Greetings from Seattle
The first day of Spring, March 20, the vernal equinox, is two weeks away.
But here in the coastal climate on the western side of the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest, Spring doesn't wait for the calendar. It creeps in in small increments through late winter. That's one of the things we love about living here, and a reason for putting up with the rain.
The rain has been heavy the last few days, and flooding and mudslides are now an issue, along with avalanches in the mountains. But there was a break in the rain this morning, and with temps in the 50's, Spring beckoned me outside with my camera.
Yesterday while we are out for a walk during an afternoon sun break, we found violets blooming along the side of the road. I had Tom pick me a few.
In the yard the mini Tete-Ta-Tete daffodils are blooming.
Marsh marigolds await the sun to open their faces.
The rhubarb has broken ground.
Scilla ( bluebells) and tulips are up.
Green is happening.
Early euphorbia is blooming.
The camellia grown from a cutting from the farm I grew up on is blooming.
Last night there was heavy wind and rain, and this morning the area under the cedar trees is littered with the bud coverings of their "blooms". Soon there will be a green haze of pollen and the sneezing will start.
The primroses have struggled through two deep freezes, but persist.
The native red flowering current is breaking bud.
Moss carpets are glowing green.
Pulmonaria bloom as soon as they can break through the mulch.
Forsythia herald spring and will soon be joined by the pick haze of neighborhood flowering plum for "Pink and Yellow Time".
Did I already mention moss?
Hellebores continue their lovely show.
The rose tree is showing green.
One clump of trillium is up. Others are still hiding under leaf mulch.
Mouse Plant has sprung up along the foundation.
The witch hazel in the front yard is still lovely.
Hardy cyclamen has leaves almost as pretty as the flowers.
The one surviving daphne odora is hanging in there and is beginning to bloom, filling the area by the front door with wonderful fragrance.
The pansies in the porch pots are recovering and filling in around the primroses
Native Oregon grape is showing color.
Tom has been moving things out of the green house that were being protected from frost.
Inside the pregnant onion has raised a huge family.
Cuttings are growing on, and seeds have been started.
The Green House Wall Gang laughs through it all.
In the garage Tom has been reworking some of his bonsai. I'll have to do a post just on him. He's busy out there right now.
A sprig of daphne has been added to my little bouquet.
Oh, the scents of spring.
Faced with another rainy day, I knew I needed to get away from home and do something different, and have a chance to move at the same time.
I remembered a large antique mall in SODO (South of Downtown) that we had seen recently on another excursion, checked yesterday to see if it was open on Mondays (Yes!), and that's where we headed this morning.
There was a lot of stuff to look at, enough to occupy us for several hours.
I started collecting hat pins about a year ago because I needed something to collect that would not take up much space. There are many lovely choices, most of which are quite pricey. I look for the not so expensive but interesting varieties.
I loved the old yard ornaments, but the prices were quite high, and besides, they all exceeded my 10 pound weight limit.
When we emerged about 12:30, low and behold, the rain had stopped! We passed up a chance to wait in line at the Macrena Bakery nearby and came home for lunch.
I did come home with a few treasures - of course!
There is a depression glass goblet to add to the collection I got from my aunt, a pottery chicken that was cheap and cute, a Royal Albert "Silver Birch" tray to add to the tea service I started on a trip to England, and a funky early plastic hat pin.
Whew! Everything has found a place. That is a consideration now that I have collected way too much stuff.
The weather held, so I was able to bust out some more and go for a walk over at the park this afternoon.
The native Indian plum is leafing out and blooming with little white racemes of flowers.
The ornamental cherry trees are just about ready to bust out into bloom too.
And the heart shaped puddle is full of sky.
My sanity is restored.
