A Lovely Season -

Keeping busy preparing for Easter as springtime envelopes the landscape. Bluebells are ringing........narcissi perfume the air in that rare, brief loveliness of the last cool days before the intense heat arrives here in the southeast.

Not quite 'hopping' along as the influx of rabbits seem to be doing, but enjoying the 

days leading up to Easter as all around the garden bursts forth with fresh new

 color and loveliness.  Staying busy meeting up in person with friends 

'misplaced' over the years for one reason or another - springtime often brings

 that, fresh new starts after Winter hibernation. I'll be back soon to share

 azaleas, garden birds. . . . . . . and some travel plans for this year!

This week ahead -

Following the most beautiful warm and sunny day on Easter Sunday,

it rained heavily most of yesterday and was so chilly. We had errands to

run - garage for a car repair, airport run to pick up a friend, tailor shop to

 collect a few items requiring alterations, and a LIDL stop for fresh rustic 

baguette to accompany the roasted butternut squash soup I made

 early morning - warming soup for a cold, wet day. Perfect.

The birds are busy. 

More cardinals are visiting the front garden, relaxing

 in the the now leafed out trees, with many robins, sparrows, finches

 and mourning doves. The chickadees have nested in the tiny wooden

 box hanging in the fig tree. . . .mamma is sitting on eggs.

In the back garden the bluebirds are busy, along with doves, 

nuthatches, woodpeckers, towhees, blue jays and thrashers. 

One large lonely crow struts around the lawn or sits cawing in

 an oak tree, seemingly calling for a mate for the past few days.

Wherever we look there are busy squirrels, and just one rabbit has

 appeared so far!  A few butterflies have been seen on sunny days,

 a lovely sight!  A pair of carpenter bees are checking the wooden

 rails of the front porch, always a favorite place to burrow and nest.

In a day or so I'll be packing the Easter decor away - thankful there's not

 too much, like at Christmas!  All fit into just two large boxes, with lots of

 tissue paper wrapped around those precious rabbit ears!

Tulips are just about over in the gardens around here. 

Yesterday's heavy rain for hours cleared much of the pollen

 which is good, but did damage some delicate flowers.

Hope your week is a good one, and thanks so much for all the 

kind comments on my spring garden in the previous post. . . . . . . 

Saturday was wild!

 

As I mentioned in my 'foggy' Monday post, last Saturday was quite a

 crazy day around here, or at least it felt that way perhaps due to all the

 hundreds of quiet, mediocre days of this past year!

I brought home extra flowers to enjoy over the weekend - the ranunculus

 (above) because I thought them so beautiful and don't often see them so

 reasonably priced as these were at Trader Joe's.

Tulips are available everywhere right now so I mixed three bunches, white, 

yellow and double orange. They will not last for Easter this coming

weekend so I may have to buy more.

Saturday early, made my way through the fog to pick up farm eggs at the local 

outdoor market just minutes from home. Because I fancied a walk I put the

 eggs in the car, grabbed my phone and took off around the Midtown shopping

 area. Most people were masked so I felt safe (and of course I've been

 vaccinated). Some shops were open............including a favorite which I hadn't

 put a foot in for over a year, Anthropologie!  I took a look, mostly at home

 decor items, not clothes, and bought a wedding gift for friends who will be

 married this month.

Great feeling - a brief, colorful shopping trip. . . . . . . 

. . . . sad feeling, one of our favorite restaurants now closed due to COVID.

Back at home the day proceeded, did a little Easter decorating, just simple

 with my always pleased to see white rabbits who hopped out of their attic

 storage box. . . . . . . and colorful faux eggs.

As Saturday was our anniversary we decided it was a good excuse for a

 restaurant visit - just our second in this past year! More places have 

opened back up with distanced seating both indoor and out.

It clouded up as we left the house just after 4:30 pm and then torrential

 rain started. As we parked the car then hurried across the parking lot, the

 loudest thunder clap ever with terrifying zigzagging lightning scared the

 you know what out of us as we made a mad dash for the restaurant. 

