Favorite Utah Nursery

We spent a great Saturday with our grandsons.  Grandpa Glen give them a little family history tour of Draper and then drove up the hill to his favorite Utah garden center, Cactus and Tropicals.

This miniature bonsai garden made me a bit excited about bonsai.

Don't you wish that you were a Borrower and could take ownership?

So charming!

The nursery overlooks the city of Draper and Relation Street where Glen's mother grew up.

Glen likes to visit here because of the great variety of plants.  This is where he first found his chocolate flowers.

Henry found the cactus garden with "real' cactus nestled in below the metal saguaro.

Soon, there was need for a wagon.

Grandpa Glen had found the next great thing.

Dwarfy, bushy, thornless raspberry bushes which grow best in containers.

There was one ripe raspberry which we divided into fourths. SOLD!

Glen knew just the person who would enjoy these plants.

Off they go to Uncle Lowell's new deck.  I managed to slip in a beautiful lavender colored clematis for Aunt Lynette.  Happy house warming gifts to both of you!

Birthday Boy

Oscar was over the top thrilled with his fire engine birthday cake which was lovingly made by his mother.

He was happy to finally finish dinner so that we could move on to the cake.

Now there were three candles to blow out.

Ready, set,

and blow!

Da Da removes the candles so that

Oscar can share his lemon flavored birthday cake

with his birthday guests.  Happy Birthday Oscar! 

Seems like just yesterday that you arrived.

Welcome to Happy Town

 My grandson, Oscar, has a great imagination and he loves vehicles.  I knew that this fabric panel from the Happy Town fabric line designed by Jacquelynne Steves would make a great play mat for Oscar's birthday.

I used a needle punched polyester batting and quilted it on my machine by outlining the roads and buildings as well as other details.  The panel comes with the red border and I added the green border and backing as well as binding from my stash.  I made ties from the binding fabric and attached them under the binding for ease in rolling the mat up for storage.

 

I also collected a few more vehicles for Oscar in a scale which fit the panel.

The craft storage container I found at Joanne's is just perfect for Hot Wheels or Matchbox vehicles.  It opens on both sides so there is room for almost 50 cars.  There is an extra wide space on each side perfect for the occasional fire truck or longer vehicle.  This gift was a hit with Oscar, especially that container with a handle which is currently going where ever Oscar goes.

Music in the Garden

Another check off on my bucket list happened last weekend.  I experienced a concert in the gardens at Thanksgiving Point.  The Ranes family invited us to join them in this kid friendly musical adventure. They also provided a delicious picnic dinner.

The waterfalls cease to fall on concert nights.

Opal even managed to take a nap later in the evening

 

while her brothers played a little ball on the sidelines.

 

After our picnic there was plenty of time for my camera and I to take a quick walk through the garden before the music began.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

The music was beautiful as well. The American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic, a youth orchestra, performed "New World Symphony" composed by Antonín Dvořák in the early 1890's to commemorate a new nation, the United States.  The musicians of Lyceum Philharmonic must audition and have been named "Best Youth Performing Ensemble" by Best of State Utah in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.  They were wonderful.

Local singer-songwriter Peter Breinholt was the main act.  He is a well known folk artist.
 

As the sun went down and the lights came on, Peter and the Lyceum Philharmonic played on together while the audience danced.  It was magical and the weather was perfect with rollling clouds adding to the atmosphere.

Celebrating mothers in N & N's backyard

 Yesterday was beautiful.  It felt like a true summer day.

With touches of spring left behind.

This backyard is beautiful with a plethora of textures

lots of older, taller shade trees

and a little homegrown sprite.

  

It is a bit of paradise near downtown Salt Lake City.

It is charming and inviting.

Baby Opal with her Grandpa Glen.

The boys loved the great big grass circle.  Oscar invited me to run in circles with him.

I declined and sent in his cousins and uncle. Jason was a great sport and blew up that gigantic beach ball.  The little ones loved it.

 

Nate barbecued away.  Nichelle had put together shish kabobs.  Nate also grilled sweet potatoes and corn on the cob. Yum!

Our lovely hostess and a great mom.

Opal with her daddy.  Her mother opted out of a picture but she is also a great mom.

 

We may have also celebrated some one's coming up birthday.

But that will be another post.  Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful backyard N & N and little O.  It was a lovely and fun family gathering.  What a great Mother's Day treat!

Pictures courtesyy of new camera hubby gave me for Mother's Day. It's a Nikon Coolpix which he purchased because it is also waterproof, shockproof, and he claims sandproof. Thank you sweetie!