Blu oom

Going dormant for awhile….

2011-06-12T16:34:00.001-07:00

Blu oom is a spring oriented blog, and maybe a summer blu oom blog, but it’s going to

be taking a break from posting for the next little while.

It’s getting harder and harder to find really nice blu shots to share right now. That

doesn’t mean that I won’t be back, I am sure I will.

Meanwhile you can still find me on Muddy Boot Dreams.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Got you on my mind, Lilacs

2011-05-30T15:10:00.001-07:00

It seems that everywhere we go there are lilacs. That is such a

good thing, they are so beautiful, and lush this year.

I am collecting memories in my mind, saving visual snapshots of my

most favourite varieties for when I get a larger garden.

So far none of the white varieties are in the running, they look

too sad when they are finishing up.

But the darker lilacs, are simply breathtaking whether they are a

mature tree, or a small shrub.

Which leads me to ask, which one’s do you prefer?

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Bashful

2011-05-26T09:31:00.001-07:00

Bashful?

I am not sure, but it sure looks like it’s hiding.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Bit of blue

2011-05-22T13:51:00.001-07:00

I am a bit behind in posting for Blu oom. I meant to do this a

few days ago.

Here is a bit of blue to take a look at.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

At first glance

2011-05-03T07:50:00.001-07:00

At first glance it’s easy to mistake this pretty blue spray of flowers for

forget-me- nots.

But they are not.

A beautiful Brunnera. Planted in the gardens at our City Hall.

The gardeners there seem to be able to tuck in all sorts of beauties.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

In your garden

2011-04-27T19:53:00.001-07:00

If you have one of these running around in your garden, you might not be the happiest of gardeners. But then again, maybe Peacocks are not messy birds. Beautiful though.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Can’t see the forest for the leaves

2011-04-20T20:01:00.001-07:00

It’s truly a case of my not seeing the forest for the leaves…

It wasn’t until I had actually downloaded this image that I saw the lady bug right in the middle of a forest of leaves and violas.

Imagine what we miss everyday….

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

You turn me right round baby, right round

2011-04-04T05:07:00.000-07:00

There is something about this Hyacinth that makes my head spin,

but in a good way.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Spring surprise

2011-03-31T07:11:00.001-07:00

Spring left a surprise for me, under the snowdrops.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

I’m feeling a bit blue, she said.

2011-03-24T12:43:00.001-07:00

I’m feeling a bit blue she said!

But blue or not, at least she smelled good.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Just as lovely the second time around

2011-03-22T07:24:00.001-07:00

I shared this image on my other blog, Muddy Boot Dreams.

And I love it, some shots are still just as lovely the second time around.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Anybody out there?

2011-03-19T08:46:00.001-07:00

I know that we are all busy, but from the lack of comments lately, I was wondering if I should continue.

Even if you are not leaving a comment, are you reading?

Is it worth continuing?

Let me know, so I can decide the future of Blu oom.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Delightful, and delighted

2011-03-15T16:42:00.001-07:00

I think that you get my drift…..

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Almost blue

2011-03-11T09:12:00.001-08:00

Just squeaking into the blue category, the eggs have been painted a robins egg blue…and I am going to add some dark brown spots for authenticity.

I posted this shot on Flea Market Gardening’s FB wall.

And you might see a few others of mine on the site also.

Drop by there and say hello to Anna, she is one amazingly creative gardener.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Open for business!

2011-03-07T10:00:00.001-08:00

Many of our local garden centers close for the winter months, but when they open, it’s a celebration of color.

The long wait is over, and all of us gardeners/photographers who love flowers flock to the newly opened stores to get our spring fix.

These are some of the beautifully coloured, and excellent quality primroses that my local favourite West Coast Gardens grow themselves.

They are well worth putting on your list of “got to visit” nurseries if you are living in the area.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Celebrate Spring

2011-03-02T08:23:00.001-08:00

It’s going to happen some day….I am sure of it.

Spring!

I just don’t know when.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Scent–o-vision

2011-02-25T20:15:00.001-08:00

If you are a child of the 60’s or 70’s you probably remember Scent-O-vision. The fictional reference to the ability to smell, what you saw on TV.

If there ever was a time when it should be available, it’s when the highly scented hyacinths are blooming.

Stunning scents, wafting through your computer screen…

If only.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Blooming beautiful

2011-02-21T05:04:00.000-08:00

It’s no wonder they call Clematis, Queen of the garden.

