And the winner is:
VALARIE in California!!!! Congratulations! Email me!
update: I got your info Valarie-thank you!-(I’m probably in your spam box)
Mine are green. I say “hazel” when I’m called upon to classify them. Like on my driver’s license. I now know that I’ve been wrong all these years. “Hazel” eyes are green-brown. Mine are green-blue. Totally not hazel then. As it turns out, there’s no special name for green-blue eyes. I wonder if I could start using “teal”? ‘Tis my name afterall.
My father’s eyes are the bluest-blue. And they twinkle. I always wished I had his blue eyes. Not because I wanted blue eyes particularly; I just wanted to match him.
His are so blue and oh so sparkly. You see lots of blue eyes, but not many have that special twinkle. I have a feeling the twinkle comes from the inside. Yes, if I had to guess, I’d say my father’s eye twinkle comes from inner happiness. And peace. And hope. He’s like that. I guess I have a chance to share his twinkle, then. When I accomplish all that inner bliss stuff.
Now, my daughter did get my father’s blue eyes. They are a deeper blue, but she already has his eyes-that-twinkle-ness. When she was a little thing, riding in the “baby Bjorn” baby carrier on my chest, a woman in the grocery store leaned down and looked directly and intently at her. Then looked up at me and pronounced that my baby’s eyes danced. Oh, I loved that. Danced. She’s right too. They Twinkle and Dance.
Anyway. I’m talking about blue and eyes because it’s getting close to spring and because we brought home that tawny, sweet dog named Blue a few weeks ago. He’s got the warmest and the coolest eyes. One is brown. One is half blue and half brown.
He’s such a sweetie.
Before last week, I’d never thought much about decorating with the color blue. But when I saw these pillows, I was immediately drawn to them. I really think Blue the dog had something to do with that.
When I got home and put them on my boring brown-tan sofa, it popped. Lovely.
When I added my new blue pillows and my dog named Blue, the sofa was almost perfect.
All I needed was Strudel. Strudel?! Come here, Strudel!
Never mind. She’s exhausted. Blue keeps her happy and tired. She’s not going anywhere right now.
(By the way, that is Strudel’s chair. She claims it as hers and only hers for always and forever. I bought that blue striped pillow behind Strudel for her chair.)
So let’s talk about our favorite blue things.
I’ll tell you about and show you some of mine; and then you tell us some of yours.
Hydrangeas.
Blue candles.
They smell so fresh, breezy, clean, light, cottony.
My favorite silo.
Yes, my favorite silo of all time. I know, I know, who has a “favorite” silo? I can’t explain it. I just do. It makes me smile when I drive past it to get to our mountain farm. It’s just so—-cheery. If I ever had a silo, I’d have one just like this.
Blue Cheese Dressing.
Home-made blue cheese dressing on crisp just-picked lettuce. Yum.
Blue Lake. Blue Sky.
Calm blue lake greets blue sky.
The Blues Brothers.
Here’s a favorite Blues Brothers’ clip. I still miss Belushi.
Blueberries.
I don’t have a picture because they’re not in season yet. Not-in-seaon-yet-blueberries taste like fake, plastic grapes. You know, those little plastic, hollow, squishy fake grapes your mom or grandmom had in a bowl on her dining room table when you were growing up? I happen to know that blueberries out of season taste just like that. How? You ask? Well, for some weird and wacky reason I can’t articulate, I’d occasionally sneak in my mom’s dining room and pick off one of those plastic grapes and chew on them. It’s a taste you don’t soon forget.
The Ball Blue Book.
A life saver for those of us still learning how to can.
Blue butterflies. Blue flowers.
Blue butterflies light upon blue chickory flowers in the meadow at our Farm.
Blue Mountains.
The Blue Ridge Mountains.
Blue Jeans.
Wait, wait let me be more specific. Old, soft, roomy blue jeans.
Blue Trucks.
