Temperate Rain Forest

This Weekend, Fidalgo Island, Baker, Skagit Valley

Tulip Fields in the Skagit Valley Today

They're freshly opened. 

And early compared to past 2 years. 

More colors at Tuliptown. 

But didn't want to pay to park and walk. 

The snow Geese swarming in Laconner

Ok it's iPhone. 

So not too great. But it documents a memory!

The Western Pasque Flower and it's seed pod the Mophead

Sub-Alpine mountain flower

MT Rainier

I love this Flower!

And I'm not the only one!

Life cycle video here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsPoFsHKgpM&sns=em

http://www.botanicgardens.org/blog/furry-friends-society-pasqueflower-devotees

http://www.memidex.com/western-pasqueflowers

http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?stat=BROWSE&where-genre=Plant&where-namesoup=Western+Pasqueflower&rel-namesoup=matchphrase&title_tag=Western+Pasqueflower

Suzani's and Rugs

Been hanging suzani's lately, weather has been great for indoor activities!

 March we have had 9" of rain!

If it doesn't stop soon, we'll be repainting, instead of gardening!

This one is silk on cotton and it's from Samarkand. 

It's called melon sprouts 

It sports the sun disks which date to pre-Islamic. 

And has elements if the melon vines and sprouts. 

This suzani is silk on cotton adras

And it has pommegranite tree motif with bird, butterfly,

And fish. The bright blue in suzani isn't showing in this light. 

This on is Bukhara. 

The rug is Qashgai

My favorite from Shiraz region

Natural madder and indigo with some chemical dyes

Amazing talent working with new colors this way. 

This one is Shiraz

Motifs are birds 

Dyes are natural

Blue Heron in our Tree

Maybe it will nest here?

Heron in my tree and the afternoon sky.

A walk in the grassy lands...

The Heron may decide to nest in our tree ?

But they require a large nest!! 

Beautiful sky..

Visions from the past...

Thoughts of spring