Farmers Market Magic

 Saturday was the season opening of the Bellingham Farmers Market. I LOVE my farmers market.  It is magical to wander through the crowd looking at what the vendors are offering this week. 

This time of year the market abounds in vegetable starts. Don't these lettuce plants look wonderful? 

And of course, it's always a delight to discover that there really ARE fresh local organic vegetables available this early in the year.  Brussel sprouts and carrots...  

And radishes! They have radishes! 

Doesn't it seem magical that they have these wonderful organic veggies for us this early in spring? Happy sigh! 

Sharing with Carol at A Creative Harbor on Magical Monday 

and Ruby Tuesday 2

Funky Rooster

Funky Garden Art

Recycled rusty rooster  

struts among the shrubs.

This is in the entry driveway of Cascade Cuts in Bellingham, taken during a recent visit to my husband at lunchtime. Rusty Rooster is made of a variety of recycled metal pieces from the farm. Isn't he cool? 

Linking to Ruby Tuesday 2

Book hearts

Last week we made a trip across town to our favorite local bookstore, Village Books. I'm always on the lookout for random hearts. Here were a couple of finds in the front displays. 

No clue on what's inside the cover, but I couldn't resist. 

Happy Ruby Tuesday! 

Doorways

Have you heard of Pinterest? It's a virtual pin board where you can organize and save things you find out on the web, like recipes, DIY projects, artists who inspire you...   "Invited" by a friend, I've started exploring an amazing variety of sites through the various "pins" of fellow Pinterest Folks. It has been described as a wonderful time eater... if you allow it to be. :) 

Today I stumbled across this photo from Wikimedia Commons. Isn't it fabulous? 

Wikimedia Commons shares photos that are in public domain. (I can SO see these doorways in my art journal.) I just had to share it with my fellow artists. Do check the Wikimedia guidelines before using the photos. :) 

What have you "stumbled across" today? 

Linking to Ruby Tuesday2

Colorful

 Another favorite tree from our visit to Skagit Gardens Nursery in Mount Vernon, decorated with colorful gardening tools and gloves and watering cans. 

And a cool garden ornament frog. 

I can see a heart in the swirls, but maybe I'm just fanciful. :)

A colorful frog.

Wouldn't you be fun to see

on my Christmas tree? 

 I love to create a haiku to go with my photos, and invite you to come back to visit on Wednesday's, when I host Hump Day Haiku. And perhaps you'll share a haiku you have written. 

I thank you for stopping by and wish you a Peaceful Holiday Season!

This photo is Straight Out Of the Camera.

Linking to Lisa's Chaos-Macro Monday and Ruby Tuesday


And of course linking to Guest Heart Thursday! 

Old Truck

Ancient rusty truck

sits in the garden center

as a piece of art. 

I think part of this old truck was red at one time, now it's a cool rusty red. It's always fun coming across unique pieces of "garden art" when visiting the local nurseries. 

This is down just south of Mount Vernon at Skagit Gardens Nursery. Their holiday display is well worth visiting, by the way. More on that later. :)

Linking with Ruby Tuesday

Holiday Fun

Spent a fun day Saturday with a friend attending various festivals in town. The Festival of trees included this adorable one created by my friend Michele. Isn't that topper the best?  

Michele's tree

Close up of Snow-person

We also attended the Holiday Port Festival, which features a gingerbread house competition. My friend Llew entered a gingerbread village, which was so large it was entered as two. She won first place and third place for her village. It was great fun being there when she could show us around.  

Gingerbread village

Creator of village

Linking to:
Lisa's Chaos-Macro Monday

Ruby Tuesday

Bright blossoms

I took my husband his lunch today. He works alone (weekends) at the nursery this time of year, so a lunch visit is appreciated. I was treated to a tour of a few of the green houses, and the cyclamen was blooming in a variety of colors. 

These pretty pink ones caught my eye. As did the heart shaped leaves.  

Lovely pink blossoms

brightening a winter day

cheerful cyclamen 

I'd like to invite you to come back on Wednesdays for Hump Day Haiku, which I started doing with Carla Sonheim's Silly Classes. I'd love to see what haiku you may have to share!

Linking to:
Lisa's Chaos-Macro Monday

Ruby Tuesday

Guest Heart Thursday

Share the Joy Thursday

Red Frost

Tiny icicles 

glistening on the red leaves.

Jack Frost's calling card

  Happy Ruby Tuesday!

Autumn Color

Peaceful morning walk

admiring autumn colors

A beauty in red

Trees in full color at Memorial Park in Bellingham. I love it when the leaves are all over the ground, and rustle as you walk through them.

Straight Out Of the Camera Sunday

  Ruby Tuesday

Ruby Tuesday - Towers

Isn't this a cool building? I just love the shape and how the leaves of the ivy-ish plant turn red this time of year.  This was taken on a trip my son took to Ireland a few years ago. I've been sorting old digital files (tedious) and came across it so had to share.

Happy Ruby Tuesday!

 Linking to Ruby Tuesday

Red leaves

Finding autumn colors as we wander the trails. 

I love this time of year... when it's sunny. 

Linking to Lisa's Chaos-Macro Monday

Mellow Yellow Monday, 

 Ruby Tuesday

Rose Hips

Wild rose gone to seed

crawling through the shrubs and trees 

shows its flash of red.

Linking to Ruby Tuesday

Changing Leaves

Dreary rainy day

brightened by the color splash

of a nearby tree

Leaves that frame a heart

peeking though the left branches.

Hearts are everywhere.

Linking to Ruby Tuesday

Find more hearts with Clytie at Guest Heart Thursday

Red Chard from the garden

Chilly Autumn days 

with red chard from the garden

ready for the soup.

We still have a few things growing out in the garden this fine blustery Autumn day... 

including this lovely red chard which will make a nice addition to tonight's dinner.

Linking to Ruby Tuesday

Letter box

Wouldn't it be fun,

having this cute letter box

waiting for your mail?

A walk in Fairhaven

Recently I spent a bit of time with a friend wandering about in Fairhaven,
looking for interesting windows and doors for an online swap I was considering.
Our walk discovered this old phone booth at the corner of an ivy covered building. 

We also found this door as we walked through a courtyard...

A walk with a friend and a camera is a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Ivy covered wall

There is something about old brick buildings with ivy covered walls that I just love.

Especially as the leaves start to turn.

It makes a boring old brick building quite festive, don't you think?

Red and Yellow

The Hardy Fuchsia, planted next to the native Golden Rod, is in full bloom. Both bloom mid to late summer, and they are so happy growing together. Sometimes planting by happenstance works out.

Addition: I don't know the exact variety of fuchsia; it's a shrub, as opposed to the fuchsias that are sold in garden centers in spring. We got it as a cutting from John's mothers garden the year she died. It's been transplanted around as we've redone the garden, and seems to be very happy here.

Mellow Yellow Monday

Ruby Tuesday