My old blue truck. There’s nothing like having an old truck. I love to drive it. It makes me laugh when I see the looks I get. It’s kind of beat up and needs a new paint job. It’s really not that old, 1989, but it really needs new paint. That’s not a priority right now though. It is scheduled to go to the shop this week. Not for new paint, but because it doesn’t currently crank. My poor truck. I’ve got to have it towed to Sammy the mechanic. I miss driving my truck. It’s always an adventure. You have to roll down the windows whether it is cold or hot outside because it has an exhaust issue. And the window crank fell off, so it takes two hands to roll down the driver’s side window. The interesting thing is that I can’t drive that truck anywhere where someone doesn’t want to buy it off of me. I wish I knew something about working on trucks. I’d fix that blue baby up.
Mules named Blue.
My twinkly blue-eyed Daddy just told me that his father had a mule named Blue. I like that. If I ever have a mule, I’ll name him Blue too. (I’ve already named my “if I ever have” horse as well. Dan.)
Blue tortilla chips.
My old blue coffee cup. I’ve had it more years than I even remember. I can’t explain why I like it so much. I have newer, prettier cups. But this is the one I grab every morning.
A Song. Or Two.
That Elton John song. “Blue Eyes.” Love that. And some blues. Really like Robert Cray. And Eric Claption when he’s all blue-sy.
Blue Suede Shoes.
Why don’t I have any sky blue shoes? Can that be true? I need me some sky blue shoes. Either sky blue or electric blue.
Bluebirds.
Oh, how I love bluebirds. When we lived here before my life became intertwined with the lives of the bluebirds that lived in our bird house. Here are some of my “tenants.” Mom and Dad with babies.
There was a male here when we moved back and he hung around all winter. Here he is on a rare snowy day, on our rooftop.
He recently found a mate and brought her here to check things out. I think of this process as inspecting the real estate. The male bluebird scouts out some possible nesting homes early. Around here, he’s out and about in February. Once he narrows down some good choices, he brings the female. When he brought her by, I was a gracious host. I offered the bluebird pair fresh water, fresh mealworms, and a clean, dry and safe house. It’s about six feet out of the dog fence he’s perched on. Too far for a predator to jump to the house from the fence.
You’ll also notice the baffle on the pole. A good landlord must provide that. Otherwise, you’re just feeding the raccoon and snake population little blue eggs or little bluebird babies. Believe me! I learned the hard way. Baffles are an absolute necessity. I’ve had no loss due to predators since I added that.
The female bluebird ultimately makes the house decision. I checked my house again yesterday. Bluebird experts say the female will put a few strands of pine straw in the chosen house when her mind is made up.
Here’s what I found. Just a little pine straw.
Hope that means what the experts say it means. Pick me! Pick me!
Has anyone ever painted a room blue? I’ve decided the color is soothing and calming. I’ve decided that I like it. What took me so long? I’ve always avoided blue. Except for trucks. Obviously.
And blue reminds me of springtime.
And springtime reminds me of gardening. Getting gardening is the opposite of getting the blues to me. Like Pooh said, “No one can be uncheered by a garden.”
Mine will be modest this year, but I’m just happy to have my garden again. For the last few years, I’ve been restricted to planting seeds in pots on a too shady porch.
Let’s talk seeds. I told you about my new favorite seed company last fall, Botanical Interests. I love everything about this family owned company.
Their seed packets are simply beautiful. The front of the packet is nothing short of art. It’s beautiful. That’s what first attracted me to this company. Those beautiful seed packets. Here’s their display at my local store. What’s this?
A closer look.
And, as if that loveliness weren’t enough. There is tons of information provided inside the seed packet. There’s no need to have a gardening book.
Take a look.
Well, guess what? Botanical Interests is going to give one of you lucky guys a seed collection!
I learned about their seed collections on Valentine’s Day. Check them out at http://www.botanicalinterests.com/store/search_results_sample.php?select=09000
Aren’t those fantastic? They make such a great gift. Just leave a comment here or over at www.rebekahteal.com and tell us which collection you’d pick. You have until March 8th to put your name in the hat. Make sure to check back here to see if you won. I’ll announce it Tuesday morning, March 9th. Thank you, Botanical Interests, for such a wonderful gift!
