Blue Monday?

Did YOU have a "blue Monday"?

I DID!

Not "blue" as in downcast or discouraged ...

NOPE!

It was VIVID BLUE!

See what I mean??

There were also bits of

WHITE

And a lotta

PINK!

Y'all know I love PINK!

and look how the tulips are

GlOWING

today!

So nice to have some sun for a change.

Heck with

peaches and cream ...

That's how I want

MY complexion to look!

And a special treat today?

The quince tree was blooming!

My gosh ..

look at all those blooms!

Just beautiful!

whether I need
space for introspection ...

or a bigger picture ...

there's nothing like

taking the garden path

.

To keep me blooming!

Hugs and here's to you finding a bit of paradise of your own!

SAMMY GIRL

note:  garden at Historic Deepwood Estate - open to the public - FREE!  Salem, Oregon  (and always looking for garden volunteers!)

And the WINNER is ... (and a secret!)

This book and ...

these goodies covered in roses ...

are going to a mother of 6 ...

who is also a grandmother ...

Rebecca for Vintage Living

has won the giveaway!

This pic is from her YUMMY website!

Go visit her site to say "hi"

AND

you might discover,

(like I did,)

you LOVE the same things!

This is a light fixture she pictured as a recent find ...

... and this one is in MY garage awaiting rewiring ... (still!)

actually it's one of a pair.

Why haven't I finished this project!

Anyhow ...

Rebecca's number was drawn!

With over 100 entries 

there were many nice comments.

One of my favorites was from

Clara and Marcela of San Clemente ...

Cottage Charm and Family Inspiration

We'll need to get a job in Customs...people carrying these kind of treasures will never make it to the other side...we'd confiscate everything!!!! LOL!!!!

Yes, working in customs to 

"confiscate" 

the kinds of treasures 

I lugged home from London 

would be fun ... 

going through the dirty laundry, 

notsomuch .... !

Guess I just have to find things the old fashioned way ... 

hunting and having friends who hunt!

Which reminds me that the 

DEEPWOOD ANTIQUE FAIRE

 is this Sunday.

(click above or on sidebar for info and directions)

Antiques and Collectibles

Live Music

Appraisals

Vintage Car Show

And the gardens!

What Fun!

Hopefully a few things will leave

the Who Villa for

a new home.

Yours?

Mr. Sammy Girl says 

proceeds from this "reorganizing" 

can go into my

"Return to London" fund!

WOO HOO!

Come and say "hi" ....

Martha - Vintage Trifles - and I

will share a space.

My little "secret" ??

I'll have something special 

for the first few who say hi 

and ask about my blog ....

Hugs and have a Happy Friday and fabulous weekend!

Sammy Girl

ps: Rebecca, please send me your mailing address ...

Going Out - LONDON part 1

Two posts before leaving.

Didn't happen.

BUT

we did leave on schedule.

REALLY!

No worry about missing the plane.

We got out of town.

PDX

Portland International Airport

Home base for our travels.

They have FREE

WiFi

so everyone could check e-mail.

But no time to post.

Long layover in Philly.

Didn't take any pics.

One airport McDonald's looks like

every other one.

At Heathrow we saw

a gaggle of girlfriends

from Denmark

(or Sweden, I forget)

who had stolen away the

bride-to-be.

Tiara - check

pink sashes - check

weekend in London - check

lots of laughs and smiles

for this happy group.

Once checked into our room

I wanted to go out.

To the balcony.

The one off our room.

Breeze felt great!

Across the street was a

private park.

We could go as guests of the hotel.

(After a cash deposit for the key!)

The Pink Princess and I

headed down the stairs

and across the street.

A rose beckoned

over the iron fencing.

There were paths to wander down.

Hydrangeas in bloom

A lovely greenhouse.

With more hydrangeas.

And a tennis court where

two friends were spending

some time together.

This private park was the

PERFECT

URBAN OASIS.

Families playing and picnicing.

And off in a corner ....

Friends were setting up a table

that was exquisitely lovely.

To celebrate the

BIRTHDAY

of a friend.

PLEASE IMAGINE

it's a party for all of you.

My next post with be

# 50.

Hugs and here's to going out and having fun!

Sammy Girl

Note: no signature today as on a different computer. Here it's 9:30 and time for shower and bed -- no time to read posts.

Flowers (and beauty) Galore!

Gardens in the Pacific Northwest are spectacular in the spring.

