Spring Dinner with Sentimental Serving Pieces

My sorority sister Heidi came to stay with us after years of only talking on the phone. Remember when I went to Chicago for the Garden Writers of America (GardenComm) conference in 2018? That was the last time we'd seen each other in person. So I got the guest room ready, made a list of place I wanted to show her and dug out some college scrap books. 

I wanted to have a relaxing dinner at home one night and the spring table we set looked so pretty, I had to show you. The platter with the strawberries on the rim and the beehive cloche were part of tonight's tablescape on purpose. Thirty years ago (cough cough) a bunch of our sorority sisters all drove to Heidi's house near Holland, Michigan for a girl's weekend during the annual tulip festival. We had so much fun, and in a little gift shop the spirit moved me to buy these serving pieces and I hauled them around town all day. It was fun to pull them out and reminisce about a very carefree time in our lives. 

The wire centerpiece is a vintage garden gate that I bought last year at an antique store. The gate works and I intend to weave some of the sweet peas and nasturtiums I'm growing up this arch! It's all part of my master plan. For now, I put a glass jar full of the peachy daffodils we bought when we were showing her Pike Place Market.

My favorite memory from this meal was making dinner. I'm usually cooking by myself and it was wonderful to have Heidi in the kitchen with me. We made Delightful Chicken with a sauce of raspberry jam & balsamic vinegar and Shaved Carrots (shaved fresh carrot, covered and microwaved for 5 min. Tossed with smidge of butter and salt. Serve warm) 

#friendsvisiting #springdinner #gardengate #beehivecloche #shavedcarrots #delightfulchicken

I Love Daffodils and Easter is Coming

And since you know me, you realize that these declarations will change week by week as the weather warms up. I love flowers sums things up better, but it is not how I feel today.

My head and heart need bright yellow and the daffodil delivers. I took this photo at Pike Place market on April 6, 2014. The grocery stores have already started selling bunches of daffodils and I am working on a triumphant centerpiece for my kitchen island for Easter week. 

So far I have some tulips and narcissus, but I'm planning on 2 crates (from #Michaels!) with lots of bulbs blooming through the moss. I love this time of year! 

*Note: See March 16 post for final product!

#easter #floweringbulbs #finddelight #makingahome #easterflowers #decorating

Skagit Valley Daffoldils: April 1

"This is Anne Reeves, reporting from the Skagit Valley..."

It's gorgeous in the valley, but the tulips are not ready! Spring has been late this year. Don't worry, just give it a little time. If you are in the area and need a lift after a long winter, there are fields of yellow daffoldils in bloom. 

What I love about this modern age is that you can "like" a Facebook Page for an event (Skagit Valley Tulip Festival) and get real time photos. When the flowers make the festival, we all need current information to show up at the right time.

I was in the Mt. Vernon area for the April 1st Vintage Spring Market at the Skagit Valley Fairgrounds and my friend and I drove the tulip route in case we could see some signs of spring. These daffodils were just what we needed!

Planting Bulbs That Are Already In Flower

I know, you read that blog title and asked yourself what could she mean?

Perhaps the photo above will convince you. Some of the grocery stores and large markets with garden centers are selling a variety of bulbs in bloom. I planted them in my new front yard and it looks like I have been living here for ages. 

I have seen flowering bulbs in pots for years but these items are different. The bulbs are often exposed, with just enough dirt above them to keep them in the pot, and the green stalk is at least 6 inches with blooms forming. The pots are disposable, so its not as if they are meant to be a gift for the indoors. These bulbs (often 2 pots with several bulbs each, for $5) are not yet blooming and MUST be for the outside, right?

I'm not sure how you would use them if you didn't plant them, so...I planted them! They look happy and make the front of our house look welcoming. Easter is coming and my little grape hyacinths and bright red tulips are trumpeting the season. 

I planted 3 sets of grape hyacinths, 5 sets of tulips, 2 sets of narcissus and 3 sets of miniature daffodils. I love it! The next time you are at a grocery store or garden center, look for flowering bulbs that are ready to plant. You won't regret it!

