Letting Go of the Bay Leaf: Lilac

Showing posts with label Lilac. Show all posts

Sunday, May 30, 2021

Mosaic Monday #133: Happy Homemaker

As I look back over the month, the photos suggest that I have been nesting. Cooking. Crafts. Being spoiled for Mother's Day. Celebrating a new creative space. But inexorably, the days are lengthening, and I am returning to my summer habits - gardening, kayaking with Dear Neighbor Friend, strolls in the back forty, river walks in Whitefish, hikes with Man with Hat, and so much more. So, before May becomes as faint as last year's tan lines, let's take a look!

May in Montana moves from brown to green in a matter of weeks, but frost can threaten anything that is not native, or particularly vulnerable specimens. I have learned the hard way not to plant pots or driveway baskets until June. Desiring a little color on the front porch, I decided to make a spring wreath. With the exception of the peacock feathers, which came from DNF, all of my materials came from the thrift store.

I resolved to cook once a week to give Head Chef a break, and generally I am on track. (I have cheated twice and opted for dessert rather than a meal!!!) The Somerset Stew recipe is another meal from Jan at Low Carb Diabetic; we added sausage to our dish.

Mom crosses my mind frequently. I've lost count of the number of times I reached for my phone to call her. One day, I was moved to make a childhood favorite, Snickerdoodles. I talked to Mom throughout the baking process. So yummy!

In college, I started collecting recipes in a school folder. Some were typed out on the family typewriter. Some are newspaper clippings, long since yellowed. A cherished few are in my Mom's handwriting, such as directions for the Thanksgiving turkey. It has been a (mild) source of annoyance for Head Chef, since it clutters his kitchen, and it is falling apart. So, it is now in my "office" (more later) and it will be put in order one day. In the meantime, reminiscing as I held the innards that have come away from the folder, I decided to make Broccoli and Cheese Crepes.

Spring always carries memories of rhubarb. My Dad's garden had several plants, and we ate rhubarb in many forms from sauce to crumble to raw, the moist end of the stalk dipped in sugar. (But beware that you don't eat the section too close to the leaf - my older brother did that once and he got quite sick!) I was a bit shocked to find that Head Shopper had to search high and low to find enough rhubarb for this crumble recipe! It was worth it!

Ever since we moved into this house, the dining room table and the couch in the great room have been my "office" and crafting center. I had plans to create a crafting space in the dormer of the upstairs bedroom - big enough for a large desk, and with a view of the lake and hills. I had envisioned a tall desk - think bar height - and something unique. However, once #1 Son moved in with us, I began to realize it was not a practical solution since the area would be unavailable anytime we had guests. Spousal Unit and I agreed that we could reconfigure the loft to accommodate me. After lots of fruitless shopping for desks/tables at vintage stores, Spousal Unit suggested I look at standing desks on the Web. Eureka!

The design by Uplift is attractive and also fits the rustic industrial theme of our house with the dark wood and black metal hardware. Without too much fuss, Spousal Unit and #1 Son assembled the two separate desks (each one raises and lowers independently). The "L" shape configuration is ideal for the space and provides significant working surface for me. And there is still enough room for the couch (we donated the cocktail table that used to be in front of the couch; we plan to buy two small ottomans and two small side tables).

Given the open nature of this set-up, it is important to both of us that my work space is organized and in keeping with the design of the house. I was thrilled to find this wood top storage unit with three meshed metal drawers - it is an added bonus that you can see the contents of the drawers without opening them!

I am also endeavoring to keep all of my supplies within the footprint of the desks, so using this vintage crate for binders and placing the Pendaflex on top of it maximizes the space. And isn't this trash bin adorable?

Here is the current look with one desk raised to standing height. (I wanted to show you the view, but the picture does not do it justice!)

On Mother's Day, Spousal Unit spoiled me with breakfast in bed, and also surprised me with a box of chocolates.

I always shed tears when reading my Mother's Day cards. It's like being wrapped in a warm blanket of hugs!

So, here we are, with one day remaining in the month. Life is too precious to take even one day for granted, so I will not write that I am anxious for June to arrive. Instead, I will leave you with more of May's bounty - lilacs along the Whitefish River, and reflections in our lake after a passing rainstorm. Enjoy!

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.

Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.

The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain time).

Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.

Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.

As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.

Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.

Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.

Sunday, July 5, 2020

Mosaic Monday #87: Time

On Wednesday, I was volunteering at the historical museum. On the paper desk calendar, I made hash marks, one for each of the 28 visitors that day. Suddenly, I noticed “183/183” printed in the upper-right hand corner of the square for July 1. Really? We are at the halfway point of the year? (I paused for a moment to consider 183+183 = 366. What? Oh yeah, it’s a leap year.) I suppose this is one of the signs of being retired – the days and months tend to blur! All in all, it got me thinking about time.

Time is an intriguing/complicated/contradictory concept. The more it slips through our fingers, the more we try to hold onto it. (Except maybe when we begin a 6-mile run, and we want the next 60 minutes to fly past.) I would guess that all of us would like to have more time, and yet we find a myriad of means to spend it, perhaps in ways that are frivolous. We might regret that half of 2020 is over, and yet many of us want the next 6 – 9 months to get behind us so that we have an effective vaccine for COVID-19.

