Spring Iris

Song - John Denver "Inch by Inch"

Our garden is a riot of color right now due to my obsession with Bearded Iris!  Well, that and roses and Spring bulbs and Lilac's and Wisteria and......well, you know how it can be.

My Grandpa Art got me started with roses.  He always had several roses in his front yard in Oakland with cuttings and onions underneath.

Grandma Sophie in the rose garden in Oakland

Grandpa Art with 3 of his 4 daughters in the rose garden.  My mom is on the far left.

Both of my parents are wonderful gardeners and their yard looks like a park.  They are in their mid-eighties (shhh...don't tell them I told you that!) and it wasn't until this year that they hired someone to "mow & blow" but all of the rest of the work, they do themselves.  They get great satisfaction from working in the soil and coaxing a plant along.

My parents at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco while they were dating.

My mom & her sister Marie in a garden

 

My Grandpa Art working in the rose garden while his four daughters pose for the camera.  L-R is my Aunt Bernadine, my mom, Aunt Alma and Aunt Marie.  Not sure who the little girl giggling on the steps is.




Now that all of the Spring blossoms have left the trees and the bulbs are withering and my roses are just about to burst into bloom, I have time to enjoy my Iris.

I hope you enjoy them too.....

 

 

Where I relax after gardening.  Ahhh......

Had to add a beautiful white Lilac!!!  Can't you just smell the lovely fragrance?

And some Peonies just about to bloom!!!  So exciting.....

Our Wisteria at the back gate.

You would not believe the iridescent colors on this Iris when the sun is shining.  Unfortunately it was a hazy day today.

Some white Clematis on our fence.

The entire fence is a beautiful creamy white.

A little American Goldfinch taking a sunbath on the birdbath.

 

PS - I picked my first bouquet of Sweet Pea's today and they smell glorious! 

"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul. " - Luther Burbank

At The Old Ball Game

Song - Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Photo by Phil McGrew

It has been crazy, storming weather around the Bay Area over the last few days.  There was a huge lightening storm Thursday night.  The Bay Bridge got hit with 8 bolts at once and a plane that had just taken off from SFO got hit with a bolt and had to return to the airport.  One report I read said that we had over 750 strikes. 

So even though we had Opening Day tickets for Friday the 13th, it did not look good my friends....



but miracles do happen.....

 

Mr. B took me, my brother Tim and his wife Donna to the game and not only was there blue skies, but the Giants won 5-0! You can see in the above photo that the nasty weather stayed just North of the ballpark and left us in sunshine!

Tim, Jeanette, Jill, John, Donna & Mr. B

Donna & Me

Matt Cain took the mound and for 6 innings he pitched a perfect game. 

 Look at the contortion in his arms.....just amazing!

At the end of the game, the players all do this cute little "high five" thing.  That would be Buster & Pablo "high fiving" each other with Matt Cain at the far right (not the one with the camera but the other far right).

 

By the end of the game Matt had allowed one man on.  So it is technically a "shut out" but not a perfect game.  

But it was a pretty perfect day for me. Spending time relaxing with Mr. B, my family and friends and the San Francisco Giants!  Whoo Hoo! 

 "Baseball was, is and always will be to me the best game in the world."  - Babe Ruth

Building a BBQ

Song - "I Love Lucy" opening theme

Beautiful day today and it made me think about grilling our dinner tonight.  But then the clouds came in and I decided to save the BBQ for another day. 

I have some old photo's and postcards that I have collected over the years from the Lake Tahoe Flea Market.  It is pretty "funky" but occasionally I find something to add to my collection.  Usually it is just fun to people watch.

Sisters? Friends? I love the laundry flying and how tight the woman in the back seems to need to hug the woman in the front.

This photo reminded me of the old "I Love Lucy" episode when she and Ethel build a BBQ.  Lucy loses her wedding ring in the cement and they have to take it all apart and put it back together (kind of) in one night.

"Lucy: Now Ethel, I'd do it for you if you'd lost your wedding ring. Ethel: If I lost my wedding ring, we wouldn't have to find it. We'd just have to buy another box of Cracker Jack"

Come and Sit For Awhile in My Garden

Song - Zen Garden

Orange Rose

There is a small group show going up at the gallery in May that I am participating in.  So for the last week I have been painting some 8 x 8 canvas's of my garden flowers.  I have a few more to paint but I just love painting happy flowers when it's gray, cold and storming outside!

Grape Hyacinth

White Iceland Poppy

Paris Peony

Yellow Rose

Sweet Faced Pansy

 

Pink Peony 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life."

 ~ Jean Shinoda Bolen

I got some BLUES for my bud

Song- Lola by The Kinks

                                                                                    Source: google.com via Jeanette on Pinterest

My best friend, Jill is going through Chemo and she said that the color blue....well specifically "Royal Blue" would help her. I think it has to be royal because she is such a Princess!!

Source: tatteredrosecanada.blogspot.com via Jeanette on Pinterest

                                                             Source: crashinglybeautiful.tumblr.com via Jeanette on Pinterest

So for the next few months you may be seeing some Royal Blue photos from Pinterest that are positive energy that I am sending her way.....

 

                                                                                        Source: flickr.com via Jeanette on Pinterest



 

"Everybody needs a hug now and then. It changes your metabolism."  -  Leo Buscaglia

It just keeps getting better....

Went out to Roti 8 in the Blackhawk Plaza tonight for a special Barcelona dinner event with Mr. B.

Every course brought out was incredible...... especially the Paella!

Thank you Philip, Alice, the chefs and staff at Roti 8 for a magical event!






(are you drooling yet?)

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating." ~Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story

Location:Danville, CA