Spring/Easter

I didn't do much Easter decorating this year. I just haven't been in the mood for pastels and not planning an Easter meal I didn't think skipping some of the decorating would be noticed.....

I already had the spring welcome flag out and I added three colored eggs to the pot of grass. This grass is showing some winter damage. I think next week it will get a short hair cut and a big drink with fertilizer and see if it will grow back looking better. I have had this grass forever, it seems.

On the other side of the front walk I brought out the three eggs that usually go in the big fountain but, since the fountain is not holding water, they were not needed there.

The plant is not looking so good right now, also returning from getting a little too cold but it is beginning to bloom again.

A few steps up the walk and on the left the cloth rabbit basket is the greeter. It is amazing how this has hung outside year after year, gotten wet several times but still looks the same.

Well, I guess her whiskers have drooped a bit.

Shy bunny is here on the right of the walk but he lives here year round.

A few weeks back this Easter Cactus started budding up and here it is blooming right in time for Easter.  My son gave this to me several years ago at Easter time and it was called Easter Cactus and had a different look from the Christmas Cactus - foliage and flowers . It seems to have reverted back to the familiar look. 

On the other side of the bench.

Some big ears in the window box just above the bench.

I love his big ears!

On the right side.

This is the spring wreath I put out earlier.

A simple style but I like it. And, it may just stay through summer too. Let's step inside to see one little area.

Just inside on the little table. 

He is a big guy giving a big greeting. The biggest thing about him is his feet.

Same little garden house I used at Christmas but takes on a new look with spring things.

And, that is it for this showing. I have a few, very few, spring-like items about inside. I need to renew my zeal for changing and sprucing things up in here. I have enough stuff to rotate, that's for sure. 

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My wish is for you to have a very Happy Easter!! I am looking forward to a Good Friday service tonight to honor our Lord and Savior.

Fun With Birds #1......

......I love watching birds and I have a lot of them to watch. So far this year, more different kinds than usual.......

I always see cardinals every day. And, poor little Justin! His head seems to be a popular place for several creatures to rest on.

I have managed to get a few fairly good hummingbird pictures this spring.

It takes a lot of waiting, watching and patience.

I am envious of those people I see in pictures with these little creatures eating right out of their hands. This is about the best I can do.

Recently this woodpecker has been flying in and out a lot.  A couple of almost silhouette shots is all I have been able to get.

They seem like nervous birds, darting about in a hurry, using almost intimidating actions.

There has been a lot of activity in and about the birdbaths.

It is pretty common to see titmouse birds splashing or drinking.

This day it was a female cardinal

A rare sighting in my yard - a finch.

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In part two I will show some rather unusual backyard birds. Interesting!

Fresh Cuts.........

............I have been "over" my Sip and Savor drink station for some time now - just hadn't done anything about changing it. Until a few minutes ago........

So, now it is no longer Sip and Savor, it is Fresh Cuts from my garden.  I hope to get in the habit of bringing something in fairly often and will try to do a post to share with you.  

You can see that I turned the basket over to make a shelf for a little bouquet to sit on, changed the words.....

.....went out and cut just a few sprigs of greenery and some of my newest favorite Salvia, Wendy's Wish......

.......chose a little cruet to put them in and also made a more secure top with a simple white platter. Everything is still on the cabinet to the left of my stove.  The lightning is not ideal here for pictures. I tried a flash but, it made too much reflection.

I am loving it so far, how about you?  Let me know what you think. I have in mind to do a simple post, showing the fresh cuts of the day, maybe once a week or every other week until we get tired of it.  I will still work in my other posts, too.

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The Rest of our Walk Along the Path......

 ............About two posts back I told you we would go along the stepping stone path to see the other end of it. So, here we go.......

You can see we head up a little incline in this direction. Up ahead is my huge Agapanthus. It is also called Lily of the Nile. It looks like it is in the big pot in the picture but is in the ground ....

This is a close-up of the plant (spider wort) you see hanging over the path and......

 on the left side is the toad abode and Nome area.

A few steps on is a Louis Philippe rose bush and also.....

Mutabilis rose which has been blooming full enough lately to get a shot of multiple blossoms.

A shot up the other side does not show every thing but it sure shows that chair pad that is supposed to be down on the seat!  I just ran out in light rain to take this picture. I guess I was in a hurry and didn't notice the chair. Hidden by the pot in front is this......

My Gerber daisy.

Looking on ahead in the long shot you saw Peggy Martin on a trellis and above the Tibouchina bush.

This rose has really been showing off lately. 

On around the corner my raised beds come in view.

In this view a couple of sprigs of the Tibouchina in the bottom right. This plant has also been blooming up a storm!

You will notice the stepping stone path has now changed to mini-pine bark.

 I have not shown near all that is along here on the left but, I am going to continue on with this Plumbago bush.

After that is a few Cleome plants - one of my very favorites. This picture is actually looking back the way we came. I have many baby ones of these coming to take over when these big ones age out.

Lower on the ground in the same area is this Coreopsis.

Also on the left is the big sprawling (even after I trimmed it way back) Clair Matin rose. She has grown back so quick and is blooming full right now.

Across from the rose you see my grape tomato plant in a pot with the Knockout rose and some ferns in back.

Looking beyond knockout is the Bridal Wreath Spirea which is fast turning brown. 

This is an earlier picture when it was still white. I love it when it is at its best and wish it could last all summer.There is more to see down the path, however, I don't know about you but I am tired! This post has not gone smoothly and I think it is time to quit! I hope you enjoyed the second part of our path walk and I will see you next time.