Springtime on the Great Plains

What is wrong with this picture?Can this PLEASE be Winter's last hurrah? Please?

The magnolia tree was just about to burst into bloom. Guess that will be delayed a day or two...

It began to rain yesterday afternoon, then turned to snow about 11:00 last night. It was wet and heavy, and our power flicked off and on all night. I don't know our official total, but my best guess is about 3 inches.

Our estimated last frost date is 10 days away. I think someone needs to tell Mother Nature.

Touch of Spring

The lovely warm temps we're having right now inspired me to put together this little centerpiece for the dining room table. I like it the way it is, but will add some candles and perhaps use it for a tablescape.

The jars are all thrifted and I didn't pay over $1 for any of them. They're filled with jelly beans and Easter M&M's. I especially like the colors in the tall jar - those are SweetTart jelly beans. I haven't tasted them - we're not big jelly bean fans - but they're fun to decorate with. (Did you see they have bags full of just BLACK jelly beans? I'm going to get some and save them for Halloween. I do like black ones!) The sweet little bunny bud vase was also thrifted for less than $1. The bottom has "Avon" printed on it. I filled it with my favorite fresh daisies this morning. I suppose it'd be cute with a candle, too, and maybe that was it's intended use. A pair of them with candles would be pretty.
Tomorrow the weather will go back to end-of-winter/early-springtime temps in the 50's, and I think there may be rain. That's okay. After yesterday and today we know that Springtime is almost here. My jelly beans say so.

Spring Ahead!

I think I'm in a club with a really small number of members. It's the "I LOVE Daylight Saving Time" club. Tomorrow morning when I awaken, I will happily go around the house and "spring ahead" all the clocks. Yes, we "lose" an hour, and my body will be dazed and confused for a few days, but the trade-off will be worth it. To have sunshine for an extra hour in the evening, proving that the days are getting longer, and Spring is on the way, is just what a person needs this time of year.

Finally

The magnolia tree is blooming. That means Spring is staying. Yes.

But wait. What is wrong with this picture?

Anyone? Anyone?

Yeah, we're still decorated for THE HOLIDAYS. Oh Gregory....!

Front Door Decor for Spring

I drove by my front door this morning on the way to the post office, and saw that there was nothing decorating it except an old cracked magnet hook. Um, time to add a little touch o' Spring, I think.

Started out with a metal wall pocket I found at Goodwill back in the Fall. It began life as a green-ish color and I spray-painted with a texture paint that was supposed to make it look kind of rustic instead of cottagey. It's been on a shelf in the den ever since, waiting for inspiration. It was a long winter.

Ah, but today it just seemed like Serendipity the way I found all the components of a sweet little Springtime display here at home. The wall pocket, a forgotten silk ivy, the bird and nest that have been perched in the kitchen window. Made for an okay door decoration. But.

I kept going back to it, going out on the porch and looking at it from outside. It was nice, but something was missing. Oh, that'd be color!

Now began the hunt for some silk flowers. Wait. I donated all the silk flowers last Fall, keeping only a couple of small swags for candles.

My goal was to decorate the front door using only what I had in my house. Now I'm thinking that if I have to go buy a small flower pick, I will, but first I'll see what I have for ribbon. Perhaps a bow to add that little splash of Spring brightness.

I have lots of ribbon for scrapbooking, but nothing appropriate for this. Still thinking silk flowers. Still thinking I'll have to buy some. REALLY wishing we had a Hobby Lobby closer than 45 miles.

I turn around and glance around the room, and lo and behold, there it is, up on top of tall shelves, put away in "storage". A basket with a silk flower arrangement from my Dad's funeral. I've used it during the summer the past few years, so I really wasn't sure I wanted to tear it apart. I'll just look and see if there are a few picks I can pull out and then put back easily. Well, there were several that ended up in that wall pocket, and there is grave doubt they'll ever go back in the original arrangement, but that's okay. I love the results.

This brought a tiny touch of Springtime to an otherwise cold and dreary day, and helped brighted my heart just a tad.

Beauty, sweetness, wonder

Isn't this an awesome photo? A little while ago, I was working in the den and could hear a cardinal chirping away out front. I figured it was on the power lines, but went to look. He was bouncing around in the magnolia tree. I took this looking sideways out the front window so I wouldn't scare him away. He was plucking petals off the flowers, and trying to pull the buds off the branches.

This little guy was snooping around the trunk of the tree. I think I saw him out back yesterday, nibbling dry grass near the driveway. I took his photo through the storm door, but then did venture out to see if I could get a better photo. He didn't run too far, but didn't want to pose anymore, either.

Last year Greg found a bunny nest in a depression in the yard - wonder where they'll be this year?

Finally, the tree is pretty much all bloomed. The flowers usually get either frozen or hailed upon. We're supposed to have heavy rains tonight, but it's not going to be hot enough today for hail.

Blooms burst forth!

This was the magnolia tree on Sunday afternoon...

This is the magnolia tree today (Wednesday):

After the flowers fade, it will be thick with dark green leaves.

I love this tree - it was a birthday gift many years ago, and has grown from being a stick, to a tree almost as tall as the house. Those flowers mean Spring is really here. Yea!

Has it Sprung?

“One swallow does not make a spring, nor does one fine day”

(quote by Aristotle)

We all want to believe that Spring has arrived and will stay for a few months. I think she's just visiting, teasing, and will go away, laughing at our disappointment. Everyone will be cranky when she goes, but we'll welcome her back with delight when she returns, whether it is to tease again, or to stay for good.

This photo is my magnolia tree, taken this morning. It'll be blooming soon, then when the flowers fade, the leaves come on. It's gotten big enough to screen the entire North side of the front deck, offering a haven for those little birds who sing and flitter about, driving the cats crazy as they watch through the window.

I'm really aching to get some gardening going, but I do know better. Today I will clean up some more of the dead brown leavings from last summer, and bide my time until the bulbs come up. The hyacinth started up in January, then winter finally showed up and I'm worried they won't bloom now.

I do plan to have a small vegetable garen this year, in addition to my herbs, so there is lots of work to do to prepare for that. And I may be getting a small gazebo soon, so there will be a new area to landscape around.