Fredley home on a foggy spring day.

Photo by Brad Hankins

NW Spring in the Garden

Benton Pup 

Looking Northwest from Main Living

Looking east toward Guesthouse

Garden to the North

Helloborus

Stream

Mugho Pine

Entry

Rhododendron outside Guesthouse

Stream

Grasses and Mugho

Garlic

It's garlic planting time here on Grace Lane.  The garlic book I have ("Garlic!  Grow West of the Cascades" by Frank Parente) said the bed needed to be 12 inches deep, fertile, and sandy, so here are pictures of the trench we dug, with Ed manning the pick.  Both Thursday and Friday we both shoveled, turned, picked, and shoveled some more.   We then added manure and compost and lime to make conditions favorable for a good crop. The soil was amazingly compacted, but now, today, Saturday, with soft, amended soil, we were able to plant.    Viva la garlic!

PS  This is the "container" garden.

Cup and Pup!

When Brad's at home on Grace Lane he observes  the Cup and Pup ritual unfolding each morning.   When, no matter what,

•  the weather -- rain, sun, wind, cold, hot, snow or ice
•  the season -- spring, summer, winter or fall 
•  the outfit -- many layered, sloppy, wrinkled, worn, borrowed, torn, chic or shabby

wander-in-the-garden takes place.

This ritual started many years ago (first with Roshi Pup and then Annie Pup), and is still going strong as the first activity of each morning with the Benton Pup.  As soon as the coffee is brewed, Benton and Fran head for the garden.   There we wander and wag until the pot's empty.

So, dear Brad, join us for a vicarious pup and cup wander-in-the-garden as we join you for a vicarious tramp-on-the-Te Araroa Trail.

Fall at Grace

Living here is a total delight. The inside is so outside I never feel frustrated at the walls between me and the garden. And, the garden! For a first year, it is definitely maturing quickly and providing us, this fall, with delightful colors and views.