Catching Up With Spring

Hello, Dear Friends, I know it has been a while 

since I've come to visit you, but I hope 

that you will forgive me for neglecting you so. 

I've been so busy. 

The seasons have changed 

and I suddenly realized that I had 

so much to do before it all got away from me.......

I've spent every sunny, free day tidying up outdoors. 

Winter leaves behind its purges, and although 

my little patch of ground is an ode to the beauty 

of nature, Ramblin' Man and I must work tirelessly 

to keep it all from reverting completely 

back to the wild. 

It only takes a season. 

In the process, we find sweet reason.......

We must have hauled at least a dozen 8x10 tarps

full of fallen branches and debris, plant clippings and 

garden tidying down to the gully 'down back'. 

We swept cobwebs, walkways and screens, 

untangled old vines, raked gardens and lawns and pathways, 

 and repaired gates, re-painted doorways and floors,
and spring-cleaned the whole house.

We have 5 acres of forested land, with approximately 1 acre

'cleared', and a long, winding drive that constantly needs 

trimming to keep the forest from closing in, 

with an entry garden outside the main gate that needed some love. 

There was a time when we actually thought we could 

tame this wild place, but nature would always reassert herself, 

sometimes quite aggressively, (bind-weed, blackberry, creeping buttercup)

 and the tender plantings that I would bring home from the nursery would 

soon give up. A few very hardy, old-fashioned cultivars would survive, 

and even thrive, so I have limited myself to staying 

with the tried and true....... 

Although, even they have become almost as wild
and unruly as the natives themselves, 

but the scent of sweet box and viburnum, and the bright blooms 

of forsythia and camellia, daffodil and wild plum, 

make up for any shortfall and deprivation I might feel. 

So I focus all of my flowery ambitions into planters 

and window-boxes where I can enjoy them 

from inside and out. 

I managed to fit in a trip to a flea-market

and found this funky funnel, which Ramblin' Man 

turned into a planter for me :)

My pansy obsession continues. 

I love this little moss planter that I found at the garden shop. 

It really is crying out for ivy, but I popped in some pansies for now. 

The big pot on the stand holds mint. I have two 

big pots of mint (spearmint and orange mint)

 for summer salads and tea. 

The stands keep them safe from slugs and dogs. 

Nobody wants to slurp tea made with slug slime and dog drool :)
^         ^
-      -

>o<

U

On the ground, below the deck, I grow culinary herbs 

in half-barrels. My oregano, that I have had for 

nearly 20 years, died this winter because of all the snow. 

I feel sad about that, but I will find another 

to carry on the legacy :)

Do you grow herbs? Do you have some favorites?

We've also been busy restoring this sweet little 

table and chair set for my four little grandchildren.  My dear parent's made 

this charming set for my own four little ones, many years ago. 

We had pulled it out of storage and set it inside 

an open metal shed, temporarily, until 

I found time to bring it inside and clean it up. 

In the short time it was in there, (2 weeks) a squirrel 

had decided that it was the perfect thing 

to gnaw on, and Ramblin' man had to replace 

the seats and seat-backs with their darling 

heart cut-outs. 

Then I had to patch the screw holes and try to match 

the paint to the 30 year old original. I hand-tinted 

chalk paint - using white to lighten similar hues. 

It took quite a while, as I wanted to save as much of the original 

design as possible, taking care to keep the sweet details. 

I had so many sentimental and bittersweet thoughts.....

of my own children when they were young,
and how quickly time goes by, 

and of my dear parents, whom I knew 

were looking down and shining their 

light and love on us as we worked. 

I had to re-paint the table-top, but 

the kissing rabbit base was 

still in good condition, so I left it as it was. 

Ramblin' Man then sprayed it all with two coats of 

clear urethane to protect it from little spills 

and smudges. 

I am so pleased with how it turned out, 

and it is the perfect decoration for Easter. 

It has already been put to service, as I had 

the whole family over for Ramblin' Man's 

birthday, recently. 

The tulips were a hostess gift from my dear eldest daughter. 

xx

 Check out the amazing appetizer tray my youngest daughter 

brought to share. 

I made two huge pans of Chicken Pot Pie

and 2 dozen Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes,

(Ramblin' Man's favorites) 

and there was nary a crumb left behind. 

The family just keeps on growing. 

My home gets smaller and smaller, 

but it gets filled to the brim with love and laughter
and a few little squabbles over toys.
Brings back memories......

xxoo

Both of my son's are wine connoisseur's, 

so we always have something special to 

wash it all down with. 

My collection of vintage etched glasses 

get put to good use. 

April showers bring May flowers and so I've 

been inside more than not, the last 2 weeks. 

I have a couple of sweet little projects 

that I've completed while stuck inside, which I will show 

you next time, and I promise I won't be so long 

in staying away. 

I also need to take you on one of my country drives 

soon, as the country-side is bursting with signs of spring. 

Thank you for stopping by for a little spring 'catch-up' 

dear friends. 

I always enjoy your company. 

xoxo

"Why should we need extra time in which to enjoy
ourselves? If we expect to enjoy our life, we will
have to learn to be joyful in all of it, not just at
stated intervals when we can get time or when we
have nothing else to do."

- Laura Ingalls Wilder -

"How many times have you noticed that it's
the little quiet moments in the midst of life
that seem to give the rest extra-special meaning?"

- Fred Rogers -