How much is that kitty in the window...

Baby, our little indoor kitty...

...loves to watch the world go by from the windows of our little 'cottage.'

 After all, there are so many little critters and birds to watch...

While filling birdbaths out in the garden, I heard her meowing. Luckily I had my camera with me. She looked so cute sitting in the window.

These photos were taken about a month ago, right after I plunked some 6 packs of impatiens and vinca vine down on the birds' screen feeder outside the dining room window.

This photo was taken just a few days ago. The impatiens and vinca vine are growing nicely, and Baby has moved to the downstairs window to watch the world go by...

 No matter where she looks...

.. there is always something to watch...

Even if it's just me!

I'll toss some peanuts out in a minute, Baby. That should get you some immediate chipmunk, squirrel, and blue jay action!

I'm linking up to Cindy's My Romantic Home Show & Tell Friday.

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Donna

Serenity...

"Leave room in your garden for angels to dance."

... and bunnies to frolic...

... and flowers to bloom...

 

Amen.

I'll be linking up to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday.
Wishing you all a lovely week,  Donna

A Roswell update, and my sweet pet chipmunks

Little by little the backyard is coming along...

Mulch is being spread and garden paths are being staked out (photo from 2 weeks ago)...

A few years back when we took down our old above ground pool, we were left with a crater that I nicknamed Roswell because it looked like a flying saucer had landed in our yard.

Here's the yard several years later, slowly but surely looking less like a crater and more like a garden-in-the-making (Photo from last night, after the gravel was put down in the pathways.)

Another photo from a few weeks ago, showing the paths without gravel. We held off working on this section of the garden until Mr. & Mrs. Wren and their babies moved out of the house pictured above (which has now happened).

There are still so many plants I want to add between the gravel paths...

.. but all in good time.

One of the highlights of working in the garden is being surrounded by the sweet little critters and birds who bless us with their presence. I always carry peanuts in my pocket when I'm watering and such, and that means that my Chips and the Bluejays (HUGE peanut fans) scurry around and/or watch from the trees for me to toss them some treats. Here are several 15 second clips taken over the past week or two of my garden friends.

Chip eating out of my hand.

Check out Chip's cute little tongue while he positions 

the peanut in his cheek! haha

Chip literally leaping into my lap!

My smart little Chip!

A visit from Mr. Bluejay

Another Day, Another Chip...

I just can't get enough of my little Chips! 

Hopefully I'll someday have the camera handy when there are 2 or 3 Chips visiting at the same time. It gets CRAZY as they chase each other around!

Please stop by to visit Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend :)

Donna

My summer oasis...

This is where I head to relax and regroup...

It's my favorite place to hang out for a while on good days. It's an absolute necessity on bad days.

The weather has been nothing short of spectacular lately. Maybe a tad on the chilly side, but you'll hear no complaints from me.

While picking up clothes at my father's house the other day to bring to the nursing home, I noticed that a bush my mom planted next to the house many years ago was in full bloom.

I snipped a few branches and when I got them home I placed them in a vase out on the patio table.

I'm grasping for anything tangible these days...Things connected to my mother... And still searching my heart and soul, and listening for answers to oh-so-many questions...

Clearly someone was listening and sent a sweet little hummingbird my way to bring a smile to my lips.

Times may be tough, but life is good. Thank you all, so very much, for your heartfelt comments and messages. You have no idea how much they mean to me.

I'm linking to Cindy at My Romantic Home's Show & Tell Friday. Be sure to stop by and visit her!

Donna

Vintage Cottage Bouquet...

I've been in need of a bit of a pick-me-up lately. I ventured out to the front yard where my perennials are blooming and being outside for a few minutes, looking at the beautiful flowers, and listening to the birds chirping, really did help.

Lately, I've been feeling a lot like Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) in You've Got Mail (one of my favorite movies). In one scene, Kathleen wishes she could talk to her deceased mother about what to do with her failing bookstore...