I’m lucky because my local nursery carries Botanical Interests seeds. I headed there this weekend to not only buy seeds for myself, but I hoped to pick up one of those Botanical Interest gift collections for a Happy Spring gift for my daughter’s teacher. They didn’t sell the collections, so I’ll order it online, but I did a-okay in buying my own seeds.
On Sunday I planted the sugar snaps in a sunny spot beside my house. I’m hoping the deer will leave them alone, being so close to the house. When I lived here before, I planted them down in the “main” garden and between the deer and the bunnies, I was barely able to enjoy them.
And if the deer clean out my pea patch, well, that would make me seriously blue.
Seriously. Blue.
Until next time, Friends, savor the flavor of life!
Lots of love, The City Farmgirl, Rebekah
Chef’s Herb Garden Collection
These are a great idea! My big move this year as a suburban farm girl is going to be an herb garden, this would be a wonderful win!
The Heirloom Tomato collection. I’m determined to have a better tomato crop this year and have everything ready to start my tomato seeds, except for the seeds!
Right now one of my favorite blues is a paper wreath I made washed with green and aqua watercolors!
I love these seeds. They have them at one nursery here in Arizona.
And if I won I would pick the "Bee Happy".
And that would definitely put a twinkle in my root-beer brown eyes!
I know just the kind of twinkling blue eyes your talking about Rebekah! My father in law has them, but they aren’t quite as sparkly as they once were… He will turn 89 in May(god willing). That color of blue is rare in eyes isn’t it? I guess those of us with blue/gray, brown, hazel and green eyes GLOW and that’s how folks can tell we have inner happiness too! I love all your " blue pix" … I’m craving the brightness of spring and color too…My favorite blues are… the Nevada blue sky any time of year, the blue waters of Cape Cod Bay, and Hawaii,the blue of our children’s deep, clear blue sparkly eyes. What farm girl doesn’t love denim blue? 🙂 I’m like you… I have steered away from decorating with blues for some years now…I’m more of an earthy girl with pops of bright reds,oranges and greens. Last summer our daughter wanted to change her wall color from " hot pink" to something more soothing.. (she said she couldn’t sleep anymore in that pink room). Anyway, she chose a lovely blue from the Ralph Lauren vintage collection. kind of a mid tone warm aqua blue… she was right… It’s very soothing and she sleeps much better now too! Musically speaking… The blues… Stevie Ray Vaughn Texas blues and Eric C too…garden blues. Summer Hydrangia, blue salvia, and morning glories!
My least favorite blue… The Winter Blues!!!
Thanks for another fun and thought provoking post!
Deb~
I love Botanical Interests seeds, too. I would choose the Cottage Garden collection.
My favorite blues- the grey/blue eyes of my husband and 3 little girls, the blue striped loveseat that we cuddle up on to read together or just hang out, and my new aqua blue pen. 🙂
Blessings,
Catherine
Sweetheart Seed Collection!! I’m all over it!!
My favorite song is by Willie Nelson…Blue Skies…I’m sure you know it. My family and I sing this song on about every road trip we take! My eyes are blue too…A few years back a little girl told me they were Santa Claus eyes!
Love those seeds…I have never seen them before. Thanks for sharing. I am in love with the Chef herb Garden Collection, although all of them are really nice.
I really enjoy your blogs. They’re fun to read and I always forward them on to friends.
I would like to put my name in the hat for the Sweetheart Seed Collection. They all look so good it’s hard to choose!
Thanks, Rebecca!
My choice would be the Bee Happy Seed Collection. I would love to see the bee population start to flourish again. Since I am unable to have beehives where I live I would like to attract more to my garden 🙂
I agree that it was hard to choose but this collection touched my heart.
Cottage Garden Seed Collection
I’m determined to build an outhouse this year…a working one. :>
Ann Bliss
blissann@yahoo.com :>
It wasn’t until halfway through this that I realized my son is watching Blue’s Clues.
I love your blog(s) and I am looking forward to beautiful blue spring/summer skies! I would love to plant the Cat Lover’s collection so when I pick out my new kitten, he/she I would have a special little garden treat. So hurry up spring so I can get out and check out the local human society for a new kitten and plant my flowers!!
