Spring has Sprung!

The calendar won't admit it, but spring is definitely in the air. I always plan to get lots done during winter, like watercolors, collage, and digital art, but somehow time just grinds by with little to show for it, and though I have more time on my hands, I do fewer blog posts, and finally we make it back to spring. Spring renews me; I don't think I'd like living where they don't have defined seasons.




We've already been busy outdoors. Remember Harry? The beautiful wisteria that covered the arbor and bloomed profusely in spring and shaded us in summer? I planted him 7 years ago, a spindly little brown sprig that just growed like Topsy and tried to take over the world, despite weekly trimmings all summer long. Well, we cut his life short, for several reasons, one being that he was trying to undermine the house, and while I loved Harry, I love my home more. Also, the blooms are poisonous to dogs, and you know I love Marley far better than any plant. We spent all Sunday afternoon cutting down Harry with a chain-saw and loppers and dragging him off into the woods; jobs like that, I realize I'm not as young as I used to be. We've ordered some knitted shade cloth to stretch over the top instead. I'll show you when we get it, though it won't be as nearly as pretty.
Rest in Peace, Harry.

My fruit trees are budding and flowers are peeking out, not many blooms but soon. The pansies and decorative cabbages stayed pretty all winter, and now I need to till them up and replace them with herbs, big plans for herbs this year. I planted elephant ear bulbs, hoping to get some gi-normous leaves for playing with hypertufa. No residents in the bluebird box yet.


We went to the Arkansas Flower and Garden Show, and one of the ideas I borrowed was a pretty little table and chair set for our screened-in deck, a nice place to sit and drink morning coffee. I mentioned it to Jim, and the same day he was building the table. I have one bent wood chair that I'm going to use, and I'm looking around for another one, unmatched, hopefully a ladder back with woven cane bottom. And then it dawned on me, most anything can be made to look more special with some cut glass mosaics stuck on it, so some parts of the chairs will be mosaiced. I've already sanded the chair and had no qualms about making it my next victim. It's the world's most uncomfortable chair. Now you may say, and rightly so, that sticking bits of glass to the seat won't improve on its comfort quotient, but if I get it nice and smooth, it can't hurt much, either.

Marley has spent a lot of time on his little stool at the window, watching cars and walkers come down the hill. When he sees a red truck, he always thinks it's Jim and goes racing to the kitchen door, yipping and crying as if it's been a year since he saw him.


So, these are my latest projects. I'm just so much happier when I've got projects in the works, especially when I can do them outdoors! I'll share my progress as it comes along.
Thanks for stopping by!
Love,
Cat & Marley

Spring Planting

This morning I bought multi-colored Snapdragons, blue Creeping Phlox, red & gold Ranunculus (Ranunculi?), magenta Wallflowers, and lavender Petunias for the backyard flowerbed. It's a start. Most of the summer I'll be finding pretty plants I can't live without and adding them. I don't have a particularly green thumb; I call the ones that make it the survivors. Truth is, I can't help myself. Come warm weather, I must dig in the dirt. This spring, I've got a helper. Trouble is, he tries to eat the dirt, flowers, spade, and flower pots. Planting with a 4 month old puppy is a whole 'nother thang.

I got out my old pink Croc knock-offs. Yes, they're pink, and they're just as dorky as the real deal. Marley also tries to eat them. I still haven't found a puppy chow he really likes, but evidently everything else tastes great.

Ranunculus blooms look as if they're made from tissue paper. Someone who changed my life, way back when, planted them, and so there's a memory attached.

I didn't even know there were really Wallflowers. They're an old fashioned flower, and I read online that they're a biennial that takes 2 years to complete its life cycle.

I also bought red Geraniums for the big pots beside the steps. Geraniums never thrive for me, but I think it's the law that you have to buy them and try again each year.

Do you know how to make Snapdragons' mouths open and close?

I nestled the little Creeping Phlox behind my Rosemary bush that has made it through 5 or 6 winters and is about 3 feet high and 4 feet wide. It should be happy back there. The scent is wonderful.

The Wisteria (named Harry) that climbs over the arbor is budding. I'll post pics when it blooms. The little fruit trees have bloomed, and the Forsythia branches are waving hither and yon. I don't like when people prune them into flat shapes.


Hope Springs Eternal.

Some Photos

I'm obviously attention deficit disordered, easily distracted by sparkly things and whatever floats in on the current, and so this blog may never have a permanent focus. Today I got out my Canon Rebel camera and plan to take it, along with my little buddy the Canon PowerShot, to Florida, so I need to practice up on using it. Isn't it cool how patient cameras are? I discovered some pics from last winter just sitting in there, waiting for me to do something (anything) with them. Poor things. So, I'll post a couple of them today to make amends.

I discovered this photo of my computer room, taken before the new PC and new monitor. It looks neater than usual, and darker, must have been a dreary winter day. This is my sanctuary, and it's off-limits for remarks or nagging by my perfectionist hubby. I'm a pile maker, and I'll always have my piles of magazines that I will get back to eventually, stacks of papers, books, etc., and I try to confine them to this room...............mostly. At the moment, there are 2 computers and 3 monitors. Sometimes I can't bear to let go of things..........I work on the Dell with dual monitors. I LOVE that Deck lighted keyboard, even though I'm a fast touch typist (thank you Ms. Johnson in high school). It's shorter (no number pad) so it fits on my tray beside the Intuos.

There were photos of the little ice storm we had, just looking at them here in early August makes me feel cooler.

And the red Gerbera daisy pic was taken this morning. I can never capture the dew as well as I'd like, just another of my life goals. I have so many goals, but then that's what keeps us ticking, isn't it?