April showers do bring May flowers!

Hi! I know it's been awhile! I was beginning to wonder when I was going to take some time and make a post myself. I've been busy pursuing life outdoors these past few weeks. Many of you know I live in Oregon, where it rains a lot. It *finally* stopped raining and the days have been filled with blue sky and sunshine for a couple weeks and it feels so good to be outside again! The birds are singing, the squirrels are running around, the windows are open, the flowers are blooming and it feels heavenly! I especially love May and June, before the weather starts getting too hot.

Since it finally stopped raining, for the most part, Mark and I have been busy getting our yard in order and cleaned up from a long Fall and Winter. Mark took a week vacation during Mother's Day week and we spent ten days together enjoying each others company and working in our yard and Memorial weekend too. During that week we also celebrated another anniversary together and a birthday. We've worked hard...the garden is planted, flowers are in pots, flower seeds are sown, the umbrellas are up on the patio tables and the fountain is flowing once again. There is still plenty to do, always, but I'm grateful that the garden is in. The best part now is watching it grow and enjoying the fruits of our labor! It has felt so good to breathe some fresh air and work in our yard...not to mention that it's been good for my muscles too!

I still have been stitching, but it has taken a bit of a back seat for awhile. It was time to get some things squared away in our life. I am just getting back to reality this weekend. Some of you know that I am working on a gift for a friend. The frustrating part is not being able to share with you until it is sent. It is my main priority right now. I also have my bead journal project going and I'm preparing my pieces for aDRESSing the Situation. I also am going to do my first giveaway! I just need to chose some things and take some pictures of my offerings...stay tuned!

I can share a few sneak peeks of some stitching and thought I would share some snaps of what gloriously is blooming and growing in our yard...oh, how I LOVE May!!!

I have been putting the pedal to the metal on my sewing machine and have sewn up a flock of little songbirds and I'll share them in their entirety soon! ;-)

A little peek at some beading!

Another peek at some beading!

A total secret and surprise...I know...not very nice! These things take time!!! ;-)

This is the main part of our garden and new retaining wall DH built. This is where the tomatoes, peppers, beans, strawberries, blueberries, green onion, carrot, radish, lettuce, cosmos and zinnias are. You aren't seeing the other part of our garden in the corner where the corn, peas, cukes, artichokes and zuchinni are. The stepping stones need to be seated and once the beans, carrots, radish, lettuce and green onion are up, we will dress the whole thing with compost. I will share more shots with you soon as everything grows more.

Seeds sown: giant sunflowers, sunflowers for cutting (yellow and brownish/red), black eyed susans, purple coneflowers, red oriental poppies and zinnias. Will be planting these soon!

Huge basket of purple and pink wave petunias, geraniums and verbena. Will share with you soon...as it will get enormous!

Little fuschias on the deck railing...

Lily of the Valley...

Beautiful and very old Rhododendron...

Another very old Rhododendron...

Hardy Geranium and Candytuft...

Wild Rose...wish you could smell it...it smells like baby powder...

Ginkgo shot...we have two trees...I got them for my birthday years ago from my mom. I love this tree and their leaves...they turn a glorious gold in the Fall...

Hostas and ferns are filling out under the deck...

Orange Oriental Poppy...they are just starting to bloom and they are gorgeous...

Japanese Iris...

Cosmo flower in bloom...

Clematis just starting to bloom this week...

Close-up of Clematis...

Clustered Bell Flower...

And, most odd...my Christmas Cactus is blooming!!! I guess everything is blooming around here!

I included some more photos in the next post!!! I'm back to stitching and I'll be catching up with you soon! Hope the sun is shining on you...~Lisa

Where the wild things are. . .

We have lots of crows that visit our yard everyday. I love watching them walk and waddle in their way...they are such smart birds!

Every now and then a ton of crows start squawking up a storm and flying in from all different directions toward the fir trees near us. It is always amazing! We always say they are having another 'Community Meeting'!!! Wish I had a better zoom lens. How many can you count in this one tree?

Little Anna hummingbird with a very long neck!

There she goes...

Just having a nibble of the suet that fell on the ground...

Are you taking pictures of me again?

Here you go Tammy...do you think his eyes look a little wild and intense...notice the white in his eyes! (CLICK TO ENLARGE!) I think he may be the one...lol! I was trying to take pictures of about six squirrels running and chasing each other around the other day. They were acting *wild*...literally! They were on the ground, the fence, the trees and even in the bamboo! I was beginning to get kind of nervous, especially when two went running right under my chair past my feet. At one point, there were about four squirrels in the ginkgo tree chasing each other all over and up and down and the gingko leaves were falling off the tree like snow. They were chittering away and making other weird sounds and this went on for a couple hours and I kept wondering *what* was going on!!! I grabbed my camera thinking maybe I could get a shot with more than one squirrel for a change, and when I started taking pictures...I *finally* realized *what* was going on and what I was taking pictures of!!! Love was in the air! ~wink~

Here's two of them needing a drink of water after running around like that!

And, here's one laying on the deck rail...needing a rest and pooped out for the day!!!

Happy Creating...will share more soon! ~Lisa ;-)