The mountains of Idaho are wearing a haze of smoke as fires rage in different areas.
Even a bit farther from the fires, in the small haven of Garden Valley where my mom lives you can smell the smoke. It’s faint, a bit acrid and a bit worrisome to those who have known the danger of fire in the mountains before.
The blue blue sky is just not as blue as smoke clouds the horizon. We are praying for some rain or some strong winds destined to blow the smoke out of the area, and of course for all of the fires to go out.
I haven’t been here in August for many many years, and I forgot how dry things can be. Mom and I walked up this mountain dirt road yesterday to take a look at how things are in the area in which she lives. Of course, it’s uphill most of the way – and then we get to come DOWN on our way back.
Unlike the dryness of the mountain roads and surrounding wilderness, mom’s place is like an oasis in the desert. Little by little over the 19 years she has lived here on the mountain, she has cared for every square inch and manicured and trained her space until it is a garden of wonder.
Take a look!
This IS Sherwood Forest!
I love this tiny little house and all of the green!
Pathways of lush lawn and gardens of perennials.
Garden benches beg to be sat upon!
Late summer flowers bloom!
If I were to have come in June, I would have found the gardens awash with every color of the rainbow with an abundance of flowers. Late August has everything still lush and green, but flowers have left the scene. There is a sense of slowing down around the corner, the first frost up in the mountains can come early.
Look closely! You’ll find cherubs and other hidden garden residents!
So cute!
There is such peace in this place!
((I haven’t sewn a stitch since arriving. This is truly a restorative break!))
Cone flowers with faces to the sun.
Bees buzzing!
Ceramic fawn peeking beneath a bush!
Arbors and steps to shaded grassy areas.
The strawberry beds are fenced to keep deer out!
Perhaps the best view is from the upper deck of the house.
Side yard.
Kitchen veggie garden off the back deck!
The veggie garden is also fenced to keep deer out! It was so nice last night to enjoy tomatoes, green beans, squash, cucumbers, celery and other veggies fresh from the garden for our dinner!
This little place I love!
It’s easy to see why I also have an affinity for the mountains of North Carolina. There is a peace in the mountains I can’t find anywhere else. I love the quiet. I love the sound of the birds, the smell of the air. I love the way the light filters through the trees. I love how my mountains also feel like home.
Love from Idaho --
Ahhhh...
ReplyDeleteSo lovely is her garden. Iused to make gardens and it is a hard work. Prayers the fires stop short of her. I also pray for rain.
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! Your comment that she's worked on her yard for 19years to get it to this point helps me get motivated to get outside and work in my overgrown yard.....if I tackle it section by section in any free minutes I can, maybe one day I will be able to see the improvement. Thanks Bonnie.....even outside the quilting world, you still inspire and motivate! Hope they get some hard rain soon!
ReplyDeleteIncredibly gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful place your mom has created! It shows how much she loves the outdoors and how much time and energy she gives her garden. So very glad that you are with her and feeling the peace! Cherry Boom in North East
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful, it's clear the gardens are your Mom's happy place ! Thank you for sharing Bonnie.
ReplyDeleteYour mom's place is beautiful. Her veggie garden space is fantastic. Enjoy your time and visit.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place; nothing better than a walk through the woods in the mountains (Utah resident) where mornings are crisp and evenings are beautiful. Just returned from a trip to Idaho mountains of Island Park where swans, eagles, pelicans and Sandhill Cranes all share the rivers and lakes. Hard to remember the stress of every day life.
ReplyDeleteIt is evident where your strong work ethic comes from. Your mom's gardens look like labors of love. But, now I feel lazy in the areas of gardening as well as quilting! Thanks for sharing.
