Rain and Resurrection...........

Some of you have had so much cold and snow. We have had more than enough cold (for this area) and more than usual cloudy, rainy days. This should be our dry season. When it is all said and done, the extra rain is not a bad thing but I am ready for the sunshine and some resurrection. Or maybe I should use the word restart. I need to spend many days outside restoring a cleaner, neater look. Some areas are in much need of being rearranged and redone. I am raring to get going on it - forgetting all the stuff that needs to be done inside!

There has been a resurrection of one kind already, with all the rain. The resurrection fern has sprung to life again and is nice and green. This is at the base of a palm tree. 

If a few weeks go by with no rain the fern is brown and very dead looking. Not so, lately. I like the gray/green lichen you can see on the tree bark.

I went out in the rain a little before starting this post and took a picture of the resurrection fern-covered, leaning palm tree. It looks a lot better like this - green instead of brown. I can't say the same for my front yard grass! Or lack thereof.

I do still have nice spots of color here and there in the winter garden.

I was going to show only the first picture of this plant until I noticed the little guy sitting here in the lower left. I had no idea he was there when I was taking the picture.

I am so proud of this Gerber daisy. I think I have mentioned to you before that it is the first one that I could keep alive for any length of time. It is growing and growing and usually has one or two big blossoms.

This is not a particularly good picture except I love the raindrops, like fairy whispers.

The very same thing could be said of this one.

I always love to see the milk-weed budding up to bloom again. A few plants are scattered throughout

my garden. I just let it grow wherever they decide to pop up. This plant helps a lot in sustaining the butterflies.

Now, I do think this is a good picture. Although the flower probably had a better shape the day before the picture was made. I have had this same plant in a pot for at least fifteen years - maybe more. It has a few blossoms almost year round.  I have started a new habit of drinking a cup of hibiscus tea each day.  It is really believed to reduce high blood pressure. Mine is not high but at my age I'm thinking it might serve as a good way to keep it low. It has a kind of berry/herbal taste. I am using about a teaspoon of honey per cup. I bought tea bags but after some research want to try using my plant blossoms. Hibiscus is a standard beverage in Jamaica.

The ground orchid has just started up some new blooming.

This is my favorite picture that I have taken of this little rock garden area. I do wish I had pulled a few weeds before taking it. This is an area that I want to do some work on soon. I know it could be added to and made to look better.

I moved this tub of hens and chicks to the rock garden area.  I filled in some empty spots within the pot.  The chicken seems to enjoy being outside awhile.

 This little container of paperwhites was started about a week after New Years. This was the first picture I took. I know my Facebook friends have seen this but can't remember if I have included in a blog post before or not.

This was about a week ago. 

I brought it inside this week just to get a different picture. I cannot stand smelling these in the house. It is back outside on the screen porch. All you need to do is anchor the bulbs in some stone or soil (don't bury) and keep them moist up to the bottom root area.

The blossoms are pretty, up close. I think more than how they look, I love growing these just to watch the progression. It is always a fun thing to do at the first of a new year. They won't last long, however.  Now, I want to get some rye seed and get it started in a container. There are so many simple, things that can easily be done to put some extra sweetness into life.

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Something New...........

............I was called late in the day yesterday to be a Bunco substitute. It was a cold day and when it was time to get ready and get out in it, I was wishing I had declined.  Later, as always, I was glad for the opportunity and enjoyed being with the ladies, enjoyed the good food and was one of three who tied for first in the game. Or should it be  3 = tried instead of tied??  In the end, I lost the roll-off for first.  There are no losers at Bobbie's house, however!  She lets first place choose first from the nice prizes, but there is something for everybody.  

I waited until most had chosen but still came home with this neat glass piece. 

It is a very unusual piece - shaped almost like a banana holder with the front end lower than the back end. I just happened to have on hand the perfect thing to put in it. So, here it is on the island holding the big bunch of grapes. Funny, I had removed them from the refrigerator yesterday before Bunco, so I would be reminded to eat them before they spoil. If you have been reading my blog long you probably know, I like the pattern the light makes through the glass!

