My Walk Around the Yard: part two


Our front courtyard area. The wisteria is about to explode. I'll show you when it does.

Ornamental miniature Cherry Tree. . . just about finished blossoming. It's now leafing out.

Magnolia Tree

Phlox bursting forth with color. . .

Lilac tree ready to blossom too!

and the Lilac bush.

Lamb's Ear

Azaleas in full color. . .

And finally, my little bench waiting for its basket of annuals to be placed on top. A wee bit early for annuals here. I normally plant after Mother's Day, when chance of frost/freeze is over. So, about a week and 1/2 until I plant those annuals. I can't wait to start digging in that dirt :)

Blessings. . . until next time,

SPRING IN MICHIGAN

SPRING

Oh yes, it's been a looonnnggg time coming, but it's here. SPRING in Michigan and I'm loving it!! I took a walk around my yard this afternoon and snapped a few photos.

Spring, it comes every year. I like to think of it as God's promise that our bad times (winter) will surely end!

Flowers blooming;

Trees budding;

and we repeat :)

See all of my hostas and lily of the valleys coming to life, reaching for the sun?

I'll share more pictures. . . next time.

Blessings. . . until next time,

TEXAS HERE SHE COMES!!!

Thank you so much to those of you who left comments and e-mailed me regarding our daughter finishing her education in Austin, TX. All is pointing in that direction for our daughter. She's flying to Austin on Thursday to take care of of a few details and will return on Sunday. As of this date. . . the plans are to drive her car from Michigan to Texas with my husband/dad. . . on the 24th of May!!!

WOW!! It's an incredibly great opportunity for her. She'll be able to spend time with hubby/dad while he's installing a new system in Austin and finish her education. I will miss her terribly. So will our youngest daughter. I think I'll have to fly down every 4 - 6 weeks. . . just to check in on her and get my hugs.

We (daughter and I), are entering a new season of our lives; one chapter closes, another one opens with new and exciting opportunities for each.

. . .but why, may I ask. . . "does my heart hurt so???"

Blessings. . .until next time,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUBS!!

My hubs turned 52 on Thursday! I made his favorite cake for him and suffered through dinner at PF Changs. I don't like Chinese food and it doesn't like me. It's a testament of how much I love this man. He was in heaven! I, not so much. The good thing was that I'm still sick and couldn't taste anything, so I didn't each much.

I love this picture of my husband. We were singing, or I should say attempting to sing, Happy Birthday To You. . . Happy Birthday To You. . . . He was actually laughing at us, I think!

I hope this year brings you some time to relax dear. You deserve it. I hope to see more of the following picture of you enjoying your hard work. I took this at our cottage during our last visit. My husband relaxing and doing nothing. I don't see this too much!

Blessings. . . until next time,

CRAIGSLIST FIND FOR THE COTTAGE!!

LOOK WHAT I FOUND FOR OUR MICHIGAN UP-NORTH COTTAGE:

We have a cathedral wall at our cottage that I've been wanting to place an electric fireplace. Not just any electric fireplace, however. A really, really nice, electric fireplace. Not the kind you can buy at Home Depot, or Garden Centers. The realistic looking kind that you purchase from a heating/cooling company. The Dimplex electric fireplace. It has adjustable flame, adjustable lighting and a heater blower that is also adjustable. They are very pricey and I was looking for a used one to fit the bill. I'm cheap, urr, I mean Frugal! I couldn't find one that wasn't cherry wood, or white, or a corner until. I have been looking for a few years now. . . then I found this one.

My husband was not in agreement, however. He wanted to put in a gas fireplace. Like we have in the basement of our cottage. I just wanted an electric one, with a remote and no lingering smell. He never thought that electric looked very realistic. . . until I showed him this one. I found this one on Craigslist.com. The couple had this unit in their finished basement (which with three kids under the age of 4 years old ~ they didn't get down there much to use it). They were moving and selling this unit. Luckily, hubs was home and reluctantly agreed to go look at this with me. As soon as they turned it on for us to see, my hubs agreed with me. It was beautiful! These units are pricey. $1,200 new just for the firebox and then another $500 to $600 for the fireplace surround. They were only asking $400 TOTAL!!! FOR BOTH.

The mirror on top of this unit was a separate find of mine. Can you believe it? I found this from another ad on Craigslist.com at the exact same time as finding the fireplace. It was only $50!! They even offered to deliver it to me. Can't get better than that, can you? The fireplace and the mirror look like they have always been together. For $450 I did not break the budget and have now achieved the exact look I've been wanting for our little up north get away.

. . . And sorry hubs, but this is one remote that I control :)

Blessings. . . until next time,

I'M STILL ALIVE!!

So sorry I have been Missing In Action (MIA)!!!


I'm still around. . . I just never got to feeling better. I finally went into see the doctor on Wednesday and found out I have bronchitis and a sinus infections. No wonder I was feeling so "punk!"

Back soon.

Blessings. . . until next time,