Fresh Lavender

♥

Carolina Wren

Speaking of wrens (see previous post),  I've been watching a lovely

wren couple making a nest in my sweet antique box I put on this

 ledge on in the top corner of my front porch.

Only one nest has ever stayed up there because the wind circles

up in that spot and knocks it down.  Well, I attached this box there

last evening and the wrens have already turned it into a little home.

I guess they like antiques as much as me!

Mrs Wren must have liked this spot because she is helping build the

nest.  They don't seem to notice me watching with the front door

open a few inches...just enough for my camera to capture them at work!

♥

Northern Wren

I believe this is a Northern Wren.  Tiny little thing and oh so loud!

I took this picture this morning through my kitchen window.  He's been nest

building all over the yard and this little house is one of his picks!

For those of you who may not know, the male wren

will build 3-4 nests all on his own even before meeting 

his lady!  Then he will call and call for as long as it takes!

Once she shows up, he changes his calling to a romantic,

soft song and takes her around to all the nests he has made.

She gets to choose which ever nest she likes!

After she chooses, she starts tearing it apart

and then the two of them rebuild it together!

What a man, huh, to put up with all of that!?

Just after reading all of these facts a few years ago,

I got to witness it right in my own yard.

That obnoxious call that had been going on for days

suddenly turned into the sweetest little cooing!

I couldn't believe it was the same bird!

I'm so happy that we get to watch another romance.

Hope the lady picks this spot so we get to see babies right

outside the window!  I'll keep you posted!

♥

Pink Dogwood

Taken from my front porch this morning!

♥

Thunderstorm

Tap dance gives way to

Hip Hop

Under

Nuanced 

Dance moves.

Ever changing

Rhythm of

Salsa,

Tango,

Odissi.

Rhythm

Makes me smile.

♥

Well, Hello!

Slate and me, this morning.

Fingers crossed, life here is just about to get back to normal.

Bathroom renos are completed, my health seems to have settled down

after a weird wild ride, spring has arrived and I'm hoping to get my garden

planted this weekend.  This guy here is a one pleasant constant, though....

puts me to bed every night and wakes me up every morning.

Just look at that face. :)

♥

Goldfinch

First sighting of the year!

I love these yellow birds....their sweet voices

and the buoyancy in their flight pattern.

This one was munching on black oil sunflower seeds.

♥ 

Pretty Clutter

I really try to keep clutter to a minimum in my house,

except in my studio.  There, I live happily among

all the pretty things waiting to be put in my shop...

and some other things that are there just to make me smile.

We had snow today!  

And after having sick boys home all last week,

it was a good day to make extra coffee, 

light a candle, and work in a cozy, warm spot like this!

But... there was the buzz of a wet saw in the

background as bathroom reno number two continues. haha.

Around Here, Lately

1. It was good to see the squirrels this morning after tornadoes, wind, rain and power outages last night.  I guess they hunkered down into their little tree homes and waited it out just like we did inside.  Although, ....
2. They didn't have their boys flipping light switches that didn't work for 4 hours. haha.
3. Snow and tornadoes just hours apart!  Spring cleaning has been put on hold indefinitely since Spring isn't upholding her end of the bargain.  One must be able to fling the windows open and let warm breezes flow through the house to properly spring clean, don't you think?
4. Did you have a nice Easter?  We had a nice quiet one.  Still ate leftovers as of last night. Good thing I like my own cooking. haha.
5. The cats are all doing well.  All 15 of them. :)  It's been a whole month since Pepper died.  Charcoal here, is a pleasant distraction, though.
6. We're still in the middle of bathroom renos.  First bath 99% done.  Just some touch up work left to do.  I'm guessing they won't do that until the end of the 2nd one.  Maybe the before and afters of the first will come soon since those little things won't show up in photos anyway.  I must say we are doing remarkably well in sharing one sink/toilet/bath.  Wouldn't want to do it all the time but it's been just fine!  Loving the boys' bath and soaking in their huge tub.

