Life After Life

I'm so excited! I finally have a new computer to blog on.....Believe it or not, I've been blogging on a 6 year old laptop and let's just say it had seen better days. That would explain my lack of posting over the last few months. I also have a Microsoft Surface, an ipad, a Nook tablet and an Android phone, but nothing was comfortable enough to write a post and upload some photos on. So, it was time to "upgrade". No, not really. MORE devices is certainly not an upgrade, but I've now got what I need. I just wish it could all be on one device. Oh, technology.....I love you and I hate you all at the same time!

Lots has happened at the Little House on Brush Prairie during the last month. Some good, some not so good. PMI is now public, I've marked 6 months at Battle Ground Community Library, and I am a member of the Lewis River Rotary. But, we also lost our sweet Phil, a Maine Coon I adopted on Miami Beach back when I was young and single.

He even let us put this hat on him, if only for a minute!

When I first met this fellow at the Dog Bar on South Beach in 2001 I knew he was the one for me. Two years later we met JSM, and Phil captured his heart, too. (Between you and me I think he was my "in"!) We had 13 fantastic years together: we lived in Miami and Tampa, drove across country together (he was a great traveler!), weathered a snow storm in Bozeman, MT, saw the Badlands, vacationed in Bend, OR (twice!), and were casted for a TV show called "House Cat House Call" on Animal Planet. He was the face of the Humane Society of SW Washington annual golf tournament, and enjoyed a spot with us on the sofa every night.  He spent his last night on this earth with us on the sofa, still purring, although he was very sick. We love you, Phil, and miss you like crazy. Little House on Brush Prairie just isn't the same without you.

In light of one life ending there has been lots of new life in the form of plants and flowers here at the Little House on Brush Prairie. Warm, dry weather arrives late in these parts. In fact, I just bought a new jacket when most of the country is pulling out their swimsuits and sunscreen! We're just happy to see the sun when it shows up, usually around 3 pm in the afternoon, if we're lucky. Our paradise arrives closer to July 5th and includes 90 days of perfect weather topped off with blue skies. Between now and then, we pacific northwesterners are busy designing gardens, choosing specimens, and planting flowers and veggies`, and that includes JSM. He has a great eye for this kind of thing even if I've questioned some of his work over the last few years. I am just now understanding his vision and I love it! Here's what we're planting and growing right now:

Rose budding....

The herb garden off the master bedroom

The front yard landscaping

Lavender (Spanish and English)

Petunias....fabulous PNW flower. VERY colorful and full!

Rhododendron in the front yard. We only see this for a few weeks each year.

Succulents

Rosebuds at sunset.

Succulents here and below....

The arborvitae are getting so full and green!

A rose by any other name.....

....or view. So beautiful!

And we're are just getting started! Today we are off to get more plants and flowers. Maybe some dinner plate dahlias, or snapdragons. We shall see.....

XOXO