 Clinking my glass of rosé with Bob's beer, and enjoying the first bite into

 my shrimp wrap with side Cesar salad, my phone rang and our neighbor

told us that a huge oak tree had fallen at the end of our street, bringing 

down poles and live wires. It was likely we wouldn't be able to get home

 in the car for some time (we live on a cul-de-sac with only one

 way in and out). The other news was our power was out!

Long story short, the tree thankfully caused no property damage, just

 blocked the road for hours until cut up and removed. 

The power company arrived and worked diligently to restore power under

watchful eyes of the Police keeping the area safe, and we got home

from the restaurant, parked our car nearby and walked through the woods

to get to the dark house! With nothing to do at home but sit with candles 

and flashlights, we later walked to the end of the street, met a bunch of 

neighbors doing the same, and all had a good hour of distanced chitchat

 as the chain saws and bucket trucks worked their magic to get us back

on the grid a few minutes before midnight.

Yes, a day to remember with a little 'entertainment' which we are missing 

during this long, very different way of life.

A freeze expected tonight and again tomorrow - will be covering the

 hydrangeas as buds are forming. Hoping damage to plants and now

 blooming shrubs and trees will not be severe. Nature and weather are  

not always friendly!

Easter Decor - House finch update -

 Welcome to Easter at the cottage.

I almost didn't crawl through the attic to where they were hiding!

But then I thought, no, nothing should stop the little pleasantries of 

life when it comes to such a special holiday on the Christian calendar.

Don't we need to keep going, celebrate something in these dark hours,

take pleasure in springtime and the arrival of Easter?

The rabbits were waiting patiently, wrapped in crinkled tissue paper to

protect their beautiful ears, carefully tucked into box under the eaves.

Two little families, both cute, and happy to be free for a couple of weeks!

They bring a smile to my face. . . . . and to you I hope.

Outdoors we're in full pollen season now - and this year it's so heavy, 

especially from the oak trees. Everything has taken on a yellowish hue. . . . . . 

. . . . . and Mama finch is still sitting on her three eggs! 
Rather late hatching. 
Hopefully some time this weekend we'll have baby birds and more
 activity at the front porch nest when the dad helps with feeding.

No Easter egg hunts around here this year! Not much Easter candy

 either - bunnies prefer lettuce, don't they?

So, our Easter will be quiet, just as most days are right now.
Today will be great weather to be in the garden and perhaps 
supper in the gazebo.

Looking back at this collage from another year I'm glad I decided
 to do some decorating this year also. . . . . . . . .it would have left 
a big empty hole on my blog!

How about you, did you decorate? 
Even just a little decoration is cheery I assure you.

Enjoy your Easter weekend, stay safe, and blessings to all.

Scribble Picnic - Egg Hunt. . . . . . .

. . . . . . and a hunt it was, in the attic!

Returning from Patagonia - literally "the end of the world" - with the remains of the 

head/chest bug from hell, the last thing I on my mind had to be Easter eggs!

However, yesterday, stashing away our duffels and backpacks, I spied the two

 boxes marked EASTER and pulled them out. 

Paper-wrapped white china rabbits were tucked in with faux eggs awaiting their time 

in the sun yet again, so hacking and blowing took a back seat as I 'decorated' a wee

bit around the cottage. I took this photo, added a few watercolor smudges to 

make it legal, and here it is, my entry for today's SCRIBBLE PICNIC.

I missed you guys whilst journeying south, all the way south to within

 just 621 miles of Antarctica!  Circumventing Cape Horn, the spot where the

 Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet, often in a confrontation, there is no land

 to the east, none to the west—so winds sweep all the way around the world

 from the west.

I've just started posting my stories and photos from the expedition trip (take

 a look if interested) as there was only sporadic/costly Internet on the ship so

any and all blogging was put on hold.

More later. . . . . . . . .good to be back, and I am feeling much better at last.

Spring brings Easter decor. . . . . . . . .

Spring and Easter go hand in hand. . . . . . 

This is my Easter decor around the cottage celebrating
 this lovely new season, and the special Christian holiday
 next weekend.

Wishing you and your family a time of peace and joy.

Household Secrets Part II. . . . . . . . . .

Way back in January I posted Household Secrets, Part 1 and promised

 a second part with more odds and ends from around the cottage. 

