My Mom & Seattle Northwest Flower and Garden Festival

It's taking me longer to write blog posts these days. In my mind they burst like firecrackers, but getting them past the keyboard seems to take longer these days.

So I want to stop and tell you that this year, for me, the best part about the Northwest Flower and Garden Show was that my mom could attend. She had a frightening fall last year at this time and I wasn't sure about anything. But here she is, happy and enjoying it all and I am amazed. And thankful.

Dan took the day off work to enjoy the show with us and help with with logistics and we had a really great day.

Can you see us in the mirror? This show garden by Hello Garden and we loved all of her sweet entertaining touches - silverware, plates and platters mixed around her display garden. It was darling. 

Hello Garden added grow lights to this vintage cabinet to create a gardener's dream set up. We could all take a page from her book and do this! Isn't it awesome?

Aren't the plantings beautiful? I must plant coral tulips and white crocus.

My mom insisted I zoom in and photograph just the coral primulas (photo above)

Anyhoo, 11 months ago I was scared to death, yet here we are walking among the flowers and buying seeds to plant this spring. This is the beauty of every day life.

#nwfgs #seattle #gardenshow #plantlovers #springvibesonly

My Family Made A Birdhouse from a Gourd

I'd like to start this post by saying that my husband, Dan is a wonderful guy. He is the sole reason that the birdhouse you are admiring exists and he quietly worked on it with my mom until the day they decided it was ready to hang and they needed me for cord. I was in the background every step of the way, but I didn't really realize that it would work until it worked. Isn't it beautiful? 

My mom has loved birdhouse gourds forever and has collected a few over the years that were professionally dried, carved by an artist and made into a birdhouse or art. This last summer when the 3 of us were at the farmer's market, she chose 2 fresh birdhouse gourds and talked up the project of drying them to make a birdhouse.

Dan listened to her as she talked to her about drilling holes in the bottom, where it should be stored, how to prevent mold. I was on to the next booth of flowers. Dan carried the gourds.

Then over the next few months, the 2 of them worked on this project a few minutes here and there. They kept the gourds on top of my mom's refrigerator and Dan shook and scooped the seeds out periodically as it dried. He used a dremel to expand the hole and made a perch out of a twig crammed in a hole. It looked great! I bought a variety of cording with me and luckily it matched the tone of the dried gourd beautifully, because that it the kind of thing my mom and I love. So, Voila! 

We hung it on her patio and it is ready for occupancy. I found an article on growing and making gourd birdhouses to share for some great advice if this has inspired you.    

#birdhouse #gourds #birdhousegourds #farmersmarket