Wren Building Nest on my Balcony

This is an awful photo but I got one of the busy wrens that are building a nest in a decorative tin birdhouse left on my balcony all winter. I don't have the heart to tell them it's going to be too hot in there this summer. I will put an old painted shutter resting overhead on the railing if they are determined to live there all summer long. Both the male and the female are sharing in the hard work of gathering twigs and debris for their family home. Wrens are my favorite little birds because I love their cheerful chattering all day long. This abode is near my rear bedroom window and I look forward to waking up to their birdsong once I can go to sleep with my windows open. xo

Beautiful Barn Owl

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Is she on the inside looking out or on the outside looking in? My guess is the former. Have a great first weekend of spring.

First Day of Spring

Happy First Day of Spring.

It's not until 5:00 this afternoon, but it's here. It will be quite a while before real tulips bloom so here's one of my John Derian tulip plates to help you celebrate. The decoupage paperweight below is from his shop.

I have given up on growing tulips because the deer and rabbits love them. Daffodil bulbs are poisonous and pest free so I'll stick with them. 

Wild Snowdrops

I saved this Instagram photo of naturalized snowdrops on the grounds of an English Manor House. Mine are just sending up their green shoots but it will be a while before they are mature enough to bloom. I brought them with me from my old house when I moved in my cottage. Snowdrops are my favorite harbingers of spring.

Wisteria

This townhouse is impossibly lovely with its floral decoration by Mother Nature. Wisteria is pretty wild when left to its own devices so this vine must have had some help from a landscape design expert who trained it well. via

Plants On My Balcony

I repotted my ancient red geranium and divided it too.

This geranium is light pink and has buds.

Three more baby geraniums on the bottom shelf of this corner plant stand. It's missing a foot on the right side but it is still very stable. This flaw resulted in a bargain price at a garage sale!

Rosemary plants. The big one in the center is the mother of the others.

Yesterday at sunrise. I love long morning shadows.

Today, it's pouring rain. I brought them all inside last night and I can tell they are eager to go outside again. Maybe tomorrow -- baby steps. See you later. xo

House Plants Outside on Work Table

I found this primitive old work table on the side of the road quite late on the last day of the town's junk days for residents. I have had it for a couple of years or more. The top had some kind of covering and a million rusty nails. I honestly didn't know the front stretcher was in old blue paint too. The paint was what attracted me to it in the first place in a huge pile of discarded items, probably from a barn. Yesterday I removed the composite top and all the rusty nails and scrubbed it down with hot soapy water. I moved some of my house plants outside today and it is starting to get me excited about my balcony again. I washed it down yesterday with a deep cleaning deck wash in a bucket of hot water and swabbed it with a mop. It is looking almost new again in the hot sun this morning. The sun is continuing to bleach the embedded mildew. I shall stop obsessing about it now and maybe concentrate on a little inside cleaning. (Smile)

I adore my roadside finds and feel good about saving this table from the landfill, especially since today is EARTH DAY 2018. Happy Sunday. See you later. xo

s...NO...w

I honestly couldn't believe my eyes when I awoke this morning. It is noon now, and the snow has stopped and the temperature is rising. Somebody needs to push the reset button for spring. What a difference a day makes. At least the Easter weather was nice for egg hunts and driving. The poor travelers today aren't so lucky even though the melting has already begun.

Lovely Lavender Topiary

Soon we will be able to change our woolen mittens for gardening gloves. Don't you love this lavender topiary? I surely do! via

Very Sweet Cottage

This sweet cottage has already welcomed spring. via

Spring is Trying: Snowdrops

I will soon have blooming snowdrops. They are coming up everywhere. This clump nearest my cottage is the most advanced. Can't wait! Quote below found here. Have a great weekend. xo

Wisteria on a Townhouse

This image is stunning! Such vivid color on the wisteria flowers.

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Pansy Perfection

Do you love pansies as much as I do?

I must buy some this week!

Enjoy your Sunday.

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Mass Planting of Crocuses

I photographed these crocuses at my office on Wednesday after viewing some houses. I think they were probably beaten down by the torrential rain we had all day on Thursday. I hope they survived. I worked outside today and it felt so good. We had nippy weather requiring a wool scarf around my neck, just the kind of day I needed for hard work. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. xo

Cold Puppy

Yup. This photo pretty much describes the temperature outside. Sunny but Cold! Enjoy your Saturday. xo via

Spring. Colonial Williamsburg

Spring at Colonial Williamsburg via

I dearly love the tiny outbuildings and I know you do too. Have a great weekend. xo

April Showers

April showers bring May flowers.

I woke up to a foggy morning after a rainy day yesterday. My phone says it will clear off later and there will be sunshine but more rain on Thursday. That's fine with me since I've always liked rainy days. See you later. xo

Welcome Spring

This rooster really has something to crow about on this first day of Spring. I photographed this image from my Royal Book of Crests.

I took this photo yesterday on my way home from walking my property at sundown. The snow has been melting rapidly and this was the first time I could walk easily in my boots. All the snow has melted from my back roof but there is still plenty on the western front. The birds sound happy on this sunny day and here's hoping you are too. See you later. xo

Daffodil Lawn

Are you dreaming of daffodils? Mine are still buried under over a foot of snow. Do you love this 1775 Welsh cottage as much as I do? Have a great weekend. More photos here.

Bring Spring Indoors

I have really enjoyed having indoor spring flowers since I brought in some snowdrops that got broken when I transplanted some clumps I dug out of the woods. via

Yesterday I clipped some forsythia to force inside. Mother Nature is working on a big blizzard that is supposed to hit tomorrow. If you are in its path also, be safe. xo

You can see all of my recent snowdrop photos on Instagram here. Thanks for looking!