Eye Candy in Renton - again

There is just too much for me not to take photos of - please indulge me - I am not going to be able to stop myself. The lilacs are in bloom - scenting the air and coloring the greens. Rhodies, the large blooms, are about to crack a smile. The last of the tulips are opening their little hearts up and showing us one more look of their simplistic perfection before going away for an entire year.

The Garden is wet

I am embarrassed to admit that yesterday late morning, I actually watered some of the color spots that I had planted in pots over the weekend. Some had dry soil on top - and I guess I wasn't really thinking. I mean, Mother Nature is certainly taking care of our greenery as of late, hasn't she?

So, I have a thing about Tulips

My favorite flower is obvious to you all by now, and I am going to stop apologizing for it here and now. These wonderful creations of nature were found as I walked about the city and admired people's yards and erstwhile gardens. One flower was blooming in a rather untended and unintended area - a bulb that found its way to a forgiving piece of earth and thrived without any human intervention.
People can sometimes be that way - good regardless of whatever may be thrown at them through the vagaries of life. Reminds us all that we know where our internal compass directs us to go, even when no one seems to be looking or give a care.

In My Neighbor's Garden

You must excuse me - I am predisposed to like, nay, love the TULIP flower. It has been my favorite for years - it's simplicity of design, vibrancy of color and multitude of petal shapes holds me in it's springtime grasp. In the Netherlands I hear that in the 1600's the tulip bulb was a currency, likened to gold. I am so glad that everyone can now afford the pleasure of planting these wonders - I merely have to walk the neighborhood and I see a fortune's worth of them.

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Good day for Gardening in dear ole Renton

These blooms are from a house on Wells Street, here in the DTR (that is Downtown Renton to all of you - the new Renton lingo ringing through!)

Aren't they just gorgeous! It's not to late, you know - to add the daffodil, tulip color into your life. Just head to McLendon's today - you'll see the parking lot is full of gardeners today!

This sweet little ensemble was in front of The Feathered Nest on Third Street the other day - now, doesn't that just inspire you to get right out there, pull some weeds and start creating that special little corner in your world to enjoy some fleurs and partake in our lovely Spring weather we are finally having...

Outside the Zipcode - Tulip Festival Parade

Today is the annual Tulip Parade for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. It is slated to begin at 2pm with John Curley of the King 5 Evening Magazine as the Honorary parade "PooBah" (my word, not theirs). This parade has been going on for 20 years and our family has been heading up that way to look at the fields for at least that long, if not longer.

Right now, the Tulip Fields are just beginning to show their lovely colors, though there are many bright and brilliant Daffodils to keep your eyes entertained. RoozenGaarde (15867 Beaver Marsh Rd.) and Tulip Town (15002 Bradshaw Rd.) have lovely gardens to walk in and have tulips that are "just" opening. Due to the weather, this year things are starting a little later.

These photos are ones I took another year - but should inspire you to go take a look. There are fields that are in color right now that you can view just by driving by on your way to the lovely town of La Conner. The brewery there has the best pizza in town from their wood burning oven, excellent salads, and of course, some really good beer of their own on tap. This is a great day outing for the family.

Check http://tulipfestival.org for any of the latest news. The next couple of weeks it will be just gorgeous up there!!