Garden Goodness

It’s so hard to believe that so much time has passed since I last posted, but it has. A lot of time with a lot of changes and a fair amount of challenges - I’m sure we were not alone in that. 

But today I’m just going to focus on the garden goodness God has sent us this Spring. These are just iPhone pix but they bring me joy and I hope they will for you as well.

Rhubarb blossom 

Rhododendron bloom (the heatwave of last summer did a number on many of our plants). 

Crabapple blossoms - love these!

Lady’s Mantle after the rain. Photography has been a challenge between the abundance of rainy days and wind, but I love raindrops on certain plants because they’re so sparkly!

Camellia 

Dogwood

Well, for a first post in forever and a first phone post - which seems to be a bit more challenging then it does on my MacBook, I’m going to cut it short. Hopefully soon I’ll be able to post trip pix and more.

Peace, 

Aimee

Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. 

II Thessalonians 3:16 KJV

A New Beginning: Part III

Another week has passed by, and I find myself feeling a bit better having gotten a taste of spring while exploring a new locale in the valley that family had told me about. The lovely blue skies and a bit warmer temp definitely helped raise my spirits!

Meanwhile, while we are waiting for spring to really arrive, I want to share some more winter photos from the past few years...

A bit of snow on the hillsides and trees. 

It has been an interesting winter for sure!

Christmas decor in Taft (one of the cities that make up Lincoln City). 

King Tide at Bayview. 

King Tides in Oregon take place in the winter months and are very high tides. 

(link below has more info)

This VW Bug is often decorated on the different holidays. 

I always look forward to seeing how the residents decorate it!

No parking at the RV park in Clackamette Park. 

Interesting to take photos of though. 

Each year we leave some fruit on our trees, bushes and vines. Who would have thought that robins would like kiwi? But they did and were pretty energized feasting on the hanging and fallen fruit. 

King Tide at one of the day areas at Barview County Park. The tide was so high it covered much of this area. 

Well, that's it for this week. 

Wishing you a new week of peace,  joy and love. 

Aimee

Links:

King Tide

A New Beginning: Part II

Since it seems like our "good" friend, Punxsutawney Phil hasn't been altogether honest with his forecast of an early spring this year, I might as well continue winter on this blog as well--even though every fiber of my being longs for sun, springtime and warmth! But, with each passing year, I realize just how precious every day is, and that, though some of them are gray and cold, they are still gifts to be cherished and lived to the fullest. 

Since I am so late in posting this week, I'm going to keep this post rather short. Hope you enjoy it though:)

A winter's walk at a favorite wetland :)

A fun first for me (and our youngest granddaughter) on one of our favorite beaches. 

Teepees alongside I-5 during a winter trip to southern Oregon. When I was younger my parents used to take us to Kah-Nee-Ta, a resort in central Oregon where you could stay overnight in one, ride horses and swim in their lovely warm pools. Such good memories. Sadly the resort closed this past September. 

Nation's largest black cottonwood reflected in the waters of Mission Lake, 

Willamette Mission State Park.

Wishing you all a week of joy, peace and love. 

Aimee 

A New Beginning

Hello again! Long time, no posts. Perhaps it is time for a new beginning?

Actually, it just so happens that the word I chose for this new year is "new", and along with that comes the idea of fresh, new beginnings. So now that I am home, now that I have easier access to the Internet (thanks to my youngest son) and also since I would very much like to post some old to me, new to you memories in photos before I add a couple of years more of even newer photo memories, here I am. Oh yeah, speaking of my word for this year, it actually came from my key/theme verse for 2019--you'll find that at the end of the blog post today. It speaks to this idea of newness and so far has been a real blessing to me since the year began. I hope it will bless you as well. 

It’s been so many months since I last posted, and even longer since the events posted actually occurred. And these 2 1/2 years in time have been filled with a multitude of emotions and experiences--way too many to try and catchup with in just one post, and some photos are simply not organized to the point where they're even ready to post--or edit. That is what happens when you are as crazy as I am about recording memories :)

So where to start? I've thought about this quite a bit and just don't have the energy or time right now to go back to where I left you--in Utah, in the autumn of 2016 (the real date for the pictures from the last post). So, instead of continuing our first journey to the South, I am going to post a few favorite pictures I've taken and then, at another date, continue -- in some way -- with that journey.  At least with access to the Internet being easier now (it wasn't then) I might actually get us to the South before we're back there in real life --LOL :)

To start off, I think I'll post by season, and since we just happen to be in winter, I'll start there. Now to be honest, winter is not my favorite season of the year, but it does have its own special beauty...especially at two of my favorite places--the coast and the wetlands. These are a few of my favorite photos from winter 2016-2019--some are not as sharp as I would have liked, but all hold a special place in my heart and in my mind. 