I had already put the tall candle stand here......

Added some sparkles this morning......

lit the candle and.....

............along with the black chicken towel and little server, the island has a new look. If you ever have a decorative towel with no place to hang it, fold it, roll one end under and place it in an appropriate grouping. Have I told you that already? Oh well, a reminder.

Look what I captured after I blew out the candle. It's not something that would excite everybody but I love the picture of smoke!

Now, to show you the paperwhite update. Do you see what I see?

Beginning to burst forth!!! Next time you see these they will be in full of bloom.

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What is going on in your busy life?

I

Winter Front Door.......

Someone once said, "the most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave to it neither power nor time." Well, this week I have felt a call to creative work. Not wanting to be that regretful person I gave it a little time and work.  The result.......

...............this new door jewelry! Actually, this has been in the corner of my mind since back in the heat of the summer when I bought this large silver tray. I bought it with the plan that it would be part of a new winter door decoration. I think sometime before that I had seen a silver tray used in a similar way on Pinterest. 

I knew I wanted mine kind of sparse. I like the idea of the bright silver color but wanted it down-played to look like the dead of winter.  

I already had the bare branches and thinking this would need a little more than that, I purchased one large sprig that has just a few green leaves. I made it into four shorter sprigs and interspersed those with the bare pieces and  tied them together with the green ribbon I found in my tub of ribbons.

I found the big S at Michaels where I bought the sprig. It is black, the color I wanted, thin and a good size.

I have had a shallow glass bowl with an assortment of silver baubles sitting on my dresser, year round. I robbed it of these three to use here. The finish on the balls has a special name but, for the life of me, cannot think of the word. Don't ever think something like these can only be used for Christmas. Used the right way and in the right place, they are good for any time of the year.

    

The silver tray was a chore to photograph. The green look on the tray is not there when you see it in real life.  I never did get a real good picture but, I think you get the idea and overall look.  Now, the rest of the little entrance is kind of pitiful looking. That's why you are only seeing the door! I need to figure out something complimentary for the window-box shelf and black bench until it is time for the spring bunnies to come out!

I am sure that intellectual sounding person who I quoted in the beginning had something quite different in mind when he mentioned "creative work" but, this satisfies me, for now.

Cozy Comfort.......

.......We are back down in the thirty degrees category again! I have a hard time getting comfortable when it is that cold. I have the heat on but, seems like the house never gets warm to stay unless I turn the thermostat way up. I turn to  warm and cozy decor to make a difference.........

I love the knit basket I found just before Christmas .......

Part of my decorating would fall under  Cottage Style  which can be very cozy.

Maybe I need to just put the white candles away?

And even though I have the tiny lights in this pedestal stand (new from my daughter) it has an icy look.

Probably need to surround it with some warm colors?

Here we go! This is a warm and cozy look.

Feeling some warmth here, too.

Hot tea in a pretty cup is definitely warming.

Hand worked linens contribute warm feelings!

Since I am not working outside on the cold days, bringing some flowers inside to enjoy is a good thing to do.

Nothing says warm and cozy any better than a sweater-clad mug of coffee and Nonni's Biscotti

Yesterday the "warm and comfortable" came from some freshly baked cornbread and turnip greens from the raised bed garden.

Ahhhhh. We are on a roll here! Sausage/gravy and biscuits for breakfast starts the morning off in a cozy, comfortable way.

We are in the strawberry season now. I need to plan a trip to Pappy's Patch.  The experience of  "pick your own" is just as good as eating them.

I definitely like to garnish with sage leaves better than eating them! That is one herb that I like way better dried than fresh. 

Actually, the more I come up with warm and cozy things, the more I feel blessed to have the cold air which provides  the opportunity to enjoy cold weather pleasures.

And now maybe I will put my fuzzy spa sock, feet up awhile and just consider myself quite warm, cozy and blessed! Maybe put some strawberry jam on that second biscuit.  I've got a book to finish reading................