Tulips
Holland America Bulb Farm

Woodland, Washington

lilacs

Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens

Woodland, Washington

dogwood trees

Historic Deepwood Estate

Salem, Oregon

Speaking of Dogwood ...

check out the wonderful pics at

Posie Gets Cosy

Aren't the images just the BEST?!!

They always tell us to stop and smell the roses.

With roses not in bloom for a while,

maybe we should stop and enjoy

the evryday beauty around us

or in images shared by others.

Have a Beautiful Sunday!

Hugs

my first photo collage ... hand crafted in publisher ... there MUST be an easier way!

Oh, the Places We Will Go

WHOOSH!

Oklahoma City
where the wind REALLY DOES come rushing
from EVERYWHERE!
Skinny gals shouldn't live in OKC
or they will end up like Dorothy from Kansas -
blown someplace far, far away!

While in OKC we saw some great things.

The Overholser Mansion.

Of course, we had to walk around the neighborhood.

AWESOME!

Then on the the Museum of Art.

Who knew they have the largest collection of

Dale Chihuly

ANYWHERE!!

And we LOVE Chihuly

(note: this is a full-size row boat!)

And I love how these are displayed and lit

Probably the best set-up of his work I have seen.

The way home?
Denver airport was closed -
we were detained a day.
Our "lemonade from lemons" was a AA ballgame on Opening Day.
The OKC Redhawks!

Finally able to go home --
Left OKC airport .. for Dulles ... as in
WASHINGTON DC.

I don't have anything against DC -- in fact it's a great place to be, especially this weekend with the current Dumbarton House Exhibit and the
French Market in Georgetown for Friday and Saturday.

But we were flying to Portland -- OREGON.

A long trip. And no time to go ANYWHERE. So if I want to see the FAB clothing at Dumbarton, I need to get back before 4th of July.
Maybe we should have asked for a one-week layover before flying home ....

Instead, we have a great sale in our own backyard and a nationally known garden nearby, too.

If you are in the Northwest this weekend, check out

the Whimsical Wishes sale

and Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens.
Enjoy the Places You are Going!

Hugs -

One last thing from OKC.

Ya gotta love a town with

MY KIND of street art!!

GIVEAWAY

Yes ... there are lots of giveaways.  

But this is an exceptionally WONDERFUL giveway.

Just in time for Earth Day.

A great book.

You'll want to find out more ... 

so click on the icon to the right.

Also check their other blog entries.

Aren't they great?

Makes me wish I still lived 

in Edmonds so I could attend

classes at their studio 

and PS stores. 

 (I STILL miss our store in LO!!)

CHECK IT OUT!

Hugs!

Sammy Girl :)

note: sorry for so many posts today .. but so much GOOD STUFF!

Gardening - Villa Style

Ahh ... the bright sun has me thinking of flowers and gardening.

Digging in the dirt amidst rows of daffodils.

Peek through the barn to the

fields of flowers beyond.

Isn't it magnificent?!

Ah ... I LOVE our flowers when they bloom.

Well -- by OUR flowers, I mean flowers blooming in the Northwest.

ANYWHERE in the northwest.

Like my garden at Deepwood.

I help out at Deepwood - but consider the garden "mine". If you live near Salem, you should, too. The garden is a park and open to the public --- for free!

My own yard?

Kinda a yard.

Gardening at Sammy Girl's Villa is not exactly hard-core.
We live in a condo. In Whoville.

So, we dubbed our abode our

Who Villa.

Front yard -- only the maintenance company can touch (garden gestapo on the prowl).

Back yard? Doesn't exist. Unless you consider the strips of dirt alongside the driveway.

That is our "garden oasis".

Thin strips of plantings.

And pots. Daffodils and grape hyacinths.

A pot with a Japanese Maple that has known no other existance. We have loved it since planting it in the cement pot and placing it on our new deck over 23 years ago. It has moved with us four times. And now it greets me every day as I come and go from the Villa. (It is just beginning to leaf out ... so pictures soon!)

Soon the blue-eyed grass with smile at me.

And the irises.

In mind of the current economy, I am thinking of planting a few veggies. Not a victory garden by any sense, but something to have fun with and help the young couples in the neighborhood see what can be done even in a very small area.

Maybe a pot of zuchinni.

They ALWAYS thrive with just a bit of attention, some sun and a little water.

Hope you are thriving today!

HUGS!

Sammy Girl

note: pics of fields are from our visit to the Skagit Valley (WA) last year. The fields there and in Woodburn (OR) should be in full bloom now, so if you have a chance - go! It's wonderful! Betty :)