Signs of Spring

Until I heard the news this morning and nearly fell out of bed at the word "snow" in the day's forecast, I was really getting excited for spring. Yesterday I successfully uprooted shrub #2/4 with some help from my four-legged friends. We had a fun afternoon hanging outside and can't wait for more days like it to come.

Blooming jonquils in the flower bed at the top of the driveway. Daffodils are just starting to pop open.

Daylillies near the creek are really growing quickly!

Sam loves being outside and is the best about it, too. Don't you love this pose with his lip all out of whack? It's normal for him....

Beeker also enjoyed his time outside, though he definitely would love to ditch the collar and leash. It totally cramps his style.

At the top of the photo is the area of brush that I cleared last week and where I got my poison ivy. I plan to plant some wildflower seeds in that spot.

This is the monster that I uprooted yesterday!

Home Again

Well, I'm back home! I must admit that I did not fulfill all of my ambitions while I was away, but I did make a sincere start to all but one. The seeds have been planted and are already showing signs of growth. Yeah! The shoes are in process. One shoe has been assembled, but I'm not thrilled with the way it came together. I hope to make a small modification and then continue to finish the rest off by the end of this week. They are cute! I shamefully admit that I did not do any quilting. Argh...I really need motivation. Today I came across this display of red and white quilts in NYC. Fabulous collection and stunning display - all owned by one lady. She collected many of them for $5 or $10! Check it out. Perhaps I can find some motivation in that.

Tonight I spent 2 1/2 hours uploading and ordering prints from November through March. I can't believe how incredibly far behind I am in printing, let alone scrapping. I have not even finished my wedding scrapbook yet and our two year anniversary is approaching all too quickly. The thought of it not being done makes me sad. I visited the website with our wedding photos and printed a couple photos to complete two projects. Our wedding day is still such a beautiful and happy memory that I can recall as if it was yesterday. *sigh*

Where did the time go?

I had not realized how long it was since my last post. The time has gone by incredibly fast!

I love the emergence of spring even more as a homeowner! Mom helped me kick-start the spring clean-up in the yard last weekend. We were able to clear out a huge, unattractive pile of old wood and other composted stuff in the front yard. We also uncovered the daffodils and crocuses at the top of the driveway. Today, Zach and I did a little work in the backyard and cleared out some overgrown vines above the terraced garden. I will update with pictures sometime next week.

For now, I am house-sitting, so the yard projects will come to a halt. However, I was able to bring a few portable projects along with me that I hope to finish. (If I share them with you, it will encourage me to follow-through with my intentions.) The first project is my quilt. I have one more square in the middle of the quilt to finish and then, it's on to the border. The other projects include making some baby shoes and planting some seeds.

Have a lovely week!

Decor

I had this empty wall in the office for several months until my dad helped me hang the shelving unit. However, it has been sitting empty until just the other day after I did some bargain shopping to decorate it. I'm quite pleased with how everything turned out.

Fingers crossed that I can keep the plants alive! The area has very little light, but the pilea's (lower left) plant description says it only needs low light. The bamboo (upper left) may have difficulties since the cats already chewed it, but I'm hoping it will be resilient. I bought a plant bulb and timer to supplement what little light is reaching the shelves from the window, but I still need to find a desk light for it. (I'm currently using one that isn't my favorite, so I hope to find one at a second-hand shop that would suit the space better.)

My bargains (if you're curious) ... shelves - free (from my parents); votive candle holder, framed piece of fabric - items already owned; class cups - $0.20 each at thrift store; fake branches, berries, potted flower, bird figure, and votive candles - all 50% off at Michaels, totaling less than $10; live plants - full price purchase totaling less than $5.

Lots of Rain

I took some video this afternoon of the creek in the front yard. The rain has been continuous today and this is the highest I've ever seen it. Thankfully it's not even close to the bridge and I think it would have to rain a lot more before that's a concern.

As a comparison, this is a picture of the creek at its normal level.

Must Love Cats

I just discovered this show on Animal Planet and I love it. Some clips are a little out there, but others are totally awesome. Here are a few of my favorites -

Cool Cat House - I have been begging Zach to let me do something like this in our house. Perhaps not this extreme, but I'd like to it come pretty close!

Tree Climber - After going through the heart-breaking experience of losing a new kitten up a tree, this guy's job is absolutely filling a need. I love his cat-grabbing bag which wasn't highlighted so well in this clip. It's a glove attached to a bag, so he can handle scared kitties and secure them in the bag without letting go until it is closed. I could totally talk Zach into doing something like this! Perhaps some other Swatara climbing staff would be interested as well?

Klepto Kitty - I can't believe the stories this cat's owner has to tell!

Must Love Cats airs on Animal Planet on Saturdays at 8pm.