Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Spring Things and Strange Things

I'm on a mission today to share a bit of southern Springtime with all of you who may be fed up with old man winter.

As our temperatures have started to rise the pansies on my patio have responded favorably.  A week or two ago there were no flowers to be found.  Now with a little bit of liquid fertilizer and alternating rain and sun, they are putting on quite a colorful show.  I have them planted with Swiss Chard which is also making a great comeback after sitting idly all winter.  I'll be adding a few leaves to my vegetable soup this evening.

The first of the flowering trees came into bloom this week.  I think this is a flowering cherry of some sort.  So pretty when in bloom, but the blooms usually come and go in the course of a week.
Look quick or they'll be gone until next year.  Fleeting beauty... like so many of the spring flowers.

Some of the daffodils are nearing the end.
Others are just beginning to put on their show.
My knock out roses are in the center of the photo under the hummingbird feeder.  A couple weeks ago I pruned and fed them.  Can't wait until they come into bloom.

Last fall I planted one of those mixed bags of bulbs here (purple and pink hyacinth and some grape hyacinths).  I wanted to get down there and take some close-ups for you.  That plan got scrapped when it started raining.  Instead you get a cropped landscape shot.  To the left and behind the bulbs you can see little green buds on the Endless Summer Hydrangeas. 


At this time of year, I'm itchin' to be outside playing in the dirt.
I've planted some lettuce, kale, cilantro, radishes and peas in my raised bed.  
Inside I have some more seeds started just waiting to get big enough to be transplanted outside and . . .

 
the Meyer Lemon Tree looks longingly out the window hoping to make a permanent home on the patio soon.
She spent the winter right in front of this sunny window.  Outside of losing about half of her leaves (to be expected) she is doing well.  Can't wait to pick my first lemon.

Adding a touch of Springtime to the front porch.

 
A simple forsythia wreath for the front door.
This one came from Michael's (40% off sale).  
I guess that concludes Spring Things for today.  If old man winter doesn't hit the road soon, I'll see what else I can come up with to send your way.  We'll force him out one way or another ;-).

Now, about those strange things...

Imagine the following scenario:

You fix an impromptu dinner for guests.  In my case it was my grown son and his girlfriend. (not really guests, but sort of :).  That dinner just happens to be chili in the crock pot.  You're feeling good that you had all of the ingredients on short notice and it tasted really good to boot.  There is one serving left.  Not enough to offer son to take home (a blessing in disguise).
A few days later you are happy to heat that one serving for your own lunch.  Especially happy because you've been babysitting your grandchild all week and cooking time has been scarce.  While he is napping you are happily enjoying your bowl of chili until you discover something a bit... well... hard to chew in your mouth.  Thinking it seems a bit big for gristle you discreetly extract...

   
~ Exhibit A ~

A rubber grommet?
In my chili?
I have no earthly idea how that got in there.
Could it have been in the can of beans, the tomatoes, the tomato sauce??
All I do know is that I'm thankful it was me who (almost) ate it.
I'm also thankful I didn't send the leftovers home with my guests.  I'd hate to have to try and explain that one.




15 comments:

  1. It's nice to see all the beautiful spring blossoms in your gardens, Kim. As you said, they are fleeting and need to be enjoyed for their short life. I appreciate you sharing the photos as we await the next snow storm coming tomorrow (and I think I saw 2 more on the weekend!!). We are buried and will be buried even more. We'll just appreciate our spring even more when it does come. Finding something strange in one's food is not pleasant even at home. That is really strange too. I remember we were at a fast food restaurant in the US one time and I got a salad. Half way through it I found this dark blue piece of rubber in it. It was about 5 inches by 1 inch, like an elastic or something. I took it to the counter and they said they had no idea how it got in there as the salad is pre-packaged and they offered me another one. Well, I was pretty full at that point so declined the offer but they didn't offer me a free meal either! Not impressed! lol I wonder where the grommet came from? Glad you didn't break a tooth! That would be my luck.

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  2. Oh my gosh! I'm choking just thinking about foreign objects in food. I once came across something that looked like a tube in some chili. Yuck!!!

    Now on to something not so gaggy.... It's looking very springy at your house. Look at your green grass!! It's been a beautiful spring here so far but we are so severely in drought that it's really worrisome. Praying for rain.

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  3. Beautiful spring shots! I know the blooms are coming!
    LOL about the chili. My hubby always gets the bit of bone, or eggshell, or cherry pit around here.

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  4. I'm just glad you didn't choke on it! OH MY! Lovely photos of the pretty Spring blooms! Enjoy your day sweet friend! (I know it's snowing in some parts of NC today...hope you're weather is nice!)

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  5. Now that is weird! Glad that it didn't break a tooth or get swallowed.

    Thank you for all the peeks at spring...your flowers and flowering trees...keep it coming!

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  6. That certainly is strange!!!
    Thanks for those spring pictures. Nice to know it really is going to get here one day. : )

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  7. That IS an odd occurrence. Yikes. Strange objects in one's food isn't pleasant. Your spring looks to be about the same status as ours. Little leaves on the hydrangeas, ornamental cherries in bloom and hyacinths. Soon, though, you'll be much warmer than we will. Sigh. It rarely gets warm enough here for me. Lovely signs of spring.

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  8. Oh my, that is a strange. Good thing you were the one to find it, though.
    It's definitely spring in your part of the country! Looks so wonderful.

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  9. Enjoyed this spring post so so much. Actually closed the blinds so I didn't have to look at the snow we are getting today. Can't get away from hearing the high winds though... Expecting lots and lots of snow....sigh
    Oh my, glad you didn't break a tooth on that grommet!
    Take care
    Jeannette

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  10. Thank you for your lovely Spring photos. Oh, yes, the Spring flowers don't last as long as they would be welcomed for....too fleeting, indeed...but lovely all the same. And I just love the way hyacinths smell!

    Have a blessed day,
    Marianne

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  11. Ohhh I am SO enjoying getting to see Spring around North America via blogdom. I agree, the flowering trees sure don't last long. If they last a week it is rare, usually rain or snow takes the bloom away. But standing in a shower of the wind tossed blossoms is an awesome thing!

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  12. It's looking mighty springlike over there!

    What a surprise...to find a rubber thingy in your chili! We have found some most interesting things in our food over the years...glass shards in canned pumpkin, a cigarette butt baked into a loaf of store-bought bread, and a slug (snail) in the bottom of a Coke bottle...to name a few. :) But we lived to tell of it!

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  13. Oh my! Glad you did not choke on that piece of rubber! I imagine that it came from the factory that canned one of the items you used in the ingredients.

    Spring has certainly arrived in your state, Kim. We are just beginning to see daffodils and buds on trees here. We could still get some snow showers in the month of April so I wait till mid May to plant.

    Isn't taking care of a grandchild fun, but exhausting? I now know why God blesses young women babies and not to those of our age!

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  14. Too bad you don't know what it came out of. Then you could go to the store to complain. Not much blooming here, but I'm not fertilizing since I'm moving in less than two weeks.
    Brenda

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  15. This blog made me smile, especially at the end when you shared the rubber grommet. It was not funny though, it could have been a hazard, it was just how you told the story. You have the gift of a sense of humor and I like that.

    The way you share Spring at your home is always full of inspiration and beauty for me. We are far behind you in Spring's arrival, so that is why I enjoy seeing every picture of your lovely property. You have a green thumb. It seems to that you can successfully grow everything. Love my visits here!

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