The Brownings' Greenhouse

Faithful Friends Giveaway

2010-01-26T18:09:00.001-08:00

If anyone checks this poor old blog, you might be interested in this little giveaway. Just click here to enter at the B Skep!

Soap and Baubles

2009-11-08T14:41:00.000-08:00

...in my shoppe!

And don't forget to say "hello" at the Skep.

The Colours of Autumn

2009-10-24T19:13:00.000-07:00

... in my shop.

And you can visit us at our new spot in a snap by clicking on the picture of the bee skep to the right.

A New Place

2009-10-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your kind thoughts, encouragements, and blessings! I'm inspired too by your great ideas for using this experience for good. That's what God promises, right? "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

I'm going to hang on to this little blog for the time being, but I would like to invite you to visit another one I've been working on, about our new adventures. You can find it here: www.honeybskeptical.blogspot.com

I hope to see you all there! And I've been making my way to each of your places too ~ now that we're connected to the world again! =)

The Bend in the Road

2009-09-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

"When I left Queen's my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don't know what lies around the bend, but I'm going to believe that the best does. It has a fascination of its own, that bend, Marilla. I wonder how the road beyond it goes ~ what there is of green glory and soft, checkered light and shadows ~ what new landscapes ~ what new beauties ~ what new curves and hills and valleys further on." Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

A few months ago, my road seemed straight and unvarying. I was sitting at home, not necessarily discontent with my life, but feeling a little unremarkable. I LOVE being a wife and mommy and I would never give up that blessing, but I decided that I would tell God that I was ready for whatever new adventure He might have planned for me. I wanted to actively claim His blessing. Well, my goodness! How He did jump at my offer! I must admit that my heart was not prepared for what the Lord had in store for me. Maybe a new project, a little trip or something, but I hadn't expected to lose my home. You see, Mr. Browning has been quite uncomfortable about our living in such a junky neighborhood for some time, and finally decided to take advantage of the buyer's market.It has been quiet around here lately because the Brownings are no longer at the Greenhouse.

Instead we have been at the BIG...GREEN...HOUSE.

The Greenhouse:

sits on 1/2 acre
is roughly 1000 sq. feet
has a total of 7 rooms (with a stinky basement)
2 bedrooms; 1 tiny bathroom

The Green House:

sits on 2 1/2 acres
2,690 sq. feet
has 13 rooms (with a 3-car garage)
4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (and you've gotta see the jetted tub!)

You may be wondering how I could feel anything less than enthusiasm over this move. Well, I'm not exactly conventional. Space and luxury aren't really important to me. I love my humble little home, with its uneven walls, extremely low ceilings, and even that stinky basement. I spent nearly a third of my life there, planning, remodeling, dreaming. It truly suits me. I put so much of myself into every corner. I brought my babies home to the little Greenhouse...

I know the argument: I can still do stuff to this house. But to me, putting a few pictures on the wall doesn't really make a house a home. This place is already done, new, complete. It doesn't need me. Someone else has chosen the details that reflect their tastes. I know it will never be "OK", but I must be like Anne and expect that my future can only hold good things. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I have taken a step in faith and been obedient to my husband as he leads us. Now I am waiting for the blessings God has for us here, and looking for ways that I can be a blessing, too. Will you pray for me?

A Quiet Respite

2009-08-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

Not everything in this room is black and white, but these are the colors I tend toward for a soothing, restful place to sleep.

Like the embroidered vintage pillowcases (from my dear Mama again). And black and white pictures of our babies in place of a headboard.

Curtains instead of doors on the closets (were supposed to be "temporary", but have been up for a few years) a~buzz with regal honeybees.

A little place for writing notes. My sister painted the beautiful rhododendron bloom on the wall above the desk.

I kept the wonderful bouquets of wheat from our wedding, behind a picture of us as bride and groom.

Sweet maidenhair fern.

Isn't this a lovely stained glass? Grapes and vineyards just thrill me!

My Laundry Room

2009-08-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know what's going on will understand why I'm hurrying to finish my "virtual tour" of the Greenhouse.

My laundry room is always bright from the sun shining through the south~facing glass door.

A roomy storage cabinet built by Grandpa Tucker and Great Uncle Tom. (They actually put in the wall too, since it was just a few flimsy closet doors hiding the stairwell when we moved in. Now there's a nice door to the basement ~ novel idea, right?

A sweet little clothespin bag, sewn and embroidered by my Mama.

And an old window frame from Gram's house that Mom painted and embellished with dried flowers from her garden. I thought it looked happy next to the little switch plate I found.

Bird houses above the sink.

Lavender

2009-08-10T16:19:00.000-07:00

...in my shoppe.

Blueberry Fields

2009-08-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

This trip to the Bellevue Blueberry Farm was a couple months ago, but I thought I'd share the pictures anyway since it was such a nice walk.

The Farm is near the Mercer Slough (there's another at Larsen Lake) and was established in the '40s. Both farms sell blueberries (you can pick them yourself, too) as well as veggies and cut flowers. A delightful way to preserve the local gardening heritage.

Some vegetable beds at the head of the trail.

Rows of lovely blueberry bushes.

A view of the pond between the plants.

I just love lily pads. They bring the story of the Frog Prince to my mind.

Maybe I can peer through the shadowed waters and see the golden ball that the spoiled Princess unhappily lost.

This bright bloom could have been an inspiration to the writer of the fairytale. Looks like a golden ball to me.

The historic Winters House.

The porch swing was a big hit!

If you're in the area and would like to visit or pick some berries, you'd better hurry! Blueberry season is usually over in September!

The Greenhouse

2009-08-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

...is actually white.

Fruit~Full

2009-08-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

I was photographing my latest store addition ~ a black cherry frock, in the fruit tree ~ when I looked up to find a sweet surprise...

...a blessing of juicy, succulent plums.

I know, it's not a cherry tree; but it was as close as I could get.

Sunflower Sun Hat

2009-08-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

I finished another goody to put in my shoppe. And Raegan makes her debut as a model.

