Thursday, January 22, 2009

Friday Fave Five


My Fave Fives for this week seem to all be botanical in nature.

1. On Monday, The Professor and I took The New Boy to the Blueberry Lady's to pick blueberries. Yes, blueberries in January! Acres and acres and acres of blueberries.


(We pause here to insert a notice: Please eat blueberries! They're good! And good FOR you! If you eat them fresh in January and February [or any other month], they might have been grown on THIS ranch!)

We picked several quarts, some to eat fresh and others to put in the freezer 'for later'.

2. I inherited nine camellia bushes when I moved to this house. They bloom in different months but mostly in the winter. I don't pay much attention to them, don't fertilize them or give them extra water. But they bloom their little hearts out. There are HUNDREDS of camellia flowers on those nine bushes!
3. I found thise little treasure under a leaf when I was watering and weeding.

4. The pink geranium was snuggled up to the rosemary bush.

5. The plum trees all over town are blooming! I've seen them blowing their white petals in parking lots, front yards, and street corners. The unseasonably warm weather we had earlier this month forced their buds into full bloom.

For more Fave Fives, go to Susanne's blog, Living to Tell the Story.

33 comments:

Deb said...

It is 25 degrees here this morning - and it seems as if there is a COLD front moving on in for the weekend SO this post was a pleasure to read. Beautiful colors, fresh blueberries, and a lovable baby - life is good! Enjoy!

Dorothy said...

I do love blueberries and I eat them all year round! Picking them with New Boy must have been so much fun.

Kristin said...

Where did you pick the blueberries? I want to take the kids there!

ellen b. said...

Oh those blueberries look so nice and plump. New boy looks great out in the sunshine :0)
Love all your botanical shots! That geranium is a beauty!

roxie said...

five floral faves? Fabulous! And what's your favorite flavor? Boo! (as in boo berries)

Knitting Linguist said...

Those are great faves! I so wish we lived closer to that blueberry farm; even in our local market, which usually carries local produce, the blueberries are from South America. Grr...

Susanne said...

What gorgeous pictures this week. A beautiful splash of color and warmth in my very cold day!

Mama Mia said...

Oh! I just want to kiss those little cheeks (I have to while he's young enough to not shirk away from auntie)! I love those camellias, they are gorgeous.

Tracie said...

Beautiful photos! What a great list.

Faith said...

Gorgeous pics.
We get our blueberries fresh from June-Sept here in NYS.
Where we live they are too pricey to buy fresh right now but I sure do love them come summer....your flower pics are beautiful.

Faith said...

Gorgeous pics.
We get our blueberries fresh from June-Sept here in NYS.
Where we live they are too pricey to buy fresh right now but I sure do love them come summer....your flower pics are beautiful.

Jane said...

Little boy blue looks so cute in your photo. Your flower photos are all beautiful. Camellias are one of my favourite flowers. Its too cold and wet here at the moment for them to flower but come April - May they will start. Jane x

Brenda said...

I can't believe you got blueberries in January!

Jerralea said...

Yum, I love blueberries. Your pictures were gorgeous. I especially like the camellias.

Anonymous said...

Ooo you have Spring already! Lovely! Did you get your rain?

Is that a hellebore (lenten rose)?

It's great that New Boy is learning where food comes from.

Sharon Lynne said...

The "New Boy" is adorable. I loved the pictures. That's amazing about the plum trees. We used to have one in our backyard.

We had black berries until my husband pulled them out!

Thanks for your comments on my son situation. My husband and he are oil and water. It has become unhealthy for them both--to be together. So I've been praying SO HARD that my son would find a place. In one way...its good that he is gone...but in another...he has a court date coming up--in our town, and if he misses it, it will not be good. So I'm going to call that number and remind him. Please pray he stays on track with his court date. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe the plum tree is already so far along! And as for that hellebore, what a beauty. I planted one but it just didn't like the location. How lovely to see berries on the bush :-)

Unknown said...

Kak Willow, terima kasih for your New Year wishes :D
Look at the new boy, he is absolutely so cute..love his hair! And wow..those camelias are awesome, I have one bush in white and I hardly see those pink ones here. You are so lucky to be surrounded by so much flowers :D Have a great weekend, big hugs always. BTW, blueberries are SO expensive here, hardly anyone buy cherries or berries as they are all flown in by air and really cost so much. I wish I could pick those berries too.

Islandsparrow said...

I get my summer fix coming to your blog Willow! Your wee boy is sweet.

We don't have blueberries til August. We always pack a few boxes in the freezer and then eat them year round. They are delicious!

Elizabeth said...

So you have spring while we are shivering!
You have flowers.
Lucky you.
Yes, blue berries are wonderful.
And the little one has teeth........and looks in wonderful spirits.

Caroline said...

Ohhh! I love blueberries too. Is that farm around Santa Paula? It looks familiar. I bought some at Trader Joe's last week, and they were fairly reasonably prices. I wonder where they were from.

Thank you so much for your kind words last week. It long, difficult week, but it was also a faith affirming week for many of us. The entire town seemed to come together for our friends and will continue to do so.

The sewing room said...

Oh lucky you we will have to wait untill at least July for some tempting berrys like that,sweet little boy its great being a nana.

Knitting Linguist said...

P.S. Congratulations on finishing your sweater! I'm sorry it's not The One; that's exactly what I am worried is going to happen with the one I'm knitting -- we'll see...

XUE said...

we hv a plum blossom tree right in front of our house & it smells amazing in full bloom!

Tracy said...

Blueberries and all those flowers in January...What delights, Willow! New Boy looks so sweet on his blueberry picking...Life is sweet! Happy Days to you all ((HUGS)) Stop by if you can this week--I'm having a fun giveaway! :o)

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh, it is so lovely to see all those flowers and blueberries, there is nothing in bloom here at the moment but I think the snowdrops may come through any day soon.

Barbara said...

How wonderful to pick Blueberries like that. They are so expensive here because they have to be imported. We have tried growing them but not been very successful because of their precise soil needs.

Jientje said...

You made me very jealous! I want Spring, blue skies, sun, flowers !

pam said...

All these beautiful flowers that would be my normal spring are so wonderful to enjoy today as the snow approaches and the wind chill is going below 0. Beautiful. I LOVE THIS BLOGGING WORLD.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Hi Willow!

Ah ...it's so nice to see your lovely photos and know that Spring is about two months away for us here in NY! My Mom's favorite flower is the camellia -- my dad gave her a corsage made out of them on their first date. They must smell incredible!

I love blueberries too! I buy them all the time at Costco and pay a King's randsom for a quart.

New boy is adorable! He has cheeks you just want to pinch and kiss. You are lucky he lives close to you! I miss my little guy.
Hugs, Pat

david mcmahon said...

Camellias have always been one of my favourites.

Lovella ♥ said...

oh .. I will look at the carton in the grocers next time I'm there. . .I have such a hard time buying blueberries when I know I can pick them as early as late June.. oh but that is a long way off isn't it? and the new boy. .I bet his eyes match perfectly with the blueberries in the background.

Bethany said...

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.... I am in heaven looking at these photos!!!! I love blueberries, anything bright pink and flowers in general. Gorgeous photography!!!