Many thanks for sharing your thoughts….Love them
I would be so pleased if by chance I won the container garden colection ! 🙂
Hmmm, blue. My sister and I have those blue/green eyes. Blue when we’re content, green when we’re irritated. Not sure how that’s physically possible, but even my kindergarteners say, "Now you done it, here cheeks are getting red and her eyes are getting green!"
Favorite blues…my 3 year old Sammy’s blue eyes behind his big round blue glasses. The color blue of those star shaped shaped flowers on borage is almost blinding in the summer sun. Forget-me-nots…I would never forget those!
The Bee Happy Seed Collection is my choice. I have 4 raised beds in which I grow organic veggies and herbs and attracting more bees would really be a benefit to my garden.
My husband and I built our own house recently. By that I mean with our own four hands (two apiece) – not hire somebody to do it. We fashioned it after it old farmhouse with a variety of siding. Some is old barnwood and corregated tin that we got from an old barn that we tore down. My kitchen cupboards are blue. I have always wanted blue cupboards and now I have them. They are sort of a light colonial blue in color. Everybody that enters the house for the first time just stops in the kitchen and says how much they like them. They are soothing and since I spend alot of time in the kichen I love them.
I would like the Children’s Vegetable set if I should win. We have a four year old granddaughter and she would love to work with her Grandma and PopPop in the garden this summer with her own seeds.
I recently moved back to Michigan to be closer to family.
I have been dying to become a great gardener and save some money, so I’d love to grow all my own vegetables this year!
Also, I moved from Madison, WI, where at the end of the summer you can find almost any vegetable at the farmers market in shades of blue and purple! My favorites are the blue potatoes!
I’ve seen these seeds before. They are absolutely beautiful. I would choose the cottage garden seed collection. I really enjoyed looking at your photos of blue. I am a lover of blue as well, especially blue candles and blue flowers. My husband has blue eyes and I always wanted a blue eyed baby. Never got one, but my grandaughter got them, just like Papa. I also love blue trucks. I would love to have a 1949 Blue Ford. I really like your pillow. Blue and brown are so beautiful together. I love your blogs. Thank you so much for sharing.
TheCottage Garden Collection sounds so lovely.I can just envision the beautiful bouquets it would produce.The blue of a robins egg is my all time favorite blue.Perfection!
I love the Botanical Interests seeds. I have spent hours looking through the seed offerings at my local nursery and always come away with some of their seeds. I would probably choose the Container Vegetable Garden collection just because I have never grown vegetables in containers.
the beautiful blue eyes of my twin boys. They sparkle and make me giggle. They always look like they are laughing.
I think it is great that you have a favorite silo!! I do too! Except mine is in my backyard! Right now it is empty but I want to use it as a vegetable stand. We currently have a road side stand where we sell veggies in the summer. I think the silo would be so cool to set up shop. WE have a really cool barn as well. Oh, and my favorite color is BLUE! Thanks for a cute blog!
Ooh, the Gourmet Chef Seed Collection looks fantastic! Thanks for doing all this!
I love Botanical Interest seeds. I found them searching through organic, heiroom seeds on Amazon last year. Needless to say, I had a great garden. They have the best selection, an I agree with the packet art, it’s beautiful. I wonder if they will sell prints? I would choose the Cottage Garden collection, only because it reminds me of the Grandma’s Cut Flower seed pack. I order that one every year!
