HAPPY FATHER'S DAY ~ AND NEW BLOOMS IN THE GARDENS

"My Father gave me the GREATEST GIFT 
anyone could give another person--

He BELIEVED in me."

Jim Valvano

Thank you, Dad, for your example of hard work, loyalty, honesty, steadfastness, always doing your best and giving any task you undertook 110%.  Your legacy will live on far after you're gone in the hearts and minds of your posterity.  "A FATHER is neither an anchor to hold us back, nor a sail to take us there, but a GUIDING LIGHT whose love shows us the way."  Love you, Dad!

There are still new blooms in the garden.  The late iris are just finishing up, with only 4 more to bloom.  Clematis are blooming, as well as the early peonies.  The late peonies should be blooming soon, as well as the poppies.  It's a sea of color in the beds, and I'm loving it!

EASTER 2011 -- FAMILY, FLOWERS, FUN!

The Easter Holiday has always been a special one for our family.  Yesterday we began our Easter weekend celebration with a brunch--2 different kinds of quiche, homemade cinnamon rolls, fruit, orange juice and hot chocolate,followed by our annual Easter Egg Hunt.  Libby hid 245 plastic colored eggs in the yard with candy and money inside.  The grand kids had fun, and we had fun watching them hurrying around with their Easter baskets, finding them.  It was chilly, but we were grateful for no rain, and just a little wind--one of the few days recently that hasn't been dark, cold or raining or snowing!  I took pictures of just about every flower that was blooming presently in the yard--Lungwort, Hyacinths, Primrose, a few varieties of daffodils, my early tulip, bergenia, pulsitilla, crown imperial, wind flowers, grape hyacinths, and all the hellebores.  Before long, many other bulbs and perennials will be in bloom.  I was checking my pictures from last year, and we are definitely behind a week or two with the bloom schedule--there were many perennials and bulbs in bloom by this date last year.  But, with some good weather forecast for later on next week, the flowers should be blooming within the next week or two.  This is a beautiful time year--I love it, not only because of the blooming flowers, but because of the love I have for my family and for the reason we celebrate this special time of year!