So, what have you been up to? 

♥

Almost Spring

Spring officially arrives later this week!

Here in Ohio, Spring and Winter are trading days...sometimes hours...

as to who is in and who is out.  Warm then cold, cold then warm.

Today will be warm.  Tomorrow will be snow.

I guess it's time to take the vintage sled off the front porch.

Probably not smart to put the snow shovel away just yet.

♥

♥

Yep, it's starting to look like spring!

After a week of pouring rain we have sun!

And a robin sure helps with the overall feeling!

♥ 

Longer Days

One thing this winter-loving-girl appreciates about

this time of year is the light during the evening hours!

The long days are wonderful, aren't they?

The sun sets here in Ohio about 9:00 PM EST

this week.  It's also light about 6:00 AM.

It does make it easier to get out of bed!

But those birds!  They start singing about 4:30

in the morning!  Or so I've been told...I sleep

right through all of that!

♥

Dinner Time

Mama House Finch and her baby

outside the kitchen window.

♥

Sweet Cherries

One of my favorite things about May!

But those darn pits!  They really slow you down

when you want to gobble them up! ha.

♥

Clematis

cell phone camera

Rain and cool temperatures are making my

clematis very happy!

♥

Blue Green

The first pedicure and anklet of the season!

I made the anklet...square cut blue stones and sterling silver.

I thought it matched the polish, so my feet are

now totally coordinated. haha.

But my feet have been cold all day and wanting my

socks and slippers! haha.  Warm up, spring!

I seem to be drawn to this color lately!

It matches my vintage glassware, vintage pottery,

the patina of old copper and well, it reminds me of the sea.

The brand is Sinful Colors and the color is Mint Apple.

I would have called it Mermaid.

♥

This and That

I got my herbs all moved outside for the warm seasons!

11 herbs in all.  Some from seed and some are plantings from

the garden center.  My rosemary is big and in it's own pot

and has thrived over the winter in my garden window

so it might stay there for the time being.

This old planter is holding thyme, basil, dill, parsley, 

cilantro, sage, chocolate mint, sweet mint, oregano and chives.

Some of these are new to my little garden, so it will be fun to

experiment with a nice big variety!

The Easter decor has been replaced with what's not exactly

 spring-ish but definitely eclectic.  The jelly beans are in an

 antique humidor I found at an estate sale recently.  

Similar ones are selling on ebay for $150 and I paid $5!

 It just belongs on this table with it's black lid with tiny red 

 and gold flowers.  The little hornet's nest under the dome was 

found in our yard with the boys were young.  I think they

took it to school for show-n-tell one time.

I got a wonderful surprise box in the mail from Dianna on Saturday!

How very sweet and totally unexpected!  I was touched with her 

attention to detail and how she picked up on things that I like

and gathered them up to make a very nice gift.

We're new to each other here in blog land but she's

a keeper for sure! If you've been a reader here very long 

you know how much I believe in little acts of kindness!

Thanks, friend!  I've been nibbling on yummy things

ever since I opened it! haha. 

Look who has been back a few times!

What kitty can resist rotisserie chicken, right?

He will come into the kitchen and eat cat food and get

a drink of water, too!  But....he did a little exploring around

the house and I caught him 'marking' our laundry hamper.

I raised my voice and clapped my hands and that cat tore through

the house and out the door and clear out of the yard in 5 seconds flat!

haha...He hasn't been back but when he does come back eventually,

I'm going to have to add to that the original list of rules about

behaving oneself and that means being a gentlemen at all times!

But look at that face!  He has a regal look about him!  He's sooo dirty

and his fur feels awful...lots of burs and scratches.

We're still enjoying some beautiful spring weather.....

warm sun, balmy breezes, sleeping with the windows open....

and some thunderstorms scattered here and there.

If only spring would last until fall....  

♥

Spring Fever

How are we supposed to get any spring cleaning

done when spring is calling us to be outside?

♥

Worm Hunting

♥

Pink Dogwood

♥