Hi Rebecca,No one said anything about blue dishes,I love blue willow,and french Twail.I always wanted to decorate my living room like that,but my mother decorated it for me in red twail.Its ok,but blue is really my favorite,so I have mixed it,and have blue in my bedroom.I love all of the same things the girls have mentioned,I miss the Blues brothers too,and I love blue Hydrangeas.Last spring we had a lot of rain here,and our local Orchiens Farm and home store sold all of there Hydrangeas regularly 15 dollors for a dollor,thinking they were all about to die,well,they lived,and I got greedy,and purchased about 16 of them,I shared with my friend Nancy,and as she was planting,she was curseing me,but,later they were wonderful.Blessed be,carol branum,lamar mo,themofarmersdaughter@blogspot.com
I live in California and my grand daughter lives in North Carolina, I would love to win the children garden seed collection and send it to her. I love gardening and I love her and want to share the love with her through gardening. What a great way to stay connected. We both share the same blue eyes so this seems only natural! Thank you for this oppurtunity
I would choose the Sweetheart collection because I would plant them for my husband, my sweetheart of over 30 years. He is the gardener in our family and maintains a large vegetable garden now that he’s retired. I’ve never gardened a thing but recently purchased a pair of gardening gloves to start learning this season, if it ever quits snowing here in western NC! I think I’ll start with a few pretty flowers and then move on to herbs. And someday I’d like to try raising chickens! This 63 year old city girl had better hurry 🙂
I love the cottage garden collection.
Just brought home four 4 year old "blue"berry bushes…course the ground is still frozen so they are waiting and watching in the greenhouse for a spring day.
The Bee Happy Seed Collection would be perfect…
Thanks for a great article about blue. I love blue, it’s my favorite color!
If I were to win a seed collection, I’d choose the Container Vegetable Seed Collection.
Hi Rebecca,oh,I forgot to tell ya, that the bee happy would be my choice,Oh Have you ever see a bird by the name of indigo bunting?blessed be,carol branum
I have not seen these seeds before, but looking at the packets, you are right, they are art! I would be tempted to slit the bottom of the packet very carefully and maybe frame 3 in a row! The cottage garden collection would have to be my choice, but so many sound wonderful. I visited the website and registered for their newsletter and if I don’t win I will be ordering – oh, I will probably order other seeds anyway!!Love your blog – although you have said it is harder to find a topic, you do a great job of being interesting and informative and we learn about you the person as well.
I love all shades of blue. I think I’d like the tomatoe collection. ( Of course I’d wouldn’t turn down ANY of them!!) Thanks for the post. (Can you do one on Yellow?) 🙂
Blue is definitely my favorite color! Yes, we have painted our bedroom blue in more than one house…peaceful and calming! Bluebells are one of my favorite spring flowers. They make a lovely bouquet with (white) Stars of Bethlehem.
Please add my name into the hat (or your blue mug!) for the "seeds contest". I’d be so happy to receive any although the Cottage Garden Collection sounds so homey to me. Keep blogging…you touch my heart so often!
Thank you for your uplifting Blog – you made my day! I just finished ordering seeds. I press flowers and have been looking for the Persian zinnia seed for 2 years!! After a series of snow storms you were able to get me out of the "blues" and in to thinking spring "blue skies"! Thank you!
I love my dad’s blue eyes too. He’s more fair-skinned. he looks like he’s from Denmark although he has a lot of whie in his hair now. My mom is of Spanish/Irish origin. I inherited my mom’s Castillian brown eyes…although my favorite blue is my dad’s. I always thought my dad’s eyes were unusual too. His are a colonial blue color. I don’t see people with those eyes very often. Yep, his blue eyes are my favorite. They are blue eyes and eyes of a loving father.
I would choose the cottage collection seeds as I love anything cottage looking!! We painted our small old house a beautiful color of blue last summer, my husbands truck is blue and my car is blue and silver. The inside of my house is cottage happy colors, but one room has blue flowered wallpaper, a patchwork blue quilt on the daybed, and a blue flowered rug. I may get that "blue feeling" sometimes, but sitting in this room with my ample fluffy cat, Daisy Mae, puts me in a happier mood. Love your musings, Rebekah, your life sounds very happy and peaceful!
