Spring Fever

Happy Birthday to my SIL. He gave himself this motor home for his birthday.

They have big plans to tour the country in style when he is out of the military. It's a fancy house on wheels, with a hearth, hardwood floors and a comfy master bedroom. Roll on, Sean and JoAnne!

At home, we are enjoying hanging our with our many visitors. Cody is in his favorite spot, next to his Master and Commander.

The Easter Bunny dropped this good egg on our porch...Rachel love. 

My 82 year old mom also flew in for a 2 week visit. Doesn't she look great? She's a natural beauty and I hope I got some of those genes.


There is nothing like good times at the table with those we love. Here, our friend Marek, a Czech missionary and teacher,  tells a story about his visit to exotic Dubai.



He came all the way from Prague to make us crepes for breakfast.
Delectable.  What a guy. Oh, and he was also doing a bit of paper work for the US government to maintain his residency status. 

Mom and I visited DC on a failed quest to see cherry blossoms. On an unrelated side trip to the White House, Mom decided it was appropriate that the residents of this house were kept behind bars. #political humor #no offense #just laugh

Grandma and Uncle Sam. My mom is a patriot and loves her country deeply.

We found some cherry blossoms under this arch at the botanical garden in Richmond. Beauty springing up everywhere. 

Spring and baseball go together. My grandson is playing second base, for his first season ever. Put down the joystick and get your game on, grandson o' mine. 

First time at bat here. One for the memory books...



Mom and Dad, Nana and Great Grandma relishing this big moment. Aidan, not so much. His team lost.

The farm is beautiful, changing every single day. The willow is green and flowing.

The daffodils are popping up.

The tulips, too, one by one, with the sunniest spots popping first.

My favorite junky planter is bursting forth.

My cabbages and lettuces and onions are growing with abandon.

Little tulips are emerging from the grass next to the pond.

And the pond itself is coming to life with hundreds of baby fishes and dozens of turtles. Apparently someone has been laying eggs all winter long.


There are three turtles snuggled on the bank right above the reflection in the water of the center tree. 

And we have baby frogs here and there.

A true boy's paradise for Aidan and his buddies. They have hours of play every weekend,  in and around the pond and woods.

All of this wonder, while Papa makes pancakes for breakfast. Don't you love a Spring morning?
Spring is finally here. Life is good.

So thankful to our God for these fresh, sweet, alive days, bursting with new beginnings.

Zecheriah 10:1  Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field. 

Blooming Farm Update

Welcome to my front porch.
On the doors, golden forsythia wreathes set off the yellow kalanchoe plants in the urns. The yellow is sunshine in a pot and healthier than prozac. Take a little walk with me to see what's in bloom. 

This forest goes on for acres behind the house. It will be a solid wall of green in a few weeks, but I am enjoying the lacy delicacy of the leaves right now.

A tapestry of brilliant reds, golds, greens and pinks. 

It's especially beautiful near sunset with all the dappled light shining through. 

The trees look like so many straight sticks right now, but soon we won't be able to see the sky through the leaves. 

The pond creatures are beginning to emerge, with turtles lining the banks to sun themselves. 

Near the bottom of the picture is the grandkids' swimming hole with a rope swing. It's like a big city pool, only much muddier and full of creatures!

These 4 weeping willow trees have all grown up from one fallen trunk. It's really beautiful and a nice symbol for our family. Even when something looks broken, new life can spring from it. I think of us all when I see it. 

This other willow tree by the shed is our Joey tree. It's got a missing branch, a gaping gash going all the way down one side. This tree is also thriving in spite of losing a big part of its self. 

The open field in front of our house is emerald. The marsh on the left is growing new cattails. 

But the show-offs right now are the bulbs. They have been grabbing the glory for several weeks. Oh my, these daffodils are gorgeous with the light behind them. 

I have a dozen pots of bulbs in the front, and another half dozen in the back of the house. I also have them at the entrance to our driveway and under the birdhouse. 

So beautiful--just overflowing. 

These saturated colors make me smile.

A princess. 

So beautiful  next to the steps and the rock walkway as the sun goes down.   

Peek-a-boo!

Out next to the barn, we have this old Coke machine that someone dumped in the forest  many years ago. (Grrr.) But we got a group of guys together and they dragged it out. It's all rusty and deteriorating and yet so gorgeous with the red tulips in it. The bucket on the ground next to it was found in a trash heap in the forest., too.  Flowers + recycled junk = beauty. 

The afternoon light on the tulips. 

And again from another angle, that also shows the cool side of the  house porch way beyond,  with all the rocking chairs, and the wishing well between the house and the barn. 

Glorious!

The screen porch is a new addition and I can't wait to furnish it. I am looking for comfy daybeds and a game table and shelves stuffed with snacks and board games and magazines and sparkling lights around the whole perimeter. This is my summer home.

Another view of the screen porch. So roomy!

The mosquitoes are quiet right now, but we will be ready for them when they descend. 

One more peek at the screen porch from the house porch with the wishing well in between. 

From a distance, on the right side of the barn and screen porch, you can see the garden too. I've got it all planted with flowers and veggies. Organic, too, but more about that later!

Back to the house. Our new black driveway is made up of recycled asphalt left over from one of the major road re-paves in our town. I love it next to our black and white trim and  the stone walkway. Country living means no concrete driveways.

The center of the circular driveway has a little island planted all in yellow. In the summer I am hoping for a beautiful display of hybrid roses, including one to climb up the little tower. This is one of my favorite spots for sitting and staring. 

Back to the front door across the way. We spend a lot of time doing this. Back and forth. 

And more daffodils. My camera can't resist them.