She’s blooming beautiful.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Good morning, morning glory

2011-02-17T20:13:00.001-08:00

One of my absolute favourite flowers is the morning glory. And we have never really had enough hot weather to grow them around here in the summer. At least not until the last few years, with global warming we have been getting such hot summers that this is no longer a problem.

Good morning, morning glory, I only wish that you could extend your visit for more then a day.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Springing into blu ooms

2011-02-14T05:46:00.000-08:00

It’s been a long winter, and Blu oom has resurfaced just like the snowdrops. If you have never dropped by before welcome to Blu oom, my blues in the garden blog. My other blog is Muddy Boot Dreams, where I cover just about anything that catches my fancy, but mostly gardening. Drop by there also if you like, you are always welcome.

Spring, it’s a releaf.

I have been trying to wait for spring, but I just can’t. It’s kind of grey and gloomy out here. So instead of waiting for the blue blu ooms to come to me, I am going to them, so to speak. In my archives, there are thousands [well maybe hundreds, not thousands]of bluoom colored flowers. They will have to do until blu oom in the garden happens around here.

So until spring decides to set foot in my garden, let’s warm up with some cheery colorful bluooming blues.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

It’s been far, far too long

2010-11-07T16:32:00.001-08:00

You know when you want to call a old friend, but you keep putting it off, and putting it off, and suddenly it’s too late to explain why you took so long?

Well this blog has been like that, at first I left the post go for over a week, fully intending to write something in a few days. Then more time passed, and it got to the point where it was uncomfortable not to post. But still other things got in the way, and I kept making excuses for not posting. Thinking incorrectly to myself that one day, and soon I would post.

And I used the excuse that there were not that many blue flowers out there in the summer, surely in the Fall there would be masses of them. Surely...

Well there wasn’t.

And there probably won’t be until the spring again. When Bluoom will come out of it’s self imposed dormancy, and re Bluoom.

I’m looking forward to sharing more blues with you in the spring. Hold me to it, please.

And next time I decide to take some time off, I will remember to let you know when it happens.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Lace

2010-08-07T09:06:00.001-07:00

There is a small park bordering some condos in White Rock, with a long grass allee` in the back that stretches the entire length of the building.

Marvelous, it’s filled with green leaves, white hydrangeas, and bordered with black wrought iron fencing.

Very private, and calm. One of my favorite places in White Rock.

And when I saw these new addition Buddleias, with their lace torn leaves, I knew that I had to lean over and click a shot to share with you. Probably garnering a few glances at my rampant disrespect, but it was well worth it. LOL.

Jen

Blu oom, and black and white

2010-08-01T19:50:00.001-07:00

Here’s something a little bit different, the first shot is black and white, with a small area of blue.

The color is from a patch of blue salvia, and because the lens is a 50mm, it has a huge DOF. I might go back and try it with my telephoto just to see what I can get.

Interesting when you start to play around with shots, it really gets your inspiration flowing.

Yes I like the second shot better also, but the first one inspires me to learn to do something different. And isn’t that what this is all about.

Jen

Do you know about my Zazzle store?

zazzle.ca/MuddyBootDreams*

Can’t get enough of this blue

2010-07-24T12:40:00.001-07:00

No matter what other flowers are in bloom

in the garden, I always seem to gravitate

towards these stunning periwinkle blue

hydrangeas.

They come in my favorite shades

of blue, and look so lovely as they age.

Going into the limey green shades

of chartreuse, with flecks of periwinkle.

They are adorable.

Jen

Got Bokah?

2010-07-18T11:29:00.001-07:00

There are places that you wonder why you don’t find the time to go and visit more often.

VanDusen Gardens in Vancouver, are so exquisitely beautiful, that they qualify for that status. My sister, Turf Toter, and I went last week, I loved it so much, and regretted not going more often. Of course she lives many hours, and miles away, so she has a excuse

I have some wonderful shots that I will be sharing on the other blog one day. And we had the best time ever.

Jen

Delphiniums

2010-07-13T08:04:00.001-07:00

Delphiniums, tall stately spires, their blues shaded from the sun. They make me think that they are the guardians of the garden.

Jen

Now don’t be shy

2010-07-05T19:45:00.001-07:00

I love the way this clematis feels like it is hiding behind it’s leaves, and vine. Maybe one day I will play with it in Photoshop to see if I can get the edges darker, and the flower lighter.

Jen

Peeking out at you.

2010-07-01T20:08:00.001-07:00

As you can probably tell, I love the color Blue. Especially in lobelia, and ferns with lobelia peeking out from underneath? Even better.

What’s your favorite shade?