A New Endeavor

2009-08-03T23:23:00.000-07:00

Or at least the beginnings of one. I've been working on a few new things around here ~ working hard! May I show you one of my new projects?

I've been pondering an Etsy store for so long, and I have finally figured out the basics (computer illiterate here). If you'd like to take a peek, click here.

First Love

2009-07-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

It's high time I made good on a promise (from months ago!) to show you my heirloom silver from Grandma Dottie.

Isn't this the sweetest pattern?! So elegant, yet unpretentious.

And the name...simply romantic...

By 1847 Rogers Bros. I've been doing some research on silver and it appears that this isn't sterling, but inlaid silver (indicated by the IS) which is silver over another stronger metal. Not as valuable, but then ~ I treasure mine for the fact that it's from family. I am also under the impression that this particular set was manufactured (or at least first introduced) in 1937.

I found some other small forks of a different pattern called Parkway in the silver chest. They are just darling, too, I think.

What have we here!? The poor, unsuspecting soul who is served soup with this utensil will be quite disgusted...till they realize he's only plastic. =)

If you are interested in learning more, visit these links:

Martha Stewart's Language of Silver Marks

First Love

Today's Harvest

2009-07-20T13:35:00.001-07:00

One little green egg and a handful of carrots. These are the simple things that just thrill me! This is life!

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10b

Tip from Gram: keep your homegrown carrots in a glass of water in the fridge (and oh, if you have clear, sweet Skok Valley well water ~ all the better!).

Winners of the Soap Giveaway!

2009-07-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you all, dear friends for entering my first giveaway! I've had so much fun hearing from each of you; and meeting new friends, too! I hope you've enjoyed the contest as much as I have!

It's been two long weeks; are you ready to see the winners?

Shall we plunge into this bowl of "bubbles"?

Oh, goodness! Someone has heard about the soap giveaway and asked if he might help! He LOVES sudsing up!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." Psalm 24:3~5

~*~*~*
"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51: 7~10

~*~*~*
"Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." John 15:3

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Patience is a virtue... =)

OK, the first winner is...

Tobitha!

And the second winner...

Roo and Wren's Mama!

And lastly, but not least...

Ivory Spring!

Thank you again, dear ones! Winners, please leave me a comment or e-mail to let me know where to send your little parcels. And enjoy a long, soothing soak!

Trail to the Mercer Slough

2009-07-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

These are pictures from two trips that we made to the slough. It just amazes me that there are wonderful woodland "playgrounds" hidden away in the midst of the bustling city! It's so quiet and secluded here, you would never know that skyscrapers are just behind those trees.

The sun reflected in the still water. We caught glimpses through the leaves of kayakers as they mysteriously appeared, gliding by almost silently.

A fellow trekker, finding tasty shoots to nibble. He was surprisingly un-shy! Until our tiniest girl attempted to snuggle him.

The sweet local flora, including some gleaming salmon~berries.

Such quiet glades, I expect to see deer.

The lofty over~look from the visitors center. We'll come back to this at the end for a bird's~eye view.

The pathways encourage us to see what's around the bend.

At the end of the loop, we get to see walk out onto the viewing platform to see how the place looks from above.

It's really high!

School's Out!

2009-07-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

We were busy, busy with Vacation Bible School last week, but now we're back to our normal schedule. I helped teach the 4~year old's class, so Raegan got to be with me. Pea was in her little 2's and 3's class. She seemed to like it overall, except for leaving Mama in the morning. It was a fun week at Son Rock Kid's Camp! Now to tackle the laundry, ironing, weeding, baking, cleaning...=)

First Anniversary Giveaway

2009-07-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for an excuse to have a giveaway since I have so much fun entering them myself. And what better time than a first anniversary? So without further ado, I present my humble contribution to the abundance of goodies being offered:

*~*~Chocolate~Chai Soap~*~*

Homemade here at the Greenhouse using:

saponified palm, coconut, and olive oils

fragrance oils

organic cocoa powder and chai spice tea

I will choose three winners on July 19th, the Greenhouse's birthday, to receive a rustic bar each. All that is required is to leave me a comment and I will add your name to the drawing. And in keeping with tradition, if you would like to tell a friend, I'll add your name twice.

Happy entering! This is good, clean fun, don't you think?!

Prima Ballerina

2009-07-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

Raegan's ballet troupe performed The Sleeping Beauty last night ~ I'm still bursting with pride. It's always a little nerve-wracking before the big production, getting every last detail just right, hoping you've covered all the necessary instructions. "Don't mess up your hair (it took too long to put it up in the perfect ballet bun), remember all your steps, don't pick your nose..."

Some coloring and Disney movies to keep busy bodies occupied during the long wait before they go backstage.

My little ruby in a quiet moment before her entrance.

Here we go! Looking quite patriotic in their sweet little costumes. Appropriate for Independence Day!

A beautiful bouquet from Grandpa and Grandma for our star.

We had a lovely evening, enjoying the beautiful story and talented dancers! Everything was just perfect ~ because all the little "imperfections" made it that way.

Curry Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

2009-06-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

Curry Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

6 chicken breasts

2 packages frozen broccoli

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons curry powder (I can't imagine anyone would, but less can be used if you like)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Cook sliced chicken breasts in a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Steam broccoli till tender. Meanwhile stir together the soup, mayo, curry, and lemon juice, and salt and pepper. (If you run out of cream of chicken soup like I did, just substitute another 3/4 cup mayo and 1/4 cup chicken broth.) Layer half the broccoli, half the chicken, half the curry sauce, and half the cheese in a large casserole. Repeat layers. Bake in a 350* oven for 30 minutes. Best served with fresh homemade bread and butter.

A Pretty Prospect

2009-06-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

I opened the curtains to water the cactus on the windowsill, and thought the view of the poppies and fountain looked so cheerful.

Now to screen the not-so-lovely chain link fence in the back.

The Dryad's Bubble

2009-06-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

"We have agreed to call the spring down by the log bridge the Dryad's Bubble. Isn't that a perfectly elegant name? I read a story once about a spring called that. A dryad is a sort of grown-up fairy, I think." Anne of Green Gables

Coffee, Anyone?

