Earth Day

Well it is almost Earth Day and everyone is getting ready. Every business that can claim some association to Earth Day is having something special, a sale or open house. The Farmer’s Market had its first day on Saturday. The Woodenshoe Tulip Farm had its Tulip Fest this weekend. Thyme Garden had their celebration “There will be displays from more than 20 companies concerned with the environment, speakers, great music, great food and drink and great people. Come join us to celebrate this awesome planet we live on and share some of the things we can do to save it. “

Oh did I mention that it has been snowing when I got up the last to days and all of these outdoor activities got to be held in snow, rain, sleet, and sun not to mention the freezing nights and temperature in the 40’s during the day. Oh yes, that was my last post.

Well this morning I tried to make up for my failure to get a picture of the snow. Looking back to my April 13 post I took the same picture today with the snow to replace the yellow of the daffodils. As I ventured on to the deck to look over Corvallis, a hummingbird flew to my feeder for it’s morning feeding and then flew to the cherry tree to find the pick blossoms through the snow. Two of the neighbors also have hummingbird feeds so I am sure the two birds I saw were just making the rounds. My feeder was getting low so I put in the new nectar I had made yesterday and by the time I was back in the house the two hummingbirds were back to feed and sit in the cherry tree.

Spring/Winter??

I got up this morning and wondered just what day it was. The calendar said April 19, 2008 but the snow was falling and it was freezing. They tell us we are in for a couple of days of winter. I think we are just on the southern edge of this low pressure. It has been snow, sun, snow, etc. for the morning. It is now up to 40 degrees on my deck and none of the snow is sticking to the ground.
I didn’t get any pictures but as I was coming back from playing tennis at 7 AM the snow was falling in those BIG flacks that you sometimes see. Right now it is cloudy and threatening so I don’t know what will happen next. Maybe summer will come in July this year.

Spring is Here

We just finished a special spring weekend in Oregon. Near record temperatures had us and our neighbors working in the yard and the kids out enjoying the 70+ degree temperature. Of course the flowers as well as the weeds are growing and I am trying to divide the plants that need it and cleanout the plants that did not survive the cold wet winter.
Our daffodils were still looking very nice when we returned and the neighbors said you should have seen them last week. At least they got to enjoy them and we did too. The flowering cherry trees in the neighborhood are in full bloom but I fear the rain and wind that will come in the next few days will have the petals on the ground.
I think I lost more of my dahlias this year then I have for a number of years. I stopped digging them up in the fall. I am now digging them up in the spring to divide and find that many are rotting from the very wet cold winter we had. I still have a number of plants but may soon have to buy some new tubers to expand the variety of color and type of dahlias we have. It seems that the great diversity we once had is gone and I have several plants that are the same.
Why is it that the grass grows better in the flower garden than in the lawn? That is the question I keep asking as I pull the grass from the flower beds.

Band Singer

I have just a wonderful experience for me. Although I have sang for many years in may venues, last Friday I had a chance to sing with the dance band at the Friday night dance at the Senior Center. The leader of the bandand keyboard player, Ken, had created an arrangement of “It Had To Be You” for me to sing with the band with trumpet lead, saxophone lead and my singing. We did not have a chance to practice but just did it. It was wonderful, all the members of the band are experienced professionals and to work with them was great.
The first song went so well we did:”Blue Moon” without any arrangement. Ken just said “Blue Moon in E” and anyway we went. In the middle it seemed like the trumpet was ready for a solo so I stopped singing while he did his thing and then joined for the finish.
Ken even invited be back for another time so this will be something I can do every month we are around. I will be singing next Friday also.