Time Away

No need to send out a search party, I'm not lost in the gardens either.

I spent the weekend in Pennsylvania visiting my BFF from high school.

To say that I had fun would be an understatement.

I laughed so much!

It fed my soul!

I wish that I did not have to wait another year until I go back.

Oh, and we shopped, and shopped and shopped, until we were both exhausted.

I found some wonderful treasures that I thought I would share with you.

I was able to find plenty of WHITES to add to my collection.

In fact, it seemed that we found almost everything we were looking for, and it became kind of a joke.

Some pocket watches for me to make some neat necklaces with.

I found lots of great architectural salvage, self brackets and corbels.

Pitchers, platters, buttons and wood oh my.

A cheap matching set of tureens just waiting for me to put my plants in.

I just love the little pitchers.

The column base is not too bad either.

I am thinking the shutter will work great for a new sign.

I think this pair is probably my favorite find. 

Don't you think they will look great in my gardens.

One thing I kept looking for was a swan at a reasonable price. 

No luck.

BUT, look what I found in my back yard yesterday a beautiful white goose.

Way better than a swan any day, I have this sinking feeling Mr. M. is not going to let me keep him.

PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE!

 Oh and I found out that you have to go through some interesting towns to get to Paradise.

I hope you all are having a wonderful summer! 

I wish I could come and visit more, but my son's birthday is this weekend and I have so much to do.

Happy 4th.



In Bloom

My shrub roses are in BLOOM!

Pink everywhere!

Not a Fan of Baseball

Now that we are in the middle of Spring, gardening is always on my mind. 

Weeds, they demand attention!

BUT

The biggest weed I have found in my way to a beautiful maintained garden.

BASEBALL!

Yes, I said it, the all time American sport is IN MY WAY! 

Mr. M. plays on his fireman league, and the kids each play, and they practice.

COME ON FAMILY, MOM WANTS TO PLAY IN HER GARDENS!

I almost missed seeing my peonies in bloom.

I need Spring to slow down.

My roses are starting to bloom and I want to enjoy them before they are gone.

We skipped going to watch Mr. M. play so I could finish my planters. 

This topiary is my favorite planter this year. 

For now it sits in the middle of the brick patio, until I find the perfect spot for it.

Remember the dwarf trees I mentioned moving, well I finally got it done and I replanted the pair of planters on the deck.

Hopefully they will not have to be transplanted for a couple of years.

Last night we went to this guys Pre-K graduation.

He is going to be going to Kindergarten in the fall.

Well I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

As for me, I am going to try to sneak in some gardening in between BASEBALL!



Flowers on the Deck

Hello, I hope everyone is having a wonderful SPRING!

The weather has definitely been beautiful and I have been taking advantage of it, that's why I have been absent for the last week.

I thought I would share a special spot for Mr. M. and I.

I am not sure when it happened, but one day I pulled two deck chairs together and asked him to sit and help me decide where to put a couple of small trees that needed transplanting.

Ever since that day, this is where the chairs have sat and it seems that each night my husband and I sit down and share a drink, be it a refreshing ice tea or an ice cold beer.

BUT WE SIT!

We sit and look at the back yard, talking about what we are going to do the next day, or watch the children as they run around and play.

I came across a picture that I wanted to show you how far our house has come.

THIS!

This is what our home looked like as we were building it. 

Yep, NO landscaping at all. 

It was all farm fields before.

It is amazing when I see how much it has changed.

I know how much work was required because WE did it ALL ourselves!

This is some of the back yard.

Quite a transformation in 13 years.

It was not over night, that is for sure, and a majority of the flowers have only been done in the last 4 years.

Mr. M. would like to think that we are DONE!

Someone better tell him that he married a gardener and we garden for life.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Take the time to sit and enjoy yourselves.

I am sharing my gardens with Debra from Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday and  Cindy from My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday and Courtney from French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday.



Thanks for stopping by to visit.

Oh, remember those trees Mr. M. and I were trying to figure out where to move. 

Well, we still haven't, so I guess there will be more sitting this weekend!

ENJOY!

Progress

I have been taking advantage of the great weather we have been having to get some projects worked on.

Remember that frame I showed you a couple of weeks ago.

FINISHED!

I dry brushed the frame with old white chalk paint and added a wood insert painted with chalk board paint.  I love the detail of the frame.

Words soon to come "HOUSE RULES" necessary for a smooth summer while mom is at work.

Before and during the painting process of an antique fireplace mantel I bought at an antique sale.

Sorry for the odd picture, this sucker is heavy and I did not want the beveled mirror to fall out.

I can't wait to get it into my living room.

The garden before, just a pile of sand and some weeds.

It has already begun to look much better.

I was lucky to start with a fence and a wild white rose bush as my backdrop.

Add some dirt and plants.

This is the back of the garden as seen from the driveway. 

I always try to add a path through my gardens for the children and myself.

I love to walk through my gardens early in the morning with a cup of coffee and see how my plants are doing. 

But, I am not done yet!

 

 

I still have several groupings of plants that have yet to be planted.

And who am I kidding, the planting season has only just begun.

There is always room for more flowers.

So, that is what keeps me busy these days.

How about you? 

Are you busy planting, painting, sewing, or are you relaxing?