Old Flags

That's what some people call the iris.

Majestic and proud,

I think she's one of my favorite spring flowers.

She swoops up three petals into a crown, 

and gracefully drops three down like banners.

I have three patches of iris in the front yard.

Every year, they spread, and the patches grow a bit more dynamic.

Some vintage purple bliss...

My babies are growing...

if you are near the nest and make a, "tok! tok!"

clicking sound with your tongue,

...they rear up their little heads for a feeding.

Dan is not so intrigued by the babies...
seen one nest, seen them all.

But I enjoy them.
And so do the kids.

There is one little blue egg still in this nest, 
but I think it's a dead egg.
Mama has been so busy gathering food for these two, 
there hasn't been much time to incubate that egg.

Even if it did hatch, 
I doubt it would survive at this point- these other two are getting huge
and dominate this nest.

Mama robin is very impatient with me,

always attempting to distract me from the nest by flying away

and making overt calls from nearby...
reminding me that I need to leave.

But I haven't started any spring projects yet (save for cleaning),

so I have to satisfy my palette  with garden pics.

Sharing with
Simple Sunny Sundays 
Farm Hop

Black Eyes and Mohawks

It's a face only a mother could love...

and mama isn't too fond of me right now because I keep peepin' in on her babies.

There are actually two nests we spy on now...

yesterday, two hatchlings were in each nest, with one egg also remaining in each.

Oh, those little heads.

Mama squawks at me but, but sits in a nearby bush 

and comes back as soon as I retreat.

You can even see the little slit where each eye will soon open

and peer out at me.

This is gonna be great seeing these little babies everyday now!

What a great pick-me-up in the morning
before driving to work.





And THIS is spring.

Sharing with:
Common Ground

Once Upon a Lilac

When I was little, an old woman who lived across the alley

from my grandmother

grew the largest lilac bushes I have ever seen.

Every spring, my little hands would rip these huge blooms from the bushes

before I hopped in the car to go home.

No one cared.

The bushes were so loaded, no one missed them.

Common lilacs...those are the big 'uns.

Who can imagine any romantic backyard without lilacs in springtime?
My bushes are six years old now and tower over me.
An absolute must for any vintage garden.

She used to have them in both violet and white.  

I can only find the purple variety, and they aren't as large as I remember hers being,

but they are large enough to satiate the nostalgia 
of those old neighborhood back alley blooms.

Sharing with
Savvy Southern Style
French Country Cottage

Spring Colors

We finally started bustling around the yard this week,

the colors are so bright and cheerful, I'm just lovin' it.

Waitin' for just a bit more rain for those trees to POP and leaf out.

This is my favorite garden stage...budding spring.
Bright colors against a faded background.
The plants aren't huge and out of control, nor are they beaten by the sun yet.
Or eaten by bugs.  Or rabbits.  Or peed on by someone's dog.

Everything about this says, "Welcome."

I now feel less stressed and can really start to enjoy
some of the spring that's left...vacation planning, garden planning, re-do's, etc.

The Lowe's had their plants delivered,

so we decorated the garden entry 

and Dan purchased more vegetable garden plants.

This weekend the seeds will be sown and the seedlings will be planted 

into the raised beds.

There are also two robin's nests that

we have a pretty good view of,

so we'll be able to watch the babies hatch, too.
Hopefully, they won't get eaten, this nest is only two feet off the ground...
robins aren't very smart!

More to share this weekend!

 Stop on over and visit Common Ground.

A Handmade Mother's Day

Here's a fun craft that can be used for any occasion

where you need your little children to make an economical gift

that is meaningful.

I purchased a few small plain terra cotta flower pots and dishes

at the Lowe's for about $3 each.  I let the kids paint them however they wanted...
small paintbrushes work great, so do thumbs (thumb-print painting).

I also purchased a few bottles of acrylic craft paint

at Michael's.  A few bottles are just fine... 
a limited palette works best with kids.  

I would try to get some paint colors that will be similar to the colors of the flowers
you will purchase, as this has the most visual impact.

 Bottles are about $1 each.

Squeeze some paint onto a paper plate and let them roll...

(I'm all about disposable clean-up when paint is concerned).

A flat of assorted annuals will set you back anywhere from $5 to $15

depending on your variety or local sales price.

I didn't need to purchase a bag of dirt as well because

my pots were so small that the annuals filled them completely.

The kids can even pat the flowers in,

the more variety, the better.
Instant children's garden!

Splendid days ahead!

Sharing with:

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Snow Angel

I leave my angels out all year...

I have a cluster of them in an angel garden,

but for now I've photographed just one.

Just one sweet angel in a dusting of snow dimpled with winter rain...

with one red bloom.

She's bringing the dreary landscape

to life right now

with a splash of color.

A dash of soft red amid textured winter browns...

...just to brighten the view out the window
for one sweet day.

Sharing with:

Savvy Sothern Style's Wow Us Wednesday
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Be Inspired Friday at Common Ground

Winter Rain

 Thank goodness for old roses...

because everyone seems to be cranky.

Kids are cranky because we never got a heavy snowfall and they really love sledding.

Crankiness in the work place seems to be a given in January, too.

Things must get accomplished, but there just isn't enough sunlight to make it a day's work.

It's supposed to be 60 degrees on Tuesday and then back to 15 the next day (!)

Last night our furnace blew out after our new purchase just 11 months ago...(super cranky)...

made to break piece of crap.

And,

 tax season is here.

*sigh*

Some people are already feeling the wallet crunch even though no one's even filed yet.

So, thank goodness for old roses.

They're beautiful even when they're spent.

They're one old constant that always delights.

Makin' the rain a little sweeter today with my pinks...

Sharing with:

Sunday Best at My 1929 Charmer

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Winter Garden

Our Christmas yard display is a little more natural this year.

 

 

 

 

We didn't cut down the seed heads from the fall plantings. 

 

I think they'll remain up through the winter.

 

The birds will get to enjoy them longer, too.

 

 

 

 

And we always use our old sleds as part of our displays,

 

they seem to blend in with landscape.

 

 

 

 

We've never used blowmolds or inflatables in the yard...

 

 

 

 

...always preferring just lights and a few decorative items.

 

 

 

 

But this year, we decided we would use less lights.

 

Normally, Dan decorates all of the shrubs and foundational plantings

 

with tiny white lights, sometimes some red.

 

 

 

 

We still used some lights, but limited them this year to

 

the garlands on the house and fence and just a few accent bushes.

 

Dan said he used half of what he did last year.

 

 

 

 

You'd never know any different.

 

I can still say it's a beautiful display.

 

He always does a great job.

 

 

 

 

Now if it would just snow a bit

 

I could get some great landscape photography happening on this end.

 

But, today we are at an unseasonable 68 degrees, and there is no snow on the radar.

 

I think it's gonna be a Green Christmas.

 

 

Sharing with Garden Parties at

 

Fishtail Cottage

 

Delightsome Life

 

and Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style