March Make It's Arrival

~ Welcome March ~

The rain is falling outside my window on this first day of March.

Along with the raindrops I see an abundance of Northern Cardinals and Mourning Doves combing the ground for seeds that have fallen from the feeders.  The daffodils are beginning to bloom.  Their brilliant golden hues a bright spot on this otherwise gray day.

Today March has made it's arrival.

Hooray!

Spring is right around the corner.

Something new to see each day as the temperatures slowly begin to rise.  I love the colors of Spring.  So welcome after the drab shades of winter.

This year March also brings Easter.  I love the pastel colors of Easter decor, candy and flowers.  Soon I will decorate the house for Easter and put away the few lingering snowflake themed decorations that are loosing their luster at this time of year.

How has March arrived in your corner today?

Rain, sunshine, wind, or (heaven forbid) snow?  Unless, of course, you love the snow ;-)

Saturday's Stormy Start

Long before I was planning to get up this past Saturday morning, a large clap of thunder boomed and jolted me into wakefulness. Trying to sort out what just woke me up so suddenly, I could hear the rain coming down in buckets and realized the source of this unwelcome alarm clock.

Moments later an emergency vehicle raced down the street with sirens blaring and red lights flashing.

Not the sounds one wants to wake up to.

Later in the day the reason for that early morning siren was revealed.

This home is located at the other end of our street.

It is rumored to have been struck by lightening that hit a gas line.

Fortunately it was unoccupied at the time.

Thanks to the prompt response by our local fire fighters, the fire was extinguished before it could spread to the house next door.  

In the afternoon the sun came out and all was calm.  In fact it was so pleasant that I had to wonder if this was just a bad dream.

Each time we come and go from the neighborhood, the house serves as a sad reminder of how things can change drastically in an instant.

Twas The Day After Valentine's Day

The other day I looked out the window to see four cardinal couples hanging out in my neighbor's crape myrtle tree.  Glad my phone was handy to snap a quick picture as not long after I saw them, they were gone.  Their visit seemed most appropriate in the days leading up to Valentine's Day.  Love was most definitely in the air 💘

I had intended to pop in here to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day, but it never happened.  I hope you found a way to make the day special one way or another.

The pansies I was drying in my last post found their way into a Valentine I sent to a special someone.  While sorting through my vintage card collection I spotted this sweet little one with the pansies on it.  Seemed like just the one to tuck a few pressed pansies into.  I'm hoping that it carried the promise of spring along with it.

Speaking of spring, I finally got motivated to change my Christmas themed header.  As we are on the umteenth day of gray, gloomy weather, I am declaring it springtime on my blog :).

I guess my longing for springtime has carried over to the kitchen.

When Publix advertised Florida strawberries last week, the Valentine's Day dessert menu began to take shape.

Fresh strawberry pie with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

One pie for two people means it will be a very spring-like week.  At least in the kitchen.

I wish I could invite you over to share.  Since that's not a possibility, please accept my belated Valentine wishes along with a virtual slice of pie.

💟

Seems Sally Stole The Sunshine

The other day, Brett popped his head in the door to tell me there was a turtle in the front yard.  I got out there just in time to see this guy climbing up the curb.  I have no idea where he came from or where he was headed, but he offered some new photo ops, so there we both stood snapping away.  Anything for a bit of variety in these strange times we are in.

I woke this morning at 6:25.

Closed my eyes in hopes of a bit more sleep before the 7:30 alarm sounded.  Next thing I knew it was 7:55.  Hmmm,  not sure if I forgot to set the alarm or I turned it off in the midst of exhaustion.

The room was still as dark as the middle of night.

One look out the window revealed the reason.

It seems that the remnants of hurricane Sally will be with us all day.

The sun will be in short supply non-existent here today.

Yesterday the sun shone all day.

The humidity disappeared making it a delightful day to keep the windows open and air the place out.

Today we'll be making our own sunshine and perhaps finishing the puzzle or a book.

What's happening in your world today?

Thankful Thoughts ~ Day 29

Thankful today for rain.

Our last rain here was on October 8th.

Since then we've had wildfires in the mountains of NC and now in TN.  We're a few hours from the NC mountains, but still close enough to experience several days of a smoky haze and smell in the air.

Our rain today was a most welcome sight.

I pray that it will bring relief to the areas affected by the wildfires.

It is heartbreaking to see the devastation the fires are causing in the Gatlinburg area.

Lighting Up a Dreary Day

One glance out the front door this morning confirmed what I already suspected.

The weather wasn't very welcoming for the day's planned activities.

Hurricane Matthew is showing up here in NC in the form of lots of rain.  Now at noon it's still dark and dreary.  Definitely not a good day to tour historic homes.  What a shame for all of the homeowners who readied their homes for this highly anticipated event.