Jen

Something up my sleeve

2010-06-29T20:50:00.001-07:00

I am in the middle of a huge creative streak, more or less renovating my card line. Looking at what I love, and what I want to change. When I am ready to unveil them I will have a link to my website. Balancing work, creativity, and my business.

Then all I need to do, is get out there and sell!

That’s the hard part for me, selling my work, my cards, in person. I have no problems selling someone else’s work, it’s mine that causes me so much difficulty. Not that I don’t believe in my work, it just feels odd having to promote yourself.

Right now, I am furiously into quotations, loving them, winding them through my fingers, envisioning them as headers on cards, and tucked inside like a treasured note from a friend.

I love creative streaks, so much more then the large plains, and steep mountains of a art block. We all go through highs, and lows, good times, and times when you just can’t envision anything new. I am making the most of this one, and trying to keep it going, through the other demands of my life.

Balance, it’s all about balance.

Jen

Campanula

2010-06-26T16:37:00.001-07:00

We have this lovely shade of periwinkle campanula blooming everywhere right now. I especially love “Dickson’s Gold,” although it is always the first to succumb to a hard winter in my garden. Makes me loath to buy new ones each spring.

I guess real beauty is fragile, and delicate.

Just a note on this texture, I applied it using Picasa to see how far I could take it. And even though you don’t have anywhere near the flexibility that you would have with Photoshop, you can achieve some interesting effects. There is a blog reader Marsha, [unfortunately she is not a blogger..yet] who creates the most interesting images using only Picasa. And she teaches classes to Jr. high school students using this free program.

We are limited only by our imaginations.

I created a colored border using picture pile, and then layered it with the texture in multiple exposures. Dabbled with color saturation, and focal black and white. Next I might give it a try in Photoshop. If you come up with something interesting using Picasa, that you would like to share with everyone feel free to email me, and if there are enough, I can post them on here.

bluoom[at]gmail.com

Jen

Secret Garden

2010-06-24T08:17:00.001-07:00

We all need a secret garden, that tiny perfect spot that only we know about.

Maybe the birds will join me, twittering, and flashing on their wings as they soar by.

My Bootsie understands the need for solitude, after all he is a cat, so he will be allowed to share my space. It’s not crowded when those you love share the same spot.

Hope that you find your secret garden this summer.

Jen

You may have noticed…

2010-06-19T19:03:00.001-07:00

When I started this project, I called it a micro blog, for lack of a better name. I only had intentions of posting a few weeks, celebrating spring, and the blues of the garden.

I am liking it so much, I have decided to continue, who knows where this garden path leads? I still consider it a slow blog, I will post as the blues hit me, I guess.

A new header photo, one more in keeping with the season, as we start to celebrate summer. And some shots of last year’s Hydrangea’s since this year’s are no where near that size.

Thanks for joining in, your comments and following are much appreciated, you encourage me, inspire me, and you keep me out there looking for blues in the garden.

Jen

Oh, Blu oom where you are supposed to grow

2010-06-12T05:46:00.000-07:00

Funny thing about these Bachelor Buttons, they only want to Blu oom in spots that they prefer. They don’t want to grow in the garden, but the pathways, in between the rocks, and on the outside edge of my raised bed.

Anywhere they can fall over, and be trampled by everyone, anywhere the water hose has to go past...you get the picture.

They are so gorgeously blue, I will do anything to keep them happy, even if that means working around them.

Jen

Not scratch and sniff, but close

2010-06-07T08:45:00.001-07:00

OK, they haven’t quite got that scratch and sniff technology for computers going yet, but don’t you wish they did? Nothing smells better on a warm summer day, then a whiff of Heliotrope. Vanilla, and Ylang, Ylang, simply idyllic.

Jen

Birdbath blues

2010-05-29T04:55:00.000-07:00

This birdbath is on my friends Flowerishous’s deck, the deep blue color makes me feel so serene. And the birds love it too.

I have dreams of having a deck like she does, a small intimate space, with weathered wooden walls, and blue shutters that let the summer breeze, and the bird song pour in.

Where you can sit for hours with a glass of ice tea, and a good book.

Hidden far away from the real world.

I am sure that I am not the only one wishing for this.

Jen

Yesterday, today, and tomorro-wow

2010-05-20T07:27:00.001-07:00

Violas are charming at any time of the year, and they do love this cool spring weather we have now.

This variety is called appropriately enough, “Yesterday, today, and tomorrow.”

It certainly lives up to it’s name.

If you ever come across some, be sure to pick them up. Free flowering, and so beautiful, they fade from a vivid purply blue, to a mid blue, and then to a creamy pale yellow. It’s like having 3 different varieties in one pot.

