it's MY yard.

OPHEE SURVEYS HER domain. I think she's finally gotten used to the Farmlet, and enjoys her walks on the property, checking for intruders, or at least their poo. <:B sorry.

a good morning

REALLY. I MEAN, what's wrong with a sky like this? Yes, that's the moon there in the blue space at left. It's so lovely here. I may have to become a morning person. We had a tremendous thunderstorm on Wednesday, with huge rain, wind, hail, and lightning like crazy. I sat on the porch and watched it instead of my DVD rental. And the sky is still showing its personality this morning.

my first welcome

A LITTLE BIRD is my first "welcome" talisman since I've moved here. Please come and feel welcome! Little SquishBird got her name when she was run over by a wheelbarrow. Nevertheless, look at her joyful posture!

blooming in july

LAST OF THE hollyhocks, and here come my red sunflowers. I'm sleepy, like these hot July days, and a little wilted like my plants. Acclimating to averages around 90°.

happy chicken news

MY FRIEND LEE, intrepid reporter for the Wenatchee Business Journal and fellow Farmlet dweller has provided me a preview copy of the July 21 Wenatchee Planning Commission agenda, which has chickens and farm animal law up for discussion. I am blessed with just under an acre of property, so I am already good to go. They will be trying to reduce the restriction so smaller homeowners can have chicken friends. :B

off to market

DRIVING UP TO the Leavenworth Farmer's Market with my camera this afternoon. Intend to come back with bushels of flowers and tons of good veggies.

once a shrub

NOW A TREE, my dad's Spirea prunifolia(?) must be at least 60 years old. It was on the property when he bought it decades ago, and continued growing until its giant trunk now looks like this. It's beautiful and kindly to all, full of bees and birds, provides shade, and I'm going to give it a proper pruning this fall. I should name it Claude. I just did. One day soon, Claude the spirea will shade the little potting shed near my veggies.

city chickens

I'M PRETTY EXCITED. Terrie, Vicki and Brian and I went to the City Chickens Tour presented by Seattle Tilth. Also saw my bees. Can hardly wait to introduce them to the Farmlet. Brian turned this pic of me holding a chicken into a chicken holding me.

9-ft hollies

THESE HOLLYHOCKS ARE growing up the side of the turret, in a little planter that hugs the bldg and gets lots of heat and light. I'm only allowing the Nigra (alcea rosea nigra) to seed. If I see a pale yellow, it goes to the compost. They look red in sunlight, but in the morning and evening light, are near black. These come back every year now, even though they are bi-annual bloomers. They have self-sown into happy giants.
photo: Lee Fehrenbacher

rose parade

MY FATHER'S ROSES are sprinkled over the property, coming on full in the July sun. I love all the south-of-the-border colors he chose. Here are only a few...I'm building a tribute garden with all of his roses and will mount pix soon.

it's so hot

MUST GET USED to the hotness again. 90° last couple days, and probably going up in July. The roses like it though.

the bluest sky

...YOU'VE EVER SEEN is in Wenatchee. I'm going to post some night shots if I can get them...a neighbor said the silica in the hills reflects off the moon and clouds, and makes the evenings so beautiful and bright.

sometimes they fall

THIS LITTLE BUSHTIT didn't make it far from his nest. To understand his smallness, the space he's in is a birdy tealight holder. My sister observed two tiny fledglings just sitting on her porch, and a frantic mother apparently trying to get them to follow. One did, but this little guy was weak and didn't survive the night. Even the little tufts of hair on his tiny head are counted by God.
photo: tshattuck

what a nut

THE FARMLET is blessed with many trees. Lotsa nuts around here. O haw!. My Poppa made these charming markers from found material to identify plants here and there. The Hickory has an unusual sweetness to its leaves.

idea for entertaining

HERE'S A SNACK for just about any occasion. Easy to nibble on, and delicious with a tangy dipping sauce.

mañana hermosa

BEAUTIFUL MORNING in Wenatchee after the rain, with the sun shining on my funky buildings...

the town time forgot

YESTERDAY I WALKED with Ophee, up the river path, and took in the beautiful hills and blueblue sky, and we greeted an ancient, greyfaced Great Dane and his dad, and watched the swallows dive-bombing each other (and us) because their young were near. One the way home, a little freckle-faced girl on her bicycle stopped to ask if she could pet Ophee. We talked for a minute, then she said, 'well, I should go home and do my chores." Whaaa??? haw.
I had to look around to see if I had transported to a different time.

poppa + twinz

MY PROFILE PIC is an old photobooth of me and Ter, and dad popped in at the last minute to our hilarious delight. Chewin' on a Swisher Sweet. This was at the Space Needle. I miss my poppa. He has left me and Ter a wonderful gift.
(as a courtesy, I have identified mySelf in the pic..the goofy!! one. As if I needed to. hawr)

let's bee friends

PACKING UP TO get over to Wenatchee. Here's a bee friend visiting the cotoneaster out at the end of the Bothell garden. Soon I will have many many more of these at my farmlet.