KATHLEEN (talking to her aunt Birdie [Jean Stapleton] about what to do):
All this publicity and not one bit of difference? Oh Birdie, what am I going to do? What would Mom have done?  
BIRDIE Let's ask her. (She opens the locket hanging around her neck. There's a picture of Kathleen's mother inside it. Birdie holds the locket up to her face).  
BIRDIE Cecilia, what should we do? (Birdie holds the locket to her ear and listens. A pause).  
KATHLEEN Birdie?  
BIRDIE Shhhh. (after a beat, shrugs) She has no idea, but she thinks the window display is lovely.

I miss my mom so much. There are so many decisions to be made about Dad, and how I wish I could talk to her.

I snipped off some small sprigs from the garden and tried them in a few different vases; first a small green vase and then a vintage milk glass vase. They both looked good next to this old photo of my mom, circa 1930, when she was about 4 years old. Having this little bouquet next to my mom's photo really did brighten my spirits a bit.

And even though I can't hear my mom's voice, I do know that she is watching over us and that everything will be okay. But, oh, how I wish she were still here....

I hope you are all enjoying a beautiful spring. I finally planted some annuals in our windowboxes and clay pots today. After an unseasonably cold, rainy spring, we are finally getting beautiful weather. And believe me, in light of the latest weather patterns, I am not complaining about our cold, rainy spring or the frigid winter we had. My heart goes out to everyone in the areas that have been hit so hard by tornadoes, and my thoughts and prayers are with you...

Donna

I feel so blessed...

Lyn, I will be writing to you, but I wanted to thank you immediately for the stunning tag you created and sent to me. I agree, this image is just beautiful - so serene... And the lace trim, rhinestone design, flowers, and silk ribbon you added are just perfect....

As you know, I love my Blessed Virgin Mary statues, busts, and planters, and your tag is such a beautiful addition to my collection.

Not only that, this tag arrived just when I needed a little lift. It's been very stressful to see all the changes my dad has been going through lately, and your sweet gift could not have arrived at a more perfect time.

Thank you so very much... I feel so blessed.

Donna

A stroll around the yard...

It's been so beautiful lately, so I wandered around the yard and snapped some photos to share with  you...

I know I showed you the hoppa crab trees from inside the other day, but I had to take a few more because they are just so beautiful.

I'm not sure if Mr. & Mrs. Wren have officially moved into this birdhouse yet. They have been checking it out, along with others in the backyard. I'll keep you posted.

Every year we toy with the idea of cutting off the lower branches to make mowing easier. But every year we expand the bark mulch a bit more because we just can't bring ourselves to cut them off.

As you can see, these were taken almost a week later than the previous... The blossoms are now a pale pink and have started dropping off the tree at at a furious rate, thereby carpeting the lawn in pink.

I love everything about these trees, including their gnarly branches.

Goodbye, sweet apple blossoms. I will look forward to seeing you again next year.

Adding to the pink show in the front yard is our bleeding heart. It is, by far, the fastest 'grower' in the yard. One day I will see tiny sprouts peeking out from the bark mulch...

... and in record time, the entire plant has skyrocketed out of the earth...

... covered with the most perfect little pink bleeding hearts.

I didn't plant these (that I remember!) but they pop up every spring, adding some much needed color to a far corner of the yard.

The honeysuckle is loaded with buds, which I'm sure the hummingbirds are keeping an eye on, just waiting for them to blossom!

This photo is from several weeks ago. I had just take the plastic off of my vintage Mary garden statue, and she clearly survived another cold winter. The cement paver should be replaced and the birdbath in the background (along with all the others) needed to be cleaned when this photo was taken (all the birdbaths have now been cleaned and the birds are happily bathing and drinking on a daily basis).

So thank you for peeking through the garden gate with me...

Now let's sit in the Adirondack chairs for a spell... This is the view, looking skyward. The birch tree leaves are just starting to open, giving it a lacy appearance.

Dad got home from the hospital/rehab yesterday, and life is changing for all of us... I promise I'll get around to visit you all soon. There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day lately.

I hope you're enjoying spring wherever you are!

I'm linking up to Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home... Come join everyone!

Donna