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ReplyDeleteI can certainly see where you get all your creative juices! Just beautiful and peaceful in pictures. I can hardly imagine how great it must be in person! Have a great rejuvenating time with loved ones.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bonnie for the tour of your Mom's gardens. Being an avid gardener myself I can appreciate all her hard work. I love the path ways and the natural look. So peaceful. I too live out in the country and surrounded by pine covered hills, the peace and quiet, nothing can compare.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great garden! Thanks
ReplyDeleteSo beautifully Bonnie.. I will pray for rain to dull fires...hugs Mary
ReplyDeleteSo beautifully Bonnie.. I will pray for rain to dull fires...hugs Mary
ReplyDeleteBeauty all around your Mother's Home in the Mountains. A Kitchen Garden sounds great. I've never tried to grow Celery. Glad you can spend time there. Sorry for all the fires devastation. Julie H in Idaho is right in the midst of it. She is safe for now. Just thought you'd want to know.
ReplyDeleteOh, my goodness! She must work 24/7 on those gardens! Everything is so beautiful...I can see why you haven't sewn at all. Hope you come back fully rested and relaxed (no massages needed up there?!) and that her little Eden is untouched by the fires.
ReplyDeleteyour narrative was as lovely as the pictures. i could almost feel the cool mountain air (tinged with a little smoke). this is the yard i dreamed of but after my 19 years i gave up the task and downsized. my husband flew into Boise Sunday also, i told him to be on the look out for a quilting rockstar!! guess he didn't see ya. Enjoy your family time and the mountains.
ReplyDeleteLove knowing you are in our state! Time with mom's is precious. Enjoy Garden Valley. Sorry about the smoke!
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful, Bonnie. I am in awe and have a lot of admiration for your mom. I WISH that I had the talent to do this - but then I realize that I have a choice - it is either the garden or my quilting - and we all know which choice I made!
ReplyDeletesao in Midlothian, VA
I used to live in the mountains of Colorado so I totally understand the restorative powers of the mountains. If I need a calming effect all I have to do is look at your beautiful photo journey at Sherwood Forest. Come back restored and enjoy while there.
ReplyDeleteThe very first comment said it perfectly - Ahhhhhhhh
ReplyDeleteWholly Moley! What a majestic vision... Mother Nature must certainly be pleased with the effort. Each picture made me gasp in delight!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place she has created. Made me think of a story I heard of a man who had taken a barren, rocky hillside and created a lush garden of flowers and vegetables. A man passing by one day commented on what a beautiful place God had given him. He replied, "You should have seen it when God had it all by Himself!" LOL!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful peaceful place. Must be what heaven is like!
ReplyDeleteWow..what a Gorgeous place of Mother nature..Love it! Lucky you to see it in person...Safe travels Bonnie...Debra in Ma.
ReplyDeleteso GREEN everywhere!...its peaceful and gentle..what peace of mind to be there!!!
ReplyDeleteHere's a chuckle for you Bonnie. I also have some of those fall flowers here in Northern Alberta Canada. I read somewhere that they are dubbed outhouse flowers because they were often used to disguise or at least pretty up that particular structure. Your Mom's yard is beautifully restful though I doubt it was achieved with a lot of rest. I also love on an acreage in the woods. There is always a push and pull with nature but mostly it's a source of pleasure.
ReplyDeleteKaren
Parkland County
The landscaping around your mother's house is amazing! I can't even imagine having a yard like that. I pass by the sign to Garden Valley once in awhile but I've never been up there. The fires are bad here in the Kamiah/Orofino area, further north from where you are. Many people have lost their homes but the communities and surrounding areas are amazing with how they have pulled together.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous ...What a peaceful place to rest and relax...hope you are enjoying your family time
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Thank you for sharing a place you love.
ReplyDeleteSo glad the smoke isn't thick at mom's enchanted forest! It is like a fog bank here, making breathing miserable. Praying for no wind and rain without lightning!