#springinseattle #springbulbs #floweringbulbs #gardenlover #seattleblogger

Field of Yellow Daffodils: A Day Trip to Skagit Valley

How did we luck out? Not only did the rain hold off, but the sun came out and the daffodils were in FULL bloom on Good Friday! Dan had the day off and we brought my mom along with us on a day trip to the Skagit Valley.

The last time we drove to the tulip festival, the tulips were in full swing, but most of the daffodils had faded. This time the field behind RoozenGaarde was vibrant yellow. 

We left Issaquah around 10:15 in the morning and arrived at RoosenGaarde by noon. Before heading over to the visitor area, we had a picnic lunch in the car (Turkey & Swiss sandwiches, pickles, lemonade, coffee and oatmeal raisin cookies). By then the sun was out, and we bought our $5 tickets to get into the visitor area to admire the extensive tulip plantings. The 2016 fields should be blooming until the 3rd week of April - go see it for yourself!

Note: We always bring a picnic on a road trip; it has saved us many times when restaurants were too few and far between. Also bring 2 cameras, a trash bag, antibacterial wet wipes, extra water bottles, a blanket and collapsible camping chairs.

I will be writing more about details of our visit in a few days. You have most of April to visit the tulips in the Skagit Valley - start planning!

Delight in Seattle: First Stop, Buying Flowers for the Room

I made it to Seattle, Washington! And by the looks of the flowers for sale at Pike Place Market, I may never leave.  Can you believe the bouquet I'm holding?  It cost $15 and it brought me delight for days. Whenever I am going to be in a city at least a week, I buy a bouquet of flowers for the room.  It makes me happy every time I see it.

When did Moments of Delight become a travel blog??  I know, it feels a little crazy for me too.  Since January, I have been in Michigan, Texas, Florida, Minnesota and now Washington State.  This is my life and I am happy to share it with you - I write about the beauty of everyday life, as I see it.

Of course when I am traveling, delight becomes "site specific."  I hope you enjoy my photos and commentary about my visit to the Pacific Northwest (I've never been here before!) and take note of places you would like to visit in the future.  I will be in Seattle for several weeks, so my adventure will include making a hotel room a little more like "home" and my attempts at cooking in a McKitchen.  Wish me luck.

When Dan and I flew into Seattle, we checked into our hotel and then immediately went to Pike Place Market to stretch our legs, get some fresh air and look for dinner. Unfortunately, the market was closing for the day, so we didn't really get to see it in action.  Look for a post in the future when I visit the market and can take my time exploring.

I could have swooned.  Imagine standing in front of these fresh tulips with a sign that says $1 each. I wanted so many of them; I actually stood there imagining different combinations in my mind (*with the same contemplative expression I get when I am in the fabric section of Joann Fabric!).

I resisted only because I had already bought the large bouquet (above) and my hotel room can only support one arrangement.  And I kept telling myself that I can come back.  And I will!

*Note: A noteworthy bonus to buying flowers at Pike Place Market is that the bouquet was magically wrapped with a plastic bag containing water, rubber bands and paper to keep your bouquet fresh and happy as you stroll the market.  I was very impressed when I unwrapped my flowers and saw the infrastructure created to keep my bouquet at its best. Magnifique!

Spring Hostess Gift

Daffodils! These sweet flowers are all over the supermarkets & home improvement stores right now - so pretty!

I want to show you how to make a simple (and super cute) "pot" for spring bulbs. You only need 4 items: oilcloth, scissors, a hole punch and 2 brads.

Take a 13" x 13" piece of oilcloth and center a 4" pot on the unprinted side. Bring the four corners up (you see them as the peaks in the picture). As you pull them up, you will see that the rest of the oilcloth can easily fold into flaps.

Make the corners of the folded sides overlap each other. Temporarily clip these flaps together with a paper clip. Repeat this on the other side and you will be able to see that it looks like an open take out container.

With a hole punch, punch a hole through both layers where the paper clips were. Then feed a brad (mine is green so it is hard to see) through the holes and fold the prongs open (this secures the 2 flaps together). Repeat on the other side and your plant wrap is finished!

I think this is the perfect hostess gift to bring to Easter dinner.