Lilacs & Work

The Lilacs Are Blooming

our old fashioned lilacs

lavender perfection and awesome perfume

trip to our local TSC

got a new little rake,

chicken feeder for hens & chicks,

galvanized tub for little pond

wild cat sunning himself

I took a day off last week while it was so beautiful so Mom and I could work in the garden. We made a good dent in cutting the crape myrtles and general clean up. Lots more to do and not enough pretty days. Weather is getting better once again every day this week and the weekend is supposed to be perfect. Sure hope they are right.

Late Night Visitor

These food and water bowls belong to Wild Cat and he doesn't always clean his plate. This is just one of our late night visitors that come to finish off his food when we have been lazy about bringing the bowl in the house at night. The funniest thing of all is watching them take turns eating left overs from the kitchen window. We have managed to have a possum, skunk and then a raccoon finish off the food all in one night. The only bad thing is that the food bowl is right outside the back door and after being scared to death by a skunk (that didn't spray Thank God) we now look before going out at night.

New for the Garden

Went shopping last Monday evening at Home Depot and found this beautiful birdbath. It has hummingbirds and flowers all over it.

They thought they wanted $42.99 but Mom had no intention of paying that much for it. She talked to 4 different people, pointed out the chips in the concrete and that it was left over from last year and finally got it for $25.00. We loaded it up and headed home very happy.

I found some hens and chicks while there

mini iris trying to make a comeback

they almost died out this past year

Wild Cat watching us unload our purchases

and staying well out of our way

tulip blooming by the porch

more tulips in the back yard

jane magnolias

blooming along the front of the flower garden

Velvet

checking out the truck while I'm loading it

apparently I disturbed him

trying to decide whether to jump or not

Leland Cypress trees for Jennifer's house

Lowe's has them for $8.50, their new low price

they were $14.98, we grabbed 4 of them

Spring

Spring is coming along very nicely. We are now having more nice days instead of cold and dreary days and our flower garden is starting to come to life.

blooming hyacinths

variegated hydrangea starting to sprout

Wild Cat enjoying the sunny afternoon Friday

peonies coming up

tree peonies sprouting and setting buds

Velvet

been around the house twice

refused to go into the garden with me

white lenton rose blooming

pink/purple lenton roses blooming

Alan mowed the back lot for the first time this weekend and the rest of the yard won't be far behind in needing to be mowed. Spring has sprung and summer will be here before we know it.

Trying To Eat

clouds rolling on through yesterday afternoon

got home and Wild Cat was waiting to be fed

he has to hurry and eat because of the birds

they try their best to run him off so they can eat

and are successful a good part of the time

the cardinals are the last to eat if there is any left

they are as easily run off as Wild Cat

Apples & Pears

There is nothing better than orchard grown apples and home grown pears. We do have an apple tree and enjoy the blooms in the spring but the apples are always hard little knots. Our pear tree is back behind the flower garden and usually produces lots of pears unless we have a late freeze.

apples hanging in the kitchen

more apples in my apothecary jar from Marshalls - slice them up, salt them down and ready to enjoy

Wild Cat prefers napping on Mom's car instead of going to pick pears

pear tree in lot behind flower garden

lots and lots of pears to pick

not as large as last year but still delicious

Mom's canned pears for this winter -- absolutely wonderful

Sandy

Finally Friday

We have gotten some much needed rain this week and everything looks so fresh and clean. There has been a lot of flooding in Middle Tennessee and will continue to be more through today as much rain as we are supposed to be getting.

Wild Cat in his newest favorite sleeping spot -- on top of our carport, out of our way and not helping us work in the garden. He would much rather watch from a distance and under the bradford pear tree.

Morning glories starting to bloom - have to look fast early morning and late evening.

Sedum blooming in Mom's rose garden under the kitchen window.

Lynn's wax begonia that is living and blooming. She has given us cuttings several times and so far so good this time. We decided to put it in a pot this year instead of planting in the garden. Have a wonderful weekend.

Sandy

Around Our House

Back porch patio, nice to sit and relax after working in the garden.

My beautiful fork chandelier I hung in the bee skep. I bought the fork chandelier from Linda at Linda's Blue Gate. Her fork chandeliers are gorgeous.

Fairy beneath the oak leaf hydrangea.

End of porch looking towards front yard. Mom's bargain angel from Home Goods keeping watch over the driveway.


Velvet, our other garden helper, trying to decide where to go next.

Wild Cat taking his nap after breakfast.

Bed of hostas in the front yard under one of the large trees.

Magnolia blossom getting ready to open in the side yard.

Holly tree in the backyard, this was Mom's Mother's Day present 20 years ago.