Spring Planting

We finally got around to planting some plants and flowers around here. We have been so busy with wedding plans, but we needed some color.I have a rooster planter that I planted some Mexican heather in. You know I do love my roosters.

My garden flag welcoming guests, ...another thing I like...birds. The rocking chairs need to be refinished or painted. Can't decide what I want to do with them yet.
I found this cute herb planter tucked full of pretty flowers.

I enjoy sitting on the porch on a cool day.

We put some ornamental grass and sweet potato vine in the planter.

Here is a funny story about this plant. It is an ANTIQUE! Yes, it really is. When I was about 14 years old, I walked down to a nearby plant store and bought this plant. I carried it home in a tiny dime store sack, worried all the way that the wind that day would break a leaf. Well , here it is 35 years later. Over the years we have had 2 or 3 different dogs who have chewed it down to just a stalk. My grandson has pulled leaves off it, and I have not treated it as nicely as I should have. But it is TOUGH. I plan to repot it this year and give it some new soil. If I do it would probably die from shock.

I keep my garden shoes by the back door for easy access.

I have 2 hydrangeas we transplanted from my parents house. They didn't look too good last year, but they are blooming this year. Hopefully they will make it.

Joey made this garden bench for me several years ago. In fact, he made 3 of them. We planted
some Knock-Out roses in the planters. They smell good. I may make a more permanent rose bed later in the year, but they didn't cost any more than a pot full of bedding plants would have. This is where I sit and watch Jackson play on the swingset. Need to get some grass growing here.

Aren't the colors in these hanging baskets pretty?

Love the pinks...

I have several ferns on the screened porch. I really love to sit outside at night back there. You would not believe how loud the frogs can get.

I hope you enjoyed my little garden tour.

May Display-birthdays and an anniversary

A friend of my Mother's used to set a display highlighting those in her family who had birthdays, anniversaries, or special occasions each month. We decided it would be fun, so here is our display for the month of May. I am linking this to http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2010/05/12th-table-top-tuesday-reworking.html. Others have submitted some nice displays.

Shannon and Jason will celebrate their anniversary this month. I can't believe it has already been 4 years. Happy Anniversary, and may you have many, many more.

It is also Jason's birthday month.
Happy Birthday, Jason. You have been a great son-in-law.

My late grandparents, Jim and Marie Tatum also had May birthdays, so I will let this display be a tribute to them as well.

For well over 50 years they were very devoted to one another.

They worked hard, lived a simple life, and were very happy together all those years.I am so thankful for their Christian love and example.

Joey and I have been married almost 29 years, and yes, our love has grown stronger for each other, too. I pray this for both our daughters and their husbands.

I have been playing around with my camera. I still have a lot to learn, but I just recently learned about the Blue Hour. In our area it is around 8:15 P.M. The blue sky looks so vivid in the background during this period.

No professional photography here, but it is fun to share.

I also experimented with a few photos of the house.

I think it's kind of neat.

Well that is my display for May. I hope you enjoyed it.

Mothers Day Blessings

It is said of that Proverbs 31 woman,"Her children rise up and call her blessed". Well, I am like her in that way...I am blessed. I may not measure up in other aspects of her character, but I am definitely blessed! I am still fortunate to have my Mother with me, to have had a wonderful mother-in-law and two dear grandmothers who now reside in Heaven, and two beautiful (on the inside and outwardly too ) daughters, 2 great sons-in-law, and 2 precious grandsons. See, I told you I am blessed. Happy Mother's Day to all mothers.

On a lighter note...

We had our get together last night with the girls and families. I received 2 cute cards, both humorous.

Shannon made this for my Mother's Day gift. First, I'll show you the sweet picture she took of the boys. I just love those smiles. And she made the cute magnets by gluing scrapbook paper to the backs of glass discs and placed magnets on them.

Then she covered a piece of metal with burlap, and Jason drilled holes in it for a ribbon. I love my message board. She said she has blisters on her fingers from the hot glue seeping up through the holes in the burlap. I can relate after making that "W" wreath.

I am proud to hang it in my laundry room. I am in there during many of my waking hours, so I will certainly get to enjoy it there. You know, like that Proverbs 31 woman taking care of the needs of her household, ha.