Here it is, better late than never, if you're interested in what some call bric-a-brac,

 knick knacks or just plain old junk!

bric-a-brac

noun, ( used with a singular or plural verb)

miscellaneous small articles collected for their antiquarian, sentimental, decorative, or other interest.

I'm now in the throes of doing a little Spring/Easter decorating so some of this

 has already changed, not a lot though because I've really pared down on

 seasonal decorating. Too much stuff to store (we are limited by uneasy to access

 storage, most being in the attic, and we are finding it impossible very hard to

 crawl around dragging out bulky, heavy boxes.

Later you'll be re-introduced to the things I love to display for this new season,

 my white rabbits, they will always be around come Springtime.

What's happening at your house regarding Spring/Easter decor?

Will you be going over the top or keeping it simple?

Seeing these empty French antique drinking vessels above I'm suddenly visualizing

nice brown farm eggs sitting in them!

If you have youngsters at home I'm sure there will be colorful displays, chocolate

eggs, even bunting and cut out characters stuck on the windows - all part of being 

a child who will grow up with happy memories. 

Go for it say I - before it sometimes becomes a little bit more of a chore than a fun thing!

Anyway, let's think Spring - it's almost here.

Spring Equinox 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere will be at 6:28 AM

Eastern Daylight Time on

Monday, 

March 20, 2017

Cottage makeover with slip covers. . . . . . . . . . .

Was it worth it? 

Sending the slip covers across the country to change their color, and

 my living room, was definitely a leap of faith.

Showing you the new look is not easy either - the lighting in this room on

these later winter days is not the best, however I think you will get the 

feel. . . . . . . . which is a lot different from the previous bright white

shabby chic look. 

Overall I'm pleased with the slip covers. There are a few darker

marks on the chair cover, but nothing a pillow and throw can't hide!

As warned, the zippers used on the backs and the cushions were white

 polyester and they did not take the dye, however they are just about

 invisible on the furniture so that isn't a major problem for me.

For now I'm keeping the antique French linen cover on the side chair, and the 

ottoman cover, white. As the slip covers came back quite a bit darker than

expected, charcoal rather than medium/dark grey, I think I need the white 

to keep the room from looking too dark.

I picked up some new pillow covers at IKEA at the weekend - two large grey

velvet and two small indigo blue linen - which I think go well with my antique cream

 and blue covers purchased in Provence some years back, also my elephant

 cover from Pottery Barn last year, and the sweet bird on a branch pillow in

another shade of blue found here at the Vintage Village.

I like how the dark grey contrasts with my armoire painted in

 Annie Sloane's Paris Grey. . . . .also with the silver metal gym

 baskets under the coffee table, perfect storage for my magazines

 and current reading materials.

Nothing fancy here - after all this is just a small cottage, compact and comfy.

 We've lived here 30 years now, not sure how much longer, but will keep it our

home as long as we can. . . . . . . . . . because our neighbors won't let us move,

 and our garden birds would miss us, haha! 

We have a bathroom reno starting this week, followed hopefully by a

 kitchen facelift during the Summer. Later this year the exterior of the house

 will be receiving a much-needed paint job.  

It's going to be a busy year around the cottage!

This photo was taken with my iPhone and it seems to be the closest

 color match - more the shade of charcoal grey without the blue hue in the

other photos.

All in all I am pleased with the covers. I did wash them all in my washer

 yesterday (and dried them in the dryer) as I wanted to be certain the dye is

 permanent and would not rub off on light clothes - it won't, and there was no

 dye in the washing water. The covers feel lovely, much softer and for some

 reason were easier to get back on the cushions - the job I always dreaded!

The wall behind the sofa might need some work. Perhaps I'll eventually

 hang some art along with the old mirror, haven't decided yet.

So this is the new look - even Bob seems to like it which is always a 

plus - and it cost much less than new furniture for the time being!

Now I'm working on the dining room table for Spring, and eventually 

for Easter. I've definitely edited my collection of Easter items over the 

past couple of years so remaining are just my white rabbits. . . . . . and 

a few other things I'll share in a later post closer to Easter.