It may not be a good day for being outside, but it's a great day for spreading little bits of warm light throughout the dark house.

This little votive holder was a recent thrift shop find.

You may remember the cross stitch leaves I talked about here.

It pairs nicely with the candle and together they bring a fall touch to the little hallway that leads to the powder room.

A few candles in the family room and kitchen.

I've been having the hardest time finding the right shade of blue pillows for my couch.  I've been looking everywhere.  The other day I stopped into Big Lots and decided I had nothing to lose by looking at their pillows.  I was delighted to find just the color I was looking for.  That cinnamon colored pillow was found there too.  It spreads a bit of the fall colors around without being too jarring like some oranges tend to do. 

The crackle glass on this votive holder is so pretty when lit in the evening or a dark rainy day.  A pumpkin spice votive tucked inside helps to spread the autumnal ambience.

The weather man is promising a sunny day tomorrow.

I hope he's right as that will be my last chance to get to the historic homes tour.

For today, I plan to spend a little time in the kitchen transforming all of those past their prime bananas into muffins or bread.

Then I may dig out all of the VHS movies we took when the kids were growing up.  After I blow the dust off of them I'm going to watch them all and look into having them converted to DVDs or whatever they do now.  I have heard that you can box them all up and send them somewhere to be transformed.  Have any of you done this and, if so, would you recommend it?

I'd better get moving now or nothing will be accomplished.

In some ways I think Peanut has the right idea for this gloomy fall day.

What are you up to today?

If you are in the path of Hurricane Matthew, I hope you are safe.

Storms Roll In... and Out

 

Afternoon thunderstorms are a fairly common occurrence here in the summertime.  Not so nice if you happen to be out and about when one pops up, but at home it's another matter altogether.

That's the time I like to grab my book and head for the living room.  Hearing the thunder boom and the tree leaves rustle makes the perfect backdrop for a cozy reading session.

 

Not long after I sat down today, the skies started to darken and so did the room.  I turned the light above me on and as I did so another light bulb went on. Yes, you know the one. ;D.

The one that reminded me of the little strand of lights I had purchased after Christmas and put into a terrarium on the coffee table.  It was time to turn them on . 

 

This garden fairy wasn't bothered by the storm.

She danced among the flowers sheltered under glass.

 Today we had it all...

thunder, lightning, torrential downpours and even some hail.

The forecast for our July 4th holiday is an 80% chance of rain.

 If it's anything like today's weather, it will have come and gone in 20 minutes.  That's just long enough to save me from having to water the garden and short enough to not interfere with the celebrations.

What a Difference a Day Makes

 It's only a matter of time until the trees will be completely bare.  All of that brilliant foliage giving way to the duller browns and grays that spell November to me.

All the more reason to enjoy every last drop of these pretty leaves while we're still able.  Therefore, after several days of rain and drear I woke up to this scene out my front window and hopped onto the porch in my pj's to capture the moment.  Just in case the sun decided to pull a disappearing act.

Thankfully that was not the case and we enjoyed a bright and beautiful fall day.

Walking into the kitchen I was nearly giddy to see the sun sparkling away on the hand soap.  I was reminded how true that saying about what a difference a day makes really is.

The previous day the dreariness and non-stop rain was taking a toll.

Normally the weather conditions don't affect my mood too much.  Not so on this particular day.  By the end of my work day I dragged myself to the couch to lie down and see if the weatherman was going to bring the sun back to us anytime soon.  The next thing I knew the news was ending and I'd missed the entire weather forecast.  Slept right through it.  As someone who is unable to nap during the day, I attributed it to the weather and proceeded to eat a bowl of cereal for dinner.  That was followed by letting Peanut out, washing up and getting ready for a super early bedtime with hopes of sunnier skies in the morning.

Amazing how much more energetic I felt in the morning just from seeing the sun shining through my window.

By 9:00 that morning I felt like I'd accomplished more than I had the entire previous day.  Thank goodness for that :D.  I'm not sure I could handle cereal for dinner two nights in a row.

Anyhow,  my little burst of energy included playing around with a few Thanksgiving decorations.  Since we won't be hosting the holiday I wasn't sure I would even bother with decorating.  By way of compromise it was decided that the Gurley candle contingent would join me in the kitchen.  Their old-fashioned qualities take me right back to the Thanksgivings of my childhood.  Good memories there surrounded by the love of family and the smells of turkey roasting in the oven.  Back then the decorating was a simple affair, but it usually seemed to include a Gurley candle or two.

I guess that's why I have such a fondness for these sweet little candles.

The ones above were included in a recent bag from the thrift shop.