Early morning at Cape Kiwanda

Viewpoint overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Netarts Spit + Netarts Bay

Sandlake Estuary (the new state park is on the left/south side of the photo)

Barview Jetty. Love the winter waves :)

View from Erratic Rock (the actual rock would be behind me in this photo)

Winter camping entertainment. 

Another early morning beach view. 

A new day has started here. 

A new beginning for me, 

a new beginning for you too. 

I wish you a day of peace, joy and love. 

I leave you with my Bible verse for this year. 

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: 

old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

II Corinthians 5:17 KJV

Peace, 

Aimee

Utah: Part III

While we were in beautiful Utah, 

we had a chance to see this little one...

our VERY precious and adorable great-granddaughter!

Makes me wish we lived a LOT closer to see the milestones in her life. 

Amy's DMIL made us some amazing meals and, as I have said, has one of the sweetest hearts I've ever known! This simple dish tasted INCREDIBLE!! I wanted to keep eating and eating and eating; it was THAT good! And that tortilla right there? Well, ladies and gentlemen, that is the first tortilla I ever made with a press! 

It turned out MOST yummy-although it wasn't as perfect as my teacher's were:)

Later on, my DD's DMIL and my teacher, presented me with a birthday gift!

I was SO touched and deeply humbled. This is her very own personal tortilla press-the one she used all the time. I can hardly wait to use it and bless my family the way she does everyday:)

Whenever I look at it, I remember her and it makes me feel blessed!

On the way to see my son in 2007 or 2008, we went through a beautiful area in Utah. I took lots and lots of photos then, only to lose them. On the way back home, we went through that same area...

and, again, I fell in love with it!

But this time, I am getting some photos posted SO I can always look back and remember:)

The canyons of Utah blow me away. Since I had moved into the front seat by now, 

photos were a bit easier to take. Yea for autumn color :)

One of the interesting places we passed. 

Just like the lizard-beastie of Idaho, I would love to know more about this log cabin. 

NEED more data time:) 

One of the many, many water towers we passed going and coming on our journey. 

And another one...

One of the cornfields we passed. 

One of the many, many cornfields we passed!

Past their peak color, but always beautiful-

my beloved Aspen trees. 

How do I love thee? 

Let me count the ways...

:)

Next: Wyoming

Blessings, 

Aimee 

Some links of interest:

America the Beautiful Senior Pass

Golden Spike NHS

Utah: Part II

Thank YOU for all your kind comments on my trip posts! 

I hope you'll continue to enjoy touring the country with me (and hubby of course). 

So, I got to thinking, that at my very slow-maybe once a week posting of the trip pics-it'll be spring before I get them all posted. Plus, I have SO many photos (taken since our return) of wetland waterfowl and the coast (of course) that I am eager to share with you too...

Anyway, I decided I need to increase my posts to maybe 2 or 3 a week. We'll see, with limited data and a crazy, crazy life and possible Christmas visitors coming...who knows? :)

Today's post will be a bit of a potpourri of things we saw and ate in Utah. I miss seeing these places already...

The mountains of Utah always captivate me!

I took this photo during one of the photoshoots I did for my DD on our return to their home from our trip south. The colors were incredible--I finally fulfilled my dream of being in Utah in the autumn. Now, I just want to be there every autumn! This was taken at about 5200 feet in elevation if I remember correctly. Oh--I did get to spend some time admiring my beloved aspen trees and I took several photos of them too (but not the photo above).

:)

Up in the mountains (canyon) still. There's a pretty lake close by here. 

Another view of my beloved Utah mountains. 

All the better with a bit of icing (snow) on them, don't you think?

One of the many cornfields of Utah. 

Early morning is made even better when you're out in the middle of nature!

This was taken at Golden Spike National Historic Site up in the Promontory Summit area (which I totally fell in LOVE with). Had a very enjoyable time up there with our dear son-in-law, who played tour guide for us, and his incredible mom (who has one of the sweetest hearts I have ever known).

