Tuesday, April 28, 2015

The Tale of Two Bunnies...

Teeny Tiny Cuteness overload!

Remember I wrote about the rabbit's nest that I found right in the middle of the back yard the other day? Well, we found out that the other little bunny was indeed diseased. There were quite a few of those large pesky black flies zooming around in the nest and we felt really bad for the other one, so Mr. G. managed to remove the dead one (wearing gloves!) so that the other one wouldn't get pestered as much. 

The little one that didn't make it...

The live one kept on trying to crawl out of the nest, but since his eyes weren't quite opened yet he didn't know where to go. I closed the opening of the nest a bit with some nesting material that was strewn about and left him there for his mother to return.
We'll never know what has happened to them, because by the next morning the nest was totally empty. Let's just say that mom picked up the baby and decided to go elsewhere where they will live happily ever after...  

--  **  --  **  --

This all happened on Sunday when it was still fairly overcast and not quite warm. Yesterday (Monday) on the other hand we had a sudden spike in temperatures and it got up to at least 80F / 27C!!! It was hot!
Miss M. had an Ultimate Frisbee game at home so a great opportunity for a visit. Due to circumstances I was a couple of hours early and spent some time at a kind of petting zoo/ park nearby. Always fun to chat with some animals!

Look at this pony's eyes!
And the view wasn't bad either!  {smile}


Now we're back to cloudy skies and some showers. Since I'm volunteering at Little Bit again today, I don't mind at all....


Sunday, April 26, 2015

Sleepless In Seattle...

View towards the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains from A.'s apartment...

So last week my Dutch friend A. invited me over for an overnight stay in her 21st floor apartment downtown Seattle. Little Bit was still on break so we were both 'off duty' so to speak, Her husband was over in Germany for business and so it was a good time for a girls' day and night out. 

Since A. literally lives downtown Seattle and I don't do that kind of crazy driving, I had to take the bus: first time by myself (in the States) ever! <wink>  I arrived right around lunch time and we had some lovely food and beautiful views overlooking Seattle from her apartment, so much to see from up there!

Only the middle picture was taken by me, the other two I found online)
After this we walked all the way (and beyond) to Pioneer Square and back to Pike Place Market, stopping along the way in fun little stores. One of them was Dry Goods Design. I had only visited their previous location in Ballard before which was tiny, but they've certainly found an excellent location now, with lots of room and light streaming through the large windows. It was extra fun to see a pretty display of all things Tolt Yarn & Wool in the shop! (see above)

By the end of the afternoon we got overtaken by some serious rain clouds so we headed back home. I checked my health-app on my phone and it said we had walked 7 miles! A. prepared as a wonderful vegetarian dinner with Risotto and roasted veggies etc and we hit the hay around 10pm or so. (what a wild girls' night out right? <wink>)

(Click! to enlarge)

The next morning we walked another 4 miles or so around Capitol Hill which is more my kind of area. Still a bit chilly out, but the sun was shining and we had a great time just wandering and chatting and chatting and more chatting.
After spending 26 hours in the big city I was quite ready to go back to the country. I am just not a big city girl I guess, but I did feel inspired by all the fashions and dyed hair etc. It was just right! Thanks A.! {smile}

--  **  --  **  --

The next day I had to pick up our guests for the weekend, two Labrador Retrievers (we already have one here at home, so now three of them), one of which was a ten month old puppy: Aero!


We know these dogs quite well and it was an absolute pleasure having them stay here for five nights. Thank goodness the weather was just spectacular and we went on lots of walks and they did lots of swimming in the river. What sweetie-pies!  {smile}


--  **  --  **  --

And on a final note: Look what I came across in the yard while weeding this morning: a rabbit hole with two tiny little bunnies inside! One is definitely alive, not quite certain about the second one yet...



PS: Thank you for all your kind words regarding my dentist visit. I think it was the easiest one so far. What great numbing drugs they have here! <wink>




Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Shiny Pearls...


After almost a whole week of summertime temperatures, we are now back in our regular weather pattern. This of course involved a few showers last night, and this morning I found lots of little shiny pearls everywhere...

(no editing on these pictures, just the pure stuff)


I have many more pictures to show you of my overnight stay in Seattle last week and of our lovely house guests (two Labrador Retrievers) in the days after that, but I have to have a filling replaced this morning and I am rather nervous. (visits to the dentist always work out better than I think, but that doesn't prevent me from getting nervous every-single-time...

Reflection in a puddle of water on a tarp...
I think some knitting is in order to calm the nerves...


Tuesday, April 21, 2015

La Vie En Rose...


I'm on my way out to Little Bit, but I just quickly wanted to share these lovely colors in the yard with you this morning.  What a shame we don't have 'smell-a-vision'... 


Have a great one!


Monday, April 13, 2015

Tip-Toe Thru' The Tulips With Me...


Mount Baker in the background...
(click! to enlarge)

Spring Break was last week and on Thursday we decided to go on a little road trip to the Tulip fields in Skagit County, WA. The weather was absolutely phenomenal!  {smile}

These were the only fields we stopped at, the lines of people trying to get in at other places were just way too long. Funny fact, I've never actually visited any of the Dutch fields growing up in Holland!


The mountainous backdrop was spectacular and as always I had to take some pics of all the barns...



Still from the olden days...
After some driving around we made our way up north and stopped for lunch in one of our favorite little villages: Edison. So much peace to be found in the mudflats. All we could hear were the birds twittering and the ducks 'snattering' across the mud in search of yummy tidbits...




What a lovely Spring Day it was!



Saturday, April 4, 2015

(Forbidden) Colors...

(the title is a reference to one of my favorite songs, 'Forbidden Colors' by David Sylvian)


A couple of days ago I did some shopping at Trader Joe's and found these gorgeous flowers. I can't remember their name (something with a 'P'?), but my Dutch friend who is married to an Australian assured me they came from Down Under.  <wink>


I liked them so much that I used them for my new header plus I immediately grabbed the chance to add some new more spring-like colors to the blog...

--  **  --  **  --

So, it has been a quiet over here the last few weeks, but that was because big changes were (and are still) happening around us. Miss M. has decided on the college she would like to attend and now our youngest will move all the way to Los Angeles! She is Super Excited and we are super excited for her, but boy, that is far away! (a two and half hour flight or 18 hours in the car non-stop) This is something my mother-heart finds very difficult, but seeing her so happy makes it all worth while...

This also means that Mr. G. and I will be 'empty nesters' come late August, lots of changes.... (I don't do too well with changes, taking my time etc.)

--  **  --  **  --

In the mean time I'm spending lots of time with my knitting,  a great way to deal with all these changes. I finished another pair of socks (here is one, but both are done now)...



And I've started a new project: the 'Low Tide' cardigan designed by Tin Can Knits. I bought fabulous yarn by Madeline Tosh (I've always wanted to use their wonderful colorways!) and cast on yesterday. Can't wait to see how it evolves...

an example...


It knits up quite dark, but has beautiful flecks of purple/ indigo in it.
The colorway is called 'El Greco'...

PS: Spring Break is here: Yahoo!  {smile}


And Then There Were Two...