Easter Sunday

It's Easter Sunday and our flowers are blooming (well some of them are) and these Yellow Raninculus are just splendid.

"In fairy tales frogs are apt to change into princes and it was an Asian prince in just such a story who gave his name to this flower, which grows naturally in swampy ground. The prince was so good-looking that he was loved by everyone. He also had a beautiful voice but this was his undoing. He loved the open country and sang delightful songs in the presence of nymphs. He did not have the courage to declare his love to them and this haunted him so much that he died. After his death he was changed into the flower with delicate tissuey petals which bears his name."

Not to be out done the Tulips are also blooming like this yellow and red tulip ...


... and the white and red tulip. They were once so prized and rare in the middle ages a single bulb sold for the equivalent of £4million pounds a bulb!


We didn't just hang around home for Easter and we went into Eugene for lunch. Isaac drove while I took some shots out of the window and Sharyn relaxed in the back seat. I tried this url but it's no good. Too bad looks like a good idea. I did find a horse named Rockin Hoss with a pedigree that includes the great War Admiral and Native Dancer. Too cool what you can find on the net.


We went to brunch at a place Isaac had been and we had not. Their plantings and exterior was very nice...


... and their very old rail car was great. The Restaurant was...

... The Oregon Electric Station and we were there for their brunch.

Isaac and Sharyn had already gone inside while I was taking pictures but I caught up just as they were being seated.


We were seated in one of the rail car rooms that was very cozy and relaxing.


The ambiance was very elegant and simple.


After a great buffet brunch we walked out happy as clams in Monterey Bay.


Isaac and Sharyn noticed the emblems on the street lights. This one is of Eugene Skinner and is how the city of Eugene got it's name. The other symbol is ...


... an image of a tree at sunset with the word Eugene.


You can see the street lights in this shot looking back toward The Electric Station.


Next Isaac took us on a tour of some of his haunts around Eugene like the Green Store...


... and Paul's Bicycle Way of Life that once offered a pound of tofu with the purchase of a new Bicycle tire.


We then went through the old "hippie" part of town now being regentrified.


I'm not sure the rickshaw is part of the regentrification effort but it's rather cool.


There are some really nice places for those who like Natural food like the Red Barn.


Eugene is a very "Green" city with plenty of people who do make bicycling a way of life or at least a way of transportation.


One place I'd like to eat soon is La Perla and Italian pizzeria in Eugene.


This huge crane is one of two sticking up from the "big hole" that will one day become an U of Oregon sports palace thanks to Bill Knight (Nike).


We also decided to see what was blooming at Hendricks park.


There were several Helleborus plants going full blast.


Someone had left this bloom on a rock ...

... and I'm not sure what this is laying on another rock in the park.


I got this white Rhodie in full bloom...


... And this red Rhododendron just starting to bloom.




I really like these small star shaped blue and white flowers but I'm not sure what they are.


I do know this is a purple Rhododendron fully open...


... and this is a purple one just beginning to open...


and a white ...


... and this is a red

Another mystery flower (at least to me) lovely, delicate and blue.


Another very different star shaped flower that dips it's bloom.



I call these yellow pom poms and they are really different.


I like this shot of a flower just waiting to open.


Very tiny bells in white...


... followed by tiny curled white flowers.

We then drove to Mt Pisguah to look for Camas flowers which were not fully out but we did find some Vinca major (commonly known as Large Periwinkle, Greater Periwinkle or Blue Periwinkle), is a flowering plant native to southern Europe and one we have at home.

(photo by Isaac Viel)

Before we left Isaac got a picture of me at a gate to a very muddy road. I had parked in front of the gate not noticing a sign on that gat that reads,"Do Not Block Gate - Fire Road." Oops!!

Scrabble Score - In the last 3 nights we did play and it's 1 game for the Scrabble Queen - 2 games for the Contender.

Quote of the Day ~

"I'm a little hoarse tonight. I've been living in Chicago for the past two months, and you know how it is, yelling for help on the way home every night. Things are so tough in Chicago that at Easter time, for bunnies the little kids use porcupines." ~ Fred Allen (American Comedian, 1894-1956)