I suspect that the pandemic has made most of us confront this thing called time, even if only subconsciously. Questions come to mind, sometimes in the middle of the night, and sometimes while I am zipping along the 70-MPH highways of Montana. They usually start with “What if?” This type of thinking can be slippery, leading to a real downer of a day. When I was in the midst of one of these spirals, I heard a song that stopped me in my tracks. “Keep Me in the Moment,” by Jeremy Camp. Check out this video.

Ever since, when I find myself getting caught up in “doomsday” scenarios, I remind myself to engage all my senses. When was the last time you thought about the wonder and sheer joy of a hot shower? Do you inhale your meals, or do you savor thoughtfully, noticing the flavors and appreciating the effort of the person who made it (even if it’s you)? Is there a pause when you leave the house, to breathe in the air? To feel the caress of coolness, a slight breeze shaking the leaves of the trees nearby? How often do you find yourself at a destination, only to realize that you noticed nothing about your 20-minute drive? You can start today. To be aware. To be in the moment. As you peruse my re-cap of pictures from June, it is my sincere prayer that it inspires you to consider the joy, flavors, inspiration, aromas, beauty, textures, and symphonies that you may have been overlooking.

A walk on the ridge with Dear Neighbor Friend

Kevin adds a Travertine backsplash to the space behind the cooktop

Celebrating "Padre" on Father's Day - a hand-made card from me, a card from #1 Daughter, calls from both kids

and breakfast in bed

A morning kayak with Dear Neighbor Friend

Top: Sent my Mom's squares to Violet Protest

Middle and bottom: Hand-drawn card for one of my brothers

Naturally occurring flowers and critters in our "back forty"

So, does this a picture of a sunset represent an ending, or just the beginning of a night full of possibilities? I am choosing to consider the possibilities.

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Mosaic Monday #36: Spokane City Parks

Wisteria along the river

Do you remember my admiration for Spokane's river walkways in my June 16 post? My love affair with its city parks deepened on the fourth day of our May visit. We began with another walk along the river; marmots and Canada geese shared the morning sunshine free of the rain from previous days. After a leisurely stroll, we hopped into the truck. The Crown Jewel of Spokane City Parks - Manito Park - awaited us across town.

In 1904, ninety-five acres of land was donated to the City of Spokane. Montrose Park was re-named, "Manito", a Native American word meaning "a supernatural force that pervades nature." After reveling in the glory of its gardens, I can tell you that the name choice is ideal!

Mirror Pond: I was struck by the appearance of a park nestled in a

residential area; I assume the homes were built AFTER the park.

Wouldn't you love to have this park across the street from your house?

For many years, Manito's main attractions were its exhibition gardens and small zoo. In 1912, a conservatory was added, followed by a three-acre sunken garden in 1913. Given that we were visiting Spokane in part for the Lilac Festival, it was fitting that the Lilac Garden at Manito was in top form. The variety and the aroma was almost too much for the senses to take in! Trust me that I took many more pictures than this, but you get only the best!

In 1912, John Duncan obtained 128 named lilac cultivars from Rochester, NY.

This marked the beginning of the Lilac Garden. Today, this garden contains well

over 100 named cultivars from 23 distinct species, making it one of the most

important lilac gardens in the west.

Japanese Garden

By its Centennial Celebration in 2004, numerous additions and improvements had been made. Additional signage was introduced throughout the park; pergolas in the Rose Garden, changes in the Japanese Garden and the gazebo in Duncan Gardens all enhance the setting.

The simplicity and serenity of a Japanese garden is soothing and always appeals to me on many levels - the colors, water features, bridges, stone work. It was only later, upon reading the garden brochure thoroughly, that I learned photography is not permitted in the Japanese garden. Oops.

After 12 years of planning, the Japanese garden became a reality in the spring of 1974.

Duncan Garden was originally called the Sunken Garden. The garden was designed in a formal European style

with bilateral symmetry, a central water feature and geometrical planting beds. I am sure later in the year it

would be stunning with the annuals in full bloom.

Today the park is one of the few in the nation with such a diverse horticultural display. Manito Park has a reputation as the primary garden showplace in Spokane and is toured by over 150,000 visitors every year. It's easy to see why, right?

Perennial Garden

By now we had worked up an appetite. As faithful readers know, we tend to seek out unique restaurants. And if it's been featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives", all the better. And if it serves all-day breakfast, it's a lock. The Satellite Diner and Lounge fit the profile, and we were not disappointed. Strong coffee, efficient staff, and a light sheen of grease in the air soon gave us to know we had chosen wisely. Even now my taste buds can recall this eminently satisfying dish!

I had "Hen Fruit on the Red River" - an egg on chili!!!

The rest of our day was spent attending the Spokane Lilac Festival Parade - but you'll have to wait for a future post to see glittering floats, pretty princesses and booming marching bands. Until then ...

Panorama of rock garden

Horse Chestnut Tree

Mosaic Monday