front porches

 

When it’s a beautiful day like yesterday, we load up the SUV stroller (that’s what I call our two-seater stroller) and go for a long walk.

I say a long walk since it wouldn’t be worth loading up this thing for a short one!

Actually, this pic was taken on another day.  Notice the parade in the background which by the way is for a future post.  I’m just showing this pic now so you can see this humongous stroller! 

One of my favorite walks in our quaint little town is right down Main Street past historic homes oozing with character centuries old.  Today, I focused on front porches.

 

 

Love this RED Door!

And what about the vintage rocking horse?

I could while away the day on this charming white trimmed porch

or maybe just half a day…

and the other half on this one.

 

 

After spending a beautiful morning strolling, playing, and picnicking, we arrived on this front porch.  It’s not historic or characteristic, but as you can see, it’s pretty boy’s favorite.

There’s just no place like

home sweet home!

 

if you could only smell the fragrance!

I’m joining some pretty fine gardeners at Tootsie’s Fertilizer Friday and the Inspired Room.

 

Wisteria blooms have taken over my pergola in the last couple of days with the most stunning  lilac colored blossoms.   The abundance of the color in my garden now is amazing.  It’s like someone takes a paint brush and hurls brilliant hues here and there at night while I’m sleeping.  When I awake I find new splashes of color where dull brown used to be.

Speaking of paint, I played around with textures on this photo and the effect reminded me of a water color painting.  I layered a texture found at Shadowhouse Creations  resembling a blue cracked paper called PG2 at 60% over the first photo to get this look.

Oh, how I wish you could take in the fragrance that envelopes me when I open my back door, but, sadly, I know you can’t.  I can only send you pictures and so that’s what I’ll do.  J

They say it’s dogwood winter – I say it’s COLD!

As they say in Tennessee, “if you don’t like the weather, stick around, it will change.”

So true this week,

Monday – a breaking record 89 degrees WARM!

Thursday – 50 degrees COOL!

This morning – 37 degrees COLD!

Cigar Man tells me it’s Dogwood Winter. He grew up on a farm so that makes him an expert at this kind of thing.

He’s says there’s Dogwood, Locus, and Blackberry Winter. There may be more, but that’s all he could tell me about before heading to work.

Have you ever heard of such a thing?

By the way, I edited my backyard dogwood photos with textures I found from various sites I learned from dropping in on Blue Ridge Gal and Chronicles from a Country Girl. I layered textures on my photos with Photoshop Elements. Sometimes I use “soft light” and lower the “Opacity” till I like what I see. Other times, I may just lower the Opacity. Try it. You’ll like it!

I’m sharing with others at Show and Tell Friday.

Oh Happy Day!

I was on my way to

pick up the newspaper

just like any other morning

when it happened.

SPRING FEVER STRUCK!

Oh yes, I remember how this feels. You know, when Spring finally comes. The warmth of the sun wraps around us and all the while a cool breeze nips at our cheeks.

Birds chirp and sing their melodies while…

bunnies play their fair weather games.

The new colors of

GOLD

PINK,

and

LIME

excite our eyes,

too long accustomed

to russet and brown.

The smell of fresh mulch

tingles my nose

as I walk back inside

with my paper in hand

for my morning cup of Joe.

Oh Happy Day!

I’m sharing with Outdoor Wednesday.

a fresh look

The best part of spring cleaning besides the obvious which would be getting things clean, of course, would be the fresh look of things. I can go all year and see my surroundings, but never see them. You know what I mean? But when I take the time to spruce up, I see my little treasures in a new light.

I can add a touch of the season while I clean.

I can make a game of cleaning and it’s not drudgery anymore. Well, almost not.

(Recognize the starfish? Oh yes, they’re from our friend at Tales from an OC Cottage. Aren’t they gorgeous!)

Light my candles to show off a new clean glow.

Flick on the light and enjoy the new sparkle.

And after everything’s spic-n-span clean, make it easy on myself and put a roast in the crock pot to cook all day.

My family loves a rump roast sprinkled with one package of Lipton’s onion soup mix and one can of cream of mushroom soup. Add to that potatoes and carrots and salt and pepper to taste. It couldn’t be easier and more delicious.

I’m sharing with Marty and others at Table Top Tuesday and Lisa’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

view from my window

This was the view from my bathroom window last autumn. Cigar Man planted this Crabapple tree a few years ago when the house was new and yard was sterile. I didn’t think much about it then. Just another tree. Cigar Man is ALWAYS planting trees. But as it’s grown and changes from season to season, it’s become my favorite…

in the Spring,

Summer,

Autumn,

and Winter too.

It gives me pleasure from my window.

By the way, you can find some beautiful scenery,

photography and who knows what all at

Mary’s Mosaic Monday.

Spring’s a coming

I just know Spring is coming, but I had to put these photos together from past Springs to remind myself.

I am seeing evidence though. On a walk today I spotted crocus, always a first sign of Spring in Tennessee.

And pansies too!

And a white tulip!

Well, only because I bought it at Krogers. J

Stop by Mary’s dear little red house to see other mosaics.

Main Street USA

We had some great weather recently for a change. When the sun comes out, I'm ready to follow suit so we enjoyed an afternoon strolling down Main Street.


We have one of those picturesque main streets with the interesting little shops propped in old quaint buildings and the beautiful old colonial type homes from the 1800. I don't think I'd ever tire of walking on Main Street. It feels like you've strolled right into a Norman Rockwell painting.

We strolled past old churches with interesting architecture

and intricate stained glass windows,

charming old homes with wrap around porches,

interesting roof lines,

and gingerbread lattice work,

porches,

and ponds.

And, of course, we had to stop for a

Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte

(I drank it quicker than I can type it!)

What?! It's only 90 calories!

Check with Susan's at A Southern Daydreamer to see what others did outdoors.

...in winter enjoy!

" In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy."

The unusual southern snow sparked my passion to shoot photo after photo of the new white blanket covering a formerly russet landscape. And taking photos is a new hobby that I really enjoy. I've learned so much from many of you who share with me the passion of photography. So joining in on Mary's Mosaic Monday and seeing what all of you have to contribute is such a pleasure for me!

Looking through my photo collection, I noticed I'd taken these same Adirondack chairs in past seasons; spring, fall and now winter. So I thought it'd be fun to group them in a mosaic to compare.Now, since I'm a southern gal, I don't own a pair of snow boots but that didn't stop me from braving the icy snow and the bitter cold. I just tied some plastic bags over my shoes and secured them with a rubber band. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! LOL!

And was it ever COLD! BRRRRRR!

You can see here, the accumulation of snow from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning.

I'd say at least three inches.

I know. Some of you northerners are silently laughing. :) My cardinal friend looked me right in the eye as if to say,

"So what are you waiting for? Fill up the bird feeder!"

And then he played peek-a-boo with me.

Even the dried up crab-apples...

...and crepe myrtle buds transform to a renewed splendor in the snow.
Of course, I'm not the only one in our household who enjoyed the snow.

pretty boy wasn't too sure about this makeshift sled (really a trash can lid),

but it didn't take long riding with mom...

before he got the hang of it!