Throwback Thursdays: End of March

Just for giggles, I searched my photo archives to see what I was doing on March 31st in previous years.

In 2009, Dale and I were on a trip with Jodie and her friend. Dale and I were trying to figure out where we'd like to live in retirement. We were considering Bellilngham, Washington. I captured this photo as we drove around town.

In 2014, one of my nieces was pregnant with her first child. On March 31st, I was busy crocheting granny squares for a baby afghan.

#throwbackthursday

Oregon Drama

I never tire of our wide wetlands and dramatic skies.

Eugene Park Tour - Berkeley Park

My goal of visiting 22 area parks in 2022 continues. I'm visiting the Eugene city parks in (roughly) alphabetical order, and have now reached the parks starting with the letter B. Last weekend Dale and I visited Berkeley Park, a pleasant 2.5 acre neighborhood park in west Eugene.

It was renovated this year and now sports a great playground area for the kids with this multi-dimensional play structure and a sand pit. There's a picnic area nearby so parents can keep a close eye on the little ones.

On the opposite side of the play structure is a swing set, complete with a special swing for toddlers.

There's an informal sports field where we saw one young man practicing his soccer moves.

On the other side of the play field is an informal basketball court. While eating our lunch on a sunny bench, Dale and I watched some teenagers playing a game of Horse. They missed more shots than they landed, but they were having fun, were diligent, and played on.

Close to where we sat is this informal log seating area. It's too bad outdoor fires aren't allowed in Eugene. This would be the ideal spot to sit around a campfire in the evenings and tell ghost stories. Beyond this is a big field of undeveloped land. I read that there may be some park expansion.

A paved walkway surrounds the field and play area. Dale and I moseyed along this path while watching the kids. We visited the park during Spring Break week. There were tons of kids enjoying the park, many of whom live in this apartment complex that's connected to the park with the paved path.

Sitting on the bench, enjoying our lunch, and watching the kids was an ideal way to spend a fresh Spring day.

Magnolia Week - Day 7

The Pinks

Though most of the magnolias that are in flower have white blossoms, some of the pinks were beginning to bloom.

Magnolia Week - Day 6

The Whites

Magnolia Week - Day 5

Bunches of blossoms

Magnolias are odd in that it's a tree with a lot of bare branches, then a puffball of a single flower at the end of the branch. I found it difficult to photograph clusters of the flowers. Here are my best attempts.

Magnolia Week - Day 4

The buds

Closed and furry

Reach for the sky!

Basking in sunlight

Magnolia Week - Day 3

The Ruff Park arboretum is a big open green space with a paved walk around the perimeter. The edges and interior have large beds with the magnolias and other trees and flowering plants. Here's what I saw entering from the parking lot.

Since it's so early in Spring here, the plants are just beginning to flower. Many of the magnolias are still in bud. A lot of the species with white flowers are in full bloom.

We were there on a gorgeous day -- our first 70 degree day of Spring. The grass has brightened up over the last few weeks, going from brown to green. The sky was brilliant between the stark branches that haven't yet started to leaf.

We may return soon to enjoy the other colors of magnolia that will bloom in another week or two.

Magnolia Week - Day 2

When Dale and I headed out to Ruff Park, the magnolia arboretum, I took along my "big girl camera." I haven't been using it for photos lately. I was a bit rusty figuring out my settings. I overexposed a number of photos so much that they are unusable.

But I like how this one came out!

Magnolia Week - Day One

This is the tree that started it all. Down the street. In my neighbor's yard.

It seemed to pop into bloom overnight. The buds start out pink.

Then mature into white flowers.

I knew that if this tree was in bloom, it was once again time to visit Ruff Park, the magnolia arboretum in Springfield.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Ya gotta laugh.

Dale is quite used to finding items all lined up in rows. I suppose I instinctively like order. I line things up without thinking about it, usually in order of longest to shortest.

My embroidery needles:

My pretzel sticks:

My french fries. My cheetoes. My pencils. My scissors. My camera lenses. The mail.

You get the idea.

Last Sunday, our eldest, Jeanne, visited with us for a few hours. We chatted, watched some movies, and had some Taco Bell food for lunch. As Jeanne said goodbye, Dale noticed this on the table at Jeanne's spot.

Like mother, like daughter.

Crocus

While on a walk, I met a nice neighbor working in her garden. Her crocus are a-bloomin'!

Suburban Turkeys

I went toward the countryside to pick up a gift. This wild flock met me at a stop sign.

I love living in Oregon where this is a common occurrence.

Different Holiday, Change of Decorations

It's a little weird that I decorate for St. Patrick's day. Neither Dale nor I have any Irish blood in us. Neither do we enjoy corned beef and cabbage, shamrock shakes, or green beer (or any beer, really). I simply like making things and decorating.

I'm using the same decorations as I have for years. I rearrange them slightly each year, using the table in our entryway as the main focus. This year the sparkly shamrocks are on the wall. Dale and Margaret as leprechauns are dancing on the picture frame.

I did make one small addition this year. I crafted new ornaments for our little lighted tree. I used a recycled two-tone green file folder as the base. I punched out some scalloped circles. Then I adhered a shamrock sticker to each side of the cardstock. Finally I added a bit of green and white baker's twine as a hanger.

They're sweet, hanging from the lit branches.

And yes, with gnomes instead of leprechauns. 

Plus, always, always, a-l-w-a-y-s the reminder to kiss!

#cornerofmyhome

Billows

 The evenings can get dramatic

Magnolia

:: whispering ::
it's coming!

Oregon Sunset Blues

 

Georgia & Me

I've long admired Georgia O'Keefe's paintings, especially her close-ups of flowers. They are, in part, where I draw my inspiration. I recently joined a Georgia O'Keefe fan page on Facebook. Now I get to bask in many of her flowers paintings, but lots of her other work, too. Until I joined the group, I didn't realize she also used photography as a mode of expression.

The more I look at Georgia's paintings, the more I see that over years of experimentation, she and I came to love the same things in nature. Here are examples of our work side by side:

Georgia:

Margaret:

Georgia:

Margaret:

Georgia:

Margaret:

Georgia:

Margaret:

Georgia:

Margaret:

Georgia:

Margaret:

Georgia:

Margaret:

Georgia:

Margaret:

#flowersforfriday