I'm a winner!

Earlier this month I entered a giveaway

over at Homestead Revival.

Amy was giving away a set of plant markers

created by Lindsay at Homespun Sprout's Etsy Store!

(Lindsay also has a blog full of her creative ventures!)

And I won!

Look at what I received in the mail today!

Cute little homemade cloth storage bag filled with~

the 5 sweetest vintage spoon plant markers!

(Drat Blogger for turning my pic! Does this

happen to anyone else?)
I got to choose what five veggies/flowers/ herbs

I would like to have!

The Carrot marker even has my last name initial on it!

I wonder if Lindsay planned that?

Perfect in front of one of my lavender plants!

I wonder if this one will help my tomatoes to ripen soon?

I have 40 plants that look just like this one!

~*~

Thanks, ladies! What a fun prize!

I hope you all will pay a visit to both of these

gals, if you haven't already. You will be

so glad you did!

~*~

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win."

I Corinthians 9:24

Butchart Gardens Tour Final Day

The Italian Garden as seen from

the Rose Garden.

(Below)

Looking across the pool up into

the Rose Garden.

Above ~ The Star Fountain

A shock of happy colors in a pot.

The sun is setting in the garden.

The Sturgeon Fountain

In the cool depths of a dark shadowy pool

of The Japanese Garden.

I have heard that these bridges are not

made in a straight line so that

evil spirits cannot follow! :~O

My favorite of all the vignettes in the Japanese Garden~

The Boar Scarer!

As the water fills the bamboo from above

it suddenly slaps down on the rock with a

loud smack! thus scaring the boar (I like to think deer!)

away! I really need one of these!

A little stream trickling merrily through the deep

shade of the woods.

Leaving the Japanese Garden.

A couple of shots of the glassed in "Picture Window".

Lush tropical beauty!

The swiftly moving water wheel as we

exit the Butchart Gardens!

~*~

We caught our bus for a ride back to

downtown Victoria and an evening stroll

to our hotel.

The Empress at night!

(This was not our hotel, however!)

From across the street as bustling cars and pedestrians

enjoy the evening sights!

Or, you could take a horse drawn carriage!

The Parliament Buildings

from across the harbour.
~*~

The next day was spent strolling the shops,

enjoying a heavenly delight from

Rogers Chocolates,

a walk through China Town,

and spending the entire afternoon in

the Royal B.C. Museum.

There was so much to see and do

but the last boat home was about to

sail.

The Harbour in Victoria

as our ship departs!

The sun sets on our lovely time in Victoria B.C.

~*~

We did spend a couple of days camping in the back of

our *rig* aka our car once back in Washington, and taking in the sights of

the now famous town of Forks (because of Twilight, the movie.

Go figure!), and a lovely time in the Hoh Rain Forest.

Unfortunately, the battery went dead on my camera.

Alas ~ no pictures! :~{

We had a wonderful time away, the Gentleman Farmer and I,

but it is so good to come back.

There is no place like home!

~*~

"Then the Lord said to Jacob, 'return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you."

Genesis 31:3

Butchart Garden Tour Part 4

Come with me to The Rose Garden!

~*~

"I come to the garden alone,

while the dew is still on the roses"

In the Garden

by Austin Miles

~*~

Sorry about the lighting in the photos.

This was the hottest part

of the afternoon (around 100*) and not good

for great pictures!

I waited for some 20 minutes or more

to get a photo of the alee without

a person in the shot!

Mmmm! One of my favorite plants

Heliotrope!

The heady scent of rich vanilla

or cherry pie!

Delphiniums and Roses

are delightful companions!

This shot above is a wee bit reminiscent

of Narnia! I expected to see Mr. Tumnus,

the faun, at any moment!

~*~

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God."

Isaiah 35:1&2

~*~

Tomorrow ~ The Japanese Garden

&

The Italian Garden