gardens

Tulips in bloom

Smithsonian Buildings

Cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin

Airforce One flying over the cherry blossoms in DC

The magnificent Magnolia

Magnolias in bloom in the National Arboretum in DC

Magnolias in bloom in the National Arboretum

Mom amongst the cherry blossoms at the National Arboretum, DC

Cherry blossoms

A BEAUTIFUL LATE WINTER'S DAY AT BLACKWATER WILDLIFE REFUGE, Cambridge, Maryland, USA

2015-04-07T13:17:00.000-04:00

What a spectacular place to spend a day - driving the trails, or hiking the paths - and just soaking up the scenery. When they say "refuge", they mean it. The 25,000 beautiful acres on Maryland's Eastern Shore is a waterfowl sanctuary for birds migrating along the Atlantic Flyway.

Melting ice

A stream runs by the walk in the woods

Marshlands provide habitat to a variety of birdlife

Canada Geese about to head north for the summer

Grey heron posing in the shallows

A stand of "Loblolly Pines" are home to many bald eagles

The exquisitely beautiful Pine bark

A little friend peers down from a tree - Possum, or to be proper, an Opossum - don't you just love those pink fingers and nose!! Then there is the little baby carrying pouch which makes them one of the "marsupial" family. Interesting…….

Seagull glaring at me as I disturb a fishy feast - wipe your beak!!

A flock of Tundra Swans going for an icy stroll.

Burnt orange Asiatic Lilies on a cold day

2015-03-05T14:24:00.002-05:00

The Icicles of a Winter's Day

2015-03-02T23:03:00.002-05:00

We had freezing rain yesterday and it coated every little twig, branch, piece of furniture, leaf, dried flower and blade of grass, in a clear coating of what looked spectacularly like glass. It was magnificent. Then the sun came out, and everything melted. It's almost the end of Winter and I look forward to the Spring.

Icicles hanging underneath the patio table like crystals from a chandelier

Dogwood branch in all it's winter flory

The under table icicle display

Those dogwoods have spring buds in there somewhere

FRIGID TEMPS AND ICY CREEKS

2015-02-16T15:49:00.003-05:00

Annapolis, MD saw record breaking temps this past weekend, as a result, the creeks and rivers around are frozen - just a few pics taken from my office today overlooking Spa Creek, Feb 16th, 2015

BEAUTIFUL FADING TULIPS

2015-02-11T13:58:00.003-05:00

These old ladies are just so gorgeous, maybe even more beautiful than the day they were freshly arranged - Parrot Tulips delicately fading and about to drop their petals.

SNOW FALL in ANNAPOLIS, MD - THE OTHER DAY

2015-02-10T11:09:00.001-05:00

Just one of those pretty snowfalls that made everything look pristine and clean and oh so beautiful.

Meet Sammy, he lives in the office next door - out playing in the snow on the deck

The deer out in my back yard