2009-06-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

We must visit Starbucks Coffee quite often, because whenever our girls see one, they call out, "the coffee station!" (What can I say? We do live in Seattle!) So Gammy and Gampy thought we should have one of our own. I get the best caramel mocha frappuccino in the world, right here in my own backyard from the cutest little "coffee givers". Zero calories!

Strawberry Shortcake

2009-06-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

Shortcake

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup butter

1 beaten egg

2/3 cup milk

Stir together sugar, flour, and baking powder. Cut in the butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the egg and milk; add to dry mixture. Stir just to moisten. Spread the batter into a greased 8 x 1 1/2~inch round baking pan.

Bake in a 450* oven for 15 to 18 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan.

from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

Top with strawberries and sugar mashed with a pastry blender. I used a pound of berries with about 1/4 cup sugar. And don't forget the fresh whipped cream! A pint of whipping cream, a couple of tablespoons of sugar, and a nip of almond extract (I use this stuff in everything now); beat with an electric mixer till fluffy. Just see if any makes it out of the bowl and onto the shortcake!

The best compliment I could receive: happy, messy babies.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

We love you, Daddy!

The Nursery

2009-06-18T23:07:00.001-07:00

Come through the gate that Daddy made to look like the one in Mr. McGregor's garden. A little sign says, "Shhh...Sweet Peas Sleeping". Daddy put so much love and hard work into the nursery with its pea green walls and ivory beadboard, and beautiful honey~colored bamboo floor.

Mama sewed the curtains: black and white toile and creamy muslin.

Sisters sleep side by side.

This dear little fellow, crafted by Grandma, is named Fuzzy. Do you know the rhyme?

"Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear,

Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair,

Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't fuzzy, was he?"

His rocking chair was Mama's, too.

A cozy nook for cuddling, reading bedtime stories, singing songs, and saying prayers ~ our routine every night. The picture on the wall was given to me by my great~grandma who thought the little blonde girl holding the kitten looked like me. I think it's appropriate here.

Our heirloom christening gown, created from Grandma's wedding dress.

We love Beatrix Potter! Here is a little bunny~themed vignette on the dresser.

Some vintage chalkware lamps from Great~great~great Auntie Emma. (Whew! That's a lot of greats!)

"Baby Bunting takes his hoe, And tries to help the flowers grow."

A baby slip that belonged to Great~Grandma Betty Lo ~ from the 20's.

And here are Grandma's sweet little ballet slippers. After all, a little ballerina sleeps here.

Daddy's Home!

2009-06-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

June Roses

2009-06-15T16:09:00.000-07:00

I'm Honored

2009-06-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend over at Poetikat's Invisible Keepsakes faithfully follows my humble spot on the blog~map, and presented me with an award! I laughed when I read her post about being slow at getting around to passing them out, because if anyone knows "slow", it is I. =) Thank you, Kat, for thinking of me! My readers should really hop on over to her place to enjoy her witty, competent poetry and her fun~loving personality.

And now my difficult task of choosing only three lovely blogs with which to share this award:

Mia at Aspiring Homemaker,

An amazing young woman with a beautiful lifestyle and love for Christ.

Mel at They Call Me Mama,

A busy girl who loves little ones and is my very dear friend.

And the girls at The Adventures of Baby Roo,

Rollicking good times are to be had with these two darling babies and their devoted mommy (also my dear friend.)

Thank you for sharing your lives with all of us!

We Played by the River

2009-06-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

Just pulled off the freeway, climbed through the brush, and plunked ourselves down on the sunny rocks.

We snacked on pretzels...

threw rocks into the river...

"painted" rocks with sticks dipped in the water...

and made ourselves up with rock lipstick. Who knew?!

We will definitely be coming back here again soon!

"I Love To Go A~Wandering..."

2009-06-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

The Happy Wanderer

I love to go a-wandering,

Along the mountain track,

And as I go, I love to sing,

My knapsack on my back.

Chorus:

Val-deri,Val-dera,

Val-deri,Val-dera-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha

Val-deri,Val-dera.

My knapsack on my back.

I love to wander by the stream

That dances in the sun,

So joyously it calls to me,

"Come! Join my happy song!"

I wave my hat to all I meet,

And they wave back to me,

And blackbirds call so loud and sweet

From ev'ry green wood tree.

High overhead, the skylarks wing,

They never rest at home

But just like me, they love to sing,

As o'er the world we roam.

Oh, may I go a-wandering

Until the day I die!

Oh, may I always laugh and sing,

Beneath God's clear blue sky!

We celebrated my birthday yesterday with the most delightful excursion through the woods and down to the river.

We played for a while in the cool, dappled shade, and then I took a little trip around the bend of the river to see the waterfall. As you can see, I was happily snapping many pictures on the way.

I wanted to get a good picture of the falls, and that rock in the middle of the foaming, swirling current seemed like the best vantage point. It was reachable by this slightly springy, possibly precarious log. Dare I?

No, not there. But here...

What kind of water fowl is this? When I tried to take his picture the first time, he mysteriously disappeared from the frame. I lowered the camera and watched the spot intently, and a moment later he popped up from the icy water. He repeated this a few more times before hurrying away; there must have been something tasty under there.

On our way home, my tricky husband had to stop off at work to pick something up. It happened to be for me (from The Victorian Trading Company.)

Most exquisite packaging.

A darling bird's nest ring with three little pearl eggs. I have the sweetest, most thoughtful husband.

And to end such a lovely day, the wind whipped up magnificently strong, the sky turned rose and orange, the power went out for an hour or so, and we ate the best key lime pie in the dark. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect birthday.

Sunflowers

2009-06-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

You Guessed It

2009-06-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

More parks!

How about THAT view, huh? That's the Seattle skyline, seen from the lofty heights of the golf course in Newcastle. I have never liked golfing, but I think I could force myself if I got to play here!

And now to the swings and slides.