Jen

Duck, and dodge

2010-05-15T05:41:00.000-07:00

I love bees, and I love lavender, a great combination. Especially this gorgeously purple Spanish Lavender. But in order to get a clear shot of the frenetically busy bees, I needed to do a lot of ducking, and dodging.

I wonder what the other customers at the nursery were thinking, “what on earth is that woman doing?” Jumping around, moving up and down.

And then, “oh she has a camera” well that explains everything.

Jen

Lush-iously blu

2010-05-10T05:19:00.000-07:00

I was visiting my favorite garden center West Coast Gardens the other day. Checking to make sure that they had enough of my art cards for Mother’s Day.

Getting there in the early morning really pays off. Besides getting a great parking spot, they had just finished watering.

Every leaf, and every petal looked kissed by dew. Stunningly Lush-ious.

They always have great quality plants, and grow most of their own, but that day, they looked even better then usual.

Hope that you had a great Mother’s Day!

Jen

I’ve not forgotten you

2010-05-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

It’s certainly a good time to be a photographer, everything is in BLU OOM.

Seems no matter where you go, you see something beautiful that makes you want to pull out the camera. Good thing I take it with me most times.

The first time I saw this stunning clump of Forget Me Not’s I didn’t have my camera.

But I made a special trip back to get photos. I just love this shade of blue, and could easily imagine having a bedroom, or even a little cottage painted this color.

With white trim around the windows.

Simple, elegant, and striking. I might have to settle for a chicken coop painted that color, or a garden shed. After all, Gar needs some input.

What are your thoughts? Would you do it?

Jen

Timing, it’s everything

2010-04-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Timing is so important in life, and it’s no less important when photographing flowers this spring.

There are many days lately that I think my timing is just slightly off, too late, or too early. With the early spring, so many flowers, and shrubs are blooming way before they normally do.

So if in the back of my mind, I am thinking, I must get out there and capture a certain flower, I certainly can’t put it off for too long.

Chances are, it’s already out in full bloom. Take these Anemone Blanda for example, I almost missed them. But I am so glad that I walked past the little park where they bloom. They are one of my favorite shades of blue. So glad that I caught them on this sunny, windy day, left for another day or two, I would have missed them. Here’s hoping that you enjoy these photographs of them.

Jen

Windows of beauty

2010-04-24T05:45:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have these ideas in your head, about certain features you would love to incorporate into your dream home? And then you stumble upon them at someone else’s home? This is a enclosed deck, with 8 foot high walls, French doors, and adorable blue shutters, it belongs to a friends house.

I totally fell in love with it the first time I saw it. Intimate, yet spacious, rustic, yet beautiful. Definitely going into my dream home folder. And of course I am in love with the color, it maybe even be the inspiration behind this blog color. And it was one of our wedding colors, periwinkle, you can’t beat it.

Gossip Session

2010-04-22T05:26:00.000-07:00

Hey you two, what are you talking about?

Oh come on, don’t be shy, share with us.

Jen

Cherish

2010-04-19T05:54:00.000-07:00

Blu oom cherishes spring, if not just for the color, the scent, and the warmth, then for so many other reasons also. A end to winter, a prelude to summer.

Blu oom cherishes spring.

Luscious shades of blue

2010-04-14T05:35:00.000-07:00

There are few spring flowers that radiate such blueness as Lithordora Grace Ward. Loving perfect drainage, they can be a bit temperamental. I have never had great success with them in containers, they tend to wither away on me.

But when I see a happy patch of them, I zone in with the camera.

This was one happy patch, sunny, well drained, on a hillside. You could spot those luscious shades of blue from miles away.

Jen

Bluebells, cockle shells……

2010-04-12T05:31:00.000-07:00

“Blue Bells, Cockle Shells.. Easy Isy Over”

Does that bring back childhood memories of skipping rope? Funny, when we sang this song as children we had never even seen a bluebell. Scilla, are a bulb, and I guess they were not as popular around where I grew up, as the song was.

Oddly enough, we have so many of them growing in the landscaping of our Condo. They are everywhere, front and back. Just coming into bloom.

A older, very proper, English Lady who lived here for many years used to hate them with a passion. She was always outside pulling them up, and disposing of them. I can still hear her muttering about those “weeds, those dratted weeds.”

Personally, I love them, I love their color, their tenacity, and their beauty.

Sorry Edith, they are still here. And I don’t think that they are going away.

The very first photo is of Muscari, in case I mislead anyone. The following two, are of the Scilla [Blue Bells] which are just starting to open up.

Look for more photos of them in the coming week, when they open up more.

