It's Looking Like Spring In My Yard........

..........Looking and feeling like spring enough to make the snowman flag look pretty silly. So, I took it down and hung this spring flag.

I have so many pictures to share this time that I will mostly let them speak for themselves.

Azaleas are blooming really good this year. Mine is a spindly bush but that is the kind I like best.

This guy is what took me out in the yard with my camera.  He was giving great poses and looked me straight in the eye.

My newest yard ornament.

'Ole Louis Philippe just outside the screen porch.

No color enhancement needed here.

Clerodendrom almost always has a few blooms.

Texture and structures in the garden are as important as plants!

The African Irises are starting to bloom.

I have loved this goofy "bird" and the spider plant is perfect for it.

Sunbeams were  featuring certain things in the backyard this morning.

This pair was trying to catch some rays.  This is right at the edge of my property and looks onto my neighbor's uncleared land.

I built the big birdhouse several years back.  I made the hole large and put it up as high as I could, hoping for an owl to call it home but I never have seen any bird move in.

She is resting in the warmth of the sun.

Macho fern and red salvia.

 

I was pleased to see that the blue-eyed grass is starting to bloom.

Blue-eyed grass is the smallest iris.

Now we are on the back porch because I want you to see the slab of cedar wood that my niece, Freida brought to me.  It is shaped like a butterfly.

It is perfect to display this little dish of succulents.

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I am expecting my next company to arrive tomorrow evening and I will probably not post again until the end of next week.  Enjoy your days no matter what is or is not blooming!

Where Have All My People Gone???

     For the last week from Sunday to Sunday I have had out-of-town family visiting. It was so good to have them.  My 91 year old sister from Tennessee was here all week and from Thursday until yesterday her daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter and her boy friend were here.

This Monday morning the house is quiet and very empty.

No one can be found anywhere!

On Saturday we were joined by my niece and her husband who drove up from Fort Lauderdale, a three and a half hour drive.  A big thank you to them for driving that far since they could only stay a few hours - many miles to travel for a one day visit! My daughter and her husband and my son and his wife came and we all had a meal together and caught up on family news, straightened out a few world problems, etc.

This room was filled to capacity!  I loved having each and every one of them.

My sister sat right here for most of the week, talking, crocheting, laughing, eating, and did I say, talking. She also spent hours sorting through years of greeting cards that I had saved but finally decided to get rid of. She saved parts of them to repurpose.

Now, everywhere is empty, including the porch.

All rooms are empty! 

My niece, Freida brought these huckleberry products, along with other things, for hostess gifts. I am anxious to try these and you may just see them later.

Just perfect for a little tea setting. I love the name and packaging. I am sure the taste will be special, too.

My sister and I made a quick trip through Home Goods and she bought this great bird cage for me.  I can see it with a ribbon laced through that bottom part!  And it may end up with a bird nest inside for spring, watch for it decorated at Christmas time.

I was able to cut enough roses for a small bouquet before they came.

Falling petals only make the vinette better!  Knowing my sister is fond of kumquat preserves I made an unsuccessful attempt to find some. I did find fresh kumquats but had no time left to make preserves. You can take her word for it - they are VERY sour!!!

Thanks to my daughter, first one on the left, we got a good photograph of the Saturday gang. They all look color co-ordinated except me, with that red shirt on. Sure wish I had chosen differently. By the way, Caroline, with the crutch is my niece who spent about seven hours (round trip) in a car to be here with a foot which had been operated on a few days before.

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There is no family to be found that is better than my family! These and all the ones not present, including the extended family are a very large group of good people.  I am proud of all of them. I am so happy to have had this opportunity to spend some special time with a few of them.

Company's Coming.......

 

     ..........Yes, lots of company, four groups in the next few weeks.  So I have been working on the guest room to get it ready. 

                                  This first picture didn't download right but I'm leaving it as is for now.

 As a part of my vow to clean and organize drawers, etc. I had already begun doing that in this room before I knew I would be getting guests this weekend.  This spare room had become more of a storage place for extras that I didn't know what to do with!  The contents in the drawers are in much better order and I ended up with two empty drawers for the guests to use!  And, the best part, there is nothing sitting/laying around that doesn't belong in here!!

When I first moved to this house about nine years ago this chocolate brown paint color was popular. I became bold and painted this room with it. The color is no longer popular but I still like it for here.

The room is so difficult to photograph!  You can't back up far enough and the pictures have to be taken from an odd angle, not to mention the darkness.

And, have you ever tried to photograph a wall of mirrors!!! You have the flash bouncing around, get multiple pictures of parts of yourself, etc. 

I included this dresser area in a Christmas post when I had the white christmas trees standing in this vintage suitcase.

After Christmas was put away I gathered up a few old things that I have collected over the years and made this little vignette.

The little folded dress on the right is one I bought in an antique store for my grandaughter to wear to her first tea party.  She is now in college.  I sure wish I had the picture of her wearing it to include here. I may add it later if I have time to find it and scan.

Also on the dresser is this metal handkerchief box.

It is filled with old handkerchiefs. We don't hear that word very often, do we?  The one with the "D" and the blue striped one were my dad's.  He was born in 1899!

At the foot of the bed with about two feet between is the chest of drawers.

The little pair of mary Janes are doll shoes and the reason I would have them here is because I wore Mary Jane shoes as a small child. Again I wish I had my picture handy.

 

This is a picture of me and my younger sister. My daughter, Carla got the picture from another family member and framed it and decorated the mat with flowers and presented it to me last year.  I love having it!

The table beside the bed.

On this table is the photo album of my wonderful whirlwind day in Paris with Carrie and Mark about seven years ago.

Off the subject here ( I did have a subject, didn't I)  but I had to show one opening of the book. 

The flash makes this look much brighter. The berries are a darker red.

A little welcoming velvet heart on the door.

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I am so happy to have this little room free of clutter and cleaned up and ready! Just hope no one looks under the bed! Now, I need to get busy and work on my bedroom!  I am likely to have low visibility in blogland for awhile as I spend time with my people.