Shawn gave me a rock as my gift from her. It is a beautiful piece of petrified wood she and Darris got me from their honeymoon to the Grand Canyon.
I just love rocks...

Look at all the pretty colors...

and layers...

She knows how I like roosters, so she also brought some folk art and a stone piece from the Indians out there.

I asked her to pick out some earrings for me while she was there, and she found these. I can't wait to wear them, and she surprised me with a pendant to match.

Darris and Shawn shared their pictures as a slide show on the TV for all of us to enjoy. They were breathtaking. Several looked like postcards. They experienced a nice stay at a bed and breakfast, hiking, snow, swimming at the pool, biking, camping at the Grand Canyon,not to mention driving over 3400 miles in less than 2 weeks, and so much more. They will have wonderful memories for a lifetime.
I am so proud of my entire family, and they have made it nice to be a mother. I hope everyone is as blessed this year as I have been. Happy Mother's Day.

Spring/Garden Vignette

I have had a day off from work today-the first with nothing I absolutely had to do in a long time. We finally went through all the boxes from the wedding, and got them carried upstairs. I am tired! So...today I have been puttering around and doing laundry all day. Just trying to get caught up. I will share some of my Spring decorations with you.

If you have been following my blog, I'm sure you have noticed that I like birds (among my many other collections) . This little birdie tea light holder came from Dollar Tree.
The cut glass card holder came from Goodwill. I keep a stack of Bible verses in it. This verse says, "Cast your cares on the Lord, and He will sustain you" from Psalm 55:22-that is just what I need right now. God is good!

This framed print also came from Goodwill. I bring it out every Spring with my birds.

I spent some time this past weekend making a Spring / garden vignette on my entry table. I placed the moss covered "W" from Shawn's wedding on it. She will probably take it from me when she gets home from her honeymoon. Maybe she won't remember. I am linking to Marty's party a little late http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2010/05/12th-table-top-tuesday-reworking.html.
Here, you can see the W a little better. Joey cut it out for me and I covered it with a box of sheetmoss we got from our florist. When we were looking for a large moss covered letter, the cheapest one I could find was over $100.00 and about $45.00 for shipping. Too much for me to pay. We just used several layers of foam core board and lots of hot glue. After burning my fingers several times, I see why they are so expensive, but I do love the way it turned out.
This is the bottom shelf of my display.


I added a garden finial from the flea market, a little "Bless this home" sign from Hobby Lobby, a cloche from Tuesday Morning, and a wire topiary cage from the garden center.
The wood flower box just came from Goodwill a few weeks ago as did the metal scoop.

My bunnies are also a thrifty find. The metal and glass terrarium was found on my parents backporch when they moved. I filled it with moss covered rocks.



I clipped seed packets to my wire cage with some mini clothespins.

I just love those little clips.

I also brought in an old watering can from the garden.

This metal basket from Goodwill holds some Springy plates, also from you know where.



I placed a nest on a pedestal in my cloche.

The little robin was found on my most recent goodwill trip. She is from a Hallmark collection, and was still in the box.

I probably shouldn't tell everyone all my secret places to shop. Ha.

We have been enjoying some beautiful weather here in the Memphis area over the past few days, but we were hit hard this past weekend. We had 14 inches of rain, and our house was struck by lightning very early Sunday morning. We were without cable and internet until yesterday. The cable guy said the wire to the cable box was fried. We still have some phones out, and the power surge fried my TV in the laundry room and the power cord/charger to my computer. I replaced the cord yesterday, and couldn't believe a cord could cost $80.00. I now have a surge protector between it and the outlet. I am just thankful the computer didn't get fried, and we were so fortunate the house didn't catch on fire. I do know it woke all of us from a dead sleep when it hit. I shouldn't complain though, with all those poor people in Nashville with the flooding they are experiencing. Roads are still closed, and much devastation. It is bad up there and will be for some time. Please keep them in your prayers. My cousin and her family live in Franklin, but they were spared the flooding at their home.

Hopefully this nice weather will hold out for all the cleanup that will have to be done.


Take care. It is good to be back online.