Four years ago...

2009-05-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

...our little Raegan was dedicated to the Lord on her six~month birthday.

She also got her first taste of solid food that day. "Mmmm. Avocado! I can't wait!" (Sure, she's smiling now.)

Yep, that's more like it!

"Oh, the horror!"

"OK, I need a drink ~ PRONTO!"

"Well, at least you guys are amused..."

Warm and Sweet

2009-05-26T15:50:00.000-07:00

The lilacs are in full force now, and commanding the yard with their intoxicating scent. They are quite welcome indoors as well.

Our Hike

2009-05-19T22:32:00.000-07:00

My Special Day

2009-05-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

One of my little beans had a solo at church for Mother's Day. Mama was very pleased.

Come back tomorrow to join us on the little hike we took for the special day.

A Busy Week

2009-05-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

Every year we get to take care of Gram and Grandpa's house while they are away. We spend our days feeding the pets (including this friendly mouse who has taken the bunnies' place at the tiny tea table and is being fed a carrot)...

enjoying the wildlife...

and the lambs...

visiting the anthills and tide pools down by the bay...

and climbing the beautiful old trees in the orchard.

What's this? A tomtegubben's door; I wonder if they are at home... You might be wondering, "What is a tomtegubben?" Well, I've never seen one, so I can't tell you. =)

Grandpa and Grandma have the best playground! We took rides in the weed wagon...

and climbed the bean trellis...

and played in the dirt.

This looks very familiar. Pea is on the left; her mama on the right (same dirt, a little while ago).

We had a grand week on the farm, full of sunshine and fresh air!

2009-05-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, the notch in this tree was a door to Narnia. But, as you know from the stories, when you get older (bigger) you can't go back. Now it's these small ones' turn to go through.

I knead you

2009-05-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

Since we don't (yet) churn butter on Thursdays, we bake instead. Here is my little apprentice practicing some kneading with her own little lump of dough. Fold, press, turn, fold, press, turn...

"Hmmm. That looks very interesting..."

"Maybe you guys 'knead' a little help."

"I even brought dog and meerkat for reinforcements."

And the fruits of our labor; Daddy especially liked the special little bun on the top.

Choose your canvas

2009-05-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

It is a very good thing Crayola art supplies are non-toxic!

"Paint? What paint? I never saw any paint!"

Test swing

2009-05-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

The new hammock meets with our approval; it passed with flying colors! Mama has been bombarded with requests to play in the "swinger" again.

May Day blessings!

2009-05-01T23:00:00.000-07:00

How about this for an unusual color combination? But they are pretty together, don't you think? My gaudy coral quince and royal purple bluebells.

And I love how they touch the ceiling.

Another day, another park

2009-04-29T14:21:00.001-07:00

Are you guys getting tired of a million pictures of us at parks all the time? It seems that lately we have been filling our quota of park time ~ it's just so much fun! Here we are at a new find ~ Bellevue's Downtown Park and Rose Garden with:

toys for the wee ones...

*contented sigh* (baby jail...I want one of these at home!)

a GIANT "cement pond" for ducks, complete with waterfall...

a crunchy mauve gravel walk that makes a half-mile loop...

an interesting fountain...

and beautiful gardens, of course.

Vintage~style flannel nighties

2009-04-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

I had some leftover flannel, found a cute 1950's pattern at Lanetz Living, and stitched up some vintage nightgowns for the girls.

These nighties are tweaked a little since my leftover fabric was not quite long enough. I added ruffles to the hems with some extra pieces after cutting, to make them longer.

And for the ties, I scrounged up some pink ribbon for one and crocheted a couple of chains from cotton yarn for the other.

An afternoon in the gardens

2009-04-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

We had so many adventures last weekend! Daddy took us on a splendid tour of the Bellevue Botanical Gardens on Saturday. We had a quiet, leisurely picnic accompanied by a fairly self-assured crow who wanted to share. And then a stroll along the beautiful paths...

A birthday train trip

2009-04-21T22:32:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Miss Pea's 2nd birthday on Sunday with a ride on the Snoqualmie train. We travelled through the scenic byways into North Bend, then returned to the Snoqualmie Station to pick up more passengers for a trip to the Falls (which included passing over a ravine HIGH above the crashing water!)

Here we go! All set for our tickets to be punched.

Our train car was built in 1915, and refurbished in the 40's ~ so quaint!

The car next to us had such interesting architecture and fixtures, too.

"Um, I don't think this duct tape is original..."

The power plant is housed in these buildings from the 1880's.

Some of the decrepit old machines that line the main street.

Happy Birthday, Morgan Presley!

2009-04-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

"Oh, hurray! Doggies! Open 'em, Daddy, please!"

And now for the chocolate cake with peanut butter/browned butter frosting. Both candles were quickly snuffed out on the first try!

Volumes

2009-04-16T19:13:00.000-07:00

A gift from my dear sister. She knows how much I love books of any kind, but especially old ones.

Don't judge a book by its cover? That's a tough admonition to follow in this case.

I'm slightly partial to this author.

And do you remember this scene from our beloved Anne of Green Gables?

Crafty aunties

2009-04-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

Girls can't complain about having aunties who are generous crafters. Here's a darling smock from Auntie Lizzy for Raegan's creative escapades.

She has been begging me to paint ever since it came in the mail.

She made a gorgeous bag for me, too. I just love bags. I've got lots of stuff to tote.

We got some beautiful toile grocery/carry~all bags from Auntie Shan, too.

She also stitched up an adorable quiet book for the nieces. Very handy for church.

The "baa baa sheep" are our favorite ~ they are SO soft!

Is it just me, or should these girls get an Etsy store?

Plum trees

2009-04-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

Like two radiant brides in a beautiful double wedding. I'm thinking Jane and Lizzy in Pride and Prejudice.

The Lily of the Valley

2009-04-10T21:03:00.000-07:00

The Lily of the Valley

I have found a friend in Jesus,

He's everything to me,

He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;

the Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see

all I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.