This was one of the two places we used my hubby's America the Beautiful pass at. The pass is an excellent buy if you are a senior (62+) as it's only $10, good for a lifetime and allowed hubby and his visitors (the three of us without passes) in for FREE! We were all very happy our neighbors had told us about the passes before we set off on our cross country trip!

A "spa" (natural hot springs) my son-in-law took us by. The water was quite warm, the decor unique:)

My DD made this for me. She knows it's one of my favorite meals! 

There are NO words to describe how awesome it is...but I'll try. LOL

Fabulous, flavorful, great, wonderful, totally yummy...

makes me hungry just looking at it again. 

It's a Mexican seafood soup.

YUM!

Another photo that makes me VERY hungry is this one. 

Yes, this is an Amish buggy. 

Yes, this is in beautiful Utah. 

And yes, I only wish we lived a LOT closer to this store which is filled with shelves of the yummiest preserves and about everything else to eat!

If you're ever in Utah, in Willard or Provo, I highly recommend a stop at Apple Creek Bulk Food Co. 

and Apple Creek Amish Market. 

Nom nom:)

Oh and yes, my dearest hubby just finished our jar of pumpkin pecan butter last night. 

Here's a link to their site should you be interested. 

http://www.applecreek.biz

By the way, this store--though they don't know it-was an answer to one of my prayers. 

It just so happened that I wanted to bring back some Amish jams for friends at home. and never really got a chance to stop down South at one of the several places that have Amish made products. Then the same day we landed back in Utah, I found out about  this store when I did a search for Amish jams on the Internet. 

Well, it just so happened that my DD was heading out on an errand to meet someone and asked me if I wanted to go with her. And where you ask was she going? Yep. the place I had JUST learned about on the Internet. 

The place that had everything I had prayed for!

Coincidence? Nah. She doesn't even live in that area. 

God is VERY good!

:)

Blessings, 

Aimee

Next Up: Utah

Moving swiftly along (surprisingly for me--LOL)...

Okay not so swiftly after all due to it being a bit crazy here...
But onto Utah!

After one very, very long day of traveling, we finally made it to our first destination-Utah!

Arriving after dark was somewhat a challenge as we had never been to our DD's new home before. 

We finally solved the problem by having her give us turn by turn directions over the phone as we drove through the darkness. Can I just say it was SO good to be stopped for the night and SO good to see her and the family again? There's just way too many miles between our two families and my heart longs to live closer to them. 

Morning found us surrounded by cornfields with a lovely view of the mountains--we would see LOTS of cornfields on our trip as well as a few mountains:) 

There was lots to see--goats, dogs, cats, chickens, cats, burros and best of all horses! In fact, there were 4 horses and 2 of them were Arabians, which I happen to be particularly fond of. For the next week or so I spent lots of times loving on these beautiful animals-it was wonderful!

My DD asked me to do a couple photoshoots while I was there-one that involved the horses. 

It was quite fun getting them trying to get them to pose with my DD and her hubby:)

We did have a bit of excitement while there when a very, very  nasty storm hit the area. In fact, after reading the warning that was issued I headed inside the home with rain blowing sideways, heavy wind and lightning like you wouldn't believe. My hubby, of course, stayed in our RV...
checking for leaks he said :)

The family, who have lived in Utah for quite awhile now had never seen anything like it, and later I learned there had been some tornados further away. I will always remember the sight of one of their horses lit up by the lighting standing frozen in their fenced area and the next day we found one of the other horses had jumped the fence and been injured. Scary. 

And now some photos..

I was so tempted to take the little guy home. 

I just KNEW he would fit in our RV. 

Sadly it was not to be, but I did get to spend lots of time with this cutie!

 When the sun rose after the big storm we found a lot of standing water in 

the paddock area and damage to the fence. My hubby helped them repair it. 

Their dogs always made me smile when they put on their mournful "Can I come in look?" 

My hubby, who is a regular Dr Doolittle, become best buddies with their very temperamental cockatoo. It was great fun to carry on conversations with her:)

A couple of my DD's goats. I wanted to take one of her goats home too:)

One of my daughter's beautiful Arabian horses. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this fella:)

Blessings, 

Aimee

Next: More Utah