On Hold

♫ Music ♫

Since beginning our painting in our home I feel like my regular life is on hold.  Whatever that is!  I guess I live in a dream world thinking having our home painted by painters would be easy.  Yes, I am very happy that I am not the one on the floor or up a ladder with a paint brush.  It's been disruptive to our regular life.  The painters come to the door at 7:30 am and stay until 3:30 pm.  While they are here we are trying to get curtains washed, pictures rehung and rooms put back in order. Since the kitchen is involved meals have taken on a new look.  We have eaten out more than I care to.  In other words, I'm ready to have this finished!

Everything in all of the china cabinets have gotten a bath.

On top of this job, Grayden became sick.  This man is never ill.  Yes, we are so blessed with good health.  Thank you, God.   He's had several doctor appointments and is doing much better.

  

We've had problems with a couple of the colors that I had chosen.  I'll share more of that later when I show how everything is like we want. Hopefully!

“The best way out is always through.” 

― Robert Frost 

Meanwhile outside in the garden the season is progressing into warmer days.  The flowers would certainly love a drink of water from the heavens.  Our rain totals are quite shy as we begin to have warmer days.  I typically don't do a lot of supplemental watering.  I may have to reconsider that this year if we don't get some rain.

  

The red and white azaleas are blooming quite nicely now.  It's so nice to look out the window and see their blossoms.

Viburnum

The Columbine Aguilegia are blooming.
 

Lily of the Valley, Convallaria majalis, is blooming and providing a lovely fragrance to the garden.

The Bridalwreath spirea  is blooming as well.  This shrub came from my childhood home and is special to have in our garden.  My Mama planted this shrub when I was a little girl.

The peonies are starting to bud.

This volunteer Honesty money plant decided to grow in an old strawberry pot.

The Painted ferns are now fully out of their winter sleep.


"Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience."  Ralph Waldo Emerson


My garden continues to bring me great joy!  I hope your garden is awakening and bringing joy to your life. ♥

Beauty Amidst the Painting of Our Home

♫ Cardinal Birdsong ♫

As I've mentioned we are having our home painted inside and out.  We hired wonderful painters that are doing a great job.  All this being said, we still are working quite hard at doing all the prep that needs to be done with our possessions.  All pictures, mirrors, china and drapery has to be taken down and stored where they are not painting. I'm washing the curtains and hanging them on the line to catch the breeze and the sunshine.  They smell amazing off the line!  I consider myself to be a pretty good housekeeper, but do you know how much dust can lurk behind furniture and pictures?  Whew, what a big job!  Painting really can be an eye opener!  I know why we don't do this as often as we should!

Meanwhile the garden is keeping me centered.  Even with our awful freeze, we have lovely blooms left on our dogwoods.

Our resident cardinals always brighten our days.  How could you not get a thrill when you see their beauty!  The dogwood is the state tree of Virginia and the cardinal is our state bird.

The winds have been blowing and the cardinal was dancing up and down on the limb.

 He finally decided it was time to move on.

The garden flag features some of my favorite friends.

Ajuga reptans

Pretty soon I'll be busy potting up some annuals for the patio.  I can hardly wait.  My potting shed will be getting a paint job as well.  You can see it needs it!

Meanwhile the bunny and I are waiting for warm days ahead spent in our garden.

Spring Glory

♫ Music ♫

Isn't Spring the most glorious time in the garden?  She has come to Virginia and I couldn't be happier!  Late winter was unseasonably warm for us and the perennials started to emerge quite early.  But nature can fool us this time of year.  Those of you in the northern climes are experiencing late snow storms.  We are expecting freezing temperatures the next two evenings.  Knowing this information,  I wanted to take some Spring photos before the fleeting blossoms disappear for another year.

Camellia Japonica

The Camellia is blooming so well this year.  Usually the squirrels have eaten most of the buds before they were able to bloom.  I caught a little rascal chewing a bud a few weeks ago and Grayden suggested that I put cayenne pepper around the shrub.  It worked to keep the squirrels away.  I've used this method in pots with freshly planted flowers and it keeps them from digging.  It does not harm them, but they don't really like spicy cayenne pepper.

Bleeding Heart  Lamprocapnos spectabilis 

The Spring came suddenly, bursting upon the world as a child bursts into a room, with a laugh and a shout and hands full of flowers.

Longfellow

Creeping Speedwell Veronica Repens

Helleborus orientalis

Of course the freeze will not kill the plants, but it will affect the tender blooms.  Not the Hellebores as it loves the cool temperatures as well as the Camellia.

Pulmonaria officinalis

Azaleas

The variegated Hosta are growing quite rapidly now.

Hosta

Narcissus

Narcissus

The pink azaleas are in full bloom across the front of our home.

Dogwood Blossom

Wisteria

We put a new piece in our garden this year.  It shows how much wind we have been experiencing recently.

Just living is not enough

One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.

Hans Christian Andersen

Renovation Progress

Yesterday was a happy day for us!  We have finished our part of the little change we have made to our home.  My little kitchen has served me well for 43 years.  When we first built our home all those years ago, we were thrilled with our little home.  Our kitchen was much larger than the one we moved from.  We had an antique round table that belonged to my great-grandparents in this new little kitchen.  All four of us ate most of our meals in this kitchen.  When I think of that now, I'm amazed.  After many years passed we moved that table and chairs out of the kitchen and put another cabinet and another storage piece.  So my little kitchen has transitioned through the years.

  

We began this project the week after we returned from Williamsburg in February.  Grayden did all of this work himself.  He is not a carpenter, but can really do everything.  I am married to a very talented man.

We had a quartz counter-top installed by a professional.  I am very pleased with the look.

This has opened up my little kitchen so much!  I'm already enjoying it quite a bit.

I'm showing you these photos way before I should. I have taken down my Emma Bridgewater mugs and a lot of the decor that I love in my kitchen.   The painters now need to come and paint.  I will show you when that is done.  I will now just enjoy my new little kitchen.