ReplyDeleteI live in Southern Oregon and we have fires raging out of control in every direction. I pray that the fires in the your area and here are quickly put out and no one faces danger. For over a month we have had light smoke to extremely dangerous for many people. Thankfully, volunteer firefighters from several states have come to help. Like you we pray for lots of rain. I try not to hope for the breeze to blow in another direction, but after all of this time, it would be wonderful not to smell that smell and to see a beautiful blue sky. The town I live in is actually below sea level and surrounded by mountains. My husband and I live by the Applegate River out in the woods and like you I love the quiet, the birds and every nature sound. I just love your mothers landscape. One day I hope to achieve something as beautiful as hers. Thank you very much for sharing. I hope that you have a wonderful time with your Mother and that you get the rest and relaxation you need and deserve.
ReplyDeleteI was going through my email thinking of you and waiting to see your blog post, and I forgot where you are!!! Then I thought I wonder how often Bonnie forgets where she is.
ReplyDeleteGood to know you are in the right spot at the right time enjoying life with your family
Like Mother, like Daughter -- beautifully comfortable garden... so serene :)
ReplyDeleteSmiles, JulieinTN
Your mother's gardens are beautiful. I can relate to the fear of fires - I live in a highly regarded bush fire prone area here in Victoria Australia and every summer is a waiting game. As soon as one smells smoke, I take my pre-packed case and head out as the area where I live is surrounded by thick bush. As it is also a summer holiday/tourist area the roads could be chock-a-block if a fire went through.
ReplyDeleteI hope your Mum is safe and it doesn't come any closer - praying for rain for you.
Your Moms home is wonderful. The love she has put in the gardens is clear. Blessings to you and her and pray for rain. The mountain needs a drink.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place to take a break, or live in. My Mom was the same way with her yard where I grew up on the river, although we weren't where there was the serenity living where so many trees towered over the entire property. She actually started a garden club in that town where I grew up to help others clean up their own yards and make them just as beautiful and that garden club still lives on although my Mom has been gone now for almost 30 yrs. I sure don't blame you one bit for not doing one single stitch while there. It's always great to visit with Mom and to be in such a relaxing place as well.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, if you think about it and look at the photos of your Mom's gardening, it is amazingly like a scrap quilt- the varied patterns and textures, the little surprises and different combinations. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIt is absolutely beautiful Bonnie. Your mom has made her only "secret garden". Just looking at your pictures make me feel peaceful!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you had time to spend with your family, you all look so happy. God Bless!
I paused this morning to read this post and your next one about being with your mom. Such a beautiful narrative and I am so happy you are getting to spend time together though I'm sure it seems fleeting. Enjoy it! The garden is BEAUTIFUL!! I have a constant battle with deer eating my plants/flowers just as they reach their zenith ... but God's creatures need to be appreciated as well. Safe travels!! Linda
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful thing to still have your Mother. She is a devoted gardener and what a wonderful paradise to stay LOST!
ReplyDeleteSo very gorgeous - your mom is a wonderful steward of the land in the mountains ---- her place is breathtaking!!!! How I could use that resorative spot right now!!! Enjoy your time there with Mom -- priceless ----
ReplyDeleteOh I just want to come and set and enjoy it . I see she plans for the deer Just like I do .
ReplyDeleteThey were here first and I love to see them even if they do help them self to a few things now and then. Keep up the great work, it is lots of great exercise.
This has to be a special place for you not to have taken a stitch since you have arrived. Please enjoy your mom and her piece of heaven on earth. It sounds strange to think of frost already. You visited earlier this year here in Tulsa where we have been having a heat wave. Last night we had a cold front come through with a much, much needed rain. When I checked the thermometer on the back porch today it was 60, yes 60. The forecasters were predicting a record low for today. Of course, we will be back to scorching heat soon. I grew up in WV and miss the lush green. Thank you for the beautiful pictures. Praying for those impacted by the fires. Monday night 7 emergency fire vehicles came roaring into my housing addition. We hear the news and then we or a love one is not directly impacted, our daily life charges in and we get distracted and those in need lapse from our thoughts. Thank you for bringing them back to the forefront.
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