Beautiful Orange Cross Spider

This afternoon I almost stepped on this Orange Cross Spider on the sidewalk but am so glad I missed it! As I reached down to take a picture of it as it quickly crawled across the sidewalk, it must have sensed me. It stopped as if to pose for my camera. It was beautiful with a perfect white cross on its back. After looking it up on the web, I learned that it's common now in the Northwest and across the U.S. and Canada. The University of Washington's Nature Mapping Program website offers interesting information about the spider. Fun facts!

Cupcakes and Water Art at University Village

University Village, an outdoor shopping mall in Seattle's University District, used to be an outdated, dreary place. Over the past 15 years, it's been totally reinvented into a destination shopping experience, with high-end retailers, chic coffee shops and restaurants, gorgeous flower baskets, pots, greenery, sculptures, and water features. It's a place where people young and old want to spend time shopping, meeting friends, dining, and relaxing.

Yesterday it was my go-to place for birthday party supplies for my youngest including cupcakes from Trophy Cupcake. I love, love, love the Coconut Snowball cupcake--little piece of heaven! We brought home several to share and sample after dinner that night at Blue C Sushi (her favorite restaurant). Normally I bake her favorite cupcakes for her birthday party (and still will), but it seemed like a fun surprise to try some of the fabulous ones at Trophy such as Red Velvet, Hummingbird, Triple Chocolate, Chocolate Graham Cracker, Tiger Tail, and of course Snowball. She was delighted, and we all enjoyed sampling them.

On the way to the cupcake store, we walked by the sweetest water sculpture/fountain which was comprised of 6 bronze frogs spouting water at different intervals and then all together. It is so sweet to see and especially to watch the delight and squeals of little children as they notice one, then another, and another frog spout water from its mouth to the other frogs. Wish I had one in my back yard!

Recycled Plastic Water Bottles Make Amazing Anthropologie Flower Display

They've done it again! The creative geniuses behind the window and store displays at Anthropologie have come up with an outstanding and gorgeous store decor--Recycled plastic water bottles. It looks like they put drops of paint in plastic water bottles and shook or spun them to coat them with an array of bright colors, cut them in half and made flower petals out both halves, and hung them by the hundreds from the ceiling of their store. The combined effect is truly lovely--a hanging garden! It's a must-see. Plus, there are many great finds at their annual summer sale!

Mint Julep Recipe

I found this downloadable Mint Julep recipe from Amy Ormond. They'd be fun to make for a cocktail party or when friends stop by for a visit. I think I'll try these tonight on the patio when I get home with some fresh mint from my garden that I often use in flower arrangements--and of course it smells so good!

More Beautiful Spring Flowers

More beautiful Spring flowers on my walk today.

First rose bud.Bleeding hearts are so delicate and sweet.Rhododendron. The last of the cherry blossoms. 

Beautiful purple rhododendron. 

I love succulents in pots. They're so interesting and green all year long.

Just planted my geraniums. . . hope it's not too early.

Planting My Victory Garden

This Spring my girls and I made a few raised beds and planted bunches of pots with lettuces, kale, spinach, beets, carrots, beans, peas, tomatoes, herbs, strawberries, squash, and pumpkins. It's been so rewarding to watch everything start to sprout and grow. If we can fight off the ever-present snails and my vegetable and fruit-eating cairn terrier, it will be fun to harvest and eat them this summer.

 

Our seeds are sprouting in one of the raised beds we built.

 

Snap peas will grow up and over the trellis. Too many in the pot and will have to move a few.

It's hard to believe how big these strawberries are getting. Now if we'd get a little sunshine, they might just ripen enough to eat!

Abby the Cairn Terrier snacking on chives. She also loves strawberries, peas, and beans and will pull them right off the vine. Funny dog!

Spring Flowers in Bloom

An early morning walk is the perfect start to my day. This morning my friend and I saw so many Spring flowers in bloom....red roses on her front porch, yellow daffodils, purple lavender, clematis on a trellis.... I love Spring!  Even our dogs, Abby and Frannie, enjoying smelling the flowers. So cute!

Beautiful Day to Be in the Garden

It's a beautiful, crisp, sunny day in Seattle and perfect weather to get out in the garden. Weeding, spreading mulch, setting up my raised vegetable beds...I'm looking forward to it all. I'll consult my Linnea Garden Journal  for ideas and jot down a few notes to keep track of what I've planted and where--a perfect day!

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

After helping with my kids' St. Patrick's Day Fun Run at their school, we couldn't resist stopping to admire this gorgeous cherry-tree-lined street on Seattle's Capitol Hill. The cherry blossoms are on full display all over the city. My daughter had a blast playing with the flower petals which were so thick on the ground that they looked like snow.

 

Time to Plan Your Spring Garden!

It's time to prune roses, clear away old mulch and winter weeds, and start planning for vegetables and flowers in the garden. Linnea's BRAND NEW Garden Journal is very useful for both experienced and novice gardeners alike. Linnea also has new Mail-art Stickers, Magnets, and Luggage Tags. Some are on sale now at www.linneadesign.com.