Stan & Joyce Orchard

The Last Full Moon Of 2024

About an hour before sunrise this morning, this was the sight behind our barn when I walked out on the porch to get firewood. The start of a beautiful day? The calm before the storm? A harbinger of a better year ahead? Who knows? We hope for the best.

Circle Of Life

When these three guys were kids they spent many days growing up on The Orchard Compound. After graduation they all left the area. But now they’ve returned and all three are caring for aging parents. Very proud of them. Gives me a glimmer of hope for the future.

That Sweater

In 2008, I joined Twitter. Looking at some old posts this morning and found this one from Tacoma in the late 70s. When she wore that sweater I was putty in her hands. Actually, it didn’t matter what she wore.

Year-Round Hummers

We've lived in Hobart the better part of 40 years. Feeding hummingbirds has been part of our life since the beginning. But starting a few years ago we noticed they never leave. They used to disappear in the fall then return in the spring. Now they're here all the...

What Will Amaze Her?

Been think about the robotics announcements this week. I'm still amazed by it all. But the little girl in this picture, our youngest grandchild who's five now, what will amaze her when she's our age? That is something I can't even imagine. What a time to be alive.

Last Of The Peppers

A good year for sweet bell peppers on The Orchard Compound. They aren't the biggest, but they are tasty.

Tiger Lily Time

A few years ago this plant was thrown into plastic bag then into a pot. It has since tripled in size, the latest bloom down low. While the tops of both big stems are filled with blooms, this lowest one is WAY more fragrant. Just amazing. Wish we could bottle it.