Pride, Pups and Yum!

 

Three cheers for our niece Laura aka Dr. Laura Laumatia.

 Her doctoral degree took on an official status yesterday as she marched through Commencement ceremonies at the University of Idaho. 

Above, her proud dad Mike, older sister Maureen, mom Mary and Laura. 

Below:  her husband Sefo Laumatia. 

Again, Laura, we are all proud of you for your vision, your hard work and your ultimate achievement.  

Looking forward to seeing you and shaking your hand later today. 

Also on the family front, our cousin Brendan from Chicago and his family (below) enjoyed the festivities as their older daughter attended her prom.

And, our cousin Mary is celebrating a birthday today.  

Happy Birthday, Mary.  

When you stop by Homewood Farm Stand on the Shingle Mill connector road in Selle, you get more than mouth-watering coffee cake straight from the oven and a growing variety of scones (some non-gluten).

A variety of the resident pets may come to greet you, including the newest member of the canine crew, an adorable Mastiff pup. 

I'm told by Jennifer that there soon will be little lambs joining the menagerie at the Jennifer and Nathaniel Wood's quaint and charming little farm. 

I decided I needed a Homewood fix yesterday, figuring on picking out some scones, but when I arrived, Nathaniel was watching the stand AND the dogs.  He suggested that if I wanted to wait a minute, fresh coffee cake was coming out of the oven. 

Well worth the wait, I'll say as will Bill after we each sampled a piece here at home while it was still warm. 

Peach, blueberry and rum spice cake---what a blend, what a delight!

Jennifer's stand is open on Wednesday's and Saturdays.  I forgot one more ingredient:  fun, uplifting and down home conversation. 

A great experience, and we're still enjoying the coffee cake and the strawberry scones with white chocolate. 

Like me, Jennifer likes funky and she does it well, creating some whimsical and fun atmosphere around their home. 

I think there's a message here with this horse and his bird friends on the Pratt place here in Selle.  

We can all get along, no matter our differences. 

Wouldn't it be nice if a lot more humans took a lesson from this picture of rural bliss?

Blossoms are bursting out all over here in Selle, but probably one of the most impressive shows of spectacular spring pink can be seen at a home along Selle Road. 

I think there may be half a dozen of these trees loaded with blossoms. 

When you're an old farm girl, you might see beauty in things others think are ugly, like this pile of old boards just inside the barnyard fence. 

They've ended up there over the years with various extremes in the mud department.  

Sometimes it has been so deep that the only way to get anywhere in the barnyard is to throw a board or two out as a buffer between your feet and the mud. 

And, so they've gathered and weathered over the years AND they do remind me of weathered boards serving as the step to our barnyard granary on the North Boyer farm.

Twas one of my most favorite places to sit on summer mornings, soaking up sun, drawing in the dust with twigs and enjoying the muzzles of horses gathered round where I sat. 

To keep the memories alive, the boards remain right where they are.  And soon, buttercups will rise up in the separations between the boards and around the water tank.  

That will be a pretty sight. 

 

On my walk with Bridie this morning, I discovered two new developments in the spring sprouting:  service berries on the bushes near the house and wild strawberry blossoms in the far end of the hay field. 

Also, when Bridie and I walked past the asparagus, I discovered more little pink tips poking up through the soil.  

Maybe this week we can enjoy our first helping of baked asparagus fresh from the patch.

  Yum! Yum! 

And, that is all. 

Happy Sunday.