In sorrow He's my comfort, in trouble He's my stay,

He tells me every care on Him to roll.

He's the Lily of the Valley,

the bright and Morning Star,

He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

Charles W. Fry

A blessed Easter to all. Praise Him for His unspeakable gift!

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

2009-04-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

We hope your day was lovely ~~ we are thinking of you as always!

With much love,
Your girls (and son, too)
xoxoxoxo

Little Bo Pea

2009-04-08T23:00:00.000-07:00

"I endured being dressed up in Mama's old baby outfit, only for a moment. It really is too small for me; but you know mothers ~ they like to chuckle at the sight of their children in clothes that they used to wear. Should I feel humiliated? I think the bonnet may be too much."

"Ok, maybe I'll ham it up just a little."

Game time

2009-04-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

Rae likes to have "mama time" when her little sister is napping; she gets to choose an activity for us to work on, just the two of us. Here we are "playing" Monopoly ~ an old set that used to be Daddy's. It is more fun to play with the pieces, make villages with the houses, and learn addition using the dice.

Spring in Port Townsend

2009-04-06T22:49:00.000-07:00

Port Townsend offered two Victorian homes for touring a couple weeks ago. Always a treat.

It also offered a sunny opportunity for a picnic in Chetzemoka Park...

...and a walk on the beach to throw pebbles in the waves and search for shells and beach glass.

Gold Limoges

2009-04-03T21:24:00.000-07:00

Another heirloom passed down from my Great~Grandmother, this 22 karat gold adorned platter was her mother's~in~law. Mom and I are guessing it's from around the 1920's. I like to wonder what savory meals were lovingly presented on this warm, friendly dish.

Honey, bee sweet

2009-04-02T22:15:00.000-07:00

Grandma's honey bee, who used to live on the top of her refrigerator. He lives on top of mine now along with my other honey bee paraphernalia ~ honey pots and a hand~embroidered bread cloth from my mom; and little bee tea candles from my mom~in~law. I love bees. Ok...I love everything; especially trinkets from the lovely women in my life.

My peeps

2009-04-01T22:35:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't adore sweet little fluffy chicks? I found these at The Victorian Trading Company for "cheap". We're all ready for spring and the promise of new life!

Lemon

2009-03-31T23:37:00.000-07:00

A favorite flavour around here ~ we love lemon everything. Here's a toothsome recipe for Lemon Bread that we would like to share:

Lemon Bread

(with blueberries)

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 beaten egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup cooking oil

2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel (set aside)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon sugar

Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan (use butter); set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the flour, the 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture; set aside.

In another medium mixing bowl combine the egg, milk, cooking oil, and the 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add egg mixture all at once to the dry mixture. Stir just till moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in the blueberries and lemon peel.

Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake in a 350* oven for 50 to 55 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Meanwhile, stir together the 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the 1 tablespoon sugar. While bread is still in the pan, brush lemon-sugar mixture over the top of the loaf (with a pastry brush ~ or just a spoon if you don't have a brush). Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan; cool on the wire rack. (The recipe says to wrap and store overnight before serving...we didn't do that. We ate it piping hot! And it's really good with butter ~ not too sweet.)

~recipe revised from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book~

We went out and bought a citrus zester after we tried the recipe. It should come in handy. But a serrated knife will work in a pinch. Just scrape it across the peel at about a 90* angle.

You may notice there are no blueberries in the batter picture ~ my assistant and I added them at the last moment. A very happy improvisation.

Look who's come to town

2009-03-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

Daffy-down-Dilly

Has come to town

With a yellow petticoat

And a pretty green gown

Yellow week

2009-03-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

After a little "blogging break" (I needed a wee vacation), I thought I'd try a week of posts along the yellow theme; just the right colour for this sunny new season, wouldn't you say? Hope you enjoy!

It's here!

2009-03-20T23:46:00.000-07:00

Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,

At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,

When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,

And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.

~ Clive Staples Lewis

In the kitchen

2009-03-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

Miss Pea and I make a weekly trip to Trader Joe's while Miss Rae is in ballet class. It gives us a little alone time, and we restock our supply of milk and yogurt. And as Daddy likes to tease, we usually can't walk out of there without a plant. But their flowers are so cheap and they make us so happy! Here is our fix this week ~ lipstick pink Gerbera daisies:

And the chocolate chip cookies I've had a hankerin' for. Check out the pantry for the recipe.

Now before we get ahead of ourselves with dessert, here's what's for dinner:

Greenhouse Pasta and Cheese

(I don't use a recipe with this, just add stuff 'til it's right, the way Gram did. So I'm making some estimates here.)

I love all the many different pasta shapes; pretty much anything you like will work ~ macaroni, fusilli, penne like I used today...

Cook your pasta according to the package directions.

In another saucepan, melt about 4 tablespoons of butter and stir in about 4 tablespoons of flour. Make a roux (paste, another thing from Gram). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in about 4 cups of milk ~ we like whole. =) Then start adding your cheese. We use whatever cheese is hanging out in the fridge, so tonight it was some tangy Mexican queso and some shredded cheddar. Mr. Browning likes the sauce thinner, so maybe 2 cups of cheese altogether. Save some to sprinkle on the top when you pour the sauce over the pasta.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350* until it's bubbling and thickened and you just can't stand it any longer! Dig in!

I've heard of an infinite number of things to add like bacon, chives, bread crumbs...egg (if you're like our favorite president Reagan.) The possibilities are endless. Toss in whatever sounds good to you at the moment.

Sheets for the nursery

2009-03-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

I can't find flat sheets anywhere that will fit a crib or toddler bed, so I decided to make some myself. I chose two cotton prints and switched the colors for each sheet's ruffle.

Morgan's pink sheet with green ruffle:

Raegan's green sheet with pink ruffle:

These were fairly simple to make once I figured out how I wanted them to look. I cut out the main rectangle to fit the mattress with allowance for the hems and enough overhang on each side. I wanted to be able to tuck about six inches under the end of the mattress, and have a little extra at the top to turn the pretty ruffle over the blanket. I zipped up the hems, and gathered the ruffle which is sewn to the underside of the sheet. Shabby chic, yes?

