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