whatever: Garden

March 26, 2016

Beautiful world- random things

Leaving our home building site....I just had to stop and take a picture of the cattle roaming the hills, quite often you can see them chasing each other up and down the hill. The real Happy Cows of California. (smile)

This world is overflowing with beauty....the last couple of weeks I have found myself surround by beautiful nature! What a blessing this world is.

Random thought- #1

Lately in the news; we are filled will sorrow from all the ugly that some people can do...how sad....

all this ugly has the effect of weakening the fabric of our society. Because of this, bad things happen and sometimes the righteous will suffer because of the transgressions of others...I believe the Lord goes to great lengths to protect and to spare...but man has his free will to choose good or to choose bad.... I believe as sin, be it public or private, weakens us and society, I also believe all that is wholesome and good reaches out to bless and even preserve it!

Let us be the good to preserve it! Let's keep the world beautiful.

Here is some good-

From a survivor of the resent terrorist bombing-

"I know that I've felt His love several times. I know that if I can feel His love sitting on a sidewalk next to a destroyed airport, God will talk to his other children, too. I know that He does listen to prayers, and that the prayers the people are (giving) now, they make a difference, because I've felt them." read full article here

Random thought- #2

Have you heard of

LIKEtoKNOW.it Whenever someone I follow on instagram posts anything from a cute pair of sandals to a fabulous rug, all I have to do is like the image and an email comes to my inbox with a link to the source (as long as that instagrammer uses LIKEtoKNOW.it). Signing up is easy here. You can even select how often you want to receive emails - asap, daily or weekly. I like to receive them asap! This is so much easier than asking someone where they found their pillow and waiting for a response and possibly forgetting to follow up.

Dan and I

My beautiful niece Brittney went through the Temple for the first time last week...So happy for her. There is beauty in the world.

Enjoying the beauty of Filoli There is beauty in the world.

The house is coming along...each day a little something is different ....Happy Day! Alene was my little helper for a day. There is beauty in the world.

My laundry room in the raw. Can't wait to get my hands on it!

The library bookcases also in the raw...above each bay will be a light /sconce.

mud room in the raw....can't wait to see paint and hardware!

The white wood will be painted a "wood" color.

But....happy day, the brick is going on!

Family dinner and egg hunt.

Mason and Jessica hosted our Easter Family dinner at their home...sorry Mason about the closed eye picture...

Sam, Heidi and kids

Denver, Bree and Lincoln . There is beauty and love in the world.

Below are some pictures from our Ward Easter Activity.

Heidi and Yuphaa....preparing 200 cinnamon rolls for the Easter breakfast and egg hunt activity....Sarah also made 200.

There is beauty,love and kindness in the world.

We are blessed with a beautiful world.

Have a glorious Easter! “Praise ye the Lord.”

06:34 PM in Building our Home, Garden, Our Home- Poppy Hill | Permalink | Comments (3)

March 25, 2016

Spring time at Filoli

Front of Filoli house

A day with the girls and two little cute boys at Filoli-

Filoli is a country house set in 16 acres of formal gardens surrounded by a 654-acre estate, located in Woodside, California south of San Francisco.

I have visited Filoli many times over the years and at all seasons....and I never trier of the architecture and garden design. I have to say though...Spring time is my favorite time to visit.

The home is always a delight with seasonal flower centerpieces in every room...and I love the marble in the bathrooms, the marble fonts in the niches and the columns of marble in the front.

Hope you don't mind the overload of garden pictures....Happy Spring.

Now to begin....the Feast for your eyes.

Olive Orchard- I actually love this...and I'm seriously thinking of doing something like this for our New home front yard...but of course in much smaller scale. (visiting a garden is inspiration overload.)

Enjoying their first visit to Filoli

One of the reason I love spring time at Filoli....well, the Wisteria is amazing! Twisted, knotted, old wisteria growing up and over the brick walled garden.

More than two hundred Irish Yews that had been grown from cuttings from the Yews at Muckross House, the Bourn property in Ireland, were transplanted to Filoli.

Garden house next to the sunken garden.

This is the pool bath house

Wisteria heaven...I'm also planning to plant wisteria at our new home and train it to go up the back wall.

perfect day...in the high 60's clear sky and no wind....the boys were adorable and the girls fun (smile)

Happy Day!

11:16 AM in friends, Garden | Permalink | Comments (2)

May 14, 2014

Peony

Just sharing my random thoughts on Peonies

Growing Peonies...What I have found....there will always be ants.

The ants are part of the blooming process . You will always find ants on Peony buds. Another one of nature's marvels. A dip in soapy water and a rinse and the ants will fall off...if you want an ant free table centerpiece.

