Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Yard Art

I like yard art.  No, not pink flamingos and garden gnomes, although they can be fun too.  And not expensive sculptures - can't afford those.  But just fun things that add color, interest, or just a bit of humor.

Last year I showed the glass art Tom and I created out of old household glass.  That became my most visited posting!   Well, it's back, with a few new additions.





And there are the little things, like this little flower fairy.
This "installation" has a history.  The pot is my great grandmother's rendering kettle, in which fat was melted into lard.  The mosaic tray/table top was created by Tom's mother, in her mosaic phase.
 A bird house created by Tom, with a Green Man.
 A concrete leaf - purchased.


 We do have mosquitoes, but not quite this large.
Ribbit.  These creatures inhabit our dry stream and pond, made of rock we removed from the lawn area, many years ago.



Many of these objets d'art were given to us as gifts over the years.  Like this dragon, a gift from son Jake, and the object of lots of fun when the grandkids were younger.  He controlled the bridge, and we had to pay him with M&M's to get safely across. Of course we only pretended to toss them; you don't waste M&Ms


 This motto works for me.



We love Carruth plaques, and have quite a collection.  These are just part of the collection.
This wood spirit came all the way from the Black Forest in Germany.

Callisto, Jake's cat, really did park herself here and menace the birds.  She lives on in stone.
Of course the real art in a garden is the plants. And June is busting out all over!

Monday, May 30, 2011

Fremont

Sunday morning I was in need of an excursion that would satisfy my wanderlust and my need for exercise.  We chose to return to a favorite Sunday morning location, Fremont.
Located on the north side of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, north of downtown Seattle, Fremont combines a bit of nature, fun, food, funk, and great people watching.

We started out by walking west along the canal, toward Ballard.

After a bit we leave the canal, following the Burke Gillman Trail, and get into a light industrial area a few blocks from the canal.  I loved the garden in front of what looked like warehouse,
 and the residence next door.
We had a fly over by an old bomber, probably visiting the Museum of Flight.
 Heading back along the trail, back to Fremont.

The Aurora Bridge
 and the Fremont Bridge.
 Fremont is not traditional.
We really enjoy browsing the Sunday Market.  This is a "craft" market, which includes "antiques" and all sorts of treasures.  You can get your tie die here, and your incense, and sometimes "special" brownies.

The hand tossed pizza coming out of this oven looked great.
But it was the ebelskiver in the next stall that got me off my diet.  Tom and I shared these.  Yum!
We were back home by 1:00, ready to settle in for the day.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Getting Ready

Much of our Friday and Saturday  have been occupied with getting ready for coming events.

First, a week from today Jill and Isaac and Irene arrive for their annual three week June visit.  That means the garden shed has to be converted back into a playhouse.  This year it was an extra big job, since rats had moved in last winter and we had quite a mess to fix. 

But now it's all cleaned up, has some new flooring, and is ready for the move in.
Saturday morning I moved in the furnishings and embellishments.
Now I just have to buy some new Play Dough.

Saturday afternoon we were off to a fellow Sounders supporter's house to work on the next round of tifo.  We traced out lettering and painted banners and flags.  This is just a sample.  After all, I can't give away secrets.  You might tell!
This project will not be on such a grand scale as the last one, thank goodness.  We're preparing for the next round of the Cascadia Cup, this time with Vancouver, BC, on June 11th.  We don't hate them quite so much. :-)

Thursday, May 26, 2011

The Birdies Do Sing

Although it looks like it could rain any minute now, it didn't rain for most of the day.  That allowed me to get out for a walk this morning, and this afternoon Tom and I worked in the yard.

The garden is filled with bird songs these days, and it's aflutter with birds flitting everywhere. 

After I came in and sat down in my recliner, I was drawn to the action at the bird feeders outside the window. 

Tom had just refilled the bird feeders.  The red breasted nut hatch likes the suet.
We are very excited to have Bewicks wrens once again nesting in the bird bottle.  This bird bottle came from Colonial Williamsburg many years ago, and for the last few years the wrens have owned it.

 Pine siskins are sunflower seed gluttons.
 Robins work the ground, this one in the driveway at the base of the wall.
 Chestnut backed chickadees breed here too.
Just recently we've seen the House finches return.

Just as I was getting ready to download these photos, I caught a glimpse if this black-headed grosbeak.  Yesterday an evening grosbeak visited.  We hadn't seen one of those for a long time.  They used to come in a flock every year for a few days.
The birdies and I both enjoyed the sun today.