Shamrock

2009-03-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

I love how the leaves fold up at night. I don't see any with four leaves, but we hope you all have a blessed St. Patrick's Day!

Ducks love water

2009-03-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

Are you afraid to wash your feather pillows and bedding? Well, fear no more, feathers were made for sudsing! Just think about those cuddly "fowl" creatures paddling about ponds and lakes, preening their beautiful plumage to make them buoyant. Feathers and down benefit greatly from occasional laundering, provided they are completely dried after their baths. Be sure to use a front~loading machine on the gentlest cycle. This is a big part of spring cleaning at the Greenhouse. You might want to throw a couple of clean tennis balls into the dryer with your pillows to fluff them up and prevent wet feathers from clumping together (nobody wants to snuggle up to moldy geese), although my Organic Housekeeping guru Ellen Sandbeck says, "There is conflicting information about drying down~filled items. Some sources suggest that putting clean tennis balls or canvas tennis shoes in the dryer helps fluff up the down; others say that the pounding of the tennis balls or tennies damages the down and reduces its useful life. I prefer to err on the side of caution and keep the tennis equipment out of the dryer."

If you're still unsure about dunking your stuff, at least plump up and air out your comforters and pillows regularly in the sun and breezes.

Feather bedding has a distinctive fragrance that everyone in my family just relishes! And natural materials are much kinder than synthetics to those who suffer from allergies. I'll take a snoot~full of goose over formaldehyde any day!

Red envelopes

2009-03-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

I found out about these websites from Blessed Femina and just wanted to encourage everyone to participate.

www.redenvelopeday.com

and

www.beheardproject.com

Referral Friday

2009-03-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

An issue that is very close to my heart...I hope you all will visit my friend for her words of peace and encouragement, and to make yourselves heard for the precious little ones who can't speak for themselves.

"A person's a person, no matter how small." ~Dr. Suess

Peanut butter cookies with a twist

2009-03-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

I started mixing up a batch of peanut butter cookies a few days ago and then realized that I had plum run out of vanilla. I searched through my spice drawer and found some almond extract; would that work as a substitute? I took the risk and now this recipe is a weekly request. My husband (who doesn't expound normally) said that they are the best cookies he's ever eaten! My heart swells.

Go try them out!

Greenhouse Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter (do you like crunchy or creamy?)

1/2 cup sugar (go with the real stuff here, no faux)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg (guess which egg we used today)

drum roll, please...1/4 teaspoon almond extract (this stuff is strong!)

1 1/4 cup flour

Cream together the butter and peanut butter. Add the sugars, soda, and the baking powder. Beat in the egg and almond extract. Stir in the flour. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; make cross~marks with the tines of a fork. Bake for about 7 minutes at 375*. A baking stone makes great cookies, if you have one!

~I revised a recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book~

An egg!

2009-03-11T23:45:00.000-07:00

It's been such a busy day with ballet and choir practice, and appointments, and an emergency stair repair...here's just a quick glimpse at our first little offering of the season from Miss Lizzy. Such a lovely shade of bluish~green; I wish the picture showed it better! Never mind the snappy air and the snow lingering in the shady corners; spring must be close!

Spendy chick

2009-03-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

On our little half acre plot of earth in the suburbs we have two hens. They live in a dog kennel with a home-made coop inside, just big enough for a couple of nests and a roost. Their names are Crow (the Barred Rock) and Lizzy (short for Elizabeth, after the queen she resembles with her fabulous ruff; the Ameraucana). Several months ago Crow stopped laying eggs and became rather "puffy" making it hard for her to walk. Yesterday, she was so lethargic and droopy that I decided something needed to be done. But surely, no vet would see a chicken, right? Well, after calling several offices I found one who would gladly take on a new avian patient! Dr. Harris kindly examined Crow (commenting that she must be having an identity crisis) and after aspirating some of the fluid from her middle, concluded that she has congestive heart failure. Now you may be thinking, "Of course, the only solution would be to put her to sleep." But, after an eighty dollar bill for the office visit, Crow has a prescription for a diuretic and instructions to keep her warm. The good doctor says he sees a goose who has lived quite comfortably for five years now with the same diagnosis. Miss Crow is certainly an expensive pet now; we're hoping she'll start laying golden eggs from now on. Mr. Browning had some mixed feelings when I brought the bird home from her appointment and told him the prognosis. He kept shaking his head incredulously and exclaimed, "How am I supposed to keep a chicken warm?!"

A trip to the butcher

2009-03-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

Mr. B had a gift card for Stewart's Meat Market from a couple of Christmases ago. Since it's such a long drive, we hadn't used it until this weekend. On Saturday we made a family outing of it, driving through the little snow flurries to a little shop in a little town...with a huge gathering of customers! Rae and Daddy went in to pick out what they wanted and returned with a quaint brown paper sack stuffed with good things, commenting, "That place is awesome!" On the way home we snacked on some very spicy jerky and landjaeger. It all looks so good, but my favorite is the crazy~fat bacon! Just look at the size of those slices. Yummm!

I know your mouth is watering right now!

"How To Be Handsome"

2009-03-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

"Ladies who have ample leisure and who lead methodical lives take a plunge or sponge bath three times a week, and a vapor or sun bath every day. To facilitate this very beneficial practice a south or east apartment is desirable. The lady denudes herself, takes a seat near the window, and takes in the warm rays of the sun. The effect is both beneficial and delightful. If, however, she be of a restless disposition, she may dance, instead of basking, in the sunlight."

~The Everyday Cook-Book

Thank goodness dancing is permitted!

Extra innings

2009-03-05T21:59:00.000-08:00

We had some surplus baseballs left over from the Moose party, and the girls love to pull them out and scatter them around the house. Miss Pea calls them "ball games". Funny, 'cause Miss Rae calls the stadium the same thing. =) Daddy is very proud of his little fans.

Souvenirs from our favorite Mariner.

