Wandering the Trails of Fort Ebey

There were incredible native rhododendrons all over... tall and loaded with blooms.

It was like walking fairy trails... the salal and ferns create a hidden path to follow.

View from the Bluff Trail, headed back from the beach toward the campground... a long uphill trail.

This tree had the most interesting twist... it was near the group camp area.

View headed from the group camp area back to the battery. The wind was blowing and you could hear the bell on the buoy ringing as we hiked.

My Favorite Hiker

He loves taking me out for longer-than-I-thought-they-were-going-to-be hikes... :)

Second Place!

I just found out I was second place winner in a monthly Artist Trading Card contest on atcsforall.com. The theme was Layers. I created this by layering torn papers and tissues with matte medium, stamping images, painting lines and dots, tinting with re-inker, layering a napkin image of a black bird (I think it's a starling...eek!) and blending all together with beeswax.

Early Morning Garden

It is so peaceful in my early morning garden, listening to the birds, seeing what blooms are new today.

What's Growing in Your Garden?

I just entered a contest on The Vintage Workshop Blog about what's growing in my garden this year... check it out. Fun things to win.

We have a certified backyard wildlife habitat, which includes variety of perennials, herbs, shrubs and trees, both native and hybrids, throughout our garden. All are growing nicely this time of year. Our flowering currents are in bloom. We have a larger bed of tall red bee balm this year, which our hummingbirds and bees just love! Our vegetable garden is growing tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, green peppers, snap peas, parsley, and we’ve already harvested some of our lettuce. We have sweet peas and nasturtiums are just coming up around the yard for decoration. Oh... did I mention catnip for the resident kitty?

I love this growing time of year!  What's growing in YOUR garden? 

Note to Self...

 Love is the center and the core of everything, 

and Self is the place where all love must begin.

Those who love others grandly are those who love

themselves grandly. Those who have a high toleration

and acceptance of others are those who have a high

toleration and acceptance of themselves.

You cannot show another a part of you that you

cannot show yourself. Therefore, begin where all

growth, where all evolution, where all love must begin:

with the person in the mirror.

Let it Be...

When I find myself in times of trouble, 

mother Mary comes to me,

speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

And in my hour of darkness 

she is standing right in front of me,

speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

And when the broken hearted people 

living in the world agree,

there will be an answer, let it be.

For though they may be parted 

there is still a chance that they will see,

there will be an answer. let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

And when the night is cloudy, 

there is still a light, that shines on me,

shine until tomorrow, let it be.

I wake up to the sound of music, 

mother Mary comes to me,

speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be. 

The Beatles

White Light

Sending forth good energy into the universe

A Little Tin

Sent as a hostess gift with a few goodies inside. :)

Gray Day Garden

Have you ever noticed how overcast, gray days give better pictures of the garden? ;)

The bird bath garden is at the bottom of the steps leading to the green house. Strawberry plant is at the green house door... and I love how it's creeping over the rock path.