March Days

As when all seasons change, the former season hangs on.  Though Spring doesn't officially begin until March 20,  she has been knocking at our door since February.  Winter doesn't give up easy.  Our daily walks are as varied as the weather.  Going from heavy winter gear to lighter sweaters and jackets tell us Spring is coming! 

Our Susan Branch calendar hangs on the side of our refrigerator in the kitchen.  March words are particularly beautiful and so meaningful. 

In the garden we have been busy doing our winter cleanup.  The last of the leaves that hang onto the oaks began falling as the new leaves push them away.  New life is emerging everywhere.

When our temperatures dropped to 17degrees and snow fell I knew that would be the end of those daffodils that are blooming.  

Have you noticed the change of sunbeams as they shine in your home?  I really have as the angles of the sun change heading toward Spring. 

The sun shining through our bedroom curtains caught my attention as well as the sun shining in the living room.

Change comes in subtle ways when Spring makes her entrance.

Another sign that Spring is coming is when the Eastern Bluebird visits us!  It was thrilling to have him stay long enough to take his photograph.  They are always on high alert and don't linger too long at the suet.  We have an old bluebird box on one of our trees, but sadly they have never found it suitable for nesting.  Some folks offer them meal worms, but we have not. 

What signs of Spring have you seen around your home?  Are the trees beginning to bud along with snowdrops or crocus or daffodils?  I know some of you are still snow covered, but Spring will come in all of its glory.  Look for her!

  

  

Springtime 2021

 

The change of seasons are always welcome to me.  I truly don't think I would enjoy living where the weather is constant.  It's so exciting to see the earth awakening, coming alive with green shoots of life.  In my garden the first flowers that make their entrance are daffodils.  Joy happens when I can go out my back door and cut a bouquet.

There will be different varieties of narcissus and jonquil that will bloom in the coming weeks.  For now it is a great time to top dress the perennial garden with our compost.  I love this black gold that we make.  Hopefully we will "feel" like doing it for years to come.  If you want to see how we compost you can go Here 

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”– Margaret Atwood

The glorious weather took us outside to sit on the patio.  Gazing at the first quarter moon, I decided to see if I could get a decent photo.  Much to my surprise a bird winged his way into my frame.  

I replaced the shamrock banner with one for Spring.  I printed this one on card stock years ago.  I'm not sure where it came from.  I'm thinking it was Ann Drake.  It used to hang on the mantel in the Florida Room, but this year I put it in the kitchen.

I'm beginning to place a few Easter decorations around.

Welcoming Spring is always happy for us as we celebrate the  birthday of our middle grandson.  Saying he is 18 gives this grandmother pause.  It seems like yesterday I went to be with his parents as they welcomed their first child home.  

 

For his grandparents, we are grateful to have such a sweet, kind, smart young man in our family.  His senior year in high school is virtual.  The same is true for his brother as well as his cousin in college.  My goodness how this pandemic has affected the children of the world. 

 “That is one good thing about this world…there are always sure to be more springs.”– L.M. Montgomery

I do hope you share your Spring as she knocks at your door.  

Spring Flowers

How is everyone doing during this crisis?  It's a strange time in our world these days, but we all must be diligent with social distancing and staying home.  I pray you and your families are doing well.  I must admit to missing my family in person.  We have not hugged since January!  Still, we are making the best of our days.  I'm a homebody when not traveling so staying home is no problem for me.  It's the not visiting family that is really getting to me.  I'm sure it's the same for most of you.

Spring is so lovely this year.  I'm so thankful to have such lovely trees and shrubs to view right in my own garden.

The dogwoods are spectacular this year.  They brighten any mood I'm feeling while missing my family.

"After all, I don't see why I am always asking for private, individual, selfish miracles when every year there are miracles like white dogwood."  Anne Morrow Lindbergh

The bridal wreath spirea is blooming on the side of our home.  I love this shrub as it once was growing at my childhood home.

The Nellie Moser clematis is showing off at the mailbox this year.

Flowers make me happy!  

Grayden picks me wildflowers when we are out for our walks!  These buttercups fit perfectly in my Mama's miniature vase.

Helebores were picked and placed on the dining table.

"Perhaps, after all, our best thoughts come when we are alone.  It is good to listen, not to voices but to the wind blowing, to the brook running cool over polished stones, to bees drowsy with the weight of pollen.  If we attend to the music of the earth, we reach serenity.  And then, in some unexplained way , we share it with others. "

Gladys Taber

I hope you are finding peace and comfort during these days.

Springtime Blossoms

Every Spring the world around our home blossoms.  I've shown photos of our garden for the five years I've been blogging.  If you don't mind I'll share what it's looking like around here now.  I can't help it, I love gardening and Spring!

