Tulips, Lilacs and Wine

This Spring has been different.  Eighty degrees one day fifty the next.  The good thing has been that the warmth that makes the flowers bloom is tempered by the cool temperatures that keep the blossoms fresh longer.  These tulips were slow to pop, but I've enjoyed them for days.

 Same with the lilacs.  The warmth makes them bloom and sends the fragrance wafting through the air.

 This is week three enjoying the blooms because of the cool temps.

 The back view of my arbor.  We still haven't replaced this leaning plastic one, but in spring even the leaning arbor looks quaint and lovely.

 This is the bacopa basket I bought from our club's sale.  It got on the list because it's one of my favorites with tiny white flowers all summer.

 I love white in the garden, and pinks, and blues, yellows even orange marigolds!

While I was working the sale on Saturday, my sweetheart was buying me this bottle tree.  We are not drinkers, so it might take a while to fill this, but I love when the sunlight hits the colored bottles.  That's the place where the pond used to be, all filled in ready for planting.  That's my job this week!

Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comments.  Enjoy this beautiful day!

Forget Me Not/Weekend Update

They popped up again, as if to say, forget me not.  As it was Mother's Day on Sunday, I cannot forget to mention my Mother.  I had her for just 30 of my years, and have spent 30 years without her.  I miss her more today than I did back then, not fully appreciating what life without her would be. Mother's Day is always bittersweet for me. Miss you Mom.

This weekend was our annual plant sale for our club.  We work with a local supplier and take orders for a month with pick up the Saturday before Mother's Day.  We sold over 100 hanging baskets and 300 geraniums and impatiens.  We unloaded the truck on Friday.  The temperature was in the 80's and we were sweating as we sorted.  We had two men helping, one little and one big and sweet Judy and myself to take off 5 carts of plants.  My hands are still sore from grabbing all those large brown paper covered hanging baskets/

 The flowers are always so beautiful...we had so many varieties from begonias and bacopa, fuchsia and lantana and the unpronounceable calibrachio...we finally started calling it cowabunga!

 These were all individual plants lining the driveway...My hardworking and oh so wonderful guild sisters.

 Red was a popular color for geraniums.

This is Jane, she organized all our orders, what a help that was. We were setting up at 8am and done by 11! My guild sisters got the job done and a nice profit for our club, which in turn supports all of our service projects.  I am so happy when these events are over!

My Mother's day included a visit to the cemetery, making a large pot of chicken soup, a crock pot of turkey meatballs, and visits from all the kids, including a face time with Mike and Amanda.  Our Sweet p. jumped into my arms and hugged me for a long time when they came to call.  Kris and Doug were happy to have a couple of quiet moments while Grandpa and I played, danced, swung and pretended with our sunshine girl!
Penny even convinced Grandpa that she would stay on the deck since the yard was so muddy.  When I looked out and saw them both on the grass with Penny running around the yard, just made my heart swell with love for them both!  This little one is like a deer, she needs to run, in fact as they were leaving Penny ran a few laps around the tree out front, and we had to catch her to put her into the car.  So much fun...and the goodbye hugs and kisses... ( Penny wanted to stay, but when I told her that I had packed up some soup for home she was finally convinced)  Kris sent me a text from the car, Penny said, "I love Grandma, she's the best."
Thank you Kris, Doug, Penny, Jon Jon and Charlotte, Mike and Amanda for making me feel so loved.  My sweetheart too...  I started the day with him saying, thanks for being the mother of my children!  Sigh... Happy Mother's Day to all!

Enjoy this beautiful day.

Walking Into A Fairytale...

 A visit to a friend's home was like walking into a fairytale.  

Robin's trees were drenched in blossoms.  The sweetest pinks and whites.

 They covered the trees like snow.

 I just couldn't stop admiring their beauty...  At times like these I think, How Great Thou Art.

 We've done a little here and there.  My pal Dawn at The Feathered Nest always has ferns on her porch, and they look so good.  The one year I tried it, it looked fresh all summer.  Home Depot had these for just $8.  I brought it home and hung it up.  Just didn't look good in the plastic pot and hanger it came in.  Then I remembered this gift from my dear pals Jean and Tom. The best part about getting a summer gift in the winter is discovering it again.  So cute and colorful, this cover even has a drain on the bottom.  I love the way the entrance to our home looks with this fresh and lively addition.