Granny squares

2009-03-04T21:50:00.000-08:00

I would never think to put all these colors together, but the result is really cheerful, isn't it? This afghan is from my granny Dottie. It's wool, so incredibly heavy ~ and warm! I don't know much of this blanket's history, but my grandma lives in Las Vegas, so I doubt she used it much. I gladly accepted this gift from her, as well as a beautiful set of heirloom silver (come back again soon for more on this).

Peanut butter kisses

2009-03-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

The girls and I were headed out the door to have a picnic on the grass, since it was such a spring-ish kind of day and we've been suffering from cabin fever of late. The kids were giddy with excitement at the promise of fresh air. I had my arms full of blanket, plates of sandwiches, juice cup, and baby; my pocket held the nostalgic glass Coke bottle. My husband is always admonishing me against carrying too much for one trip, but I'm stubborn and maybe lazy, too. Upon opening the front door, I hear an explosion and look around for the would-be assassin and find my floor littered with glass shards and fizzing brown pop. Well, Raegan played outside and Pea ate her sandwich in the highchair next to me as I cleaned up the mess. Broken glass really gives me the willies and I fretted my way through the long ordeal. But things started to get brighter as the little one at my elbow would gently pat my arm and offer me encouragement in the form of peanut butter kisses. So sweet!

And we did eventually get out to enjoy the sandbox...just before the boom of thunder announced the rain.

Bringing the sea

2009-03-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

...to my bathroom. I grew up by the bay, so I long for reminders of aquatic regions. These are all treasures I've picked up on visits to the beach, from the cold, misty Pacific down to warm, sunny Florida. The starfish dish was a wedding gift; the green glass is perfect for a room dedicated to water, don't you think? I've always dreamed of someday living on some lofty Celtic cliff overlooking the crashing waves below. Listen. Can you hear them? Can you feel the salty spray carried up by the breeze? Mmmmmm...

Mud honey

2009-02-25T20:39:00.000-08:00

Raegan and I went outside ~ in the rain ~ to play while the baby was napping. I hadn't intended to let her "run amuck", but after seeing her glee at splashing in the puddles, I decided it didn't matter. At first she tentatively immersed her green frog boots into the muddy water, gradually gaining enthusiasm. By the time we headed indoors, she was covered from head to foot. Yes, just look at those grimy gloves!

Can a kid really get any happier than when she's covered in filth?

It was a good day.

Lady Farmer is having a give-away!

2009-02-24T13:27:00.000-08:00

Dear Greenhouse visitors, I would like to invite you to visit the Lady Farmer for a fun apron give-away, and to step into her Sewing Room, a new "sister" blog for the Parables. So fun to peek into different nooks at the Farm!

The show must go on

2009-02-23T20:37:00.000-08:00

...except when it won't. This year is supposed to be the last Northwest Flower and Garden Show. So of course, we had to attend. Even though Mr. B says there must certainly be more, since they're obviously making money ($20 a day, per person ~ whew!)

My city is beautiful, isn't it? Had to pause for a shot of the impressive glass dome over the street at the Convention Center.

Another pause at the happy fountain just past the entrance.

This was my favorite garden display at the show this year. Tuscany...a dream of mine. I couldn't quite capture in the picture the gorgeous, fragrant rosemary, lavender, and succulents around the outside of the stone wall.

I was just intrigued by the collection of antique Asian buckets in this vendor's corner. My kind of rustic beauty. One year they offered a round, wooden "bathtub" for sale ~ I could almost feel the steam...

And finally, my little blooms expending some energy in the children's garden.

Brush your hair and comb your teeth

2009-02-21T20:00:00.000-08:00

Here Miss R and Miss M are modeling chic new hairstyles and matching dresses. Must haves for this crisp season!

Ummm...I think you've got the wrong grooming implement, there.

Tag! I'm it!

2009-02-17T05:21:00.000-08:00

Miss Jenn from Blessed Femina tagged me for this fun post:

My memories from 2008

~A great book I read:

The Shepherd's Castle by George MacDonald

I just love this author! His stories are so intriguing and suspenseful, full of innocent romance and Gothic mystery. George MacDonald has such strength of character and a pure love of God that really shine through his words. It's such a safe feeling to read a story whose main character makes right decisions about real issues, and gives the reader encouragement to do the same. Donal is just such a role model. Any gentle-spirited young maid may dream of someday finding a husband like him.

~A great movie I watched:

[I left my computer unattended for a bit, and came back to find that my husband had commandeered it for his input: =)

Batman, I just loved this movie. The joker was really scary and I loved the conservative theme so applicable to our world today. It's strange to see Hollywood with a George Bush-like character that is a great hero!]

Here is my vote:

Miss PotterI always love sweet stories, especially when they happened in the past. I was very impressed by the way this movie was made. Very innocent, warm-hearted, and (as is usually unlikely) one that I could watch with my girls. The scenery is breathtaking, the artwork is blissful ~ I really want to take a trip to England sometime soon!

~ A new place I visited:

Nebraska

We packed up the whole family and traveled to the Midwest to celebrate Grandpa Browning's 90th birthday. The girls loved the ride on the plane, "living" at the hotel, and playing at the huge playground near Grandpa and Grandma "Greats'" home.

~ An inspiring verse or quote I read:

"The Truth is that all I have to do is the work God assigns to me. What a freedom it has been for me to accept that there is time for me to do everything that is on God's 'to do' list for my day..." Lies Women Believe, Nancy Leigh DeMoss

~ A discovery I made:

One can attract a multitude of "wildlife" with bird seed and pet food. Discouraging them is not so easy. ={

~ A new skill I acquired:

I can set traps with finesse, and have researched and tested an arsenal of organic and other environmentally friendly forms of pest control.

~ A lesson I learned:

I can control my emotions; I don't have to allow my emotions to control me (another gem of Truth from Ms. DeMoss). I'm still learning to put this into practice (difficult when I often times feel like I may be carried off at any moment by colonies of sugar ants, swarms of flies, or drifts of rats), but it always helps to know that a thing can be done.

