Thursday, April 8, 2021

spring at comfy house

Oh, hello!

It's been almost a month since I last posted. I know it probably sounds strange to say I've been busy when we're in the middle of a pandemic, but it's true. We have several projects in the works. They haven't started yet, but we're getting contractor bids and doing a lot of research on the particulars. Our kitchen needs updating, we need some landscaping work done, and we're having some minor electric work done.


Everyday life is just busy in general, too. Seems the errand running never stops. And now the yard work. But on a happier note, I've been seeing my friends in my "Covid bubble" on a regular basis. We meet for coffee, a walk, or a chat in each other's home or yard. One of my friends enjoys art journaling like me, so we recently went shopping for some supplies. Another friend is currently going through some medical treatments, so I've been spending some time with her or else we have phone chats. What would we do without our friends, our support system?

(magnolia, nearby town)

We've had beautiful, warm weather here the past week which pushed trees and shrubs to bloom and most perennials to start poking out of the ground. One of my favorite times of the year! New life gives us hope. But that also means a ton of spring yard clean-up.

(hostas)

(bleeding heart)

(rhubarb)

(daffodils on the side of my house)

A few days ago I was saying to Brian that I should dig up these daffodils once they're done blooming and transplant them in Zippo's memory garden for bloom starting next year. A couple of days after that, I was walking around the yard and as I was approaching Zippo's memory garden, this sight stopped me in my tracks: A lone daffodil right next to Zippo's cat angel statue.


I love signs from above.


Speaking of kitties, Miss Clementine is still doing great. She loves hanging outside on the porch in the sunshine if I'm out there drinking my morning tea. Sometimes she'll start to head down the sidewalk or into the side yard, and that's when I scoop her up and put her back inside.


The young women vet techs that administer Clementine's subcutaneous fluids twice/week tell me she's "the sweetest cat ever." That she's one of the few cats they see that is calm about being stuck with needles so often. When I tell them that at home she's a "spaz", they can't believe it. She's very high energy and is constantly racing around the house, plays fetch with a felt ball, follows me everywhere and is constantly wanting attention. 


Now Monkey, on the other hand, is a totally different story. He's Clementine's son and is a year or two younger than his mama. He spends a lot of time lying around and/or sleeping. He goes to the vet tomorrow for an overdue wellness exam and blood tests. Poor guy has been a bit neglected with all the attention focused on Clementine and her kidney disease and skin issues. He also has something going on with his eyes, where they flare up and are red-rimmed. The vet told me when he was a kitten that it looked like he had the herpes virus in his eyes. It's passed on from the mother at birth. I'm used to seeing minor flare-ups from time-to-time, but this latest period is worse. (Don't you just love his little goatee...and want to pet the beautiful silky fur on his belly? 😻)


Back to beautiful weather...a couple of days ago, it was near 80 degrees. Brian had the day off work and unearthed the patio furniture from under the tarps and set up and cleaned off the patio and cleaned the grill. Both the furniture and the patio need a good power washing, but that will have to wait for another day. We wait six loong months every year for this annual spring routine. It's the official start to warm weather for us and it thrills us every year. 


Brian grilled chicken breasts and I topped them with pico de gallo, and made a side salad of quinoa with fresh veggies and cilantro and sliced up an avocado. Delicious, healthy, warm weather food! It felt so good to be dining al fresco once again.


As is typical here with the month of April, we're back to cool, rainy weather today. The extended forecast shows a lot of rain and much cooler temps. How's the weather where you live? And what's new with you? I hope to not be so long with my next post.
💓




12 comments:

  1. Clementine and Monkey are so cute. Such sweet little fur babies. Glad Clementine is so good about her getting her treatments. I was loving that nice weather and sunshine. Now we are back to rain today. I guess everything needs the rain to be green and pretty. My daffodils are popping up too. Nice to see the sweet flowers again. Happy Thursday. xoxo

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  2. Monkey's belly looks like Ivy's. White and fluffy. Isn't it wonderful when plants start coming up?
    Brenda

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  3. So glad that Clementine and Monkey are doing well. Spring has sprung here as well. We had a Magnolia tree in our yard when we lived in Southern Illinois so seeing that Magnolia blossom brought back good memories. We are also going to do some updating this summer, as soon as our son get his second Covid shot. Have a great week and I hope to see you again soon.

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  4. Love the Hello on your door! Good to hear your kitties are doing well. That first bbq of spring always tastes amazing! Our weather here in Florida is just beautiful.

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  5. I love your bird welcome mat.
    Your kitties are so cute. I never used to be a cat person but I am growing into one as I get older. I wish my allergies would allow me to have them.
    I love reading about your garden and seeing your pictures.
    I've been seeing my friends and my parents regularly too, especially since getting our vaccine. Add in the beautiful weather and it helps with mental health.
    XOXO

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  6. I too love spring clearing and cleaning routines and traditions. I find comfort in it. I also find comfort when the lines release between those who have passed and those who remain...that daffodil is a sure sign.

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  7. I can only imagine what a wonderful friend you are because you are so kind. Love your Spring photos. Stay safe.

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  8. That lone daffodil is such a sweet reminder of God's understanding of the love we feel for our sweet fur babies. I know that even while you are loving every minute of Clementine and Zippo, your heart is still full of memories and loss for Zippo. I feel the same way, Melanie, about mine, those still here and those gone, sometimes even many years having passed.

    I always enjoy your passion for your home and garden! And I'm excited about what you might be planning for your kitchen. I know how much you enjoy cooking and that the kitchen is a happy place for you. Neither of us can resist a good cookbook, can we? Or a pretty pot. And the annual bringing out of garden furniture is always a milestone in the year for you. Even though the neighbor's mulberry tree looms as a distant problem ahead for part of the summer.

    We're having a coolish week ahead so I'm wondering if you are even cooler there? But it won't be long will we can safely plant here and I know you'll be out there just as soon as you can. Our little granddaughters and their parents were here this past weekend for a wonderful visit and on Sunday morning before they left, our son was out in the yard with RH doing gutter cleaning and raking it all up, climbing trees to hang strings of lights, and helping him lift up the large pane of glass that is the window over my kitchen sink and cleaning it good, a two person job that has needed doing for several years. Another son has sent two men to work with RH outside on some yard projects so we feel a good start has begun on getting ready for outdoor enjoyment. It is such a good feeling after winter!

    I hope you have a lovely week ahead, Melanie, thinking of you,
    Dewena

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  9. The weather here in France is cold and sunny for the moment. Freezing nights!
    Love your spring photos. What you call « bleeding heart » here we call « Mary’s heart »
    Have a nice day.

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  10. I love the cheery welcome you have created at your front door. It looks like spring is springing in your gardens. That one lone daffodil near your kitty's resting place is so comforting. Wow!
    Have a wonderful weekend.

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  11. In Northwest Louisiana, we are having some unseasonably chilly spring weather. With nightly lows in the 40s and highs around 60, with a breeze and a damp chill in the air, we consider that rather cold. My last blog post detailed the most unusual extended snow storm and cold snap we had in February. So much pruning and garden work to be done after the cold killed back many of our shrubs. I'm procrastinating on starting that big project, so I'm working on a writing project in my glass enclosed sleeping porch, now my "studio". I feel this is the perfect weather for indoor, but facing outdoor, activity. Soon it will be so hot and humid here, but one of the results of our COVID stay-at-home year is I spent every day outside working in the yard/garden last year, and I got more acclimated (after 30+ years here) to the Deep South summer heat.

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Thank you for taking the time to leave a kind comment - I read and appreciate each one!