The dogwoods have been lovely this year, but such a short time in the sun!  It's been so warm they are now waning.

"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

The daffodils are over their blooms and then the narcissus and grape hyacinths were blooming.

The bleeding heart comes back to our delight every Spring, usually around Easter.  

The wood violets that I planted last year are blooming so pretty this year.  I know some consider them a weed, but to me they are lovely.

Not everything is all flowers and blooms around our home.  Last week on Monday morning during the wee hours we experienced a very ferocious storm.  The above photo is taken from our compost area showing the hickory tree that fell during the storm.  We were so lucky that we only lost our tree!  Our children's old swing frame saved our fence.  The tree is gone now and I'm sure we will miss it.  It's always sad to lose a tree! 

The perennial bed is alive with color.  Veronica speedwell is filling in nicely.  It's a joy to watch old faithfuls return. 

The nodding columbine is beginning to blossom.  Their sweet shy heads are purple and red in my garden.  The red are having a slower start.

The pulmonaria continues to reseed itself all over the garden.

The pink azaleas out front are full of blooms. 

The white ones out back have a larger bloom and are quite lovely.

The pirate bluejays are frequent visitors the last few days!  Grayden's family owned a darling set of books, Book Trails for Baby Feet, that has a sweet story about the pirate bluejay.  Very appropriate for these characters!  Our daughter now has that set in her home as she loved these books.

It's a wonderful time of year watching the earth come alive again! 

Waiting for Spring

This year more than ever, I've anxiously awaited for Spring to arrive.  Even though it's not been a particularly bad winter, I'm ready to play in the garden.  

For the first time ever, we have a pair of bluebirds in our garden.  It's such a happy sight to see them flitting about eating and preparing to build a home together!  

Here is the couple taking turns at the suet feeder.

It's quite surprising to see them up so close to our home.

Inside I've added a shamrock banner to the kitchen window.

I've never had a pot of shamrocks.  My new blog friend Teresa has the most lovely ones in green and purple.  We looked all over for them and now they are everywhere.  I understand they make great houseplants, so we'll see.

This is my first time making Irish Soda bread in my Mama's cast iron pan.  It was yummy with tea.  I used This recipe made with raisins as my family is not a fan of caraway seeds.

The side garden was freshened up with the mulched oak tree chips that was removed last year.  We've had several bouquets of daffodils that always say Spring to me.

The hellebores are blooming quite profusely in our beds.  Their sweet little nodding heads remind me that Spring is coming even on the last of cold winter days.

Another reminder that Spring is coming is when I can hang the sheets outside.  When we had a tree removed last year, I lost my clothesline.  No fancy line here, just clothesline strung between two trees.  It makes me happy to hang our linens outside!  Today is so windy I had to use extra clothespins.

We are excited to have our daughter come on the train tomorrow for a visit.  We'll also be celebrating our grandson's fifteenth birthday.  Sending you happy days my friends. ♥

Happy Things

♫ Music ♫

Spring seems to have come a little early to our neck of the woods.  It's so wonderful to have the warmer temperatures, even if they are a little too warm for late winter.  Sunshine always brings joy and happiness as we look into the garden and see the daffodils beginning to bloom!

The hellebore's are blooming!

The pansies that were planted in the fall, love the advent of spring.

We are in the mist of a little renovation between our kitchen and dining room.  My kitchen is small and I've always dreamed of removing the wall between these two rooms.  We have hardwood floors and we didn't want to disturb them.  So we decided to remove a half wall instead ..all the way to the ceiling!  This has opened up the whole area and makes me feel like I have a larger kitchen!  It is not one inch larger, but gives the eye more room to roam!  Grayden is doing the work, taking his time being very careful as he removes each piece involved.   Next we are ordering a quartz top for the half wall.  I'll let you have a little peek at the progress thus far.  I will show you when it's finished.

Dining room sheet rock removal

  

Studs exposed

Kitchen view

It's not easy for me to have such a mess in our home.  My daughter asked me how I was doing with it all.  I told her I was doing okay.  It is quite dusty and messy and the vacuum has been used more than ever.  The whole house will be painted after this project is complete.  How do you do when there are renovations taking place in your home?  

I also was the winner of a wonderful apron from Susan.  She has a wonderful blog about her baking adventures inspired by her mother.  Please visit her at http://mymothersapronstrings.blogspot.com/2016/03/in-honor-of-mrs-pattmore-crumpets.html  Susan also specializes in stamping and paper crafting realistic paper flowers.

 Susan has made over 135 aprons that she gifts to her readers!  I am the lucky recipient of two of her beautiful creations.  Thank you, dear Susan for the joy you send out to the world!