Hang upside down to dry...they stay true to their form once dried.
They fade quickly- if you want to enjoy inside pick before fully opened.
I live in central california- they grow well on the north side of my home.

I planted my peonies in my hydrangea garden....they need about the same light and soil requirements.

I planted 3 different types of peonies- each bloom at slightly different times....that way I can enjoy them from early April to late May. (Peonies fade fast)

I seem to talk a-lot about -

Tree Peony

Roses and Peony

An Explosion of Spring

Glorious Easter

Flower Potluck

Eye Candy

Love this quote-

"A flower doesn't worry about being better than the flower next to it, it just blooms . . . . even if it is only a weed." found here

Happy Day I love Peonies

12:46 AM in Catheys Valley Home, Garden | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

May 05, 2014

Happy Monday-

Happy Monday- the weekend has come and gone....and we are on to another week.

It's May already....Heavens, where did April go?!

Alene turned two weeks old on Sunday.

Carlee and Audrey has 3 dance performances, 2 at the county fair and one in parade.

(Audrey's bunny ears were on backwards....didn't seem to bother her at all}

Question to Carlee- "How did you do in the Parade?"

Carlee- "it was really good to get my nerviness out...I even started to tear up a little in front of the Judges, but then I told myself it was okay...and I was better after that."

Each week there is a new flowering surprise- in the Garden- Jackmani Clematis Flowering Vine

Sharing a little fun happening around our family-

Shannon's blog- find joy in the journey

Heidi's blog- Our walk to remember

Becca's blog- Kent and Rebecca

Bree's Blog- Little moments

The Cabin (under the pines)

Have a wonderful Monday.

09:25 AM in Garden, Grandkids, Mason, Sam | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

April 18, 2014

Glorious Easter-

Roses are blooming in Catheys Valley- and a few peonies. Just in time for Easter.

#becauseof Him I live in a beautiful world.

Because of Him, our Savior , we can live again.

Dear readers thank you for sweet comments here over the years you have blessed my life. I hope you take the time to watch this short video ...let Him bless your life.

I know that he lives and loves us still.

Thank you

05:45 PM in Catheys Valley Home, Church, Garden | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

April 03, 2014

Flower Potluck- A Relief Society Mid-week activity

April 1st was the day of our Flower Potluck- I ordinarily planned it as our Branch Relief Society mid-week activity.... but opened it up to anyone who wanted to come. My branch sisters weren't able to attend but we had great fun with my Church sisters from Merced, Modesto and Turlock Stakes.

We held the event up in the foothills where the green was very green and all things spring were glorious.

Sandi my dear friend came up early to help me get ready...so blessed to have her as a friend.

What we did-

hung carnations from the ceiling, readied the gift baskets, cut flowers from my yard and taped printed art on the wall.
each sister received a basket with: ribbon, seed packet, note card, floral tape, wire, tags and pretty tape
The event was pretty easy.... as each person that attended came with a bouquet of flowers and a spring dish for lunch....sharing is awesome!

We gathered at 11am...in the rain... which added to the great adventure!

Notice that crazy lady with the unbrella...yep...thats me in all my fashion glory! =)

Heidi is always so helpful...with the picture taking.

After we ran around in the rain collecting flowers...we came back to "Le Shed" and began playing.

Before the ladies put their flowers in the mason jar vases we snapped a picture.

Bree, Emily, Libby, Heidi, Sandi, Bev, Breathe in Life, Pam and Bloom

Back to more playing...we all made floral crowns....and then Heidi took our picture.

peonies from my garden

After we had gathered, picked and played it was time to eat... we made flower place cards 0f course...and oh my, the food was great...chocolate dipped strawberries, snicker bar salad, fruit salads, citrus & broccoli salad, southwest salad, sandwich rolls, spinach salad, cookies , fruit filled cones, sliced baguette's filled with veg.

Did I mention....it is so much fun to Share!

and of course we wore our crowns. (its not every day that you can run through the garden in the rain picking flowers .....so we embraced the little girl in each of us today.}

Truth is, putting together this event I didn't buy any new decorations...used my old napkins and table cloth, we even made use of things left over from the Spring Event 2 years ago... but that didn't stop us from having fun ...I believe more often than not, the best memories are the ones where we forget about perfection and embrace those imperfectly endearing moments of togetherness.

Thanks ladies for putting on your garden shoes and coming to play with me!

Share what you do to made an inspiring life for yourself.

I'm linking this with Inspiration Monday

06:36 AM in Garden, Party | Permalink | Comments (13) | TrackBack (0)

April 02, 2014

Flower Potluck

We held the Flower Potluck event yesterday...and oh my! did we have fun. I'm working on a post about it right now...but until I can get it posted... here is a little tease. =)

Happy Day- Flower Potluck rain and all! (we even made floral crowns!)