 I saw a sign for .49 cent geraniums.  We had to stop.  For $6 I got 12 plants.  Violet, Pink and White.  I've got time, all summer in fact to watch them grow.  With two baskets I purchased from our plant sale for our club, I think things will be looking pretty good for summertime.

Yes there is digging going on.  I stated filling the hole where the pond used to be with the contents of every pot and planter I had hanging around the yard.  I had dozens, most I hadn't planted in years.  When I ran out of pots, we bought bags and bags of soil.  It was the easiest way to get all that soil out back.  Now, we are ready for some planting.  I am using just plants we already have that need dividing anyway.  I'll document our progress...it might be slow but very satisfying to do it ourselves..  

 The fountain is running again.  The sound of running water in the garden is so soothing.

 We had our first dinner with Al Fresco. :-) After hauling bag after bag of dirt, enjoying dinner outside on a beautiful evening was a just reward.

The lilacs smell divine!

My above mentioned pal Robin happens to be an amazing quilter.  On a recent visit she saw the beginnings of this apron I'm making for Kristen for Mother's Day.  With a 2 minute explanation, she taught me a brand new way to bind.  Remember when I made my apron, it took me 4 hours to hand sewing the binding...well with this method, Robin said I would be done in 37 minutes...and she was right.  It looks so good and went on so fast.  Thank you my friend.  Next apron I'll post how to do it.  It's worth sharing.

 I even learned to make pockets.  I've been sewing for almost 50 years and never made an inseam pocket!

I'm so excited to give this to my dearest most favorite Mom, the mother of my babygrand!  

I am so looking forward to this weekend, being outside with friends and a visit from the kids. 

 Happy Mother's Day to all. 

Thank you so very much for stopping by and for your kind comments.  Enjoy this beautiful day.

Raindrops on Tulips...

 and lilacs

 and hosta

 and pansies

 wet little faces

 the phantom of the garden...

 raindrops on the bleeding hearts

 Queen Anne's Lace

 more hosta

 and roses

 and tulips and

 Mr. and Mrs. Mallard across the street.

Enjoy this beautiful rainy day.

A May Weekend

 A beautiful weekend weather wise, with happy visits and events.  

 May is bursting everywhere you look.  Seems we waited so very long for Spring. 

 Mother Nature is giving us all she's got.  

 Trees that were bare last week are sporting little green leaves.

 My WIP is this sea and sand  shawl.  A few more rounds and off to 

someone in need of comfort and warmth.

 The highlight of the weekend was seeing my dear niece in a performance of  Willy Wonka.  She is at the far left, and played Charlie, the boy who finds the golden ticket.  I should not have been surprised, but our girl has a beautiful voice.  It was emotional for me to see my niece so poised and confident on stage.  She will graduate from grade school this June, but was once one of my babies.  Another of my nieces will graduate from college as an architect, oh my.  I am so very proud of all our girls.

Climbing Mt. Crumpet

All of the little cousins were able to attend the play.  That was so much fun for them.  They admire the big cousins so much, and Em's performance will only add to the admiration.  We had our babygrand after the performance.  I needed to deliver a gift to a dear friend who was celebrating a birthday.  Penny came along and walked up to the door of my friend's house.  Almost as soon as my friend opened her door, Penny walked into her home and asked, "Where's the cake?" We were delivering a birthday gift, surely there would be cake ;-) I'm still laughing at that one. She is so smart and quick and won't be three for several weeks. Can you believe, THREE?  What a character!

Driving her home on Sunday, Penny fell asleep.  This is how she sleeps in the car seat, legs crossed just chillin' out.  Oh my goodness the love I feel for this girl!

I am a itchy eyed sneezy grandma.  Never one to have problems in the spring, this is something new....

At sixty?  Really?  Anyway, with work to be done in the garden, and a aversion to allergy meds, this will make my gardening interesting...  

Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind comments.  Enjoy this beautiful day.