'Tis the Season

To go shopping.  It's after Christmas sale time again.  Somehow, Carmen found Watson's parking lot.

Somehow she knew...

We do live in "The Evergreen State."

Aren't we lucky?

Catch the great foliage of Helleborus 'Dana's Dulcet.'

Speaking of winter blooms...

Two very tempting wreaths

Loved them both for different reasons.

These reminded me of Loree's bottle brush trees.

Artificial tillandsias.  It can't get any easier than that.

A little sparkle.

Throw in a bit of gold glitter and poof, it's Christmas.

When they said, "Christmas ornaments half off." I didn't know they meant this.  Danger might need it for her holiday severed head collection.

 This display was partly dismantled  but the lit pot on the left is pretty swell!  

Hope you're enjoying the holiday season for as quickly as Santa's sleigh flies, it will soon be over and we'll be left with cold winter days without eggnog or sparkle.

Surprisingly, my cart was empty at the end of our visit. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.  Happy New Year all! 

Is Heaven Somewhere in the Sky?

For gardeners, heaven might just be at Sky Nursery in Shoreline.  The Tom and I jumped into Carmen (Elantra) the new plant mobile a few weeks ago for Carmen's first plant expedition, the first part of which you can read about here. Sky Nursery is another great nursery, huge and always packed with plants.  On this day, there was also live entertainment inside the hardy plant area in the form of an excellent choir which followed an instrumental  group.  We really do have amazing nurseries in this region!

Produce ornaments - yum.

There is a large space devoted to all things chicken including books, supplies, and even a few chickens.  Fake fowl?

Clever boat backdrop.  

There were many theme trees/areas. 

Ideas to keep our bird friends warm? 

Very nice offerings in the unusual plant area!

This one jumped into my cart because I need another fern like I need a hole in my head. 

Totemic design tables are very pacific northwest!  

Heucherella 'Gold Zebra'  is colorful year round.

Lots of great plants in the native plant area including this Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis.' 

 Clever way to display plants suitable for rock gardens. Rock on!

Silver and magenta-delicious!

Who you callin' a ho?

Unfortunately it looks as if the nursery has run out of L's.  One must shop early in the season for them as you see this notice everywhere as soon as thanksgiving is over.

Look at those beautiful begonia 'Autumn Ember.' I love this both for the color of it's foliage and because it's one of a few begonias that thrives for me.  African violets are tempting but so far, I've resisted taking any home.  Do you grow them?

Platycerium bifurcatum with an especially nice shape. 

 Love this sweet little building!

All ready for winter!

Really wired!  Those spheres are far out!

In September, when Alison and I visited Sky, I admired this Ligularia tussilaginea 'Cristata' but since a smaller one already lived in my garden, it stayed at the nursery.  However, it was now residing in the deep discount area.  Who could say no to that foliage at such a discount?  Carmen's first plants ready to come home.  Now where am I going to put that ligularia?

Happy fifth day of Christmas, sixth day of Hanukkah, fourth day of Kwanzaa.  Just about time to hit all the nurseries for the after holiday sales!

Wednesday Vignette

In the parking lot of Fred Meyer (a local everything store - plants, groceries, clothing, wedding rings) just above the parking spot that my new car, Carmen (Get it -Carmen Elantra?)  was parked, three crows sat in the bare branches of a tree.  They sat unmoved as we got out of the car, shopped, returned to the car, and loaded purchases.  However, the second I pointed the camera at them off they flew.  One was a bit slower than the other two.

The old year is dying and all is cold and gray but day by day, the light is returning and in the garden are signs of rebirth.  

Wednesday Vignette is hosted by Anna at Flutter and Hum. Click here to join in the fun.

Playing With New Toys

What does one do after Christmas?  Play with new toys, of course.  I'm a bit of a Luddite so playing with phone apps is a novelty still.  Oil Effect and Paintlogue, apps that edit images to look like oil or water color paintings,  have been my playthings of choice in the last couple of days.  It doesn't take much to amuse a simple mind like mine.  Here are a few of the phone-created "paintings."

Colchicum  in Oil Effect.

Here they are as a water color made by Paintlogue.  

A cutie pie in oil.

Another in water color. 

An image by Lani Neil of a gathering to celebrate the birthday of my glass guru and friend, Florence, in Oil Effect.  A warm gathering of friends.

During this festive season, I hope you have a little free time to play!  Happy fourth day of Hanukkah and third day of Christmas.