They are quite a motley crew, aren't they?

I was excited to find him as I have been on the lookout for a taller pilgrim couple.  He's leaning a bit and didn't come with a mate.  Perhaps she left him because of his condition... whatever it might be.

The two tiny pilgrim ladies are in desperate need of a bath and one seems to be losing her eyesight eyes.I  did  try to clean her up a bit with no luck so I'm leaving her be.

They collectively remind me a bit of how much has changed since the days they first decorated our Thanksgiving gatherings.  We've all changed through the years.  That's just the way life goes, but while we're still here we will remember to enjoy one another and be thankful for being together to celebrate.  

 Now that the sun has been shining for two days straight, I was happy to be able to venture into the soggy garden to discover the camellias coming into bloom.  This particular blossom wowed me with it's beauty and prompted me to clip it for indoor enjoyment.  Just in case the rain re-appears anytime soon, I'll be ready.

 

And so will my little photo bomber.

 

 

Welcoming the Rain

 When rain has been in scarce supply, waking up to dark, moody skies is cause for celebration.  Candlelight on the kitchen island before the coffee is even brewed.

 The breaks between showers were ideal for gathering a few hydrangeas for the table.  Last night after dinner I was blasting them with the hose hoping to revive them a bit from their droopy plea for moisture.  Nothing like a good rainfall to put the pep back in their step.

 I was momentarily irritated with Peanut for making me chase her all over the yard... that was until I wound up on the far side of the magnolias and discovered the beautiful blossoms that always stop me right in my tracks.  I never would have noticed them from the inside of the house.  They are a flower worthy of up close appreciation.  While out running a few errands today I noticed several blooming in the median of a local road.  Pretty, yes, but nothing like standing before them inhaling their delicate scent while gazing at their elegant beauty.  I imagine each year I have done at least one post raving about this amazing plant.  I just can't help myself.  They may be one of my top favorite things about living in the south.

 Sorry, Peanut.

Are we still friends?

 Rainy afternoons and reading just seem to go together in my book (pun somewhat intended :).

It's rather common for me to have a book in my lap, a pile next to me, a pile across from me and even...

 a stack on the table next to me.

In this case a stack of old children's books.

I'm almost afraid to read that precious edition of Honey Bunch's first trip to camp.  It's a 1925 edition and in great shape.  My sister-in-law and I share a love of these old books.  She let me borrow it and as she handed it to me she jokingly said " I wouldn't let just anybody borrow it."  I would hate to be the one to cause any damage after it hanging around so nicely all these years.  So, I plan to refrain from eating or drinking anything while reading this one.  Ha!

Now, as I sit here typing this, the rain has stopped.

Evening is moving in.  The skies are still cloudy.

I'm watching a variety of bird friends checking on the (now empty) feeder.  Male and female cardinals, chickadees, goldfinches and the always amusing tufted titmouse seem to be asking "where's dinner?"  So, I am off to fill the feeder.  It's the least I can do for them.  They who add so much joy and beauty to my days.

Then, I guess I'd better feed the hubby too as he also adds joy to my days.  Come to think of it I'd better tend to Peanut first.  I may already be on her bad side :D.

Morning in the Garden

 This morning I wandered into the garden to check on the flowers after a night filled with thunderstorms.

This new day has brought along a generous dose of sunshine.

Oh what a difference a day makes, as they say.

This year we decided to fill a lot of the containers with those pre-made, drop-in pots.  The selection at Home Depot was quite lovely and I decided to save myself some time using this method.

Three cheers to the person who thought up this concept:).

 I'm taking a few pictures now while they look so fresh and pretty.

By mid summer they will look nothing like this despite my best efforts.  Each season begins with determination to keep them looking just like this until the summer is nearly over.  But then, intense heat, humidity or (like last year) unusual amounts of rain have their way and well... they usually win out.  But still, I try.  For that is what we gardeners do.

 This geranium has been around for several years.

It sits in the garage over the winter and always blesses us with colorful blooms in the springtime.  This year I transferred it to a bright blue pot.  I'm rather liking that bright pop of color.

I once read that bright colors in the garden make us feel cooler than pastels.  I try to keep that in mind in my southern garden.

 ~ Hydrangeas & Hostas ~

A happy combination, I think.

My hydrangeas are putting on quite a show right now.

They responded favorably to last night's rain.

 Now that the garden is taken care of, I'm waiting for the little man to wake up from his nap so that we can take him to the pool for the very first time.  The big man is his uncle who recently bought the carrier for him and had great fun carting him around the house in it.  

I use this picture because it's the most recent one I have.

I'm off to put the camera into the beach bag.

What kind of grandma would I be if I don't document the first swim?  :D.

How is your weekend shaping up?