Tuesday, March 29, 2016

oh happy day

 Sunny days make me happy. We don't have enough of them here in March. It tends to be a cloudy, rainy month. I spent some time in my back yard today pulling weeds - and actually loved it. (I know, talk to me in a month or two.) Even though temps were only in the 50's, I could feel the warmth of the sun penetrating through the back of my shirt and it felt so good.

I've always loved seeing hostas emerge from the earth, especially this kind (don't ask me the specific name) that ends up being a dark and light green striped variety. I always say it looks like asparagus at first.


Lilies are really taking off. This is our compost barrel, by the way.


No surprise that the mint is already taking hold in the herb garden. I clipped a lot of the dead branches today, but I need to actually dig some of this up.


I think the chives grow an inch per day now.


One hydrangea is unfurling; the one next to it is not. I don't have much luck with hydrangeas, for whatever reason. I've tried different places in my yard and they usually end up dying on me. 


I was surprised to see the lilac bush blooming already! It almost looks like miniature grape hyacinths, doesn't it?


Mr. Squirrel was very naughty today. He would not stay out of the bird feeder. I supposedly have a "squirrel-proof" one. Let me tell you...nothing is squirrel-proof. I left some peanuts for him on the fence posts and then he was happy.


 Indoors, I did some spring cleaning and took this white coverlet off the buffet to throw in the wash.


In the meantime, I decided to play with some color and used a thrifted scarf as a runner.


I like the white better, especially for spring and summer, but I'm liking the change of pace with this scarf, too.


I hope that your day held some happiness, too. :-)

Sharing with Cozy Little House - Tweak it Tuesday.


16 comments:

  1. So many things emerging from your soil. I've never even been able to keep a hydrangea alive through one season. Much less have it come up the next year. I love your old window. I miss mine that fell apart and I had to toss.
    Brenda

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  2. I think you have a green thumb. I don't have a green thumb. We have hydrangeas and they don't die but they never bloom either- we got the first ones in 2007.

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  3. I cut some chives today to have in my egg salad for lunch, and I smiled all the way back inside the house. I love just running out back and plucking or cutting something from the garden for my recipes.
    We're still forecast for freezing night temps and maybe a bit more snow, so I'm not doing much gardening yet. Maybe next week?

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  4. I enjoyed pulling weeds and tidying things on my balcony garden yesterday, too. And some things are just starting to bud out which is nice to see. Weather has been kinda dreary but it's looking okay out there today and is actually cooler than it has been so think I'll get dressed and go for a walk now (it's 8:30 a.m.). It's nice to change things up indoors. I often use big scarves to decorate with.

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  5. I had a hydrangea in my yard and if lucky, I got one bloom every year. We recently dug it up and transplanted it in my sister's yard (a block away) and it blooms prolifically over there! Go figure!

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  6. Wow! Didn't you just have snow a couple of weeks ago. I'm so happy for you that Spring is busting out all over your pretty yard. I've got to walk around the yard and see if my hostas made it through the winter. I looked a week ago with no sign of life, but maybe I'll see them this week, I sure hope so. Last year was my first year to plant them. You have so many lovely perennials . . . your garden is going to be beautiful in no time at all :) Happy Spring!

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  7. I haven't seen even a peek of a hosta yet - your garden is way ahead of mine! Can't wait to see everything blooming in your garden - and Mr Squirrel is mighty cute, even if he is a little bold brat! :)

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  8. I am so glad that spring is finally popping up in your area.

    We came home to WIND and I mean WIND - everything was blown all over the garden.

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  9. Things are coming along nicely in your yard. We have some old fashioned hydrangeas (were here when we bought more than 20 years ago); they do very well. Last year I planted a panicle type, a Pinky Winky. I'm on pins and needles to see how it fared over the winter.

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  10. Melanie, I came in yesterday, bleeding and rose thorn pricked, after an hour of rose bush pruning. It was wonderful. Looks like you've already raked your yard!

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  11. My lilac bush is coming along early as well..Everything around here is the same. All of your garden starts look promising and I love what you did indoors as well! The runner, windowpane, bird art..just beautiful!

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  12. I keep watching for my hostas to begin popping up, but nothing yet. I hope they survived as we had a fairly mild winter. My hydrangea is putting on a few little leaves. The first one I've had that has lived.
    I like your old window, I have one that I haven't decided what to do with yet. It's still sitting in the garage. Hopefully I'll figure out something soon. Enjoy the rest of your week!

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  13. Spring is slow coming in our neck of the woods just now. Thank you for the garden photos to keep my hopes up!

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  14. I could sure use a big dose of sunshine, Melanie! It was 17 degrees and windy yesterday, with 3 inches of new snow. I think this is one of those years where spring (my favorite season) passes us by and we go right into summer. I can't wait to see green things poking out of the ground and trees growing leaves. I had my hubby cut down 2 sickly trees in our yard the other day so I won't be sad to see them go when they've got flowers. I know I'll miss them, but we need to start over with new healthy trees. Have you tried different varieties of hydrangea? Limelight does really well in our zone 4, as well as Annabelle. Actually all hydrangeas do well here, so I guess there's something to be said about our short summers!

    I hope you get plenty of sunshine this week and your plants flourish in it!

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  15. Isn't it wonderful to get back out in the yard again? I know we had a little set back this weekend, but we're definitely on our way OUT of winter now.

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  16. I love seeing spring photos, Melanie! I can hardly wait to see things like that here...at least the grass is getting green! I love how you used the scarf...aqua is so pretty in the spring!

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