Jen

Well, after all, it is my blog

2010-04-10T05:46:00.000-07:00

You know one of the coolest things about having a blog?

I get to choose what I post, and if I decide that the gorgeous shade of preciously purple, pansy is blue enough for me, then it’s good for blu oom.

I kind of like having a blog called blu oom.

This is just too much fun.

Fun, and frivolous. I don’t get to do that in my real life.

How about you?

Jen

The cool weather blues

2010-04-08T05:18:00.000-07:00

We are in the middle of some typical spring weather, cool, wet, and windy.

But the gardener in all of us longs for those warm first days of spring. When you can shrug off the jacket, and wiggle the toes.

They are coming, we must just learn to be patient.

But it’s not easy.

Jen

The Alzheimer’s Card

2010-04-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

Last week, at the age of 89, my Mother In Law, Rose, succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease.

She has had this terrible brain disease for over thirteen years, and it has stolen most of her life in the last decade. It may have taken her, but we still have wonderful memories, that it can not steal. If you like, you can read about her here.

Last year, I had created a handcrafted card to honor her, featuring a original Muddy Boot Dreams photograph of “Forget Me Not’s” which is the official flower of the Alzheimer’s Society. This hand crafted card is blank inside, the card is 6.5 x 5 inches, with a hand stamped bee on the envelope flap, and it comes in a clear cello bag to protect it.

All profit from the cards is donated to the Alzheimer’s Society of BC, in Rose’s name.

If you are interested in purchasing cards, please view them at www.muddybootdreams.com, and click on Art Cards.

You can email me wateringcans[at]gmail.com to place a order, or for more information.

Cards cost $5.00 each, or 3 for $12.00 shipping varies according to the destination, there is free shipping on any order of 6 cards or more.

Thanks, Jen

A long weekend

2010-04-01T08:42:00.001-07:00

I wanted to take a moment to wish every one a Happy Easter.

And to say that with the extended long weekend, Blu oom will be taking a short break also.

Look forward to more blue photos, and sun shine next week.

Jen

A cup of blue for you

2010-03-30T05:07:00.000-07:00

You can never get a cup of tea large enough, or a book long enough to suit me.

~C.S. Lewis

I am thinking of adding one of these photos to my Muddy Boot Dreams card line.

If you prefer one over the others, let me know.

Keeping in mind that there is already a snail, and teacup image in the line, and it is very popular. But I would love to know what you think.

Jen

Blue Glory of the snow

2010-03-27T05:48:00.000-07:00

It’s blue, and looks stunningly gorgeous as a small clump, or even better as a massed planting. Grab a paper and pen, because you are going to want to write this down and remember to purchase them in the fall.

This is one fall planted, spring blooming bulb that every cold weather gardener should have.

Chionodoxa, or Glory of the snow, truly lives up to it’s name. You can see more information on this glorious little bulb on this Canadian gardening site.

The nursery where I used to work used sold these every fall, and one year on the street reader board, I put the phase, “What in the world is Chionodoxa?” I think that we topped our bulb sales that year. Everyone wanted to stop in and find out what Chionodoxa was.

Now that you have found out what it is, make sure you get some this fall.

Oh, and my sister, Turf Toter says that there are gardens up country with masses of them. Just another reason for us to move up there.

Jen

Hunting for the Blues

2010-03-24T05:29:00.000-07:00

After telling my friend Flowerishous that I had started this micro blog featuring blue blooms, she got right into the spirit of it. She started pointing out any and all blue flowers, or any other bits of blue that seemed interesting.

“Over there, look, here’s another one. Oh come and see this one!”

We were having a great time.

We had ended up at our friends workplace nursery, West Coast Gardens, and Flowerishous was happily running me off of my feet telling me to shoot this, and see that.

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, water was splashing, and the smell of this gorgeous rosemary was in the air.

The only thing blue, was the flowers.

Blu oom where you are planted

2010-03-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

I’m a big fan of creativity. And we all know that it sometimes comes in spurts. A little here, a lot there. So what does a blogger do when she feels like taking a different path once in a while. But doesn’t want a long commitment?

She creates a micro blog, a seasonal blog. Not micro blogging, but a micro blog, that may only run of a few weeks, or months, until the creative streak is fulfilled.

And that’s what Blu oom is for me. A expression of creativity, a celebration of spring. And a collection of mostly blue things, flowers, and other “stuff”.

That’s what "A sibilant surf" should have been, but I guess we learn by experience, don’t we?

Stay tuned, this may be short, but it will be interesting.

And like the spring blooms it probably won’t be around forever.

Jen