I know what you mean when you say the "bluest eyes" like your dads. My brother has eyes like that. People are always asking him if he wears colored contacts and make me think of the water color in the Gulf on the brightest of days. My eyes are also "teal" and both my daughters inheritated them from me which i got them from my father. 🙂
I love the heirloom tomato collection. I am curretenly pouring over my seed catalogs for my garden and i think I will be getting my seeds from them this year! Love the organic and heirloom varieties; two words i look for! as always thank you for sharing your thoughts and dailylife with me. 🙂
Basic Bounty Vegetable Collection sounds so good… It makes me hungry for fresh veggies. I also have "teal" eyes. I never thought about why they were called "hazel." I am ready for spring to arrive. And looking at the seeds makes me wish for it sooner. Oh, I have a bedroom painted blue, and the color is called "Spring Waterfall." Doesn’t that sound pretty?
Thank you, Rebekah, for your lovely posts – I’m always so excited when a new one arrives! And thank you for introducing me to the Botanical Interests seeds. They ARE beautiful. I would choose the gourmet greens collection. Last year I had rows of spinach and lettuce and this year I want to jazz it up a bit!
My bluest favorite thing is my blue pansy faces when they "look at me" from the large planter on our front porch. I’m crazy about pansies, but the BLUE ones are the absolute best.
If I were to win the contest, I’d choose the Cottage Garden collection.
Thanks for an extremely thought-provoking and interesting blog.
I would like to win the Chefs herb garden collection. I am putting in an extra herb garden this year and this would be a great way to get me started. Love your blog!
You are so inspirational and a joy to read. I too hope to head to the county this year. Retirement time and a grandbaby to play with! The Chef’s Herb Collection would be a great beginning to a new garden. I can almost feel the warm dirt between my toes 😉
what great seed colletions! makes me really ready for spring. throwing my name in the hat, i’d love to try the Chef’s Herb Garden Collection. i’ve been taking cooking classes and would love to start my own herb garden.
and my favorite "blue" is the deep color of the sky right before it turns dark.
My daddy had twinkling blue eyes as well, alas mine are hazel- green and brown. I would like the be happy collection. We are looking into beekeeping this year.I think they would like their own garden. Don’t you?
HiRebecca,In 1995 I got to go to Texas with momma and her 3 sisters,all elderly,they wanted me to babysit auntie Evie,coz she had diabetes and said she was going blind,and poor me poor me,well,as soon as we left the Ok border,she was healed,,,screamin with delight,you would of thought Oral Roberts had just had his hands on her,The Texas Blue Bonnets were wonderful,and are in bloom April 1 through15th if I am correct.Have a great day,blessed be,carol branum,themofarmersdaughter@blogspot.com
Hi Rebekah,
My favorite blue is the bluest blue….of my 3 yr old granddaughter’s eyes..Allison. She has black hair, very white skin..like porcelin. Oh, and those long, black eyelashes…those little boys in preschool had better watch out! Hah! And she has the temper to match! She is the middle child, so maybe its a good thing she’s fiesty!
My eyes are blue, as are her daddy’s…but her’s are so much more.. I am a quiltmaker and one day I plan to make a blue & white quilt. Right now I’m finishing one that’s fall colors, tho. OH, I once had this dream in color -of our new house we’re planning to have built. It was all blue & white..with a seashore theme. It was stunning…the first time I recall ever having a dream in color! I’ve always lived in older run down houses, but now my fiance’ is retired we will be moving to Maine (from MA) soon..and the house we are planning will be styled after a farmhouse! But I think I’ll need to make sure I’ve at least one blue room.
I want to mention that I love your blog too…when I do get to read them..takes away some of my stresses!
So, thank you….O’Dell
I’d pick the Cottage Garden collection if I won as it’s the look that I try to go for in my garden along a winding walk and under an arbor to my front door.
My favorite color is blue. I find it soothing as I think about the ocean and its relaxing sounds. It reminds me of the sky too. I painted my living room blue years ago. Every other room has changed color at least once, but not the living room. I’ve thought about painting clouds on the ceiling. Have you ever heard of Blue Belle ice cream? It is the best.
Lovely writing!
Sorry to be so late in commenting. I just discovered this blog. I love it! This is especially special to me. My husband has the bluest eyes. And how I love blue bells and blue waters. I had a blue guest bathroom that is such a calm color. Your dog reminds me of one I had as a child. But he didn’t have the blue eye. Just brown.