The Tulip Festival

The other day I had the "Travel Chanel" on TV.  They were showing the tulips in Holland.  They were lovely.  However, I thought that most people don't realize that we grow tulips up in the Skagit Valley just north of the Seattle area.  In a town called Mt. Vernon they have a month long (April) festival to honor the tulip.  I decided to share this information with my blog friends.  I don't think Washington is associated with the tulip.  The SBA and I did not go this year.  We try to get up there every other year.  It is breath taking! It is truly a rainbow on the ground.  I hope you enjoy these photos from last year's festival!  Thanks to all who read my blog! I really appreciate you very much!!! Have a great week-end!

A Bit More Yard and a New Start!

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm giving John Foster a little rest so that I can finish a patriotic project before Memorial Day.  I do enjoy decorating the house with patriotic things from Memorial Day to the 4th of July.  I have a few charts that I wanted to stitch.  The first one I'm doing is "Penny America" by Tree of Life Samplings. The pattern called for 40 count but I'm doing 32 count.  I wanted it bigger so that I have the option of making it into a pillow.  I've also added a few more spring pictures from the yard.  It is still very cool 50's day and 40's at night.  Hope this means we will have a nice cool summer!! Thanks so much for reading my blog.  I appreciate all of you!!!

 

 Here is the first element of the new stitching project.  It is a basket that will have lots of flowers.

 This white rhododendron was on the property when we moved in.

 This is Jack Frost  a brunnera.

 

 These pretty flowers appear each spring.

 The great silver leaves last all summer.

I love to see the inside of a tulip.

Beautiful Flowers

Yesterday afternoon we took a walk in the woods in the back of our yard.  This is green belt property and it has been left very natural.  The trilliums were just beautiful.  We were suppose to get rain all day today.  Instead, it was quite sunny. Go figure!  We got out in the yard this afternoon and I took some pictures of our bleeding hearts.  They are lovely right now.  I want to welcome a few new followers.  I appreciate all of you who take time to look at my blog.  I hope it's a great week for everyone!!

 This is the area behind our house.  It is quite steep but there is a trail.

 The lovely white wild trillium.

 Here are early sword ferns.

 A purple trillium.

 We have two varieties in our yard.  This one was transplanted from a house belonging to our son and daughter-in-law.

 We also have a bleeding heart with chartreuse foliage.

Here you see a famous resident of the Pacific NW, the banana slug! They come in various colors,beige,black, and greenish. They love to eat your plants!!!