~ A moment I will always remember:

My youngest baby had dropped a piece of bread on the floor under her highchair, only to retrieve it a little while later for a snack. Unfortunately, the ants had found it too, and when she came to me with her mouth full, making an "uckk" sound, I noticed hundreds of the tiny insects dripping from her fingers and bailing out of her open mouth. I could barely help, being so completely disgusted by the whole thing. Oh well, just protein, right? Just remember, grinning suppresses the gag reflex...

Sweets from the Sweet

2009-02-16T15:15:00.001-08:00

Daddy surprised each of his girls with a lovely bouquet for the sweetest day.

Out with my Valentines

2009-02-15T22:17:00.000-08:00

We spent a "sweet" Valentine's Day in Port Gamble, a quaint and quiet little town north of Poulsbo. On the way, we took a little detour to Bainbridge Island. I will gladly reside here, please! I had to stop and gaze at the boats at the marina; my husband and I had planned on living on a houseboat when we were first married, until that fateful honeymoon on Lake Mead ~ I'll tell you about that sometime.

Beautiful, pristine chapel. Photo is not so great, as it was taken through the windshield while we were driving...

Enjoying the view from Port Gamble across the Sound.

Aaaah! Released from the car and ready for a lovely stroll in the crisp winter sunshine.

Ooooh! Pine cones and lawn daisies!

I've been told it's morbid, but I just love cemeteries. I think they're romantic; full of history and tragedy. How much closer can one get to people who lived (and died) decades or even centuries earlier?

Who were they? I'll get to meet these same friends someday.

One last shot of this majestic old tree overlooking the water.

Small fruits

2009-02-11T20:39:00.000-08:00

Little girls seem to like eating fruit more if it's small like them. I found some mini bananas and pears, and served them with cheese and turkey cut into shapes with cookie cutters.

Apparently, banana runts are hilarious!

Hmmm...I wonder if they taste as good on the outside.

Groovy

2009-02-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

She's a real cool cat. *snap* *snap*

Playing possum

2009-02-04T13:52:00.000-08:00

Rae and her possum...just hangin' around.

Candlemas

2009-02-02T10:36:00.000-08:00

"If Candlemas Day is clear and bright,

winter will have another bite.

If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,

winter is gone and will not come again." ~from wikipedia.org

Today is sunny and gorgeous, and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, so...

I'll revel in winter's cold embrace for another few weeks, dreaming of the tiny seeds I'll plant in the sleepy earth, and the cheerful song of the robins finding breakfast on the sunny morning lawn.

Candlemas is the celebration of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, forty days after His birth. It is also the mid-point between the winter solstice and the vernal (spring) equinox, or the middle of winter. Many people choose to leave their Christmas decorations up until Candlemas; I have long since taken mine down, but isn't it a lovely way to remember events in the life of our dear Lord? Maybe next year I'll keep some reminders of the Nativity around our home a little longer.

B.R.A.T.s

2009-01-31T15:05:00.000-08:00

No, no, I don't mean my babies are being naughty! I'm just referring to what we've all been subsisting on for the last few days; the BRAT diet: Bananas, Rice, Applesause, and Toast. All of us from biggest to smallest have been the miserable recipients of the dreaded influenza virus. It's a surefire way to slim down quickly, but I don't recommend this method. Fortunately for me, my Mommy made a two-hour trip to rescue my poor little ones who were suffering from starvation and neglect as I made my bed on the bathroom floor. I was starting to have visions of Lord of the Flies in my delirium. But, we're feeling a lot better now and are starting to join the land of the living. One good thing about illness: we are all forced to slow down and just enjoy one another's presence.

Babies get cuddlier when they don't feel good.

Now that's talent!

2009-01-27T22:29:00.000-08:00

I see a pattern.

Happy

2009-01-22T22:12:00.000-08:00

I was sewing under the skylight, all was warm and quiet in the house, and then I looked straight up...

Just around the corner

2009-01-19T13:22:00.000-08:00

A delicious "just because" gift from my dear husband. What a sweet way to brighten wintry days; jewel-tones nestled in a verdigris planter. Spring is so close I can smell it!

The Moose is loose!

2009-01-17T14:53:00.000-08:00

We are huge Mariners fans here at the Greenhouse, so what a treat to get a surprise visit from the Moose at Raegan's (belated) birthday party! We were given a certificate for a special appearance for Fan Appreciation Day and kept it a secret until his grand entrance. I think the birthday girl was a bit awed by the arrival of this furry friend.

The Moose is a great sport (pun intended) and played so patiently with all the little ones. He signed pictures and baseballs, too, for the kids to take home. I'm pretty sure Daddy had as much fun as they did! The menu: hot dogs, peanuts, and Crackerjacks.

Little chefs

2009-01-15T21:16:00.000-08:00

My little women playing house with their new kitchen from Grandpa and Mem. Reggae is always very careful to hang up her utensils on the convenient hooks. A place for everything, and everything in its place.

Pea announces her intentions to "cook" first thing upon entering the room in the morning. It's her first stop. The menu always includes her specialty ~ "soup", of which she generously offers tastes. And you must slurp it loudly.

Creativity flowing

2009-01-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

The budding young artist working with watercolors, a gift from Auntie Shannon.

Another creative mind with her medium of choice: food.

Sweet Narcissus

2009-01-12T20:37:00.000-08:00

This beauty will grace your home with the brightness of springtime and an intoxicating fragrance for many moons ~ as long as he never sees his reflection...

The view...

2009-01-06T20:58:00.000-08:00

...from my cozy downstairs couch, looking up through the kangaroo plant toward the ample skylight. I love to curl up here under the balmy light and cascading greenery. It'll cure what ails you.

Frosty

2009-01-05T22:05:00.000-08:00

Raegan and Daddy slipped outside last night to build their first snowman! They had to be quick; almost all the snow was gone by morning. While the building was going on outside, Mama and little Sister were enjoying a nice, warm soak in the tub. We didn't really feel left out.