Anticipation...

I haven't really looked at the flower beds here for a week or so. I see them daily, but just glimpses as I run in and out the door.  Yesterday I decided to take a stroll around the yard and see how things were doing.

Now these pansies probably don't look that amazing to you... but here is the deal. We bought these for my mom back in the fall.  They got fairly neglected and for all appearances were dead.  She was going to toss them in the trash, but Hubs said "I'll take them."  He has fertilized and pruned and nurtured them and we have enjoyed a lovely late winter - early Spring showing.  These are the last of the blooms I fear, but they still look pretty....

I found this waiting amongs the tall green iris plants....

and there are many others showing hints of purple that no doubt will be popping over in the days ahead.

We have walked through a number of nurseries lately... we like to do that.  On the last trip, I snagged a few herbs to replinish the supply here.  Our mint huge and going strong... but the rosemary and basil did not fare well over the winter and I wanted to add some thyme to the mix. These will be potted up soon.

And lastly.... I am looking forward to seeing all the little white tips of this Jasime open and pouring out fragrance for us to enjoy. My husband's office purchased this for him a few years ago when his father died.  It has almost sucumbed to a couple of cold winters, but it is a tough ole bird (a bit like my father-in-law) and is ready to bloom!

I love the anticipation of what is to come!

Still Winter????

So technically it is still winter and while it is not unusual for us to have warm days .. really all year long down here!... we are definitely having a burst of Spring Fever!  The grass is growing and green (my fellas mowed for the first time this season today!)... buds are poppin' out on plants... flowers are blooming... birds are out looking for homes... I really am feeling like it is mid to late March not February.

I love the weather we are having ... everything is feeling fresh and new and at the same time wonderfully familiar...

Our winter pansies were basically dead... not any more! And yes, that hummingbird feeder is full as it the other one in our yard. The finches love to drink from them and we will probably have hummers here within a month.

The daylillies are waking up....

but the Iris' are ahead of them... 

It may be difficult to see the new growth on that Spirea, but check out that daisy.. yep that is a dead bloom which means some time in the last week we had an open bloom!  I hate that I missed it!

And look at the mint!  So green... and what a smell!

The Nandinas are still full of color and berries...

The neighbors plum is blooming and that bluebird house was cleaned out last week... just in time for the beautiful male I saw scouting it out today!  Cannot wait for the bluebirds to set up house... one of my favorite parts of Spring here...

And yes... despite the fact that it is February and still Winter as far as the calendar goes.. and actually still rather cool.. our Azaleas have decided they are ready to wake up and brighten our day!  One end of our house is covered with these bushes and they provide a lovely view from the breakfast room and kitchen.  

Some are saying that plants have been fooled into thinking it is Spring... I say God knew we needed the rebirth of Spring early this year.  A reminder of His grace and glory!

Makes me think of the hymn.... For the beauty of the earth.... For the glory of the skies...

What a Week!

This past week has been a full one here leading up to one of the biggest "bestest" weekends in our family!  On Saturday, May 8, 2010 our older child graduated from college and our younger child graduated from High School. Yep, all on the same day! It was truly a whirlwind!  College was at 10 a.m.  High School at 4 p.m. We hosted an open house at our home between the 2 and then had folks follow us home for a kick back party afterwards. It was a day FULL of blessings!  I can never truly put it all down in words.  Here are a few pictures from the day....

Our Family

 Our Crazy Kids!

Time to Celebrate!!!!

Mother's Day was this weekend also....  Church... loved Baby Dedication!  Wonderful Message and Worship!  Hubby grilled out (YUM!)... then an afternoon movie and little cat nap!  Got some lovely flowers from hubby and the kids.... and some neat happies including a great journal!

These are actually for graduation.. the white are for me and the pink for our daughter, the college grad.. the one pink at the top with small darker pinks were given to me by our son, high school grad, at his ceremony... yes, Momma cried a lot of Saturday!

These are from the kids.. Son picked them out.. He knows his Mom well.. I love BRIGHT and PINK!

Do you see a color theme here? 

One of the best presents for me this weekend came Saturday Night... after everyone had left and the house calm.  My Husband had place candles around our yard and patio in these neat Luminaries we got last year.  The effect was amazing!  I sat out in the glider swing and just drank it in!  After a week of 80s and 90s with horrible humidity, God sent us a day in the 70s with breezes and no stickiness.. it was a treasure!  These photos really don't come close to doing the setting justice, but you can get a bit of an idea...

That is just a taste of our big weekend..... earlier in the week I discovered some blooms in our Iris... so beautiful...

The pups went to visit their friends at the vet's kennel this weekend. With all the folks coming in and out and our going to and from it seemed best for them... but today I am missing them!  Ready for tomorrow to get her so I can get some puppy kisses.  It will be Miss Mia's 1st Birthday... I hope she is speaking to me! LOL!  She was not happy about the kennel one bit!

Be Blessed and take time to look for the joy in the journey.. it is there!