Tifo Friday

You may remember that big green swath of sheets we sewed together a while back. Well, today we had to move to a gym to complete the project.

Let's see, what goes where?

Joe runs the serger while we steer the fabric.

It's big. It's Very Big!

We did manage to get it folded up fairly compactly, but carrying it is another matter. That blurred expression is a grimace as Joe hurries to put it down. We estimate it weighs about 70 pounds.

I'm still not telling anything else. It's a secret.

Back From the Beach

The tide was extra low during the mid-day, demonstrating once again how Useless Bay got its name. It is pretty useless for ships looking for a harbor. But it's perfect if you just want to feel useless and lazy and laid back, which is pretty much how we spent the last couple of days.

Here's proof that I did at least cross the road and walk a bit on the beach. We also tended the front yard garden, editing out weeds and seedlings and replacing a few plants. Bayview Garden Center is just up the hill a bit and we always find something we need there. We visited Chocolate Flower Farm in Langley too, and of course I had chocolate with my latte at Useless Bay Coffee Company in Langley.

I caught up on magazines and finally started a new book, Three Cups of Tea, which many had recommended. I'm enjoying it very much but feeling a bit chastised for being so lazy.

This morning we got the dishwasher and the clothes washer and dryer going, tidied up the place and I had time to sit and read in the sun while those machines finished their work. Then we were on the 11:00 ferry headed for home. The weather change we were promised followed us home. Tom just had time to get the lawn mowed before the rain hit. Now I've done the grocery shopping and unpacked and gone through the mail and email and I'm ready to return to useless mode.

Outdoor work will wait for tomorrow, and besides, it's raining.

The Japanese Garden in the Arboretum

The Japanese Garden is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. At one time it was more open to the public, but is now walled off for its protection and there is an entry fee of $5, $3 for seniors. I think it's worth it.

Pond critters - a few ducks and lots of big, fat koi.

The tea house.

Washington Park Arboretum

We've been working hard these last two weeks, getting our spring gardening done. Plants in the pots, seeds in the garden, repair of steps and pathways, planting perennials, cleaning and placing yard furniture, getting the watering system up and running, edging and weeding, it's all almost done. Well, a garden is never done, but we're coming to the end of the heavy work, so we took yesterday off.

We headed into the city to visit an open garden from the Northwest Perennial Alliance yellow book, after first stopping at Jake's to deliver and plant his tomatoes. Then, since we were in the neighborhood, we headed to the arboretum.

Washington Park Arboretum is a park owned by the city, full of plants owned by the University of Washington Botanic Gardens. Located in the heart of the city, it is an oasis of green and beauty, especially in the spring.

We started at the Visitors Center.

The first destination is Azalea Way, a lower level walkway running the length of the park.

This golden tree is an oak, maybe the only one of its kind.

About here we detoured over to the Japanese Garden, which will be another post. Then we took the high road to return back through the park.

Here you look up at the rhododendrons, and you walk under them.

We're in tall timber, studded with gems of color.

The Japanese maples were glorious in their fresh foliage.

The big leaf maples stand tall and proud.

Two hours later we were back at the visitors center, tired but refreshed, and ready to return home for a late lunch on our own patio.

To top it off, at 4:00, we parked in our recliners in front of the TV to watch the Sounders play an away match in New York. We got the win!

Today we'll do laundry, a little house cleaning and a little puttering in the yard before heading to Whidbey Monday morning for a couple of days.

Gardening With Jake

Jake called us last week to ask for advice and tools to tackle this old lilac which used to bloom profusely, but now was just looking sad.

Jake lives in Wallingford, an urban village north of downtown Seattle, an area filled with family bungalows built early in the last century. He has an apartment in part of an old house that was probably the living quarters of an old store front, perhaps a corner grocery.

I mentioned in the tribute to my mother that she had passed on a love for the land and growing things. We never made our kids participate in our gardening chores when they were growing up, but gradually they have both taken to growing things too.

So this morning we headed in to lend a hand, and a ladder, and loppers and pruning saw. This may not be what Jake had in mind, but the result is a bit of the former lilac, with three new starts staked and now able to get the light, and a pile if debris. Jake will borrow a friend's truck to haul off the pile.

While the guys were doing the pruning, I checked out everything else. His raspberry patch, started from plants from our garden, was looking good.

We recycled old nursery pots for his use as a vegetable garden, this one holding salad mix.

Jake has an elaborate system of capturing rain run off in rain barrels.

Last year he asked for help deciding what plants would grow along the foundation. It's a hot, dry spot, but in the second year at least most of it is still alive. I weeded it for him today.

Strawberry plants, also from our garden, are planted in the parking strip, along with a few pea vines.

It makes me feel good that Jake is getting earth on his hands and enjoying the company of growing things.